Whats For Dinner?

Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions dealing with cooking? A lot of people try to cook healthier. One friend of mine posted in her blog yesterday on her resolution. It is to cook. Period.

She admits she either eats out or gets take out way too often. It was so bad that when her doorbell rings, her kids scream “dinner’s here”. Last week, she actually cooked for 5 nights in a row. Hopefully she keeps it up.

There are people who’s resolution is to get more from their food dollar. They are cooking more meals that stretch the ingredients and could be eaten for more than one meal. It’s almost a game to see how much food you can get for a small amount of money. It’s quite an interesting concept. Sometime, I’ll have to play the game and let you know what happens.

Until then, Happy New Year.

Do you watch sports? Is it on television or live? Do you eat while watching? Do you ever think about what you are eating?

Everyone knows that hot dogs and baseball go together, especially of you are there watching it live. Maybe it’s a whole summer connection.

In a few weeks, we’ll be coming up on the biggest football game of the season. It’s also the biggest food day too outside of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’m talking about the Super Bowl. I mean, what other sports event do manufacturers have coupons for.

This is probably because it’s the only sport that has a one game championship. The three other major sports have best of seven series. It gives you one chance to get together and prepare a spread.

As the Super Bowl gets closer, we’ll look at some of the best foods to serve or bring to a Super Bowl party. I have some pretty good ideas.

So, about an hour ago, it began to snow. They’ve been talking this storm up for 2 days now. They are calling for 5 to 10 inches of snow tonight.

The custom here is that when a snow storm is coming, you have to run to the store and buy milk and bread. Why milk and bread? I really never understood it. I guess if you get a dozen eggs you could make a lot of French toast.

I usually try to stay away from the store if a storm is coming. But, if I did go, I’d get something better. Maybe some shrimp and other appetizer items. When I was younger, I’d probably get a case of beer too. Now since having kids, I don’t drink beer very often and usually not at home.

I’m a little distracted writing this. We’re watching “Don’t Mess with the Zohan” and there is a hummus theme in the movie. There is hummus in just about every scene. It’s kind of gross. I can’t stand hummus. No offense to anyone who likes hummus.

Back to the snow, the storm, the food for the storm. We’ve got a covering of snow already. Just as long as we have some snacks in the house, we’ll be all set.

Every culture and region has their own food and recipes. There are so many different types of foods that it would take volumes to write about them all. Most people closely identify with the type of food that they grew up with.

With my Polish background, we surprisingly didn’t have a whole lot of Polish foods growing up. We’d have keilbasa and potatoes (boiled) often. We’d have peirogis on ocassion. On Christmas Eve, we’d go to my father’s cousin’s house where we would have most of the Polish food of the year.

One year, for my father’s birthday, I went to a seedy club to get him stuffed cabbage. I won’t even attempt to try to spell the Polish word for that because I don’t want to embarass myself. My father’s birthday happens to be in August and it was a scorcher that day. On my way home, I got stuck in traffic from a bridge that was up for a tanker to go through. I had no AC in my car and I swear it smelled like cabbage for a year.

But, most of the food from when I was young, was more Portugese. The area where I live is mainly Portugese. I think I identify with that cuisine even more than the Polish food. Chourico and linguica are staples in my house.

There’s nothing better than ground linguica on pizza. I even converted my Irish husband to where it’s his favorite pizza too. Actually, the restaurant where we used to go just for the pizza was recently knocked down but it has been closed for years.

Food cuisine is more of a nurture thing than a nature thing. I’m really letting the biology side of me show.

Hard boiled eggs are one of those foods that everyone has their own way of cooking and think their way is the best. Here’s how I make mine:

Carefully put eggs in a sauce pan. Cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil. Cover and turn off the heat. Leave the pan on the burner for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, run under cold water until the eggs are cooled. Refrigerate eggs if not used immediately. They come out perfect every time.

I know, I know, everyone thinks their eggs come out perfect.

So today, I’m thinking of crab cakes. We got this booklet in the mail from Food & Wine magazine with their best recipes ever. One of the recipes was Mrs.  Duvall’s Crab Cakes. Mrs. Duvall just happens to be the mother of actor Robert Duvall. She was very famous for her crab cakes.

I did a search of crab cakes and found that everyone has their own tricks and secrets to what makes their crab cakes better than the rest. For some, it’s the seasoning and for others it’s a sauce.

I made crab cakes 1 time in my life, just a few years ago. I bought a huge can of crab meat (from a reputable crab company). I used just enough bread crumbs and other ingredients to hold the meat together.

I made a spicy sauce to go with them. They actually turned out pretty good but as with most things that are pan fried, the last few were darker and less cooked than the first ones.

When we go out to eat, if there is a crab cake sandwich on the menu, I usually get it, as long as it’s not too over priced. Some places can really overcharge for a crab cake sandwich. I like it better than a hamburger because it’s lighter and you get a little crunch.

Maybe I’ll have to make them again soon.

My oldest is 10 and every once in a while, she kind of hints that she really doesn’t like meat. Well, hints is being nice.

Her latest is the she ‘doesn’t want to eat cow’. Her friends think cows are cute so they now think they won’t eat anymore beef. But, when asked by her sister about cheeseburgers she said “well, cheeseburgers are different”.

When she goes through one of these phases, she thinks if she quits eating meat that she’ll be able to eat more junk. When I tell her that we’ll have to do research and figure out what she should replace meat with, she decides not to.

I have no problem with it if she decides she really doesn’t want to eat meat anymore. But, she will have to get the proper nutrition. It would take work on both of our parts but if it was something she wanted to do, I’d help her.

How often do you try something new? I very rarely do because I know my family won’t eat it. It could be all their favorite ingredients but if it’s not made how they are used to it, they won’t eat it.

I’d probably put the ‘blame’ on that to my husband’s family. They always have all meals pretty much the same. Even now, if we go over for  a roast beef dinner or something, it’s always the same, right down to the can of green beans.

The way I grew up was a little looser. We had a lot of the same meals but it always wasn’t the same. We’d have different vegetables or something, whatever my mom was hooked on at the time. She used to put spinach in salad and told us it was romaine lettuce but after a while, I found out romaine lettuce wasn’t fuzzy.

I always think I want to try something new but usually I don’t so I don’t have to hear the wrath and then have to make other things for dinner. It’s just not worth the stress.

Lately, when I eat fried foods, I have an allergic reaction. Basically I get shortness of breath. I already have asthma, so I have the necessary meds around for when it happens.

I had it happen a few times with food from Wendy’s. I originally thought it was something on the burgers. Then I had it happen a few times after eating clam cakes, which is the most perfect fried food.

Then, tonight I had buffalo chicken (you know how I love my buffalo chicken) from the pizza place we always go to and it happened again.

Hopefully I can nail this down so I can get back to fried foods again. I really like breathing.

It’s a new year and everyone says they want to lose weight. Even Food Network is getting on board with a week full of healthy recipe shows. (OK, Paula Deen is in that line up. I guess everyone needs to cheat.)

When most people think of dieting and eating light, they think they have to deprive themselves of food. It’s all about making good choices and watching portion sizes.

Now, obviously, if you’re trying to lose weight, you are not going for a double slice of chocolate cake. But, if one cookie makes you feel better, and less deprived, then go for it. If you deprive yourself of too much, your body will revolt and you’ll probably end up eating the double slice of cake.

So, whatever you decide to do, have a good plan. Try to stick to it but don’t beat yourself up if you slip once in a while. Pick a salad instead of french fries. It’s not that hard if you go in with a plan.