Kitchen Scoop Blog

Have you noticed that Martha Stewart is fat? On the treadmill at the gym the other morning, I’m watching The TODAY Show while trying to walk off last night’s Fettuccine with Clam Sauce. About halfway through my workout, on comes Martha, talking with Matt about a setting up a "first-aid drawer" -- (use little ramekins to hold each item and group according to type of medical affliction).

If you go to Martha's website, you'll mostly see photos of her still-gorgeous face, and you won't see ANY photos of her from the chest down unless her midriff is obscured. But on this clip from TODAY, such editing is not in place. Watch the NBC clip and see for yourself!

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The camera catches her from the side at about the point where the drawer hits her, which is of course waist level. And OMG, Martha is fat. There’s practically an inner tube attached to her waist.

I’m not sure why I am so surprised that Martha is a bit chubby, given the fact that she is constantly cooking. Also she just turned 69 years old on August 3. But here’s what is so depressing to me about this early-morning revelation:

The New York Times recently reported that every year, 76 million cases of foodborne illness occur in the U.S., leading to about 300,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths. And this startling fact hit home recently when Alicia’s 82 year old mother-in-law was hospitalized for 3 days with a mystery illness that turned out to be E. coli. (She’s home now and responding well to treatment.) With the egg recall, we’ve started thinking (worrying?) more than ever before about getting sick from basic foods you trust to be safe. What are you doing to germ-proof your kitchen?

Here are a few of our favorite strategies:

Buy nonporous cutting boards in different colors so that at a glance you know which one is for meat and which is designated for veggies. Wash them in the dishwasher.

Keep a spray bottle of antibacterial solution next to the kitchen faucet, (out in the open so you don’t forget), and squirt down the sink and counters at least daily, but preferably after everything you cook.

Making your own salad dressing doesn't always make sense, depending on how complicated it is and whether or not there's a reasonably priced and tasty enough store-bought option. But when it comes to salad dressings in the oil-and-vinegar category, it doesn't really make sense NOT to make your own.

Take this Greek dressing. It's simple, but zesty and oh so quick to shake together. It works especially well with our Greek Greens and Potato Salad.

Happy Labor Day! We’ve put our heads together to come up with our favorite “labor-saving” ingredients and plan to employ as many as we can to keep the day easy and restful.

In no particular order, here are some favorites:

Already-boiled eggs (Saves time on homemade potato salad and deviled eggs – find them in packages in the deli, refrigerated section of the supermarket or on the salad bar.)

Now that you've seen our blog on how to make simple syrup, we wanted to share this terrific trio of Citrus “ades.” Whipping up a soda-fountain quality Limeade or Lemonade takes only 2 minutes when using simple syrup.

From there, let your imagination soar. (Although the recipes are written to serve one, they can easily be multiplied to fit your entertaining needs.)

Whether you’re having a Labor Day picnic, cookout or potluck, frosty, fruity “ades” will be a welcome addition. Enjoy!

Simple syrup is pretty much liquid sugar and can be a busy bartender’s best friend. With a batch of simple syrup on hand, drinks don’t need a lot of stirring or shaking. You can easily produce a minty Mojito or a myriad of other cocktails -- with or without alcohol.

All you have to do is combine equal parts of granulated sugar and water in a saucepan, (we usually do one cup of each), bring it just to a boil, and then simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves. Then remove the pan from the heat, cool the syrup, and refrigerate in a covered jar. It should keep for about two weeks -- if it lasts that long!

For a slightly different take on simple syrups, here is the link to a great story in The Miami Herald click here.

I went out to a really nice restaurant that I heard a lot about here in Raleigh with my friend Scott last night, and we had the worst service either of us had ever had at an upscale restaurant. The restaurant described itself as serving "Global Street Food," and we were both excited to try it out.

The waiter seemed nice and attentive, but was possibly the most clueless individual I have ever encountered, especially since the waiter at a restaurant at that price level is supposed to be more than clued in and be your guide for the evening.

So here’s what happened:

1. Bags of already-shredded cheese. Keeps mold at bay and works wonderfully with no compromise in flavor or texture in baked dishes, as stir-ins for pasta or even as a topper for casseroles.

2. Leftover cooked rice. Make extra and freeze for another meal. Defrost in the microwave.

3. Meats we bought on sale. Always buy extra for later for a significant expense cut!

4. Ice cube trays full of pesto. Once frozen, pop out the cubes, store in a plastic freezer bag and pull out just what you need later on. (Each cube is 2 tablespoons.)

5. Desserts. Cut your calories -- banish leftover cake, brownies and cookies to the freezer. Portion into servings for one or two, wrap securely and pull out when you deserve a treat.

That’s our list. What are your favs?

When summer starts to wane the truly lazy days begin. Everybody’s feeling a bit sluggish, and it may surprise you to know that we think this is an excellent time to entertain! Expectations aren’t so high -- you can serve a glass of wine and perhaps a pre-restaurant nibble, and your guests are grateful just to get out of the house.

This works best if you do the inviting on the spur of the moment. (Let’s keep those expectations low!) Say something like: Why don’t you stop by here for drinks before we head out to dinner? You get credit for hosting without stressing out.

Mini Feta and Artichoke Tarts is a great recipe for these impromptu gatherings. The ingredients are exotic, there’s almost no preparation, and after a quick run in the oven, these yummy nibbles are done.

I’m hoping you all can help me with a disagreement. Should your home office go in your bedroom?

I, unequivocally, say No! Your bedroom should be a place of retreat and rejuvenation. I work from home, so if I brought my work into my bedroom, I’d never have any place other than the bathroom that my work didn’t invade.

A friend (who has an office at work) has set up his home office in a corner of his bedroom. While the space is more than efficient for his desk, a few files and books, (and it aesthetically looks perfectly fine), I think it is a bad idea.

What say you? Should your home office be in your bedroom or not? Let us know what you think in the comments section following this post. Or email us at tellus@KitchenScoop.com.