Featured Community Member: Mhelhanee

Written Thursday, December 31st, 2009 by Anne Coleman

When I chose Half Hour Meals member Mhelhanee to be a featured member, it was for several reasons. First was the amount of recipes she has added in such a short period of time, next was the fact that her blog is very fun to read and last was the fact that my husband spent time in her native home, the Philippines.

I love her very in depth answers and I urge you to check out her blog, Grab a Grub for yourselves!

Your blog is not just about food, it's also about your life. What made you want to add food to the mix you already had going?

My blog is all about my life and everything that tickles my fancy -- Fashion, Photography, anything Artsy Fartsy, and a big part of it is travelling and food, since i love to eat and cook as well. For me, food is not just food per se, it tells alot about a certain culture of a region. But because of my busy schedule in medschool, i rarely travel locally and abroad, but at least I find time to go to places around Manila, my hometown, and talk about the history and culture behind each particular landmarks and sites, and food is always a big part of it. My husband and I are food lovers. We have no particular favorites. We try everything and anything. We always search for restos, cafes, or even food stalls, that serves good food. And obviously, Food is a big part of our lifestyle, whether it has to do with travelling, photography, partying, or just resto hopping for some culinary adventure..

What inspires you to write about food?

From watching TV shows and reading magazines about travel and food. I love collecting recipe books on book sale and back issues of food magazines. I love watching "No Reservations" by Anthony Bourdain. I just love how Anthony Bourdain talks about culture, history, festivals, and food. I admire his funny, witty, and provocative way of constructing his words in describing his culinary experiences in every places that he have been to. Sometimes, travel shows fail to feature much about a local street food and a real native family preparing food, cooking and dining at home together. Instead of other tv shows featuring top restaurants and chefs, Bourdain features small or large families from different places, showing how they prepare food, how they dine and celebrate with other family members during holidays or even a simple get togethers and picnic. It is fun to cook, but it is more fun to cook and share it with your loved ones. I think that inspires me to write about food -- the culture, philosophy, and values of a typical local family cooking and dining together , rather than the science of cooking good food.

Do you have a favorite chef (tv or otherwise)? Why are they your favorite?

Like I said, I love Anthony Bourdain. The way he features unseen and un"scene" places, local street food, and most importantly, local average families having traditional holiday celebrations or everyday simple dinner. Other people find him obnoxious and annoying, I find him interesting. His provocative yet witty way of speaking and describing things like places and food, caught my attention, and makes me want to watch more of his featurettes. His tongue is as sharp as his kitchen knife, makes him unique among the other chefs and tv hosts.

I also admire Jamie Oliver. I love his energy and enthusiasm in helping other jobless people learn how to cook and having the courage in initiating changes when it comes in having healthy options of food in school cafeterias, and other places. I love the way he cooks and whip up simple dishes and gets fresh ingredients from his backyard. I dream of having the same kitchen garden that he has, where you can just pick fresh ripe tomatoes, chillies, and twigs of herbs and pop them straight in the oven.

I also love watching "Glutton for Punishment" and "Surreal Gourmet" by Bob Blummer. Makes me realize that great chefs also makes mistakes and also do have real struggles and everyday challenges in the kitchen. Culinary is a constant learning experience and a never-ending course. In "Surreal Gourmet" he travels with his toastermobile and chooses ordinary non-chefs, of all ages and occupation, then teaches them how to cook extraordinary recipes. He even prepares full course meal for them. Everybody deserves a great and special meal after a long, strenous hours of work.

What ingredients come into play most often in your kitchen?

Cheese, spices, and herbs... I am a self confessed quesophiliac and I do invest on good cheese, locally or imported ones. I have at least 7-10 types of cheese in my storage. They make great appetizers, great additions to soups, toppings for casserole meals and pastas, fillings for sandwiches, desserts, can be paired with wine, and sometimes can be eaten alone.

I'm also a great sucker for spices and herbs. In fact, they occupy most of the space in my pantry. I believe that spices and herbs can do great wonders to simple dishes.They can make a simple meal tastes like a gourmet dish with a simple dash of herbs. I also believe that good food doesn't have to be expensive or doesn't always have to be from a fancy restaurant. And thanks to herbs and spices. They play a big role on my kitchen. My hubby who works and travels to different places,always buys local spices for me. It's like a standard protocol for him. Whenever I go to places, potluck, and barbeque parties, I never forget to bring a few bottles of it.

What is your favorite food post from your blog?

My favorite food post is not about a food recipe, but rather my recent post featuring the Singapore franchise of "MAKANSUTRA" here in Manila. I have been to Malaysia for three weeks, which has a lot of similarities to Singapore when it comes to culture, people, language, and most especially food. I am amazed how the three cultures (Indian, Malay, and Chinese) in one country were able to blend in harmony especially when it comes to food. So just before I left Malaysia, I bought several local herbs, spices, and mixes, because for sure, I'll miss their delicacies. So I have also experienced eating at food hawkers as well. Hawkers are open air food centers wherein there are numerous food stalls selling inexpensive local food.

So when I found out that we already have the "MAKANSUTRA" franchise here in the Manila, I was so delighted. Now I don't have to sigh and reminicse a bowl of Curry Laksa and fried oysters in Batu Ferringhi beach. We already have it here... But what really caught my interest on "Makansutra" wasn't only about the food that they cater, but the founder and the history behind it. KF Seetoh, the founder of the said Makansutra, the Singaporean Food Ambassador. Many had proclaimed him the Makan Guru. CNN calls him he Guru of Grub. Anthony Bourdain calls him "The Master". But for KF Seetoh, he simply sees himself as a simple storyteller of Asian Food Culture.

"Makan" means food or eating, "sutra" means guide. Makansutra is not just another food court, but rather a dining experience. The food court consists of stalls that caters different Asian cuisine such as Malaysian, Indian, Chinese, Singaporean, Thai, Western, and Filipino dishes. Its all in one place, which makes it unique and extraordinary. Morever, it is also an Asian Food Museum where you can learn so much about Asian Cuisine.

You have so many recipes with such an ethnic variety that you've added to HHM. Is there any common thread throughout your cooking?

I noticed that most of HHM members were from the west, hence, most of the recipes shared were Western. Usually American, French, and Italian. Instead of me sharing western dishes, (which is I know alot of the members are expert and are already very familiar with), I prefer to share Asian Oriental, Persian, and Filipino dishes (soon)... So you can say, I took the courage to share, both authentic and east meets west fusion for those who are not ready for hardcore Asian recipes.

When it comes to my cooking, stir frying, chillis and a little bit of simmering are very common. Also one of the reason why it is more appropriate for me to share on HHM since the method is easy and convenient, and at the same time, lets me share a little information about the Asian culture as well. So basically, most of my Asian recipes has to do with a lot of stir frying in sesame or peanut oil which gives a common Asian taste. But adding chillis and other exotic spices and mixes such as the Indian five spice, or the Chinese Five spice, gives it a more distinct and authentic taste to stir fry dishes. In cooking Indian or Persian cuisine, I usually do some simmering and grilling for kebabs, and most importantly, I always have a "Garam Masala" and yoghurt with me.

Surprisingly, unlike in any Asian and Indian cuisines, in my culture, Filipino dishes don't use much spices in our cuisine. I am just amazed how Filipinos managed to whip up different dishes using only the essential spices and condiments such as garlic, onions, and sometimes ginger and bay leaves, and make it taste entirely different from another dish.

Were you born in Manila? Have you been outside of the island ever? Does living there pose a challenge in cooking recipes from other areas?

Yes, I was born in Manila. My mom was born in the North, so some of the local dishes that I learned to cook were from her region. Mostly more about sauteed and simmered vegetables in achovy paste and stews. My dad was from the South, which has an entirely different influence in food. They are more like Malay and Indian, which uses curries, chillis, and coconut milk in most of their dishes.

Unlike my husband who travels alot with his work, I have only been outside the country once. I have been in Penang, Malaysia for less than a month. It is Malaysia's food capital, wherein there's a marriage of three different cultures. Therefore, their food is primarily influenced by the three race. I noticed that people there are not fond of eating at fine dining restaurants and fastfoods. Regardless, whether you've been from a nighout party, bar hopping, even with your trendiest clothes, people eat at hawkers after nightouts. So hawkers are everywhere, at all times. And the food is amazingly cheap.

But even if Penang is the food capital, not mentioning the array of spices available, I still had a few dilemmas in cooking. Italian herbs are very expensive, for the reason that people rarely use them. It is twice and even thrice the price of what we have in the Philippines. So it's either you have to buy the Italian Herbs mix, or just choose the herbs that you commonly use in most of your dishes. Most of the Malaysians are Buddhist, so beef is either not available at times, and when it is ---- it is very expensive. Since I have a few Buddhist friends, I already disregarded the idea of cooking beef when I was there. Filipino condiments such as "bagoong" or "shrimp paste is not available so i have to bring a couple of jars with me when I went there. Since it was my first time to spend Christmas outside the country with my Chinese and Malay friends, I introduced and cooked a local Filipino dish called "Kare Kare", a Filipino stew made from peanut sauce, with vegetables and meat. A few ingredients were not available in groceries, so I have to replace the key ingredient "ground peanuts" from an "unsweetened peanut butter" and other vegetables as well. Everything went well, and was just surprised that my Chinese friends loved the dish, especially the "bagoong" and even asked for the recipe.

How would you describe HHM to others? Have you tried any recipes from others on HHM?

HHM is for the superwomen out there, who are constantly shifting roles - from being a consummate professional at work, to being mom to your kids (and sometimes to your husband as well), to being a wife who can cook great meals, and a lover who can please. This goes out to the supermen of all sizes too, from being busy as bee at work, to single dads, or together with your working wife both doing shifts on taking care of the kids, or to bachelors who could impress a lady. HHM is for those who can't afford to do fussy cooking. For those who don't have the luxury of time in standing long hours in fron of the stove or oven. HHM is those for who look out for recipes that will take minimum effort but look and tastes like you have enslaved yourself in front of the oven.

HHM may not be a big foodie blogsites like others. I'd prefer a smaller community of food lovers, and humble yet great cooks. I have tried a few recipes especially those created by our admins and other members. Can't resist to try it out, just by looking at the pictures makes me drool and crave to cook. Will still definitely be waiting for more recipes to try....

Featured Community Member: DManBurger

Written Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 by Theresa H Hall

It is always nice when we get professional cooks who choose to become members, because we can always rely on their experience and learn from them. Plus, they usually contribute interesting recipes for us to try. I found DMANBURGER a few weeks ago and I was intrigued, not only by his name, but by the fact that he truly loves hamburgers. He seems pretty devoted in his search for ultimate burgers. The fact that he is hailing from the biggest food capital in the world makes his quest even more daunting. Darren Atkins, you have a big task ahead of you. How’s the search going so far?

Well, Theresa so far so good. You know it's something that is finite. I think in New York someone is always coming up with something new, it's just a matter of taste. Truth is I don't want it to be over!

You mentioned you trained as a chef at the prestigious FCI, French Culinary Institute, located in Manhattan. When were you a student there?

I completed the chef program in 2001.

I checked out some information about the restaurants you mentioned on your bio page. Where did you intern and where did your culinary journey take you?

I interned with the extremely talented Chef Cesare Casella, and his Executive Chef at the time, Gianmarco Francesconi, who has since moved back to his home in Italy. My journey really took me into my passion and stimulated my appreciation for food, all food. I saw how these guys were perfectionists at what they did, and it inspired me to feel the same.

What is your favorite cuisine, besides hamburgers naturally?

Italian definitely … but Italian like it's done in Italy. There is Italian-American, which is good too, but there is a difference, I think. I also have a great love for Mexican and Southwestern cuisines.

Do you ever think about opening your own place and if so, what type of eating establishment would it be?

I have, I would love to have a gourmet enoteca, a regional wine shop, like the ones that grace every small town in Italy. Who knows what the future can bring? But I'd really like to write for a food and travel magazine.

Have you seen the movie, “Julie and Julia,” yet? Did you ever get to meet this acclaimed chef?

No, I didn't but I guess I should see it now!

Have you ever visited the Food Network in Chelsea? I ask because your personality and good looks could be just what the food industry needs to put a spark in their programming. Well, for us ladies anyway.

Well thank you, that would be great, I'd be open for that! No, I haven’t visited there, but my friend works for Rachel Ray. Maybe she can get me a tour?

You’re really quite a good storyteller and I certainly can see you blogging over the next few years. Do you intend to keep writing?

Yes ... I absolutely will continue to write. As I mentioned one of my dreams is to write for food and travel magazines.

You are originally from Australia, so tell me how does this Aussie fit  into the New York scene? Do you miss Down Under? Do you ever dine at Outback restaurant and if so, how do they measure up to the real thing?

I moved here 17 years ago and took a job in the fashion business, then realized my passion for cooking. I miss Australia terribly. There is such a unique standard there of living, food and culture. I definitely recommend visiting. Umm Outback ... Yes, I have dined there, and truthfully it doesn't. Sorry Outback!!

Compared to being a culinary student and how you look at food today, what is the biggest difference or change in attitude you have made since graduating?

Well for one I am more knowledgeable, and with knowledge comes power and hopefully control ... and being in control you can have more of an objective attitude. My views and opinions come from the heart.

Do you think food is romantic? Does your heart sing when you think about the food you prepare or your culinary dreams? What gets you excited about food?

Yes, I think food is the romantic communication medium of life ... with food you can say so many things ... food does for me what it is intended to do for everyone; it gives me life and love.

What are your five to ten favorite ingredients to use when you cook?

I love cooking with Parmigiano-Reggiano, bacon, arugula, olive oil and white truffles. There are so many more!

What plans do you have over the next two years?

I’ll keep writing, hopefully explore my options and live in Italy for a while. Maybe DMANBURGER Italian style. Ha, ha!

How did you hear about Half Hour Meals?

Google, isn't that how you find anything?

What attracted you to join? Which Half Hour Meals feature do you like the most?

To be honest I was looking for a food site to submit my blog at first, but then as I looked through the site it really became a great overall reference point for me as a food lover. I like that people can share their recipes and their favorites places to inspire others.

Have you taken the opportunity to try any member recipes yet?

No, I haven't yet. I have been too busy eating burgers!!

What would you tell your friends, colleagues or fellow chefs about our Half Hour Meals site?

I would tell everyone who has a love for food and also an interest in learning more about food and cooking, to check out the site and chat with some members. It's a great way to meet and hook up with people who have similar interests. Even if you’re not that into food, it's a great place to find easy recipes to try on your friends and family.

Darren, it has been a pleasure learning more about you. You are such a good writer and I hope all your culinary dreams come true. Remember to wish big as you are blowing out your birthday candles today. Many Happy Returns! Check out Darren's recipes here.

Thank you so much, Theresa, and Happy New Year to you and everyone at Half Hour Meals.

Cherries in the Snow

Written Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 by Penny Hawkins

After I did the member feature on Kris (Married to Chocolate) and her great idea for "No-bake Mondays", I was really motivated to work on some no-bake dessert recipes of my own. Looking for inspiration, I came across a recipe that was my mother's called "Cherries in the Snow". What a blast from the past! I had not eaten or thought about this recipe in years, but I remember it was a big favorite of ours, especially during the holiday season.

So, since we are still technically in the holiday season, and many of us  still have snow on the ground, I thought this was the perfect time to bring out this oldie but goodie and share it with you all! Enjoy!

Cherries in the Snow

1  pre-baked loaf-style angel food cake from your local bakery

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1 (12 oz) container frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling

Combine cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in small bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until smooth.

1. To assemble, stand the angel food cake on its end and slice in half down the length of the loaf (you will have two long slices).
2. Spread half the whipped topping in bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Arrange 1 cake slice on whipped topping: press lightly; spread with the cream cheese mixture.
3. Arrange remaining cake slice on cream cheese mixture; press lightly. Spread with remaining whipped topping.
4. Spoon cherry pie filling evenly over top. (Pan will be filled to the top.) Refrigerate for 2 hours or until ready to serve. Cut into slices.

Easy Hashbrown and Ham Casserole

Written Monday, December 28th, 2009 by Anne Coleman

After the feast, or feasts, of the Holiday season there are always leftovers. At our home this year we had turkey, but we often have a more traditional ham and there's never a shortage of ham left behind to use up. The usual here seems to be sandwiches and soups, but melding one of our favorite hashbrown recipes with our overabundance of pork product is a real crowd-pleaser.

Most hashbrown casseroles call for melted butter to be added, but with all that sour cream and cheese, I never feel the need for it. You can use lower fat dairy alternatives and this will still come out tasting fantastic. Just don't use the fat free cheese, it won't melt the same.

Easy Hashbrown and Ham Casserole

3 pounds frozen shredded hash browns
16 ounces sour cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sliced green onion
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups cubed cooked ham

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Empty hashbrowns into a large bowl.
Blend together sour cream and milk.
Pour over hashbrowns and add 1 1/2 cups Cheddar, onion, ham (if using) and salt and pepper.
Toss until well combined and pour into a well greased 9x13 baking dish.
Top with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar and bake 30 minutes until bubbly and browned.

Member Recipe Review: Italian Goulash

Written Friday, December 25th, 2009 by Penny Hawkins

When I saw hometowngirl's recipe for "Mom's Italian Goulash" a few weeks ago, I was hit by a wave of nostalgia. There are two reasons why this recipe makes me feel sentimental: the first is my well-known weakness for comfort food, and the second is because my mother made a very similar dish that I had not eaten in years (mom passed away in 1998).

This recipe was also in the pile a few weeks ago during my now-infamous marathon cooking session. However, unlike his reaction to Spinach Soup, when hubby saw this recipe he immediately aproved because his mother also made a similar recipe. This one he was excited about!

So I made this recipe using Susan's easy-to-follow directions, and pretty soon I had a lovely pan of comfort-food heaven in the oven. Hubby paced back and forth, tasting spoon in his hand, until the Goulash came out of the oven. Finally it was done and even though it was still bubbling hot, in went his spoon. The verdict? Well, other than the fact that he should have waited for it to cool a bit, he declared that it was a good as his mother's and we could have it again anytime!

Thanks for the delicious trip down memory lane Susan!

Tradition!

Written Thursday, December 24th, 2009 by Anne Coleman

Each family has traditions they hold fast to during the Holiday season, whether it's Aunt Mabel's fruitcake or the star that tops the tree, the comfort and familiarity of family traditions enhances the celebration. We are no exception to the rule. Although some of our traditions went by the wayside and others have come and gone, there are a few that we hope our children will cling to and pick up as they move on.

1. Our tree is always real. We used to be able to get to a tree farm and cut one down, but the past few years have found us at the corner lot picking up an already-cut version. One year we had absolutely no room for a tree so I improvised and made one out of paper. I hung it on the wall above my grandmother's hope chest and strung lights on it. It worked and the kids didn't seem to miss the real tree at all.

We also have several ornaments that must be on the tree each year. Three of them were given to me by my mother with a small not attached. They are ornaments from Bronner's in Frankenmuth, Michigan - a Christmas village where you can find anything and everything Christmas related year-round. Mom and dad had bought the ornaments early on in their marriage, and after my father passed mom gave them to me. The angel above is one of the three.

2. Our annual Christmas Eve party. This is a party just for the kids and us, nobody else is allowed (unless there is an extenuating circumstance and there is someone we know who has nowhere else to be) and we light every candle we have, light luminarias on the front walk and porch, turn on Christmas songs, put out a table full of appetizer-type food and eat 'til bursting. We usually watch a Holiday movie and attempt to get the kids to bed before midnight.

3. My husband and I stay up after the kids are in bed and wrap presents by "Christmas light" and exchange a single gift between the two of us.

4. In the morning we wake the kids (YES, we are up before they are!) by ringing bells and telling them they just missed the Big Guy.

5. Food! While our main dish changes from year to year, there are several desserts that would be sorely missed if we didn't have them. Nanaimo Bars, a plate of fish and crackers, pumpkin pie, and cut cookies are the staples here.

6. A bowl full of oranges (Clementines) in remembrance of my grandfather, Theodore Sharp. When he would wake on Christmas morning there was an orange and a penny in his stocking and they always had homemade vanilla ice cream on Christmas Day. I want my children to always understand how fortunate they are that we are able to have so much. We are not well-off by today's standards but I still believe we are richer than most in what we do have, and I am very grateful for it. I want them to learn that as well.

What are the traditions your family holds to if you're celebrating winter holidays?

Dip It, Dip It Good!

Written Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 by Jason T.

Last week I had the opportunity to try a selection of Stonemill Kitchens premium refrigerated dips: Artichoke and Jalapeno, Spinach & Artichoke Parmesean, Artichoke & Parmesean, and Three Cheese Peperoncini. Since there was way more dip than one man could possibly eat all by himself, I threw a little dinner party for my wife and her two sisters. First I served each dip heated with crackers, bagel chips and warm baguettes. Next, we sampled each one as a sauce on top of some fresh pasta. And finally, we tried each one broiled on top of a piece of ribeye steak. Here, I'll go through each coures one-by-one and let you know what the ladies and I thought of the dips.

So, for the first course I heated each dip and served it on it's own with crackers, bagel chips and baguettes. My first recommendation is definitely heat these dips! The containers say "Great Heated" and they mean it.  I tried each one cold as I was preparing them and, in my opinion, they were too rich and way too thick to eat without heating them first. Once they were heated, it was a totally different story. The thickness I experienced when trying them cold disappeared allowing us to enjoy the creamy texture and flavor of each dip.

The three ladies were all born and raised in South Texas; so it was no surprise to me that their favorite was the Artichoke and Jalapeno dip. In fact, this was my favorite too. Unlike a lot of jalapeno dips, this one is not overwhelmingly hot. The jalapeno adds a nice flavor and a wee bit of heat, but even those who do not enjoy hot foods can still handle this one and enjoy the flavor and subtle heat the pepper provides. The Spinach & Artichoke Parmesean as well as the Artichoke & Parmesean went over well too. Although, once these dips began to cool, the ladies agreed that the consitincy became a bit too thick, and, while they were still good, the thickness made it harder to enjoy. My suggestion would be to serve these dips in a thick bowl that will hold in the heat and allow guests to enjoy them warm. Out of the four dips, the Three Cheese Peperoncini was the groups least favorite as a dip. Peperoncini fans shouldn't worry though; it made a great comeback during our second course!

For the second course, I served each dip as a sauce on top of some fresh Rotini pasta. Here is where the Three Cheese Peperoncini shined. Three out of the four of us, decided that this was our favorite pasta topper. My wife was the only holdout sticking with the Artichoke and Jalapeno as her favorite. Every single one of the dips worked well as a pasta sauce. While the Peperoncini was dubbed the overall favorite, the Artichoke & Paremsean as well as the Spinach & Artichoke Parmesean were very good also. I mean can you really go wrong combining parmesean, spinach, artichoke and pasta? I think not!

For the final course, I prepared some all-natural ribeye steaks with a generous portion of the dip broiled on top of the meat. This was by far my favorite use of the dips. The flavors and the texture of each dip complemeted the natural flavor of the meat quite well. Interstingly, this is the one course where there was not a clear favorite. I preferred the Spinach & Artichoke Parmesean; I thought the combination of the spinach, cheese and meat were amazing. The younger of my sister-in-laws decided that she thought the Three Cheese Peperoncini went best with the meat while the older of the two said that she preffered the Artichoke & Parmesean. We had a little debate about this as I felt that if she liked the Artichoke & Parmesean than clearly the Spinach & Artichoke Parmesean should be her favorite because the spinach only adds another dimension of flavor. Alas, she would not concede. My wife surprised no one by sticking by the Artichoke & Jalapeno, which I have to admit was a close second for me. The flavor of the pepper blends very nicely with the flavor of the steak.

So, the final verdict form the group was that we definitely recommend the Stonemill Kitchens dips. Everyone enjoyed them as a dip, a pasta sauce and a meat topping. Even though they are called dips, the group definitely seemed to enjoy them more when I served them with the pasta and the steak. My personal preference was to serve them on top of the steaks. It seems that I enjoy these dips more the hotter they are, and getting them super hot in the broiler where they got a nice golden brown crust on top was, in my opinion, the best way to serve them. In retrospect, when serving them as dips in the future I would broil them too to ensure that they are served hot and get that nice golden crisp on top. It really does add a lot. Check out the Stonemill Kitchens website for heating suggestions.

If you'd like more information about the dips we tried, or any other Stonemill Kitches products, simply go to www.StonemillKitchens.com. There you will find information about each of their products and their chefs as well as coupons.

Give the Gift of a Meal to Someone in Need

Written Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 by Penny Hawkins

Because so much of the upcoming holidays revolves around food, they are an especially difficult time for anyone experiencing hunger. This Christmas, you can make the difference between someone in your community enjoying a hot meal or going hungry. It's easy to do...most organizations that help the hungry accept donations online. If each of us gave just a little, we could make sure that every hungry person in our area has the gift of a holiday meal.

I know that foodies and food bloggers are generous and caring people, and I hope that each of you will be moved to help the local or national food-related charity of your choice.

Here is a list of national charities that are in need of contributions (food or money) to help feed hungry people in your community. Please reach out to the charity of your choice and help them feed the hungry this Christmas!

Feeding America

Share Our Strength

Soup's On

Written Sunday, December 20th, 2009 by TrishB

Frigid conditions have gripped New York this week. Snowy too. Days are getting shorter and nights longer. Winter is here. So what am I thinking we should have for dinner? Soup. The ultimate in comfort food.

Nothing beats a steaming bowl of hot soup on a cold winter day. It’s also the cure for anything that ails you. Just ask my mother.

Serve soup with a warm piece of crusty bread and, voila, a complete meal. Another great thing about soup is that it’s even tastier the following day. My son loves to heat up a cup after a long day of school. It’s not only delicious but nutritious too. So here are a few of my favorites. These are easy recipes that fill your kitchen with wonderful aromas but more importantly are chock full of flavor, color and texture.

Baked Caramelized Onion Soup with Gruyere Croutons

2 tbs canola oil
9 Cups (approx 4 large) Vidalia or Spanish onions, thinly sliced
3 tsp sugar
3 cups chicken stock and 3 ½ cups beef stock or 6 ½ cups chicken stock
salt and pepper, to taste

Croutons

4 ½ inch thick slices of baguette
1 clove garlic, split
1 cup gruyere cheese, grated

1. Heat oil in a pot over medium high heat.
2. When hot, add the onions and mix well
3. Place wax paper over the onions to cover them (allowing the onions to sweat) and cover with a lid.
4. Cook slowly for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are very soft.
5. Remove the paper and stir in the sugar and cook until the onions take on a light brown color and are caramelized (approx 20 minutes). Watch carefully during this process and remove the pot from the heat frequently while you stir the edges into the mixture.
6. Add the stock.
7. Simmer covered for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and bake the baguette slices until lightly toasted.
9. Remove the croutons and rub with garlic.
10. Place a crouton for each serving in a deep ovenproof bowl and ladle the hot soup over the croutons.
11. Divide the cheese into 4 equal portions and sprinkle each bowl and place under the broiler until the cheese is browned and sizzling.
12. Serve immediately.

Tortilla Soup

6 – 6” tortillas
6 Tbs olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups onions, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander
½ tsp cayenne (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes, drained
8 cups chicken stock
1 package frozen corn

1. Cut tortillas in ½” wide strips. Saute in 4 Tbs oil until lightly brown and crisp. Set aside on paper towel when done.
2. In a pot, heat the remaining olive oil. Brown garlic.
3. Add onions, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Stir until soft.
4. Add salt, tomatoes, and 1/3 of tortilla strips.
5. Add broth and cook for 25 minutes.
6. Add corn. Cook 10 more minutes.
7. Serve with extra tortilla chips and condiments.

Condiments

Avocado or guacomole
Monterey jack cheese, shredded
Sour cream

Rose's Heavenly Cakes

Written Sunday, December 20th, 2009 by Jason T.

Rose Levy Beranbaum, a.k.a the "Diva of Desserts," has followed up her world famous and award-winning book, The Cake Bible, with a brand new recipe book titled Rose's Heavenly Cakes. If you've ever wanted to bake some of Rose's mouth watering cakes, it has never been easier. Featuring detailed directions and instructional photographs that guide readers step-by-step through her recipes, the book makes it easy for any home baker to create her delicious desserts. The book features butter and oil cakes, fluted-pan cakes, baby cakes, sponge cakes, and the bravest bakers can even attempt one of her wedding cakes!

If you want to find out more abour Rose or her world famous recipes, check out her own blog, Real Baking with Rose. Here she shares thoughts about baking, lists her upcoming appearances and has a complete list of all of her popular cookbooks. You can also take a peek at http://heavenlycakeplace.blogspot.com/ where bloggers are cooking each one of the recipes from Heavenly Cakes and writing about the experience!

Here are a few of Rose's tips for baking a great cake:

Click here for a larger version of the video.