Chefs Last Diet

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Fun in the Sun

Thursday, August 28, 2014

This week the chef and her staff photographer are heading to the beach for some fun in the sun! I have never done this before, but The Chef’s Last Diet will be taking a brief vacation. While I’m away I’ll be investigating and sampling food, and looking for inspiration for future projects. I hope […]

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Corn Fritters

Monday, August 25, 2014

Keeping my promise, here is another recipe using leftover corn, and this is another favorite—corn fritters. If you search online you will find a lot of different interpretations of corn fritters. They range from a batter dropped into a deep fryer and cooked like a zeppole, to throwing some corn into your pancake batter and […]

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August 25, 2014 - 3:22 pm

Sarah @Thank You Honey - Yummy! I need to try these Nancy! I’ve never made them before. Are you going to the Sits conference Sept. 5 & 6 in Philly?? Will I see you?ReplyCancel
- August 25, 2014 - 5:18 pm
  
  nrlowell@comcast.net - Sarah, yes I am, I’m looking forward to seeing you. I am not staying at the hotel, so I hope I don’t miss too much.ReplyCancel
August 25, 2014 - 4:34 pm

Peggy Gilbey - These look delicious Nancy!ReplyCancel
- August 25, 2014 - 5:17 pm
  
  nrlowell@comcast.net - Thanks! They are, I froze some and am still enjoying them 🙂ReplyCancel

What is Clean Eating?

Thursday, August 21, 2014

You can hardly open a magazine, newspaper, turn on the television, or see a Facebook page without seeing something about ‘clean eating’. There is even an online magazine named Clean Eating and they define clean eating as buying food with two or fewer ingredients, along with a list […]

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August 21, 2014 - 11:42 am

Peggy Gilbey - Hi Nancy, what a terrific, thought provoking topic of discussion. I see your points and they seem good to me. Around my house, we have for the most part a broad selection of healthy meals with lots of fresh vegetables. We also have, especially for school snack time, chips, pretzels, and Cheetos. It’s not part of any meal, it is there for ‘snacking’. In the case of children, over the course of twenty-five years, the kids that ate the most junk at my house- the kids where it is made a big deal! Just my experience, continuing today. My opinion on fast foods- like Burger King- guess what? that’s what they are- fast foods- not meant to be eaten everyday, its only my opinion, but these are what they are, and I’m not sure why businesses are being tormented- People- its fast food! If folks cannot get a healthy food message- with all of the messages out there today- well then, I don’t know what the answer is! I don’t believe it is infringing on profit focused businesses. ReplyCancel
- August 21, 2014 - 9:50 am
  
  nrlowell@comcast.net - Peggy,that sounds about right. We never had snacks or treats at my house as a kid, and so they still maintain that ‘forbidden pleasure’ quality. Food, it’s all so complicated…ReplyCancel
August 21, 2014 - 2:24 pm

Gina Badalaty - I’ll admit I cheat, but it’s not that safe to do for my kids. So with them, yes, I am a food nazi, and the reason is that when THEY cheat, it plays havoc with their behavior and moods and bowel processes. It’s not something medically diagnosed but I can see the changes from when they went to junk in moderation to zero junk, and I can see the problems when they accidentally eat junk. Besides for them on some intuitive level, they already know, after 3 years, that this food or that is a no-no. (They have intellectual disabilities, making it challenging to talk to them about it.) And yes, I have lightened up and relaxed since we began, but when I relax TOO much, the girls pay the price (and so do I!). It’s just been my observation that food really can mean everything, unfortunately. If you’re wondering, they don’t eat soy, corn, gluten, dairy, GMOs, artificial flavor/dyes, preservatives or too much sugar. And it’s not NEARLY as hard as I thought it would be when we started. As for me, when I do eat strictly like them, I feel much much better overall so I try to do it as much as possible.ReplyCancel
August 21, 2014 - 10:31 pm

Heather - I think it is great advice to not beat yourself up if you stray…I am working to eat more cleanly as a family – but it is not easy!ReplyCancel

Mashed Potatoes, from Good to Great

Monday, August 18, 2014

Everyone loves mashed potatoes, but do you like yours smooth or lumpy, smashed or mashed and silky? Chances are good that if you’re my age, your grandmother had a potato ricer, and you remember her mashed potatoes as creamy and silky. When I was growing up (in the 1960s) instant mashed potatoes began appearing, and […]

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August 18, 2014 - 1:46 pm

Peggy Gilbey - Hi Nancy, my favorite way to cook mashed potatoes is to boil them until fully cooked, drain, then return them to the pot on medium high heat, stirring gently just until the outer moisture is removed. This takes just a couple of minutes. I then proceed with mashing and added additions from there. Folks love my mashed potatoes and they are a favorite comfort food to me. On instant mashed potatoes, my siblings and I used to be so Jealous when other kids families had instant mashed potatoes- only fresh in our home, and today, well, only still. Interesting Post, thank you. ReplyCancel
- August 18, 2014 - 2:09 pm
  
  nrlowell@comcast.net - Peggy, it sounds like your method is very much like Corriher’s, and they sound great. I know what you mean about being jealous of things other kids ate, we grew up on what is now called real food. I was jealous of the fun things other kids got like fish sticks, and TV dinners.ReplyCancel
August 18, 2014 - 4:40 pm

Linda LindySez Baker - Yes, I use the ricer when I want them smooth and silky – with Idaho russets, or the potato masher, when I want them chunky…ReplyCancel
- August 19, 2014 - 9:38 am
  
  nrlowell@comcast.net - Linda, I do the same. Sometimes you just want a chunky mashed potato!ReplyCancel
August 19, 2014 - 12:56 am

Karen Rodwill Solomon - I ALWAYS use Yukon Gold with cream, butter, salt and a dash of garlic. Sometimes cheese, I love cheese….ReplyCancel
- August 19, 2014 - 9:38 am
  
  nrlowell@comcast.net - Yes,
  I love Yukon golds for mashed potatoes, especially if I’m mashing not ricing them.ReplyCancel
August 19, 2014 - 2:43 pm

don - Always looking for ways to improve mashed potatoes! It’s my mom’s favorite dish.

I was turned on to a way to cook fingerling potatoes (talking potatoes now) that basically involved boiling them whole in like half a pound of salt. Every heard of such a thing? They were really good though.ReplyCancel
- August 19, 2014 - 2:48 pm
  
  nrlowell@comcast.net - Don, I have heard of this. Years ago I had a friend who made what he called salt potatoes, made just the way you describe, but with small new white potatoes. It is amazing the variety of potatoes we have available now, compared to what there was back in the 1980s.ReplyCancel
August 21, 2014 - 9:11 am

Paulina Piskorz - Hey Nancy, when I make mashed potatoes, I always boil them with a pinch of baking powder because they become very fluffy thanks to this 🙂 You can read the whole tip here: http://www.listonic.com/protips/get/xvmmvliuzuReplyCancel
- August 21, 2014 - 9:49 am
  
  nrlowell@comcast.net - Paulina, I haven’t tried that, but I will, I still have a lot of potatoes on hand!ReplyCancel

What I learned From My 600 lb. Life

Thursday, August 14, 2014

I don’t do it often, but sometimes, while channel surfing I find myself sucked in and realize why we watch reality TV. The first time I saw Hoarders all I could think of was what a sh*tstorm it was, and how does that happen to anyone. Then after finding myself on the third or fourth consecutive […]

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