Roasted Broccoli

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on February 27, 2011...

Broccoli has an image problem. Oh, sure, everyone knows it’s healthy. It has more vitamin C, calcium and fiber than oranges, milk and wheat bread. But all too often, broccoli is treated as a necessary evil, something serious people and obedient children endure to earn their gold stars, like flossing or the stair climber machine.

I contend that broccoli’s problem originates in the casting department. It has been typecast as the watery, flaccid afterthought, as in: what vegetable can we throw on this plate so we can call it a complete meal? No wonder kids and former presidents resist eating it. If we treat broccoli with respect from the outset and give it a supporting cast, people will eat it—and they’ll like it.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

You guys, this is what my fruit bowl looked like this morning:

Gross, I know. When I see this, I know it's time for banana muffins and applesauce. Both recipes will save your old fruit from the garbage just by using regular pantry ingredients, like these:

Martha's Mac and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is one of my all-time favorite foods, so I take it very seriously. Listen to me when I tell you this Martha Stewart recipe is the Gold Standard. Don't believe me? Do a google search for Martha's Mac and Cheese and you will see the superlatives pile up. There are simpler recipes, and cheaper recipes and healthier recipes; I use those often. But this is what I make for special occasions.

Crockpot Applesauce

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on September 25, 2011...

Apple picking is one of my favorite things to do all year, and is practically a mandate in New England. But sometimes, after you’ve eaten all you can, and you’ve made a pie, you’re still looking at a bunch of apples. Or maybe going picking with your little ones left you with some less-than-perfect specimens. It’s time to make applesauce.

Sesame Noodles

Like most people, I am always on the lookout for something to rescue me from the weeknight dinner grind. We all know the criteria for a good weeknight meal, Quick, easy, not too challenging for the picky palates, but something different for heavens sake because we're all sick to death of the same 4 things!

Sesame Noodles are almost universally popular, easy to make, easy to modify to suit your family's idiosyncratic tastes, and they feel a little special. You can serve them hot or cold (leftovers for the win!) and they go with a lot of different proteins, either on the side or added right in (shredded rotisserie chicken?) On the night pictured, I served them with bagged Asian salad mix and -ahem- chicken fingers, because we're all just trying to make it though the week. These noodles go a long way to redeem chicken fingers, and who needs more than that?

Kitchen Tip: Cutting Basil into Chiffonade

Wondering how to cut your basil into the pretty confetti known as chiffonade? Here's a quick tutorial:

Remove the basil leaves from the stems and stack into a neat pile.

Roll the pile of leaves tightly like a cigar.

Cut the roll crosswise into thin strips.

Ta-da, chiffonade!

Two Tomato Salads

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on August 13, 2011...

Tomatoes are here! There is no other food that more clearly illustrates the difference between in-season, fruits and vegetables and year-round, well-traveled supermarket produce. It’s just not worth eating tomatoes the rest of the year, so you should get your fill in the now. Besides tomato sandwiches, here are two great ways to enjoy tomato season. These recipes only take a few minutes to make, so wait until the last minute to put them together.

Sushi Party

Hello Friends! I have been away for a while, enjoying vacation with my family, visiting cousins. Typically when my extended family gets together for a week, we each take a turn cooking dinner for a night. But this year we had a new idea: Sushi Smackdown 2014. The idea was a simple one: each person (kids too! With help.) would be responsible for conceiving and executing a sushi roll and we would all vote for a winner. It turned out to be so much fun, I decided to share the results with you. I don't have comprehensive step by step photos, but I swiped whatever my mom had on her cell phone camera to show you how easy and fun this is. Everyone was so creative, we didn't end up with a single traditional sushi roll, but we didn't miss it.

BLT Pasta Salad

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on June 12, 2011...

The heat has definitely arrived. Once it gets past 85 degrees in my un-air-conditioned kitchen, I don’t cook dinner. I either grill outside or - if it’s really hot - we eat cold food. Pasta salad is good in either case because you can do your cooking in the morning, before it gets too hot, and keep it in the fridge until dinner. It’s also a good way to use up odds and ends in your fridge. And it’s a popular and versatile dish to bring along to a cookout.

Because I was making this for my daughter to bring to a potluck pool party, this particular combination of ingredients was chosen for its kid-friendliness. Bacon is a no-brainer, and the other ingredients are few and easy to identify, so kids don’t have to guess what’s in it. I find that to be a deal breaker with my picky eaters, not to mention many adults.

Black Bean Salsa

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on June 26, 2011...

I've said it before, but most of my favorite things to make in the summer fall into the broad category of salads, which includes all manner of chopped up produce mixed in a bowl. I make up a batch at the beginning of the week and eat it for lunch, or take it to cookouts. The fresh produce season is short in New England, and we should all try to make the most of it!

Even though I have called this "salsa," don't feel like you are limited just to eating it with chips. If you have of bowl of this in your fridge, you will find lots of ways to eat it. It can be eaten as a side dish, or mixed in with rice to make an instant grain salad, and of course, it is a delicious component of any salad bar dinner. Think of this recipe as making an ingredient, in place of a condiment you would normally buy. The more of these types of things you make in advance and keep on hand, the easier it is to cook quickly and easily for yourself. In just a few minutes, you could grill a piece of chicken or fish, spoon some of this salsa over the top and have a pretty sophisticated main dish for yourself.

Salad Bar Dinner

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on May 1, 2011...

May is birthday season at the Raleigh house. Over the next few weeks, our diet will consist of about 30 percent cake (and another 10 percent frosting), so our actual meals tend to rely heavily on salads. This fits in nicely with the warmer weather (finally!) and the beginning of the hectic soccer season when meals need to be quick. We probably have salad bar dinner at least twice a week this time of year. I chop up some lettuce, leaving it right on my cutting board on my island and put out anything else I can find that could conceivably go in a salad. Everyone takes a plate and goes around the island assembling their own salad. It's a great way to use up leftovers, and an even better way to let everyone eat what they want for dinner without having to yell about not being a short order cook! Here are some tips to pulling this off:

Broccoli Salad

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on July 17, 2011...

Broccoli’s back, folks! We’ve had a little fun on vacation with dessert and champagne, but I’m starting to feel the sugar overload and I’m ready to get back to salads. This is one of my favorites, and it’s my go-to potluck recipe. If you invite me to your party, chances are this is what I’ll bring.

Crockpot Chicken

Sometimes when I talk to people, I realize that they are under the impression that I feed my family better than I do. By that I mean they think I make something blogworthy for dinner every night and that I always have fresh baked goods around. Well, that really couldn't be further from the truth. In actuality, I probably make "something good" about twice a week and the rest of the time is just trying to get folks fed in between running around. So, like most people, I have a few things I make over and over again. This is one of those things, and we just call it Crockpot Chicken.

I make this.. a lot. Allow me to count the ways I love this chicken:

Kitchen Tip: Cutting an Avocado

Cut into the avocado until you hit the pit, then roll it through until you have cut all the way around.

Twist the halves to open.

Whack the pit with the blade of your knife so it sticks in, then twist it out. You'll have to knock the pit off. I usually strike the handle of my knife against the side of my trash can so the pit falls in.

You can either scoop it out as is, or you can slice or dice it right in the skin. Then scoop it out with a spoon.

Tabouli

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on May 15, 2011...

Much like our old friend hummus, tabouli is a staple of the Middle Eastern table, where it is served at almost every meal. True Lebanese tabouli is a parsley-based salad, while what you find in the supermarket is mostly bulgur (cracked wheat). I like it either way, so I tend to let the size of the parsley bunch I buy dictate the proportion. You should make it according to your taste, but if you grow herbs, this will be a great way to use them when they start growing out of control.

Bulgur can be found in any supermarket these days, usually near the rice, but sometimes in the ethnic food aisle or with the bulk natural foods. It is cracked wheat, so it’s not suitable for people with gluten intolerances, but for the rest of us, it’s a fresh way to get more whole grains in your diet. It’s cheap, high in protein and fiber, and only needs to be soaked – not cooked - when used in tabouli. (Remember that in the summer when it’s too hot to cook!)

Frittata

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on April 23, 2011...

A frittata is like a cross between an omelet and a quiche, but easier and friendlier than both. You can make it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can easily make it larger or smaller to feed the number of people you have. It can be simple or elaborate. You can eat it hot or at room temperature, and you can even reheat a slice the next day.

This is a great way to use up leftovers and the veggies sitting in your crisper drawer. Anything you like in an omelet can go into a frittata. All you need to do is cook or warm the add-ins in the same skillet you plan to use for the frittata. Best of all, you’ll only need to wash a mixing bowl and a skillet. This is what I make for dinner when I have no food in the house.

Molten Chocolate Cake

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on February 13, 2011...

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. And a Monday. There’s only one food that can bridge that yawning divide, and that’s chocolate.

These cakes are popular with everyone. They are on just about every restaurant’s dessert menu. They’re impressive. And they are so easy to make, you can whip them up at the last minute and turn your Monday night dinner into a Valentine’s dinner. Even better, you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry.

Caramel Popcorn

Despite the snow(!), it was in fact Opening Day on Monday. In my family, we celebrate with hot dogs and cracker jack for dinner. I'm a sucker for a food theme, what can I say? Don't feel sad that you missed it, you can still whip some up to celebrate the home opener tomorrow!

Kitchen Tip: Microwave Popcorn

I know what you're thinking: "Karen, we know how to make microwave popcorn. It tells you right on the bag!" Ah, but did you know you don't need to BUY microwave popcorn in order to make popcorn in the microwave? Tip time:

You'll need some regular old popcorn and a brown paper bag. This is one of the larger ones, but a little one will work also.

Pour some popcorn in the bag. This is 1/3 cup, but you don't really need to be so exact.

Pinterest Rescue:One Pan Chicken Alfredo Pasta

I don't know about the rest of you, but I love Pinterest! I pin a bunch of yummy recipes that I just HAVE to make, and then... I forget all about them. I have made a resolution to make one of my pinned recipes every week and let you know how it turned out. Feel free to play along; leave a comment about a pin you have rescued from your "to try" boards. 


The Pin:

One Pan Chicken Alfredo, from Like Mother Like Daughter

Photo courtesy of lmld

Why I pinned this: I see lots of one-pan pasta dishes and I am always skeptical about cooking pasta in the sauce. I don't really have an alfredo recipe and my kids love it.

Weekend Links

People, I read a LOT of food blogs. and articles. It's a little out of control, actually. So I have decided to share my madness with you. How about every weekend I make a digest of the best stuff I read during the week? I'm going to assume you said yes, so let's go!

King Arthur Flour posted an exhaustive 3 part series about baking with whole wheat flour. If you like to substitute whole wheat flour for all purpose, or if you are just a food science geek, check out this series. There are some great tips here from the experts.

I already posted this to facebook, but Mark Bittman had a sensible article about the newest findings linking poor health outcomes to processed foods and letting saturated fats off the hook a little. This is my favorite song, so here it is again.

Here are some lovely country maps made from regional foods. I don't even know what to say about these, they just made me happy.

Have a great weekend!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on April 3, 2011...

I have always made cookies from scratch, but from time to time I have purchased frozen cookie dough from fundraisers or the market. It seemed like a cool thing to have the dough on hand to bake up a couple cookies whenever the mood strikes without all the hassle - and waiting - of starting from scratch.

I am embarrassed to say how long it took me to figure out that since I a) know how to make cookie dough, and b) am in possession of a freezer, I could make it myself- with a little advance planning. Since that epiphany, I try to keep frozen cookie dough on hand.

Kitchen Tip: Bakin' Bacon

First off, I want to apologize for that. I couldn't control myself.

I have a whole series of tips that are based on nothing more than using your kitchen appliances to make your life easier. These tips are a little embarrassing in their simplicity, but since they really do make life easier, who am I to keep them from you?

I have never actually made bacon on the stovetop. I don't have one of those nice spatter screen things, and I loathe cleaning up grease off of my kitchen surfaces. So I bake it in the oven. Here's the deal:

Get out your bacon and a rimmed baking sheet or shallow pan. You don't want bacon grease running all over your oven.

Coconut Shrimp

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on March 26, 2011...

Every year when Lent rolls around, I rediscover seafood a little bit. I’m a seafood fan all year round, but I tend to forget about it in the winter when I’m far from the ocean, and I’m thinking about heartier meals. And then along comes Lent, deep in the doldrums of February and March with its fish-on-Friday tradition and forces me to change things up.  I like the tradition, because we are not just sacrificing meat -we could just have pizza after all- but we are getting a glimpse of the lighter, sunnier food to come. With the winter we have had, we could all use a little reminder that the sunshine will return, and from a culinary point of view, coconut shrimp is like a Caribbean getaway. You can even blend up a little rum drink, if you haven’t given it up for Lent.

Oatmeal

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on February 20, 2011...

Suddenly, oatmeal is all the rage. Don’t believe me? Marketing monsters Starbucks and McDonalds are offering up bowls of oatmeal alongside their fancy lattes and humble McMuffins. One the one hand, I understand the trend, because I am a huge fan of steamy bowls of cereal at breakfast. On the other hand, it is as big a mystery to me as the myriad boxes of instant oatmeal that cover nearly half an aisle in the market. Homemade oatmeal is easy, quick and versatile. Why have we fallen for the message that we can’t handle it, or that we don’t have time for it? I promise you, we can, and we do.

Roasted Potatoes

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on April 10, 2011...

Yes, I’m roasting again! I have mentioned how much I like roasting vegetables, so today let's take on the classic side dish roasted potatoes. It’s a classic for a reason, as it’s cheap, healthy and liked by just about everybody. Like any roasted food, it does take a while to cook, but the hands-on time is minimal and simple. Just toss the potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper, toss it in the oven and finish with your favorite fresh herb.

Hummus

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on March 20, 2011...

People have been eating hummus in the Middle East for thousands of years. In the U.S., it was mainly consigned to Lebanese markets and health food stores until a few decades ago, when people discovered how delicious this nutritional powerhouse (It's loaded with fiber, protein, vitamins and healthy fats) can be. Today, it takes up quite a bit of supermarket real estate. It’s still relatively expensive, though, given the minimal cost to make it, and the quality varies quite a bit by brand.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on March 6, 2011...

I have a family of picky eaters. It’s rare that any meal is a hit with everyone, so when it happens, it’s a Very Big Deal. Enter takeout sweet and sour chicken, which is a big hit with everyone but me. As happy as I am to have everyone eating in peace, it’s difficult for me to overlook the thickness of the fried batter on the chicken, and the how-did-they-achieve-that-hue gloppy red sauce. As I often do, I wondered if there was a way I could make something similar at home, and make everyone happy.