http://http://www.kentucky.com/food/index.xml News, sports, and entertainment from Kentucky.com en-us Copyright 2009 Kentucky.com Food 60 Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:27:33 EST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's Workbench interactive-ops@herald-leader.com http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1016206.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1016206.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:59 EST
If the host or hostess doesn't serve the family's favorite green bean casserole, Aunt Betty's sweet potato casserole or grandma's five-cup salad, there could be some holiday discontent.

Many cooks wouldn't dare stray far from the usual fare, but what if you wanted to try something a little different this year? Are you brave enough to put Food Network star Alton Brown's green bean casserole on the table? What about a stuffing with goldenberries?

If you yearn to show off your culinary skills but don't want to offend your guests, why not do both? Tweak some of those favorite dishes by recharging them with some fresh new ingredients.

A stuffing made with goldenberries would be a nice surprise. The exotic raisin of the Amazon is a sweet-and-sour delicacy and incredibly rich in vitamin A, according to the producer, Kopali Organics. Goldenberries are available at Whole Foods for $3.99.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1016208.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1016208.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:28 EST
Honey corn muffins

11/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

11/2 teaspoons baking powder]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1016207.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1016207.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:59 EST
Not your mama's green bean casserole

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1006438.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1006438.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:39 EST
These days, it takes contributions from almost the entire guest list to produce the fabulous meal that everyone expects. Grandma might have all the recipes and skills, but most likely she's tired of doing it year after year. Now it's time for the young folks to step up and take the reins.

Barbara Harper-Bach of Lexington has created a recipe booklet that contains everything you need to know to prepare a great Thanksgiving meal.

"I'm at the age where I'm ready to pass the buck," Harper-Bach said.

Three years ago, she compiled Thanksgiving recipes and cooking tips for her daughter and daughter-in-law. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1006444.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1006444.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:25 EST
Fresh turkeys have superior flavor and texture, but a frozen turkey is fine. Make sure you leave enough time and room to thaw it in the refrigerator. It takes about 24 hours for every 5 pounds. That's at least 21/2 days for a 12-pounder. If you start to cut it close on time, submerge the frozen turkey in cold water in the sink, and change the water frequently. It will take about 30 minutes a pound.

To prepare the turkey for roasting, take it out of the plastic bag. Remove the neck and giblets (the heart, liver and gizzard) from the neck and body cavities. Use the neck, heart and gizzard for homemade turkey stock. Rinse the turkey thoroughly with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. If a metal clip secures the drumsticks, you won't have to tie them with cotton kitchen twine.

The roasting rack is essential to keep the turkey from sticking to the bottom of the pan. A relatively deep (2 to 3 inches) roasting pan is important so you can make gravy without splashing over the edge. Disposable aluminum pans are so high-sided that they inhibit browning of the skin. Plus, they're flimsy and can be dangerous if overloaded with a heavy, hot turkey.

The milk solids in butter help brown the skin, and the butter enhances the flavor of the drippings, so it's better than vegetable oil for rubbing on the skin.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1006442.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1006442.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:23 EST
I was thinking how crazy it is to spend so much money on a party. Last year after Halloween, I bought lots of pirate costumes, fake gold treasures, fake parrots and fake swords for my nephew's birthday party in February. My brother-in-law made treasure maps, and the kids hunted for buried treasure. They had a blast. I got the costumes and treasures for 90 percent off at Kmart. After-holiday sales, and a little imagination, can make for a great party.

Other ways to save

Host a house party and you'll receive free items, sneak previews of TV shows and other offers. Many varieties of parties exist.

Classic children's books like The Cat in the Hat come to life. Kids can log on for free, play games and engage in challenging activities.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1006443.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/1006443.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:39 EST
1 fresh or thawed frozen whole turkey (10 to 12 pounds)

1 stalk celery, cut into large pieces

2 dried bay leaves

2 medium carrots, cut into large pieces]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/997801.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/997801.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:37 EDT
In short: The meal never justified the inevitable parking hell it entailed.

But its new home near Nicholasville Road and Man o' War Boulevard seems to have brought new energy and commitment. You are now treated graciously, and although Mai Thai, like all of Lexington's Thai restaurants, does not take any culinary risks that might scare tentative diners (making its menu resemble most others), what it does do, it does much better than before.

Begin with a snack of Mai Thai rolls ($5 and $5.50 at lunch and dinner, respectively). The contrast of tender noodles and savory pork, stuffed in crisp, deep-fried dough, is a terrific starter. Traditional spring rolls small wraps of omelette, sausage and cucumber are lighter but uninteresting by comparison.

Next, share a hot pot, flaming chimney included, of shrimp tom yum ($12), Thailand's bright version of hot and sour soup. The chili spice emerges but never overwhelms. Kaffir lime and lemongrass contribute lively citrus, and the bonding of aromatics onions, scallions and galangal (mild, softly perfumed gingerroot) creates a brew both complex and delicious. Plenty of mushrooms and shrimp make it hearty without being filling.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/996966.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/996966.html Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:43 EDT
Fancy giant apples are dipped in premium dark and white chocolate, garnished with nuts or candies, and drizzled with tinted white chocolate and sold for $5 or more each these days.

But it's time to bring the caramel apple back to reality.

Susie Boyd and the folks at Boyd Orchards in Woodford County serve a basic caramel apple during their fall festivals. So does Cindy Peake at Bramble Ridge Orchard in Montgomery County.

But when Peake has time, she'll jazz up the apple with two coats of caramel and chocolate, and nuts. She makes a specialty caramel apple that she calls the apple toe. It's wedges of fresh apple topped with caramel sauce, covered with pastry and deep-fried. "It's quite tasty," she said.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/996954.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/996954.html Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:22 EDT
Don't even think of tossing it. Pumpkin seeds are a great healthy snack and a delicious addition to salads, granola or trail mix.

"I look at pumpkin seeds like popcorn. They can be spiced and seasoned so many different ways," says Lucinda Scala Quinn, executive editorial director of food at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. "And spicy pumpkin seeds are perfect for munching."

But before you can munch, the seeds need to be cleaned.

Traditionally, you separate the seeds from the fibrous strands and clean them with water before roasting. One way is to scoop the whole mess into a colander and run it under cool water. The seeds and fibers will separate if you swish them with your hands.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/987697.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/987697.html Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:41 EDT
"From drab to fab" is Cowie's motto for fall. The New York-based wedding and event planner, interior designer, author and TV personality says you can still make "chic, elegant and tasty" dishes for parties without resorting to expensive or unhealthful ingredients.

Experiment with pastas made of whole-wheat or durum wheat flour. He suggests grilling zucchini and corn and combining them with fusilli pasta. "It's comfort food without the guilt," he says.

Use frozen foods to advantage. A whole-wheat pizza topped with cheese can take on a fresh look if baked with fresh chopped tomatoes, mozzarella and jalape o peppers on top. Or make a "salad" pizza by topping that cheese pie with arugula and sliced prosciutto.

Don't forget soup. Spike a commercially prepared frozen soup with a little white wine and chicken stock. Have a tray of condiments so guests can tailor their soup to their taste. Cowie suggests offering yogurt, chopped chives or green onions, sliced jalape os, chopped tomatoes or diced bacon on the side to create a "soup buffet." "How you serve it makes a difference," he says. Cowie likes to pour the hot soup at the table into bowls already garnished with a complementary ingredient, such as a crab cake for pea soup. "It's a way to bring a little drama to the table," he says. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/987046.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/987046.html Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:13 EDT
Ways to save

Earn free minutes when you shop at Kroger. Link your shopper's card to your i-wireless account, and every time you spend $100 in the store, you'll get 20 free minutes of airtime added to your i-wireless phone.

Beginning Jan. 1, when you sign up to volunteer for a day of service with a participating organization (and your service is completed and verified) you'll get one day's admission to a Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme park.

A list of free and cheap stuff to do at Walt Disney World.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/981912.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/981912.html Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:38 EDT
Thursday

My first stop was Corbett's (5050 Norton Healthcare Boulevard, (502) 327-5058, www.corbettsrestaurant.com) for lunch. In the historical 1850 Von Allmen Mansion, it is visually stunning, outside (surrounded by century-old maple and magnolia trees) and inside (leather banquettes, 14-foot ceilings and a sweeping staircase).

Chef Dean Corbett is passionate about showcasing local produce, and he uses a Kentucky cheddar in his shrimp and grits, local blackberry jelly in his foie gras, and Kentucky Bibb lettuce in his artichoke salad. Try the bourbon-brined pork loin with sweet potato pur e or lamb with a savory wild mushroom and blue cheese bread pudding.

I didn't think I could handle dinner, but that was before my friend told me we were going to Asiatique (1767 Bardstown Road, (502) 451-2749, www.asiatiquerestaurant.com).]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/968610.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/968610.html Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:14 EDT
When it comes to food, some products are obvious, such as our own Limestone Bibb lettuce, and of course, bourbon. Others, however, occupy more specific niches.

One such niche is coffee, and for that, the Bluegrass's own artisan is Mark Newberry, coffee roaster extraordinaire proprietor of the new CaffeMarco in downtown Paris. His product is fair trade, organic, handcrafted and utterly delicious. It is hard to believe that, with such high quality, he has been at this career for only a short time.

A Cincinnati native, Newberry spent 35 years in California, most of them in San Francisco, and a majority of those in publishing. In the early 1990s, that trajectory changed.

"I moved to a town in an agricultural valley two hours north of San Francisco," he says. "Since wine grapes were the cash crop in Mendocino — second only to pot — I applied my marketing skills from the publishing biz and started selling fine wines, eventually opening a wine brokerage that specialized in small family wineries in Mendocino, gaining placements for them in restaurants and at retailers."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/968801.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/968801.html Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:03 EDT
We're taking an express route by using bagged spinach and a pre-baked crust, and we're letting the chopped walnuts provide the protein (with crunch to boot). Because the herb blend will deliver zippy flavor, we're using a low-fat cheese to reduce the calories and fat.

Instead of an Italian herb blend, we took a French route with herbes de Provence, a delightful mixture that includes dried lavender. This seasoning mix is sold in the spice aisle of many supermarkets, but it's not hard to make a blend yourself (see recipe).

Swapping herb mixtures creates distinctive flavors in any number of dishes.

If you have time, use an unbaked pizza crust and follow its directions (they're sold in specialty stores and sometimes even at pizzerias), or use your own homemade version. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/968797.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/968797.html Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:04 EDT
Stock the pantry with instant couscous, a low-fat source of complex carbohydrates that is faster to prepare than most types of rice. You can find an array of flavors thanks to the addition of garlic, herbs, curry, Parmesan or pine nuts.

The starch of choice across North Africa, couscous is often referred to as a grain, but it's a fluffy semolina (think pasta).

Moroccan cooks typically use saffron to flavor couscous dishes, but this recipe creates warm fall flavors by using pumpkin pie spice, chili powder and cumin.

We used a 5.8-ounce box of Near East brand roasted garlic and olive oil couscous. The brand you choose might affect the nutritional analysis, so check the label. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/968795.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/968795.html Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:05 EDT
Polenta, made from cornmeal, isn't far removed from the corn tortillas and chips that partner so nicely with the Mexican flavors used to season the pulled pork.

To keep this dish convenient, the soft polenta is made from a prepared variety sold in tubes. Chopped and simmered with milk, this polenta quickly softens. Alternatively, you could skip the simmering step and instead oil and grill slices of the polenta.

The pork is seasoned with bottled barbecue sauce and drained salsa. If you want to infuse even more flavor, consider adding bay leaves, fennel seeds, garlic cloves and whole black peppercorns to the cooking water.

Recipe]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/962860.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/962860.html Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:06 EDT
"We're stuffed," said Becki Owens. "If you couldn't find a beer cheese you liked, there isn't one for you."

The event, sponsored by Kentucky Proud and held at the Lexington Convention Center, also featured two shows by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who used several Kentucky products to make ribs, a lobster dish and apple shortcake.

But he seemed a little confused when the audience laughed as he held up a jar of Jif peanut butter, which he used to doctor the barbecue sauce for the ribs.

After a woman explained that the laughter was because Jif is made in Lexington, Flay grinned. "It's a good thing I picked Jif," he said. "I didn't know it."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/939073.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/939073.html Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:12 EDT
What now?

Several chefs have an answer: Take the squash deliciously upscale. Put it in Thai curries, elegant salads and basil-flecked gratins.

At Bistro Elan in Palo Alto, Calif., Ambjorn Lindskog bakes thinly sliced green and yellow squashes in a ring mold, mixing in a little Gruyere and a dab of pesto or salsa verde for added flavor. Sprinkle in fresh herbs or bread crumbs, tossed in browned, melted butter. Just don't overpower the zucchini, he says, "You want it to be a zucchini, not something else."

Zucchini also makes a marvelous base for salads. Lindskog saut s paper-thin slices with garlic, then mixes them with corn kernels and fresh fava or cranberry beans. Dress the mixture with shallots, olive oil and lemon juice, and serve it at room temperature, perhaps with a little pancetta. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/939068.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/939068.html Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:12 EDT
He had just finished some outdoor work around the house, and he wanted a beer to cool down his world. He was too hot to face the challenge of a full-flavored (and pricey) craft beer. He was wary, however, of a domestic macrobrewed lager such as the Miller Lite in the fridge because it would be, well, bad.

He chose the macrobrew and rediscovered, two gulps in, that it was as flavorful as sucking the sweat from his shirt. He poured the rest down the drain.

Sad.

So what to do if you want a cheap beer with some flavor? ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/939075.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/939075.html Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:53 EDT
End of summer is the right time to stand up for all that is right with homemade potato salad.

Now I can't take credit for starting the no-more-yellow-muck movement, but I warmly embrace humorist Garrison Keillor's cause du jour. And let me second the notion that the condition of this nation's potato salad is absolutely no laughing matter.

OK, I did laugh myself silly reading Keillor's essay to a co-worker. (You can read it at www.salon.com.) It's just gross to bring "eerie-yellow store-bought stuff in tubs" and present them like some sort of prize at the family picnic.

If you're going to plunk down plastic buckets bought at a convenience store (with the price stickers still on, no less!), you'd better make up some pretty darn good excuses. You can start with "My dog ate the recipe," but they should get better and end with at least one grievous injury to your mixing hand or your texting thumb. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/927903.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/927903.html Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:19 EDT
Even those who don't cook that often prefer a kitchen that has lots of cabinets and counter space and is big, open and multifunctional.

Sure, you can drool over kitchens on any HGTV decorating and remodeling show, but there's nothing like being in a real kitchen to get ideas for making our own space even more hospitable.

That's easy to do on Saturday and Sunday during the Kitchens of the Bluegrass Tour 2009, sponsored by Child Development Centers of the Bluegrass.

Diane James' kitchen is one of 11 on the tour. It was remodeled two years ago when she bought a house on Mentelle Park that was built in 1916. James removed walls in the house to turn a small kitchen, pantry and dining room into a large, open living area. The kitchen was designed to suit the house's style and the owner's personality. It's spacious and functional, without frou-frou.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/920445.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/920445.html Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:53 EDT
This silky buttermilk pie with blueberries has a creamy, golden custard that's made with fat-free sweetened condensed milk for cream-like smoothness and nonfat buttermilk, which lends its slightly thickened texture and a rich, tangy dairy flavor.

A blend of whole eggs and egg whites give the custard its firmness.

recipe

Silky buttermilk pie with blueberries]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/920435.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/920435.html Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:14 EDT
You could just slap some ground beef on the grill. But why go that route when some prominent chefs have elevated the lowly burger to new and gourmet heights?

Replace those seeded super market buns with artisan breads, and in addition to humble ground chuck, try rock shrimp, chicken and lamb. As for condiments, try cilantro-laced pestos, mango salsas and a Greek-style tzatziki. Best of all, you can find the chefs' secrets in some of the summer's hottest cookbooks.

Hubert Keller's culinary reputation was made at San Francisco's renowned Fleur de Lys. But it's his inventive Burger Bar at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay and, this fall, Macy's Union Square in San Francisco that raised the bar for barbecue. And his new book, Burger Bar , offers ideas ranging from Brazilian rock shrimp burgers to ostrich, buffalo and pesto-laced beef. He's even got a recipe for s'mores burgers sweet, not savory.

But it's his mixture of wild creativity and down-to-earth practicality that will endear him to home cooks. Stick bamboo skewers through your about-to-be-grilled onion slices, he says, and you'll never lose a Vidalia to the coals again. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/886726.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/886726.html Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:25 EDT
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?

And, what should you pack in their lunches?

Trying to keep children from getting bored with their home-made lunches can be a challenge. Some moms and dads make it easy on themselves by buying packaged lunches. But most foods marketed for the lunch box are highly processed and might contain trans fat, high-fructose corn syrup and a host of preservatives.

Good Medicine, a publication from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, lists the five worst packaged kids meals in its summer edition. Dietitians from The Cancer Project, an affiliate of the physicians' group, analyzed almost 60 packaged lunch box meals offered by major companies. Lunchables' Maxed Out Cracker Stackers Combo Ham and Cheddar topped the list with 22 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol and 1,600 milligrams of sodium more salt than younger children should consume in a day.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/886723.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/886723.html Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:11 EDT
In the biographical movie Julie Julia , which opens Friday nationwide, Meryl Streep channels America's first celebrity chef.

As the movie opens, chefs and food magazine editors remember the real Child's vast contributions to American home cooking a scholarly yet accessible approach to recipes, an enthusiasm for efficiency and, above all, a spirited sense of fun.

At the most basic level, Child introduced home cooks to their stoves, knives, pots and pans, said chef Jacques Pepin, Child's longtime friend and collaborator.

"We're in a country where we have to cook very, very fast with the microwave or very, very slow with Crock Pot cooking. Then you have the regular stove that's lost in the middle," he said.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/886163.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/886163.html Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:43 EDT
The windows across the front will be removed and replaced with four large glass doors, each 91/2 feet tall and 31/2 feet wide.

The board also approved a patio that will be constructed over the first-floor roof to allow for outdoor dining.

The stone arches over the front windows look original to the building, said Debbie Long, Dudley's owner. But the present fa ade with the arches and faux stucco was done "probably in the 1970s. Those arches are from Joy Ley Antiques in Louisville."

"So we are bringing it back to the same look it had when it was built," she said.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/857497.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/857497.html Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:39 EDT
At parties, we filled our red plastic cups to the brim with Bud or Miller Lite or Icehouse from the keg tap. If the beer came in a bottle or can, we drank it that way.

No need for foam, we always said.

Man, were we dumb.

Beer experts, fans and brewers know better. Foam, or head as it's called, is important, even necessary. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/795607.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/795607.html Thu, 14 May 2009 11:10 EDT
www.chow.com : Part blog, part recipe collection and part food newspaper if you will; I just like it. You can look for restaurant recommendations, watch cooking videos and generally entertain yourself for hours. Chow offers information on a wide variety of topics, from becoming more green to mastering the mojito. It's all good.

www.cookiesfromitaly.com : This is a newsletter that comes to me regularly by e-mail. There are wonderful simple regional Italian recipes as well as mail-order Italian products. I especially like that the recipes are very authentic.

http://vegweb.com : This is a good all around vegetarian site that offers recipes and the potential to build your own vegetarian community. There's a bunch of information for vegans as well. You can connect with others and share recipes.

www.ethnicgrocer.com : This site sells ingredients from around the globe. Shop by country or ingredient. It even helps you set up an ethnic pantry featuring the flavors of more than a dozen countries. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/795606.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/795606.html Thu, 14 May 2009 11:20 EDT
My taste buds felt treated, but I spent too much money and way too many fat grams on that chocolate concoction.

I craved a healthier version of this dessert that I could bake at home to save calories and cash.

So I started tinkering with a recipe I created several years ago to amp up the chocolate and tone down the fat. If you're a calorie- conscious chocolate addict like I am, you know that portion control is key. That's why I decided to make cookies instead of brownies. Even a slimmed-down brownie can have more than 175 calories and about 8 fat grams, but I can have two of my espresso double- chocolate chunk cookies for 126 calories and 5 fat grams.

Adding drained applesauce in place of some of the butter trims fat and calories. I also stir in a little extra vanilla to cut back on the amount of sugar in these cookies. Plus, using some white whole-wheat flour puts more fiber into the mix. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/795603.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/795603.html Thu, 14 May 2009 11:20 EDT
Brick sandwiches are thus named because they spend the night being squashed by one or more bricks. The result is a dense, intense sandwich in which the flavors and juices meld wonderfully.

While any size sandwich could be made this way, brick sandwiches typically are made using entire loaves of bread. After pressing, the sandwich is cut into individual portions. Large, crusty Italian loaves work best.

The coating of goat cheese on the inside of the bread is an important part of the sandwich. It acts as a moisture barrier to prevent the bread from getting soggy. Cream cheese or any spreadable cheese also would work.

The fillings here are mostly Italian, but any combination of ingredients can be used. Just be sure to pat dry any high-moisture ingredients. If your bricks are dirty, cover them in foil.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/795601.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/795601.html Thu, 14 May 2009 11:21 EDT
It should come as no surprise that a call for frugal recipes turned up several such meal suggestions. This one, from Marion Danforth, 63, of Raleigh, N.C., illustrates how easy it can be to be frugal.

Danforth's recipe for spicy black beans and rice is one of those effortless dinners. It is this simple: Make rice. Open two cans. Combine. Add cumin. Heat. Serve.

Let it be your go-to recipe when you need to get dinner on the table quickly, when you have had a rough day at work or when you cannot imagine spending much time in a hot kitchen on a hot day.

Danforth received this recipe from her daughter, Mary Beth, a vegetarian. Even though Danforth grew up as a Southerner eating beans and rice, she says her daughter is always teaching her ways to cook beans. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/763749.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/763749.html Sat, 18 Apr 2009 08:59 EDT
"I thought, Are you crazy? It can't be good. It's coming out of a box," said the wine enthusiast, 31. Rudd shuddered at the thought of economy-size boxes of Franzia, pinkish wines that could, God forbid, be stored in the fridge.

Recently, the long-maligned screw caps and plastic corks overcame their lowbrow reputations. Now boxed wine appears to be following suit. In 2008, sales of boxed wine increased 31 percent, according to the Nielsen Co., significantly outpacing overall wine sales, which slowed.

Traditionally the vintage of college parties, boxed wine has been gaining cachet among upper-income wine lovers. "It was very good," Rudd recalled with surprise in a phone call from her home in North Richland Hills, Texas. These days, unless she's with company, boxed wine is all Rudd drinks.

In fact, boxed wine's biggest consumers are upper-income, white households, specifically those earning $70,000 to $100,000 a year, according to the Nielsen numbers. Those who drink it even prefer boxed wine over bottled.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/731462.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/731462.html Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:58 EDT
If you have a carton of eggs in the refrigerator, you can have a nutritious breakfast, lunch or dinner for pennies. Protein foods are the most expensive items on the food budget, and when you compare the cost per serving to other protein foods, the egg comes out a winner.

If a dozen large eggs cost $1.09, multiply the cost by 2 3 to compare the cost per pound to other protein foods, according to the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. That's 72 cents a pound.

Eggs are so basic, we sometimes forget all the great things they do. Eggs give structure to baked goods (cakes, muffins, pancakes) as well as savory foods like meatloaf. They work as a leavener, thickener and binder in sauces like hollandaise and mayonnaise, and they give smoothness to everything from custards to truffles. On top of all their undercover work, eggs are nutritious and delicious on their own, whether poached, fried, scrambled, or made into an omelet or frittata, according to Fine Cooking.

When hard-cooked, eggs make great egg salad or deviled eggs. But a common complaint from cooks is that green ring around the yolk, which is a sign of overcooking. Cooks who boil eggs often opt for electric egg cookers, which eliminate the need to watch the clock while boiling or poaching eggs.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/698877.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/698877.html Thu, 19 Feb 2009 06:44 EST
The box's contents were better than any cookbook.

Arias' mother, Kathryn Rogers of Evanston, Ill., must have loved crabmeat dishes and chicken tetrazzini. She had dozens of recipes for both.

When the January issue of Southern Living featured comfort food, I was reminded of those recipes for chicken tetrazzini.

Even though a few of the recipes had been streamlined by using cream of mushroom soup instead of making a sauce from scratch, the dish still takes a while to make.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/692154.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/692154.html Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:09 EST
If the economy has put a chill on your Valentine's Day plans, you can opt for a lovely meal at home, with money left for a dozen roses.

Men and women who aren't accomplished cooks can make an Italian dinner easily. There are so many choices in pastas and tomato sauces that you can mix and match and come up with your own creations.

Choices for the main dish include beef, sausage, chicken, seafood and vegetables. The shape of the pasta can change the look of a dish, and the store-bought tomato sauce can make or break the flavor.

Most cooks buy a jarred sauce when making an Italian dish, and they have a favorite brand. But if you're not pleased with the one you buy most often, go by what the experts at America's Test Kitchen recommend. They rated Bertolli tomato and basil sauce tops because it had "a good balance of flavors," "a nice chunky texture" and tasted "the most like fresh-cooked tomatoes."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/676166.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/676166.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:09 EST
Eight Lexington restaurants are participating in Dine United Week by committing to make a donation to United Way of the Bluegrass for every dessert they sell through Sunday.

The restaurants are Azur, 3070 Lakecrest Circle, Suite 550; Dudley's, 380 South Mill Street; Giuseppe's, 4456 Nicholasville Road; Jonathan at Gratz Park, 120 West Second Street; Malone's, 3347 Tates Creek Road, 3735 Palomar Centre Drive and 1920 Pleasant Ridge Road; Rossi's, 1060 Chinoe Road, No. 104; Saul Good, 3801 Mall Road; and Summit, 1097 Duval Street.

To learn more about Dine United or the United Way, go to www.uwbg.org.

Make some super Super Bowl plans]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/676116.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/676116.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:07 EST
The rules:

Snacks need to be portable so they can be eaten in front of the television, not while you're sitting at a dining-room table.

Finger foods are the bomb.

The basic snack food groups are: protein (Velveeta and hot wings), vegetables (hot peppers), dairy (dip) and grains (chips). ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667956.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667956.html Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:36 EST
The free event, from 6 to 9 p.m., will focus on Chinese culture and celebrate the Year of the Ox. A marketplace will be open from 6 to 7:30 p.m., featuring Chinese art, calligraphy and costumes. Blessing Hands Inc. will auction Chinese paintings and calligraphy scrolls that were donated by professional Chinese artists and students from Yangshuo, China. Money raised by the sale will be used to sponsor Chinese students who are in need. For a look at some of the art, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/blessingsponsors/CharityAuctionProfessionalPaintings#needs. Call Yingjuan Rogers at (859) 494-6631 or go to www.kyacap.org.

The event also will feature a variety of Chinese performing arts, including acrobats, opera and flutes, in the Concert Hall from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Chinese buffet for a new year

Panda Cuisine, 2358 Nicholasville Road, will serve a Chinese New Year buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The cost is $13.95. Call (859) 299-9798 or go to www.pandaky.com.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667797.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667797.html Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:05 EST
Professional cooks have differing opinions on whether a wok or a skillet gives the best results. The testers at America's Test Kitchen prefer a skillet, while Lexington cooking instructor Phil Dunn and restaurateur Suda Veerasethakul like to use a wok.

I think the best pan to use is a wok because, basically, stir-frying and wok cooking are the same, Dunn said.

Any pan with sloping sides would work. I always suggest that people work with small amounts of food in the pan at the beginning; sometimes they put way too much in a pan and make a big mess trying to stir it without having the food splattering out. And then there are those who graduate from stir-frying to saut ing, which requires more skill in keeping the ingredients contained in the pan.

Cooking authority Shirley Corriher classifies saut ing and stir-frying together because both require rapid movement and turning of the food in a hot pan containing a small amount of fat. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667774.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667774.html Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:18 EST
Lemon chicken stir-fry

1 pound uncooked chicken breast tenders (not breaded)

1 medium onion

cup sugar snap pea pods]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667772.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667772.html Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:06 EST
Start by slicing all of the ingredients, combining the sauce ingredients, and cooking the rice or pasta. Arrange all ingredients in dishes near the skillet or wok so you can reach them easily.

When everything is ready, add the cooking oil to the large skillet. Lift and tilt the skillet to evenly distribute the oil over the bottom. Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat about 1 minute. To test the hotness of the oil, add a single piece of vegetable to the hot skillet. If it sizzles, proceed with cooking the seasonings, vegetables and meats as directed in the recipe.

You might need to add oil during stir-frying to prevent the food from sticking. The amount of oil needed for stir-frying depends on the skillet's surface. A skillet with a non-stick surface probably will need less oil than a wok with a steel surface. If you need to add more cooking oil, add a small amount at a time, and bring the oil to frying temperature before proceeding.

Seasonings, such as minced garlic and grated ginger root, generally are stir-fried first for 15 seconds so their distinctive flavors season the oil. Just stir the seasoning into the hot oil, keeping it in constant motion. Because the amount you will be stir-frying at one time is so small, it's important to keep the seasonings moving the entire time so they don't burn.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667768.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667768.html Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:07 EST
At America's Test Kitchen, the professional testers prefer a skillet with a traditional rather than non-stick surface, precisely because they want the food to adhere slightly, to create the caramelized, browned bits, called fond, that are the foundation for great flavor.

What's more, while even the best non-stick surface will wear off eventually, a well-made traditional skillet should last a lifetime.

Skillets are simply frying pans with low, flared sides. Their shape encourages evaporation, which is why skillets excel at searing, browning and sauce reduction. Traditional versions come in three main materials: stainless steel, anodized aluminum and cast iron. The test kitchen is not a big fan of the dark surface of anodized aluminum, because it makes it hard to judge the color of fond. And while cast-iron skillets have their uses, they are cumbersome and can react with acidic sauces.

A great skillet will transmit heat evenly across its cooking surface; has a steady, moderate saut speed and will not require endless fiddling with the temperature dial to balance any shortcomings. It also will have a generous cooking surface.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667766.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667766.html Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:08 EST
Pick a protein

Choose a lean, tender cut, such as:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders.

Pork tenderloin or center-cut loin.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667765.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/667765.html Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:08 EST
Hot or cold water?

When boiling water, is it faster to start with hot water? And what is a true boil?

A full boil makes the water as hot as possible 212 degrees at sea level, with many large bubbles constantly breaking the surface. To speed up the process, many cooks start with water that is hot from the tap, but a few still insist on cold tap water, claiming that it makes a difference to the flavor of food like pasta. To see whether this is really the case, America's Test Kitchen set up a taste test.

The testers brought 4 quarts each of hot and cold tap water to a boil and then added 1 tablespoon salt and 1 pound pasta to each. When the pasta was done, it was drained and tasted plain (no oil, no sauce). Tasters could not discern any difference in flavor. In fact, the only difference was in the time it took the pots to reach a boil 131/2 minutes for the hot tap water, 15 minutes for the cold.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/659304.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/659304.html Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:13 EST
The building housed the hotel's executive offices before it was converted to a family-style restaurant in 1983 and transformed again in the mid-1990s into a fine dining establishment.

The historic home and grounds have always been a popular spot for weddings and private parties. It has rooms that can accommodate groups of 20 to 150.

The hotel's top dining spot now is JW's Steakhouse, which has updated its wine list and menu, and now offers early evening dinner specials. Call (859) 231-5100 or go to www.griffingatemarriott.com.

A menu fit for a new president]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/659035.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/659035.html Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:04 EST
You embraced change for Obama.

Now eat like Obama.

Here, a brief guide to why the president-elect and his fellow Hawaiians love Spam, how to fake a Hawaiian dish that you're not really going to cook, where to buy the appropriate exorbitantly priced Obama cookie, and finally, how to top it all off with a scoop of high-butterfat hope.

What's the deal with Hawaiians and Spam cuisine, anyway?]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/658999.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/658999.html Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:49 EST
Chopping garlic: Hit garlic clove with the flat side of a heavy knife to crack the skin, which will then slip off easily. Finely chop the garlic with the knife.

Dice: Cut food into squares smaller than 1/2 inch, using knife.

Grate: Rub a hard-textured food, such as chocolate, citrus peel or Parmesan cheese, against the small, rough, sharp-edged holes of a grater to reduce it to tiny particles. For citrus peel, grate only the skin, not the bitter white membrane.

Julienne: Cut into thin, matchlike strips with knife or food processor, as for fruits, vegetables and meats.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/651107.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/651107.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:12 EST
I don't know if I'm more scared or excited, he said.

The spot at 120 April Way, next to Wal-Mart, opened in August as Jazzman and closed a few days later. It reopened in November as Barton's, with Bunch as general manager. A Winchester native, Bunch worked at Johnny Carino's in Lexington for five years.

Beginning Jan. 19, Bunch will add four dishes to the menu: braised pot roast with a red wine and tomato sauce; bacon primavera; mini burgers; and bacon-wrapped shrimp skewers. Barton's now serves an express lunch for $5. Call (859) 744-6500. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/650768.html http://www.kentucky.com/food/story/650768.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:42 EST
Bake: To cook food, covered or uncovered, using the direct, dry heat of an oven. The term is usually used to describe the cooking of cakes, other desserts, casseroles and breads.

Baste: To moisten foods during cooking or grilling with fats or seasoned liquids to add flavor and prevent drying.

Beat: To make a mixture smooth by briskly whipping or stirring with a spoon, fork, wire whisk, rotary beater or electric mixer. ]]>