Food Lush

Top 5 Food Gifts I'd Like From My Valentine

Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

by Jen L.

This is my final post for Food Lush and it has been a fantastic couple of years! I have loved sharing my foodie love with all of you, participating in this wonderful group of writers (we call ourselves the Lush Family) and reading all your comments. My favorite post from another writer is this Candy Corner post by Erik because 1. it involves Bit O' Honey, and 2.  it is HYSTERICAL.  Choosing my favorite post of my own was like being asked to choose a favorite child, but I narrowed it down, and read and read, then picked this one, a post I got to write in response to a reader's question about hosting a birthday party. The best part of Food Lush has always been the interaction with our readers, so thank you! 

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I love food gifts. Some people scoff at them. Some people automatically throw them out, as though they are tainted.  Other people, like me and people I'm related to, fight over them.  My husband and I get summer sausages in our Christmas stockings every year and my mom always gets me a big bottle of cranberry mustard to go with mine.  My grandpa used to give me my own wheel of Edam cheese every year.

I've never been one for flowers on Valentine's Day--I'd rather have a box of really nice chocolate or even have a nice dinner prepared for me. (My husband sometimes surprises me with cornish game hens!)  Here are five food gifts I'd be tickled to get on Valentine's Day.

1.  Harry and David's Pears.  Have you ever had a Harry and David pear? They are hands-down the greatest pears I have ever had IN MY LIFE. I don't know what it is, but they are always perfectly ripe, tender, sweet and delicious.  And look! They even have a Valentine Gift Box all ready to ship to the one you love, complete with heart-shaped stickers and pink foil wrapping.  Score.

2.  Wisconsin Cheese Mart Cheddar Deck Gift Box.  This trio of cheddar cheeses would be mine, all mine. I would use the mild for a cheddar cheese sauce (Served over pasta with bacon, of course!), the medium for grating over tacos and chili, and the sharp for eating with really good crackers.

3.  A Cookie Bouquet from Cookies by Design.  I had a cookie bouquet for one of my teenage birthdays and I remember it being delicious. I love iced sugar cookies, so that was right up my alley. (This was before I gave in to my all-consuming love for cake.)  This cute Conversation Hearts cookie bouquet would be a very sweet treat.

4.  A Crate O' Gummi Bears.  Haribo are the best gummies in the world--we all agree on this, yes?  How'd you like to get this crate of 72 packs of MINI gummi bears from Candy Warehouse? I thought so. 

5.  A beautiful box of Godiva chocolates.  Specifically, this dark chocolate collection.  Enough said.

What food gifts would you like to receive from your Valentine?  You can paste a link this post to in an email, you know...

 

Image credit  HarryandDavid.com

A Different Spin on Carrot and Raisin Salad

by Jen L.

 

Have you ever had carrot and raisin salad? My mom goes nuts for it when she sees it on a menu. Chick-Fil-A has it as a side, but it's got mayonnaise on it, so I won't go near it.  I've been bringing salads and such for lunch lately, and the other night I made a warm salad that involved brown rice, roasted sweet potatoes and black beans. I thought it would be nice to have something cold to go with it. I dug through the crisper and discovered a huge bag of matchstick carrots I'd forgotten about.  Not wanting them to go bad, I decided to try a new spin on carrot and raisin salad, one I might actually like.  I went to my old standby dressing, Kraft Anything Dressing, Balsamic Vinaigrette. I mixed about 2 cups of the matchstick carrots with 3 big snack boxes of raisins then tossed the salad in a light coating of the dressing.  (I taste-tested first to make sure raisins in balsamic viniagrette wouldn't be nasty.)  It was pretty good. I let it sit overnight, then tried it again before I committed to packing it in my lunchbox.  It was REALLY good.  The cold salad was a perfect accompaniment to my warm main dish.  I ate it as a side twice, then put the rest atop a bed of spinach with some other veggies for a delicious lunchtime salad.

If you'd like a good break from the normal side dishes that won't leave you feeling greasy and guilty, give my alternative carrot and raisin salad a try.

(Bad iphone photo by me.)

 

Grown-Up Lunchbox

by Jen L.

I got a new job for the new year. Hooray! It's in a neat part of downtown Birmingham (Alabama) which is not lacking in charm, but IS lacking in dining options.  I park in an employee garage, so in order to go somewhere other than Subway for lunch, I'd have to trek to the garage, get my car out, drive ten minutes, grab food, then come all the way back, blah blah blah.  That's fine occasionally, but bringing my own lunch provides for a much more relaxed work day.  Two dear friends got me this great little lunch kit for Christmas:

At first glance, I thought, "aw, that's cute!" but figured it wouldn't hold enough to fill me.  I was wrong. This thing is deeper than it looks. It holds a chicken breast and a couple of veggie options, or as pictured above, a salad and a side, which is what I like to bring. The little divider is removable, so you can fill the whole thing with one dish or separate a couple of things. On days when I do happen to venture out, I fill this baby with pita triangles, veggies and hummus or fruit for a mid-afternoon snack.  The fork and knife are made of heavy plastic that's easy to wash, yet holds up well. They snap into the lid for easy keeping. It is dishwasher and microwave safe, which makes it just about perfect in my book.

And the best part? This cute lunch kit (also avail in red) can be yours for a mere $4.99 at World Market!

Image credit: WorldMarket.com

Perfect Oatmeal Cookies

by Jen L.

Oatmeal cookies are my all-time favorite.  I like them any way you make them and with anything in them, be it raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chips or just plain.  I made a batch this week from a new recipe I found in one of my grandma's old cookbooks and they were by far the best I've ever baked.

THE BEST OATMEAL COOKIES

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspooon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups Quaker oats, uncooked
• 1 cup raisins, chocolate chips or craisins (I used chocolate chips)--optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.  Add vanilla and eggs and beat well.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Add to mixture and mix well. (I used my electric mixer on LOW speed.)  Stir in oats and raisins/chocolate chips/craisins and mix well.  Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls on to an ungreased cookie sheet (I line mine with parchment paper for easy removal and clean-up!).  Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, then transfer to wire rack or plate.  Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

This recipe makes a TON of cookies. It said 4 dozen, but I stopped counting on my 62nd cookie.  (I used a small cookie scoop, by the way.)  If you are baking for the holidays, this should provide plenty to share and even some to keep.  It would be very easy to make the basic cookies then divide the batter into smaller batches, allowing you to use a variety of stirred-in ingredients to different batches of cookies.

(Photo by me.)

Homemade Antipasto

by Jen L.

One of my family's resolutions for the new year ( and by "year" I mean school term) was to save a little money on small things.  This became easier than we thought it would when my husband quit smoking and I gave up Coke Zero.  We also pledged to save money on lunch. My husband buys a faculty meal plan in the cafeteria at the university where he teaches, my son gets lunch as a part of the cost of preschool tuition,  and I've been making things in big batches to bring with me.  One of my favorites is antipasto.  I love that it gets better after a couple of days in the fridge and I especially love that I don't have to heat it.  My husband and I came up with our own winning recipe for antipasto and we make a batch every couple of weeks.

ANTIPASTO

***Use as much or as little of each cold cut as you want.  We used a large Ziploc container and filled it to the top, eyeballing the ingredients.

• Mortadella (with pistachios)
• Sopressatta
• Prosciutto
• Hard Salami
• Pepperoni
• Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
• Red onion, sliced into rings, then cut in half
• Pepperoncini peppers, sliced into rings
• Green onion (2, diced)
• 1 small bottle Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar salad dressing

Cut meats and cheese into cubes and place into a bowl.  Add peppers and onions and entire bottle of dressing. Stir well, then refrigerate, stirring every hour.  Serve well-chilled.

Photo by me

Allergy-Friendly Halloween Treats

by Jen L.

My son is allergic to peanuts, so Halloween in our world is a little different.  We have to be vigilant about checking his candy and even more careful about homemade treats.  Our preschool is one that doesn't allow homemade treats for class parties. I understand the policy, really I do, but it still makes me sad that it has to be in place. It means gobs of store-bought icing atop a dry cupcake most of the time.  But I digress. 

So many store-bought candy mixes have candy that contains allergens.  Peanuts aren't the only culprit--lots of folks are allergic to dairy, which rules out chocolate. (HOW SAD.)  This year, I'm trying to be allergy-friendly, but also creative, with my candy choices.

My favorite treat for Halloween has and always will be the ghost lollipop:

Now these are very fancy, using cute ribbons and white fabric.  My version is a little more "budget," if you will, using a Kleenex and a ribbon or a piece of yarn.  I draw the eyes and a little "O" mouth (so it looks like he's saying "boo" with a Sharpie.  I typically use Tootsie Pops for these, but in order to eliminate chocolate, I'm using Blo-Pops this year.  These will be taken to preschool for their Halloween carnival.

For trick-or-treaters, we always make sure to buy candy we like to eat, just in case we have leftovers.  We like a lot of non-chocolate stuff, so that's a pretty easy task.  This year, we're going with Chewy Lemonheads.  They are delicious and the individual-size boxes are the perfect size to tame your sweet tooth.

I read an article recently in which a woman said she gave out juice boxes to trick or treaters.  That seems like a great idea!  We always go trick or treating down Main Street in our town and we ALWAYS have to stop for a drink because my son gets so thirsty.  Giving out little juice boxes seems like a great candy alternative. And of course, there are tons of non-edible items you could hand out...but Halloween is such a candy holiday that I can't break from the tradition.

What type of Halloween candy or treats are you giving out this year?

 

(Photo credits:  ghosts-- DisneyMike on Fllickr   Lemonheads--Candy Warehouse)

Cajun Red Beans and Rice

by Jen L.

I grew up in Louisiana. Even though I haven't actually lived in Louisiana for nearly 14 years, I sometimes absolutely MUST have some Cajun food.  We have a decent Cajun restaurant close by that has great gumbo, good seafood dishes and a nice overall variety of Cajun and Creole foods.  Usually, though, I end up making it myself.  While I was growing up, my mom managed to get her hands on one of the best Jambalaya recipes of all-time, which I like to serve from time to time.  I make a mean Shrimp Creole, a recipe I concocted all on my own. It's kind of a fusion of versions from two favorite restaurants.  However, when someone actually requests Cajun food from my kitchen, it's usually red beans and rice with andouille sausage.

Now here's the thing--andouille is not the easiest thing to find outside the south.  When we lived in NYC, I usually ended up going with "andouille-style" smoked sausage, which tastes ok.  If you can get your hands on real andouille, go for it. (Bonus points if you can find Manda brand!)  If you are not into hot and spicy things, you can certainly replace the andouille with regular smoked sausage.  You can also omit the sausage completely for a hearty vegetarian meal.  I should point out that some recipes call for celery, but I don't care for crunching down into a piece of celery with my beans and rice. But if you like it, toss a couple of chopped ribs of celery in there.

CAJUN RED BEANS AND RICE

• 1 pound dry red kidney beans
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (Louisianians like Tony Cachere's)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste) or hot sauce
• 1 pound andouille sausage
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For best results, soak dry beans overnight.  Drain and rinse beans when you're ready to put the dish together, and return them to your pot.  In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Cook onions, peppers and garlic until onions are transluscent.  Add to pot of beans.  Pour 6 cups of water over beans and vegetables.  Add Cajun seasoning and cayenne. Stir well, then bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.  When the 2 hours is nearly up, slice andouille into rounds or bite-size pieces and brown in a skillet. (Andouille generally comes fully cooked, but be sure to check the package.)  Add browned andouille to beans and simmer for 30 minutes.  Cook rice as directed.  Serve beans and sausage over rice.

(Photo from Simply Recipes)

Time To Break Out The Kitschy Halloween Dishes

by Jen L.

I love Halloween. I didn't always.  When I got my first real job in the real world, I met my friend Kitty, who would later be my roommate.  Never has an adult loved Halloween as much as Kitty.  We southerners have a carefully put-away set of Christmas dishes in most of our homes, plates and glasses we only bring out for Christmas dinner.  Kitty had four, count 'em, FOUR sets of Halloween kitchenware. I was beyond impressed.  She taught me everything I know about really enjoying Halloween and the two of us threw what is still remembered as the most epic Trick-or-Treat party ever.

Since I became a mom, I've tried to incorporate holiday deocrating and kitsch into my home.  We are cooks at our house, so most of our celebrating is done in the kitchen.  My parents gave my son a Christmas mug last year that is one of his favorite posessions.  This year, I've decided to bring a little Halloween into our kitchen.  Check out my latest finds from Target.

The Witch's Brew collection is my favorite.   You get these cute patterened salad plates and cereal bowls, plus the Halloween-themed dinner plates.  The drink dispenser would be perfect for your own "Witch's Brew" at a party. 

How cute is that bat tumbler?  They also come in jackolanterns and witches.  I think my son would get a kick out of drinking his milk from one of these.

And because you know I love the baking supplies...

A vampire-themed cookie pan!  Every home should have one.

Get out your cobwebs, make some ice cubes in the shape of eyeballs and celebrate all things spooky!

Image Credits:  Target.com

Welcome, Pumpkin Season

by Jen L.

A part of me feels like we should just rename Fall "Pumpkin Season." Does anyone else consider it officially Fall when you can start buying pumpkin spice lattes? Today at work, a colleague and I were discussing our love of pumpkin, but how that love can sometimes turn to hate if our favorite giant squash is not used correctly.  So far, here's what I'm excited to make with pumpkin this Fall:

PUMPKIN PIE CHEESE BALL.  I don't even know how I know about this. Someone must have described it and I must have made a mental note.  You mix a can of pumpkin with 8 oz. of softened cream cheese, then roll it into a ball.  Coat the entire ball with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, then dive in with some ginger snaps.

PUMPKIN DIP.  This dip from Carolina Charm looks like a winner.

and especially...

PUMPKIN PIE POP TARTS.  Because, wow. It's about time THIS happened.

What pumpkin items are you excited about this Fall?

Image credit:  MrBreakfast

Preschool Potluck: What I Made

by Jen L.

First off, lushes, THANK YOU for the wonderful suggestions! Each and every one of them has been added to my list o' potluck dishes/birthday party foods.  You guys are the best.

So what did I decide to bring to the potluck?

Tiny, slightly blurry iphone picture. Gotta love it.

 

I went with my version of baked ziti, complete with homemade tomato sauce, and strawberry brownies.  My husband, who gets panicky about things like this, asked me to PLEASE make something I knew he and Dean would like.  Pasta is our fail-safe around here.  I made my simple tomato sauce with diced onion and green bell peppers, tons of garlic, ground beef and herbs.  I even threw in a can of diced tomatoes for good measure.  I cooked the sauce all afternoon, then boiled the noodles about 30 minutes before time to leave.  Once it was all mixed together, I put it in a 9 X 13 pan, topped it with a mound of mozzarella and parmesan cheese and zapped it in the oven on 375 til the cheese was bubbly and just starting to brown.  It was a great comfort food dish.  And it went over well with parents and kids.  Success!

The strawberry brownies, by the way, didn't stand a chance.  All that was left was the pan.

Thanks again for your help, dear readers!