“If you’ve ever called a .GIF a Jif, we forgive you.”

So say Jif® peanut butter and from GIPHY, the world’s first and largest GIF search engine.

The two brands have teamed up to settle the ongoing debate over how to pronounce GIF, the acronym for Graphic Image File.

[1] Jif, making a point about GIFs (both photos © Jif).

[2] THere are 34 spoonfuls of creamy Jif in the jar.

[1] Mmm, Vegetable Lasagna; or, if you prefer, meat sauce (all photos © Michael Angelo’s).

[2] Have some Eggplant Parm, or the Chicken Parm if you prefer.

[3] Check the store locator to find your products of choice.

There are two comfort foods that we allow ourselves once a month—at a restaurant, at Whole Foods takeout and other specialty stores (Fairway, Citarella) where you’d think the store-made lasagna and eggplant parm would more than satisfy.

Mostly, they don’t. The sauce isn’t great, the seasoning is lacking, there isn’t enough ricotta, etc. etc.

Thank goodness Michael Angelo’s found us, and sent us samples of our favorites.

They are our new go-to’s!

 
We did add some dried oregano and fresh parsley, but were happy to eat all of the dishes without garnishing.

The entrées were more than cheesy: We didn’t need to grate any parmesan on top.

The only problem is, now that we’ve discovered Michael Angelo’s, the once-a-month rule may fall by the wayside.
 
 
AN EXTENSIVE LINE OF FAVORITE ITALIAN CLASSICS

There’s much more in the Michael Angelo’s line that we haven’t yet tried.

The line is so extensive, we could try something different every night for a month.

With food as good as your neighborhood Italian restaurant, Michael Angelo’s serves up all the classics from
Baked Ziti and Chicken Piccata to Manicotti and Shrimp Scampi.

Keep a few boxes in the freezer, grab a bag of salad and an optional loaf of Italian bread, and you’re good to go.

Head to the website to see the whole line; there’s also a store locator.

There are 11-ounce single-serve, 30-ounce family size and 44-ounce large family size; plus gourmet bowls, starters and more.

The 30-ounce family size serves two hungry adults—although we admit that on a particularly hungry night, we ate the whole thing.

(Don’t tell Mama.)

The food comes in microwavable trays, and if you prefer to use a conventional oven, you can remove the food and place it into your own oven-proof dish.

We tried both techniques, and for a time-saver, the microwave is just fine. The food was ready in little more time than it would have taken to preheat our oven.

On the other hand, the oven offers the opportunity to bake a loaf of garlic bread.
 
 
>>> CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PASTA IN OUR PASTA GLOSSARY<<<

National Clam Chowder Day is February 25th.

There’s also National New England Clam Chowder Day on January 21st, a recipe with a cream base. But there’s no Manhattan Clam Chowder Day, a chowder with a tomato base, or Rhode Island Clam Chowder Day, made with a clear broth.

For today, here’s a fun fusion food: Gnocchi Clam Chowder, combining the creamy clam chowder of New England with gnocchi pasta from Northern Italy (photos #1 and #2).

It’s a clever twist: Instead of the diced potatoes that are typical in chowder, this recipe substitutes potato gnocchi (NYUH-kee, photo #3) and a second ingredient that originated in Northern Italy:

Pancetta (pan-CHET-tuh, photo #4), a style of Italian bacon (here’s more about it.

And here’s more about gnocchi: technically, a dumpling but usually included in the category of stuffed pasta or “pillow pasta”—agnolotti, ravioli, tortellini, etc.
 
 
RECIPE: GNOCCHI CLAM CHOWDER

This is a hearty, comforting, filling, chowder that can serve as a first course, or a main course with a green salad.

This easy recipe from DeLallo is made with their packaged potato gnocchi.

You can use packaged gnocchi or fresh gnocchi, which require less cooking time.

Instead of the oyster crackers traditionally served with clam chowder, consider this garlic bread recipe.
 
 
Ingredients For 8-10 Servings

 
Preparation

1. BRING a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to the package instructions. Remember, gnocchi will float to the surface when finished cooking. Drain and set aside.

2. MELT the butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and pancetta begins to brown, about 8 minutes.

3. ADD the celery, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add clam juice, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile…

4. WHISK the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl to form a slurry paste. Stir into the chowder base and bring to a boil to thicken.

5. DISCARD the bay leaf. Stir in he clams, cream and gnocchi, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

6. GARNISH with chives and serve. We had some fresh parsley, and snipped that in as well.
 
 
MORE CHOWDER RECIPES

 
 
GARLIC BREAD RECIPES

 
 
>>> THE HISTORY OF CLAM CHOWDER <<<
 
 
>>> BEYOND GNOCCHI:

CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PASTA IN OUR PASTA GLOSSARY <<<

[1] Clam chowder with something different: potato gnocchi instead of diced potatoes (photos #1 and #2 © DeLallo).

[2] A hot pot of clam chowder. Here’s a recipe for the toasted garlic bread.

[3] Handmade gnocchi (photo © Neco Garnicia | Stock Exchange).

[4] Pancetta, a variety of Italian ham (photo © Di Bruno Bros.).

[5] Canned clams are a quick solution, but if you can use fresh clams, the superior flavor is your payback (photo © Pete’s Seafood Club).

[1] Plant-based JUST has become the #1 liquid egg in just a year (photos #1, #2 and #3 © Eat JUST Inc.)

[2] Coming soon: JUST Folded Egg, ready to serve on toast or muffin, or to top with omelet ingredients.

[3] A JUST Egg muffin can be on your table soon.

[4] Mung beans are identifiable by their white spot (photo © Albert Deccan | Wikipedia).

[5] The fully sprouted beans become familiar bean sprouts (photo © 5 Gallon Bucket Hydro | Amazon).

JUST is the brand that shot to prominence with JUST Egg, a liquid, plant-based egg replacement made from mung bean (photo #1).

It caught the attention of not just vegetarians and vegans: Half of the customers are conventional eaters who seek sustainability, zero cholesterol, and high protein.

The liquid product contains natural colors from carrots and turmeric. When cooked, it looks very much like scrambled eggs, and tastes very similar.

Last year, JUST Egg expanded nationwide and quickly became the number 1 liquid egg product.

You don’t have to look too far to see that plant-based foods have exploded in popularity, far beyond their historic audience of vegans and vegetarians.

In fact, the company found that the majority of purchasers are neither vegans nor vegetarians; and more than 20% are using the egg substitute as a main source of protein.
 
 
COMING SOON: FOLDED EGG

Soon, JUST Egg will debut Folded Egg, an omelet-like variation that is sold frozen, and can be heated in a microwave or toaster (photo #2).

It’s faster than scrambling the liquid egg, and can be eaten as a breakfast sandwich, on toast or a biscuit (photo #3), or on a plate topped with standard omelet fixings (we did a quick sauté of bell peppers, onions and mushrooms).

The folded product is also made from mung bean protein, but with a slightly different texture, enabling foldability.

We received an early taste of the new product, and give it thumbs up!
 
 
WHAT IS MUNG BEAN PROTEIN?

The mung bean (Vigna radiata, family Fabaceae), is native to India.

Cultivated since ancient times, it later spread to China and Southeast Asia, where the protein-rich legume became a nutritional staple.

It is used in curries, salads, savory pancakes, soups, and even desserts.

Also known as the green gram, maash and moong, the legume called “mung bean” is not well-known in the U.S.

Instead, we know it by its fully sprouted form, bean sprouts—the crunchy, slender white filaments used in Chinese and Thai cuisines (photo #5).

Mung bean protein is the key ingredient in the plant-based alternative in Just Egg’s egg substitute.

The English word mung, correctly pronounced moong, derives from the Hindi word moong, which itself derives from the Sanskrit word mudga.

To make mung bean protein:

To extract the protein, raw mung beans (photo #4) are de-hulled and milled into mung flour.

The flour is then mixed with water and other ingredients to create a slurry, which precipitates solubilized protein extract.

The protein extract solids are separated from the slurry, and take a curd-like form.

This is your mung bean protein, the basis of JUST Eggs’ delicious products.
 
 
>>> GLOSSARY OF BEAN TYPES <<<
 
 
>>> THE HISTORY OF BEANS <<<

Beans are one of the oldest-cultivated plants, an important source of protein. Cultivated bean fossils have been found dating to the early 7000s B.C.E.

Mardi Gras 2020 Falls On Tuesday, February 25, 2020.

The celebration, which means Fat Tuesday in French, is the last day of the Carnival season. It is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent—so it’s the last day for indulgent foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday.

Here’s more about the holiday.

If you can’t participate in person, there are traditional foods you can make at home, including:

 
You can also create a celebration with other famed New Orleans foods:

 
 
THE TRADITIONAL KING CAKE

The King Cake is a Mardi Gras tradition in New Orleans, made only during this time of year. Just about every bakery sells the cake.

Fans all over the country purchase the cakes by mail order, and you can purchase a kit to make your own.

King Cake is typically a Danish yeast ring (some are elaborately braided), brioche or cinnamon bread. It is covered by a poured white icing and sprinkled with purple, green and gold colored sugars—the Mardi Gras colors.

What makes a King Cake fun is the hidden charm—originally a baby, representing baby Jesus and now any charm you like.

Here’s the history of King Cake.
 
 
RECIPE: A SAVORY KING CAKE

This year, Joy The Baker has created a savory King Cake for famed New Orleans brand Zatarain’s.

Most King Cakes are sweet, cinnamon roll type pastry, sometimes with a cream cheese filling, and topped with a sweet glaze. Other King Cakes are largely puff pastry with a nut filling, not unlike the flavors of an almond croissant.

It has not been common to find a savory King Cake, but Zatarin’s reports that savory twists are the latest trend down South, including crawfish and cheese.

The recipe below features Zatarain’s Smoked Sausage, the trinity (onions, celery plus parsley and garlic), parmesan cheese and creole seasoning.

Created by Joy The Baker, it’s the smoky King Cake is “a welcome respite to the sweet.” Layers of savory southern flavors are swirled together into dinner roll dough.

Says Joy, “This cake is incredibly delicious. It’s somewhere between indulgent King Cake, hearty sandwich, and stuffed dinner roll. It’s a show-stopper (and that’s saying a lot during Mardi Gras), and a baking adventure.”

You can eat the King Cake at room temperature, but Joy recommends serving it warm.

“I think this cake is most delicious the day it is baked, but store any leftover cake in the refrigerator overnight and heat gently in foil before serving.”

Thanks to Joy and Zatarain’s for the recipe. Here are Joy’s step-by-step photos.
 
Ingredients

For The Dough

 
For The Filling

 
For The Topping

[1] You’ll be King Or Queen Of The Mardi Gras when you serve this smoked sausage King Cake (photos #1, #2 and #3 © Zatarain’s).

[2] To make the King Cake, sausage is removed from the casings and browned.

[3] A few months ago, Zatarain’s introduced Andouille and Cajun sausages that are 100% pork, no artificial colors or flavors, no by-products, no MSG, and are gluten-free. Just in time for the savory King Cake!

[4] A conventional King Cake, like a yeasted Danish ring (photos #4 and #5 © King Arthur Flour, which sells the ingredients in a kit).

[5] Sweet King Cakes can take any form the baker wishes: round, rectangular, cupcakes, cookies and beyond…like yellow-, green- and purple-colored puddings.

1. USING the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 3-1/2 cups of flour along with the rest of the ingredients and mix with a spatula into a shaggy dough. Mix on the dough hook for 7 to 8 minutes, until a relatively smooth ball forms. Add a bit more flour if the dough is feeling overly sticky.

2. REMOVE the dough from the mixer onto a lightly floured surface,. Knead by hand for 2 minutes until soft and shaped into a ball. Lightly grease the mixing bowl and place the dough ball in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.

3. MAKE the filling while the dough rises:

4. PLACE coarsely chopped celery, onion, bell pepper, parsley, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Pulse for about 1 minute until the mixture is evenly chopped, into an almost fine mixture. Says Joy: I got my chunks to be about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch in size. Not completely pulverized—a small dice.

5. HEAT a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and warm. Add the chopped vegetables to the skillet and allow to cook, releasing some of the water in the vegetables, for 5 minutes or so. Stir occasionally as the vegetables cook.

6. SLICE the smoked sausage into 1-inch rounds. Place the sausage in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse the sausage slices until they’re evenly fine—again, about 1/2-inch bits is about right. Add the sausage to the skillet to cook along with the vegetables. Stir to combine evenly. Allow the mixture to cook for about 4 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool while the dough finishes its rise. After the dough has doubled in size…

7. SCOOP it out of the mixing bowl on to a lightly floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into an approximately 12 x 16-inch rectangle.

8. USE a pastry brush to spread melted butter across the dough. Spread the cooled meat and vegetable mixture across the dough into an even layer, leaving about 1/2-inch border around each side of the dough. Starting from the long end…

9. ROLL the dough, gently but firmly, into a log, seam side down. Swoop the two ends together, tucking one end of the cake into the other.

10. LINE a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. With confidence (you can do this!), lift and transfer the round cake to the center of the prepared baking sheet.

11. USE a serrated knife to slice into the dough round. Slice about 3/4 the way into the dough, around the circle about 2-inches apart. Carefully twist each attached roll onto its side, revealing the sausage swirl.

12. COVER loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest and rise while the oven preheats.

13. PLACE a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the wreath for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. While the cake bakes…

14. DYE the cheese in three separate bowls. Divide the cheese between three bowls, and add a few drops of dye to each bowl. Use a spoon to distribute the dye around the cheese or use a pair of latex gloves to mix by hand.

15. REMOVE the cake from the oven. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before sprinkling with colored frosting and topping with a King Cake baby, if desired. (NEVER put any plastic favor or token into the oven.)