Holiday Cooking Made Simple

We consider our patients an extension of family and as such, we love learning and sharing their many interests and talents. We recently learned that Janne Taubman is the author of two cookbooks, and with the holidays just around the corner we thought it might be nice to learn more from a resident chef, before tackling the task of cooking this year’s Thanksgiving feast. Janne’s cookbooks   offer at-home cooks some great recipes and instruction. When we spoke with Janne about her books and holiday cooking this is what she had to say:

AD: What inspired you to write a cookbook? 

When we lived in San Diego years ago, my hairstylist mentioned that she was hosting 17 of her family members from Phoenix for Thanksgiving.  I remarked that I knew that she didn’t cook much and asked if she was nervous. She replied that she had plenty of time to practice.  Thanksgiving was nine weeks away. Three weeks before Thanksgiving I was back at her salon and she said, “I know you cook a lot, can you tell me how you make mashed potatoes?”  I knew then she was in trouble!  I offered to go to her house soon and help her plan. When I arrived and looked in her pantry and found only salt, pepper and garlic salt, dinner plates for 4 and a small set of cooking pans, I knew she really needed my help.  We sat down and planned her menu, and I wrote out the recipes and a timetable. If I hadn’t, I knew she would be putting a frozen turkey in the oven.  After Thanksgiving, she thanked me and said, “I don’t know what made me think I could pull that off without help. You ought to write a cookbook for people like me.” 

For the next year, I took some notes when we entertained for holidays and parties and DinnerOn Time: Holiday and Special Occasion Cooking was born.  I immediately started working on the second book, DinnerOnTime: Serving Hot Things Hot and Cold Things Cold, was published in 2008.  Now that I’m retired, I feel a third book is on the way. 

What kind of recipes will we find in your books? 

Both cookbooks include a variety of down-home cooking recipes, many of which came from my mother who taught all eight of her children how to get a meal on the table.  The thing that sets my holiday book apart from other cookbooks is the timeline I provide with all the recipes and menu to help coordinate the preparation so that the meal comes together at the same time.  I also include a prepared shopping list to ensure that when you start cooking you are not missing an ingredient needed for the recipe.  In my second book, I have a chapter of make-ahead meals where you can spend an afternoon in the kitchen and end up with at least 10 dinners to store in the freezer.  Another chapter focuses on entertaining and includes everything from a fancy sit-down dinner to feeding a crowd for a football game. 

What are your some of your favorite dishes to cook?

It’s tough to narrow it down to a few dishes. We have been blessed to travel to Italy a number of times and I love real Italian food.  I like to experiment and try to recreate those simple dishes at home.  Steak the Italian Way, Tomatoes and Mozzarella au gratin and Onion Mushroom Risotto are a few of my favorites.

Any special plans for the Thanksgiving holiday? What will you be cooking?

I will actually use my own cookbook menu and timeline for Thanksgiving.  It really makes it easy on me to not have to think about it.  The shopping list is done and all I have to think about it what time we want to sit down to eat and look at the timeline in the book.  We will have our local family, friends and stragglers that don’t have family in town. Some years, we have as few as 8 and other years as many as 24.  We have many blessings for which to be thankful. 

If you could invite any three people in the world to dinner, who would they be?  I would be hard pressed to choose 3 because I would give anything to have my Mom and Dad and grandparents at our table again.  I always miss them, but the holidays especially shine a light on their absence from my life. 

How long have you been a patient at Artistic Dental?  My husband and I moved to Phoenix in 2004. After settling in, we looked for a dentist that was on our plan and located near work.  Dr. Dougherty’s name came up and we decided to give him a try.  We have been going to him for more than 10 years now.  He is the most progressive dentist I have known and everyone in the office is great as well. Coming to the office feels like visiting old friends now.  

Where can people purchase your cookbooks?   

People can contact me directly at jstaubman@cox.net or call me at 602-354-2910 to purchase either of my cookbooks or both. The price is $19.95 per book plus tax and shipping.

5 fun alternatives to Halloween Candy

Going trick-or-treating is a highlight of the year for most kids and, let’s be serious, many adults too. After it’s the one night of the year where you get to wear a cool creative costume and fill up on Halloween candy to your hearts content (or until Mom says, “No more.”)

Unfortunately, eating too much candy can build up plaque, which leads to cavities and other health problems. The American Heart Association recommends that children eat or drink less than 25 grams of added sugar a day. On Halloween, the average trick-or-treater takes home candy that contains more than 600 grams of sugar! That’s nearly three cups of sugar being consumed in a very short amount of time.

In a previous blog we discussed how to limit Halloween candy and other preventative measures to help maintain oral hygiene during the sweets-filled holiday season. It’s especially important to begin educating children at an early age about how much sugar is in food and the damage it can do to their teeth. Offering healthy alternatives can keep your family from reaching into the candy jar or bag, and increasing the chances for those dreaded post-Halloween cavities. To help prepare for the holiday here are five alternatives to Halloween candy:

Make fruit and veggies fun

Halloween candy doesn’t have to be the only Halloween treat that’s fun! Get creative with fruits and vegetables and watch people line up for your spooky creations. Make a veggie skeleton with carrots, celery, bell peppers and broccoli. Use the curve of the chopped bell pepper for ribs, celery for legs, broccoli for feet and a cup of ranch dip for the skeleton’s face. Try apple slices with peanut butter and mini marshmallows. Place the marshmallows in-between two apple slices to create a tasty grin. This treat can also serve as a reminder to brush your teeth after eating sweets!

Give away toys

Buying a big bag of Halloween candy for trick-or-treaters often becomes a temptation that has you sneaking several pieces for yourself. To keep the sneaking of sweets to a minimum consider giving out something other than candy this Halloween. Inexpensive options include temporary tattoos, fake bugs and glow sticks.

Host a pumpkin decorating contest

Decorating pumpkins is a fun activity for all ages and it can be a great alternative to trick-or-treating. Make it into a competition and see who can paint or carve the most creative jack-o-lantern. Offer prizes and serve your fun fruit and veggie creations for hors d'oeuvres.

Build a homemade piñata

Making a homemade piñata may sound like a lot of work but with some paper mache skills and a little paint, anyone can do it! Blow up a balloon and use it as your base of the piñata. Use paper mache mix and newspaper to cover the balloon, wait for it to dry and then pop the balloon from the bottom. You can then paint it to make a ghost, a pumpkin or anything else you can imagine. Fill the piñata with Halloween toys or confetti and get the blindfold and stick ready.!

Visit a pumpkin patch

There are pumpkin patches with a variety of outdoor activities and plenty of healthy food alternatives, like apple stands. Spend time walking through a maze or feeding animals at the petting zoo. Being outdoors in the fresh air is a great distraction from sugary Halloween temptations.

Seeking out alternatives can save your teeth from decay, while creating new family traditions. And if you do decide to indulge from time to time, don’t forget to brush your teeth after eating and visit your dentist regularly.

What is a Dental Implant?

Dental implants have been around for more than 30 years and are the standard of care when replacing a single missing tooth. Implants can also anchor dentures so they don’t move around. If you’ve thought about dental implants but you’re not sure if it’s the best option for you or you have questions about the procedure, read on.

There are many advantages to dental implants, including: 

• Improved appearance and self-confidence. Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth, and can give you back the smile you remember.
• Improved speech and effortless eating. Unlike dentures, dental implants are permanent, so you don’t need to worry about slipping or pain when speaking or chewing.
• Improved comfort. Because they become part of your mouth, implants eliminate the discomfort that can occur with removable dentures.
• Durability and convenience. Implants are very durable and will last many years. They eliminate the care and inconvenience that comes with removable dentures.

Dental implants have a success rate of up to 98 percent, depending on where in the mouth they are placed. With proper oral hygiene, implants can last a lifetime. 

Getting an implant is a simple 6-step process and usually takes 3 visits over a 4 to 6 month period.

1. Evaluation: The dentist will evaluate your teeth, answer any questions and put together a treatment plan.
2. Extraction: If you are replacing a damaged or diseased tooth with an implant, the tooth will need to be removed about two months before the implant is inserted to allow for proper healing.
3. Grafting (if necessary): To ensure success, your dentist will want to make sure you have strong bones and gums to support the implant. If you have bone loss, it may be necessary to do a bone graft to provide the right conditions for the implant to succeed.
4. Insertion of the implant: Once your jawbone is ready, the dentist can attach the implant. You will be given either local or general anesthesia. The base of the implant will be screwed into the jawbone, with a healing cap on it to allow for recovery of the gum tissue before the crown is put on. If you are getting a front tooth replaced, you may be given a retainer with a cosmetic tooth on it to disguise the gap.
5. Application of the crown: Once the implant base has healed, your dentist will remove the healing cap and attach the crown. This may be done in one or two steps, depending on the case.
6. Maintenance: It’s important to keep your teeth clean and healthy to ensure your implant lasts as long as possible. Make sure to brush regularly, floss thoroughly, and continue to do regular check ups with your dentist.

If you want to learn more about dental implants, call the Artistic Dental office at 602.840.5400 to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our dentists.