Healthy and Delicious Cooking

My youngest is 21, and well before her birth, our family started to make pizzas for Sunday lunches. The kids would knead the dough, smooth it to the likes of a babys' bottom, stick their finger in the dough to watch the dimple retract, and pinch a piece to eat raw. This latter action was a peculiar habit that they picked up from their paternal grandmother. The toppings were rarely the same. We used left-overs, a variety of vegetables, several different sauces, meats and fish. Bits and pieces of left-over cheeses were incorporated, as well. Our creativity had no bounds. The crust was always thin, a mixture of unbleached, whole wheat and semolina flours. Many kids and friends, who shared in our Sunday afternoons, went on to persue their own pizza creations. One such Sunday, a few weeks ago, Jennifer, soon to marry into our ever growing family, arrived in pursuit of a pizza lesson. She scribbled, kneaded and baked, as we clicked our camera to record the beginning of another Pizza...

I am continually appalled at the amount of food we throw away in the average American household. My eternal quest to utilize over-ripe fruit and vegetables have led me to some tasty creations. Puree vegetables and fruits to serve with grilled meats, or stir into soups and sauces, or use in baking  to reduce the fat and sugar content in a recipe. If your fruits are going south throw them in the freezer and use them to make dairy and non-dairy smoothies. There is no excuse for wasting food! Now fruit cake is not beloved by many, so when our family fruit cake, namely my daughter Sarina, concocted this delicious treat, using over-ripe pears, bananas and berries, the Fruit Bread (not cake) was born. The blended, frozen fruit produced the moistest of  loaves. Sarina tested her creation on the next door kids, as well as us grown-ups, and the sighs and smiles of contentment said it all. Sarina, you took the term "Waste not, want not", to a brand new level. RECIPE 1 Loaf 1 cup...

My daughter Sarina loves to experiment with food. Salty with sweet, sour with spicy, and every other combination you could possibly imagine. This can be a hit or miss proposition, but this was an amazing hit. A thin smear of creme fraiche on toast, 2-3 anchovies, slices of avocado, and a squeeze of lemon; heaven. For those anchovy-haters, smoked salmon is also delicious, but not quite so dramatic. Both anchovies and avocados are high in protein, lower cholesterol levels, promote heart health, and are rich in omega fatty acids. I believe that eating healthy is an admirable goal. However, when it's decadently, sinfully delicious as well, you have hit the jack pot! Thanks Sarina. RECIPE Serves 2 for a light meal Serves 4 for a snack 4 slices of whole grain bread creme fraiche or sour cream 8 anchovies 2 ripe avocados juice from 1/2 a lemon pepper to taste (optional) Toast the bread and spread a thin layer of the creme fraiche. Lay 2 anchovies on each toast. Slice hal...

For those of you who have checked in on this blog, in the month of December, I truly apologize for my negligence. The holidays brings on so much activity that, though I had lots of anecdotes and recipes to share, getting to the computer proved to be  a little difficult. So forgive me, and perhaps we can share the season, together, in the quiet, hibernating month of January, as we welcome in the New Year. Happy 2013. My Mother-In-Law, Jody Marcia  Strohl, has been making this bread every year during the Christmas season since the year of my husbands birth. Suffice it to say that that was a very, very long time ago. Michael has continued the tradition. He bakes several mini-loaves, and shares them with family and friends along with a bottle of cheer. It can be toasted and topped with cream cheese or a slice of cheddar, but I enjoy it simply on its own. My Mother serves it at tea time, and my children nibble on it while emptying their stocking on Christmas morning (yes, they s...