You've Got To Taste This

I love the conviviality a couple bottles of wine brings to a dinner party, or the way a glass of champagne brightens a summer wedding — but sometimes vino just doesn't cut it. Maybe you're pregnant. Hypothetically speaking, of course. Or maybe you're on medication that makes you go wa-wa if you chase it with anything alcoholic. Or maybe, like me, downing a glass of wine has the following effect: you turn bright red, start itching, and experience an uncontrollable desire to fall fast asleep.

There are a couple reliable alternatives. Cranberry and seltzer. Cola. A glass of water. But far, far better is Vignette, a fancy new soda made from wine grapes. You know, grapes like pinot noir, chardonnay, and so on, except instead of turning said grapes into wine, the folks at Vignette stop at the juice stage and add a little sparkle. The little bottles are so adorable you almost worry that they'll look better than they taste, but one sip and you'll roll your eyes back in your head and make like an Herbal Essences commercial. Really.

The Pinot Noir's got a rich, grapey flavor that hints of dark cherry, while the Chardonnay is light and crisp on the palate, with just a suggestion of grapefruit (ie. not like it's namesake wine at all, but appealing nonetheless). My favorite flavor, however, just might be the Rosé, whose subtle floral-strawberry aroma made me want to tip my head back and guzzle. Do any of you know of other drinks that are so good you don't miss the alcohol?

In the world of food, there are some seriously great smells:  chocolate chip cookies, homemade pizza, and a nice cheesy casserole.  However, nothing comes close to matching the aroma of freshly baked bread. When I was younger, my mom would get "starter" from a neighbor and off we'd go to bake a dreamy loaf or two of sourdough bread.  We'd keep it going for awhile, then someone would forget to feed the starter and we'd be back to store-bought sliced bread.

So when I heard that a coworker had starter, I knew I had to ask for a little bit.  Thankfully, he graciously shared it, along with a printed sheet of instructions, recipes, hints, and tips.  Daunted at first, I quickly realized that the key to baking homemade bread (at least in my recipe) is being home every 12 hours so you can add flour, add more flour, add even more flour, then knead. That's right, knead.  There's no bread maker in my limited-space kitchen!

I learned a lot while making the bread, namely that I really enjoy the few minutes it takes to knead the bread because you can't do anything else, but also that making bread is definitely cheaper than buying.  I had to buy everything, and even then my loaves have averaged out to about twenty-five cents per loaf. I love serving it with a simple dip of olive oil, red curry flakes, sea salt, black pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese.

So give it a try.  Make a starter and share it with friends, asking them to pass it along as well. See how far your starter goes, and try lots of different sourdough bread recipes, then let us know which is your favorite.  Do you have any helpful bread-making or kneading tips?  Let me know!  I'm still learning...

One of my favorite finds at the 2008 Gourmet Housewares show was a new line of products from Playful Life Inc. The timing couldn’t be better since there is a growing interest in getting kids involved with all things culinary.

"The Playful Chef Cookbook" is the centerpiece of a collection that includes a "Playful Chef Cooking Kit" backpack, "Playful Party Planner" and a "Playful Play Date" guide. You can order any of these at Amazon and several other online retailers.

The cookbook has 33 real and useful recipes organized into standard categories that also include some unique ones such as "International Holidays", "Science of Cooking" and "Pet Treats". The preparation steps and ingredients tie in closely with the backpack kits with features like color coded amounts to match the measuring tools. The authors also suggest that the backpack is great for gathering ingredients at the store when kids go shopping with a list from the book. What I like most is the educational material in every recipe that covers kitchen safety, science, shopping, planning and nutrition. Spread throughout are also whole pages dedicated to themes such as teamwork, technical skills and even one about how to be a foodie.

When you're looking for a unique gift, or a great way to pull your kids away from the TV on a rainy day, give the Playful Life products a try.

This week, I had the epiphany that everything is better homemade. From piping hot buttery biscuits to perfectly cooked flapjacks, Sarah Lee and Betty Crocker just can’t compare to good ole’ blood, sweat, and tears in the kitchen. I love whipping up homemade versions of dull convenience products, and my do it yourself journey never seems to end.

My homemade pasta adventure began last Christmas, when my grandmother gave me a pasta maker. Who cares that I picked it out two days before, the point is, it was time to transport my kitchen to Tuscany. My first attempt was whipping up a summer vegetable pasta for dear old dad before I left home for the summer. The sticky mess ended in disaster, and I, who doesn’t respond well to failure, decided to take a break from all things pasta.

Last week I found Chef Mario Batali’s Potato Tortelli recipe. It challenged me to scuff-off store-bought boxed pasta and make it from scratch. I came face to face with my fear of failing, and warned my roommate that if this didn’t work, I might not leave my room for days.

Fortunately, the recipe and I were a match made in heaven. I mixed, kneaded, rolled, cut, and loved the dough. The results-- perfection, the filling was delicate and fluffy, while the buttery sauce was aromatic heaven. Needless to say, I’m never going back. Who needs store-bought pasta when you’ve got your very own pasta maker?

A simple pasta maker is all that’s needed for great pasta. While browsing great deals on the Internet, I came across a pasta maker from Sears that’s cheap, and it has all the necessary gadgets. If you’re a bargain hunter, I encourage you to check out Home Goods, TJ Maxx, or Ross. I found my pasta maker for a mere 6 dollars at Ross during the holiday season. Happy Eating.

For a great beginner homemade pasta recipes try:
Chickpea Ravioli with Basil Pesto and Hazelnuts

When it comes to the sort of chip that can withstand the rigors of a good spinach dip, or one that really lets hummus shine, or one that’s delectable just eaten plain, I’ll almost always reach for a bag of Stacey’s pita chips. Just about the only thing I resent about them is that pound for pound, tortilla chips or potato chips are cheaper — but gosh darn it, Stacey + Middle Eastern flatbread = magic in the mouth.

So when I finally made my first batch of homemade pita chips (I had a bag of pita bread in the freezer that was growing staler by the week), I was sort of doubtful that I could make anything that even approached the store-bought version. I half-heartedly smeared a mixture of garlic, smoked paprika and olive oil onto my bread, salted it, then stuck it in the oven and hoped for the best.

Ten minutes later, I had a forehead-slapping moment. They were delicious. Not just pale imitations or almost-rans, but wonderful snacks in their own right: crunchy and salty with the clean, nutty taste of wheat. Here are a few recipes to check out, and if you come up with any nifty tips or really yummy flavor combinations, please share!

Baked Pita Chips
Lemon-Garlic Pita Chips
Benne Seed Pita Triangles
Greek Pita Chips
Cumin-Dusted Pita Chips

I was intrigued when I saw a product listing for tea sticks at the Fancy Foods Show last month, so I went by the booth to check them out. After a fun conversation with the Petit Tea representatives and a small sip of tea, I came away quite impressed with these little sticks.

You can brew delicious whole leaf tea in your cup without having to use a tea pot, strainer, or stirrer. According to the Petit Tea folks, since the sticks don't collapse like tea bags do, the flavor is better because the tea leaves have room to expand when you add the hot water.

Aside from the fact that these look really cool in the cup, they also don't drip when you remove the stick from the cup and hold it horizontally over the cup. I found this to be especially handy when I took a cup of tea, still steeping, to a meeting.  With tea bags, I can never figure out what to do with that wet, soggy bag. Problem solved. Just toss the non-drippy stick into the garbage can without making a mess.

The sticks are available in eight different blends, including Earl Grey, Darjeeling Dew, American Breakfast, Jaipore Chai Tea, Jasmine Jade and Mango Monsoon. I sampled the Mango Monsoon and the Jasmine Jade and found them both to be delicious.  I wonder if my colleagues will mind if I take a break every day around 4 pm to partake in high tea?   M-m-m-m-m.  Now I'm dreaming of scones and cucumber sandwiches. 

There are a few things my coworkers at MyRecipes all know about me.  For starters, I dislike (ok, hate) most white foods including icing, cottage cheese, and, yes, ice cream.  They also know that I'm a juice fiend.  Everyday I roll into my workspace with my purse, my calendar, and a personalized "A" glass full of orange juice.  Every day there's a glass, and every day it's full of juice boasting all that citrusy Vitamin C goodness (and yes, extra pulp). 

Everything they know about me is about to change.

I've avoided apple juice for a long time.  I keep trying it and it keeps tasting more fake and sugary.  Too sweetened, or if it's "no sugar added," then it tastes like there's fake sugar added.  A no win with an aftertaste that left something to be desired, so I left the apple juice to the nieces and nephews (who didn't know any better, bless them), and moved on.

Then I noticed, in the chilled drinks section of my grocery store, a new apple juice.  It claimed to be "pure-pressed" and definitely "not from concentrate."  My heart rejoiced.  Dare I try again?  I did, and I'm oh-so-glad.  My love of apple juice has returned. Simply Apple juice has a cloudy look to it in a glass, which sent my mind racing back to the days of sipping apple cider during a third-grade field trip to the apple farm.  My taste buds were equally impressed.  It's perfectly sweet and actually tastes like ripe red apples.  And there's no thick aftertaste to muddle the flavor. 

So pour a glass and mix up the regular breakfast offerings at your brunch table.  Me, I like a tall glass after dinner.  Whenever you choose to enjoy it, I promise you won't be sorry you did.

It’s hot. Yes, I’m using my post to complain about the humid, suffocating heat of mid-Alabama. Being an avid runner and yoga enthusiast, I love my body’s natural air-conditioning—sweat. However, my daily walk in stilettos from the parking garage to my cramped office cubicle should not leave me wiping the sweat off my powdered brow. I’ve tried the standard cool-down procedures—homemade paper fans, Gatorade, splashing cool water on my face, and of course, complaining. Countless trial-and-error remedies have led me to the secret of staying cool in the summer…mint-infused water.

No, this isn’t a joke. It really is that simple. Simply grab a handful of your favorite fresh mint—spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, or traditional mint, tear leaves, and add to a big glass of ice water. Before sipping, inhale the sweet aroma, and feel the body rejuvenate. Take a sip, and bask in the cooling sensation that seemingly melts away stress. Need more mint? Bruise the leaves to intensify flavor before adding to your glass. Don't be stingy with this great secret, whip-out your cool-down trick at a summer garden party or a birthday pool party. The best part, serving mint water in a pitcher enables you to reuse the mint each time you refill it with water.

Let your creative juices flow to create personalized cooling-sippers. Try these recommended flavor combinations, and use them as a guide to create a beverage that pleases your palate.

-Cucumber-infused water: Remove skin, slice, and add to water.
-Watermelon-mint water: Follow the mint procedure, but add fresh watermelon. Not only does it taste great, but it looks beautiful too.
-Rosemary-lime water: Sounds unusual, but it awakens taste buds to new and exciting flavor combinations.
-Herb-Infused Spa Water: A Sunset magazine exclusive, blending cucumber, mint, rosemary, and lemon.

When I was in Costa Rica earlier in the summer, I was inspired every day by looking at the patch of squash blossoms behind the house next door to our worksite.  My mouth would start to water as I imagined myself sitting in a restaurant, biting into a goat cheese-stuffed, deep-fried squash blossom.  Yes, these blossoms are bright and beautiful to look at, but even better to eat!

So this past Saturday when I was at the local farmer's market, I bought some squash blossoms and came home  with a mission.   I've eaten the blossoms in restaurants before, but never actually prepared them.  I did follow a recipe for  Stuffed Squash Blossoms since it was the first time I had made them, but you don't really need a recipe. 

I used a mixture of cream cheese, goat cheese and Parmesan, but you can use any creamy cheese you like.  You only need a tiny amount in each blossom.  I would say that the trickiest part is not tearing the blossoms because they're quite delicate.  Be careful when you're rinsing them and when you're twisting  them to enclose the filling.

These really were easy to make and quite yummy. Even my husband, who had never tried squash blossoms before, said that they were great There are lots of ways you can enjoy these tasty little flowers: sauteed, grilled, stuffed, in soups, or as a salad garnish. They're only available in the summer, so pick up a few when you're at the farmer's market and do a little experimenting.

Lately I've found myself craving cream pies -- not sure if it's because I'm pregnant (and easily overheated), or just because it's hot as blazes outside in Alabama right now!  Baking much of anything just isn't appealing, and icebox pies are so cool, creamy, and delicious.  Plus, they're super easy and can be made ahead, which is a great plus when you're expecting summer party guests.  I recently tried our White Chocolate-Key Lime Pie and Peanut Butter Pie (left), both of which have received 5-star ratings from MyRecipes.com users.  The Key Lime pie features a rich, sweet filling made from whipping cream, white chocolate morsels, lime juice, sour cream, and lime rind; I topped it off with Cool Whip for a little extra "oooomph."  Conveniently, the Peanut Butter Pie recipe makes enough filling for 2 pies, so you can freeze the extra one for later or share with a friend.  (Of course, this does make it a little too easy for me to satisfy any late-night peanut butter cravings...)

For more cream pie ideas, check out our "Cream Pie, Oh My!" recipe gallery.