Dinner's On The Table – The Personal Chef & Home Cooking Resource

     Sugar Snap Pea season is in full swing. If you have the opportunity to buy them fresh from a farm stand like Migliorelli’s in Red Hook or Rhinebeck, the Rhinebeck Farmer’s Market, Hyde Park Farmer’s Market or get the chance to pick your own, do so quick before you miss out. Otherwise, check you local grocery store. Find your local farm market in New York.

     If you don’t know what a sugar snap pea is, they look like snow peas, but they have full-size peas still inside and totally edible shell and all. You can usually find them alongside snow peas in your market. They also make a great snack to go along with baby carrots – just wash, trim the stem end and eat!

     They also make an awesome quick side dish, salad topper or main dish. Here are 4 ways to help make dinnertime fast and tasty! One idea leads to another and another and…

Sugar Snap Pea Side Dish (Step 1)

1 lb of sugar snap peas
1-2 medium size onions – sliced
3-6 garlic cloves – sliced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
(Optional) – Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat

     Saute onions in olive oil for 1-2 minutes on medium heat in a wok or sautee pan. Add garlic and sugar snap peas. Continue sauteeing until the garlic is soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. You’re done. This side dish is extremely flavorful and easy to make.

But wait! Here’s another idea…

Sugar Snap Pea Salad Topper with Dressing

Ingredients from Step 1 and…
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

     Spoon the side dish above into a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard and 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil (Or use your Magic Bullet, blender or food processor instead of a whisk). Toss with the snap pea side dish and refrigerate for 10 minutes, just long enough to cool. Serve over your favorite salad greens.

But there’s more…

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     I’ve had many inquiries about cooking for a Vegetarian.  It’s not as difficult as it sounds.  Most of us eat at least one Vegetarian meal a week. 

     When’s the last time you had Eggplant Parmigan?  Yup, it’s a Vegetarian meal.  Bean Burritos, Fettuccini Alfredo, Veggie Omelets or Quiche are all Vegetarian meals that don’t require any special ingredients.  Now there are plenty of ingredients that you either need to purchase or make yourself for other dishes, but many Vegetarian meals can be prepared easily by anyone with just a few kitchen skills.  The really hard part is making sure the meal is balanced.  Many Vegetarians don’t get enough protein, and alternately have too much fat or carbs in their diets. 

     I’ve seen the Vegetarian offerings at restaurants.  Some get it right and offer delicious, nutritionally complete meals.  While most just offer a veggie burger or a veggie plate.  Broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and rice.  Now THAT’S going to make me want to give up meat?!

     What makes matters worse for many Vegetarians is having to prepare meals for themselves and the meat eaters in the house.  It’s just too much work!  Nobody wins.  How does someone who doesn’t eat meat prepare a chicken dish?  I know I taste everything I make.  There are a few foods that can substitute easily for meat.  Seitan and tofu are good sources of protein.  When prepared properly, they’re both delicious!  I know what you’re thinking… TOFU????? YUK!  It has no flavor, and I don’t like the texture.  Not so if you do it right!  If you want your tofu to taste good, you need to infuse it with flavor. 

     Place a skillet over medium heat.  Add your choice of flavors.  Soy sauce and toasted sesame oil are really nice for Oriental dishes.  Heat the sauce then add cubed, dried tofu to the skillet.  Allow the tofu to cook for a few minutes, until at least half the sauce is absorbed and the tofu starts to brown.  Flip the pieces over and continue to cook until all the sauce is absorbed and the tofu is browned on the bottom.  Remove from skillet and prepare the rest of your dinner.  Toss tofu cubes in at the end to avoid breaking the tofu.  (If you don’t use all of the tofu, you can top a tossed salad with it for lunch the next day)

     You can use any marinade you like to get similar results.  Think pesto, a nice vinaigrette, any Indian spice mix with a bit of oil.  The options are endless and delicious!

     Call us to set up a cook date!  We can whip up healthy meals for homes with both Vegetarians and meat eaters.

     For more information on adding green to your diet, check out www.greenyourdiet.org  

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     We’ve noticed that we get a lot of searches and hits for Hummus. A recent question was posed as to what to dip in it.

     I think a more accurate question could be, "What can’t you dip in hummus?" Because the "world is your oyster," if you can dip it, you can dip it in hummus. Traditional would be pita bread. Cut a pita into wedges and either toast them first or serve them as is. As for vegetables, anything you normally would use as a dipper for dips: carrots, celery, green peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.

     You can also be a little creative. How about french fries? Chicken nuggets? Believe me, awesome taste and beats honey mustard hands down. And of course chips of any kind. And if you like the sweet and savory flavor combination try dipping apple or pear wedges into your hummus. Plain hummus would work better in this case, but hey, whatever hummus taste kick hits your fancy. Go for roasted red pepper, Greek olive, pine nut, extra roasted garlic, caramelized onion, even citrus flavored hummus. Flavorings for hummus are endless. Mexican chipotle adds a nice extra heat punch and great flavor too!

     And don’t forget, hummus makes a fantastic sandwich spread too. Hummus is enjoyed throughout the Middle Eastern region and beyond. And it’s so popular there that it can be eaten at every meal!

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Gobble gobble gobble

First we stuffed the bird, then we stuffed ourselves.  It’s inevitable that we’ll be eating turkey sandwiches for the next week.  I don’t know about you, but I actually like a nice fresh turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving.  

If that sounds like a fate worse than death, here are a few ideas.  If you aren’t feeling creative, or you just don’t like to cook, the easiest option is to package meal-sized servings of turkey, stuffing or potatoes and gravy in Tupperware, then stick it in the freezer.  Pull it out the day before you’re planning on eating it, and just nuke it.  Instant easy meal after a long day of holiday shopping.  I like some of the other options a little better.  Turkey Pot Pie, Turkey Chili, Turkey Soup, Turkey Salad, Turkey Stir Fry, Turkey Tacos, Turkey Fajitas, Turkey Croquettes, Turkey Hash, or just have the old stand by…Hot Turkey Sandwiches.  You could even use it for breakfast by adding it to the filling for you Sunday morning omlet. 

Keep in mind that the turkey isn’t the only thing you can get creative with.  You can use the potatoes or the stuffing as a topping for your pot pie.  The veggies can go into a pot of soup.  Even the cranberries can be transformed.  Mix them into a container of cool whip, spoon them into a dessert dish and top with crushed graham crackers or chopped walnuts.  Top some non-fat vanilla yogurt with a spoonful of cranberries and sprinkle with granola for a healthy breakfast or snack. 

(If you have any pie left, your best bet is to eat it or freeze it.)

If you like some of these ideas, but don’t want to spend another day cooking until next Thanksgiving, give me a call.  We can schedule a cook date and whip up something delicious with your leftovers. 

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Metal racks come in all shapes and sizes; oval, concave, square, rectangular – you name it, they have it to fit any roasting pan. But they are a pain in the tush to clean. Why not add some flavor and skip washing the "dish?"

I’m all for skipping the need to wash another dish, believe me – I’m the chief bottle washer.

Grab some carrots, onions, celery, and bell peppers. You can be adventurous and add some parsnips, turnips, or radishes. Take it another step and you can add some of the same herbs and spices that are flavoring the meat right to the veggie rack too. Your liquid can be water, stock or your favorite wine. Quantity varies, but I usually add 1/2 to 1 cup, enough to get everything wet. If you’re roasting a dryer meat, add more so the vegetables don’t dry out. Then follow your usual roasting method or follow the recipe.

Adding vegetables not only adds flavor to the meat, they add flavor and body to the drippings so you can make some really delicious gravy.  You can either strain the vegetables out or emulsify them with a hand or counter top blender.

This is also a great way to use up those vegetables that have been sitting in the fridge one day too long to use in a recipe, yet still have a little life to give (Don’t use any rotten ones please!). They may have some wrinkles or a few bad spots to cut away, but they can still provide you with flavor.

Keep this in mind when it comes time to roast that turkey this Thanksgiving Day!

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We all eat frozen veggies. Sometimes it’s because the vegetable we want is out of season and sometimes it’s to save time. (Hey, we Personal Chefs eat frozen veggies too!)

Steamed, baked, stir-fried, microwaved- no matter how we reheat them – we’re always looking for ways to make them seem not quite so, well, frozen. Especially when the vegetable is most often the last thought of "Oh, Yeah!" Some of us grab for the butter or liquid cheese-food stuff to liven up the dish.

Here’s a quick easy tip to perk up your side dish.

If you have the time to make your own pesto, by all means go for it. A handful of fresh basil, a couple of cloves of garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, a handful of nuts (pine, hazel, pistachio all work well) and a sprinkling of hard cheese like Romano or Parmesan (optional). Place the basil, garlic and nuts in the blender or food processor and give it a whirl to start the chopping process. Now, with the pouring lid open, drizzle in olive oil until it forms a paste. Keep adding oil until you are happy with the consistency. Now add in a pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper and some cheese. Taste it. Add more salt, pepper or cheese to fit your taste buds.

You can use your pesto right away, or you can grab an ice cube tray and freeze individual portions to use when you need it. Just pop them out when they are frozen and store in a freezer bag in the freezer.

Back to the veggies! Stir in some fresh or frozen pesto toward the end of the cooking cycle and you have a cool twist that is much healthier than using butter or margarine. Mangia!

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