Simple Savings

(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)

By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate

The burst of flavor from the edible garnish I ate almost overtook my entire spring meal. Technically, the pretty truffle with the piped white lines welcoming me to my place at the table should have been an after-meal treat, but I popped it ahead of time. It was a spring blueberry truffle from the See’s candy chain and was juicier and fruitier tasting than any truffle I’d ever had. It was so flavorful, I called the chain and happily found out, though part of the spring collection, it’s sold year round and also part of a summer mixed berry chocolates box that will be available beginning in June in stores and online.

That flavor fest got me on a jag of creating seasonal garnishes for as many meals as possible. Soon, I learned about “47 Unexpected Things to Do with Cookie Cutters” from BuzzFeed. I used a flower-shaped cookie cutter on peeled cucumber slices and then, as I saw on this excellent pinterest page about seasonal garnishes, I dotted it with cream cheese and a cut-half-up of a cherry tomato in a refreshing bite that looked even more like a flower.

Heart-shaped cookie cutters were excellent for cantaloupe and watermelon, which can then be dotted around a dining plate or grouped together in a small bowl on the side.

Not all seasonal flourishes need to be homemade. Teavana, which has stores and is online, has lots of fruit and herb blends geared to the seasons. For an upcoming summer soiree, Tea Forte has a gorgeous ribbon-wrapped Garden Harvest White Tea collection “with the summer taste of fresh fruit and herbs” (that, ever since I discovered, I drink all year), which includes flavors like tangerine-rosemary and peach-rhubarb preserve. Boxes can be given as placemat party gifts, or individual teabags --- which are attractive loose-leaf-filled 3-D triangles with green wire leafs that hang on teacups --- can be left aside plates as meal accompaniment flairs. Lipton, too, now has attractive “pyramid” white teabags in supermarkets or online at www.LiptonTea.com in peach-mango and blueberry-pomegranate.

Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!

Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since, for many, there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can’t help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.

Here are a few additional ideas to let spring blossom alongside your meals:

SPRING FLOWERS COOKIE GARNISH

• M&M candies, to taste
• Vanilla icing, as needed
• Pink food coloring, as needed (optional)
• Store-bought or homemade vanilla wafers, shortbread cookies or sugar cookies, to taste
• Green sour belt candies, to taste

“Glue” an M&M candy in the center of each cookie with a dot of vanilla icing. Vanilla icing can have been tinted pink, if desired.

Cut “leaves” and “stems” with clean culinary scissors from the green sour belt candies.Arrange on small white paper or glass plates if using as an edible place setting or dessert garnish. They also are a nice touch pressed into white frosting as edible decorations on a store-bought or homemade cake.

- Candy Aisle Crafts.


POTATO BASKETS FOR SPRING VEGETABLES

• 3 large russet potatoes, peeled
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
• Salt (preferably kosher), to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Yields 6 or 12 servings, depending on muffin tin that is used. In a food processor, fitted with grater attachment, push chunks of the potato through the chute to grate. Once all the potatoes are grated, put them into a piece of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove moisture.

Add potatoes to a large bowl, stir in the melted butter, and season well with salt and pepper.Spray preferably a jumbo size 6-cup muffin tin or a regular size 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Press the grated potatoes evenly into the muffin cups, being sure the potatoes go up the sides and that a thin layer covers the bottom. Bake until the top edges turn light golden brown and the potatoes are cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Let cool. Remove from muffin tins, being careful not to break. Good served filled with your favorite mix of steamed spring vegetables. Fill while potato “baskets” are already on individual meal plates since bottom of potato “baskets” will get deliciously moist from the vegetables.

- FoodNetwork.com

• For a quick cleanup, use a recycled plastic bag to line your pulp catcher.
• If juicing wheatgrass, wrap it in a lettuce leaf as it will juice easier.
• Add a dash of cinnamon to fresh apple juice or a few mint sprigs to fresh watermelon juice.