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Post by cathygeha on Mar 3, 2019 8:30:08 GMT
This round runs from February 21 - April 3rd. It’s not too late. If you ‘d like to join us, respond on today’s thread with your board name/first name and your goal for this round. The hostess will add you to the challengers list the following day. Everyone is welcome to join us.
Challengers:
bmazzo/Beverly - NEVER give up
cathygeha/Cathy - moderation
cherryt38/Cherry - Mindful eating, attention to the sigh
jalibmu/Jan - focus on good health guidelines
jasimons/Judy - 5 minutes a day to write gratitude, plan and reflect
pamthomas46/Pam - continue to collect blue dot days
Hostess Schedule:
February 21 - 27 Pam
February 28 - March 6 Cathy
March 7 - 13 Judy
March 14 - 20 Jan
March 21 - 27 Cherry
March 28 - April 3 Beverly
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Post by cathygeha on Mar 3, 2019 8:51:59 GMT
It is Sunday and it is NOT sunny here! I hope you have a good day whatever the weather!
The 5 Rules of Seasoning
Follow these guidelines and you’ll be on your way to creating the ideal balance of seasonings in all your favourite dishes.The more you lift weights, the stronger your muscles get, right? Well, the same goes for your taste buds — the more they taste, the better they become at judging whether a dish is well-seasoned. It’s not just a matter of adding salt and pepper, either. Great flavour is all about getting the right combination of spices, herbs and aromatics in the mix. Here are our five top tips for hitting the sweet spot between overly mild and overpowering. Rule #1: Taste as you go. It’s a bummer when a finished dish is bland, and it’s harder to correct at the end of cooking. The solution: Dip a spoon into the pot and taste early and often. When you try a recipe at various points during cooking, you’ll learn how the flavours of ingredients change and how to adjust different elements so the seasoning is just right. For example, trying a spoonful of a braising liquid, like the one for Rosemary & Tomato Braised Short Ribs*, as it simmers can help you make minor tweaks, like a pinch more salt or a sprinkle of chopped fresh herbs, that yield major flavour payoffs. Rich, creamy dishes like Asparagus & Spring Gouda Risotto** sometimes require a lot of tasting near the end of cooking, but it’s delicious work! ** ://www.safeway.ca/recipes/asparagus-and-spring-gouda-risotto
Rule #2: Stick to a theme. Certain flavours belong together. Think of basil, Parmesan and balsamic vinegar in Italian cooking, or ginger, soy sauce and miso in Japanese dishes. Pair ingredients that are part of winning flavour combinations, like the fish sauce, coconut milk, chili and cilantro in Thai-Style Coconut and Meatball Soup* ; or the cinnamon, cayenne pepper, chocolate and vanilla in Spicy Mexican Peanut Brownies**. If blending flavours seems a bit overwhelming, or you need a quick fix for a weeknight dinner, try a prepared spice blend, like our Sensations by Compliments Seasoning Grinders, to remove the guesswork. But don’t be afraid to go for it and try an untested combo once in a while — that’s how exciting new dishes are created. Rule #3: Build layers of flavour. When a dish tastes great, there isn’t just a single flavour at work. The right mix of ingredients creates a complex harmony of tastes. Savoury aromatics, such as garlic, onions, leeks, celery and carrots, and herbs, such as bay leaves, parsley and thyme, are the foundations of great flavour. They mellow as they cook, so their notes aren’t sharp and pronounced, but without them, the overall taste of a dish falls flat. A great example is the layers of caramelized onion, fresh thyme and red wine that give our Brie Onion* its deep, rich savouriness. Think you can’t pack a lot of pizzazz into a bite-size morsel? Try Smoked Salmon, Capers & Arugula Flatbread** — the yummy mix of honey mustard, fresh dill and green onions guarantees it will disappear. Rule #4: Pair contrasting elements. The five basic tastes are sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami, and in cooking — as in life — opposites often attract. Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Meatballs* is a classic example, with pineapple, sugar and ketchup creating a lip-smacking sauce. Sweet ingredients complement bitter ones; in our Creamy Kale, Romaine & Apple Salad with Spiced Nuts**, the sweet honey and apple soften the natural bitterness of the kale and romaine. Meanwhile, sour citrus juice adds brightness to dishes and cuts through richness. Try adding a squeeze of lemon juice to a cream sauce just before serving, or ladling up our Lentil Soup with Chorizo & Kale*** , which is balanced by a splash of orange juice. For a big hit of flavour, garnish dishes with the same fresh herbs you’ve used to cook them, such as chopped fresh cilantro on a chili con carne.
Rule #5: Salt, taste and repeat if necessary. Salt makes food taste yummy, but some recipes leave the exact amount up to the cook’s palate. While adding salt in several stages is ideal, don’t despair if you forget to do it until the end. (Meat is an exception, as are starchy ingredients, such as pasta, potatoes and legumes, which benefit from cooking in salted water.) However, ease up on added sodium if a recipe calls for salty ingredients like bacon, olives, cheese or clams. Fish sauce, a Thai condiment, adds this dimension to Chicken Pho with Spinach* , while capers and anchovies do the same for Sicilian-Style Sautéed Cauliflower**. And remember that temperature affects your perception of saltiness: Cold dishes are more flavourful when they are more highly seasoned. Let taste be your guide.
QUESTIONS:
1. Comments on anything above?
2. FUN: What store(s) do you shop in for food? [supermarket, neighborhood grocery stores, produce stalls, farmers markets,  ]
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Post by cathygeha on Mar 3, 2019 9:14:30 GMT
First of all - I haven't been in a Safeway since last in the USA and perhaps not even then. I remember Albertson's and Trader Joe's and Giant and perhaps some others BUT we don't have them locally. In Lebanon I went to Smith's in Beirut for decades then they closed. Went to Bou Khalil until they went bankrupt and now go to Spinney's (with Tesco brand foods from England) most of the time for big shops. In between I go to local smaller shops and produce markets. ALSO Spinney's sometimes has recipe cards and with this article I found Safeway has recipes online: www.safeway.ca/recipes and I wonder if other stores do, too. AND since it is seaoning week wonder if what spice companies might have recipes online? And found:
As for the article...thought it was interesting and my mouth watered just at reading some of the recipes!
PERSONALS:
LOVED reading which condiments people gravitate to...and learned of a few new ones. There is a hot sauce made by Marie Sharp's in the local pizza restaurant we frequent and I finally found some in a market...think it is made in Belize. I also found they make a variety of flavors and some are delicious...wish it was more readily available.
CHERRY: I had not thought of adding lemon juice to vegetables - like broccoli...sounds like a new idea for me to try! I do use labne in place of sour cream on baked potatoes and in chili but haven't tried it in soup.
BEVERLY: Love the idea of cream cheese in soup! One of my friends uses it in mashed potatoes and another uses Rambol seasoned cheese (like cream cheese) in her mashed potatoes.
PAM: I am finding this week interesteing and learning something new most morning...as I share. We use a lot of onion and garlic, too, and I feel so sorry for my sister who developed intolerance for both!
JAN: I have never heard of banana ketchup or aioli mustard...doubt I would find them here 
JUDY: I agree with you that sometimes trying to differentiate foods and terms is a bit redundant or silly. I like tabasco, too, and found green tabasco and habanero tabasco that I like even better.
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Post by jasimons on Mar 3, 2019 11:47:56 GMT
I have to say in general, I honestly don't take a lot of time to think of some of these during everyday cooking. I think I've mentioned before that I tend to not season a lot during cooking - I cook only for my husband and I and he's not a fan of a lot of flavors or seasoning....so I just tend to add to my portion, even if it's not the proper way to do it!
That said, I sure understand the concepts of checking as you go, adding layers, as they call it, during the process.
A theme of flavorings makes a lot of sense. I do use herb/spice blends to season my portions of foods.
I liked the ideas given for contrasts as well. Those were some new and interesting ideas for me.
Thanks for the recipe links! There are some good ones there. I think the Sicilian-Style Sautéed Cauliflower looks really good - and it has anchovies in it! I want to try that one. (question - cauliflower was really expensive this week! I was wondering if that is just an out-of-season situation or were there weather issues where it's grown? On the other hand, I noticed a few other price increases of things as well, maybe just a general trend. Produce prices certainly do vary, and if stores sell below cost for sales, it can make the actual price seem high when it's not on sale.)
Shopping - Local large chain stores here are CUB Foods and Hy-Vee. I shop at both. We also have a Sam's Club and WalMart. I get grocery items at Sam's regularly. I don't do much shopping - of any kind - at WalMart, but might pick up a grocery item or two if I have to go to WalMart to get something else that I can only find there. I also shop at a food co-op. In summer, farmer's markets.
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Post by cherryt38 on Mar 3, 2019 13:47:37 GMT
I sometimes use a spice blend, but then I often make my own blend from a recipe based on different kinds of commercial blends. Sometimes I just add what sounds good together and taste along the way.
I'll also make up a spice blend for salad dressings too. I have a recipe for a ranch dressing that I add with buttermilk and whatever else goes with ranch dressing. You can find lots of information on line.
I often shop at Walmart, especially for canned goods, bread, milk, cheese and other things like that. Our Walmart opened several years ago, and since then their produce has improved a lot, also the meats. If I don't have a whole lot of items and don't feel like driving out to Walmart, I'll shop at Cash Wise or Albertsons, which are the only other supermarkets in town.
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Post by bmazzo on Mar 3, 2019 15:16:23 GMT
I have found the discussions about seasonings very interesting. Seems like I just add the same old stuff time after time. I would like to try something new. I enjoy trying new recipes & new ideas.
Since DH is a disabled vet, we have privileges at the commissary. We used to go there once a month, now we only go once every 3 or 4 mos. It is an all day event to shop there, as it is about an hr & 1/2 from us, plus the traffic going there is usually terrible. We went this past Thursday & stocked up on a few things. I really like their lean ground beef. I usually buy about 20 lbs or more when we go. Otherwise, we have a Kroger store in town, Sam's, Costco, & Trader Joe's are not too far away. I shop at Wal-mart once in a while, also the closest grocery store to me is Aldi's. I go there quite often, it is an easy in, easy out. plus I really like lots of their products. I love farmer's markets in the summer.
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Post by pamthomas46 on Mar 3, 2019 20:13:43 GMT
I too have enjoyed all the tips this week.
Although dh is retired military, there is no commissary near us. We shop at Kings, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Sprouts, and local farmer markets in the summer and fall.
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Post by Holly Gail on Mar 5, 2019 2:31:21 GMT
Just FYI, Albertsons and Safeway are part of the same chain (also Vons). Kroger and Ralphs are part of the same chain (different from Safeway, Albertsons and Vons).
I shop at the supermarkets in my area, plus some local supermarkets and Sprouts and another store that feels like a smaller version of Sprouts (it's called Windmill Farms).
I'm enjoying these articles you're posting, Cathy. I'm copying them into my recipe files, along with the recipe URLs you posted from Safeway and the herb/spice companies. Yes, other markets have recipe sections on their sites too.
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