Tag Archives: books

What’s a Cook To Do?

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what's a cook to do
Whenever I go to a bookstore or a library, one of the first places I head is to the cookbook section.  Plain and simple, I love cookbooks!  You would think by the amount of cookbooks I look at that I am a Master Chef, but I’m not.  There is still so much that I need to learn before I can claim that title.

While perusing the library’s shelves for the perfect cookbook to blog about, I came across, What’s a Cook To Do? by James Peterson.  Mr. Peterson has provided the reader with 484 essential tools, tips, techniques, and tricks to dispel some of the confusions they may have when it comes to being in the kitchen and cooking.

Becker Sour Cream Dip; or How Laura Learned to Stop Chipping and Love the Veggies

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Something really strange happened at our Super Bowl party last week. There was a huge array of delicious foods: Skyline dip, homemade artichoke spinach dip, fresh guacamole, even taco-flavored Doritos. And yet, I found myself eating veggies. Lots of them. This is not normal. Not to say that I dislike veggies, I’m actually a pretty big fan. But who wants carrots in the face of creamy, gooey Skyline dip?

Now, before you start thinking that this was some form of super celery, I should confess that I would have eaten anything that was covered into the fantastic dip that my friend Katie made. Cardboard would have been exquisite, veggies were amazing and I can only imagine how french fries would taste dunked in this stuff.

When I asked Katie what it was in this amazing dip, she listed all of my favorite things; sour cream, garlic, pepper and even lemon zest. If I had made it for everyone I would totally have taken credit for inventing it, but being the fine upstanding citizen that she is Katie informed me she found the recipe in The Joy of Cooking.

Try it, you wont regret it.

Mix well in a large bowl:

  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Grated zest of one lemon

That’s it, you’re done. Easy, delicious, amazing. I would personally run it through the food processor so the garlic isn’t chunky, but any way you do it would be great!

The book also suggests trying these delicious add-ins:

  • 3-4 scallions, thinly sliced, or
  • 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, or
  • 1/2 cup caramelized onions

 

Cool Weather Chicken

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Now that fall weather is finally here I feel justified in using my oven again. All summer I long for casseroles and baked treats but I can’t stand the thought of using the oven in such oppressive heat.

My very favorite recipe to make for family dinner is one that my brother Thomas concocted using an amalgamation of what he had seen on the Food Network, his one cookbook and what turned out to be a secret knack for cooking. Chicken breasts roasted in a tangy rich sauce with the side dish cooked right on top. It comes out of the oven looking complicated and time consuming but with a little blender action is easy to throw together.

Le Poulet de Thomas

Serves 4

Preparation time: 25 minutes, Cooking time:  1- 1½ hours

Ingredients:

  • 1lb 8 oz trimmed leeks- about 3
  • 10 oz small waxy potatoes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic- peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup soft cheese with garlic and herbs- Boursin is best
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ¾ cup chicken stock
  • 2 tsp Cornstarch
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tsp butter, melted
  • Salt and pepper to taste

You will need:

  • A large, shallow oven proof dish (about 7½ cup capacity)
  • A skillet
  • A cook’s knife
  • Measuring cups
  • A cutting board
  • A blender

Method:

1         Preheat oven to 350 F. Clean and thickly slice leeks.

2         Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible.

3         Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the leeks and garlic 3-4 minutes or until beginning to soften. Remove from skillet and put in the ovenproof dish.

4         Place the cheese, wine, stock and cornstarch in blender and process until smooth.

5         Arrange chicken pieces on top of leeks, season well and pour in the sauce.

6         Layer potatoes on top, season and brush thoroughly with melted butter.

7         Cook in the preheated oven 1- 1½ hours or until potatoes are well done and brown. Serve at once with the parsley sprinkled over.

 

Want some other amazing one dish family meals? Try these awesome books:

The One-Dish Chicken Cookbook : featuring 120 soups, stews, casseroles, roasts, and more from around the world by Mary Ellen Evans

The Best One-Dish Suppers: a best recipe classic by the Editor’s of Cook’s Illustrated

Perfect One-Dish Dinners: all you need for easy get-togethers by Pam Anderson

White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup

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Crock pot soup is the fastest, easiest way to make sure you have a delicious dinner waiting for you when you get home after a hard day of work. In my house we like to make something we affectionately refer to as Refrigerator Soup, dumping everything that we can find in a pot together.

The most recent batch was made of some leftover kale and Italian sausage and was a HUGE hit with the ladies of the Amelia Branch Library. It was spectacularly simple, delicious and deserves its own recipe designation. After spending the night in the slow cooker the beans were buttery smooth and the sausage had infused everything with a smokey, delicious taste. I usually prefer spinach in Italian style soups, but kale holds up wonderfully under the hours of slow cooking, coming out still slightly firm and delicious.

 White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Italian Sausage- browned
  • 1 medium white onion- finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic – finely chopped garlic
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 3-4 cans chicken broth
  • 4 cans white beans- rinsed
  • 3-4 handfuls Kale loosely chopped (enough to fill up any space left in your pot)

Instructions

  • Brown and drain sausage, do not rinse. Set aside
  • In same pan sauté onions and garlic until translucent, scrapping sides to get off all the delicious sausage bits that were left.
  • In bowl of your slow cooker whisk together tomato paste and chicken broth.
  • Add sausage, onion mixture, beans, tomatoes with juice and kale.
  • Cook on low setting for 8+ hours.

Remember, you can assemble all the ingredients in the cooker and refrigerate overnight. Just pop the pot to your slow cooker in the base in the morning and let it simmer while you work!

Looking for more delicious slow cooker recipes? Try some of these great resources:

Slow Cooker Revolution: one test kitchen, 30 slow cookers, 200 amazing recipes by the editors at America’s Test Kitchen

The Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone

175 Essential Slow Cooker Classics by Judith Finlayson

New Cookbooks – August

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modern hospitality Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Baking – Provides over one hundred fifty recipes for muffins, breads, cakes, cookies, and pastries without using eggs, dairy, or other animal products.

Modern Hospitality: Simple Recipes with Southern Charm – Known by TV viewers as the Mississippi belle whose demure demeanor belied nerves of steel and true culinary skill, America watched Whitney Miller crush the competition and become the first winner of MasterChef Season 1. Now Whitney’s long-awaited dream of writing her first cookbook has come true as she shares her favorite recipes and entertaining secrets in Modern Hospitality.

Peas and Thank You: Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love – Collects recipes and stories from a family eating healthy and delicious versions of America’s favorite foods, including chocolate chip cookies, enchiladas, and biscuits.

Behind the Kitchen Doors

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In honor of National Waitstaff Day (May 21), let’s take a look at books and movies set in the culinary world.

Waiter Rant by The Waiter – An account of a waiter’s life at an upscale New York restaurant describes his daily experiences with a series of outrageous customers and shares tips on such topics as getting good service and proper tipping etiquette.  This funny book will resonate with anyone who likes to complain about work.

Dishwasher by Pete Jordan – For the armchair traveler, this is the story of one man’s quest to wash dishes in all fifty states.

Under the Table by Katherine Darling – A chef describes her haphazard experiences as a student at New York City’s French Culinary Institute, a journey during which she and her classmates tackled a range of challenges from veal calves and fish heads to broken eggs and cutthroat teachers.

Cleaving by Julie Powell – The author of Julie and Julia describes how in the wake of a strain on her marriage she left town to immerse herself in the art of butchery, the laborious training she received, and her journeys throughout the world in search of the butchery practices of other cultures.

The Waitress (DVD) – Jenna is an unhappily married, pie-baking pro who dreams of leaving her husband Earl, but her plans are thwarted when she becomes pregnant.  Discovering a mutual attraction with the new doctor in town adds further complications.  Staring Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion.

Just Desserts (DVD) -  In this Hallmark movie, sparks fly when pastry chefs team up for the Golden Whisk Dessert competition, “the Olympics of desserts” and its $250,000 prize. With nothing in common, they’re determined to restrict the partnership to “just desserts”, but it isn’t long before this marriage of convenience threatens to turn into the real thing.

No Reservations (DVD) – Master chef Kate Armstrong runs the kitchen of an exclusive restaurant. When Kate’s sister is killed, her 9-year old niece Zoe comes to live with Kate, and Kate’s life is turned completely upside down. Nick Palmer is the newly hired sous chef, whom Kate perceives as a serious rival. Even as they clash, Kate is drawn toward Nick, eventually coming to the realization that Nick offers something that she needs both in her restaurant kitchen and her new life with Zoe. Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart.

Mostly Martha (DVD) – Feel like a foreign film? This is the original German version of No Reservations.  Which do you like best?

Healthy Snack

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food that matters cook book Looking for a healthy snack to counteract all of those delicious holiday treats you’ve been nibbling? Then take a look at Mark Bittman’s latest, The Food that Matters Cook Book, companion to his book, The Food that Matters.

The book has all sorts of recipes including main dishes and desserts but I found his suggestions about snacks to be surprisingly easy and tasty.

Pan Fried Chickpeas

1 Can of chickpeas, drained and dried thoroughly
3 T olive oil
Pinch of salt
1/2 T to 1T of one of the following: cayenne pepper, cumin, Chinese 5 spice, garam masala, smoked paprika, chili powder

Heat the oil in a saute pan large enough to accommodate all of the chickpeas in one layer over medium high heat. If you don’t have a pan large enough, fry the chickpeas in smaller batches. Fry the chickpeas until they’re slightly brown, shaking the pan a few times. It should take about 20 minutes. The chickpeas should have a slight crunch when done.

Once they’re evenly browned, pour the chickpeas into a bowl and toss with the spice of your choice.

Nosh happily.