The 60-Second Food Schmooze

Here they come —the first fresh cherries of the season. Here’s how to sweeten them to make a dessert.  Use frozen or fresh pitted cherries. Place 4 cups of cherries in a saucepan and cook on medium, covered, for 15 minutes, and stir the cherries often. In a bowl, mix together a cup of sugar and a 1/4 cup of cornstarch. Add that to the cherry juice, stirring. In about two minutes, the sauce will thicken. Enjoy this over ice cream, Greek yogurt, or slices of cake. The post How to Sweeten Fresh or Frozen Cherries appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thinking outside the box, here’s a delicious, simple way to doctor boxed brownie mix. When the instructions say to add water, skip that and swap in cool brewed coffee instead. Throw in some extra chocolate chips and sprinkle a little sea salt on top before the pan goes into the oven. Photo: Pixabay.com The post How to Doctor Boxed Brownies appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garlic butter roast chicken is the dish my friends request most often. Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan with 5 minced garlic cloves. Dry the outside of a whole cleaned small chicken with paper towels so it gets oven-crispy. Baste the chicken with garlic butter. Stuff the cavity with a lemon cut in half and a sprig of rosemary. Pop the chicken in a 450-degree oven for about one hour, basting the chicken with more garlic butter every 15 minutes. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Faith’s Garlic Butter Roast Chicken appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Mark Bittman figured out quick preserved lemons, it spread like wildfire. My turn! Take two organic thin-skinned Meyer lemons. Finely dice them, removing seeds. Put them in a lidded jar with 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/2 tablespoon of sea salt. Close, shake, and put the jar in the fridge overnight. Boom. . .quick preserved lemons, ready to use on fish, chicken, in a lamb tagine, or any time you want to add a little Moroccan or Middle Eastern accent to a dish. The post Quick Overnight Preserved Lemons appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Busy night? Make my broccoli, cheese and olive quesadilla in minutes. Zap frozen broccoli in the microwave, and squeeze the water out of it with the back of a large spoon. Place a small scoop of broccoli on one half of a round corn or whole wheat tortilla. Sprinkle cheddar or feta on top of the broccoli, and some finely diced olives. Fold the tortilla circle in half like a half moon and fry each side for several minutes on medium low until the sides are golden brown and the cheese is melted. Cut it in half and serve with a wedge of lime and a couple of slices of avocado. The post Faith’s Easy Veggie Quesadilla Is Dinner appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s the best grownup and kid dessert on the planet…chocolate-filled biscuit dough roll-ups. Unwrap a package of refrigerated Crescent rolls. Smear every triangle with chocolate sauce and sprinkle on crumbled salty pretzel sticks. Roll ‘em up and bake according to package directions. So fun and so good. The post Crescent Roll Chocolate Pretzel Bites appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cooking cherry tomatoes in butter and olive oil is so quick and easy, and the warm blistered beauties make a fantastic side-dish with anything. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/8th of a cup of olive oil in a heavy skillet on low. Add 3 pints of rinsed whole cherry tomatoes to the pan, crank the heat to high. Don’t overcook them. About five minutes is good. Sprinkle on salt, pepper, and chopped fresh or dried basil. Everybody loves them. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Faith’s Stovetop Cherry Tomatoes in Butter and Olive Oil appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I call this the disappearing appetizer…Buffalo Chicken Crescent Biscuit Roll-Ups. In a bowl, mix together finely diced rotisserie chicken meat, Frank’s Hot Sauce, a little melted butter, and a sprinkle of crumbled blue cheese. Unroll the tube of Crescent roll triangles. Smear on some of the mixture and roll up each crescent from the wide end to the tip. Put the rolls on a sprayed sheet pan and bake them according to package directions. These easy apps also make the perfect midnight snack. The post Faith’s Buffalo Chicken Crescent Biscuit Roll-Ups appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Want to make a delicious red sauce with just three ingredients? Toss a chopped onion into a saucepan with a can of chopped tomatoes and a combination of olive oil and butter. Simmer it on low for 45 minutes. It’s fantastic. (Thank you Food 52, for the inspiration.) I put my sauce on rice, but you can use it on pasta, of course, or as the saucy element in chicken cacciatore, in a stuffed-pepper mix, or in a thousand different dishes. The post Easiest 3-Ingredient Tomato Sauce appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Healthy dips make good sense, as long as they’re really delicious with chips or veggies. Here’s one I love: White Bean Pesto Dip with Preserved Lemons. Drain and rinse two cans of white beans. Whip until creamy in a food processor. Stir in some store-bought pesto to taste and 1 tablespoon of finely diced preserved lemon or lemon juice. Finish it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Faith’s Easy White Bean Pesto Dip appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So what do Americans love to eat in January? Let’s brain-storm. Saveur magazine says rum-soaked broiled grapefruit. (That must be for retired people.) In the U.K., one popular site says Leek and Gruyere Gratin, which sounds delicious. And since I want it to be calorie-sensible on weeknights, I’m all about hearty stews packed with vegetables, meat or fish, and interesting international flavors, like African Peanut Stew; Chili with Tofu and Butternut Squash, and Slow Cooker Black Bean Enchiladas. Make it calorie-friendly and lovable in January. The post Calorie-Friendly Meals in January appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s how to make a lower-fat and crispy duck breast the easy way. Use a sharp knife to score the duck breast skin in a cross-hatch pattern, trying not to slice the meat underneath. Cook the breast skin-side down in a cast iron skillet on medium heat, until the fat has melted off and the skin has become golden brown and crispy. Place the skillet in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the inside meat is cooked to medium. Slice the breast and serve with sides or over salad. The post Easy Crispy Duck Breast appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Save those orange rinds. There’s a thing that people do in the south of France, and I love it. When you peel an orange, save that peel and tie it to a little string and hang it over your kitchen sink. Let the peel dry out until it’s brittle, and then grate it. Grate it over a beef stew, into a tea, on top of ice cream or cocktails. You can do the same thing with lemon peels. It’s a little bit of the south of France in your own kitchen. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Grate Dried Orange Peels Over Beef Stew, Tea and More appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Want everyone in the house to look forward to breakfast? Make easy Bacon, Tomato and Cheese Egg Muffins. In a large measuring cup beat together 6 eggs, 1/4 cup of crisp chopped bacon, 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, a dash of garlic powder, and diced tomatoes. Hit a 6-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray and pour the beaten egg mixture so that each cup is half-filled. Bake the muffins at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. The “muffins” last three days in the fridge or freeze them and microwave them frozen on busy mornings. The post Bacon, Tomato & Cheese Egg Muffins appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A juicy piece of baked salmon with crispy browned Panko breadcrumbs on top. Heat the oven to 425°. Brown Panko crumbs, constantly stirring, in a dry skillet. Coat the fillets with a mixture of Dijon mustard and olive oil. Press the browned crumbs on top of the mustard so they stick.  Bake them for about ten minutes. Crispy with every bite. Photo: Sandor Weisz/Flickr, creative commons The post Crispy Panko-Crusted Salmon appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Picture this…a meatloaf wrapped in buttery puff pastry. Make your favorite meatloaf, put down a sheet of supermarket puff pastry, place the meatloaf in the center, and wrap it like it’s a gift package. Brush it with melted butter and bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, wrapped in foil, and another 30 minutes with the foil removed. When the puff pastry is golden brown, it’s done, or use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. I slice mine and serve it with a hearty salad. They’re going to want seconds. Photo: Rafel Miro/Flickr, creative commons The post Faith’s Meatloaf Wrapped in Puff Pastry appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What a great way to wake everybody up the morning after any holiday. Make melted ice cream French toast. I like egg-rich Häagen-Dazs® vanilla. Melt a pint in a saucepan over the lowest heat, but no boiling. Heat a non-stick skillet on medium. Dip your favorite bread slices into the melted ice cream, then right into the skillet they go. Brown the bread until golden on both sides. Serve them with maple syrup and soft butter. Grandparents, the kids will love you forever. Or, if it’s a grown-up brunch, wow, Manhattans are perfect with ice cream French toast. The post Dreamy, Easy Melted Ice Cream French Toast appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How about dazzling your morning guests with plate-sized crispy potato latkes, each topped with two fried eggs! Google any latke recipe (or use this one we like). You’ll need shredded potatoes, diced onion, baking powder, and an egg. When it’s all in the bowl, as instructed, you cover the entire bottom of a cast iron skillet with a thin layer of the mixture. To that mixture I add bits of shredded prosciutto or diced cooked chorizo. Keep the cooked latkes warm in a low oven while you fry the eggs. Two eggs atop each giant crispy latke. You realize this is how brunch is served in heaven, or the morning after holiday meals. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Big Crispy Potato Latkes Topped with Fried Eggs appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Savory crepes are coming, starting now. I saw the Italian master Nicola Savino make crepes on my recent food and wine tour through Puglia. Think pancakes only thinner. All you need is corn flour, milk, eggs, and cornstarch. Pour a thin layer of batter across an entire skillet. When it’s flipped and done, fill with diced ham and cheese. Roll ‘em like cigars and brown the outside of the rolled crepes in the skillet. Staggeringly delicious. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Crazy Good Crepes as a Main Meal appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of my new favorite things to do? Use my waffle iron to make food crispy, a texture I adore. Picture those cinnamon buns in a tube at the supermarket—put them in your waffle iron. Omelettes get crazy crispy in the waffle iron, so do grated potatoes, and leftover mashed potatoes are phenomenal. Even folding a pizza slice in half and waffle ironing it turns it into a crispy calzone. Go on, try stuff! Hash brown waffle photo: Stacina/Flickr, creative commons The post Crisp Your Food in a Waffle Iron appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve never tried a Negroni, you must try this one, the perfect autumn cocktail. One ounce of dry gin. One ounce of sweet vermouth. One ounce of Campari. Stir it with some ice until it has a chill and then serve it in a low glass on the rocks. It’s the perfect cocktail to have when your friends come over for some TV watching. . .or throw a Negroni party. Photo: Pixabay.com The post This Fall Negroni Is Great! appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ground beef, green olives, garlic and onions served over fork-mashed red potatoes.  Just five ingredients and you’re in comfort heaven.  While my red potatoes are boiling, I sauté a diced onion and a few cloves of diced garlic in a little olive oil for a few minutes, then add the ground meat, stirring so that it breaks up. Toss in a handful of chopped green olives and mix them in. Mash up the red potatoes and spoon the mixture on top. A drizzle of olive oil at the end makes it tasty. Serve it with some Frank’s Hot Sauce on the table. The post This 5-Ingredient Dinner Is a Winner appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I love Melissa Clark of The New York Times. She inspired me to create an easy homemade coconut-lime rice that goes with almost anything. All you do is pour a small can of coconut milk into a large measuring cup. Add enough water to reach 2 cups, along with a cup of rinsed white rice and a dash of salt. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and put a lid on the pot. In 17 minutes, place a clean dish towel between the lid and the pot, and let it steam off the heat for ten minutes. Just before you fluff it up with a fork, add the juice of a half-lime, and serve. Sometimes I sprinkle on some chopped Macadamia nuts. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Faith’s Simple Coconut-Lime Rice appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lemon zest and fresh lemon juice on shrimp…it’s the best and calorie-friendly for lunch or dinner. Cookbook author Ellie Krieger introduced me to this simple preparation. While your grill is heating up, toss some fresh peeled shrimp in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper, and a little grated lemon zest. Throw the shrimp on the grill, 3 minutes per side, and when you serve them squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on them. These are great on top of salad, or as an app. Healthy and delicious. The post Calorie-Friendly Lemon-Pepper Grilled Shrimp appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Try this and you’ll probably say, I’ve never tasted potatoes before. Now’s the time to go to a farmer’s market and buy just picked locally grown potatoes. They’re so delicious. I love Jacque Pepin’s recipe from Fast Food My Way. Peel and cube a few fresh potatoes. Rinse and drain them. Heat up some butter and olive oil in a non-stick pan, cook and cover the potatoes for 10 minutes on medium heat, turning them a few times until they’re golden brown. Then add lots of fresh garlic cloves and cook covered another 10 minutes on low heat. Add salt, pepper, and shredded fresh sage leaves just before serving. Crazy good. The post You Can’t Beat Fresh Local Potatoes appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How about some lime scallion butter for fresh corn or whatever meat you’re serving? It’s easy and sooo good. In a food processor mix a half stick of softened butter with grated lime zest and a diced scallion. Scoop it into a bowl and use a little on your grilled steak, burgers, chicken or pork. One small taste adds zip without lots of fat. And then there’s sweet summer corn on the cob. Slather on that lime-scallion butter with a touch of salt and you’re good to go. If you love heat, sprinkle on the cayenne to make it devilish. Photo: Pixabay.com The post How About Some Lime-Scallion Butter for Fresh Corn appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Love loaded nachos? You can load potato packets on the grill, and they’re ridiculously good. Use heavy duty foil to double wrap packets of thinly sliced potatoes, onions, crispy bacon, and cheddar or pepper jack cheese. Place the packets on the grill and turn them every 15 minutes for an hour. As always, if you’re a heat lover, sprinkle the contents with Frank’s Hot Sauce before you seal the packets. Feel free to add diced vegetables and lighten up on the meat. Sprinkle it with crushed tortillas as soon as you open the cooked packets and serve. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Nacho Potato Packets on the Grill appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grilled salmon is great, but a grilled salmon BLT is fantastic. I love these sandwiches on sourdough bread but you could use hamburger buns, too. After grilling your salmon steaks and putting them on the buns, add mayo or a remoulade sauce, fresh basil, tomatoes, and lots and lots of crispy bacon strips. Garnish with snipped chives. Then, go to town. The sandwich is perfect with a dry chilled rosé. Photo: LittleRedKitchen/Flickr, creative commons The post Faith’s Grilled Salmon BLT appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Light summer pastas with garlic oil are wildly delicious and satisfying. While linguine is cooking in a salted pot of boiling water, sauté two or three tablespoons of fresh minced garlic in a half-cup of oil, stirring, until the garlic becomes golden, but don’t let it turn dark and bitter. Add this gorgeous garlic oil to your bowl of drained, cooked linguine, along with some cooked shrimp and toss, adding more olive oil if it’s too dry. Some days I cut up a ripe tomato and throw it in with basil, but that plain garlic oil is heaven by itself. I drink a dry sharply cold rosé with this, though dry cold white is great, too. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Simple Summer Linguine with Garlic Oil and Shrimp appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grilled Tomato Pie: It’s easy and luscious. Bake a pre-made store-bought pie shell, and while it cooks, cut local tomatoes in half across the equator and grill them about 5 minutes per side. When they’re nicely browned, chop them up and put them in a bowl with salt and pepper and diced garlic, basil and scallions. Put the mixture in the baked pie shell and top it with lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Fresh Grilled Tomato Pie appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mexican Arepas are the thicker version of corn tortillas and great for gluten-free pizza crust. I toast my all-corn Arepas, topped with grated Parmesan, in a toaster oven, sometimes adding fresh slices of tomato or anything that sounds good. Cut them into six slices and serve them as appetizers, too. You’ll find them in the refrigerator section near the fresh corn tortillas in your supermarket. Now I’m wondering how they’d be with melted chocolate and slivered almonds on top. Photo: Steven Depolo/Flickr, creative commons The post Arepas Are Instant Gluten-Free Pizza Crust appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s a summer without creative s’mores, even without a campfire. All you need is a 6-inch cast iron skillet to make my version of s’mores dip. Throw a bag of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips into the skillet. Sprinkle on some unsweetened coconut. Top that edge to edge with marshmallows and let it all bake for 5-10 minutes in a 450-degree oven until the marshmallows are golden. Place the skillet in the center of the table and remind everybody that it’s hot. Use plain or cinnamon graham crackers as your dipping chips. Tortilla chips work, too. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Cast Iron Skillet Chocolate-Coconut S’mores appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Make this fish on your backyard grill or, as I do, right on the beach. I love to make swordfish, snapper, shrimp, or halibut by placing the fish in a large piece of aluminum foil I can close. On top of the fish I toss in a half stick of butter, a splash of white wine, a few marinated artichokes from a jar, a lemon quartered, feta cheese, and scallions. You can add anything you like. Then I crimp the foil all the way around and place the package on the grill. The fish steams and all the flavors meld together. In 10 or 15 minutes you have a delicious meal. It’s a simple and dreamy thing to do on the beach with a ten dollar hardware store grill. I always keep one in the trunk of the car. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Grill Fish by the Water appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justin Chapple of Food & Wine magazine taught me how to make speedy Preserved Lemons. In his book Just Cook It!, Justin says cut 4 Meyer lemons into 6 wedges. Put them in a saucepan with 3 tablespoons of Kosher salt and 2 cups of water. Bring them to a boil over high heat, then simmer on medium about 10 minutes until they’re very tender. Put them in a lidded jar with the cooking liquid and you can use them right away. They last in the fridge for six months. Great in fish, chicken, sandwiches, pasta, and grilled lamb. Photo: Suzy Morris/Flickr, creative commons The post Instant Preserved Lemons appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A small scoop of homemade Gorgonzola butter on your grilled burgers, steak or chicken and you’ll be in food heaven. Plan on one teaspoon per person. Mix together a softened stick of unsalted butter with a package of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. And when the meat is just off the grill, add one teaspoon of the butter mixture to each piece of meat and watch it start to melt. What’s great about this is that we’re only using a small amount of butter and cheese as a flavoring agent. If you prefer a different cheese, go for it. Photo: Librarianguish/Flickr, creative commons The post Make Grilled Meats Luscious with Gorgonzola Butter appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re stranded food-wise, try my speedy canned tuna pasta salad. I always keep dried pasta and canned oil packed tuna on the shelf. If my fridge is nearly empty, I cook up some pasta, add a can of oil packed tuna, freshly grated Parmesan or Feta cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice with a little of the zest. I might even throw in some Kalamata olives and scallions if they’re around. And I always end up liking this simple dish as much as any of my carefully prepared meals. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Faith’s Empty Fridge Canned Tuna Pasta appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grilling season is starting so I invite you to try a great low-calorie dry rub made with just three ingredients. All you do is mix together 1/4 cup each of garlic salt, hot smoked paprika and light brown sugar. Marinate the chicken, pork, beef or vegetables in this mixture for an hour in a plastic zip-top bag. Onto the grill it goes. Fantastic, fast and health-friendly.  (Thanks to Tasting Table for sharing this idea online.) Photo: Pixabay.com The post 3-Ingredient Dry Rub For Beef, Chicken, Pork appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve been researching some interesting ways to cut back on salt. Foods are loaded with crazy amounts of salt to make us crave it, but it’s hurting our health. Consumer Reports says a great red pasta sauce substitute is grated lemon zest, basil and chives instead of sodium-blasted store-bought stuff. Put fennel seeds and sage on pork. Make a dry spice rub for steaks. More lemon zest and lemon thyme on fish. Use delicious herbs and spices instead of salt. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Dump the Salt! appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There isn’t a dish I can think of (except cereal) that won’t be made crazy-delicious by being topped with a sprinkling of crispy shallots. David Tanis (author of Market Cooking) says to put a cup of vegetable oil in a pan with 3 shallots, sliced thin. Cook them on medium heat, stirring and watching them carefully for 15 minutes. When they’re golden brown, set them aside and dry them with a paper towel. Keep the crispy shallots in a jar by the stove and toss them into vegetables, beef, poultry, and fish. I would put these on an old boot and eat them—that’s how good they are. Photo: Seacoast Eat Local/Flickr, creative commons The post Crispy Fried Shallots Make a Delicious Topping appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s a chef’s secret that you can use at home. Professional chefs keep homemade flavored salt by the stove and use it to spark up everything. Here’s how to make your own cumin salt, though you can make other flavored salts too, including coriander and fennel salt. Pour some cumin seeds from your local health food store (cheaper!) into a dry fry pan and toast them, watching carefully not to burn them. When they’re fragrant, remove them, let them cool, and grind them in a coffee grinder. Mix them with a flaky sea salt and sprinkle it on vegetables, fish, pork, and beef before you cook it. The flavored salt makes everything better. Photo: Pixabay The post Make Your Own Cumin Salt, Or Any Flavored Salt appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All you need is one pat of Balsamic butter to make your steak or burger swoon-worthy. Let a half stick of butter soften to room temperature in a bowl, then use a fork to mix in salt, pepper, and a tablespoon each of balsamic vinegar and diced shallots. Cover and refrigerate or freeze it until you need a dollop. Photo: Pixabay.com The post Balsamic Butter For Steaks & Burgers appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I like quinoa as a higher protein power carb. Buy a pound of ground chicken and mix it with a half-cup of cooked quinoa, an egg, minced garlic, a couple of glugs of Frank’s hot sauce, and grated Parmesan cheese. Form the mixture into little meatballs and fry them in a little olive oil until they turn from pink to brown. Everybody loves these Buffalo chicken meatballs. Photo: christine kaelin/Flickr, creative commons The post Buffalo Quinoa & Ground Chicken Meatballs appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two quick and easy additions will turn your fresh roasted asparagus into something amazing. Drizzle fresh asparagus with olive oil and roast the spears in a  400-degree oven for 20 minutes, until they’re tender. Crumble goat cheese and chopped toasted walnuts on top of each serving. It’s absurdly delicious! Photo: missy/Flickr, creative commons The post Asparagus with Walnuts & Goat Cheese appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s spring asparagus season. I love to toss locally grown asparagus in some olive oil on a sheet pan and then wrap each spear in a thin slice of prosciutto. Lay the spears out on the pan, not touching each other, and broil them about six inches from the heat element. Three minutes on one side, flip them over and broil three more minutes on the other side. They should be nice and crispy. Squeeze of lemon once they hit the serving platter, and watch them disappear. The post Crispy Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I make my own heart-healthy yogurt cheese, and you can, too. It’s tangy, spreadable and delicious, like a soft goat-cheese, but without the sodium and high fat. At the end I drizzle it with good olive oil and sprinkle on fresh herbs. I bought a Cuispro Donvier yogurt maker, a small white box with a screen sieve inside. You simply dump in the low-fat plain yogurt, put the lid on and let it drain for 24 hours in the fridge. Scoop out the thick spreadable yogurt cheese into a ramekin and add in whatever you like, garlic, chives, Middle Eastern spices, curry powder. Two cups of yogurt make one cup of cheese. Some people even drink the high-protein whey liquid that drains out or they might even mix it into the dog’s food. Photo: Rebecca Siegel/Flickr, creative commons The post Make Delicious Low-Fat Yogurt Cheese appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I love my “Home Alone” food, thrown together finger-snap fast. My favorite lately… English Muffin Pizzas. Split an English muffin, regular or gluten-free, and toast them in a toaster. Then cover each half with your favorite grated cheese. (I love cheddar, parmigiano or crumbled feta.) Run the cheese-covered halves under the broiler until the cheese gets bubbly. Take them out and add whatever you have around – tuna and capers; or diced olives, crumbled sausage, or leftover chopped broccoli. That salsa on the fridge door? Sure, put on a spoonful. Throw a slice of bacon in the microwave and add the chopped crispy pieces to your little pizzas. I love eating this way. Photo: Melly Kay_Flickr, creative commons The post Super-Fast English Muffin Pizzas appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Want to bring out the kid in everybody? Watch your guests light up when you serve them delicious homemade English Muffin S’mores for dessert. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place split English muffins on a sheet pan. Sprinkle on your favorite chocolate chips and miniature marshmallows. Pop the pan into the oven for about two minutes, until the marshmallows puff up and turn golden. If you want, you can sprinkle on a touch of sea salt or chopped toasted almonds just before serving. You can also make this dessert gluten-free. Photo: Kristen/Flickr, creative commons The post English Muffin S’mores appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

French toast is fantastic all by itself, but I say we can make it even better. It’s simple to make crispy-crackly French toast. It’s the usual drill with sliced bread dipped in milk, egg, vanilla, whatever you like. But now the crazy-great texture tricks come into play. After you’ve soaked your bread slices, dip them into something crispy—panko bread crumbs, or crushed nuts, cornflakes, or your favorite granola. Fry or bake the French toast the way you always do, but wait for that crispy crackly mouth-feel in every bite. Doesn’t get better for breakfast, lunch or dinner—why not? Photo: Mariam/Flickr, creative commons The post How to Make Crispy French Toast appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stock is the key to fantastic chicken soup, so I have a quick trick for you. To make a super-fast soup with hearty flavor, buy two containers of supermarket chicken broth but be sure it’s low sodium. Add that to a pot with chicken bones from your last meal, some diced up carrots and a few cloves of garlic. Let it all simmer on the stovetop for 15 minutes, strain the broth and add whatever you want—cooked rice, noodles, extra shredded chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, parsnips, diced sweet potatoes—and you’re set for a week of meals. Change it up every night by adding different things, even some Asian ingredients like a dash of soy, a squeeze of fresh lime juice and sesame oil. Photo: tifotter/Flickr, creative commons The post Fast, Homemade Chicken Soup appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sweet potatoes, pecans, and shredded chicken! That’s all you need to toss together a quick or anytime meal that makes everybody happy. Just bake the sweet potatoes in the oven or microwave. When they’re done, cut them in half, scoop out the cooked sweet potato into a bowl, add shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken and chopped toasted pecans. Stir it up, refill the sweet potato shells with the mixture and pop them in the oven to reheat and crisp up. They’re delicious, good for you and gluten-free. Photo: Su-Lin/Flickr, creative commons The post Delicious, Fast Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes For a Weeknight Dinner appeared first on Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze.Support the show: https://foodschmooze.org/donate/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.