March 2015 - Page 2 of 3 - NY Foodie Family

The Most Disgusting Foods On The Planet

Posted on March 17, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

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The Most Disgusting Foods On The Planet by John Perritano
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

With the not-so-new anymore Common Core Standards, there is a big push for students to be reading more non-fiction books. For the reluctant reader, I think just the title of this book will help interest them. This book is part of the Capstone Press “Disgusting Stuff” series. Other titles in the series include The Most Disgusting Animals, Jobs and Places on the Planet.

The book begins with the author noting that different cultures have different food practices. Some foods that we may think are gross may be considered delicious to them. This book has six chapter that include topics such as bugs, soups, drinks and even disgusting desserts. While the book is thin it is not a beginning reader book as the text is small. It is aimed towards 3rd and 4th grade readers, but will interest both younger and older readers. Each page is accompanied by real photographs. More difficult words are defined on the page and there are occasional facts and additional information boxes provided throughout. Chicken butts, cow urine cola and poo coffee will surely be of interest to some readers! Maybe even have your child read this to you. Even I learned some new things from this book.

*This book was borrowed from the library.

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Fettuccini Alfredo with Broccoli

Posted on March 16, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Caution: unhealthy recipe ahead. Continue at your own risk! This is the classic, creamy, full-fat comfort dish that we all know and love. As spring will soon be here, and if you’re like us, hoping to eat a bit healthier, I am trying to post the last of the cold weather comfort food dishes that we’ve eaten recently. So back to this fettuccini dish. I attempted to make it a little healthier by adding broccoli. We rarely eat dishes like this. But sometimes, you just need a big plate of pasta with cream sauce! This is quick and easy (and much cheaper than if you ordered at a restaurant!) to make at home for a busy weeknight dinner! Of course we all ate and enjoyed this!

Fettuccini Alfredo with Broccoli
Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients:
½ cups butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups heavy cream
1-½ cup grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons cream cheese
1 pound fettuccini pasta, cooked
12 ounce bag frozen broccoli florets, cooked
½ teaspoons pepper
1 dash salt

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a large skillet and saute the garlic for two to three minutes.

2. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer.

3. Add the parmesan and cream cheese stirring to melt. Add salt and pepper.

4. Mix in the broccoli and cooked pasta. Serve sprinkled with additional grated parmesan cheese, if desired.

Friday Favorites #7

Posted on March 13, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy Friday! I am LOVING the warm weather we had this week! It gives me hope that spring is on its way. Weekdays are pretty uneventful around here with the kids in school and the Weekend Chef and I both working during the day. This week I leave you with one recipe and four randoms!

1. Favorite recipe bookmarked this week: This is a recipe I can’t make for the kids because I know they won’t eat it. So, I’ll file it in the, “Kids Are Visiting the Grandparents, What Shall We Cook For Dinner” folder. My mouth is watering just thinking about it….Crispy Buffalo Wing Shrimp with Blue Cheese Grits?!!!! Yes, please!!! Get this recipe from food blog How Sweet It Is here.

2. Family Vacation Plans: Disney or a Cruise??!! The last time we went to Disney was when the kids were 3 and 5. They are now 6 and almost 9. We went on a cruise this past September (the kids first!) and we all loved it. Relaxing and fun! Disney will be like new to my son, who was so young he doesn’t remember much and couldn’t go on a lot of the rides. However, relaxing it is not…..after the last trip I felt like I needed a vacation from the Disney vacation! Any thoughts or suggestions??!!!!

3. Kohl’s Cash: If you follow me on Instagram, you saw this photo yesterday. I’ve been really good about not shopping…anywhere. But I received a 30% off coupon, plus with the free $5 off coupon they gave me, and the Kohl’s Cash….they were basically making me go shopping!

4. We tried these this week. Not calling them a favorite because they weren’t. They satisfied my salty/crunchy craving but weren’t anything special. Not Lay’s most interesting or different flavor, but since it was new, had to try it!

5. And also tried these last night. I saw these for the first time grocery shopping this past week and of course had to pick them up. It says on the package that they’re made with pale ale. I was a bit disappointed and was expecting a much more battered fry. I thought I could smell the ale while they were cooking, but a “beer batter” taste was barely perceptible.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Linking up again this week with Amanda at Meet @ the Barre, Andrea @ Momfessionals, Jennie @ The Diary of a Real Housewife, Katie @ Cup of Tea and Michael @ Rattlebridge Farm.

Aprons Are a Cook’s Best Friend!

Posted on March 12, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

I cannot tell you how many pieces of clothing that I have ruined while cooking! It took me awhile to learn, but now an apron is a cooking necessity for me. This is especially true when hosting holidays and having guests over when I’m dressed in “nice” clothes. I’ve never actually bought myself an apron. All of the aprons I own have been gifts. I am super late in joining Etsy, and only joined last month. It is unbelievable to see the number and variety of things for sale on the site! Today, I wanted to share with you some of the amazing aprons that I have found while perusing Etsy. Now, I have not purchased any of these aprons, only fallen in love with them! All of the below retailers had tons of five star reviews. While I only featured my favorite, check out the vendors below. They have lots of different styles, colors and patterns. These would make a great gift for your favorite chef! Click on the vendor name to be taken to the Etsy page.

*Permission was granted by all vendors to use their photos. I was not compensated for these reviews, I just wanted to showcase some pretty aprons that I recently found on Etsy!

1. CreativeChics – How cute is this ruffled retro apron?!!! I especially love the pattern and color combo of this particular apron. The apron is handmade in the USA. This one retails for $45.00. CreativeChics has one of the largest selection of aprons on Etsy. If you like this style, they have a bunch of different color/pattern combinations and they have over 2,600 5 star reviews!

Ruffled Retro Apron . Cute Sassy Womens Retro Apron in Coral Paisley and Taupe Print with Coordinating Navy Blue on White Dot Fabric

2. loverdoversclothing – With the new Cinderella coming to theaters on March 13, I had to showcase these two! The Cinderella Work apron retails for $28.50 and the Princess Style apron retails for $39. If you like these, loverdoversclothing also sells Elsa, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Snow White, Little Mermaid and Belle aprons as well. They also sell Princess costumes and dresses for little girls. This is a vendor that’s definitely worth checking out!

apron CINDERELLA Work APRON Princess style womens full Apron from Lover Dovers

CINDERELLA APRON Princess style womens full Apron from Lover Dovers

3. PrettyCreationsByMe – If you have a child, you most likely have cooked with him or her. What is cuter than wearing matching aprons?! I especially liked this black, white and red combo pictured below. The apron set retails for $29.99 for both aprons. The aprons are handmade in the United States. If you are looking for an apron just for your daughter, Anita sells cute child aprons in a variety of patterns as well. She has 53 five star reviews.

Mommy and Me Apron set Mother Daughter apron set Matching Apron Set Black and Red matching Aprons

4. SomethingYouAprons -Monogram is always in style. Carol at SomethingYouAprons sells a variety of color and monogram styles in her Etsy shop. I really like the color combination of the navy, green and pink on this apron, which retails for $27.95. These aprons are handmade in the USA and Carol’s shop has 985 five-star reviews.

Circle Monogrammed Personalized Apron - Round Preppy Chefs Gift Idea Ribbon Bakers Womens Wedding Bridal Shower Custom Customized Adult

5. KitschNStyle – After all of the cold weather we’ve had here in New York, I saw this apron and it just says “spring.” Margaret sells a bunch of fun floral and other patterned aprons. This apron is homemade and retails for $36. Margaret’s shop has 122 five-star ratings.

Women's Floral Apron , Retro Style Apron, Full Apron , Orchid Apron, Purple Apron, Flowers , KitschNStyle

Buttermilk Coleslaw

Posted on March 11, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

The final side dish that The Weekend Chef made with our “Blackened” Catfish and Buttermilk Hush Puppies was this Buttermilk Coleslaw. As the warmer weather is slowly arriving, it will soon be time for barbecues. Coleslaw is a barbecue must-have and this recipe here is what I consider a “classic” coleslaw. While we’ve made plenty of different coleslaws, sometimes simple is better. The buttermilk in this recipe gives the slightest tang to the dish. I wasn’t sure if the kids liked coleslaw, but both had seconds of this. 1 reduced the mayonnaise by half because we prefer not to have drippy coleslaw.

Buttermilk Coleslaw
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com courtesy of TCSTEFFEY

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (16 ounce) package shredded coleslaw mix

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, sugar, celery salt and black pepper. Fold in the coleslaw mix, and refrigerate until serving. This tastes best refrigerated for a few hours before serving.

Supermarket Healthy

Posted on March 10, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Supermarket Healthy by Melissa d’Arabian
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I first became acquainted with Melissa d’Arabian when I saw her win Season 5 of the Food Network Star. As a mom of young kids, I could relate to her. Being budget-minded I also appreciated her show “Ten Dollar Dinners.” So I was excited to see her new cookbook Supermarket Healthy on the Blogging for Books site. For those unfamiliar, Blogging for Books is a site that gives bloggers free books to review on their blogs. (You can check out the site and sign up here.)

Supermarket Healthy starts with an introduction of “Hot-Button Issues” like GMO’s, eating organic and allergies. d’Arabian then provides a “Pantry Must-Haves” list. The cookbook has eleven chapters including Breakfast, Snacks, Soups and Stews, Salads, Wraps and Sandwiches, Veggie Mains, Pasta, Fish and Seafood Chicken and Turkey, Beef, Pork, and Lamb, Sides and Dessert. I like that d’Arabian offers several “Blueprints” throughout the cookbook, in which she gives an outline of a recipe and different variations to make it. For example, for a frittata, she outlines a way to make it with meat or without, different preparations of vegetables and different cheese variations.

Prior to receiving this cookbook I had never cooked any of d’Arabian’s recipes. I first tried the Moroccan Slow Cooker Chicken Legs and Chickpeas, since I love using the slow cooker on busy days. The recipe called for ras el hanout (a Moroccan spice blend), which I did not have and didn’t plan on buying for this one recipe. An alternative spice blend is provided, but no measurements are provided. Overall, this recipe was just okay.

I then tried making the Raspberry-Banana Morning Boost Smoothie for the kids for an after dinner “treat.” They have given up treats for Lent, so I’ve been trying to come up with healthy alternatives. I think this recipe included too much of the healthy stuff. These smoothies had old-fashioned rolled oats and chopped cucumber. And I didn’t even add the white beans! I do not like smoothies, but the kids love them. They did not enjoy these though. I agreed with their complaint that the smoothie tasted overwhelmingly of cucumber, even though there was only 1/4 cup. The oats also didn’t break down very well in the blender, so the smoothie wasn’t exactly smooth.

Overall, I thought this cookbook was just okay. Not many recipes jumped out at me as being new and interesting and I felt like the ingredient lists for many of the recipes were rather long. I’d recommend this cookbook to beginning cooks who would like to eat healthier.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. However, all my opinions are my own.

Buttermilk Hush Puppies

Posted on March 9, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

A couple of weeks ago, we posted our recipe for “Blackened Catfish.” To accompany the fish, the Weekend Chef made these Buttermilk Hush Puppies. For those unfamiliar, hush puppies are deep-fried cornmeal batter, often associated with Southern food. They remind me of the corn fritters that my mom made us growing up, but smaller, and with cornmeal instead of flour. The Weekend Chef prefers chunkier hush puppies, so he added some canned corn to the mix to add some texture. They came out of the fryer hot and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Buttermilk Hush Puppies
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com courtesy of Mama Smith

Ingredients:
1 quart vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canned corn

Directions:
1. Heat the quart of oil in a deep fryer and preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

2. Whisk buttermilk, 1/4 cup vegetable oil and eggs in a medium sized bowl.

3. In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Fold the buttermilk mixture and canned corn into the cornmeal mixture until just combined.

4. When deep fryer is ready, drop tablespoon sized balls of batter into the oil, frying approximately 3-5 minutes. Then turn each ball and fry an additional 3-5 minutes until each ball is cooked evenly and golden brown. Remove the hush puppies with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Transfer the hush puppies to a baking pan and place in preheated oven to keep warm until ready to serve.

Friday Favorites #6

Posted on March 6, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

This was a three-hour delay and two snow day kind of week in these parts. I’ve discovered how difficult it can be to try to get work done with the kids home all day! We are ending things off with a Cub Scout Pinewood Derby tonight and a visit to the in-laws on Sunday. Anything exciting plans for you this weekend? Here are this week’s family favorites:

1. Favorite new food product tried this week: If you follow me on Instagram you might have seen this picture the other night. While we recently tried the Spectacular Speculoos cookie core, we (meaning the Mr. and I) weren’t huge fans of the ice cream. But we had the Boom Chocolatta! cookie core and we liked it! I pretty much enjoy anything mocha…because coffee and chocolate…..do I have to say anything else? But then you add in chocolate cookie pieces and a chocolate cookie core and yes…..it’s pretty good.

2. Favorite recipe bookmarked to try: This Reuben Casserole from blog Melanie Makes. I normally make Corned Beef and Cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day because it’s tradition….not because it’s my favorite. Now this casserole sounds so much more tasty!

3. Favorite Netflix Binge Watch: This one is all mine….the Mr. has not been watching this with me. I don’t know why I started Season 1 of the 187 episode show on Netflix. It has sucked me in! I tried to figure out how I missed this when it first came out in 2003, but the Mr. reminded me that we were watching the O.C. I guess I could only handle one high school drama at a time!

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4. Favorite Kids Read: My six year old son has been reading through this series non-stop. Every week when we go to the library he takes several of these or the sister series, Thea Stilton, out to read. The book series is about a mouse who works as a journalist for the newspaper The Rodent Gazette. The books are fun to look at, with different colors and fonts. There are also maps, diagrams and colorful illustrations. These are chapter books with over 150 pages and a lot of text and are aimed more towards 3rd graders and up. I admit that I haven’t read any of these books, although there’s always a bunch lying around the house. My almost nine year old daughter will pick them up and read them as well…..so maybe they’re worth checking out?!!

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5. Favorite Healthy Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats are a much tastier alternative to packets of flavored instant oatmeal. It is typically sold in tins or canisters and require a bit of effort before it is edible. Unlike quick or instant oats, there is minimal processing on the raw oats. They are only broken into small pieces with steel cutters, hence the name. So they need to be simmered and stirred in water for about 30 minutes. The Mr. makes enough for the week because it’s a bit of a pain effortwise. The reward is a much nuttier and richer oatmeal that goes well with brown sugar, dried fruit like raisins and maybe some chopped nuts. Try it once, you won’t go back to packets!

Have a great weekend!

Linking up with Amanda @ Meet @ the Barre, Andrea @ Momfessionals, Tif @ Bright on a Budget, and Michael @ Rattlebridge Farm.

Southwestern Barley Chili

Posted on March 4, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

I was never a barley eater. I had bad memories from back when I was a child being forced to sit at the dinner table and eat my bowl of chicken barley soup…..which I don’t think I ever did eat. Since that time, I have never liked barley. Recently, I discovered that I enjoy farro, which has a similar texture to barley and thought it was time to give the grain another try. With all of the cold weather we have been having I’ve been trying to make lots of soups and chili and am always on the lookout for new and interesting recipes. This recipe inspired me to try barley again. I figured the southwest flavors would appeal to the kids, while introducing them to barley for the first time. I ended up discovering that although barley is still not my favorite grain, I can now eat and enjoy it! Put some sour cream and cheese on anything and the kids will most likely eat it, including this! This was a great chili variation and was a perfect dinner for a cold night.

Southwestern Barley Chili
Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café, adapted from the back of the Quaker Medium Barley box

Ingredients:

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup medium barley (not quick cooking)
4 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
dash cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into bite-size pieces
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
12 ounce bag frozen corn kernels
Optional Garnishes: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, scallions, tortilla chips (we used only shredded cheese and sour cream)

Directions:

In a large stock pot combine the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, barley, water, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano and cayenne. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and add the chicken, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer the mixture for approximately 40 minutes. Stir the chili occasionally to prevent sticking. The barley should be tender and chewy and the chicken no longer pink. After 40 minutes, add the beans and the corn, stirring to combine. Simmer the chili for five more minutes, then serve with the garnishes of your choice.** Mel noted that the chili will thicken considerably upon cooling. If reheating leftovers, you can add chicken broth or water as needed to achieve a desirable consistency.

On What Grounds Cozy Mystery

Posted on March 3, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

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With all of the cold and snowy weather we’ve been having, I’ve been spending a lot of time curled up in front of the pellet stove reading. What’s more perfect reading than a cozy mystery on a cold day! Cozy mysteries differ from the regular mystery and thriller type reads in that they often feature an amateur detective who helps solve the mystery and often take place in a small town, where everyone seems to know everyone else. I haven’t read many cozy mysteries, but of course the ones I have been interested in are the ones that revolve around food.

This book, On What Grounds is the first of fourteen in the Coffeehouse Mystery series. The series is written by Cleo Coyle, a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi and her husband Marc Cerasini. In this first book, Clare Cosi, manages the Village Blend, an historic coffee house that’s been in her ex-husband’s family for years. Clare has been managing the Village Blend for several years and has just moved from the New Jersey suburbs to the apartment above the coffee shop, which is located in Greenwich Village, in New York City. When opening the shop one morning she finds the body of one of her assistant managers, Annabelle, at the bottom of the basement stairs. Of course she has to get involved in trying to help the police figure out who did this to Annabelle and there might be some possible romance rekindling with her ex-husband in future books?!

This was a light, fast read but it’s definitely not a suspenseful page turner, if that’s what you’re looking for. I enjoy my daily morning cup of coffee, but I’m no coffee aficionado. I learned a lot about coffee, different types of coffee beverages and different methods of brewing. At some points, the author may have even gone a little too into detail about the finer points of coffee. Recipes from the story are included in the back. Overall, this was an okay mystery and this is a series that I wouldn’t mind continuing to read.

On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

*I borrowed this book from the library.

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