TV chefs can be dangerous for people like my brother who are just learning to cook.  I get a kick out of Anne Burrell, but the wild abandon with which she flings on the salt must have her cardiologist’s Porsche dealer quivering with glee.   Salt should be added to personal taste, and to get there, you must actually taste!  Yes, I know she does that, but we don’t know what her personal taste is. 

You might not be worried right now about hypertension or high blood pressure (f you are, the meal planner will track it for you), but did you know that excess sodium can increase your risk for osteoporosis and kidney stones?   Thanks to all the salt in our food, the average woman is carrying 5 pounds of water weight.

My primary use of salt is more for technique than taste (because I like the taste of food).  I use it to draw out the moisture from things I’m sautéing, or to brine meats that are low in fat and in danger of drying out during the cooking process – which is actually a pretty good thing to know.

Sometimes meat and fish that have not been “enhanced” (injected with a salt solution) benefit from brining.  In general, you need 1 quart of brine per pound of meat, and 1 hour of brining time for chicken/fish, 2 to 4 for beef/pork.

To make a basic brine, dissolve 1/4 cup of salt in 1 cup of hot water, then add 3 cups of cold water (or beer, beer is tasty!).   You can add sugar and spices as taste dictates.  Pour this into shallow bowl or zip top bag, add the food, and refrigerate it (if your total brining time is 2 hours or less you can leave it on the counter).    Keep in mind that brined meat cooks a bit faster, and if sugar was used, it will brown faster as well.   Cook the meat as usual, but don’t add salt before cooking.

Don’t let salt be your crutch.  Experiment with herbs, spices, and condiments and give your cooking new life!

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Here is a sampling of salts you can get at the grocery store:

*Table salt  - has iodine and anti caking agents.  It dissolves quickly in warm liquid and raises the boiling point of water, so if you need salted water, add the salt after the water comes to a boil.  Table salt is lousy for salting the rim of margarita glasses.

*Kosher salt  - has no additives.  It takes longer to dissolve because of the large crystals.  It is great for sprinkling on foods at the table if you like the extra crunch of salt.  It is bad for baking.  It is awesome for margarita glasses.   The major brands are Diamond and Morton, and many people do have a preference.  This is mostly what TV chefs use.

*Ice cream salt  - has not had the impurities removed (and has no additives), but is not meant for consumption.  You will find that when you most need it, it will have been “borrowed” the previous winter to salt the porch.

Tomato soup is not hard to make.  I am not talking about opening a can of that orange glop, so stop that.  You can make tomato soup with simple pantry ingredients and it will be healthy (assuming you use sodium moderated products) and tasty.

You need:  Some olive oil (once around the pot), a small pat of butter (1 tsp?) a small onion (about 1/4 cup chopped) a clove of garlic (as big as you dare!), some dried basil (a small mound in your hand), a big glop of tomato paste (about 3 tbs), a can of diced tomatoes, chicken broth (use the empty tomato can as your measure), and 1 tsp of sugar (optional).  You also need a regular blender or a stick blender.

Chop the onion and garlic and let them sweat in the olive oil and butter over very low heat until they are tender.  This could take 5-10 minutes.  We aren’t looking for caramelization here, just very soft onion.  Add the basil and stir just until you can smell it.  Add the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and chicken broth.  Bring it all to a boil.  Once you have a good boil, drop it to a simmer and let it cook 10 minutes or even longer (as long as the heat is really low it will be fine). 

If you have a stick blender, remove the pan from the heat, take off any clothing that you do not want tomato spattered (it’s gonna happen no matter how careful you are), set the speed to low, and whiz around the pot until the soup is smooth.  If you are using a regular blender, pour the soup into the blender and remove the little cap in the middle of the lid.  Fold a kitchen towel and hold it over the lid – it’s a learned balance of letting air move but containing any eruptions.  Turn the blender on low, whiz the soup until smooth, then pour it back into the pot.  If you did not follow the directions for the regular blender, after you put the soup back in the pot, wash your walls and ceiling with warm, soapy water.

Taste the soup and add 1 tsp of sugar if you like.  This is especially appreciated by those who are accustomed to the orange glop.  If you like thicker soup, you can let it simmer longer.  If you have leftover cooked vegetables in the ‘fridge (or fresh spinach) that you need to use, drop ‘em in and simmer until they’re warm.

On my meal plan today?  Tomato soup and grilled ham and cheese sandwiches.  Perfect for a snowy day!

I have added a full-time job working out of the house to my already hectic schedule.   This means that I have to plan and cook much differently.  I spent the weekend making beans (for Jalapeno Ham and White Bean Soup), stewing a chicken (for broth and chicken pot pie (from scratch, recipe to follow)), and, the point of today’s rambling, Individual Spinach Quiches (of South Beach Diet fame) for grab-and-go breakfasts.  We’re all down with the fact that I regard recipes as suggestions, right?

First off, the spinach.  Frozen spinach is great. I prefer the bagged to the boxed because it’s so much easier to thaw.  You just rinse it in a colander, give it a few gentle squeezes,  lay it in a line lengthwise on a clean towel (or 2) that you don’t care much about, roll it up, and twist.  It’s so much easier than microwaving the brick of spinach and burning your hands.  The box weighs 10 oz, and there are 16 in the bag. A little extra spinach never hurt anyone.   Yes, you can use fresh, but there’s nothing wrong with frozen, especially when it’s on sale!  I’m also considering using leftover vegetables in place of the spinach.

Next, the egg-beaters.  The recipe called for 3/4 cup.  I had 2 containers that each held 1/2 cup.  I didn’t feel like drinking the extra 1/4 cup ala Rocky, or pitching it, so it went into the bowl.   Of course, I could have just used 4 eggs (1/4 cup per egg), but all of my eggs were spoken for and I forgot to ask the milkman to leave an extra dozen (yeah, we get dairy fresh milk and eggs delivered, and it’s something I don’t take for granted!).

The recipe called for shredded cheddar, which I cannot eat, so I put in sheep/goat feta.  I didn’t measure, just crumbled and stirred until it looked like enough.   I had green pepper, not red, so added some sun-dried tomatoes for color.

The directions said to line the muffin tin with foil cups and spray them with cooking spray.  This is code for “these things are gonna stick like your high-school reputation.”  I opted for generously greasing the cups and a quick prayer.

Fast forward about 30 minutes, these little gems are cooked (took a little longer – no surprise), coaxed out of the tin using a small off-set spatula and a large spoon, and  are cooling on a rack.  My husband walked by, snagged one, then stopped and exclaimed how good they were. 

These were already spoken for (30 seconds in the microwave the next morning and breakfast was served!), but I plan on making a batch in my mini-muffin tin and sending them to poker night.

Meal planning is a lifesaver when everyone is on the go!