Corn tortillas filled with meat and veggies

Yes, Tacos Can Brighten Up Your Day

When it comes to foods that make you happy, I bet it doesn’t take long for tacos to make your short list. According to a survey conducted by OnePoll (commissioned by the meal kit delivery service HelloFresh), researchers asked participants about the foods that can instantly brighten up their day. Tacos topped the list, followed by the breakfast staple of bacon and eggs, and steak. That’s high praise for the traditional comfort food that originated from our neighbors to the south. October 4th is National Taco Day and Yelp—the website and app that lets users sound off on local businesses with reviews, photos and other information—recently released its Top 100 Taco Spots in the US. Depending on where you live in the country, from Texas to California, the choices for a good local taco joint are abundant, such as Mami Coco in Dallas or Taco Nazos in L.A. But this list proves you don’t have to live closer to the border to still get a good taco. According to the Yelp, you can find some of the best local taco spots in unconventional places, including Shaka Tacoz in Hawaii, Los Tacos No. 1 in New York and Deckhand Dave’s Fish Tacos Alaska. Yelp is also offering a $20,000 sweepstakes to users who love tacos and support local businesses. When the winner of the first-ever Taco Trailblazer award is chosen, they will then embark on the Yelp Taco Trail and visit some of those Top 100 Taco Spots in the United States and document their journey on the site. Whether it’s the simplicity, versatility, convenience or they just plain taste great, tacos seem to offer much more to the soul than just sustenance, but we’ll leave that to the food experts to figure out. We’ll just continue to put smiles on our faces with a visit to the local taco shop. Here are the some of the Top Taco Spots in the United States according to Yelp!:  Fernandez Restaurant - San Diego  Taco Nazo – Bellflower - Los Angeles  Taqueria Mi Ranchito - Los Angeles  Granny's Tacos – Austin  Los Tacos No.1 - New York   Tacos Sinaloa - San Francisco   El Primo Tacos - Los Angeles   Bajamar Seafood & Tacos - Las Vegas   Shaka Tacoz - Hawaii   Mami Coco - Dallas   De Cabeza - San Diego   Deckhand Dave's Fish Tacos - Alaska   Jazzy's Kitchen - Hawaii   Taqueria El Asador – Pensacola   Mariscos Mi Gusto Es - San Diego   Street Tacos and Grill - Los Angeles   Tacos Jalisco – Key Largo   Tranky's Tacos - Dallas   El Chile Toreado - Santa Fe   Birrieria Little Tijuana - Los Angeles/Riverside   Cocina Madrigal - Phoenix   Edgewater Tacos - Chicago   Chicali Tacos - Las Vegas   Tacos Aya Yay - Denver   La Bamba Mexican Grill Restaurant - Phoenix   Taqueria Pollo Asado - Seattle   Tlaolli - Indiana   Del Seoul - Chicago   Str8 Up Tacos - Los Angeles   Porque No? Tacos - San Francisco   Kiss Pollos Estilo Sinaloa - Phoenix   Guerra's Krazy Taco - Ohio   Tacos Del Chavo - Atlanta   SoyMexican Veggie-Vegan Eatery - Las Vegas   Frogtowns Gourmet Tacos - Los Angeles   El Gallo Giro Taco Truck - San Francisco   Xicamiti La Taquería Bistro - Denver   Tacos La Pasadita - Utah   Dos Mundos - Portland   Tacos Y Mariscos Las Islitas - Hawaii   Tacos El Gordo - San Diego   TaquerEATa - Hawaii   Tacos Los Panchos - Utah   Tacos El Chilango Food Truck - Virginia   Fish Company Taco - Galveston   TACO-BOOK Taqueria - Seattle   Benny's Tacos & Rotisserie Chicken - Westchester –  Los Angeles   Taqueria La Loma - Ohio   Tres Amigos - Arizona   Birria & Barbacoa de chivo Los Compadre's - Louisiana   Sangria On the Burg - San Antonio   Tacotarian - Las Vegas   Antojitos Izcalli - Alabama   Cuantos Tacos – Austin   Birria Landia Williamsburg - New York   Taqueria Nuevo Leon – Carrollton   Los Mariscos - New York   Sabrina's West Street Kitchen - Reno   Xochi - Seattle   Taqueria El Amigo - Boston   Maciel's Tortas and Tacos - Memphis   El Super Taco – Phoenix   Los Agavez Taqueria - Ohio   La Lupita Taco Restaurant – Houston   Los Bocados – Parkland, Florida   Titas Taco House – Humble, Texas   Just Tacos and More - Phoenix   Chris' Ice Cream - Indianapolis   Chino Loco Taqueria - Michigan   Lolis Mexican Cravings - Tampa   El Cuate - Oregon   La Cocina Mexican Street Food - Utah   Taco Culture Taco Shop Arizona - Phoenix   Tacos Nayarit - South Carolina   Arun’s Indian Kitchen & Taco Masala – Lauderhill, Florida   Slope & Hatch - Colorado   La Calle Taqueria Y Carnitas - Colorado   El Taco Feliz - Hawaii   Yellow City Street Food - Amarillo   Forastero - Chicago   Acevedos Hawaicano Café - Hawaii   Lane's Quickie Tacos - Arkansas   143 Street Tacos - Arizona   Tacos Doña Lena - Houston   The Taco King – Houston   La Plaza Supermarket - Ohio   Nanys Tacos - Arizona   J Zapata - Pennsylvania   Cafe Nube - New York   Flavia's Kitchen – Austin   Taco Bamba - Virginia   Tacos Pihuamo - Oregon   Taco El Chingon - NY State   Cinco De mayo Taqueria – Spring, Texas   Quesabirria Jalisco Tacos - Chicago   Las Palmas - Pennsylvania   Dos Hermanos Taco Truck - Alabama   El Paisa - New Mexico   Alegria Tacos – Oakland Park, Florida  La Reforma Brewery - New Mexico
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Good Food Good Mood by Live Happy

Good Food, Better Mood

Improve your diet to jump-start your path to optimum mental health. Feeling blue? You’re not alone. Many people struggle with depression. This fact is reflected in pharmaceutical drug sales—today, one in six adults is on or has taken some type of psychiatric drug. These drugs are usually prescribed with the intent of correcting what many doctors believe to be a root cause of depression: a chemical imbalance in the brain. But others are refuting this theory, offering a new approach that asks whether depression originates not in our brains, but on our plates. Happy Bites This burgeoning field of research, called nutritional psychiatry, is actively exploring the link between diet and depression. We’ve known for some time that what you eat is closely linked to your mental state. But a recently published randomized control trial has offered evidence that cleaning up your diet may actually lift your spirits. The small study, dubbed the SMILES trial,  involved patients who both suffered from clinical depression and consumed lots of junk food. Half of the 67 patients were enrolled to a diet that added fresh vegetables, fish, extra-virgin olive oil and higher-quality meats. The other half continued with standard care. At the end of three months, the group who cleaned up their diets saw major improvements on a common depression scale. By eating better, their depression symptoms improved on average by about 11 points, and roughly a third of them had scores so low that they no longer met the clinical criteria for depression. Meanwhile, control group members improved their scores by only about four points on average. Just two of them (or 8 percent) achieved remission. Gut Feeling One of the proposed mechanisms by which diet may improve mood is through its impact on your gut. Often referred to as the second brain, your gastrointestinal tract houses trillions of bacterial cells. These microbes have the potential to modulate health in powerful ways, though admittedly, we are at the tip of the iceberg in terms of understanding just how. Nonetheless, microbes produce powerful chemicals, including many vitamins, which then get absorbed into the bloodstream. Many of these chemicals are beneficial, such as butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid studied for its anti-inflammatory and brain-fortifying effects. But this ability also swings in the other direction: Certain inflammatory bacterial components are also able to enter circulation, if we fail to mind the needs of our intestinal immigrants. As illustrated in the trial above, good things seem to happen when we consume more vegetables and less processed foods, in part because vegetables provide fiber that our beneficial bacteria eat up, churning out goodies like butyrate. Processed foods on the other hand, due to the refined, pulverized grains from which they’re made, as well as the usual chemical additives, drive inflammation. This heightened immune response may be causally related to symptoms of depression. With so many people using prescription drugs to treat mental health, these kinds of insights are sorely needed now more than ever. And while depression is a multifaceted condition, likely unique for every individual, it isn’t hard to fathom that our moods, like so many other aspects of our health, have become victims to the modern world. Max’s 10 Genius Foods Extra-virgin olive oil Avocados Blueberries Dark chocolate Eggs Dark leafy greens Grass-fed beef Broccoli Wild salmon Almonds Brain-Boosting Raw Chocolate Dark chocolate has been in the research journals a lot of late for its cognition-boosting effects. To construct a sugar-free recipe, I enlisted my good friend Tero Isokauppila. Tero is the founder of the mushroom company Four Sigmatic, but he’s also one of the most knowledgeable people I know on cacao, the main ingredient in chocolate. What you’ll need: 1 cup finely chopped cacao butter 1 cup extra-virgin coconut oil 2 tablespoons sugar-free sweetener of choice (I recommend monk fruit, erythritol, or stevia) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder Pinch of sea salt 3 packets Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane Elixir (or 1 heaping teaspoon of lion’s mane extract), optional 1 cup unsweetened raw cacao powder, plus more if needed What to do: Put the cacao butter in a double boiler or heatproof bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water and keep it over low heat; this is important for preserving the enzymes and brain-nourishing properties of the cacao). Stir until completely melted. Add the coconut oil and use a whisk or milk frother to combine until the fats are emulsified. Add the sweetener, vanilla powder, salt and lion’s mane, if using. Whisk again to combine. Slowly add the cacao powder to the mixture until it reaches the consistency of thick cream, adding more if needed. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and place in the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes to harden. Let them soften for 5 to 10 minutes after taking them out of the freezer before serving. (From the book GENIUS FOODS: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life by Max Lugavere. Copyright © 2018 by Max Lugavere. Published on March 3, 2018 by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.) Max Lugavere is a filmmaker, health and science journalist and brain food expert. His latest book, Genius Food: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life, is a comprehensive guide to brain optimization.
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Live Happy Eat What You Are

Eating What You Are for a New You

Be honest with the messages you tell yourself for a healthier approach to better well-being. We all recall the adage you are what you eat. But what if we reverse it to say you eat what you are, and then take it one step further to say, eat what you are. EAT WHAT YOU ARE. What does that mean exactly? Every New Year’s countless humans who perhaps didn’t sleep well the night before or perhaps drank or ate too much swear to sweat and burn off those holiday pounds, and along with it all the other pounds they may have gained over the course of the year or from previous years. But is it healthy to think in these terms we have normalized, which really amount to a sort of self-immolation and self-destruction? Rewrite the Messages You Receive We talk about torching or burning calories in a workout or shrinking your silhouette; these terms point to a diminution of the self and promote the idea that somehow there is too much of us on earth and that we need to take up less space, exercise until we burn calories, eat less, be less. We are constantly being fed a message that women should eat less, and men should eat more, and that women should be thin and small, and men should be big and muscular. But what if we keep the resolution to lose weight but recouch the terms we use? What if we rephrase our intentions to eat better? What if we take it one step further to identify our specific personal needs based on our own physical issues, our own mental issues, to create a new diet, a permanent eating lifestyle which considers our individual needs and reflects where we want to be instead of where and how society tells us we should be. For example, I am a perimenopausal woman with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and celiac, two autoimmune conditions. I should have no business eating gluten dairy or soy, otherwise my conditions will progress. I should keep my caffeine down because for me, it promotes nervousness, anxiety, and sleeplessness, and blocks many precious nutrients from being absorbed by my gut. Over the years I have slowly and steadily changed my diet, not because I have wanted to lose weight, but because I have wanted to have better physical and mental health. Discover Your Real Motivation My motivation is not a slimmer silhouette but a more serene state of mind, a better memory, a well-slept self. My motivation is to retain and maximize my health and to be the healthiest me I can possibly be at whatever age I am. Physically, mentally, spiritually.  But my diet should not be for everyone. For me, grains are poisonous, but for others, grains can provide precious nutrients to the body. I have to take care to eat other foods and take supplements to account for this food staple that is missing from my own diet. I happily abstain from grains because I know that they will, in the end, hurt me, and make me less myself. Being gluten free makes it easy for me to say no to the tempting treats that abound during the holidays because I know it will make me feel bad, really bad, and that is motivation enough for me. What Does Your Diet Lack? What tendencies do you have to physical or mental ailments, and how can you remedy them through eating better? Do you suspect any allergies or sensitivities, and if so, can you try removing them from your diet for a month or two to see if you feel better without them? Then, add them back in one at a time, to see if you get any negative effects from eating them. This is classic Elimination Diet 101 stuff. Do You Suffer from Insomnia? Take out the glass of red wine at night which helps you relax, replace it with a bath or chamomile tea and a magnesium supplement. Or try some restorative yoga or meditation before you sleep. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different modalities until you find the right one for you. Be Brutally Honest With Yourself This journey starts with a big requirement: that you resolve to learn more about yourself, about what makes you tick and what doesn’t, and that you come out of it knowing yourself better than ever before. It is a journey that will require you to be brutally honest with yourself, to analyze every aspect of yourself, and most importantly, to forgive yourself and acknowledge that you are on a life journey which will require you to completely overhaul yourself. This does not mean that you cannot “cheat” once in a while … but you will no longer call it a cheat because you would have decided beforehand that it is ok to have that glass of wine or  gingerbread cookie and then resume your regular diet which has been custom designed for you and your needs by you. Eat to Be More, Not Less If you are what you eat, the eating comes first and the you follows, but if you eat what you are, you are making a conscious choice to accept or reject specific foods that result in your being the best you yet—and that is healthy inside and out. You are eating a sweet potato because it is rich in beta carotene, fiber, potassium, and magnesium and it fills you up and powers you through your workout: it makes you more whole, more centered, more you. You are not eating a sugar free low-fat muffin because it tastes good and is low in calories and will purportedly make you weigh less if eaten over time but has no nutritional value. You are eating to be whole and to be more, not to be less. And that is when you are truly eating what you are.
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Healthy food for a better mood

10 Best Books for Good Mood Food

Folate in spinach can boost those mood-controlling neurotransmitters in your brain. Yet if Popeye’s fix doesn’t appeal to you, try eating an orange or grapefruit to get the same mood-regulating vitamin B benefits. For a moment of calm, eat a banana for its potassium and serotonin. Grumpy? Shift that mood with some berries. Eating the rainbow is sage advice for a happier you, and no, we don’t mean that bowl of sugary Froot Loops. Healthy, colorful fruits and veggies can make for a healthier brain and a happier you. We rounded up 10 books to help you rock your good mood—with food. Flat Belly 365: The Gut-Friendly Superfood Plan to Shed Pounds, Fight Inflammation, and Feel Great All Year Long by Manuel Villacorta If you’ve ever consumed too many doughnuts in one sitting, you know sugar can make you feel sluggish and tired. Superfoods do the opposite, helping you feel super! Flat Belly 365 offers enticing recipes even if your goal isn’t to have washboard abs. National dietitian Manuel Villacorta shares recipes made with superfoods, anti-inflammatory fats, and prebiotic and probiotic foods to balance your appetite, reduce cravings, regulate blood sugar, fight inflammation and fuel your body for optimal health. Each chapter is organized by the seasons of the year, making shopping and meal planning easy. Seven-day menu plans are included. Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating by Walter Willett, MD and P.J. Skerrett If you want to eat healthy but your head spins from all the food trends, conflicting information and celebrity diets, Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy cuts through all the noise. Walter Willett, MD, chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, draws on cutting-edge research to explain what the USDA guidelines have gotten wrong—and how you can eat right. Learn simple principles and meal plans to live better and longer. Discover the research behind the best types of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and the importance of supplements. After not smoking, controlling your weight is the single most important factor for a long, healthy life, the authors contend. The Simple Guide to Natural Health: From Apple Cider Vinegar Tonics to Coconut Oil Body Balm, 150+ Home Remedies for Health and Healing by Melanie St. Ours Use medicinal plants, healing foods and everyday ingredients like coconut oil and apple cider vinegar to help you heal from ailments and thrive. Clinical herbalist Melanie St. Ours offers recipes that promote emotional balance and health. Try her mood-lifting trail mix, happiness syrup or pick-me-up peppermint latte. Make a cup of lavender or chamomile tea to relieve anxiety or depression. The food in your pantry and fridge can support your health and improve your outlook. Rise and Shine: Better Breakfasts for Busy Mornings by Katie Sullivan Morford How you start your day matters. You already know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but what if you could make breakfast so appealing it brings your family together around the table each day? Nutritionist and mother of three Katie Sullivan Morford offers tips, recipes and inspiration for making delicious and nutritious breakfasts.Rise and Shineis for parents who don’t want to sacrifice quality time and quality meals on busy mornings. The Happiness Diet: A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brain, Balanced Mood, and Lean, Energized Body by Drew Ramsey, MD and Tyler G. Graham What if the foods responsible for the obesity epidemic are also causing increased levels of depression and anxiety? That’s the premise behind The Happiness Diet. If you want simple solutions to make and eat feel-good foods for your brain and your body, this is the book for you. Learn how to move away from the modern American diet (which the authors call MAD) and get nutrition back in your meals. The Mood Cure: The 4-Step Program to Take Charge of Your Emotions—Today by Julia Ross Julia Ross’s plan provides a natural cure for your mood based on deficiencies in our neurotransmitters. She believes we can use food to overcome depression, anxiety, irritability, stress and other negative emotional states that take a toll on the quality of our lives. Julia’s plan is based on the use of four mood-building amino acids and nutritional supplements. Enjoy meals that include protein, healthy fat and certain key vegetables. Take her mood-type questionnaire to start feeling better and brighter. Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power by Lisa Mosconi, Ph.D. Lisa Mosconi is a neuroscientist and a certified integrative nutritionist who focuses on the dietary needs of the brain. Lisa provides recommendations for a complete food plan while calling out some popular notions, including: why a paleo diet may not be ideal, why avoiding gluten may be a mistake, and how getting enough water improves alertness.Review lists of what to eat and what to avoid and take a quiz that will tell you where you are on the brain health spectrum. Use your food choices to improve memory, prevent cognitive decline, eliminate brain fog, lift depression or improve mental alertness. At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen: Celebrating the Art of Eating Well by Amy Chaplin and Johnny Miller When your food, kitchen and meals are bright, you will be, too. Delight in the joy of food again in this colorful book full of recipes, menus and whole food tips. “Cook simple meals with organic ingredients. Find a daily practice that helps keep you connected, inspired and grounded. Practice gratitude and do what you love,” writes chef, food stylist and lover of food, Amy Chaplin. Vegans, vegetarians and carnivores will all find recipes to add to their collection and ideas to inspire a beautiful kitchen. The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig The popular The Whole30offers a 30-day meal plan designed to reset your health, habits and relationship with food so you can overcome cravings and addictions. The science behindWhole30is covered in the authors’ first book,It Starts With Food.The plan focuses on the quality of real food and omits processed foods and sugar as well as grains and legumes. You will have to say goodbye to cheese and even hummus (made from legumes), but you can keep your morning coffee if you drink it black or with almond milk. Eat foods for a healthy psychological response, transform your relationship with food, quash cravings and boost your immune system. Keto Comfort Foods: Family Favorite Recipes Made Low-Carb and Healthy by Maria Emmerich Comfort foods…just hearing those two words can make you feel good. We all crave them and they are designed to give us a big helping of comfort and foster well-being. The problem is, most comfort foods aren’t really good for your body—until now. In Keto Comfort Foods, enjoy a healthy spin on some of your favorite comfort foods with a variety of recipes presented with beautiful photography. Each recipe contains nutritional information and rated low, medium or high ketogenic (putting the body into a state of ketosis to burn stored fat). Whip up some beef stew, BBQ chicken lasagna, clam chowder, maple bacon ice cream or Sunday pot roast.
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Lemon Curd

Irresistible Homemade Lemon Curd

Because I raise chickens, I am always looking for delicious new ways to use our wonderful fresh eggs. Beyond the basic ways to cook eggs—scrambled, over easy, fried or in an omelet or frittata—I have really enjoyed making sauces such as Hollandaise and mayonnaise, where the few simple ingredients really allow the flavor and texture of the fresh eggs to shine. Of course, anything made with fresh ingredients is going to taste better than its store-bought counterpart, and that is also true for lemon curd. If you’re not familiar with curd, think lemon meringue pie filling, but more spreadable. It’s like a dessert topping, although it can be used as a pie or tart filling. Lemon curd is also delicious on toast or a bagel, as cupcake topping or in between the layers of a cake. It can also be used to fill homemade donuts, eclairs or cream puffs. Spread it on pancakes or waffles, add it to yogurt, use it instead of jelly on a peanut butter sandwich, or just eat it right out of the jar with a spoon! The technique for making curd is similar to making Hollandaise sauce in that you use a double boiler, which is simply a bowl set on top of a small pot of simmering water to avoid cooking the eggs at too high of a temperature and boiling, burning or scorching them. The curd will cook just with the heat of the steam that the simmering water creates. Incredibly easy to make, a batch of lemon curd can be done in less than 30 minutes. Since there are just four ingredients in this recipe, be sure that you use the freshest, highest quality eggs you can find (from your backyard chickens or from a local farm or farmers market, if possible), fresh-squeezed lemon juice and good-quality butter. Irresistible Homemade Lemon Curd (makes about 3 half-pint jars) Ingredients 6 fresh eggs 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed juice from 3 large lemons 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch cubes Add a few inches of water to a small pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Set a medium heat-proof glass or other nonreactive bowl on top of the saucepan so the bottom of the bowl is sitting at least an inch or so above the water line. Whisk the eggs and sugar in the bowl until smooth and well blended, then add the citrus juice and continue to whisk to combine completely. Continue to cook, whisking constantly for several minutes, until the mixture is warmed through evenly. Then begin to whisk in the butter, a few cubes at a time, whisking in between each addition until the butter melts completely. Once all the butter has been incorporated, continue to whisk, cooking until the curd thickens and will coat the back of a spoon, about 15 to 20 minutes. (If you have a candy thermometer, this should happen right around 185-190 degrees.) Once the curd has thickened to the proper consistency, remove the bowl from the heat. Cool and then spoon the curd into glass canning jars or any covered containers. Cover and refrigerate. The curd will continue to thicken as it chills. The curd will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator, but don’t be surprised if it disappears a lot faster!
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Hot Cocoa

Comfort in a Cup

Aztecs and Mayans were the first to drink chocolate as early as 500 B.C. Europeans such as the Spanish and later the Dutch sweetened the deal by adding sugar and inventing cocoa powder, respectively. And as Americans, we’ve made our own contribution: topping it with giant fluffy marshmallows. Hot chocolate warms you from the inside and is the perfect pick-me-up for a drizzly morning after you’ve walked the dog, or a blustery afternoon when you want to duck into a favorite cafe. To make delicious hot chocolate at home, combine two cups whole milk and two cups half-and-half in a small saucepan. Add one-half cup unsweetened cocoa powder and one-half cup sugar and stir frequently with a small whisk until bubbles form around the edges of the pan—about eight minutes. (Don’t let it come to a boil.) Pour into four mugs, top with marshmallows or whipped cream and serve right away. Emily Wise Miller is the Web Editor for Live Happy.
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Two women baking together

The Best Holiday Pies Come From Family

Growing up with two grandmothers who were both fine bakers, certain pies were fixtures on our holiday table. Over the years, I’ve tried different pie recipes with varying degrees of success, but since starting my own family, I’ve come to appreciate those hand-me-down recipes and realize the value of cultivating family food traditions. My paternal grandmother, who was the daughter of German immigrants, grew up on a farm. They had a few sour cherry trees, and during the fruit’s short summer season, she and her mother would put up jars of sour cherries to use throughout the autumn and winter. My other grandmother, Nana, had a more urban sensibility but was also an enthusiastic baker and a devotee of the celebrity chefs of the 1960s and ’70s, such as Julia Child and James Beard. Whichever house we were visiting, holiday meal prep was a family affair. I have so many memories of staying up late to help make the cranberry sauce, turn the turkey in its brine or get those pies done while the oven was still free. We would be covered with flour and exhausted but happy by the end of the night, and the whole house would smell of toasty pie crust. The next day, everyone would marvel at our creations. My grandmothers are no longer with us, but baking is still a family affair at the holidays. We still get covered with flour and have a great time. I know that somewhere, Grandma and Nana are enjoying little glasses of sherry and nodding their approval. Gingery Autumn Pumpkin Pie I’ve added a little surprise to Nana’s go-to recipe, creamy and custardy, which we think came from James Beard in the 1960s: a hidden layer of candied ginger, for a delicious punch of flavor. If this sounds like too much for you, sprinkle candied ginger on top instead. Makes 8–10 servings For the Flaky Double Crust Pie Dough: 2½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted ¼ teaspoon salt 2 sticks butter, cut into ½ -inch cubes ½ cup ice water, or as needed For the Pumpkin Filling One 15-ounce can (scant 2 cups) puréed cooked pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) 1 cup light brown sugar 6 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten 2 cups cream, at room temperature ½ teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon ground ginger ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¾ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/3 cup brandy ½ cup finely chopped candied ginger To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter, tossing the cubes in the flour to coat. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut and toss the butter into the flour until the lumps of butter are the size of large peas. Don’t overwork the dough. Make a well in the center and add the water a few tablespoons at a time, mixing and pressing with cool fingertips until the dough just comes together. Divide the dough into two disks, wrap with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour before using. Let the dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling each disk out into a 12-inch round. Use one to line a 9-inch pie pan, folding the edge underneath itself and crimping, and place the dough-lined pan in the refrigerator to chill for another hour. Place the second dough round (for cutting out decorations) on a baking sheet to chill. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the puréed pumpkin with the sugar, eggs, cream, spices and brandy, and stir well. Let sit at room temperature while you prebake the pie shell. Heat the oven to 400 F. Line the pie shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, letting the weights come up the sides of the pie if possible. Place on a baking sheet and prebake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, remove the paper and weights, and reduce the oven temperature to 375 F. Let the pre-baked pie shell cool while you use the second dough round to cut out leaf shapes with a cookie cutter. Scatter the candied ginger over the baked pie bottom and pour in the pumpkin filling. Use a pastry brush to dampen the undersides of the dough leaves, then gently press around the rim of the pie crust to make a decorative border. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the custard is just set, keeping in mind that it will continue to set after you remove it from the oven. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Cook’s Note: Keep an eye on the pie crust as it bakes, and if the rim is browning too quickly, create a foil collar to shield the pie rim but keep the custard exposed to the heat. Tart Cherry Lattice Pie Sour cherries are easier to find in jars than fresh, so they are a perfect way to add bright color and flavor to the autumn table. I sprinkle a layer of almond meal over the crust before filling it, to keep the bottom crust from becoming soggy. A very thinly rolled-out layer of almond paste also works. Makes 8–10 servings For the Flaky Double Crust Pie Dough: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 sticks butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/2 cup ice water, or as needed 2 24-ounce jars sour cherries in light syrup 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons almond extract or amaretto 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup almond meal 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 tablespoon milk 1 tablespoon coarse sugar To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter, tossing the cubes in the flour to coat. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut and toss the butter into the flour until the lumps of butter are the size of large peas. Don’t overwork the dough. Make a well in the center and add the water a few tablespoons at a time, mixing and pressing with cool fingertips just until the dough comes together. Divide the dough into two disks, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill for at least an hour before using. Let the dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling each disk out into a 12-inch round. Use one to line a 9-inch pie pan, trimming the dough overhang to 1 inch and placing the dough-lined pan in the refrigerator to chill for another hour. Place the second round of dough (for cutting out the lattice) on a baking sheet to chill. To make the filling, drain the cherries, reserving the liquid from the jar, and measure out ¹/3 cup of this liquid. In a large bowl, whisk the cherry liquid together with the cornstarch to make a slurry. Stir in the cherries, lemon juice and almond extract. Sprinkle with the granulated sugar and the salt, toss and set this filling aside at room temperature. Position a rack in the lower third of oven and preheat to 425 F. Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator and scatter the almond meal over the bottom. Remove the other dough round from the fridge and, using a pastry wheel with fluted edge or a sharp knife, cut out ten 3/4-inch-wide strips for the lattice. Pour the cherry filling into the pie shell, mounding it slightly in the center and dotting with the butter. To make the lattice, arrange up to half of the dough strips vertically over the filling, then fold back every other strip onto itself and place a horizontal strip over the unfolded strips. Unfold the vertical strips, fold back the previously unfolded strips and place another horizontal strip. Continue in this manner to make a lattice. Trim the dough strip overhang to 1/2 inch, fold the bottom crust dough up over ends of the strips and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Brush the lattice crust (but not the edges) with milk. Sprinkle the lattice with the coarse sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 F. Continue baking for about 1 hour longer, until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, covering the rim with a foil collar if it is browning too quickly. Transfer the pie to a rack and let cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve. Want more pie? Try our Salted Caramel Apple Tart recipe. Sarah Putman Clegg is a veteran cookbook editor and writer who lives in Northern California.
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Tarte tatin slice and whole tart

A French Twist on Apple Pie

Pecan pie. Pumpkin pie. Apple pie. The staple desserts of the American holiday table are undoubtedly delicious. But if you’d like to try something a little more adventurous this year, look no further. Traditional French tarte Tatin turns the tables on apple pie by using a pastry crust instead of pie crust and baking the whole thing upside down before daringly turning things over again and serving. In this case, we’ve modernized the recipe by salting the caramel. Let us know your favorite holiday desserts in the Comments section below. Salted Caramel Upside-Down Apple Tart Serves 8–10 9 Granny Smith or other firm-fleshed baking apples 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or powdered nutmeg 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the pan, at room temperature 3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt 1 round prepared puff pastry dough, 9 to 10 inches diameter Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving Prepare a 9- to 10-inch glass or ceramic pie dish that is at least 2 to 3 inches deep by smearing the insides thickly with butter. Peel, core and quarter the apples, then slice 1/8-inch thick. Put the apple slices in a large bowl, sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the sugar and the nutmeg, and toss. Set aside. Heat the oven to 375 F and set a rack in the bottom third of the oven. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the butter, sprinkle the salt over this, then arrange a third of the apples over the bottom of the prepared dish. Pop the 6 tablespoons butter in the microwave to melt it, then drizzle 2 tablespoons melted butter over the apples. Arrange another third of the apples in the dish, drizzle over 2 more tablespoons butter, then repeat with a final layer of apples and butter. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top. Place the pastry dough round over the apples, gently tucking the edges into the dish. Pierce the dough with a paring knife to let steam escape. Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake in the lower third of the oven until the caramel bubbling up the edges of the tart is a rich brown color, 45–60 minutes. If the crust is in danger of browning, cover it with foil. Remove the tart from the oven and immediately unmold onto a flameproof serving dish by inverting the serving dish over the pie dish, gripping both dishes with potholders, and flipping them both over together. Lift off the pie dish, freeing and replacing any apples that stick to the bottom. If the apples look too pale, slide the tart under the broiler for a few minutes to lightly caramelize the top. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. Look for more delicious holiday pie recipes in the December 2017 issue of Live Happy magazine. Sarah Putman Clegg is a veteran cookbook editor and writer who lives in Northern California.
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Woman holding a crate of apples.

Good Apples

Apple cider. Applesauce. Apple pie. Apples are a fundamental staple of the American kitchen. If apples were not already vibrant red, green and yellow, they might as well come in red, white and blue. The versatile fruit—a member of the rose family—thrives in cold weather but is available year-round. Apples come in a mind boggling number of varieties, from stalwarts such as Granny Smith and Gala to newcomers like Jazz, Pink Lady and Honeycrisp. You’ll get the full benefit of apples’ nutrients when you enjoy them raw with the peel on. (Wash them well and/or buy organic.) Apples achieve their startling colors thanks to antioxidants called polyphenols, including the flavonol quercetin, which concentrate in the peel. These chemicals have been ascribed with warding off cancer, to name but one superpower. Eating apples also aids digestion and lowers two kinds of cholesterol. The fiber in apples gives you a feeling of being full; in addition, apples are lower on the glycemic index than other fruit, which makes them a perfect snack for those who want to shed a few pounds. *** In fall when apples are abundant, you can slice then into salads, juice them or eat them any way you like. Here are two favorite recipes to add to your list. Apple Cake With Toasted Pecans You can easily omit the pecans and leave this cake very simple. Serve it with coffee in the afternoon or bring it to a potluck and watch it disappear before your eyes. (Adapted from “Spiced Apple Cake ” in Muffins by Beth Hensperger.) Serves 6 to 8 people. 3 tart apples, such as Granny Smith or Fuji, peeled, cored and chopped into roughly ½-inch pieces Zest and juice from one small orange or Meyer lemon ½ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round springform pan, or a square baking pan. In a bowl, combine the apples, zest and juice, brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Using an electric mixer, combine the softened butter, cream cheese and vanilla with the granulated sugar in the bowl of the mixer and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Then add the dry ingredients a little at a time. Finally, remove the bowl from the mixer and add the apple mixture, using a wooden spoon or spatula to gently mix into the batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until top is golden and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean—about 60 minutes (check at 50 minutes if using a square pan and not a springform). When the cake is done, allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Release from the pan; let cool and serve. Apple Sauce With Cranberries Use this classic fall recipe with turkey, Hanukkah latkes, or any time you would normally use regular apple sauce. Serves 6 to 8 people as a condiment. 4 whole tart apples, such as Fuji or Granny Smith, peeled, cored and chopped into large pieces 2 tablespoons lemon juice ¼ cup brown sugar 1 cup raw cranberries Combine all the ingredients in a heavy pot with 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon to break up the apples, until the ingredients have melded into a chunky sauce, about 15 minutes. If you would like a more refined texture, pass the sauce through a potato ricer or food mill. Emily Wise Miller is the Web Editor for Live Happy. Some of her previous articles on food and cooking include 3 Steps to Healthier Eatingand Tomatoes Take a Starring Role.
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Roasted Red Snapper

How to Roast a Fish

A whole roasted fish is one of the healthiest—and easiest—dishes you can make. Serve it with a side of green beans and a glass of white wine, and you’ll think you’ve been transported to the South of France. Start by finding the freshest fish from a good purveyor. It could be branzino (loup de mer), red snapper (pictured) or something else, depending on where you live and the season. If you are serving four people, look for a fish that weighs at least two pounds. Have the fish monger clean and scale the fish for you so it's ready to be prepared. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Slip a few lemon slices inside the opening of the fish along with a sprinkling of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Add more salt and pepper to the outside along with a splash of olive oil. If the fish won't stay closed up with the lemon inside, tie it up with kitchen twine. Place in the hot oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes; use a spatula to turn the fish over and cook for about seven minutes longer. (This preparation also works great on the grill.) Garnish with fresh chives and serve. Emily Wise Miller is the Web Editor at Live Happy. See more of her writing about food: Bruschetta With Tomato and Basil and Spicy Carrot Soup.
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