Healthy and Delicious Cooking

A wonderful way to warm oneself during those miserably cold winter nights was a spicy bowl of Thai Red Curry with Pork and Eggplant ladled over nutty brown rice. One of my fondest memories is eating my way through Thailand, and though the cooks that fed me ground their delectable curries with fresh spices and herbs, I thank God for those sweet little tins of ready-made curry pastes, especially on week nights. Stir them into a little soy sauce and ground chilies, along with the protein of your choice and  the foundation of your stew is ready. Simmer for an hour or two, add your vegetables, and  continue cooking until they are cooked through. If using left-over roost meats it make preparing the meal even simpler. and much faster. Finish with s small amount of coconut milk and cilantro and you are ready to enjoy. My Pork and Eggplant Curry has the creaminess and heat to shake the frost, make your taste buds rejoice, and gently warm your body and soul. This curry...

My daughter Sarina spent 3 months in Israel in 2011 with an organization call WOOF, whereby she lived and worked on farms and had to take turns preparing meals for the farm workers (and herself). Quite a challenge but she learned a great deal and one of the dishes, which she considered an Israeli staple, was Shakshuka. With farm fresh eggs and the luscious, just-picked tomatoes on the vine she would prepare this beautiful, delicious and healthy meal.  For Sunday brunch she put her culinary talents to work and created Shakshuka for her Dad and me. (Just saying the name makes one happy). She served it on a bed of grains (we had millet), accompanied with a salad of cucumbers and red onions, and Labneh or thick yoghurt on the side. You could have warm pita bread, as they did on the farm. Whatever you choose, and wherever your surroundings may be, you will enjoy a wonderful meal.  RECIPE SERVES 4 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons tomato paste (Israelis use Harissa) 2 ...

Our daughters boyfriend, Liam Harley, had a project whereby a meal is prepared in memory of a person or a meaningful time in ones life. My husband, Michael, was requested to participate, and chose to commemorate his grandmother, Thelma Ruth Patrick, known to the great-grandchildren as Grandma Ruth. I was the happy guest along with my friends Nina Chacko and Bob Nowak, to be invited to devour and enjoy the  feast. And what a feast it was. We started with a delicious Shrimp Dip, followed by "Chicken Legs"**, Twice Baked Potatoes and Pressure Cooker Green Beans. Dessert was lovingly prepared by our daughter, Layla. She is the only one in our family who has mastered the art of Grandmas' amazing Apple Pie, always served with a wedge of Cheddar Cheese. We told stories of our grandmothers, and recalled memories of our childhood, reliving many forgotten times. Thank you Liam and Michael, for a very special night, one that will not be forgotten. ** GRANDMAS' CHICKEN LEGS ...

 For Christmas my brother, Vijay, gave my husband the Charcuterie cookbook by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn.  Michael decided to work through the book from start to finish. His first attempt at Home Smoked Bacon was fantastic. It took a week for the pork belly to dry out and a few hours to slow roast, and it was well worth the wait. I love bacon, and what I love most about these salty, smoky, crispy morsels, is that you can use a very small amount to achieve enormous  flavor. 4 ounces crisped up in a cast-iron pan, are ample for a flavor-packed meal serving 4-6 people. I sauté it with broccoli rabe and either add it to pasta or cannellini beans, or just enjoy it on it own, with a side of grains. Add a couple of ounces of bacon to your basic tomato sauce for a rich smoky flavor. Bacon is a great way for us carnivores to increase our grains and vegetables, reduce our  meat intake, and still feel very satisfied. Lots of recipes tell you to blanch the ...

As an impoverished college student, I had a tiny studio in the West Village with my soon-to-be husband, and could barely make ends meet. Our "go-to" meal, when friends and family popped in, consisted of eggplant sauteed in a bottled Chili/Garlic sauce. When served with rice, it filled us up as cheaply as possible, and left all contented. Today Sauteed Eggplant in Garlic Sauce continues to comfort and satisfy my soul. I still use a small amount of bottled sauce, but all the other ingredients are fresh, healthful and delicious. The recipe is easy, and can be prepared as quickly as ordering from your local Chinese Take-Out. I serve it with a bowl of brown rice, reminisce on those happy days of deprivation, and enjoy a nourishing, vegetarian feast. RECIPE Serves 2 2 Chinese eggplants, cut in 2" finger lengths 2 tablespoons garlic, minced 2 tablespoons ginger minced 2 scallion, sliced 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 tablespoon hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons garlic/chili sauce...

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...

Mmmmmmmmm. . . It's that time of year. The colors of gold, orange, red and yellow glow against the bluest of skies, and the stove beckons with the promise of simmering stews and hearty soups. I love the Fall. Many bemoan the coming of winter, the early nights, and the shortage of sunlight, but not me. Fall feels like a blanket of warmth accompanied by a crisp breeze coaxing people to gather in their homes and enjoy the bounty of the orchards and the fields. It is time to harvest, prepare meals and share in the candlelight. My beef bourguignon has carrots, mushrooms, radishes, celery, and any root vegetable that you care to throw in with the beef and red wine. It simmers in a low oven for 3 hours. The aromas build and fill the house and by the time we eat we are crazed with anticipation. I serve it with a puree of celeriac. Now that is how to enjoy Falls bounty. RECIPE 4 servings 1 lb. beef, cut int 1" cubes 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 onion sliced 3...