Cooking Literature Reviews

People often ask me where I get my recipes.  Well the answer is: quite a collection of places!

 

This is probably my all time favorite cookbook.  I actually have two editions!  The Better Homes and Gardens, "New Cook Book" is full of classic American recipes.  The ingredients are all things you can find in your grocery store, so you won't have to be that crazy person wandering around looking for "zaatar."  I often give this cookbook as a bridal shower gift and would rate it as a "must have" for any kitchen!

 

Next up is "The Science of Good Cooking" from Cook's Illustrated.  I received this book as a gift for Christmas and adored it from the time I ripped the paper open.  It's much more than a cookbook, (you won't believe it!) it's a science book too!  A few years ago when I was just beginning on my culinary adventures, this book might have overwhelmed me.  But with a some kitchen experience, it's perfect!  The book is jam packed with tips, tools, and anything you can think of to make you a better cook.  

"The Science of Good Cooking" goes through and teaches different concepts such as "Resting Meat Maximizes Juiciness", "Create Layers for a Breading that Sticks" and "Salty Marinades Work Best."  The book gives multiple recipes that utilize each concept before moving on to the next one.  

Often I do things in the kitchen because that's what worked best in the past or others taught me how, but I never fully grasped why they work.  While reading this book I have experienced so many "ah-ha!" moments, finally grasping why things works! If you want to be a better cook - read this book!

I also get a quite a few recipes from magazines.   Currently I'm subscribed to "Eating Well" but I have received other magazines in the past.  Most have great recipes, just pick one that fits your life/cooking style!  A word of advice: whenever I find a recipe that I want to try I rip it out and put it in a binder with different categories.  That way I'm not searching through dozens of magazines looking for a recipe.

 

BLOGS!  I like blogs! A lot!  The Pioneer Woman is one of my favorite, but there are tons of great food blogs out there.  Be warned (if you are anything like me) blogs can be more addicting than Pintrest, Settlers of Catan, Bloon Tower Defense 3, Cyber Monday Shopping, or Harry Potter.  You have been warned!

Okay, so I haven't really finished Michael Pollan's new book "Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation."  I don't even own it.  (I'll love you forever if you buy it for me :) )  But I read part of it on Amazon's awesome preview option. And man was it good!  In the first 25 pages I felt like Pollan hopped inside my brain and organized so many of my thoughts on cooking and eating.  Making my thoughts much more eloquent of course!  I found myself reading every other paragraph aloud to NS because I loved it so much!  Pollan is a bit more of a liberal and feminist than I am, but in the name of good eating, that is certainly something I can overlook! ha!  So you should check this book out... and I will too!

Vroom vroom

Just a typical day - Mary going for a ride in a dump truck.

We LOVE Spring!

The Piler and I are soaking up some rays!  We waited so long for spring and now we are enjoying every minute we can!

All smiles!

If you can't walk up the hill, climb up it!

Doing a little dance!

Someone found a pine cone.

 

Hope you have been enjoying the sun too!

Mediterranean Stacker

I have a binder of recipes I've printed out or ripped out of magazines.  It is one of the messiest things you will ever see.  NS says it looks like it could be on "A Beautiful Mind", but it makes sense to me!

This recipe always seems to stick out when I am going through my notebook.  I made it once before and this time I made a few adjustments!

Ingredients:

1 eggplant peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 slices hearty Italian bread
5 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
3 oz Herbed Goat cheese at room temperature
2 boneless chicken breasts cut in half
1 beefsteak tomato cut into four 1/4 inch slices from the center and the rest chopped
1/3 cup Chicken Broth


Discard the end slice of the eggplant. Place the eggplant in a colander and lightly salt.  Allow to rest while preparing other ingredients.

Tear the bread into large crumbs. and then pulse in a food processor until large crumbs form.

Melt butter in skillet.  Add breadcrumbs.  Toast 6 to 8 minutes over medium heat.  Transfer to a small bowl.

Heat 3 tablespoons Olive Oil in skillet.  Pat eggplant dry and cook turning once until tender about 7 minutes.  Transfer eggplant to a serving dish and top with half of the goat cheese.

Eggplant topped with herbed goat cheese.

Cover with foil and place in oven at 300F.

Lightly salt and pepper chicken breasts.  Add remaining 2 tablespoons of Olive oil, turn heat to medium-high and cook chicken breasts.

Place chicken breasts on top of eggplant and spread with other half of goat cheese.  Place tomato on top and put in the oven.

Add diced tomato and chicken broth to skillet, scraping any bits, and bring to a boil.  Allow to simmer about 5 minutes.  Spoon sauce over chicken and top with bread crumbs.

Enjoy!

 

Extras:

•  I didn't have any herbed goat cheese, just plain, so I used this recipe.  I skipped the Olive Oil and Lemon Peel.
• You could toast your bread crumbs in Olive Oil, but butter just makes it that much better!
• Substitute water for chicken broth if you don't have any on hand.
• This might be interesting to try with zucchini too!

Easter 2013

The Piler digging into his Easter Basket.

 We had a wonderful Easter last weekend!  We celebrated by attending church in the morning and then my family came over for Easter dinner followed by the traditional (and very-competitive) family egg hunt!  We only had one fight this year!

Opening up his new "Bubble Lawn Mower"

For dinner I made this ham from the Pioneer Woman, and it was a big hit!   It's studded with cloves and then glazed - it sounds a lot more difficult than it actually was. The fam also loved the Parmesan Polenta topped with Mushrooms - I'll have to get that recipe out soon!  It was delicious!  

Hope you had a wonderful Easter, too!

Veggie Stromboli

First off, I love pepperoni roll.  But gobbs of cheese and pepperoni aren't exactly healthy.  So a few years ago for a Super Bowl party I decided to make a healthier version.  It still has cheese, but in place of pepperoni I added veggies.  Now you may be thinking, "My husband/kids/friends/whoever-you-cook-for will never accept vegetables as a replacement for pepperoni!"  But you are wrong.  They will eat it and they will love it.  End of story.

This stuff is delicious!

First you make the dough:
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon tarragon
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup warm water
3 Tablespoons (melted if not using a bread maker) butter
1 egg, beaten
3 cups flour (I use half whole wheat and half white, but either would be fine)


I use a bread machine, but you don't need to use one.  Combine all the ingredients in the bread machine. Set to bread machine to 'dough only.'

If mixing by hand: Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, except for the flour.  Add the water, butter, and egg and mix until combined.  Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth about 8-10 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled - about an hour.

While the dough is rising I chop up the veggies.  Our favorites are roasted red peppers, red onions, spinach, mushrooms, and fresh basil.  You can use whatever you like/have.  I usually have about three cups of vegetables total.

Vegetables chopped and ready to go!

After the dough rises, punch the dough down.
 

Next I make the egg wash.  This isn't necessary, but it helps give the roll a crispy golden outside.  Stir one egg with about 1 Tablespoon of water

Egg wash

Then I roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface into a "rectangle" and sprinkle one cup of mozzarella cheese on top, followed by all the vegetables, and another cup of mozzarella cheese.  If you didn't have any fresh basil, feel free to sprinkle some dried basil on top.

Ready to rock 'n roll!

Roll the dough into a cylinder, tucking the ends underneath.  Brush the entire roll with one Tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Brush with the egg wash.

Place the dough onto a baking sheet, seam side down.  Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Ready to bake.

Allow the roll to cool for a few minutes and then cut into 1 inch slices.

Serve proudly to family and friends :)


Extras:

• Instead of making your own dough, use frozen bread dough. 
• To spice it up, add crushed red pepper.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before baking.
• Serve with pizza or marinara sauce for dipping.

Pumpkin Mac 'n Cheese: Piler Approved

A few weeks ago I made a recipe of "baby" Pumpkin Mac 'n Cheese that I saw on Pintrest.  The Piler liked it.  I on the otherhand couldn't stand the stuff!  Just puttng it to my lips to check the temperature made me gag!

So here's my Mommy-approved version.  I'm not eating it for lunch, but I'm not bring my barf bag either!

8 oz. Uncooked Macaroni (I use whole grain)
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 1/2 Cups Milk
3/4 Cups Pumpkin
1 1/2 Cups Cheddar Cheese (My boy likes it Sharp)
1/4 teaspoon sage
Pinch Nutmeg

Cook that Macaroni.

In another pot melt the butter in medium to low heat.  Whisk the flour in until smooth plus 30 seconds.  Add milk and continue to stir about five minutes until the milk is nice and frothy.  Or more... or less - depending on how dry you like you mac 'n cheese.

Remove from heat.  Stir in remaining ingredients until the cheese is melted. 

Combine macaroni with cheese sauce. 

Serve to little ones' delight!

I freeze helpings in Piler sized helpings and then just grab some out whenever I need them!