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Memorial Day Feast For the Flibberty Jibbits

Memorial Day Feast

Cooking for the Flibberty Jibbits

So I’m going to a potluck Monday, Memorial Day, and I’ve been asked to bring something.  Good.  I love to cook for people.

So, since what I’m tasked to provide is a side dish, maybe some sort of casseroley thing, I figure  GREAT.  Piece of Cake.

So first I think of one of my faves that gets its zip from bacon.  But no, the host reminds me.  No pork.

So back to the drawing board.  How about this flavorful casserole made with butter, onion, spinach, white bread, Swiss cheese, milk, eggs and Dijon.  That sounds good.

But no.  No dairy, no gluten. No green stuff. No what’s left?

So how about a crunchy cauliflower and tomato salad?  Dressed with a white wine vinaigrette?  That sounds doable.  No green stuff.  No gluteny bread. No pork.

Beats the heck out of Stone Soup.  And festive enough for a Memorial Day picnic.  I knew I could solve the problem.  Without having to resort to Stone Soup.

  Crunchy Cauliflower and Tomato Salad

Makes about 8 servings

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup white wine vinegar

Juice and grated zest of one large lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 large head cauliflower, broken into bite-sized pieces

¼ cup minced red onion

¼ cup minced fresh parsley

3 minced garlic cloves

1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes,  halved

Whisk dressing in a small bowl until smooth:  vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper and evoo.

Combine in a large festive salad bowl the cauliflorets, red onion, parsley, garlic and cherry tomatoes.  Toss with dressing.  Cover and refrigerate 1 to 3 hours.  Serve cold.

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Mama’s Meatloaf Wrapped in Bacon

Everything Old, is new again. Including this time-honored recipe for meatloaf from the time when conserving meat was simply a fact of life. Now, however, we find ourselves in a new age when meats are again scarce. And our yearning for meatloaf is still with us.

Why not do what mama did. Add bread crumbs to the meat loaf to fluff it up and make a pound of meat go further. Slather that meatloaf with a few slices of bacon and you have a feast suitable for a Queen.

That one pound of meat will easily feed eight people. Yes. Now that’s what we call a poor woman’s feast. Go.

Makes one large loaf which will easily feed eight and up to a dozen or so hungry diners 1-pound hamburger meat 1/1/2 cups dried bread crumbs ½ cup yellow onion, peeled and diced ½ cup milk 1 large egg 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon fresh or dried parsley leaves, finely chopped ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper For the topping: ¼ cup ketchup 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 6 or so slices of bacon Preheat the oven to 350 degrees In a large bowl, combine all meatloaf ingredients except toppings. Squish together with your hands and then form into an oblong loaf. Place the loaf on a baking sheet with sides. Mix the topping ingredients and slather onto the meatloaf. Coat with sheets of bacon. Bake about 55 minutes. Cool ten minutes then serve, cut into thick slices. Next day for lunch you can make a wonderful meat ball sandwich for yourself. Yum!

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Everything Old is New Again

Especially when you are stuck in the house for more than a month with nothing to look forward to but more of the same.

It’s seems so unlikely, that I, who love to cook for people, would be stuck in my house all alone,  under house arrest along with my three dogs because of the Corona Virus.  But there you have it.  And I am not one to thrash against rules.  I understand there are people who are protesting and in some places openly violating the proscription.  OK, suckers.  Tell me where to send the condolence notes after your death.

Because to try to tilt at the windmill known as Corona is utter ignorance.  Just figure out a way to live with it and be damn glad you have a chance to live.  As for me  I miss my friends terribly – but I can talk to them on the phone.  I miss my friends terribly,  but I’d miss them more if they – or I – were dead.

And now that I only have myself and the dogs to cook for, I am returning to some old favorites because I can eat them over and over.  The dogs lick their lips a lot because the key to this recipe is Rotel tomatoes, but I figure its good for them to increase their culinary repertoire.

So here goes:  An oldy but a goody.

  Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili from RO*TEL

Prep

15 m

Ready In

8 h 15 m

Recipe By:RO*TEL

“A slow cooker recipe for white chicken chili assembled quickly with chicken thighs, canned beans and zesty tomatoes.”

Ingredients

PAM(R) Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

2 (15 ounce) cans Great Northern beans, undrained

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 (10 ounce) can Ro*Tel(R) Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup chopped yellow onion

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Directions

Spray inside of 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place 1 can of beans in slow cooker; mash with potato masher or spoon until smooth. Add second can of beans and all remaining ingredients to slow cooker; stir to combine.

Cover; cook on LOW 8 hours or on HIGH 4 hours. Carefully separate chicken into bite-size pieces.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  used with permission © 2020 Allrecipes.com

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Feeding Yourself Under Quarantine

It feels a bit like I always imagine being sentenced to prison might be. With freedom and choice removed, what’s left?  You are advised to stay at home.  You are encouraged to sanitize the groceries when you get them in the kitchen.  Why?  All to save us from the CoronaVirus.

Well,  I can tell you this.  The whole thing has taken my appetite away.  I don’t care about food much these days.  I just eat to stay alive. But drinking?  That’s another matter. And my drink of choice has always been iced tea. In fact,I’m rather a master at making iced tea.

And while I usually spend at least part of every day working on new recipes,  new ideas, and preparing meals for friends in the evening,  now that’s all been taken away from me.  So what’s my response?  No one is invited in.  I’m not invited out.  Crap. I hate this.

I no longer observe the three squares a day.  I just don’t care.  Today, I finally remembered to eat the first meal of the day about noon.  I made a pot of black coffee,  I made a dish of oatmeal in the microwave.  It’s all I wanted.  I thought about putting raisins in the oatmeal, but then I thought, why bother? And then I wondered if the microwave might kill viruses.  Checked it on the internet. Sorry.  No such luck.

Even my dogs are suffering.  I usually make some gorgeous dish that I can share with the pooches,  but now?  Not so much.  And I can tell you that they are damn sick and tired of dry dog food.

I stepped on the scale and see the only upside to this.  I’ve lost about 7 pounds.  And in only a couple weeks that this quarantine has been going on. And I can see from the looks of the dogs, that they’re losing a little weight too.  So, I suppose that’s one good result of this new era.

But damn it,  I don’t like it. In fact I hate it.  I am mad as hell and I’m not getting over it.

For my so-called lunch,  I just ate an apple.  It wasn’t very good, and I didn’t really care.  I just ate it to stay alive.

In fact, this is worse than being in prison.  At least those sentences have a beginning, a middle and an end.  This has no such boundaries.  I hear times ranging from a month to a year,  or to years, plural.  No one seems to be able to nail it down any closer than that.

But I will tell you this.  I didn’t live 80 years to get felled by some goddam virus.  I will stay in this house, I will not expose myself to the virus.  I will do everything in my power never to get it.  Because from everything I read, the disease itself is deadly,  a sort of drowning in your own juices.  No thank you.  I have no hesitation to keep sequestered.  I don’t want any part of it.

Today, the Prime Minister of England,  Boris Johnson, who was diagnosed with the virus only a couple days ago,  was moved from the hospital to the ICU.  Holy crap. The man is on the verge of death.  This is terrible.  Truly terrible.  And right under the piece about Johnson is a headline that reads:  Trudeau will work from home.  Yikes.  Him too.

The fucking world is fucking falling apart.  I think I’ll make a pot of coffee. But even the coffee doesn’t taste good.

And maybe watch a little television.  I wonder what’s on the middle of the day?  Hmm.  How about A&E.  That might have some uplifting show.  Not so.  It’s a couple cops pulling over some girl who was speeding.  Is this what people watch?  It’s not art and its not entertainment.  What has the world come to?

So I take a closer look at the Highway Patrolman in the film. He’s tall, and dapper and neat in his Uniform.  Yes, that would be a capital U in Uniform.  And he’s saying,  I clocked you at 110, Ma’am.  And we’ll have to wait for the boy’s mother to get here to take him away.  And then he stands up staring into the middle distance.  He is mighty handsome. Then he walks to the back of the car and opens the trunk.  He paws through the stuff and pulls out a kid’s stuffed bear.  He takes it back up to the passenger side door and hesitantly holds it into the window.  An invisible hand grabs it and it’s gone. I change the channel.

I have an idea. I think I”ll choose a nice  clean wall in my office and start marking off the days.  As I say,  it’s been a couple weeks.  Maybe memorializing this event by marking off the days will give this term its due.  So I’ll start off with fourteen days,  you remember how they show this in the cartoons,  5 long vertical horizontal  lines, demarcated by an angular line going from left to right, top to bottom.  No.  That can’t be right.  That would only add up to SIX.  Shit.  I don’t even now how to make a goddam prisoner’s calendar.

Must be time to make my first Teatini of the day.  Now the teatini is an invention of mine that I feel will assure my place in history.  It’s way better than any cup of black coffee.  I start off in the morning by making a pitcher of sun tea.  I only use the very best quality  black tea, Liptons tea bags to be exact,   cold tap water, and a clear glass pitcher. I make a knot in the tea bags then hang that out the pitcher’s lip.  Add cold water,  tea bags, cover it and let it stand in the kitchen window to take in the warmth of the morning sun.

At first,  I made my  teatini about 5 in the afternoon.  It’s the very simplest of cocktails.  That tall glass filled with ice cubes, then the iced tea, then a generous splash  of bourbon on the top. Garnish with a sprig of lime.   Let it steep to release all those complex flavors, then sip to enjoy. Now that is a wonderful cocktail.

But as this quarantine has continued,  I’ve decided to call the new cocktail the Quarantini and I am now making the first one about 1 in the afternoon.  Quarantinis make those long afternoons go by with very few bumps in the road.  And I learned today that the liquor store delivers,  so I won’t have to expose myself to all those viruses between here and the liquor store ever again.

It says in the New York Times today that New Yorkers will soon have the pleasure of visiting their newly departed in graves being dug in Central Park.  Ten bodies in a row to the grave, and how many graves to go, as yet undetermined.  But at least the New Yorkers can get a nice walk in the sunshine on their way to say goodbye to Uncle Sam.

Maybe I’ll make a traveling Quarantini in one of the kid’s old plastic camping bottles still stored in the attic.  That will give the afternoon stroll some purpose and some ease.  I will have to make a couple sandwiches to fortify myself on these forays since all the restaurants in New York City are closed.  Peanut butter and pickle sandwiches on white bread have always been my faves.  I’ll bet those washed down with a Quarantini might make a lovely  afternoon repast. Should I cut the crusts off the bread?  Certainly.  Then I can feed the bread crusts to the birds I see in the park. And that makes me feel noble for caring for the least of these.

Oh I hope its a sunny day.

And what shall I plan for tomorrow?  Oh I don’t know.  Probably the same old same old.

[lindaeckhardt]

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Here from New Mexico is the kind of Chocolate Cake we love: A bit of zing a bunch of zest. Yes!

Red Chile Chocolate Zucchini Cake • Recipe

 I Am New Mexico  2 Years Ago

I grew up about 40 miles from the New Mexico border in the panhandle of Texas.  We knew the best way to give a recipe some zip was to add a bit of New Mexican Red Chili Powder.  What we didn’t know was what a nutritional power house this was.  Yes!

–

Sweet tooth and a spicy tongue? Well, then this one is just the right recipe for you. Depending on how spicy you want it, you can add more, and more, and more, and more…. you know how it goes!

Red Chile Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients

2-1/2 c Sifted flour

1/4 c Unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp Baking soda

1 tsp Salt

1/2 c Butter

1/2 c Vegetable oil

1-3/4 c Granulated sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 tbs New Mexican red chili powder*

1/2 c Buttermilk

2 c Zucchini, grated

6 oz Semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 c Chopped walnuts

whipped cream for topping

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9- by 13- by 2-inch pan. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter, vegetable oil and sugar, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Next, add the vanilla and chile powder. Mix in the dry ingredients that have been set aside, alternating with the buttermilk. Stir in the zucchini. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the chocolate chips and walnuts. Bake for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack. Top with chili flecked whipped cream to taste.  Yum

  Red New Mexico Hatch Chile Powder , 18 Ounce Jar

by Angelina’s Gourmet (order from Amazon  HERE)

Price: $15.95 ($0.89 / Ounce)

grown, dried and processed in the New Mexico Hatch Valley, this Chile’s smoky flavor complements poultry, meats and fall squash

Use in enchilada sauces, chili, stews, BBQ ribs and corn bread

Perfect addition to marinades, spice rubs, or a traditional adobo

Gluten Free, Kosher Parve Certified, Non-GMO

Product treated with irradiation.

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Roasted Cauliflower: Whole and Yummy

In case your wondering what to cook for supper,  here’s a dish that seems so apropo of this moment.  I don’t know about you,  but I’m about roasted myself with all this news.  Better still,  why not throw a whole cauliflower in the oven and roast that instead.  Slather it with butter, season with salt and pepper.  Yum.

1 head cauliflower, trimmed (remove the green leaves from base)

1/4 cup melted butter

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

4 thyme sprigs

Sea salt and black pepper

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Before you get started, make sure your oven is preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour a little bit of extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of a cast iron pan and place the head of cauliflower right in the pan.

In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, garlic, lemon zest, thyme and red pepper flakes. Either brush or drizzle the butter mixture over the top of the cauliflower. Sprinkle a pinch or two of salt and pepper on top. Place a layer of foil over the head of cauliflower and slide it into the oven. Let the cauliflower roast for about 30 minutes.

After about a half hour, remove the foil and roast uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. When the cauliflower looks tender, slightly golden brown and crisp, remove it from the oven. Drizzle a little extra butter on top with any extra seasoning you think the cauliflower might need.

If your oven has a broiler (most of them do) you could turn the broiler to medium and slide the cauliflower in the oven for a few more minutes until it reaches perfect caramelization. Remove the cast iron from the oven with a potholder (the handle will be extremely hot) and let it cool for a few minutes. Your cauliflower is ready to serve!

Don’t be surprised if everyone wants to take pictures. This is an edible centerpiece that you’ll want to incorporate into your weekly dinner routine.

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Finding Comfort in an unfriendly world: Hello Meals in a Mug

Once in awhile,  I find a real dream and today that dream is a fine Irish cook named,  Gemma Stafford, who has mastered the art of cooking in a mug.

You can see many of her recipes on her site,  Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking, https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/microwave-lasagna/

But today, as we stand here in this uncertain world,  I can think of nothing more welcome than a dinner made and served in a good, hot mug.  Thank you  Gemma.  You get the first prize today for giving comfort where comfort is needed:  at the kitchen  table.

This is my idea of instant joy.  Fun to make.  Fun to eat.  And very little mess to clean up. What’s not to love?

  Microwave Lasagna Recipe 4.41 from 20 votes PinterestFacebookEmail Print Recipe Cheese Single Serving Less than 30 Minutes Limited Ingredients Mug Prep Time 5 mins Cook Time 6 mins Total Time 11 mins Make Homemade Microwave Lasagna in just minutes! You can customize the ingredients and enjoy an entire meal in a little mug with little fuss!

Author: Gemma Stafford ( real genius this one. check out all her recipes) Servings: 1 Ingredients 2 pasta lasagna sheets ¾ cup (6floz/180g) water 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 tablespoons pizza sauce 4 tablespoons ricotta cheese 3 tablespoons spinach , uncooked 2 tablespoons cooked sausage , optional 1 tablespoon grated cheddar cheese

Instructions Roughly break the pasta sheets and place in a large microwavable mug. Cover with water and olive oil. The olive oil stops the lasagna sticking together while cooking. Microwave for 3-4 min or until the pasta is tender. Check on it half way through and stir. Once cooked drain away the cooking water and remove the pasta from the mug Add 1 tablespoons pizza sauce and spread on the bottom of your mug. Then do a layer of pasta, layer of spinach, sausage (optional) and ricotta. Repeat the layers all the way to the top of the mug Once you get to the top sprinkle grated cheddar on top. Place in the microwave and cook for 2 1/2 – 3 minutes or until the lasagna is heated through. (Cooking time is based on my 1200W microwave so your timing might vary) Always keep a close eye on your mug while in the microwave so it doesn’t over flow or over cook. Let cool for a couple minutes and enjoy!

[lindaeckhardt]

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New Post has been published on https://everybodyeatsnews.com/2020/03/listen-live-as-linda-eckhardt-discusses-with-jennifer-english-on-radio-kmkr-the-issues-with-todays-issues/

Listen Live as Linda Eckhardt discusses with Jennifer English on Radio KMKR the issues with today's food supply

Is grocery shopping safe?  Tune in to a discussion LIVE now from KMKR

Zerocraft.org Listen now.  KMKR

  Liam D. Gray <liamdgray@gmail.com>

8:05 PM (5 minutes ago)

to LindaEckhardt2008

https://www.xerocraft.org/listen.php

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Safe Grocery Shopping in the Corona Virus 19 Age

Here is a clear and simple answer to the question,  HOW DO I PREVENT BRINGING THE CORONA VIRUS IN WITH THE GROCERIES

LOG ON HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjDuwc9KBps&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1XFKNPrInbk-t-hg7zpBpv7psWbPKhXaEcxGTRz8HFg

  stay safe my friends.  eat well.  be well.

[lindaeckhardt]

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Protect Yourself from All Causes of Death: Eat Cheese

BY GUY PARSONS 31 AUGUST, 2018

‘What do we say to the God of Death?’ Nothing – just offer him some cheese!

A big dzięki to our friends in Poland: namely Professor Maciej Banach of the University of Łódź. For Banach and his plucky team of researchers have just completed a thrilling meta-analysis of 29 cohort studies that confirm what we’ve always chosen to believe: cheese can help you not die.

[Don’t miss a thing: subscribe to Secret London on YouTube]

Thus spake the scientists: ‘cheese and yogurt were found to protect against both total mortality — death from any cause — and mortality from cerebrovascular causes.’

Verily, cheese is the shield that can protect us against the slings and arrows of modern life, including stroke and heart attack, according to the European Society of Cardiology, which presented the research.

Studying over 20,000 adults over 11 years, consumption of cheese was associated with an 8% lower total mortality risk. Not bad, cheese, not bad at all.

So frolic in the traffic, run with scissors, play with matches: defy death and all his minions by simply slathering yourself with melted cheese. (Don’t drink too much milk though, as that was found to have the opposite effect. Mystifying, innit.)

  In other good news, hot baths might be as good for you as exercise.

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Staying Clean in a Germ-Filled World

How to stay safe in the real world with corona viruses floating around

  How about handling cash?

Fair advised people to avoid handling cash, which he called “one of the most filthy things in our society, period.” Paper money is made of cotton, an absorbable surface that can get wet. The new coronavirus can potentially stay active on it for up to nine days just like on other surfaces, he said.

What if I don’t have a mask?

Make your own one-time use mask with a clean cotton handkerchief or bandana

What’s the scoop on gloves?

Complicated.  Ideally,  use one-time plastic gloves  once and throw them away.  In a pinch,  use your normal outdoor gloves then sprinkle them with water or more powerful germ killer and air dry between uses.

  Wash your hands

Soap up your hands then count to twenty while you scrub up as if you were preparing for open heart surgery.  And then do this over and over as long as your handling things.

Wash your face

We don’t even think about the number of times we touch our hands to our faces but if you’re like me – a compulsive itchy eye rubber, then you know you have to keep your hands clean before putting them on your face.

And about those shoes?

Take them off at the door when you walk in your house.  Leave them on a paper – (newspaper is good) until you go out again.

And how about all those door handles, stair grips, and other stuff we handle every time we go out?  Gloves, clean hands.

[lindaeckhardt]

New Post has been published on Everybody Eats News

New Post has been published on https://everybodyeatsnews.com/2020/03/staying-clean-in-a-germ-filled-world/

Staying Clean in a Germ-Filled World

How to stay safe in the real world with corona viruses floating around

  How about handling cash?

Fair advised people to avoid handling cash, which he called “one of the most filthy things in our society, period.” Paper money is made of cotton, an absorbable surface that can get wet. The new coronavirus can potentially stay active on it for up to nine days just like on other surfaces, he said.

What if I don’t have a mask?

Make your own one-time use mask with a clean cotton handkerchief or bandana

What’s the scoop on gloves?

Complicated.  Ideally,  use one-time plastic gloves  once and throw them away.  In a pinch,  use your normal outdoor gloves then sprinkle them with water or more powerful germ killer and air dry between uses.

  Wash your hands

Soap up your hands then count to twenty while you scrub up as if you were preparing for open heart surgery.  And then do this over and over as long as your handling things.

Wash your face

We don’t even think about the number of times we touch our hands to our faces but if you’re like me – a compulsive itchy eye rubber, then you know you have to keep your hands clean before putting them on your face.

And about those shoes?

Take them off at the door when you walk in your house.  Leave them on a paper – (newspaper is good) until you go out again.

And how about all those door handles, stair grips, and other stuff we handle every time we go out?  Gloves, clean hands.

[lindaeckhardt]

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Meal Delivery Services Can Save You During the Crisis that says STAY HOME

Home Delivered Food To the Rescue

I have never been more glad than I was today to see that square cardboard box on my front porch. Why?  Because it contains six dinners that are ready for me to heat and eat.

I have been studying the meal preparation services and expected to review the top ten brands for my readers.  Then life stepped  in and offered us all an extraordinary gift.

Suddenly, these meals mean more than just a fun treat.  They help me stay out of the grocery store.  They help me remain at home and receive fabulous food, and they help me to stay healthy.

I still plan to review a number of brands, but for now, I want to tell you that I can attest to the goodness of one particular brand:  Home Chef Meal Delivery Service.https(://www.homechef.com/account/calendar)

I’m starting my second week with these meals and I am more than grateful to see them coming to me Monday mornings, all ready to go.

Last week,  I received four meals from Home Chef.  Each one was better than the last.

Here’s a sample of what I ate.

  10 minutes · Serves 2 · Turn off the stove and put away the knives… Home Chef is offering meals quick enough to throw together as you’re walking out the door and tasty enough to meet our (and your) high standards for quality…

  Argentinean Steak and Potato Tacos with Chimichurri and Queso Fresco stovetop cooking

  15 minutes · Serves 2 · You’re used to tacos being from south of the border, but go a little further south for these delicious treats. A little further south. Little further. Nope, even further. Whoops, you’re at the South…

    Plus two more great meals.  Sitting on my porch are 4 great meals for the coming week.  This makes staying safe a lot easier.

  I will write more about these great new services, but for now,  I say hop on your computer and order Home Chef Meal Delivery Service.

[lindaeckhardt]

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How To Stock Your Pantry while Staying at Home

  These Are the Best Foods to Stockpile for a Possible Quarantine

We asked experts to tell us what groceries deserve a spot in our fridge, freezer, and pantry come what may.

By Stacey Ballis for All Recipes

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is officially a pandemic, and depending on where you live, you are either close to some burgeoning centers of disease or are anticipating cases emerging in the coming days. While everyone is figuring out what songs work best to ensure proper hand-washing time, and learning how to DIY hand sanitizer with a passion shown only by the slime-making tweens of yesteryear, we thought it might be a good time to talk about some basic pantry staples you should actually stock up on.

First and foremost, it’s important to make a distinction between panic shopping and being prepared. Yes, you should have enough food and supplies (including medications) on hand to last two weeks in case of quarantine. No, you do not need to be hoarding toilet paper (and certainly not fighting people for it in Costco). Preparing for a possible coronavirus quarantine comes down to this: smartly stocking your fridge, freezer, and pantry to keep everyone at home fed and well in the event you need to spend a few weeks inside your doors.

But what you buy is just as important as how much of it you buy. While it is tempting to load your pantry full of guilty pleasure treats like SpaghettiOs and marshmallow fluff, (and if those foods bring you a certain amount of emotional comfort in an uncertain world, feel free to indulge responsibly), but try to focus on a certain basic amount of nutritional value in your choices. A healthier you means a healthier immune system.

“The main thing is to have plenty of canned and frozen fruit and veggies to get your vitamin C, plus canned beans and fish for protein and zinc. Cereal, popcorn, rolled oats and other whole grains are important too. Be prepared, not panicked,” says Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, nutrition expert and author of “Smoothies & Juices: Prevention Healing Kitchen.”

We asked Largeman-Roth and dietitian Lainey Younkin, MS, RD, LDN, dietitian and founder of Lainey Younkin Nutrition to explain the best options for stocking your cupboard, fridge, and freezer so you can feed your family well. Here are their recommendations, plus a few of our own.

The Pantry

Dried or Canned Beans: Beans and legumes are shelf-stable and pack protein and fiber, which keep you full. Fill your cart with canned beans like black beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans, which you can use to make a bean salad, chili, or vegetable quesadillas. Dried beans require only an overnight soak, and then can be used for everything from puréed dips to soups or stews. Store dried beans in airtight containers in a cool, dry pantry for up to a year. Get recipes for dried beans and legumes.

Rice and Grains: Rice and whole grains — like quinoa, farro, barley, wheatberries, or bulgur — can be cooked in bulk and used throughout the week in salads and soups, Younkin says. Food cultures for centuries have relied on the magical combination of rice and beans to provide complete protein, dietary fiber, and an inexpensive way to keep bellies full. Rice and whole grains can be stored in airtight containers in a cool, dry pantry for up to 6 months or in the freezer for up to a year. Whole grains that are ground will deteriorate more quickly and can be stored 1 to 3 months in a cool pantry or up to 6 months in the freezer. Get recipes for rice and whole grains.

Garlic and Onions: Be sure to buy some aromatics like onions, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers to help amp up flavor — all will last a long time in your fridge or in a cool spot in your home, and all are the building blocks of flavor. Any simple preparation will be much improved with the addition of one or more of these intensely flavored additions. Onions and garlic can be stored in a cool, dry, dark spot with good ventilation. Do not store them in plastic bags as the humidity will cause them to mold or rot.

Root Vegetables and Hardy Vegetables: In addition to those frozen options, certain root and hardy vegetables can last a long time and will give you much needed roughage. Good choices include potatoes of all varieties, whole carrots (baby carrots do not have the same shelf life), whole winter squash, whole heads of cabbage, whole heads of celery, Brussels sprouts and other sturdy vegetables. Potatoes and other root vegetables can be stored in a cool, dry, dark spot with good ventilation. Carrots  with green tops removed and stored in an open plastic bag can last in the fridge for a couple of weeks. Wrap heads of celery in aluminum foil and store them in the fridge; Brussels sprouts on their stems will last longer than loose sprouts, and should be stored in a plastic bag in the fridge. Get vegetable recipes.

Stocks and Broths: Available in cans or cartons, or space-saving bouillon pastes or cubes. Look for low-sodium versions, since you can adjust the salt and other flavoring to your own taste. Use them to make soups, stews, and risottos, or as a flavor booster for sauces. Add a spoonful of paste or a crumbled cube to the water you are cooking rice or grains in to boost flavor.

Related: Soup’s the Best Food to Prep for a Future Quarantine

Canned or Jarred Fish: You may not have access to fresh meat and chicken, so look for alternative proteins like canned fish. Canned tuna and canned salmon can turn into salads and croquettes, and sardines pack a flavorful punch as an appetizer on crackers, or even as an ingredient in pasta sauces or rice dishes. It is a great source of zinc, which is known to boost your immunity and can be a good addition to a heart-healthy diet.

Canned Vegetables: Corn and peas are always great canned vegetables to have on hand, but canned tomatoes are the hero of your pantry, no matter what the circumstance. Often more flavorful and tender than fresh tomatoes, even in season, they are the start to everything from soups to pasta sauces. Buy a variety of tomatoes: diced, crushed, and whole. An easy dish is a can of diced tomatoes sautéed with some onion, garlic and peppers with eggs poached in it for a simple take on a shashuka.

Canned Soup: It is a great idea to have some canned soups on hand for quick and easy meals. Condensed soups will save pantry room, but ready-to-eat soups mean you don’t have to add water you might want to keep for another purpose.

Jarred Pasta Sauce: A jar of pasta sauce is just some cooked pasta or rice away from a meal, but is also a perfectly seasoned base for other recipes. Add chicken stock and chopped vegetables to make a minestrone, cook rice in it for a rich tomato rice side dish, or use as a topper for baked potatoes.

Pasta: Dried pasta is one of the best things you can keep on hand for helping to maintain a healthy and varied diet. It is shelf-stable, comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, and there is a version for every diet, including gluten free and vegan. Once cooked, it can be served hot or cold, as an ingredient in a bigger dish or as the star of the show and is a chameleon that holds up all sorts of flavors, so you can experiment with everything from classic Italian to pan-Asian cuisines. Browse all pasta recipes.

Crackers, Crispbreads, Rice Cakes: Essential snacking material. Keep them in airtight containers so they don’t go stale.

Cooking Oil and Condiments: Where would you be without mayonnaise, mustard, relish, vinegar, hot sauce, soy sauce and on and on? Some can be stored in the pantry after opening and some go into the fridge; Be sure to read the labels. Tip: Don’t waste precious space on bottled salad dressing. Learn how to make your own in small quantities to save money and space.

Salt, Pepper, Spices: Figure out what you use most of the time and keep it on hand.

Baking Supplies: You’ll have some time on your hands to bake, so load up the larder with all-purpose and bread flours, be sure your baking powder and baking soda are up to date, and get some packaged yeast if baking bread is on your to-do list. For long-term storage, keep flour in airtight containers in the freezer. Eggs will be great for both meals and for baking projects, so get plenty, they last a long time in the fridge.

Nuts: Whether it is a quick boost of protein for a snack, a topper for another dish bringing some crunch and flavor to the party, or an ingredient in baking, having a variety of nuts around will be an important addition to your pantry. Almonds, walnuts, and peanuts are all great choices, but don’t be afraid to go exotic with cashews or hazelnuts. Fresh nuts are loaded with natural oils that deteriorate with time, so store them in the fridge or freezer.

Nut Butters: Peanut butter is a natural to have on hand, and is a good source of easy protein, especially for kids or when you are on the go. But don’t overlook other nut butters like almond butter, which makes for a great change, or tahini sesame paste, which can be a wonderful addition to homemade hummus or salad dressings.

Healthier Snacks: One thing that can be difficult if you aren’t used to working from home or hosting impromptu homeschooling is the constant access to snacks. In combination with boredom, having lots of sweets and junk foods on hand can create a constant temptation. Pretzels and popcorn are healthier choices than chips for salty snacking, and think about squares of dark chocolate or fruit leathers instead of candy.

Shelf-Stable Milk: Shelf-stable milk, whether true dairy or a plant-based milk, is a good thing to have on hand in place of refrigerated, although once you open a package, you have to refrigerate it. Be sure to read and follow package directions. Evaporated milk in cans can be a good substitute for half and half in your coffee.

Coffee/Tea: If you are a regular at your local coffee or tea house, make sure you have supplies at home for your daily dose.

Related: Pantry-Friendly Dinners Ready In 45 Minutes or Less

The Freezer

Frozen Vegetables: Without grocery store access, you can still prepare for a well-rounded diet with plenty of vegetables by taking advantage of the frozen food aisle. From basic frozens like broccoli or peas, to beta-carotene rich carrots and squashes, and homemade staples like frozen chopped onion, having a well-stocked freezer will help ensure that you maintain a diet rich in plants. Since you will likely be missing fresh lettuces after your first few days, be sure to have a variety of leafy greens as well, like frozen spinach, kale, or collards. Get recipes using frozen vegetables.

Frozen Fruit: Some fruits freeze better than others, but having frozen fruit means you are just a blender away from smoothies; and there is no better time to learn how to make homemade pies and jam than when you are home all day. Get recipes using frozen fruit.

Frozen Bread: Best breads to freeze are whole unsliced loaves of sourdough, loaves with fruit and nuts, and English Muffins or bagels for sandwiches and breakfast. Specialty breads like Ezekiel bread are stored in the freezer anyway.

Related: How to Safely Freeze, Thaw, and Reheat Foods

The Fridge

Cheese: When properly wrapped, hard and aged cheeses like Parmesan, Cheddar and Swiss will last a good while in your fridge, as will cured meats like ham, bacon, and salami.

Eggs: Eggs store very well in the fridge and can be used for every meal of the day. From your breakfast scramble, to your lunchtime quiche, to your fried rice at dinnertime, and many baking projects in between. A great source of protein, you can keep some raw for cooking and some hard-boiled for snacks or easy egg salad.

Apples and Citrus: Fresh fruit can be complicated, but apples and citrus both last a long time when refrigerated, and if you need that back-up canned fruit, go for the ones packed in 100% juice and not syrup; or no-sugar-added all-natural apple sauce. Dried fruits are terrific for snacks and fiber.

Yogurt/Cottage Cheese:  These dairy protein powerhouses last up to a month in the fridge, and make for great breakfasts or snacks, and can even be used as ingredients in other dishes like pancakes or sauces.

Butter: If you are going to be baking and cooking, you do not want to run out of butter! Look for the brands that make half-sticks, and store in the freezer, taking out what you need as you need it.

[lindaeckhardt]

New Post has been published on Everybody Eats News

New Post has been published on https://everybodyeatsnews.com/2020/03/protect-yourself-while-grocery-shopping-from-the-corona-virus/

Protect Yourself While Grocery Shopping From the Corona Virus

Here are the precautions to take, whether you shop in-store or online

By Tobie Stanger

March 09, 2020

71 SHARES

from Consumer Reports

With experts saying to avoid crowded places because of the novel coronavirus, what should you do about grocery shopping? One option people are turning to is grocery delivery services.

Instacart, one of the largest grocery delivery services, told us that over the past week its subscription growth swelled tenfold. In California, Washington, and New York—states where to date the most coronavirus cases have been reported—Instacart has seen a twentyfold growth.

“For older people and those with underlying health conditions—the group that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends stay home—I would highly recommend using a grocery delivery service,” says Jim Rogers, CR’s director of food safety research and testing.

But whether you buy groceries online or in stores, there are some simple steps you can take to try to limit your exposure to the novel coronavirus, and they’re not so different from what CR recommends you typically do. Be sure to:

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

CR Coronavirus Resource Hub

What You Need to Know About COVID-19

Protect Yourself From Coronavirus

What You Might Need While Quarantined

Do You Need a Mask to Prevent Coronavirus?

Wash nonporous containers. Use dish soap on plastic, glass, and metal before putting them away. Simple rubbing with soap and water can kill the coronavirus because it tears apart the virus’s outer barrier.

Wash your hands, counter, and other surfaces you’ve touched. Do this after you’ve put away the groceries. Keep in mind that using disinfectant isn’t necessary unless you’re sharing a space with someone who is exhibiting signs of respiratory illness or has been exposed to the virus.

Wash produce with running water. There’s no data to show that washing fruits and vegetables with soap will do a better job of eliminating coronavirus—or, more to the point, that the virus is spread by consuming those foods, Rogers says. But rubbing fruits and vegetables under running water—and scrubbing those with hard skins—can help remove pesticides.

Other steps may not make much difference. For instance, buying frozen vegetables rather than fresh under the assumption that they’re packed in a more sanitary way hasn’t been backed up by evidence, Rogers says.

If You’re Getting Your Groceries Delivered

Even if a grocery store or warehouse is thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis, the delivery person needs to take the same precautions to prevent the spread of a virus to you. Among the six services in our recent review of grocery delivery-services, AmazonFresh, Amazon Prime Now, Instacart, and Shipt all employ independent contractors for deliveries. (FreshDirect and Peapod delivery personnel are company employees; Walmart, which was not part of our ratings, uses DoorDash for deliveries.)

So while those companies may highly recommend that deliverers wash their hands often, practice other hygiene measures, and stay home when they’re feeling sick, they can’t monitor whether drivers are actually taking those precautions, says Erin Hatton, an associate professor of sociology and labor scholar at the University of Buffalo. “And without paid sick leave, workers are going to try to push through as much as they can,” Hatton says.

That said, follow these steps when ordering deliveries:

Avoid a direct hand-off. Arrange to have the items delivered to your doorstep or a place nearby instead. Instacart added that option last week; other companies have places on their order forms where you can indicate special delivery instructions. FreshDirect says its drivers will no longer bring your groceries into your home.

Tip electronically. One benefit of ordering deliveries online or via an app is that you don’t have to hand the delivery person money. Opportunities to tip the delivery person are included in most of the delivery apps and online ordering systems.

Order earlier than you normally do. Though it’s not a safety issue, you may find that in the midst of higher demand, you have to wait longer than normal. FreshDirect, for instance, mentions on its home page that delivery times are filling up faster than usual. AmazonPrime Now, which chiefly delivers from Whole Foods, also mentions that “availability may be limited,” though it’s not clear whether that means delivery times are limited or items are limited, or both. (An Amazon representative did not respond to a request for comment.)

If You’re Picking Up Prepacked Groceries

The steps are basically the same for this option as for delivery. If you’ve ordered in advance and are merely having someone put the groceries in your car in the parking lot—an option at around 3,000 Walmart locations nationwide—consider opening your car door yourself rather than having the person bringing the items to your car touch the handles. And if you can tip on the supermarket’s app, do so rather than handing over cash. (Walmart’s employees aren’t permitted to take tips.)

If You’re Buying Groceries In-Store

A key way to prevent the virus’s spread is to stay 6 feet away from other people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that’s generally the distance within which people pick up coronavirus droplets through the air from a cough or sneeze. Such “social distancing” is a good strategy in any situation outside the home, Rogers suggests. Other ideas:

Go shopping at a time that’s less busy. If you type in the store’s name and location in Google search, a box often will pop up showing when foot traffic there is highest.

Take germicide with you. Use it to wipe your hands and the cart—both before and after you shop.

Use a credit or debit card. That way, you don’t have to hand over bills or receive change. Also, use your own pen to sign receipts. If you can, use a virtual payment system like Apple Pay so that you don’t have to open your wallet at all.

[lindaeckhardt]

New Post has been published on Everybody Eats News

New Post has been published on https://everybodyeatsnews.com/2020/03/top-ten-meal-delivery-services/

Top Ten Meal delivery Services

Top Ten Meal Delivery Services

If this is the wave of the future in cooking and eating,  I figured I should give you my report on the top ten services I have tried.

I honestly believe this is where meal preparation is going.  You log onto the service that interests you,  choose the meals that appeal to you,  order them and soon a big box lands on your front porch. And voila! You have about 6 meals for the coming week.

Meal kits are popular because people are willing to pay for convenience. The kits do almost all the work for you. this includes choosing the right ingredients, measuring the right amounts of those ingredients, and giving you detailed instructions on how to put them together and then cook.

I’ve discovered the meals and how they are sent to you can vary widely.  The first one I tried,  Freshly.advertises  that it is fresh meals prepared by chefs and shipped to you. I see their ads everywhere.

Each meal serves one hungry person, or two with a lighter appetite, comes in its own container and all you have to do is pass it through the microwave for three minutes and its done.  Think of it as the new millenia’s answer to TV dinners,  except instead of frozen dinners made from sketchy ingredients,  you get ready to heat and serve fresh meal which can heat up in about 3 minutes.

It’s instant joy in the dinner department.  Yes.  I loved this service.

I accidently got two week’s worth because I didn’t quite understand that you have to stop the service or it just keeps coming, week after week.  Reminded me of I Love Lucy  who couldn’t get off the assembly line at the candy factory. Eeek.

But those Freshly meals were delicious.  Ready to heat and eat at something under 10 bucks per meal.  If you think of this as five dollars per small serving,  you can see why people would order this. 

PLANS AND MENU

Each Freshly meal is one serving, for one person, at one sitting – just heat and eat.

PLANS AND MENU

Each Freshly meal is one serving, for one person, at one sitting – just heat and eat.

  It’s instant joy in the dinner department.  Yes.  I loved this service.

I accidently got two week’s worth because I didn’t quite understand that you have to stop the service or it just keeps coming, week after week.  Reminded me of I Love Lucy  who couldn’t get off the assembly line at the candy factory. Eeek.

But those Freshly meals were delicious.  Ready to heat and eat at something under 10 bucks per meal.  If you think of this as five dollars per small serving,  you can see why people would order this. 

CHICKEN LIVORNO

×

What makes this dish special

Juicy, oven-roasted chicken breast marinated in fragrant Italian herbs

Served over a thick stew featuring simmered, creamy Great Northern beans for a boost of fiber

Mixed with kale, fire-roasted tomatoes, and smoky nitrate- and nitrite-free turkey bacon

To bring out the meal’s rich, nutty flavors, our chefs recommend a sprinkling of parmesan

Ingredients

Chicken Breast

Carrots

Great Northern Beans

Kale

Tomatoes

Turkey Bacon

Show all ingredients

What’s inside

Calories410 21% DV

Carbs22g

                PLANS AND MENU

Each Freshly meal is one serving, for one person, at one sitting – just heat and eat.

Next on our menu will be the service called Dinnerly.

You want to be going from the sublime to the ridiculous,  this is it.

Tune in next week for a Dinnerly treat.

[lindaeckhardt]

New Post has been published on Everybody Eats News

New Post has been published on https://everybodyeatsnews.com/2020/03/flying-with-corona/

Flying with Corona

 Coronavirus precautions (forward from a colleague)

Dear Colleagues, as some of you may recall, when I was a professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego, I was one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses (the 1970s). I was the first to demonstrate the number of genes the virus contained. Since then, I have kept up with the coronavirus field and its multiple clinical transfers into the human population (e.g., SARS, MERS), from different animal sources. The current projections for its expansion in the US are only probable, due to continued insufficient worldwide data, but it is most likely to be widespread in the US by mid to late March and April. Here is what I have done and the precautions that I take and will take. These are the same precautions I currently use during our influenza seasons, except for the mask and gloves.: 1) NO HANDSHAKING! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc. 2) Use ONLY your knuckle to touch light switches. elevator buttons, etc.. Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove. 3) Open doors with your closed fist or hip – do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors. 4) Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts. 5) Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return home from ANY activity that involves locations where other people have been. 6) Keep a bottle of sanitizer available at each of your home’s entrances. AND in your car for use after getting gas or touching other contaminated objects when you can’t immediately wash your hands. 7) If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have to. The clothing on your elbow will contain infectious virus that can be passed on for up to a week or more! What I have stocked in preparation for the pandemic spread to the US: 1) Latex or nitrile latex disposable gloves for use when going shopping, using the gasoline pump, and all other outside activity when you come in contact with contaminated areas. Note: This virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you! BUT all the surfaces where these droplets land are infectious for about a week on average – everything that is associated with infected people will be contaminated and potentially infectious. The virus is on surfaces and you will not be infected unless your unprotected face is directly coughed or sneezed upon. This virus only has cell receptors for lung cells (it only infects your lungs) The only way for the virus to infect you is through your nose or mouth via your hands or an infected cough or sneeze onto or into your nose or mouth. 2) Stock up now with disposable surgical masks and use them to prevent you from touching your nose and/or mouth (We touch our nose/mouth 90X/day without knowing it!). This is the only way this virus can infect you – it is lung-specific. The mask will not prevent the virus in a direct sneeze from getting into your nose or mouth – it is only to keep you from touching your nose or mouth. 3) Stock up now with hand sanitizers and latex/nitrile gloves (get the appropriate sizes for your family). The hand sanitizers must be alcohol-based and greater than 60% alcohol to be effective. 4) Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY “cold-like” symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. Cold-Eeze lozenges is one brand available, but there are other brands available. I, as many others do, hope that this pandemic will be reasonably contained, BUT I personally do not think it will be. Humans have never seen this snake-associated virus before and have no internal defense against it. Tremendous worldwide efforts are being made to understand the molecular and clinical virology of this virus. Unbelievable molecular knowledge about the genomics, structure, and virulence of this virus has already been achieved. BUT, there will be NO drugs or vaccines available this year to protect us or limit the infection within us. Only symptomatic support is available. I hope these personal thoughts will be helpful during this potentially catastrophic pandemic. You are welcome to share this email. Good luck to all of us! Jim James Robb, MD

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