Cuisine at home September/October 2019

I’m not sure how it happened, but we let another perfectly wonderful summer slip away. Most of the farmers’ markets will be closing soon and going with them will be the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. If you’re wanting to squirrel away some of the season, check out our canning story starting on page 56. Maddy walks you through the art of water bath canning so that you can keep a bit of summer around through the winter. And now with fall in the air, our senses are on overdrive. The tastes and smells this time of year are all about robust stews, hearty soups, satisfying casseroles, and the enticing aromas of baked goods. Maybe our senses are heightened a bit as the temperatures drop and the windows close, concentrating…

THE BUZZ | WHAT’S ON YOUR FALL BUCKET LIST THIS YEAR? Apple picking, pumpkin everything, bonfires, football games, falling leaves, crisp air — these are some of the obvious signs that fall is here. Our team shared some of their fall bucket list ideas they hope to check off this year. There’s a lot more fall fun to be had, and we’d love to hear what you’ll be doing this season. Jump over to Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #fallbucketlist, and don’t forget to tag us @cuisineathome. CUISINE SPOTLIGHT “I’m committed to supporting people in living happy, healthy, and eco-friendly lives.”YOLI OUIYA Nationally recognized as the “Queen of Green” by Black Enterprise Magazine, Yoli Ouiya is a green/healthy living expert and a force in the global sustainability and wellness sectors. She founded yolisgreenliving.com,…

HERE’S THE SCOOP When making muffins or cupcakes I use an ice cream scoop to fill the cups, but the batter is sticky and doesn’t always come out. I’ve found that wetting the scoop in water between dips makes a world of difference. No more trouble with sticky batter. JUDITH DROBNICK EVELETH, MN HANDY TIMESAVERS MAYO MADNESS I love BLTs, and at the age of 79, I’ve finally mastered making them. I mix mayo with shredded lettuce, then spread it on both pieces of toast. Next, I pile thinly sliced tomatoes and bacon in the middle. The result — the perfect ratio of mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon. STEVEN PETERS BONITA SPRINGS, FL LEFTOVER NO MORE Leftover french fries usually aren’t very tasty. Instead of throwing them away, I make hash browns with them. I fry onions in…

ECO-FRIENDLY LUNCH If you’re looking for a way to cut back on the number of single-use plastics in your life, the lunch boxes and containers created by Sandra Ann Harris are top notch. Made from stainless steel (never plastic), these containers are dishwasher safe and beautiful. (They were modeled after traditional Indian lunch boxes, called tiffins.) Not only can you pack plenty of food into them, the smaller containers with silicone lids are watertight, making them perfect for salad dressings or dips. Ecolunchboxes.com TASTY IN TEXAS When Robin, our Senior Test Kitchen Associate, went down to Fredericksburg, TX, for a press trip, she surprised us by bringing back a sampling of sauces and preserves by Fischer & Wieser. Typically these types of products are a dime-a-dozen, but when we sat down to sample…

more about mussels Mussels are alive when you buy them, so how you store and prepare them for cooking (see steps, above) is important. But it’s all simple stuff, and once you know what to do, you’ll want to incorporate these bivalve mollusks into your repertoire, often. They (especially farmed mussels) are one of the most sustainable seafoods you can buy. Mussels, which are low in fat and high in protein, are also an excellent source of vitamin B12, which keeps nerve and blood cells healthy. They deliver a good amount of iron, too, which is a key component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that moves oxygen throughout one’s body. Red Curry Mussels with coconut rice Makes 6 servings Total time: 45 minutes FOR THE RICE, HEAT: 11/3 cups water1 can coconut…

WHO KNOWS WHAT WE DID BEFORE THE INSTANT POT came on the scene. With this modern, time-saving appliance, dishes that would normally simmer for hours are now doable any night of the week. It propels pressure cooking to a whole new level. Typically not considered weeknight fare, beef stew can now be made in under an hour in this magic pot. And if you’re looking for something a bit exotic, this Vietnamese version will be right up your alley. With the Instant Pot, Bo kho [baw caw], a fragrant stew that ordinarily requires at least three hours of braising, tough beef chuck is transformed into fork-tender morsels in no time. But don’t stash away this electronic gadget just yet — give the other two recipes a try. Meaning “beef in its own…