Fried plantains are the quintessential Latin side dish. They may look a lot like bananas, but they are considerably more firm until they are super ripe (think black and soft.) Fried plantains are delicious served with pork, beef, or even alongside eggs or rice. Fry them in butter and brown sugar and you will have one fine meal. If you live in the Dallas area, make a date to visit Zaguan, a Latin 'bakery' that serves savory brunches, lunches, dinners (including Colombian empanandas and of course, fried plantains.) Smashed Caramelized Plantain recipe courtesy Tyler Florence 4 ripe plantains 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 stick butter 4 tablespoons packed light brown sugar Pinch salt 1 lime, juiced 1. Cut ends off ripe plantains (soft and blackened), peel and slice in half lengthwise. 2. Set 2 large non-stick saute pans over medium-high heat and add oil and 2 tablespoons butter into each pan. Add plantains and cook for 10 minutes - you don't want to move it too frequently otherwise it won't caramelize as well, flipping halfway. 3. Once you flip the plantains, sprinkly with light brown sugar and salt. 4. The plantains should be nice and golden. Squeeze with fresh lime juice just before serving.

Quality food, life go well together

By Catherine Jagers

It's that time of year when we all vow to eat better, but we're not quite sure how.

We need food. It keeps us going, and it tastes good.

But doughnuts taste good, and therein lies the problem. Junk food isn’t good for you.

Here are a few simple tips to help you enjoy quality food in 2009, which in turn will help you enjoy a quality life. Focus on freshness

Pretend the frozen section of your grocery store doesn't exist and ignore the canned vegetables.

Also, please don't feed yourself ready-made, processed, microwavable meals. Most of these meals are chock-full of chemicals, and they lack the nutrition and taste of food in its original form.

I know you are trying to be good by picking up a can of green beans, but turn in to the produce aisle instead.

Grab a handful of fresh green beans. Break off the ends, place on a baking tray and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Broil for seven minutes and, voila, fresh veggies that taste great.

Fresh food provides the nutrition your body needs so that you feel the urge to eat less often. Get creative

I love chocolate. But instead of eating a Snickers every time I want one, I rely on my stock of organic dark chocolate. A few bites after dinner, and my craving is quenched.

If you dream about pizza, don't deny yourself.

Start with a piece of pita bread, and spread fresh Italian mozzarella on top. Place some fresh tomato slices on the cheese, as well as some Italian sausage. Bake for 20 minutes and serve with fresh basil on top. Enjoy every bite

We live in a fast-paced world where people scarf down meals at their desk … when they’re not skipping meals.

Even worse, we mindlessly inhale a sandwich in about four bites. Next time you eat a meal, try putting your fork down between every bite. Taste the food that is in your mouth. Do you like the flavors? Do you like the texture?

Our serving sizes are often triple what they need to be, mainly because we eat so fast that we have no idea when we are full. We scarf down a trough-full of food and suffer the post-lunch coma.

By enjoying each bite, we actually derive pleasure from food, and eating slowly is an added bonus for your digestive system.

May this New Year hold many long meals full of quality food, friends and family for you.

I'm loving cold weather recipes. Grab a mug. Toast to our new President, and enjoy a hot-twist on a summer classic . . . it's Winter Sangria! (based on a recipe featured in this month's EveryDay with Rachel Ray) Winter Sangria 1. In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup frozen peaches, 1 cup frozen cherries and 1/4 cup sugar. (Get creative with any frozen fruit mixture.) Let stand until thawed, about 10 minutes. 2. In a medium sauce pan, bring 1 bottle of dry red wine (rioja, malbec, merlot), 2 star anise (optional) and the fruit mixture to a simmer over medium heat. 3. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup peach schnapps. (Remove star anise if used.) 4. Serve warm in mugs.

Mashed potatoes are the world's most comforting food. During this cold weather, go back to the basics and enjoy some delicious mashed potatoes. I have to admit . . . a very cranky man, an employee at Williams Sonoma, set me straight in my mashed-potato ways. He looked at me with dead eyes and an open-mouthed aghast expression when I mentioned I used a hand mixer to mash my potatoes. He finally explained that he only uses a potato ricer (imagine a giant garlic press), because it keeps potatoes light and fluffy. I recovered from my shame, and that night I used a fork to mash my potatoes instead of an electric mixer. Cranky Man did give me one piece of potato-mashing advice that has made all the difference: heat the butter, cream/milk, salt and pepper in a small saucepan before adding to the potatoes. Classic Mashed Potatoes 8 russet potatoes (peeled and cubed) 3 tbsp. butter 1/2 cup half-and-half salt and pepper to taste 1. Bring water to a boil, and place potatoes in pot (uncovered.) 2. When potatoes can be pierced with a fork without any resistance, drain in a colander. 3. Return potatoes to pot and remove from heat. 4. Mash with a fork or potato ricer. 5. Heat butter, half-and-half, salt and pepper in a small sauce pan. When heated through (but not boiling) add to mashed potatoes and mix together. Add additional salt and pepper if needed and serve with anything!

I love cooking with cast iron. It holds heat like a ninja so food cooks evenly without those pesky overdone/underdone spots. Cast iron can go from the stove to the oven with finesse, making it perfect for searing steaks/fish on the stove, then heating them through in the oven. Stews cook perfectly. Roasts are delicious. Clean up is easy, and best of all, it is inexpensive.

I recently got a Cousances enameled cast iron pot. All the goodness, with a beautiful non-stick coating.

You might have seen (and drooled over) the brightly colored Le Creuset enameled cast iron cookware.
It is known worldwide as the highest quality enameled cast iron, but before there was Le Creuset, there was Cousances. Cousances was the original leader of enameled cast iron, mainly because the bottom isn't enameled but sealed (and some other fancy reasons.) Le Creuset has acquired Cousances, but you can still find original pieces.
I made this White Bean Soup last night, and it is simmering on my stove right now.

My friend Yvonne let me borrow her Barefoot in Paris cookbook. The subtitle is 'Easy French Food You Can Make at Home.' Now this is promising. The recipe for Mussels in White Wine immediately caught my eye, and it was on the table in 20 minutes! I have never cooked mussels, so I was pleasantly surprised when these turned out so good. I can't take any credit for skill, because these are surprisingly easy. These mussels are salty, garlic-y and buttery with unbelievable flavor from the saffron, fresh thyme, tomatoes and white wine. Don't forget a nice crunchy bread to sop up the sauce. This seemed like a great time to post a picture from my last birthday I spent in NYC. My favorite restaurant/bar, Rose in Brooklyn, had a bottomless mussel dinner. (Yes, those are mussel shells we are using as 'goggles.')

• 3 pounds cultivated mussels
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 cup chopped shallots (5 to 7 shallots)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (5 to 6 cloves)
• 1/2 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes, drained (4 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon good saffron threads
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup good white wine
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

I bought my mussels from Whole Foods, and they are nice and they were already cleaned (and 'debearded'). If you have mussles that need cleaning, put them in a large bowl with 2 quarts of water and the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels disgorge any sand. Drain the mussels, then remove the "beard" from each with your fingers. If they're dirty, scrub the mussels with a brush under running water. Discard any mussels whose shells aren't tightly shut.

In a large non-aluminum stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the tomatoes, saffron, parsley, thyme, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Add the mussels, stir well, then cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels are opened (discard any that do not open). With the lid on, shake the pot once or twice to be sure the mussels don't burn on the bottom. Pour the mussels and the sauce into a large bowl and serve hot.

Parrano cheese has been called 'the Dutch cheese that thinks it's Italian.' Call it whatever you'd like . . . it is delicious. I love to simply slice and enjoy. Parrano is great as an appetizer with soppressata or salami. There is technical information you can learn about this wonderful cheese, if you want to feel fancy at dinner parties. Parrano has a 'mild and nutty' flavor. It is a cow's milk cheese that is made in the Netherlands, and while it is technically part of the Gouda family, it tastes stronger than a typical Gouda. It resembles a mild Parmesan. Parrano cheese is sold at any cheese shop or fine grocery store. Any other cheese favorites among you foodies?

If you are in the mood for smooching, this might be the wrong dish for you. This chicken is bathed in a sauce with forty cloves of garlic, and it is unbelievably good! Ina Garten (aka Barefoot Contessa) made this dish famous. I have included the recipe below, but they are selling jars of the sauce at Williams Sonoma right now. If you are looking for a fail proof dinner that will make your entire house smell delicious, go pick up a jar, and enjoy. I bought 8 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless) and seared the outside in a little olive oil in an oven proof pot. Then I poured the jar of 40- clove garlic sauce on top and put in the oven for 45 minutes. If you have some free time and want to feel like a champ, here is the recipe from the Barefoot Contessa.

Need an easy appetizer? Goat cheese and pesto are a match made in heaven. Easy, quick and tasty. I put french bread slices and goat cheese on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and broil in the oven for 5 minutes. Serve platter of bread slices and let everyone spread their own goat cheese and pesto. I usually buy ready-made pesto from the store. If you have a little time here is an easy recipe: Homemade Pesto 2 cloves garlic, peeled 3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt 5 cups (20g) loosely-packed basil leaves 5 tablespoons (75ml) olive oil 2 ounces (60g) grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup (30g) pine nuts 1. Add garlic, salt, basil, and pine nuts into a food processor (or you can mash with a mortar and pestle.) 2. While mixing, add a steady stream of olive oil and add cheese. 3. Blend until smooth.