Best and Worst Halloween Snacks for Kids

Halloween is just around the corner.  I found this Reader's Digest article on what Halloween snacks are healthy for kids.  Thought I would publish it here since so many parents today are concerned aobout what their children are putting into thier bodies.  There are some great tips here,

By Chandni Jhunjhunwala

Healthy Treats

What may be the most frightening to you at Halloween is not ghosts or goblins but the thought of what all that candy can do to your kids' health and teeth. Here are some ideas for healthy treats, and recommendations for ones to avoid.

"Everything in moderation," says Connie Evers, registered dietitian and author of How to Teach Nutrition to Kids. "I tell parents to cut down on the amount of candy they hand out. In America we tend to do everything in excess and kids will go to a house and get a huge handful."

Think beyond candy: Trick-or-treating coupons from places like Dunkin' Donuts are always a hit with kids and they give parents control over what their kids eat. "I know a dentist who gives out floss or toothbrushes," says Evers. "And there's a new product, Oral Brush-Ups, which middle school kids love."

Even better, throw a party instead of sending your kids trick-or-treating. "You can have a variety of healthy snacks like mini sandwiches, nachos, and pizzas, so it's not all sugar and candy," says Evers.

Put aside your fears about being the not-so-cool parents on the block and try passing out some of these healthier treats:

• Sugarless gum
• Corn nuts, peanuts, or trail mix
• Small individual bags of pretzels or popcorn
• Packages of sugar-free cocoa
• Individual bags of roasted pumpkin seeds
• Pre-packed cheese and crackers
  

  Worst Treats

  Try to avoid or limit these unhealthy snacks:
• Sticky treats like gummy candies, jelly beans, raisins and caramels are bad for dental health.
  
  
• Full-sized candy bars. Some chocolate bars contain high amounts of saturated fat. The worst offenders are Mounds (11 grams of saturated fat in a two-ounce bar), Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar (nine grams in 1.5 ounces) and Almond Joy (eight grams in 1.7 ounces).
  
  
• Chips Ahoy!, Oreos, Hostess HOHOs and other snack cakes, Keebler Club & Cheddar Sandwich Crackers, and Starburst Fruit Chews were all voted the worst vending machine snacks for kids by Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Don't forget to give your kids a nutritious meal before they go trick-or-treating. This will prevent sugar highs and nasty upset tummies!

Steamed Shrimp as a Main Dish

Usually steamed shrimp means peeling fresh cooked shrimp and dipping it in a tomato-like chili sauce.  This week, however, I decided to try something new from shrimp I had deliberately steamed in my own blend of spices.  So rather than having regular shrimp cocktail, I threw the steamed shrimp into a main dish. Generally, you would let the raw shrimp cook in the dish, however, I had already cooked them.

Always on a quest for new recipes, I search for new ones; yet end up many times having a "taste" for something familiar.  Like, curry, for example.  Curry has such a sweet and warm taste.  I suppose I feel like it is one of my comfort ingredients.  Adding curry to a fish stew or to chicken satisfies that craving.  Especially in the cooler months.

Shrimp curry is a favorite.  Several years ago, an Indian friend from Delhi turned me onto garam masala, a flavorful and fragrant blend of spices.  She used it in her curries.  I bought some and have been a fan ever since.

Here's my variation on her recipe, so it is not strictly South Asian or Indian. Serves about 2 or 3

• 3 Tbs canola or olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1Tbs curry powder
• 1 Tbs ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (optional)
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1cup water or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp salt (adjust if using broth)
• 1 lb large steamed shrimp

Directions

1. Heat the oil in large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions; cook; stirring until soft. Add minced garlic and cook until soft about a minute. Reduce heat and mix in the next six ingredients. Cook and stir until well blended.
2. Add water or broth. Season with salt if needed. Cook on low for about  3 minutes.  Add shrimp and cook about 3 more minutes until everything is warm and flavors are blended. Taste and adjust salt and red pepper flakes if necessary. Stir and remove from the heat. Serve over rice.

What Makes a Good Glass of Wine?

There are so many varieties and flavors of wines.  I love wine.  Sometimes it's a white I prefer. Often, it's a red I want.  Other times, I want something bubbly and sparkly.  So what makes a good glass of wine?

How does it taste?  That's pretty much my personal criteria.    Do I feel like a Pinot Noir even though I'm cooking fish?  Is the Italian sparkling Prosecco more to my taste when I am eating a steak?  I have found that some reds really are too intense or heavy for fish or shellfish and that some whites are perfect for meats.

Cork or no cork?  Initially, I had the wrong idea. Now, after trying several, that does not deter me from trying a wine for taste.  Yes, I feel happy when I don't have to grapple with a corkscrew, especially if I am somewhere without my easy to use gizmo.  However, I have found some really good wines in screw-cap bottles.  Like anything else, you just have to experiment to see what you like.

Even with a good corkscrew stuff happens.  There is nothing less fun than having the cork break and leave little bits cork floating in your wine.  When that happens, I just push the cork down into the bottle and strain the wine into a glass or pour the whole thing into a decanter.  Hardly the professional way, I am sure.

In any case, I try different kinds of wines.  At times, I also let my budget determine what I am going to drink or cook with.  So I have had anything from 3 buck chuck to something a lot more expensive. 

One rule I stick to is that if the wine is not fit to drink, like so-called "cooking wine" you can buy in the grocery store, I do not cook with it.. Not only that, if I by a high-quality pricey wine; I would rather drink it than cook with it.

The main point is that you are the one who determines what makes a good glass of wine.  Don't be afraid to try the different varieties out.  Do not be governed only by price.  That does not always work.  Also, what may taste good to someone else may not be to your liking.  That is alright.  Get your own style and have confidence in what you decide.

What are Clone Restaurant Recipes?

Ever wonder what clone restaurant recipes are and whether they are really as good as the real thing?  As a personal chef I have.  They are supposed to be an exact duplicate or copy of the dishes you order from your favorite restaurant. My conclusion is that some are like the creations they represent and some are not.

Many home cooks replicate clone restaurant recipes in their own kitchens.  They are able to make the food taste like the real thing.  There are secret recipe cookbooks that are written by personal chefs or commercial cooks who have researched and tested various methods to come up with their own versions of dishes from famous eateries.

I, myself wondered about recipe secrets, so I invested in a couple of cookbooks that contain clone restaurant recipes from some of America's most popular establishments.  For the most part, they are simple and easy to make in your own kitchen.  Others are more complicated for new home cooks and take a great deal of time to prepare.

Even for more established cooks and personal chefs, demystifying these copycat recipe secrets can be a challenge.  However, there is great joy in having prepared a menu that includes a clone restaurant recipe that tastes like you would expect when you order it.

Do you have some favorite restaurant dishes you wish you could have without going out?  Maybe it is the Tequila Lime Chicken from Applebee's or the Olive Garden Sangria or T.G.I. Friday's Mocha Mud Pie.  Ready to try your own clone restaurant recipes at home?  Click the image below and order the Secret Restaurant Recipe cookbooks now.

Local Farmer's Market Season is Coming

The season of fresh fruits and produce from local farmer's market is just about here.  It is great to be able to sample foods all during the year from faraway places, however, there is nothing like takting  foods that were grown in the morning and on your table in the evening or afternoon.

Every time I go, the sights and smells of fragrant fruits and brightly colored vegetables: green, purple, yellow and red; always make me want to cook something.  The rich array of farmers and their wares make for an exciting trip to the various markets in our area.  Just deciding what to buy and prepare is an adventure.

In fact, I have to keep myself from buying too much, although it does not seem to have prevented me from finding something good to cook even if I overindulge in my purchases.  Nothing is wasted.

It is also the time when local bakers and home pastry chefs bring out their best offerings.  I have sampled some fabulous pot pies, fresh apple tarts and bread puddings.  Yes, farmer's market season is one to look forward to.  If you are like me, you can hardly wait.  And, if you live in Maryland, like me, the offerings are limitless.

Deep Dish Pizza Pie Crust and the Unique Taste of Anchovies

If you are anything like me, there are many foods that you will cook or prepare and others you will steer clear of.  For me as an example: Deep dish pizza pie crust.  I love deep dish pizza especially with the unique taste of anchovies; I just don't make it.  Why? you  may ask.  Because the crust is made with yeast.

Now, I grant you that breads and pizza doughs are delicious when they are made with yeast.  Homemade yeast rolls are heavenly.  However, cooking with yeast is not popular with me.  Something always seems to go wrong.

And, yet, I make deep dish pizza pie with a yeast crust and it is fresh!  It does not come out of a box.  I get it from the refrigerated section of my favorite store.  I roll out the dough to which the yeast has already been added and add my favorite toppings--fresh mozzarella, plum tomatoes, Italian seasonings, garlic, basil, onions and my very favorite topping; anchovies.

And, speaking of anchovies: they are not just for deep dish pizza; they go with many foods.  Pasta, many kinds of salads, (the most popular of these is the Caesar), dressings, spreads for meat and even in potato salad; all of these benefit from the unique taste of anchovies.

So, I don't know about you, you may like to cook with yeast.  If not, look in your neighborhood or town that has refrigerated ready made deep dish pizza pie crust.  I have even heard more than one chef talk of going to a pizza parlor and buying dough.  I have not done that yet.  Adding the unique taste of anchovies will give you an unexpected treat!

Small Kitchen Big Taste

For 25 years, I lived in a one bedroom condominium in Washington, DC.  I truly loved living in the city even though I grew up in the small Naval Academy town of Annapolis, Maryland.  I had always dreamed of being able to cook in a large kitchen.  My condo kitchen was not like that; it was tiny.  Not only was there was no room for a table, I couldn't even get a chair in it.

The place was so small that I had to store my pans and cookware on the tops of the cabinets and inside the oven.  The cooking area was less than minimal.  By the time I put a microwave and a toaster on the counter, there was no room to slice and dice vegetables or anything else.    None of that ever stopped me from making some great meals, though.  I made it work.  From my small railroad-car sized kitchen, I was able to create some big tastes: dare I say, masterpieces.

I always had to be careful when cooking anything that had the least amount of steam or smoke, because the smoke alarm would go off at the drop of a hat.  Funny thing, I think I may have changed that alarm battery one time in all those 25 years.  It always went off.  I had to run around looking for a newspaper or a magazine or anything to wave directly under the alarm to get it to stop making that horrendous loud noise.  I always imagined the neighbors running to call the fire department, however, no one ever did, thank goodness.

The whole experience was an exercise in getting big taste out of a small kitchen.  My friends always thought it was an astounding feat that sI could cook just about anything in that space.  Yes. I must say that some amazing meals came out of that miniature caboose.