Seasoned Cooking: 1 February 2013 Announcements

Mushrooms are super anytime of the year, but winter affords us an opportunity to pair them with intense ingredients like blue cheese and serve them alongside everything from roasted meat to slow-cooked soups. What's more, if you happen to have a gluten allergy, this approach doesn't leave you in appetizer limbo since they are entirely gluten free!

Sure, beets are great roasted and sliced into salad or pickled and served alongside fish, but in dessert? I've found adding grated beets to a basic chocolate cakes takes it from nice to outstanding without adding any fat. Beyond that, you find yourself with a cake that just doesn't dry out and seems to taste better with every day … if it manages to last at all!

Record temperatures bringing ongoing rain and fog leave lots of room for comfort food menus. Mine includes a creamy chowder that's chock full of vegetables, turkey, and a creamy broth. Float a slice of crusty bread in the center of your bowl and you've got a great lunch or dinner for any day of the week.

After record highs and pouring rain, plummeting temperatures and falling snow have settled in. How do you respond to such a strange switch in the weather? With comforting chocolate, of course. It's time to make hot chocolate and enjoy a few fun twists on the tried and true standby. After all, watching the snow fall with a cup of cocoa in your hands makes it all better!