All We Can Eat

Holiday favorites: Vegetarian entrees

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Mushroom Lasagna Bolognese takes some time, but it's worth it. (Photo by Renee Comet/styled by Lisa Cherkasky for the Washington Post/) The challenge of cooking vegetarian at Thanksgiving isn’t usually a lack of vegetable recipes. For this harvest-themed meal, it’s plenty easy to find dishes that feature seasonal produce. And if you’re able to stay clear of the everything-is-better-with-bacon philosophy, exemplified in the Best Ever Brussels Sprouts we featured in last week’s Food section, it’s not too hard to adapt anything to vegetarian (if not vegan) status. Vegetable broths can replace meat ones; nuts or other crunchy garnishes can replace those bacon bits, and so on. The challenge is the main course, so that you avoid the collection-of-sides approach. Vegetarians deserve a centerpiece, too. I’m not serving a vegetarian repast this year, but for a few hours I pretended that I am, and scoured our Recipe Finder database and

Groundwork: Falling for fall

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Autumn in the vegetable plot at Green Spring Gardens. (Adrian Higgins/The Washington Post) The importance of autumn as a growing season in the fruit and vegetable garden cannot be overstated. In the mid-Atlantic, it is our way to be Northern gardeners and to enjoy what our brethren in New England, or Old England for that matter, take for granted. That is, the capacity to grow cool season veggies to perfection. Fennel is an excellent example. Valued for its anise-flavored, feathery foliage and bulb, it grows happily in colder climes. But as a spring plant here it will steadfastly refuse to form its coveted bulb. Spring offers a tight window. Because fennel is frost-sensitive, the gardener toils to start fennel from seed in early March and puts out the transplants in mid-April, hoping the spring will stay mild and tempered. But it does not. The heat arrives for a few

No shortage of waffle news here

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:30:00 -0500

Oprah calling it quits and now this: A national shortage of Eggo waffles. Will the shock and horror ever end? Actually, it’s the second weird waffle news I’ve had to swallow this week. The other was the discovery of a spray can of organic waffle batter. A can o’ waffles! Could this be a good thing? More on that in a moment. First, the Kellogg kerfluffle: Evidently, the big K had to shut down its four frozen-waffle facilities recently, after the government found that pesky meningitis-causing bacteria listeria in a batch of the buttermilk Eggos. The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30cEggo Waffles Shortage Alertwww.colbertnation.comColbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorU.S. Speedskating But instead of this being a bad, hang-your-head-in-shame thing for Kellogg’s, the shortage has spawned a boatload of publicity and a rush on the frozen breakfast aisle in the local supermarket, as addicts of mediocre breakfast food stock up

Holiday favorites: More desserts

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:30:43 -0500

On Tuesday, we offered you some suggestions for pies, tarts and other desserts that would be great on the Thanksgiving table. Because you can never have too many sweets, here are a few more of our favorite recipes from years past. Find these and many, many others in our searchable Recipe Finder database. Mama's Pecan Pie. (Terry Allen for The Washington Post) Let's begin with a superstar: Mama's Pecan Pie, a recipe from chef Virginia Willis. Yes, we know you've tasted a lot of pecan pies. But the premise behind this one is sheer genius: The ratio of nuts to goo is much higher than usual, making for a nutty, chewy interior that's not gloppy or sickly-sweet. It does take a lot of chopping (each pie contains 1 1/2 cups of pecans, and they are cut up rather than left in halves) but it's worth the small amount of extra

I Spice: Red Hots (really)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Please forgive me for adding Red Hots here as a spice. My editors made me do it. Granny Smiths in a Blanket. (Monica Bhide) I think this may be stretching it a bit, but I remembered seeing them used as a seasoning in “White Trash Gatherings: From-Scratch Cooking for Down-Home Entertaining” (Ten Speed Press, 2006) by Kendra Bailey Morris, and always wondered if other people used them as a seasoning, too. I was right: Red Hots have a place in the pantry as a fun way to add some zip to your dish, particularly if you are cooking with apples. But first, I had to do some digging to learn a bit more about these candies, which seem to show up in stores only around Valentine's Day. Made by Ferrara Pan Candy Co., the candies have a unique combination of strong cinnamon flavor and spicy heat. (The company offers a

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Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Chat Leftovers: Thanksgiving Q&A

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:45:00 -0500

Questions came fast and furious during yesterday's Free Range chat, so we'll try to answer some each day through Thanksgiving, starting with these two: Washington, DC: I have a special holiday challenge: for medical reasons, I’ve been told to eat a low-carb diet, but at the same time, I’m supposed to gain weight. I’m finding it a challenge to cook foods -- especially holiday-friendly fare -- that are consistent with these two goals (and I’m really sick of eating almonds). Got any brilliant ideas for me, especially on desserts? (A delicious pumpkin custard, perhaps?) Thanks! Berry Mousse. (Renee Comet for The Washington Post) A challenge indeed. Cranberries and raspberries are in the low-carb fruit category, and both make for some spectacular desserts. I took a spin through our recipe database and found the following candidates, including a personal favorite of mine, Tiny Tim Cranberry Tarts (11 carbs per serving). They

Flour girl: Cheesy old favorites

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Mary Curtis Simonds's recipe book. (Courtesy of Donald M. Simonds) Recipes have changed over time -- and not just what ingredients or dishes are in style, but the format of recipes themselves. A few years ago, I got a call from Donald M. Simonds, a reader who wondered whether I could make use of his mother's handwritten collection from the 1920s and '30s. I was curious to see them, even though at the time I didn't have a plan in mind. When I looked back at a personal collection from 80 years ago, I was struck by how much information used to be assumed and was therefore not transcribed. Many of the recipes listed only ingredients and left it up to the cook to figure out pan size, technique, oven temperatures and baking times. These are things we've come to expect for any directions beyond a peanut butter and

Holiday favorites: Stuffing

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Why is stuffing (or dressing, for you purists who say it has to be, well, stuffed to be stuffing) served only on Thanksgiving? Searching through recipes made me a) hungry and b) wonder why I indulge just once a year. Maybe it's because most cooks don't have stale bread to use up nowadays. Maybe it's because it's really hard to eat just one portion. Whatever the reason, I’m glad it's Thanksgiving now. So many good stuffings/dressings to choose from: with corn bread, with dried fruit, with chestnuts. The sky is the limit. Here are a few on my shortlist this year: -- Jane Black Prosciutto and Cornbread Stuffing: Thick slices of ham with sweet cornbread give a perfect balance of sweet and salty. Mushroom and Fennel Stuffing: This savory dressing uses olive bread to add oomph. Sourdough Stuffing with Pears and Sausage: Lots of flavor and not that fattening; only

Chat Leftovers: Thanksgiving Q&A

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Happy Wednesday, all. A week from today, many of us will be getting ready to cook a big Thanksgiving spread. Got everything under control? If you have questions, never fear: You can join us today (and every Wednesday) at 1 for our Free Range chat, where we try to answer your food-related queries and just generally gab about what we like to cook and eat. Meanwhile, here's a couple of Thanksgiving-related questions from last week's chat that we couldn't get to during the hour: Every Thanksgiving, my special contribution to the occasion is champagne and a small appetizer to keep everyone content until dinner is on the table. Any recommendations on a good small bite to pair with champagne?

Shop for This Week's Dinner in Minutes

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0500

Well, you may have to fudge this a bit if you want to make Man Crepes with cheese and turkey tonight. The recipe was written with Thanksgiving turkey leftovers in mind. But you can substitute pieces of roast chicken or store-bought smoked turkey from the deli. The recipe is adapted from Lucinda Scala Quinn's "Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys" (Artisan, 2009). The author and her eldest son were in town last week on a book tour; we had fun dishing with them in the kitchen. Man Crepes 4 servings 2/3 cup whole or low-fat milk 3 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 cup flour Unsalted butter, as needed (maybe 2 tablespoons total) 8 to 10 ounces leftover roasted turkey breast, preferably at room temperature 4 to 8 ounces finely shredded cheddar cheese (may substitute a good-melting cheese of your choice) Questions? We're here to

Holiday favorites: Desserts

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0500

Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie. (Julia Ewan/The Washington Post) Nothing seems sweeter than a slice of pie with friends at the end of the Big Meal. Note to guests: I recommend you take a breather between courses so you will be able to appreciate the dessert efforts of the cook(s). Although everyone oohs and aahs over the turkey, it is likely that dessert took more time and care to make: pie crusts and fillings, oven times and cooling times. Planning ahead is key. Pie crusts for fillings such as sweet potato, pumpkin and pecan can (and, in some cases, should) be made a few days in advance, then baked the day before. This Cream Cheese Pie Crust will work for just about any filling. Nut pies can be covered and stored at room temperature. Thanksgiving is one feast where a sampling of desserts is appreciated. If you have time, make

Say Cheese: Good news about blues

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Check out the marbling and rich color of the Belgian Achelse Blauwe. (Domenica Marchetti) With the holidays upon us, it’s time to start singing the blues. This is a good thing because I am talking, of course, about blue cheeses. With their robust flavor and gorgeous varied veining, blue cheeses belong on a winter cheese plate for appetizers or dessert. The problem with blue cheese is that, like feta, it suffers unjustly from a bad reputation. I blame that on mediocre, mass-produced supermarket varieties and salad bars with bad blue-cheese crumbles and chalky blue cheese dressing. The good news is that there are so many lovely types of blue cheeses available now: creamy, crumbly, nutty, pungent, domestic and imported. Choosing what to get is half the fun. This past weekend I conducted a mini tasting of half a dozen blue cheeses, together with three willing volunteers (one of whom

Street food: To preserve and promote

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0500

A sampling of Thai street food. (Culinary Institute of America) After three days of eating street food, I certainly understand the appeal. After meals of salt cod fritters, potato focaccia, lamb kebabs and chili prawns, it’s hard to go back to plain old meat and potatoes. The flavors excite more than just our palates, however, says Tim Ryan, president of the Culinary Institute of America, which gathered more than 700 chefs, food manufacturers and writers at the school's Napa campus to explore the glories and potential of street food at its annual Worlds of Flavor conference. Street food embodies two key culinary trends. The first is the embrace of global flavors: the reason you find Thai chicken wraps on the menu at TGI Friday’s alongside the hamburgers and fries. The second is the push for food democracy. Diners now expect almost as much flavor and satisfaction from a salad at

Kellogg announces $32 million in food grants

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:30:00 -0500

Today, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation is announcing $32.5 million in funding for nine community projects that aim to transform local food systems. The projects include a program that brings mobile fruit stands to low-income areas of New York and an inventory of unused urban land in Boston to help expand urban farming. The money, distributed over three years, brings the Kellogg Foundation’s support for food and farming projects since the mid-1990s to nearly $80 million. “This is a national moment where people are beginning to recognize the relationship with food and health,” said Gail Christopher, the foundation’s vice president for programs. “A lot of foundations are weighing in on obesity. We are looking at the larger system and what it means for people, especially children, to take control of their food and develop the power and capacity to make decisions about what they want to eat.” The Kellogg grants fund

Groundwork: Cabbages and kings

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Green Spring's vegetable garden. (Adrian Higgins/The Washington Post) When the great garden maker Andre Le Notre was knighted by the Sun King, he was asked what he wanted on his coat of arms. "A large headed cabbage," came the reply. This endears the fellow to gardeners everywhere. If the creator of the formal landscape garden at Versailles can see majesty in the humble cabbage, who are we to deride this oft-maligned veggie? In Washington, cabbages are grown as a spring crop and in the fall. Like most other brassicas, such as cauliflower and Brussels, it is stressed by our hot, humid summers. At Green Spring Gardens, the cabbages are started from seed in the greenhouse about six weeks before they are planted out. This is especially necessary for spring-grown cabbages, because you want them to have matured before the heat of June arrives. For spring growing, pick a fast-maturing,