Celebrity Foods Alumni

As we speed towards Labor Day, and then on to the beginning of Autumn, we will look back on the summer-just-past with fond memories of the times that we shared with family and friends. Memories of barbecues, parties, pool parties, basketball games in the park, picnics with a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife will no doubt swirl in some of our heads. But fret not, there is still a little slice of summer remaining. Why not enjoy the remaining hot days with a cool treat - a watermelon frapp­e. Nothing is better than remembering the dog days of summer than by enjoying those last days of a very active season with a nice, cool treat with a summertime favorite. Learn how to make this delectable treat here: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=recipe&dbid=159

enjoy!

heath

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http://www.celebrityfoods.com

http://www.celebrityhomedelivery.com

As a society, we are getting busier and busier, and we are turning to fast foods to satisfy our needs for a meal, or we are ignoring full meals altogether and turning to snacking throughout the day.  Now, while this may be acceptable from time to time, it is definitely not a habit we should ever hope to foster.  But, if you must snack, try to keep them nutritious so that your body gets what it needs.  Turn to fruits and veggies; nuts, seeds and cereal bars; or perhaps healthier versions of crackers, chips and pretzels.  It’s not so hard, when you really put some thought in to it.  In fact, read this to learn a bit more: http://www.alive.com/1891a5a2.php?subject_bread_cramb=194

Convenience is sought after more and more as our lives become busier and busier.  We find that we often times avoid preparing meals because we just don’t have time.  Well, on those occasions when we do have time to cook, it is best to think of meals in terms of ‘planner-overs.’  All you need to do is prepare enough food so that you have more than 1 meal.  Here’s a link on how to accomplish this successfully: http://www.culinary.net/articlesfeatures/nutritionhealth/plannedovers.html

Happy over-cooking!

-h

Who doesn’t like summertime and grilling?  I know that I love a good steak prepared on the grill.  Here is a great recipe from cooking.com for a hickory grilled fillet.  I am going to provide their background here, with a link to the full recipe, because I am feeling lazy today.

Hickory is a hardwood native to the southern United States; pecan, for example, is one of several types of hickory. This fragrant wood is favored for smoking meats, especially hams. Grilling meat over hickory wood or wood chips gives it a distinctive, aromatically smoky quality. Matching hickory-grilled steak with a bourbon sauce makes an interesting balance of complementary flavors, since bourbon is aged in charred oak cakes, giving it woody tones. Bourbon was named after the county in the territory of Kentucky where in the 1770s a drinkable whiskey was first distilled by the Irish settlers from fermented corn.

Both tasso and andouille sausage are Cajun specialties that give the sauce additional southern authenticity. The meaty portobello mushrooms round out a satisfyingly rich and hearty dish. If it is necessary to clean the portobellos, wipe them with a damp towel but avoid washing them so that they don't get waterlogged; gently scrape the mushroom gills to remove any sand

The full recipe can be found here.  http://www.cooking.com/recipes/static/recipe3353.htm

Now get cooking, I will be at your house at 7…

Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

-h

"It's easy to identify people who can't count to ten.  They're in front of you in the supermarket express lane."
--M. Grundler

If you live in California, you’ve been out to a restaurant or any fast food eatery and probably have seen the big blue letter grades slapped in a prominent place near the entrance to the establishment.  In my own personal experience, I usually see only an ‘A’ Grade, with the seldom occurrence of a ‘B’ Grade.  I guess it’s comforting to know that we are able to see how the places we choose to dine measure up in terms of taking steps to ensure the safety of our food, and the environment in which it is prepared.

Now, have you ever seen the same grading of supermarkets?  I don’t know about you, but I have never seen a letter grade when I enter the supermarket.  I guess we are responsible for our own safety with the food we prepare ourselves, but what about the good folks that handle the food until we come in to purchase it?  Well, MSNBC recently published a story about how the top supermarkets stood in terms of general safety practices.  It is a rather surprising, yet eye-opening article.  You can check it out here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10976595/.  There are also some other links in that story that are rather interesting as well…

And, while your clicking, make sure you check out some of Celebrity’s sites:

http://www.celebrityhomedelivery.com

http://www.celebrityfoodsbeef.com

Yeah, the very thought of that is something that can make you swear-off mass-produced, cream-filled pastries for good!

But, there is an interesting article I came across in the Journal of Food Safety having to do with preservatives, and how there may be a natural alternative to them – spices.

Research has found that commercially available, powder-form versions of garlic, turmeric and ginger can act as a deterrent to Salmonella in ground beef.  Now, there is a lot of Science-Speak in the journal entry, but it is good reading and really rather interesting.  I suggest you check it out either on the web at http://ift.confex.com/ift/2005/techprogram/paper_30757.htm or in print.  The article reference can be found at the end of this post.  And, you can always find interesting information about Celebrity Foods and our commitment to food safety by visiting Celebrity Foods Safety.

And don’t worry, your Twinkie is safe, for now… but how DO they get that cream filling in there??

Oh yeah, and you can find that article here:

Journal of Food Safety

I really lament not having the Internet as a research tool until my later years of college.  I mean, just think of all the money I could have made selling research papers!  Okay, so maybe I have more of an ethical side than that, but it is amazing just how powerful a source of information the Internet truly is.  I was perusing the 'net (that's slang for Internet for all you technophobics out there) the other day in search of some information on food safety and the difference between organic and non-organic beef products when, Boom!  I find a site from our good friends at Celebrity Foods detailing just what I was looking to find. It was a very interesting read, and I suggest you check it out. Just follow this link to Celebrity Foods Safety and be edified!

"Food is our common ground, a universal experience."  –James Beard

With the recent Memorial Day holiday, we begin the season of grilling!  What a wonderful time of year.  The weather is pristine with crisp, blue skies, puffy clouds, vibrant green hues of gras, and the wafting smell of a grill filled with steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs and corn-on-the-cob.  It is a classic method of cooking that inspires memories in me.

I think back to pool parties with friends - my dad acting as the grill master, as well as master of the 'biggest splash' once the feast was finished!  I remember my mother preparing the meats for grilling, and then the fun that would come from just sitting around the table, laughing and sharing with friends and family.  And what better way to finish up a barbecue than with a slice of cold watermelon?  Doesn't that sound great?

I am sure that you have memories of family barbecues as well.  Food truly is our common ground.  We have all had similar experiences, only the names and faces are different.  Think about a fun barbecue that you hosted, or one that you crashed!  Write it down and share it!  We love love to hear about it.

Until then, happy grilling!

"The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time."  –Friedrich Nietzsche

Wouldn't that be great if Nietzsche's words applied to our favorite foods?  Think about a time when you had a really good meal.  Was it a juicy steak?  A great cut of fish or other seafood?  A really fresh can of spaghettiOs?  No matter what your favorite dish happens to be, the first time you had a really wonderful experience eating that dish will always stick out in your mind.  You will always compare future helpings to that first, perfect meal.  Imagine having no basis for comparison, because every time you eat that juicy steak, or that great seafood, or whatever your food passion may be, it would alway be a novel experience!

Now for a recipe that is a favorite in our house.  My wife ran across this recipe for salmon patties, but she had a hard time getting the ingredients to remain in 'patty' shape.  So, she just put three heaping spoonfuls on a plate and served it up with some fresh green beans and bread.  I told her that it reminded me more of hash than patties, so I dubbed the meal, 'Sash' - as in salmon hash.  Get it?

Here's the recipe:

Salmon Patties

• 1 (14 3/4 oz) can pink salmon
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell peppers, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Heat about 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet to medium temperature.  Make mixture into patties. Drop patties onto butter in skillet.  Make sure to keep lots of butter in the skillet and add more if necessary.  Don't flip patties until they are nice and brown on first side or they will fall apart.  Carefully flip them with a large spatula.  Continue to fry until nice and dark golden brown.
3. Remove patties to a serving plate.

And that's all there is to it.  In 45 minutes you have dinner.  You can add a side vegetable or bread… or both!  Happy eating!