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Must-Read: Dinner At My Place

YumSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:30:49 -0700

Over the past few months, I've been testing recipes from Tyler Florence's recent cookbook: Dinner At My Place $13.57.

Although Florence has penned several other cookbooks, this one has a particularly intimate feeling because it includes his family's favorite recipes along with great menus for dinner parties.

To find out if you should add it to your cookbook collection,
read more.

Pros:

The book is divided into innovative menus and theme parties. Some examples are Crab Season, Tolan's Birthday Dinner, and Sunday Dinner. There are a wide variety of recipes in each menu, which can be easily mixed and matched.
Many of the recipes offer substitutions in case some of the ingredients are not in season or are unavailable.
The last chapter, Cheat Sheet, has over 20 basic recipes (such as creamy parmesan potato gratin, Japanese beef broth, classic French Vinaigrette) that are fast and easy staples perfect for livening up any meal.

Cons:

Tyler is the father of three children, however, I thought it was overkill to dedicate an entire chapter to baby food. Perhaps a separate book or a smaller section? After all, I'm not making puree of anything for my adult guests anytime soon.
Directions for the recipes are in paragraph format rather than number.

Recipes: There are a wide variety of recipes in each of his pre-planned menus. Here are some that caught my attention.

Garden Puree Bruschetta
Blender Béarnaise
Watermelon Nectar with Lime Salt
Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Relish
Corn Pudding with Poblano
Artichoke Fritters with Meyer Lemon Salt
Beet Cakes with Sweet Greek Yogurt
Chinese Chicken Stock
Bourbon Peach Cobbler

Imagery: There are tons of pictures, which I promise will get you salivating.

Overall Rating: This cookbook has plenty of recipes perfect for a dinner party. It's not filled with lengthy and difficult culinary challenges, but rather tasty comfort foods that an average family is sure to enjoy.

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Name That Dish!

partysugar — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 07:00:38 -0800

Below is a comforting and classic dessert. Do you know what it's called? Hint: It was Radhika's winning dish on this week's Top Chef!

What Is Your Comfort Food?

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:30:00 -0800

An interesting food study was released this week at the American Dietetic Association's annual meeting in Chicago. In the study, participants were asked to list foods according to a variety of emotional responses. Top on the list for happy foods were ice cream, grapes, chocolate, and pizza. I was surprised to see that grapes ranked so high on the "happy list," and I was equally surprised by some foods ranked lowest on the happiness scale: tofu, salmon, avocado, and bologna. Salmon and avocado? Those are two of my favorite foods and they make me really happy.

One thing I found interesting in this study were the foods that ranked highest in the comfort food category. Chocolate, ice cream, grapes, spaghetti, macaroni, apples, and oranges topped the comfort food list. Count them - there are three fruits in that list. As a health food freak, that makes me pretty excited.

Naturally, I am curious if any of these foods are also your comfort food. So tell me . . .

Source

Comfort Food Breakdown

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Who doesn't love comfort food? You know, special foods you make when you are sad that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Comfort foods are usually warm and soft, and are also high in carbs, sugars, or fats. They're not necessarily the healthiest food we can eat, but because we have such emotional ties to comfort foods, they're definitively not something we should avoid.

Indulging in comfort food is good for the soul, but since it's not usually good for your waistline, you may want to know their nutritional value. If you're curious to know how many calories are in one of your Grandma's famous chocolate chip cookies, then read more

Food, Serving Size	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
1 slice of cheese pizza	272	9.8	33.6	1.8	4.1	12.3
1 cup of homemade mac 'n cheese	330	12	39	1	9	14
1/4 pint of Ben & Jerry's (cookie dough)	270	15	32	0	24	4
1 cup mashed potatoes	237	8.8	35.5	3.2	3	4.2
1 chocolate chip cookie (about the size of a small plate)	400	21	53	2	36	4
1 large order of McDonald's French Fries	570	30	70	7	0	6
1 brownie (1/20 of box mix)	170	8	22	1	15	2
Cheeseburger	300	12	33	2	6	15
Milk chocolate (1.5 oz bar)	230	13	25	1	22	3
1 hotdog with bun	315	18.5	29	.5	9	10
Grilled cheese	420	27	26	1	0	16
1 cup tomato soup	151	1.4	33.7	3	20.4	4
Meatloaf (3 oz)	188	12.9	9	.8	2.3	11.3

Are there other comfort foods you love that weren't on this list? Tell me about them in the comment section below.

Comfort Food: Not Always About Feeling Blue

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 10:15:00 -0700

We all have our comfort foods like mashed potatoes, Sloppy Joes, and macaroni and cheese just to name a few favorites. Contrary to popular belief, we generally seek out these "comfort foods" when we are already comfortable. A recent study conducted by the Cornell Food and Brand Lab revealed that people were more likely to seek out comfort foods when they were in upbeat moods - 86% associated comfort food with happiness and 74% used comfort foods to reward themselves. In contrast, 39% of the subjects sought out comfort foods when they were depressed and/or lonely.

Comfort foods help us maintain positive feelings or soothe us. When we're in a bad mood, dishes like macaroni and cheese give a quick bump of euphoria since all those carbs help make serotonin the "happy brain chemical."

Many diets fail because dieters think they need to completely swear off their favorite comfort food forever. I am here to say that is just not the case. Go ahead and reward yourself just pay attention to: the portion size, the emotions behind the eating and experiment with non-food rewards.

Source

Let's Dish: What Foods Do You Eat When You're Sick?

YumSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:00:47 -0700

There's a nasty cold going around the Sugar office, which makes me want to whip up a big vat of chicken noodle soup. Though honestly, chicken soup isn't something I crave when I'm sick - unless I have a stomach flu, in which case, chicken broth is basically all I can eat.

Assuming you can keep food down and you're not nursing a hangover, what comforting foods do you use to defeat a cold or get over an illness?

Source: Flickr User Robert Couse-Baker

Cheese Please! Some Comfort Foods Span Generations

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:50:15 -0700

Do you crave ice cream or feel comforted by mac and cheese? You're not alone. These classic American treats are considered comfort foods by eaters of all ages. According to a new survey by the Center for Culinary Development and Packaged Facts, certain comfort foods span generations from Baby Boomers to Generation X and Gen-Yers.

The survey of 3,700 people found that sweets top the list of comfort foods, no matter how old you are - and even more so if you're female. But there were also some interesting discrepancies in what different generations consider comforting. Keep reading

Delilicious: Kid-friendly Cauliflower Comfort Food

LilSugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:08:00 -0800

In cold weather, there's nothing like kid-friendly comfort food. If you're looking for something yumo for lil tumos, try this version of mac 'n' cheese from the latest issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray. It's a healthful twist on the classic made with cauliflower and whole wheat pasta. To get the recipe that serves a family of four, read more.

To-Tasty-to-be-Good-for-You Cauliflower Mac ‘n’ Cheese
from Everyday with Rachael Ray
Ingredients:
Salt
Pepper
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 pound whole wheat pasta
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded shard cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1) Ask a GH (Grown-Up Helper) to bring a large pot of water to a boil,
salt it, add the cauliflower and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
Ask your GH to transfer the florets with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
In the same boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente then drain in a
colander. Add the pasta to the cauliflower.
2)While the pasta is working, ask your GH to melt the butter in a saucepan
over medium heat. Have your GH help you whisk in the flour and cook for 1
minute, then whisk in the milk and chicken broth and cook until thickened,
about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Whisk in the mustard and season with
pepper. Stir the cheese sauce into the pasta and cauliflower. Yum-o!

Fast & Easy Dinner: Tomato Bisque With Mozzarella Crostini

partysugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:00:09 -0800

When the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside is delightful, there's nothing I crave more than a bowl of steaming hot soup. Tomato soup is the ultimate comfort soup and this rendition is super creamy, but not loaded with fattening ingredients.

In fact, there's no cream, milk, or half-and-half in this recipe; the rich, smooth texture comes from the addition of silken tofu. Sound intriguingly scrumptious? Wait until you read the recipe, after the break.

7 Satisfying Comfort Foods

YumSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:30:59 -0800

On Winter evenings when I come home hungry, fatigued, and cold from the rain, there's nothing I crave more than nostalgic childhood favorites like pot pie, macaroni and cheese, and meatballs. I've compiled my favorite recipes, so you know where to turn if you're craving comfort at your next meal. To make these palate pleasers, read on.

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