Buying in Bulk- Where?

I’m looking into buying in bulk– online– more than ever now. I find a heck of a lot of multivitamin products online, but I’m looking specifically for stuff like dried fruits, nuts, pet foods, and things like pasta and rice. Do any of you have any suggestions? I have only found a few websites, and their prices aren’t that much different than my local grocery store (when you account for shipping). That’s no good.

I ordered yeast online recently, purchased 5 pounds in 0ne-pound packages. It should last me a good year, maybe more. And it only cost me $25 total! Now THAT’S buying in bulk.

I have no idea regarding any co-operative extension in my area, either. I think the nearest one is several towns away. Besides, I’d rather order online and have it delivered than fanagle with an order and have to drive out 15 miles to pick it up.

Do you order in bulk? If so, where? I’d love to try it!

Chicken Riggies: A Central NY Dish

Central New York is renowned for incredible Italian dishes, due to the influx of immigrants in the late 1800s. I am not Italian, since I was raised in an Italian region by Italians, I cook a lot of Italian foods. (I also talk with my hands :-p ). One such Italian dish in the Utica, NY, area is Chicken Riggies, is a famous and popular local dish. There’s even a Riggie Fest every year, with local restaurants competing for the infamous title of King Riggie or something like that.

It seems that everybody around here has their own variation of Chicken Riggies; this is mine. I originally posted the recipe on my New York Traveler blog, where it went viral and go linked to on Wikipedia. That was cool, like getting a spot on the best paid web directories for free!

Anyway, as with a lot of my cooking, the ingredients are “a little this” and “a little that.” Basically, Chicken Riggies is a chicken, tomato cream, and sherry cream sauce on rigatoni pasta dish. This recipe is completely customizable– add more cream if you want it creamier; add more cherry peppers (so daring you are!) if you want to burn your tongue off; leave out the sherry if you don’t want alcohol. I prefer less cream, less spice, and more tomatoes. Mmmmm/

Chicken Riggies
Feeds an army or 4 to 5 Italians

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 3 or 4 hot cherry peppers (from the jar), seeded and chopped (add less or more if you are a glutton for punishment)
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 2 cans (28 oz. or so) diced tomatoes
• 4 leaves freshly chopped basil, or 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup sherry (optional; I always add it)
• 4 to 5 chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces*
• salt to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup light cream (depending on taste)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (optional)
• 2 1-lb. boxes of penne rigati or rigatoni

* You can pre-boil the chicken, or use leftover chicken, or use leftover grilled chicken cubes for extra kick.

This time, I boiled the chicken. Cut the chicken into cubes and toss them in a large wok (or other large pan) with the olive oil, diced onion, and chopped garlic. Cook gently until the onion turns tender.

While that’s cooking, mince a few pickled cherry peppers. I dislike hot dishes, so I only included two peppers for a little excitement. After you’ve chopped them, throw them into your wok, and stir.

Add the tomato paste and the cans of tomatoes; then add the spices. Mmm, I love basil. Stir well.

Allow the sauce to simmer for about 20 minutes. While the sauce is simmering, start boiling the rigatoni pasta.

Back to the tomatoes: After 20 minutes or so, add the sherry if you are using it, and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir frequently and do not allow the tomato sauce to burn– keep the heat a low/medium.

The tomatoes should be done, so remove them from the heat. Add the cream and the Parmesan cheese and lightly stir.

Stir in a handful of mozzarella cheese if you want.

Drain and lightly rinse the rigatoni. Place it into a large dish. Pour the Riggie tomato sauce on the pasta and lightly stir. Garnish with more cheese. It’s a terrific meal all on it’s own, but you can also serve it with a crispy green salad or garlic bread. Soooooo good.

Four Foods For Friday #106

Here we are again! The question is nice and simple, too.

What are four spices you must have in the house?

Good question! I am a “plain Jane” kind of cook; I don’t use too many salts, peppers, oils, butters, etc. Even at the dinner table, I rarely butter my bread or salt my food. But there are a few favorite spices I just love. I spent a few years experimenting with various spices, such as a curry/cinnamon mix that was actually kind of good. Plus, I hear curry is incredibly good for you. Not only has it been suggested to fight cancer, it is a possible appetite suppressant and therefore one of those natural weight loss supplements. I have no idea for sure– I never lost an ounce from eating a curry dish, I think you’d have to turn orange from eating it before you saw any results, eh?

ANYWAY. Spices. Here are my absolutely necessary spices:

1. Basil. I make a lot of Italian dishes, and I over do it with basil. I just can’t help myself!
2. Salamida Hickory Spice “Pinch” seasoning. This stuff is amazing. I use it on everything- soups, chickens, rice, veggies. It’s outstanding.
3. Garlic powder. For those days when I’m too lazy to mince garlic cloves. Which seems to be a lot of the time.
4. Oregano and Paprika and Cinnamon. It’s a tie.

Four Foods For Friday #105

Ooo I love these short and sweet FFFF questions. The longer ones are not bad, not at all, but sometimes it’s nice to list things.

What are your four favorite soups?

Weeeelll… I’m not much of a soup eater. I know they make a terrific diet aid, but I never feel full after having them. So my favorite soups are probably more like stews because they are thicker and have “stuff” in them. For what it’s worth, here they are:

1. Beef vegetable soup. With tender, tiny beef chunks and lots of veggies.
2. My Black Bean & Ham soup. It’s not something I’d want every day (no soup is), but this is very tasty.
3. Special Lentil Soup. I love the Salamida Hickory Smoke seasoning. I use that stuff on everything.
4. Good ol’ canned tomato soup. I used to eat it a lot as a girl whenever I stayed home from school. I always ate them with tuna fish sandwiches. It was one of the rare times my tummy every felt happy after having soup. And it’s one of those rather rare good childhood memories.

Ideas for Cupcakes

photo credit: FUNKYAH

Cupcakes are just so much fun! Unlike cakes, cupcakes are easy to decorate. You can sprinkle or plunk just about anything on a cupcake. I was having a cupcake epiphany last week after browsing my local grocery store for sprinkles. I was FLOORED at the cost of the things. $4 to $7 for a little jar of sprinkles?! No way! Do they know how many birthdays we celebrate around here?! A couple of jars of little sprinkles should not cost as much as a cell phone booster or

So here are some ideas I had for decorating cupcakes. The first one is my favorite.

• Sweet, colored cereal, like Fruity Pebbles, Froot Loops, or Cocoa Puffs. What a cheap, colorful alternative!
• Small cookie-type cereal pieces, such as Cookie Crisp.
• Cut-up chunks of chocolate and white chocolate.
• Crushed nuts
• Shredded coconut
• Sliced bananas (great with chocolate frosting)
• Sweet-tarts candies
• Crushed Malted Whoppers

I like things that are easily munched and are not too crunchy. I think the cereal idea is great. Plus, they probably have as much sugar content as actual sprinkles, so they are a good replacement. :-p

Do you have any special treats you put on your cupcakes?

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