Food

Avocado wood meets bacon

By Jason Song, Los Angeles Times

Bacon and avocado are two of my favorite foods, so when someone idly suggested smoking pork belly with avocado wood, I thought it was a brilliant idea and began searching for places to buy the right lumber. “You won’t find any,” war... Full story

How to beat the high cost of eating

By John Ewoldt, Star Tribune

If you’ve been to a grocery store lately, you know that meat, dairy products, cereal, coffee and soda have all seen double-digit price increases in the past 12 to 18 months. Even worse, there are more hikes predicted. This year’s wild we... Full story

Diabetes Quick Fix: Cider Pork with Autumn Squash

By Linda Gassenheimer, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

When I saw the markets filled with autumn colors and flavors, golden jugs of cider, green and orange squash and an array of colorful nuts, I was inspired to create this Cider Pork. It’s simple to make and I find the apple flavor enhances the po... Full story

California Cook: Seasonal fruit desserts that are ripe for creativity

By Russ Parsons/Los Angeles Times

Deborah Madison has a new cookbook out called "Seasonal Fruit Desserts," and I think it might be her best one yet. Of course, I think everything she does is terrific, but then I’m prejudiced. We’ve been friends for 25 years. Deb is the f... Full story

Why we love banana pudding!

By Kathleen Purvis/McClatchy Newspapers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A summer Sunday food memory, circa 1974: I’m sitting at the table watching while my mother makes banana pudding and my older sister discusses her latest date. One talks about the frustrations of romance. The other liste... Full story

Recipe: Balsamic-marinated hanger steak

BALSAMIC-MARINATED HANGER STEAKS Yield: 12 to 14 servings Marinade: 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, divided use 2 large shallots, peeled, sliced 2 large garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns Several sprig... Full story

Hanger STEAK made simple

By CATHY THOMAS/Freedom News Service

Hanger steak. The name sounds humdrum, but the thick strip of beef that hangs between the steer’s rib and loin can be grilled to over-the-top delectability. As with flank steak or skirt steak, it’s full of flavor but can be tough if not ... Full story

Obama's "crustmaster" shares his pie recipe

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

White House pastry chef Bill Yosses' light, flaky pie crusts have earned him the nickname "The Crustmaster" from President Barack Obama. His trick to making fruit pies worthy of a president is to bake the bottom crust first, then fill and top the pie... Full story

Obama pastry chef the Crustmaster

NANCY BENAC, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Poor Bill Yosses. He's the White House pastry chef. He makes desserts for a living. He works for Barack and Michelle Obama. They talk about healthy eating. All the time. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? Not ... Full story

Celebrate the popcorn harvest with these recipes

By Kim Ossi, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Popcorn is so versatile. Sweet, savory or singularly slathered in butter, the treat can be catered to whatever you’re craving. October, National Corn Poppin’ Month, as designated by the Secretary of Agriculture in 1999 though long-celebr... Full story

Lobster love: Now is the time to enjoy (and learn more about) the popular crustacean

By Bill Daley, Chicago Tribune

Lobster is a year-round treat, but if you ask me, the high season is right now, not the dog days of summer, as so many people on vacation assume. The reason? Longer nights and often cooler weather make us hungry for richer, fuller flavors like lobst... Full story

Timing is key when preparing a perfect lobster

By Bill Daley, Chicago Tribune

Here are more ways to cook a lobster. These instructions come from the Maine Lobster Council. Choose a pot large enough to hold all the lobsters comfortably; do not crowd them. A 4- to 5-gallon pot can handle 6 to 8 pounds of lobster. Put 2 inches o... Full story

10 foods to have on hand for quick meals

By Carol Mighton Haddix, Chicago Tribune

10 items, 7 suppers ``Better Homes and Gardens Supermarket Shortcuts'' (Wiley, $19.95) offers tricks, tips and recipes for fast meals. The following advice caught our eye: ``If you have these groceries in your fridge, freezer and cupboard, you'll a... Full story

A quick, crunchy taste of Vietnam

By Linda Gassenheimer, McClatchy Newspapers

Fragrant stir-fry features beef and bok choy, a cousin of cabbage ——— My friend, Binh Duong, introduced me to this Vietnamese treat — crunchy noodles topped with fragrant stir-fried beef and vegetables. Bok choy is used in ... Full story

Salad meal has Southwestern accents

By Linda Gassenheimer, McClatchy Newspapers

Toss chicken strips in cumin and add chipotle peppers and their sauce to vinaigrette for a quick, Southwestern salad dinner. Toasted baguette with Parmesan cheese complements this unconventional chicken and three bean salad. Look for chipotles in ad... Full story

Let your grocery store help prepare your dinner

JIM ROMANOFF, The Associated Press

Fast food may be cheap, but it almost always comes at a hefty dietary price. On those days when it just doesn’t seem like there’s time to cook, it’s easy to turn to take-out. But these options usually are a recipe for lots of calor... Full story

Fresh pasta with arugula and chorizo

J.M. HIRSCH, The Associated Press

Getting dinner on the table in about 10 minutes can be a workout. If you plan to cook, rather than just nuke, that sort of speed requires a fair amount of multitasking. Which means your best bet is to stick with simple, one-dish meals. But that does... Full story

No-fuss primavera is a breeze

By Susan M. Selasky, Detroit Free Press

When schedules are hectic, a successful quick dish in my kitchen is one that doesn’t make a huge mess, uses minimal cookware and has some nutritional value. Garden Primavera is one such dish. It’s chock-full of summer vegetables, uses co... Full story

Kids with allergies eat better than most

McClatchy Newspapers

Packing a lunch for a child with allergies takes lots of planning. "Don’t despair," author Terry Traub says in "Food to Some, Poison to Others" (Frederick Fell Publishers, $14.95). "Kids with allergies often end up with far more delicious, he... Full story

Easy school lunch menus

By Sharon Thompson, McClatchy Newspapers

MOUNTAINS AND FOREST SANDWICH 1 slice Kraft 2 percent Milk Singles 1 slice Oscar Mayer bologna 1 hot dog bun 1 tablespoon Miracle Whip salad dressing 1 leaf lettuce leaf Cut Milk Singles and bologna in half, using knife to make zig-zag cut. Spr... Full story

Once more into the lunch breach

By Sharon Thompson, McClatchy Newspapers

Parents struggle, especially at back-to-school time. Should you spend $100 on shoes that make your son fit in when a $25 pair will do—If you pick the Miley Cyrus backpack over the Selena Gomez messenger bag, will your daughter get picked on? ... Full story

Recipe for Watermelon and Tomato Skewers

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jose Andres credits avant-garde Spanish chef Ferran Adria with creating these simple and inexpensive skewers of watermelon topped with tomatoes and a lemon vinaigrette. He uses just the seeds and inner membranes of the tomatoes, but cherry tomatoes a... Full story

Recipe for White Sangria

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

An inexpensive sparkling wine does fine in this recipe for white sangria. For the blend of fruits, use whatever is seasonal, which will cost the least and taste the best. ___ WHITE SANGRIA Start to finish: 10 minutes Servings: 4 1 cup mixed cut ... Full story

Recipe for Chicken Wing Confit with Olive Puree

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

This recipe produces an impressive and flavorful tapas using inexpensive chicken wings and other common ingredients. ___ CHICKEN WING CONFIT WITH GREEN OLIVE PUREE Start to finish: 1 hour active (plus 3 hours marinating) Servings: 4 6 tablespoon... Full story

Combining certain foods supersizes nutrition (and flavor), a dietitian says

By CATHY THOMAS, Freedom News Service

"When I grow up, I want to be an old woman," a smoky-toned, bluesy voice sings in a TV ad. The visuals display a series of mature women, each having fun, each filled with the glow of good health. The women dance and clown as the lyric repeats and re... Full story

Asian gourmet: Lotus Café in Brownsville offers great food, tranquil setting

By Travis Whitehead, The Brownsville Herald

BROWNSVILLE - Hot chunks of chicken in a light tasty batter greeted my yearning hunger as a sat surrounded by a din of noonday voices. The demure ambience of Lotus Café was broken only by the Byzantine conversations cutting through the dim li... Full story

From Tacones to Tacos

By Travis Whitehead, The Brownsville Herald

BROWNSVILLE - Henry Najera sat in the comfort of his restaurant enjoying a plate of fajitas and salad, discussing his transition from nightclub manager to restaurant owner. I was digging into the carne guisada special with beans, rice, and a pizza-si... Full story

‘Sazón’ at any time

Brownsville’s Najera Café charms with its simple beauty

By Travis Whitehead, The Brownsville Herald

BROWNSVILLE - Copious layers of warm beef teased me with anticipation as the waitress sat the Tampiqueña plate on the red and white checkered tablecloth. The waitress at Najera Café had already visited my table numerous times to refill... Full story

New Yorker brings taste of India to Harlingen restaurant and bar

By Gabriel Saldana, Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN - The aroma of exotic spices wafts through the lobby at the Harlingen Hotel & Event Center as diners in the next room order entrées off the only Indian menu in town. Ricky Rao, a native New Yorker and owner of the hotel's Taj Re... Full story

Jamaican Me Hungry

Taste of the islands within reach this week

By Amy Nichol Smith, The Monitor

A tender palate may not be able to handle the hot and spicy flavors of Jamaican food, but those brave of heart and tongue will likely enjoy an adventurous dive into the island cuisine. Jamaica, an island south of Cuba, calls to mind white sandy beac... Full story

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