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By Emily, August 8, 2010 10:00 am

A couple weeks ago, I posted about my favorite recipe websites (still in love with Super Cook, by the way).  Of course, the alternative to the internet is the cookbook.  I don’t have a lot of cookbooks; I figure all the food blogs I read make up for it.  I do like cookbooks though and definitely wouldn’t turn one down.  Seems like every food blog on the internet was wondering about the best and most loved cookbooks this week.

My humble, but sufficient, cookbook collection:

I started thinking about cookbooks this week because Cheap Healthy Good’s “Ask the Internet” column asked what reader’s most useful cookbooks were.  As I’ve said here before, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian is my go-to cook book, followed by The Victory Garden Cookbook, which they just re-released this past spring.  Don’t ask why we have 2 cocktail books, we’ve hardly used either of them.  Anyway, the here’s the summation of the responses to CHG’s question.  Mark Bittman came in second, as he should.

The editor of CNN’s Eatocracy answered a similar question, listing the 5 cookbooks that changed her life.  I’m intrigued by the fact that I’ve never heard of any of them.  Good Cheap Eats must have been feeling the cookbook vibe this week, because Jessica posted the 3 cookbooks she loves.

Over at No Meat Athlete, Matt and Christine have just published an e-cookbook,  Fuel Your Run the Tarahumara Way: 15 Chia and Pinole Recipes the Modern Athlete.  If you’re into marathons and superfoods, it might be worth looking into.  I’m just spreading the word because I think Matt and Christine are awesome…but I’m still not going to run 50 miles like he did.  Or 26.2.  Or 13.1.  You get the idea…

The Kitchn wants to know: what was the first cookbook you ever bought?  I think mine was The Classic 1000 Beginners Recipes.  It was in the bargain book department of the bookstore I worked in and I was headed off to my first year living in an apartment in college. I figured a cookbook would be helpful.  Honestly, I haven’t used it much.

Finally, on Serious Eats, Leslie Kelly writes about her “cookbook habit” and inability to get rid of any of her cookbooks.  Again, some good cookbooks to check out are listed in the comments.

Do you use cookbooks?  What’s your favorite?

(Almost) Every Sunday, I choose a theme and highlight blog posts, websites and news articles from my Google Reader which I found interesting (and hope you do too!) If you want more reading, check out “What I’m Reading” on my sidebar.  And don’t forget to add Relishments to your reader or like Relishments on Facebook!

That said, there will be no Highlights next week, because I’ll still be in Chicago hanging out with tons of awesome bloggers!

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By Emily, July 11, 2010 10:10 am

It’s been quite a week.  I started teaching summer school, which is a first time experience for me and even though I taught for the better part of last year, is definitely different than the regular school year.  Yesterday, for the second time, I took the test I need to pass to get the teaching license I want.  I think it went alright; we’ll see.  Oh, and it was a ridiculously hot, humid, sweaty week.  Must be summer :)

There were a bunch of blog posts featuring no-cook, stay cool meals this week.  Not that I took advantage of any of them–being on vacation, followed by going back to work, followed by a big test didn’t make me the best menu planner this week.  There’s still a lot of summer left though, so I’m sure these recipes will come in handy..

It’s “No-Cook Month” over at Cheap Healthy Good.  They’re posting recipes for things like Greek Antipasto Pita and Chocolate Cherry “Ice Cream” Popsicles (I made them with strawberries and they were awesome).  They also provided 13 ways to cook without an oven –using everything from a grill to a car engine.  I lost my mind on Wednesday this week and made tomato sauce, biscuits and ratatouille after I got home from school.  I probably should’ve read this article and kept the oven off.  Although, if you’re already hot and sweaty, what difference does it make?

The Kitchn has 7 recipes to help beat the heat, like Broccoli and Feta Pasta Salad or Vegetable and Mint Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce.  Also, check out their 10 recipes for watermelon. I haven’t had watermelon yet this summer; I should probably do something about that soon.

Epicurious calls ceviche “summer’s best no-cook dish” and Serious Eats posted a step-by-step guide on how to make ceviche.  Has anyone actually made ceviche, or is it just something they do on Chopped and Top Chef to sound fancy?  Was it worth it?

Planet Green’s 40 recipes to make when its too hot to cook includes soups, salads, main courses, desserts and ideas for entertaining.  If you can’t find something there, you might just want to order take out.

Finally, if you’re not too hot and tired to have people over, Serious Eats has a few No-Cook One-Handed Appetizers for your summer parties.

If you’re in more of a dessert mood (for some reason, the heat makes me want to eat nothing but junk), check out the June 5th highlights featuring ice cream and popsicle recipes.  I thought it was hot then–clearly I had no idea what I was talking about.

We’ve been advised by a couple people to make the investment in an air conditioner.  What do you think?  Vote, then add your comments below.

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Stay cool!

(Almost) Every Saturday, I choose a theme and highlight blog posts, websites and news articles from my Google Reader which I found interesting (and hope you do too!) If you want more reading, check out “What I’m Reading” on my sidebar.  And don’t forget to add Relishments to your reader or like Relishments on Facebook!

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By Emily, June 13, 2010 7:21 pm

Last week we had the exciting experience of picking up our first week’s worth of produce from our CSA.  I can hardly wait until Tuesday when we get to do it again.  When we picked up our pile of greens and other goodies, I wasn’t really sure where all the vegetables were going.  Nevertheless, it all went to good use.  We used our fresh, organic vegetables as follows:

• Lots of salads and pita/veggie sandwiches, for lunch and dinner.  I’m usually not a big salad person, but they hit the spot this week.  Whether that was because the greens were so fresh or because I was especially hungry at lunch and I had to eat what Brian packed is up to you.

• We used the bok choy as a side for pad thai early in the week.  I’m trying to perfect the pad thai recipe (though it’s pretty darn good as-is) and then I’ll share with you.  For the bok choy, I added a little grated ginger and a few drops of Tabasco sauce to a 1/3 cup-ish of soy sauce, which I poured over the bok choy and cooked for a couple minutes until the leaves wilted.

• I originally said that I was going to make a rhubarb pie, but since we were limited in the amount of rhubarb we were allowed to take (and I was feeling lazy), I opted for an apple-rhubarb crisp.  My version had a little more apple than the recipe calls for, but it was still incredibly delicious.  I forgot how much I love fruit crisps…So glad I went that route instead of bothering with a pie.

• This has nothing to do with our CSA (except for a side salad) but I had to include it: On Friday, I made what was probably the best pizza I’ve created so far.  It was so simple: crust, marinara sauce (I am so obsessed with this sauce and may never buy jarred sauce again), mozzarella, tomato and fresh basil and oregano from our garden.   Definitely hit the spot.  Side note:  I am a food snob and I have taken my husband along with me.  I was on my way out, so I had him make the dough.  “I really don’t understand why everyone doesn’t make their own pizza dough…its not that hard,” he remarked.  I agree completely–try it today, and remember-you can freeze the dough!*

We’ve got just a bit of lettuce left, otherwise we’ve polished off the produce.  2 more days until we get to pick up some more.  My plan is to be even more creative with it next week.

What are you doing with this summer’s wealth of fresh food?

*I’m not saying that to be a jerk–I’m saying that to encourage you to try making pizza at home!  It’s so good!!

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By Emily, May 20, 2010 8:48 pm

I love cooking.  There are days when I’d be content to never leave the kitchen (assuming, of course, that someone else is going to do the dishes).  But lately, but life’s been so swamped that I haven’t had much time for hanging out in the kitchen and cooking complicated meals.  So, what do I cook when I don’t have time or energy to cook something exciting?

Often, we have leftovers.  I try to plan my menus a week in advance and if I know an afternoon/evening is going to be busy, I try to make a big meal the night before that we can eat twice (or more!).  When that doesn’t work out (like this week, when I somehow ran out of planned meals for the week), I have a few stand-bys that I go to.  For most of them, the freezer is key.  Keep a stock of “go-to” meals in the freezer and you’ll be set–and now that there’s almost no meat in ours, we’ve got lots more room.

Emily’s Top 6 “No Planning” Meals

Mark Bittman’s pancakes, with 1 cup of whole wheat flour substituted in for one cup of the All Purpose Flour.  Pancakes for dinner are a surprisingly excellent meal.

Stir Fry, usually with frozen vegetables and sometimes with tofu.  I frequently use the sauce recipe from The Pioneer Woman’s Sesame Noodles, because I’m pretty much obsessed with it (and her).

Tuna Melts There’s an awesome Emeril recipe in the May issue of Everyday Food for a tuna melt that involves tomatoes, capers and red onion.  Tuna melts are great on their own, but adding more ingredients makes them even better.

Whole Wheat Pasta, with my favorite marinara sauce, fresh from the freezer.

Pizza I keep extra dough in the freezer and you can top pizza with whatever’s seasonal or in your pantry.

Frittata A perfect way to use up leftover meat, cheese and vegetables, frittatas are ridiculously easy.

What do you cook when you have nothing else planned?

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By Emily, May 1, 2010 8:52 am

Despite the fact that it snowed a little here on Monday, it’s now May so I’m going to go with the assumption that it’s officially Spring.  Spring means fresh produce and I’m so excited to put some of the recipes below into action:

“Cheap, Healthy Asparagus: 81 Recipes for the Springiest of Spring Vegetables” from Cheap Healthy Good

No Meat Athlete shared a recipe for a delicious looking fresh fruit tart

Epicurious has solved the problem of half an avocado going brown.  I haven’t tried it yet, but avocados have been really cheap lately so I may have to test it out…

The Kitchn is doing a special dessert series this week and included posts featuring dessert ideas with strawberries and 20 Lemon Dessert Recipes.

Hope it’s looking spring-y where you are! Enjoy the weekend!

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By Emily, April 13, 2010 7:51 pm

I figure a follow-up post is only fair, since my rant last week detailing my sister’s eating habits and how different they are from mine.

She ended up changing her schedule and only coming for one night, which really relieved my stress in the meal planning department. Sometimes I stress about things that really aren’t that crucial.

So, what did we eat?*

Saturday afternoon: I usually do my food shopping on Saturday and Sunday, so options in the house were pretty slim.  We opted to get subs from a local establishment, which meant everyone could eat what they wanted (Me: A grilled veggie sub. Her: roast beef sub with veggies.  Brian: Sausage and veggies, if you’re interested)

Saturday night: A revisit of my veggie lasagna, with the addition of ground turkey.  I also made a quick bread from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, which I really should post about.  Apparently it was fine, because my sister ate it without complaint.  After going to see one of her high school friends in a play, we returned and snacked on an experiment I was trying: frozen chocolate mousse.  It was pretty darn good.

Saturday morning: She snacked on toast and butter when she got up (3 hours after me…we’re also really different in our sleep habits.  I think I had a bagel and cream cheese).  We headed to Cricket Creek Farm which is still one of my favorite places to visit the calves.  I offered to stop by the store to get my sister some lunch, but she opted for another piece of lasagna (I’m telling you–you have to try it!)

So, my little sister didn’t starve while she was here.  She just needs to visit longer next time so I can make more food for her.  And because she’s awesome.

*If you’re new to Relishments, be advised that I don’t usually post lists of what I’ve eaten.  It just seemed to make sense in this case.

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By Emily, December 9, 2009 9:04 am

My Christmas shopping was done almost a month ago (!), but in the event that you haven’t finished yours yet, I’ve put together a list of the 10 gadgets and tools in my kitchen that I love the most.  If none of my favs strike your fancy, check out the links to gift guides at the bottom of the post!

1.  Bottle Stoppers

There are a lot of types of bottle stoppers out there and, for what they are, a lot of them seem pretty expensive.  Brian and I are huge fans of these cheap lever bottle stoppers from Zyliss ($9.99 for 6, Amazon.com)…they don’t look like much, but unlike a lot of bottle stoppers, they actually create a airtight seal.

2.  Oil Bottles

Similar to bottle stoppers, oil bottles ($4.99, Bed Bath and Beyond) are a dime a dozen in stores lately.  I never knew how much I’d use one until I had one though (actually, we have 2–one for olive oil and one for vegetable).   One of the best perks: it’s easier to buy big, cheaper bottles of oil when you have a smaller container to dispense it from.

3.  Flexible Cutting Boards

At my bridal showers last spring, I received not one, but two packages of flexible, plastic cutting boards.  Frankly, I was not impressed.  I didn’t even want one package.  I wanted “high quality” cutting boards.  That said, Brian and I almost always use them.  They’re a great size for cutting a lot of things (big pieces of meat, a soup’s worth of veggies) and the flexibility really comes in handy.  I can’t find the exact set we have, but these cutting boards from Norpro ($5.99, Amazon.com) look pretty good.

4.  Dry Erase Board

No list is complete without one item that seems a little random.  This is that item.  A couple months after moving into our new place, Brian had the idea to add a small dry erase board to the door of one of our cabinets.  It’s super helpful for writing to do or shopping lists, but mostly it’s used for hanging up recipes so they stay clean while I use them to cook. ($9.98, Amazon.com)

5.  Garlic Press

My knife skills are pretty bad and we go through an awful lot of garlic.  I’m sure there are folks out there who disagree with the notion of the garlic press, but our Oxo Good Grips Garlic Press has definitely saved me a lot of time. ($13.00, Amazon.com)

6.  Pyrex Bowls with Lids

Another wedding gift we got but didn’t ask for was a  Pyrex 8-Piece Mixing Bowl Set.  In addition to being 4 different sized mixing bowls (who doesn’t need mixing bowls?!), they’re Pyrex so I can use them in the oven, microwave, refrigerator, freezer, and dishwasher (in my fantasy life where I have a dishwasher).  Best part: each bowl has a lid, perfect for storage and travel.  ($19.88, Amazon.com)

7.  Zyliss Cheese Grater

For those times when you just need a little cheese…or just don’t feel like getting out and then cleaning the food processor, this (as Brian would say, manly) Zyliss Cheese Grater is awesome.  It comes with 2 drums for fine or coarse grating.  Perfect for adding cheddar to the top of a bowl of chili. ($19.99, Amazon)

8.  How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

It’s no secret that How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food is the most important book in my kitchen.  Anytime I have a question about how to make something, or how to use an ingredient, I consult this book.  If you know somehow who cooks, or has a kitchen, they could definitely use this book (or the original version).  ($20.47, Amazon)

9.  Slow Cooker

As I’ve mentioned before, I didn’t grow up with a slow cooker.  In the (almost) six months we’ve been married, I’ve only used my Rival 5 qt. Crock-Pot a few times,  but I know I’m going to love it this winter.  What’s better than throwing ingredients in a pot and having dinner ready to eat when you get home from work? ($24.99, Target)

10.  Food Processor

Of the few things I had to have for my kitchen, a Cuisinart Food Processor was at the top of the list.  Pricey, yes, but such a time saver.  ($177.45, Amazon).

Still need gift ideas?  Check out these gift guides:

From Serious Eats, a collection of gift guides, including gifts for the gluten free, the coffee lover, the chocolate lover, stocking stuffers and more.

Slashfood has a list of The Best Cheese Books of 2009.  (♥ Cheese)

The Atlantic has posted their Holiday Gift Guide: Kitchen Edition.

If you need something unique, check out A Food Coma’s collection of Gifts We Want.

Change.org has a Sustainable Food Holiday Gift Guide.

A Year of Slow Cooking has a list of Holiday Gifts to Help Bloggers–why not buy a book written by a blogger for someone on your list?

Merry Christmas!

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By Emily, October 16, 2009 5:30 pm

I was really excited a couple months ago when I realized Mark Bittman had a new cookbook out.  As frequent readers can attest, I have a borderline unhealthy obsession with Mr. Bittman.  Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating had a big impact in changing the way I eat and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian is my go-to cookbook.  One day my mother called me from work to tell me that Mark Bittman was on a morning news show–and we don’t even have television!  Needless to say, I got my hands on a library copy (always try before you buy!) as soon as I could.

Bittman’s latest offering,  Kitchen Express: 404 Inspired Seasonal Dishes You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less, didn’t disappoint me.  Kitchen Express is unlike any cookbook I’ve ever used before (not that I’m an expert)–the recipes are meant to be “precisely imprecise” and are about “speed, flexibility and relaxation”.  With the assumption that the reader has some skill in the kitchen, you’ll be eating “twenty minutes later, max”.  The book’s seasonally arranged 404 recipes provide ideas for every meal of the day, including dessert, and feature many different ingredients and proteins.  Some of the recipes are for popular dishes (burgers, chicken piccatta, fish tacos, gazpacho, etc) and others are combinations I never would have thought of (Squid Salad with Red Pepper and Cilantro, Crisp Fennel Gratin, Moroccan Lamb Chops with Couscous, Apple Cider and White Wine Slushy)

Recipes, some as short as three lines, are written as paragraphs.  They often have no measurements listed, simply “a handful”, “a bunch” or “several”.  At first, this took a bit of getting used to.  As I’ve mentioned, I like really specific instructions when I cook.  But having some flexibility to make the dishes my own added to the fun and lowered the stress of “doing it right”.

Brian and I tried four recipes from Kitchen Express.  The dishes I chose were pretty basic and “comfort food-y,” but the book definitely contains items that are more unique.

Fall #11: Curried Coconut-Butternut Squash Soup

Fall #98: Brown Sugar Apple in the Microwave (no photo)

Winter #60: Chicken with Apples and Sage

Fall #84: Penne with Vodka Sauce

I was really pleased with all of the recipes we tried.  They were, as promised, simple and delicious.  Some took me longer than 20 minutes to make, but I’m willing to make allowances for the time it took me to dice my first butternut squash and peel, core and slice 2 apples (my knife skills are horrible).  I, surprisingly, found the lack of specific instructions liberating.  Without a “real recipe” in front of me, I felt comfortable adding additional spices or adjusting the amounts.  Hopefully, that sort of approach will transfer to my everyday cooking.

I highly recommend Kitchen Express for the intermediate cook who is looking for a cookbook of varied recipes that are great they way they are, but also ripe for innovation.  I’ve added it to my wishlist.

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By Emily, August 22, 2009 4:53 pm

First, a reminder.  The 6th season of Bravo’s Top Chef has begun! I realize I’m a little late in mentioning it, but I just got to watch the premiere today.  Las Vegas looks like it’s gonna be a good season.  I’m not going to do recaps or reviews this season, but I highly recommend these blogs if you want commentary:

Creative Loafing: “Hearts and Balls: ‘Top Chef’ Las Vegas Episode One”

Serious Eats: “‘Top Chef,’ Season 6: The Premiere

Endless Simmer: Top Chef Exit Interview: Episode 1

Secondly, good news and a promise.

I am painfully aware that this blog has been lately lacking the one thing it’s really supposed to be about.  Cooking.  I know I’ve had a million excuses (end of school, getting married, getting settled, moving…) for why that has been the case.  Lame.  This is supposed to be a blog primarily about my learning to cook healthy and meat free.

Starting this week (aka tomorrow) I am going to start trying out new recipes.  A lot of my cooking lately has been things I know are safe because I’ve already shared them on the blog.  This week’s menu includes several recipes I’ve never tried before.  I will share the results here.  Hopefully that’ll make both reading and writing more interesting.  Plus dinner around here’s getting dull.

My promise to you:

At least 2 new vegetarian recipes a week.  More if I can manage it.

You can hold me to that.

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By Emily, August 4, 2009 5:08 pm

Clearly getting married and then getting settled into my new life has kept me busy, because I was totally unaware that Mark Bittman published a new cookbook early last month! (Thank goodness for Facebook!)

The book, Kitchen Express: 404 Inspired Seasonal Dishes You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less, has 101 recipes for each season and according to the review they’re “delicious”, “sophisticated” and “simple”.  Needless to say, I’m pretty excited about this discovery.  I’m definitely seeing if I can get it from the library soon…though I’m pretty sure I’ll end up owning it.

Just when I thought my Mark Bittman obsession was fading…