Comparing School Lunches from around the world

France School Lunch - Poultry and Potatoes
Contents: Poultry, potatoes, vegetables, salad, cheese, dessert.
Notes: Not unlike something you would order at a restaurant. Any guesses as to what is for dessert?



Russia School Lunch
Contents: Orange juice, baked pudding, salad with cheese, ham and mushrooms, coleslaw and apple, mashed potatoes, cranberry juice.
Notes: Looks pretty good to me. All items you would find in the USA as well, though not always in a school lunch.



Japan School Lunch
Contents: Fish, rice, cucumber salad, strawberries, miso soup, soy beans and milk.



Brazil School Lunch
Contents: Rice, Beans, Bread, Meat with vegetables, banana and alface, acelga salad


USA School Lunch
Contents: Pizza, corn, lowfat milk and half an orange.


Sweden School Lunch
Contents: Potatoes, cabbage, beans, cracker, Lingon Berry juice

Shirmp Avocado Toast

Sometimes on Sunday's just for the heck of it, I create a little canape for the family to snack on before dinner. I don't usually make a lot, just enough for one or two bites per person, but it's a fun way to try experiment with some appetizer recipes. I usually try to work with stuff I already have at home.

This weekend, I wanted to use up some flour tortillas that I had in the freezer. They had become all bashed and battered around the edges from being buried under the frozen turkey and all those frozen ice cube trays. They were no where near suitable for making wraps anymore, I don't know why I bother freezing them, I usually end up with a bag full of broken flour tortillas pieces. But it lead me to create this recipe, so I guess it's all good.

Shrimp and Avocado Toasts

3 large flour tortillas
16-20 medium size cooked shrimp
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 ripe avodaco
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
salt and pepper
lime zest

1. Using a 2" inch cookie cutter, cut as many circles as you can out of your flour tortillas.

2. Brush the tortilla circles lightly with olive oil and fry them in a medium hot skillet on both sides until browned and crispy. Remove them to cool.

3. In a small bowl, mash the avocado with a spoon, be a rebel and leave a few lumps (it's better that way). Stir in the lime juice and mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Place about a tbsp of the avocado mixture on each tortilla toast, and top with a cooked shrimp. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with lime zest.

NYC Restaurant Gossip....

The rumor mill is abuzz, and it looks like Andrew Carmellini and Josh Pickard (Locanda Verde) might be working on a new restaurant in the old Cub Room space. We'll keep you posted. In the interim, prepare to lace up some rented shoes: David Burke will be in charge of food operations at The Gray Lady restaurant, offering lane service or takeout at Bowlmor Lanes Times Square when it opens. Tom Colicchio and Sisha Ortuzar of 'Wichcraft are planning to open Riverpark in October, with Ortuzar running the kitchen. Crustacean lovers, don your bibs: Luke's Lobster has opened in a larger space with a slightly expanded menu. Chef Bamba Seydou (Lola, Le Petit Bassam) and Patrice Bihina-Parade (Boucarou) are opening Lina Frey, with a simple French menu and a sidewalk crêpe window. Alex McCrery (Commander's Palace) will start dishing out American classics from the Goods trailer in Williamsburg on the 9th, and the day after that, 75-year-old Eddie's Pizza will start selling whole pies from a truck. French dark dining chain Dans le Noir? will open a New York location in September, so you might want to start practicing eating with your eyes closed now. Also, Top Chef alumna Nikki Cascone has closed 24 Prince.

Sourdough Crumpets

For the past few months I've been quite successful in keeping my sourdough starter alive and thriving. I use it often so I don't refrigerate it - I leave it on the counter and feed it everyday. I don't like throwing so much starter in the garbage, so I've started making these crumpets with the excess. It is very easy.

Each night when I feed my starter, the portion I would normally discard goes into a little containter in the fridge. Once I have a cup, I make this recipe. You can freeze them and pop them in the toaster for breakfast. They are delicious with butter and jam.

Sourdough Crumpets
makes about 8 crumpets

1 cup sourdough starter
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt

1. Preheat your griddle to medium heat.

2. In a bowl with room for expansion, mix the starter with the sugar and salt.

3. Stir in the baking soda. (The batter will get foamy and just about double in size).

4. Lightly spray your skillet and 4 egg rings with cooking spray. Drop 1/4 cup of batter into each egg ring. Cook slowly until the top of the crumpet is set (no longer wet). If you want you can flip them and give them a few seconds on the other side to make sure they are cooked through, but this isnt' traditional.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread
I don’t think I have met anyone who doesn’t have a fond memory of his/her Mother’s special banana bread or cake. It seems that we all grew up in homes where our Mother made the ‘best banana bread in the world’. Now either our mothers were all using the same recipe, or there is just something magical about Banana Bread. When Jo-Ann owned the Emerald Bakery in the city, her banana cake became quite famous. It was a covered in Chocolate Ganache & Banana Cream frosting. Yesterday's catering meal was finished off with these beautiful little Banana Cake’s, using Jo-Ann’s ‘best ever’ recipe!



Here is the recipe!

Jo-Ann’s ‘Best Ever’ Banana Cake

1 1/4 c Butter
3 c Sugar
6 Large Eggs
1 tbs Vanilla Extract
4.5 c Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1.5 c Sour Cream
4 c Mashed Bananas
2 tsp Baking Soda

Cream butter and sugar together in a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs & vanilla and mix until incorporated. Sift together dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Combind sour cream, bananas and baking soda in a separate bowl. Alternate adding banana mixture and dry ingredients to creamed butter, sugar & egg mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.

Spoon into lined muffin tins, about 2/3 full. Bake in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 10-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Alternately pour into a two 9 inch cake pans and bake for 30-45 minutes. Test for doneness.

Ice with your favourite frosting!

Artichoke and spinach frittata

Spinach and artichokes are in season right now. The spinach and artichoke combo in the following recipe remind me of one of my favourite dips, the hot spinach and artichoke dip, which I can never get enough of.

I started with 2 medium sized artichokes, and I quartered them after picking off the inedible outer petals and peeling their stems. I then removed the fuzzy insides and quickly blanched them before adding them to the frittata. Preparing the fresh artichokes took a bit of work but it was worth it! I ended up with nice large pieces of artichokes that gave the frittata a rustic feel to it and they were definitely tasty! The spinach, feta and dill flavour combo has been one of my favorites for a while now and it worked really well in this frittata and the artichoke took it over the edge making it that much better! Luckily I made enough that I will be enjoying this frittata for breakfasts for the rest of the week.


Artichoke and Spinach Frittata
(makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach (roughly chopped, or frozen that is thawed and squeezed of excess liquid)
2 cups artichoke hearts (quartered)
6 eggs
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
1 handful dill (chopped)
1/2 cup feta (crumbled)



Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts.
5. Mix the artichokes, eggs, yogurt, salt, pepper, dill, spinach and feta in a bowl.
6. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook until the eggs are almost set, about 10-15 minutes.
7. Transfer the pan into a preheated 400F oven and let the eggs finish cooking, about 10-15 minutes.

Simple Dinner Rolls

Here is a no fail, super easy dinner roll recipe. The rolls come out light and buttery and simply delicious. They really aren't much work at all, and if I start them about an an hour and half before dinner is ready, then they are fresh out of the oven and straight to the table.

This is my go-to recipe for dinner rolls when I have guests. Homemade bread never fails to impress.

Simple Dinner Rolls

3 1/2 cups flour (plus a bit more during kneading)
2 tbsp sugar
2 envelopes Quick-rise yeast
1 tsp salt
3/4 cups milk
1/2 cups water
1/3 cups butter
1 egg

1. Reserve 1 cup flour.

2. Mix remaining flour, yeast, sugar and salt in large bowl.

3. Warm milk, water, and butter until very warm (approx 115F).

4. Stir warm liquid into dry ingredients and beat in 1 egg.

5. Mix in enough reserved flour to make a soft dough that does not stick to bowl.

6. Knead lightly for about 6 minutes. Adding flour to prevent sticking.

7. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Shape as desired. (I shape into 18 rolls and put them 8 per pan in 8" round cake pans)

8. cover, let rise about 30 minutes. At this point you can brush butter, or egg on top and sprinkle with poppy seeds, or sesame seeds, if desired.

9. Bake in 375F oven about 20-25 minutes, until golden. Cool on wire rack.

The Spring Fruits and Veggies available to us

We’ve outlined a few fruits and veggies that should be available at your grocers – fresh and grown in the US. Many of these tasty foods are available all year around even if they are not “in season”. Be on the lookout and prepare some fresh fruits & veggies for your little one!

Fruits:

Apricots June – July;
Avocados All year;
Bananas All year;
Cherries May – June;
Grapes June – December;
Kiwi June – August;
Mangoes April – August;
Melons -Cantaloupes May – September;
Honeydews February – October;
Watermelons May – August;
Nectarines and Peaches June – September;
Papayas All year;
Plums June – September

Veggies:

Artichokes March – May;
Asparagus March – June;
Beans:Green or Wax April – October;
Limas April – August;
Beets June – October;
Cabbage All year;
Carrots All year;
Corn May – September;
Cucumbers May – August;
Onions All year;
Peas, green April – July;
Peppers All year;
White Potatoes All year;
Summer Squash June – August;
Tomatoes May – August;
Spinach March – May.

The Internet is a funny place, especially the cranny of it into which the food-related sliver is wedged. That sliver is a small, small world. Take last Sunday, for example.

As far as weekends go, it was a swell one, and it was drawing to a peaceful close. There had been a little rain and too much work, but there was also a lovely dinner at home, an even better dinner out, a warm-ish walk with the dog, a sun-bathed omelet on Sunday morning, a million errands accomplished and … well, you get the picture.




I had a pot of soup quietly bubbling on the stove, as it so often does on Sunday afternoons. There was magic happening in the oven, too. Or at least it sure smelled like magic—that cinnamon-spiked scent of baked goods plumped with banana. This banana cake also happened to be studded with chunks of dark chocolate and toasted walnuts. I had a hunch it would be delicious and, frankly, couldn’t wait for the oven timer to ding. Cleaning up my accumulated emails I came across a recipe Lynn had sent me, and I kid you not, the recipe she sent just happened to be the same one I had in the oven. Funny how that happens. The recipe is below. Enjoy!



banana cake with dark chocolate and walnuts
from gourmet, february 2008

serves 8-10

Ingredients

■2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
■1 tsp baking soda
■1/2 tsp salt
■1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus 2 tbsp, melted and cooled
■1 cup sugar, divided
■2 large eggs
■1-1/4 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
■2/3 cup fat-free, vanilla, greek yogurt
■1 tsp vanilla extract
■1 (3-1/2 to 4-ounce) bar bittersweet chocolate, or 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
■1 cup walnuts, toasted, cooled and coarsely chopped
■1/2 tsp cinnamon
Method

1.Preheat oven to 375* with rack in middle. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan.
2.Stir together flour, baking soda and salt.
3.Beat together softened butter (1 stick) and 3/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until blended. Beat in bananas, yogurt and vanilla (mixture will look curdled).
4.With mixer at low speed, add flour mixture and blend until just incorporated.
5.Toss together chocolate, nuts, cinnamon, melted butter and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Spread half of banana batter in cake pan and sprinkle with half of chocolate mixture. Spread remaining batter evenly over filling and sprinkle remaining chocolate mixture on top.
6.Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool cake completely before cutting.

Graduation Party Planning

You may want to give your graduate a party that will be the highlight of his/her achievement, and a life time memory. Whether it’s a small or a large party, its success is in the planning. Here is what you will want to do to make your graduation party memorable.

Are you planning a large graduation party or a small dinner? What would your graduate want to do? It is important to have a budget in mind, but be prepared to make some changes as you do your planning something’s may cost more /less than you anticipated.

Location, Location Location- You need to decide if you are going to do it at home or if you are going to have a venue. I find that by doing it at home you may have more planning to do. You may need tent, tables, chairs, lighting-- just a few necessities. You may find it easier to book a venue, park lodge or even a hall that supplies all the tables, chairs and other items you may need to have a successful graduation party. I have seen families with graduates that have been close through school, share the expense and do graduation parties together since most of the guest would be the same.

Menu – You have all kinds of catering options. You may higher a full service cater like Bialystok & Bloom to take care of your entire event or you may want to do something as simple as picking up trays at your local grocer or deli.

Get some help for party day-If you can not hire a full service caterer like Bialystok & Bloom you may want to ask some friends or family to help you with the preparation and picking up of items you have ordered. It is important that you enjoy the day along with your graduate and not feel like you missed the graduation party because you where to busy in the kitchen and with clean up. Another way to enjoy your event would be to hire some staff to help with the event. You can even buy a few items from the caterer that the staff person could bring along with them. This way you have someone helping with bringing food items you have ordered and a professional person helping you with your event.

Cocktails and Pastries: A Good Combination

With the rise of the mixologist and speak-easy era, the more inventive "sweet" cocktails – the ones with chocolate raspberry liquors and a dreadful chocolate swirl along the inside or over the rim of the glass – are quickly disappearing. Cocktail lists designed as flip books with bright pictures showcasing colorful daiquiri or - my personal favorite - Pina Coladas with an umbrella and cherry on top are becoming outdated. Replacing these throw-back thrills is a variety of cocktails mixed with a more organic and thoughtful approach, mindful of the food that is being eaten with these drinks.

Some of my favorite sweet cocktails include:

the cosmic: stoli raspberry/cointreau/rose water/cranberry/brut rose/pop rocks
falling leaves: cinnamon rum/velvet falernum/dupont cider/fig ginger puree
the punsch: batavia arrack/allspice dram/chaucers cup/caramel syrup/lemon/orange
sarsparrilla: infused cocoa vodka/avernaangostura bitters/shatto root beer milk

While many people will opt for a traditional cocktail before or after dinner, such as a gin and tonic, few pause to consider pairing a drink with dessert.

Here are a few of my favorite liquor and dessert pairings:

Galliano – works well with creamy custards and in particular my fresh mint ice cream
Crème de Violette – a beautiful purple liquor blends with vanilla and angel food
Apple & Pear Brandy, Ciders, and All-Spice Dram - fall fruits and winter desserts
Van Gough's Espresso Vodka – chocolate
Punches with fresh fruit infused syrups – light spring or citrus desserts
Bärenjäger & Bourbon – honey and caramel, beignets
Lillet White or Red with Champagne – summer peaches and nectarines
Canton Ginger Liquor – carrot cake, cheese cake
10-Cane Rum – tropical desserts, vanilla
Pomegranate Liquor – strawberries & raspberries
Brachetto d' Acqui – chocolate
St. Germain Elder flower liquor – herb infused pastries, meringue
Zirbenz Stone Pine Liquor, Sherry, Scotch - gingerbread
Camapri & Aperol – grapefruit and other citrus

Cheers!!

IRISH COLCANNON

CREAMY POTATO, BACON AND CABBAGE SOUP

4 slices thick bacon, diced
1 cup white onion, diced
1 leek, washed and diced
1 pound white potatoes, peeled and diced
½ head green cabbage, cored and sliced
6 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon chives, snipped

Directions:
Cook bacon in a heavy pot over medium heat until evenly browned.
Add the onions, leeks, potatoes and cabbage. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring often, for 5-10 minutes.
Add stock and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
Lower the heat and continue to simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Add the heavy cream and stir until heated through and soup is creamy.
To finish, whip the butter cubes into the soup.
Serve with a garnish of fresh snipped chives.

French Onion Soup

The idea of a secret ingredient is a funny one. I think it's based on a modern American notion of shortcuts; the idea that instead of working hard to be successful, you can win the lottery or appear on a reality show or read the Cliff's Notes and still pass your A.P. English exam. This American obsession with getting everywhere as quickly as possible, to FastPass your way to accomplishment, doesn't translate well to cooking. Which is why, I think, so many Americans don't cook. They'd rather fast food it, or frozen dinner it, than stand over a stove. And when they do stand over the stove, they want "quick tips" and "30 minute meals" and the magical, secret ingredient that'll propel their dinner to greatness. But the truth is no one ingredient can propel your dinner to greatness; greatness comes with patience and practice, over time.

This is a recipe for French Onion soup with a secret ingredient: port wine. My favorite French Onion soup in the city, the one at Blue Ribbon, has a beguiling sweetness and acidity that threw me for a while. Now I've hit upon it at home and I have Anthony Bourdain's recipe to thank.

But just because there is a secret ingredient here (not just port wine but also, I should say, Balsamic vinegar) doesn't mean you can Shoots & Ladders your way to success. You've gotta understand the process. For starters, you've gotta slice your onions.

After that, it's pretty easy. Melt 6 Tbs of butter in a large pot (I used a Dutch oven) on medium heat. Add the onions but don't salt them--you want them to brown and salt will just make them wilt. Here's where you've gotta be truly patient; let them cook down for a while. Until they're golden, golden brown. (Not too fast though; control the heat so this happens gradually.) 20 minutes later.

At this point, I added salt: a good sprinkling of Kosher salt over the whole thing.

Now you add the secret ingredients. I realize now, because the recipe was in ounces, I added more than I should have but the resulting soup was still amazing. So the recipe says to add (for this halved version) 1/8 cup port wine and 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar. I added 1/4 cup of both and it still tasted great. You decide--you're the decider. Now here's another non-shortcutty thing to do: add homemade chicken stock. You add one quart of it (4 cups) to the onions, port and vinegar.

Either way, salt it and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. It will smell wonderful.

When you're ready to serve, heat your broiler or heat your oven to 425. Grate a bunch of cheese (I grated Gruyere and Pecorino. Drop the bread in. Top with all that cheese. Bake or broil until the top is as brown and crusty as you like it

Blueberry Crumb Cake

I love a good coffee cake, and this blueberry crumb cake doesn't disappoint. First there's the crunch and spice in the topping before hitting the moist crumb of the cake.

I decided to bake my "coffee cakes" in little espresso cups. After a quick spritz with cooking spray, I baked them for 25-30 minutes.

Recipe
Makes 8 servings (8x8 pan)

For the Crumbs:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup sugar
1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans)

For the Cake:
1 pint (2 cups) blueberries (preferably fresh, or frozen, not thawed)
2 cups plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2/3 cup sugar
grated zest of ½ lemon or ¼ orange
¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

SuperBowl Fever.....Orders must be in by today!!!

Dinner, Dinner, Dinner.....I have no idea!

Lightning Fast Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined - tails left on
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup shrimp stock, recipe follows
2 tablespoons cold butter
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
Lemon slices, for garnish
Rice, as accompaniment

Directions
Season the shrimp thoroughly with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add enough oil to lightly coat the pan. Add the shrimp and quickly saute until just starting to turn pink, but not cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and saute just until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, white wine, and stock, and reduce by 2/3, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp back to the pan and swirl in the butter. Finish with the parsley and check for seasoning. Garnish with lemon slices and serve over rice.

Tip of the Day: Wine and Chocolate Tasting Party

A tip for a fun evening of “gourmet entertaining”: Host a chocolate and wine pairing party. There are so many different pairings to explore. Bars today, truffles tomorrow, nuts next month. Get together a tasting group: every month someone else can plan and host. You’ll be the envy of everyone else in town. Rahul at Bialystok & Bloom can help you pair flavors together. Enjoy!

What to have for dinner Friday Night?

For a stress-free Friday night after a really long week, we're having "easy baked salmon". This is it:

Ingredients
2 lbs. salmon
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
1 lemons, thinly sliced
1/4 cup melted butter Preheat oven to 350°F.

Directions
Wash salmon; pat dry and sprinkle the cavity with lemon pepper. Season to taste with salt. Place sliced lemons and onion insides cavity. Place salmon on a large sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with melted butter. Seal the foil and bake 1 1/2 hours, or until salmon flakes easily. Serve hot.

Tip of the Day: Keeping the Grey Away

When boiling new potatoes or cauliflower add a 1/4 of a lemon to the water - this will stop them from gowing grey and keep them white so they can be used later.

Thursday Night Crunch: No time, what's for dinner?

Children and adults alike love baked quesadilla, either plain or with chicken, steak, spinach or another ingredient.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
•4 flour tortillas
•3 cups shredded cheese, Mexican mixture
•1 cup salsa
•Sour cream
•(Optional) Cooked chicken (strips or cubes), steak or other meat
•(Optional) Guacamole

Preparation:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.Take a piece of aluminum foil that is big enough to cover a cookie sheet front and back. Center it on a cookie sheet.
3.Place two tortillas side by side on the foil. Sprinkle cheese evenly on both tortillas.
4.(Optional) Place strips of chicken, steak or other ingredient on top of the cheese.
5.Spoon about half the salsa over the top, making a very light layer.
6.Cover each stack with another tortilla.
7.Bring the sides of the foil together around the quesadillas, sealing the foil at the center of the cookie sheet. Crimp the edges of the foil to seal along the side of the cookie sheet.
8.Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Open foil carefully. Slice each quesadilla in quarters and serve with sour cream, remainder of salsa and guacamole (if desired).

Tip of the Day: Banish Blandness

Use high notes to banish blandness, for a gourmet touch. Just a few drops of vinegar, lemon juice, or other acid perk up favors and add contrast. Stir some rice vinegar into a risotto, lemon juice into cooked broccoli, or balsamic vinegar into braised chicken. Sparkle up chili with a splash of red wine vinegar. For dessert sauces, add sea salt or chili to caramel or dark chocolate. In just a few seconds, you've enhanced the whole dish.

What to have for dinner tonight?

You can pretty much throw whatever vegetables you want into the stew, and you can replace the white fish with any seafood. The tomato sauce will be light, and full of flavor. Even the kids will eat this!

Mediterranean Fish Stew
(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (chopped)
chili flakes to taste (optional)
1 bulb fennel (sliced)
1 red pepper (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup white wine
1 (28 ounce) can diced plum tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound white fish (such as haddock, halibut, etc., or any seafood)
1/2 cup fresh herbs such as parsley and basil (chopped)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in the pan.
2. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 6-10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and chili pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the fennel and red peppers and saute for a few minutes.
5. Add the white wine and simmer for a few minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Add the fish simmer until cooked, about 5 minutes.
8. Remove and mix in the fresh herbs.

Tip of the Day: Candied Walnuts

Many Customers ask how we make our candied walnuts which we use in various specials. Below are the details:

Candied Walnuts
(makes 1 1/2cups)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups walnut halves
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (optional)

Directions:
1. Spread the walnuts out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
2. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until nice and toasted, about 5 minutes, and set aside. (Watch them carefully.)
3. Melt the sugar in a sauce pan and wait for it to turn a nice shade of amber.
4. Add the walnuts and mix to coat.
5. Pour the walnuts onto a sheet of parchment paper, quickly separate them, sprinkle them with the salt and let them cool.

Dinner Tonight: Easy, Fast Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon margarine
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers, drained
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.In a small bowl mix the soup and sour cream; set aside.
3.Melt margarine in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion and chili powder, and saute until tender. Stir in the chicken, chile peppers, and 2 tablespoons of the soup mixture. Cook and stir until heated through.
4.Spread 1/2 cup of the soup mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas, and place, seam-side-down, in the baking dish. Spoon remaining soup mixture on top, and sprinkle with cheese.
5.Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 353 | Total Fat: 16.9g | Cholesterol: 50mg

Tip of the Day: Less Salt

A sneaky trick that is better for your family's health is to take a small piece of tape and cover over half of the holes in the salt shaker on the inside of the lid. Less salt - healthier hearts

What to have for dinner tonight?

mushroom stroganoff (cheap and cheerful)
This is a great recipe for anyone who likes hearty meals and is on a shoe string, and it's really low fuss as well.

You will need:

About 750g mushrooms
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
3/4 cup frozen peas
200mL cream
250 mL red wine
2 tablespoons paprika
spring onions/parsley for garnish
2 tablespoons butter
Salt

What to do:

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over moderate heat. Dice the onion and garlic into small cubes and fry them gently in the butter until they've started to brown slightly. Prepare the mushrooms - wipe off any soil and quarter large ones, halve medium ones and leave small ones whole. Add them to the softened onion and garlic mixture. Sprinkle all of the paprika over the top and stir well. Leave to fry for about 5 minutes, stirring half way through. Reduce the heat. The mushrooms should be coloured and softened.

Add 200mL of the red wine and leave to simmer for ten minutes. Add the cream and stir. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for around 40 minutes (checking it every so often). The liquid should have thickened and reduced.

Five minutes before you're ready to serve, add the remainder of the red wine, and the frozen peas, and stir well. Simmer for another few minutes then serve!

Season to taste and serve topped with chopped onions or parsley and with basmati rice (and garlic bread, if feeling decadent!).

Tip of the Day: Keeping Knives Sharp

A knife loses its sharpness when the fine tip of the cutting edge gets knocked slightly out of alignment. But how do you determine when your knife needs to be sharpened? Put it to the paper test.
Is it sharp? To determine if your knife needs to be sharpened, put it to the paper test:

1. Hold a folded, but not creased, sheet of newspaper by one end.

2. Lay the blade against the top edge at an angle and slice outward. If the knife fails to slice cleanly, try steeling it. If it still fails, it needs sharpening.

Bring Back Sunday Dinner

Hey, come over here, kid, learn something. You never know, you might have to cook for twenty guys someday. You see, you start out with a little bit of oil. Then you fry some garlic. Then you throw in some tomatoes, tomato paste, you fry it; ya make sure it doesn't stick. You get it to a boil; you shove in all your sausage and your meatballs; heh?... And a little bit o' wine. An' a little bit o' sugar, and that's my trick.--Clemenza teaching Michael to cook. The Godfather, Part I.

Many Italian-Americans on the East Coast refer to tomato sauce that is cooked with meat (pork and/or beef) as “gravy.” To make it correctly takes hours, and where we grew up, every Italian-American woman with any pride started the gravy at breakfast to be ready for 2:00 Sunday dinner.

Sadly, these Sunday dinners today are now few and far between; it seems old-fashioned. Who’s got 6 hours to make the Sunday dinner? Most of us are too busy; today we are a “30-minute-meal” society. But then I think, weren’t our mothers busy too? How did they do it? Today I rolled up my sleeves and rolled out some meatballs. Here it is.....



Italian "Gravy"
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
4 sweet Italian sausage links
3 (28-ounce) cans of San Marzano tomatoes
1 large onion
2 whole garlic cloves
3/4 cup red wine
1 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt, to taste
7-8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Meatballs:
1 pound of ground beef (I used lean)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/8 cup olive oil
1/8 cup canola oil

1 pound of pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Gravy:
In a large heavy pot over medium-low heat, warm 1 Tbsp olive oil and add sausages. Cook about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until browned all over; remove from heat.

Pour the San Marzano tomatoes in a large bowl, and crush them with your hands (or use a food mill if you prefer).

Heat the second Tbsp of olive oil in the same deep pot; add garlic cloves and saute for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and discard garlic. Pour in the tomatoes (with their juice), red wine, crushed red pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, for about 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meatballs:
Find your spouse or children or other suitable companion, then...

Place the meat in a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, cheese, and parsley. In a small bowl, beat the egg with some salt and pepper; add to the meat mixture. Mix the ingredients with your hands until the consistency is moist and the meat holds together well. If it’s too dry, add some water or another beaten egg. If it's too moist, add more breadcrumbs. Once the consistency is right, using your hands, roll the meatballs into 1 ½ inch balls. It should make about 22-24 meatballs.

Mix the olive and canola oils in a large skillet over medium heat. Fit as many meatballs in the skillet as you can without overcrowding so you have room to turn them. Cook about 2-3 minutes until browned, then turn over and cook another 2-3 minutes, until all sides are evenly browned. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Repeat as necessary.


The meatballs can also be baked if you prefer not to fry them. To bake them, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place meatballs on a tinfoil-lined baking sheet (for easy clean up) and cook for 20 minutes, or until browned.


Add the cooked meatballs and sausage to the gravy after it has simmered for about an hour. Simmer for an additional 60 minutes (or up to several hours if you want to be authentic). If the gravy becomes too thick, simply add small amounts of water or water mixed with a bit more red wine.

In the meantime, cook pasta in salted water according to the directions until al dente. Once cooked, add the gravy, top with meatballs and sliced sausages, and sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh basil.


"Hey, I can't eat this crap. Bring me some pasta with gravy and meatballs.”
-Paulie Walnuts to Italian waiter after being served a plate of seafood pasta while visiting Italy. The Sopranos.

Tip of the Day: Sizing up Garlic

The size of a clove of garlic can really make an impact on your cooking due to the intense flavor. Find out the amount one clove produces when minced.
•Small clove yields: about 1/2 teaspoon
•Medium clove yields: about 1 teaspoon
•Large clove yields: about 2 teaspoons
•Extra-large clove yields: about 1 tablespoon
Regardless of size, don't forget to remove any green sprouts from the center of the clove, which can add an unpleasant bitterness.

What to have for dinner tonight?

This thick soup could be served with just a salad. Everyone in your family will love this!
Prep Time:15 Min /Cook Time:1 Hr/ Ready In:1 Hr 15 Min



Ingredients
9 baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups whole milk
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup bacon bits, divided
4 green onions, chopped
10 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

Directions
1.Prick potatoes with a fork and cook in the microwave, 3 or 4 at a time, and scoop out the flesh (while the others are cooking).
2.In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook about a minute. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes, salt, pepper, 1/3 cup bacon bits, 2 tablespoons green onions and most of the cheese. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sour cream and heat through. Serve topped with remaining bacon, onions and cheese.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 440 | Total Fat: 27.2g | Cholesterol: 81mg

Tip of the Day: Perfecting Chocolate Cupcakes

Do you find that your cupcakes form odd peaks, which makes frosting difficult? Try playing with your oven temperature. Just 25 degrees could make a difference in your chocolate cupcake recipe. Baked at 375 degrees F, cupcakes can sometimes form odd peaks. Baked at 350 degrees, they form domed tops that are much easier to frost.

Dear Friends,
Happy New Year! We have always loved the start of a brand new year. Hopes are high, dreams are cast...and everyone gets a fresh start. Most of all, we want to thank you for your continued friendship and support. Bialystok & Bloom exists because of you! We look forward to sharing our love of cooking with you more than ever in the coming years.

Drool over this.....