Hello.IAmPhat--Musings of a fabulous 50-ish Babe

{N}osh…The Little Ones Eat: #AtoZChallenge 2016

Feeding the Little Ones today is much more exciting than yesteryear!   Today we allow the Little Ones to get in there,  roll up their sleeves and unleash their creative juices.  One thing for sure,  if you want to keep the ‘picki-ness’ and the prickly food attitudes at bay,  get those young chefs engaged and involved! You know, they’ll never turn their faces up at their creations. {via} Instead,…

{M}is en Place: #AtoZChallenge 2016

{via} The first time that I heard these words was while watching the Food Network’s ‘Worst Cooks in America‘.  *I told you that I am a list of the coming shows*.   After first, learning how to correctly pronouncing the darn word! – {MEES in plause}…… Thank You Siri.   About this strange word. It’s French. It’s used primarily in culinary speak.  It looks nothing like the way it’s spelled  *I guess…

{L}unch Box: #AtoZChallenge 2016

One habit that I’ve picked up since doing this cooking thing is, packing (and carrying) a lunch to work.  Lunch is usually the leftovers from the dinner of the night before.  I used to think nothing of dropping nearly ten dollars a day for lunch – and sometimes a little more if my work hours crept into the dinner hour!  I don’t even want to begin to do the math on how much money I’ve wasted on…

Jicama. {via} Okay.  I have to admit that my first experience with this (what I have come to learn) root was a couple of years ago.  While having lunch with one of my Philippine colleagues, she pulled from her lunch sac what looked to me like a potato, and began to peel it.  After watching her get all of the tough, bark-like skin off,  I couldn’t image what she was going to do with this ‘potato…

Infusion is the process and the result of, steeping an aromatic substance into a liquid – hot or cold – until the liquid has absorbed the added ingredient’s flavor . {via} The beauty of infusion is that,  not only do the flavor(s) being extracted from foods infiltrate the liquid, the flavors of the liquid is transferred into the food.  Think of it  as one hand washing the other! {via} Flavored…

At one time or another you’ve had a meal that included hash.  I consider hash a ‘dump meal’ *and I mean it luv-ingly. Really*.  Got left-overs in the fridge? – Veggies? Meat? Onion? Garlic?  (or both). Add a potato.  Throw it all in a well- oiled skillet with your favorite seasonings And there you have it. Hash. The corn beef  version is the most well-known but once you realize that this is…

I have a confession to make.  I am a gadget junky!  Not a luv’er of  all gadgets tho’.  If it’s electronic,  book-related or kitchen related, I go ‘ coo coo for CoCo Puffs’ over it!  *you do remember this tag line for the cereal,  don’t you? *  The gadgets that get my attention had to meet only two criteria.  It must: ☆ be cute but functional ☆ and have the ‘ahhhhhhhhhhh!’ factor! That’s it!  If…

{F}ood Trucks….A Few {F}un {F}acts: #AtoZChallenge 2016

The last time that I did this challenge, for my Letter ‘F‘, I blogged about ‘Farm to Table ‘ I luv’ed the concept then and even thought about re-blogging it for this post.  *wasn’t sure if that would be cheating.  Sheepish grin* .  So I picked a not-so-new-but-equally-as-exciting  ‘F’ word. No. Not that F-word!  The other one – Food Truck, of course! Wikipedia defines a food truck as “A food…

{E}dible Flowers: #AtoZChallenge 2016

It’s planting season again, and I am soooo  ready to restart my herb garden. I haven’t had much luck growing flowers so last year I planted my first herb garden!  *grinning from ear to ear*. Definitely have a green thumb with herbs!  The success of my herb garden has me rethinking adding flowers to this year’s planting project. I figure,  if I’m hoping to do flowers went not make them edible! I’m…

Can I tell you how much of a fan I am of  ‘Chopped‘- one of the many amazing culinary contest shows on the Food Network?  The premise – four contestants  *with better than mediocre culinary skills*  compete against each other by turning ‘mystery  basket ingredients’ into a three course meal. {via}  The prize?  Bragging rights and ten thousand dollars! *blink. blink*   YEP! I did say ‘ten thousand…

Since starting this, now love affair with all things food, I cannot stop buying herbs and spices!  I’ve gone from having salt,  pepper, old bay and garlic salt as the only spices on my spice rack to an impressively well-stocked spice closet! {via} Finding meals that include these spices & herbs is very exciting. Replicating classic dishes that include many of these spices is fulfilling and…

Hey Luv-lies Day Two of the #AtoZChallenge. And yes, the party is heating up!   *Woot! Woot!* So I’m watching one of my favorite food shows – you know,  the one with the hip young dyed-blonde haired chef that visits “Triple D’s” in a fire-engine red sports car.   Yep.  That show.  One of the Triple D’s that he dropped in on was serving up a plate of chicken that had me drooling! *grabbing a…

Before I dive right into this challenge this year (I tried two years ago but didn’t get too far…*hanging head down in shame*) but this year I am extremely excited about the challenge.  I think that two years ago, I got stalled at the Letter ‘M’  because I just plain ol’  ran out of creative ideas.  What makes this year different?  Focus.  And my love of this year’s theme!

Over the last few years my relationship with food has completely changed. Before, I had no interest in food. I was simply a consumer of food. All I wanted to know was, when it was time to eat!   What changed?  I got bitten by the all things foodie! – magazines to food- inspired television shows.  Now, I can’t seem to get my fill *cheap pun intented* of all that is food!

So now I’m here!   Day One of the #AtoZChallenge!

Without further ado, I give you the {a}wesome:

Letter {A}.  {A} is for {A}romatics

Aromatics is said to be the combination of , mostly veggies and herbs – although at times it can include meat – that are heated in some type of *good* fat at the beginning of preparing a dish.  The result – deep flavors imparted into your favorite dish! You see, it’s the heating of the fats that helps the ingredients release their addictive aromas.

…. and all those wonderful scents are what memories are made of. ….

What’s your favorite food scent?  Where does that scent transport you to?

Do Tell…..

Next….. THE LETTER {B}