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The ultimate comfort food, macaroni and cheese is also the salvation of many a mom
placating a finicky toddler.
Nothing particularly American about pasta and cheese — except for the fact that on a
European trip, Thomas Jefferson liked a certain noodle dish so much he took notes and
had it served back home at a state dinner as “macaroni pie.”
Jefferson’s cousin Mary Randolph included a recipe for “macaroni and cheese” in her
1824 cookbook “The Virginia Housewife.”
So whether you’re eating a gourmet version by one of the countless chefs who’ve put
their own spin on it, or just digging like a desperado in the pantry for that box of Kraft,
give mac and cheese its patriotic props.
The most humble of comfort food. Who would have imagined when the recipe for
“Cannelon of Beef” showed up in Fannie Farmer’s 1918 “Boston Cooking School Cook
Book” that every mom in America would someday have her own version?
Fannie made hers with slices of salt pork laid over the top and served it with brown
mushroom sauce. (In her day, you had to cut the meat finely by hand; the advent of
commercial grinders changed all that.)
However your mom made it — we’re guessing ketchup on top? — she probably served that
oh-so-reliable meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans.
And you were probably made to sit there, all night if need be, if you didn’t eat all your
beans. A better threat might have been no meatloaf sandwich in your lunch tomorrow.
Jambalaya, crawfish pie, file gumbo … what dish could be so evocative that it inspired
Hank Williams to write a party song for it in 1952 and dozens more to cover it (including
everyone from Jo Stafford to Credence Clearwater Revival to Emmylou Harris)?
The sweep-up-the-kitchen cousin of Spanish paella, jambalaya comes in red (Creole, with
tomatoes) and brown (Cajun, without). Made with meat, vegetables (a trinity of celery,
peppers, and onions), and rice, Louisiana’s signature dish might be most memorable
when made with shrimp and andouille sausage.
Whatever the color and secret ingredients, you can be sure of one thing when you sit
down with friends to a big bowlful: son of a gun, gonna have big fun on the bayou.
Dehydrated meat shriveled almost beyond recognition — an unlikely source of so much
gustatory pleasure, but jerky is a high-protein favorite of backpackers, road trippers, and
snackers everywhere.
It’s American food the way we like our wilderness grub — tough and spicy.
We like the creation myth that says it’s the direct descendant of American Indian
pemmican, which mixed fire-cured meat with animal fat.
Beef, turkey, chicken, venison, buffalo, even ostrich, alligator, yak, and emu. Peppered,
barbecued, hickory-smoked, honey glazed. Flavored with teriyaki, jalapeno, lemon
pepper, chili.
Jerky is so versatile and portable and packs such nutritional power that the Army is
experimenting with jerky sticks that have the caffeine equivalent of a cup of coffee.
However you take your jerky — caf or decaf; in strips, chips, or shreds — prepare to chew
long and hard. You’ve still got your own teeth, right?
The childhood Sunday family dinner of baby boomers everywhere, pot roast claims a
sentimental favorite place in the top 10 of American comfort foods. There’s a whole
generation that would be lost without it.
Beef brisket, bottom or top round, or chuck set in a deep roasting pan with potatoes,
carrots, onions, and whatever else your mom threw in to be infused with the meat’s
simmering juices, the pot roast could be anointed with red wine or even beer, then
covered and cooked on the stovetop or in the oven.
Arguably one of the most famous “Italian” dishes in the world, I’m sure most of you
reading will have had spaghetti and meatballs at least once in your life. Unfortunately, it
is not an authentic Italian dish. In fact, you’ll likely not find very many pasta dishes
topped with meat, this is usually reserved for dishes cooked “al forno”. While we’re on
the subject of meat and pasta, chicken is something you’ll never see atop pasta in Italy,
it’s not a very popular meat in general.
The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale of 0 to 100 according to how much they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are quickly digested and absorbed which results in a rapid increase in blood sugar levels.
Low-GI foods are preferable as they are slowly digested and absorbed, producing a gradual rise in blood sugar and insulin levels. They therefore provide a continuous supply of energy from one meal to the next, which helps maintain energy and concentration levels and helps keep us feeling fuller for longer.
• Whole grain bread – look bread with intact grains
• Low GI white bread
• Basmati rice, low GI white or brown rice
• Post
• Oats
• White bread
• Jasmine and Arborio rice
• Rice cakes
• Most crispbreads
• Most flaked corn, wheat and puffed rice cereals
2-8 years | 9-11 years | 12-13 years | 14-18 years | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Boys | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
Girls | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 |
• 1 slice of bread or 1/2 a medium roll or flat bread (40g) – at least half the bread kids eat should be whole grain or high fibre bread.
• 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, noodles, barley, buckwheat, semolina, polenta, couscous, bulgur or quinoa (75–120g)
• 1/2 cup cooked porridge (120g)
• 2/3 cup cereal flakes (30g) or 1/4 cup muesli (30g)
• 3 crispbreads (35g)
• 1 crumpet (60g) or 1 small English muffin or scone (35g)
• 1/4 cup flour (30g)
-Preheat grill to medium.
-Lightly brush fruit with oil and place on the grill. Cook until pineapple and plums are nicely caramelized, turning once, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a plate. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together yogurt, honey and mint. Place 2 rings and 4 wedges on each plate and drizzle with dressing. Garnish with pine nuts.
Ingredients:
Omelet:
3 eggs
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Salt and white pepper
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
1 cup baby spinach
1/4 cup grated Gouda or havarti cheese
Fruit Salad:
1 teaspoon Asian chile paste (sambal olek)
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 1/2 cups cubed fresh seedless watermelon
1 cup strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
2 fresh mint leaves, cut in chiffonade, for garnish
Directions:
For the omelet: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until well-whipped. Add the chives, thyme, salt and pepper, whisking together. Next, in a nonstick omelet pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and allow the pan to heat until hot. Turn the heat off, add the spinach and toss: This step should be done quickly, being careful not overcook or wilt the spinach. Next, place the same pan over high heat, allow the pan to get hot, reduce the heat to medium, and add the whisked eggs. Once the eggs have been added, continue to cook over medium heat, folding the exterior towards the middle of the pan. This folding and blending will ensure that the eggs cook evenly and do not brown. Once the eggs are almost fully cooked, after 2 to 3 minutes, add the spinach and cheese to the center of the eggs. Then fold one side over the spinach with a spatula and repeat with the other side. Finally, flip the filled omelet over and plate.
For the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk together the chile paste, vinegar, salt, and honey until well mixed, 1 minute. Next, slowly pour in the grapeseed oil, whisking constantly to emulsify. Be sure not add the oil too quickly as this will cause the dressing to break. Taste for seasoning.
To assemble: Toss the fruit with the vinaigrette. Use a slotted spoon to portion the fruit to the plate with omelet and garnish with the sliced mint.