Ice Cream Maker Give Away!

I've been thinking about ice cream lately. I stumbled across this post, and I thought I'd share in case anyone else is thinking similar thoughts.

Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Give Away

As posted recently, I purchased one. It's super easy to easy, and the result is fantastic. All you need is a little patience, since it does take at least a day from start to finish (mostly chilling time, not actual work). And there's nothing nicer than knowing what you're eating and feeding your family.

Striving for Success and Relief in the Kitchen

Food makes me feel better. It's not just the eating or talking about food, it's the making it. I'm not talking anything gourmet, I just like trying new recipes, new ingredients, new techniques. The fact that you can make something from start to finish with a tangible end product is really gratifying. So while I've always been inclined towards baking cookies, cakes, muffins, etc., I've recently been branching out. It seems to help me regain a bit of myself when I'm lost in the throws on toddler tantrums.

These past couple of weeks have been particularly trying. MetaDaddy has been traveling for work, so he's been gone for 10 of the past 14 days. And when he gets back, I can't expect much because of jet lag. As usual, the kids got sick the minute he stepped foot on the airport. Why, why why!?! MetaBoy started it, and MetaGirl was lucky enough to get a mild version of whatever he had. Then she caught something somewhere else, and now he's sick. Tomorrow is two weeks with one stomach flu or another.

So, I'm having a pity party, and everyone's invited!! Except you probably don't want to come over because you might get sick ;-)

And what's a party without presents? I "happened" to find something on sale that I've been eyeing for a while. I figured it's time to indulge.

Sur La Table is having a sale on Cuisinart ice cream makers (well reviewed by Amazon users). Supposedly, they retail for $90, but they seem to be $50 everywhere. You could get it at Bed Bath and Beyond with one of your million 20% off coupons, though I couldn't seem to find it on their website. The Sur La Table deal, available thru May 31, 2010, offers a $15 gift card with your purchase, which works out to for $50 plus tax, less $15 for a future purchase. Amazon's best offer, if you're willing to take the white machine instead of selecting one of the 5 other colors, is pretty comparable (currently $41.48).

No, I didn't need it. But we all like ice cream. And MetaBoy loves to help me in the kitchen, so I'm excited at the prospect of showing him how to make ice cream. I think it's incredibly valuable that he knows that foods he loves like bread, cake, or ice cream are easily made from scratch at home, even though we can also buy them at the store. As a kid, I didn't know that pancakes could be make without a mix. Or that butter is so incredibly easy to make!! Heck, I didn't know a lot of stuff about food until well into adulthood. We've learned to take basic stuff for granted, and it's a real shame. How can we know how to eat well if we don't know what we're eating?

Anyway, I haven't made anything with the machine yet because everyone's still recovering. But once we're ready, I've been eyeing a decadent mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home. I love that book. Some recipes are a little tedious or labor intensive, but there are several great, easy ones, like the amazing cauliflower soup that I could eat for days, or the chocolate shortbread cookies. Best of all, whatever recipe you make, you're guaranteed something delicious. There's comfort (food) in that.

I Never Trust My Oven's Temperature

When I used to pre-heat my oven to 350F, I couldn't help but wonder if the temperature was as promised when the oven beeped. To quell my fears, I bought a thermometer and placed it on a rack inside my oven oven (on the outermost bar, near the door). I felt pretty smart when I found out that it took 10-15 minutes longer after the oven beeped to hit the target temperature. That's why I was having so many problems!!

We since moved, and I brought my thermometer. I put it in the oven here, and as I learned its quirks, I realized it similarly took longer to heat up than promised by the oven's thermostat. But I was having other trouble with the oven, that involved heat, smoke, and char everywhere (food and oven walls). On a whim, I put the thermometer further into the oven (now hanging on a rack in the very center of the oven), and I find out that the oven is hitting then exceeding the target temperature by 25, 50 or more degrees!! My 400 oven hit 500 (and beyond?)!

Now, I'm not sure where I'm going from here, but knowing is the first step. I've been much more cautious with high temperature cooking, which can lead to burning, smoking, and splats (aka dirty oven). I've considered looking into getting it repaired, but we're thinking of moving soon, so it might not be worth the expense.

Whatever I do now, the take away lesson: Never take the temperature of your oven for granted. Whether too high or too low, it can affect your cooking, and in turn, your confidence in cooking.

Recipe: Roast Chicken

We've been using the same roast chicken recipe for years, first found in Nigella Lawson's How To Eat. It's easy, and the results are a flavorful, juicy chicken. Personally, I find it better than restaurant (or similar) roast chickens in that the meat stays moist for a few days, which makes leftovers lovely.

Another thing I like about Nigella's recipe is that she includes a ballpark cooking time that can be adapted to different sized chickens. Specifically, 15 minutes per pound, plus 10. So a 5 pound chicken would cook for 85 minutes. I get annoyed when a recipe calls for a 2-3 pound chicken since they can be hard to find. At least they are at Trader Joe's and my local butcher.

Perhaps I'm bored, perhaps I'm curious, but I've been considering alternate recipes lately. Infidelity?

I tried Thomas Keller's recipe, which resulted in a deliciously crispy skin, but rather tough meat. MetaDaddy was not impressed.

I tried Jacques Pepin's split chicken with a mustard crust from More Fast Food My Way. He says the method cuts the cooking time by half, but it didn't seem like it did. The crust was delicious, and the meat was juicy and tender. I've added it to my repertoire, but only as a chicken recipe, not as a "how to roast a chicken" recipe.

Today, Mark Bittman tweeted about a blog post where the author recounted her experiences in finding a perfect roast chicken recipe. Her goal was to find a moist chicken with crispy skin. Mmm...I love delicious goals. Overall, she didn't find much success. She ended up fusing one approach with another.

In reading the post, I was reminded of a Cook's Illustrated recipe where they used baking powder and punctures throughout the skin to assure super dry skin. Supposedly, it worked well, but I haven't tried it yet. I'm put off by the thought of leaving a chicken coated with the salt mixture on a V-rack in the refrigerator overnight. I'm pretty sure I can't afford the required space for that kind of silliness.

Mark Bittman's approach is clever, as one would expect. He starts with a hot pan. I might try this one next.

Roast Chicken Recipes:
My Nigella Chicken
Thomas Keller
Felicity Cloake Blog Post - Multiple approaches tested
Cooks Illustrated
Mark Bittman

Why I Cook

Michael Rhulman got me rambling on why I cook. And why do I cook? I cook so I can feed the people I love.

I think about food a lot. Not because I have some sort of eating disorder, but because when you have young kids, you always have to preempt food meltdowns. You always have to be ready to feed at a moments notice. I always have a snack in my purse. I never thought I'd be that person, but I am. When I'm not feeding them, I'm thinking about what I will feed them. When I'm feeding them, I'm thinking about what's next, and have I fed them enough. When I'm not feeding them, I'm preparing future meals. In my mind, I'm always feeding them.

So I didn't cook anything before I was 20. Not once, did I cook food. I baked, and I loved it. But I never cooked food; knives and flames scared me. I was so bad at it, that it was a source of pride. "Oh, I don't cook. Trust me, it's not even an option for me!" This pride began to dissipate when I found that trying to feed myself without a drive thru window was impossible. I have a small appetite, but between all of the junk food I was surviving on, including my baked goods, I began gaining weight. That said, I didn't realize I was gaining weight until I lost it. I lost it by going to the gym and eating less junk. "Interesting," I thought.

Anyway, I spent the next few years cooking, but not really. Pasta was common, as were salads, sandwiches, and so on. Then I bought my first cookbook, "Pillsbury Best Chicken Cookbook," which was great because it wasn't complicated and broke down every step. I've made some good meals from that book, and I still have it today.

When I met my husband, I started cooking more because I found that it's more fun to feed two people than one person. I was also encouraged by my husband's interest in food; he loves cooking, eating, and savoring. He's a great guinea pig!!

But it wasn't until I stopped working to stay at home with our first child that I started cooking in any real way. I had more time to think about food. I began going to our local farmers' market in Santa Monica, which is truly impressive. At first, I bought fruit, potatoes, and onions. Then I began trying new foods (to me) like sprouted lentils, leeks, jerusalem artichokes, and so on. I began feeling challenged by the exposure to new foods. I began reading cookbooks for fun. I began looking at food as a source of personal growth because it was no longer about feeding people, it was about expanding my horizons and learning by doing, which is how I learn best.

When my son started on solid foods, I made it all. I cooked, pureed, and spiced it up. And with his massive diet, it worked well because everything he ate was unprocessed and healthy. Yes, my son loved lentils and broccoli. And his sugar intake was in the form of local, fresh, organic peaches, strawberries, cherries, and grapes.

My daughter has been a lot more picky with her food intake. I tried pureeing foods for her, but she couldn't stand being spoon fed. She didn't start on solids in any serious way until she was about 10 months old, and it was as soft finger foods (e.g., peaches, avocado, tofu). So I didn't cook for her on an individual level, but in my defense, I tried!!

And here we are. I cook most days of the week. I've ebbed and flowed between complicated, quick, labor intensive, simple, and time consuming foods. I stopped baking for a while because I no longer had time to do so while still making dinner. But we've found a balance once again. I bake again, but only if I can find a way to distribute the goods (e.g., friends, kid's friends). Dinners during the week aren't complicated, but everyone is happy enough eating it (e.g., leftover chicken with pasta and sauteed veg, or smoked salmon sandwiches). I save more complicated or time consuming endeavors for the weekend (e.g., berry tiramisu, roasted chicken).

In sum, here's why I cook:

• Cooking makes me a more well-rounded person.


• Seeing me cook in the kitchen has taught MetaBoy about food, cooking, and eating. He loves getting in there and "helping." It teaches him how food is cooked into the food we eat. It teaches him about processes, patience, responsibility, and how to be careful with things he doesn't understand. He learns every time he joins me.


• When I cook, the kids inevitably join me in the kitchen. MetaGirl rummages through drawers and MetaBoy grabs his apron to help. We spend time together and have some fun learning about food. The other day, they each insisted on munching on a bulb of fennel. Who am I to argue with a request like that?


• Eating home made food at the dinner table leads to good habits. We all sit together and enjoy talking and recounting our days. We all eat the same food, and MetaGirl is constantly trying to eat things that I'm not ready to let her try. I usually give in. She's convinced me to let her try carrots, apples, and broccoli. I didn't think she was ready, but she showed me. You learn things about each other when you sit together and share.


• Having kids and cooking for them has taught me how to find balance. Sometimes, it's not worth stressing them out by spending an hour in the kitchen. Just assemble something they'd like in 15 or 20 minutes (an episode of something on TV) which keeps their tummies full and everyone happy (them, me, the neighbors).


• They're growing so fast. They need food and energy to grow, and I feel a lot better cooking for them because I know that they're not being loaded with sugar, empty calories, and pesticides. The less processed foods, the better. Though I'm not a monster...they get a few treats every now and then ;-)


• Cost is a relative thing. I buy a lot of organic, hormone/antibiotic free foods, which isn't cheap. We would probably spend less eating from the drive thru every day, but our long term health would suffer, and isn't there a dollar cost associated with that?


• Speaking of health, cooking at home has improved my diet and that of my husband. We eat less junk because there's always something healthy around to choose from. Sure, we still have some "treats," but nothing's bad in moderation. Personally, in making sure that the kids like water, I've taken to drinking water at most meals. And I never would have thought it had such a big impact, but dropping soda and juices and doing nothing else to speak of aided in an unintentional loss of about 5 pounds. Something to think about, huh?
  

So over the past few years, the reasons and processes of cooking have changed, but it's something that I know will stay with me for as long as I can muster the energy. Thinking about food is now engrained in me. I'm now that mom who wants to feed everyone. I'm that wacky lady who's insisting on giving you leftovers "you know, for the kids!" And that's pretty fun, too.

Thomas Keller Book Signing with Williams Sonoma

Food geek that I am, I was so very excited when I heard that Thomas Keller, food hero, was signing his new book, Ad Hoc at Home, at Williams Sonoma in Santa Monica, CA.

Post news, I realized that MetaBoy was home from school for Veteran's Day. Today. The day of the book signing.

And there goes my glow.

I drove past, and the line was almost too long for me alone, nevermind with monsters in tow.

I'm still thinking of getting the book, even though it won't be signed. I keep reading glowing reviews. To rub salt in the wound, I found a picture of how he signs his books...very artsy!

(Photo from clarakim via Twitter)

If you're looking for Thomas Keller's next William Sonoma event, check out their site. He'll be in doing a lot of flying over the coming month!

Recipe: Fash Black Bean Enchilada

This recipe is from a book called "Whole Grains for Busy People," hence the whole-wheat tortillas. But you don't taste the heft of the tortilla because it's slathered in a tasty salsa. You also have black beans, corn, and lots of other good stuff, which makes it an oxymoron: a healthy & tasty dinner. The less cheese you use, the healthier. But it's a nice addition as a small amount makes everything congeal nicely.

Another thing I like is that I can get most of the pre-made ingredients at Trader Joe's. Specifically, I use their organic black beans, fire-roasted red bell pepper, shredded cheese (though I sometimes buy my preferred cheese and shred as needed), frozen corn, chunky fire-roasted salsa, and hand made whole-wheat tortillas.

I should note that I find this recipe isn't very enchilada-like in terms of flavor since it doesn't use enchilada sauce. The recipe notes that you can use it, but watch for sugar content as enchilada sauces tend to be very sweet.

It's piping hot after 3 minutes in the microwave, but it cools down in a few minutes if you cut it up into small pieces, which is a must for kids. If you don't cut it up, it takes a long time to cool down.

Black Bean Enchiladas
From Whole Grains for Busy People by Lorna Sass

1 ripe, firm Hass avocado, diced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup diced roasted red bell pepper, preferably fire-roasted
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/4 cups chunky salsa, preferably fire-roasted, plus more to pass at the table
1 medium size tomato (optional - see * below)
4 large whole-wheat tortillas, about 10 inches in diameter
Shredded romaine lettuce and lime wedges, for serving

Toss the avocado in lime juice and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set aside.

To make the filling, in a medium bowl, combine the beans, roasted red pepper, 1/2 cup of the cheese, corn, onion, cilantro, and 1/4 cup of the salsa (see below for non-spicy alternative). Add salt to taste.

Distribute 1/2 cup of filling across the middle of each tortilla. Roll up. Set 2 enchiladas, seam side down, on a microwavable dinner plate. Pour a strip of salsa (or tomato puree*) along the length of each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Repeat to make 2 more enchiladas. Cover lightly with waxed paper to catch splatters. Microwave until heated throughout, about 3 minutes for both of them together.

Alternatively, before sprinkling on the cheese, heat the enchiladas on a nonstick pan, in an oven preheated to 375F for 15 minutes. Sprinkle on the cheese and continue heating until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the enchiladas are piping hot.

To serve, tuck some shredded lettuce under and around the enchiladas. Set some diced avocado to one side and a lime wedge to the other side. Accompany the enchiladas with a bowl of the remaining cup of salsa.

*If you'd like a milder version (e.g., kid-friendly), cut a tomato in half and grate the pulp of both halves into a bowl. Use this instead of 1/4 cup of the salsa. To make a single mild serving, put 1/2 cup of filling in a small bowl, add a tablespoon of the tomato puree, mix to combine.

Recipe: Quinoa Banana Pudding with Dried Mango

I made this recipe from Whole Grains from Busy People by Lorna Sass when we had friends over. One person commented that she's tried making quinoa desserts, but the quinoa flavor always seems to overpower the dish. We decided there are enough bold flavors in this recipe to balance out the quinoa nicely. The coconut milk, banana, and ginger all stand up well to the quinoa, while the mango provides bursts of sweetness. I omitted the nuts, but they would surely provide an interesting layer of texture.

I chose to substitute honey for the sugar, but I only used 1/8 cup because it is sweeter than sugar. Also, if you intend to share this with kids, keep in mind that the ginger infuses a little kick at the end. If you think that might be a problem, consider reducing the ginger, though don't eliminate it; it's a lovely, fragrant addition to the dessert.

Quinoa Banana Pudding with Dried Mango

1 1/2 cups quinoa
1 can (13.5 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar, plus more to taste
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup dried mango slices, snipped into 1/2-inch bits
1 packed teaspoon grated fresh ginger, plus more to taste
2 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Coconut flakes for topping

Rinse the quinoa well to eliminate the bitter taste when cooked.

Bring the quinoa and 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the water has been absorbed, 12-15 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, sugar, and salt. Boil gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the mango and ginger. Continue cooking until the mixture thickens to a pudding consistency and the mango is soft but still chewy, about 3 minutes.

Slice half a banana and set aside. Mash the remaining 1 ½ bananas and, off the heat, stir into the pudding. Add more sugar, if needed, and then stir in the walnuts.

To serve, garnish with banana slices and coconut flakes.

Around the Internet: Food

Fancy Cupcake Wrappers - I don't make cupcakes often, but I suspect I will as MetaBoy starts school. It's a great alternative to a giant cake. And with these precious cupcake wrappers made from recycled paper, I don't think I'll be able to resist. (NOTE: some items on this website are for baking (e.g., liners), but others are to be used as decoration only.)


SOS: Your recipe requests answered - Looking for the recipe to a favorite restaurant meal, dessert, or drink? The Los Angeles Times to the rescue with Culinary SOS!! That said, some things are best left to the professionals ;-)

Cocoa Butter, Raw and Orgamic - I wonder if "orgamic" butter is like buying a Rolecks instead of a Rolex?

Politics of the Plate: Selling the Farm - A heartbreaking story about a 144 year old family farm that has to be sold off because being a dairy farmer is more about going into debt that making a living.

"In Vermont, where I live, that translates to a loss of $100 per cow per month. So far this year, 33 farms have ceased operation in this one tiny state. Meanwhile, the price you and I pay for milk in the grocery store has stayed about the same."

It really makes me wonder what's happening to our food supply when small, productive farms run by families willing and able to work are run out of business.

Recipe: Very Veggie Frittata

I like the simplicity of Mark Bittman's recipes. They're more suggestions than instructions to adhere to. I have How To Cook Everything Vegetarian, and it's great because it gives me all sorts of inspiration for cooking meatless meals. That said, I could easily add some meat to the recipe and make something else. The genius in his recipes is that he allows you to find your own way.

Case in point, the More-Vegetable-Than-Egg Frittata, or as I like to call it, the very veggie frittata. I've never been that interested in frittatas, primarily because they seem fussy to make. That said, despite liking eggs, I don't really care for omelettes and other egg dishes, so I've never been motivated to try. But his spin intrigued me. In experimenting with his "less animal-product-centric diet," he tried changing the proportion of eggs and vegetables and such in the frittata.

"I call it, for want of a better term, the more-vegetable-less-egg frittata, one in which the proportions of eggs and vegetables are reversed, and the veggies take center stage.

Instead of six eggs and a cup or two of vegetables, I use two or three eggs with three or four cups of vegetables. Think of it as a big vegetable pancake bound with just enough creamy-cooked eggs to hold the thing together."

It's genius.

It's quick, easy, healthy, and I can put anything in it. That last bit is important because it means that I can use up all the lovely vegetables that won't last much longer. That extra bell pepper, the unused string beans, the leftover boiled potatoes...SAVED!!

While cooking times vary depending on your ingredients, I've averaged about 20 minutes (8-10 minutes sauteing and cooking the vegetables and 12 cooking the frittata untouched). Dinner done in 20 minutes? Yup. Feel free to add a salad with all of that extra time you have on your hands ;-)

Around the Internet

Are We Farmers Market Failures - Hey, out there! Vote for your favorite farmers' market here. Show how much you love your farmers. And if you live in the Los Angeles area, definitely do this. We're not in the top 20, but we have some spectacular markets! The Santa Monica market on Wednesdays, anyone? Perhaps we're taking for granted how our wonderful weather allows us to have strawberries, tomatoes, avocados, and so many other foods for so many months of the year. But think about how lucky we are, and vote! Now, I'm off to slice up some sweet, juicy watermelon and tuck into some green, yellow, and red tomatoes...mmm...

Starbucks tests new names for stores - A sign of the times: Starbucks is experimenting with avoiding the use of their name in new stores. I never thought I'd see the day...

How to Take Better Baby Photos - Tips on taking better pictures of babies and kids. Some of this is over my head, but I think I still learned something.

Coolio: The Next Julia Child? - LOL...no. Do you even remember Coolio? Well, back when, he got all into food and starred in an online cooking show on My Damn Channel.

Risk of mad cow disease from farmed fish? - There is now concern that eating farmed fish who are fed byproducts rendered from cows might be at risk. So now, who's going to be protecting consumers from this? Because the USDA and the FDA can't handle what they have on their plates so far. And I think we all know how unlikely it is that any corporation or industry will self-regulate.

Around the Internet: Food

Quinoa Recipe - I struggle, occasionally, with the wet, heavy quality of cooked quinoa. This is a clever technique fixed that. Finally, I had light, fluffy quinoa that rivaled the texture of cous cous. It does take longer to make this way, so I find it's worth it if I won't be mixing it with something wet (e.g., a meal with a lot of sauce which will wet the grain again).

Hart High Student to Compete in National Cooking Competition - This 17 year old already has an impressive culinary resume. I'm so impressed to see that kind of dedication to anything, especially at that age.

Yes We Can Food - I'm so jealous. I wish we had something like this in L.A. Depending on the month, they make apricot jam, pickles, or tomatoes. Farm fresh food canned during their peak season. Mmm...so jealous.

A Martha Stewart Cartoon...For Kids - Um...is it a good thing?

An unexpected way to boost the economy - Breastfeeding can help bolster the economy by preventing illnesses in infants. Just doing our part to help ;-)

MetaGirl's Eating Habits

When I first started making baby food for MetaBoy, I was die hard. I followed all of the instructions to a T to assure flavor, food safety, proper tenderness and texture, etc. I wanted to make sure that his first foods served as a gateway to a lifetime of gustatory pleasures. OK, I might have overestimated the seriousness of those first foods, but I stand by my intentions. From 7 to 12 months of age, he was unintentionally vegan because I was so cautious with everything I made for him. He only drank water, and did so happily (my theory: you can't miss what you've never had, eg juice). He ate all sorts of fruit, except apple sauce (odd, but true). And he loved eating. So as long as I was shoveling food into his mouth, he was happy. He never demanded to take the reigns. He was just happy to be eating.

Oh, how I miss that.

MetaGirl could not be more different. She hated having food put into her mouth. She only wanted to use the spoon as a toy. At some point, she settled into a groove where she allowed us to feed her. And then, as suddenly as it started, it was over; the spoon was banned. She refused all food that approached her with a spoon. We tried the obvious spoon, the sneak attack spoon, the stealth spoon...she was too good. She shut us down every time.

So when she was about 9 months old, I changed strategies. I stopped making baby purees and started looking for soft finger foods. It turns out that her refusing the spoon didn't mean she was refusing food. She LOVES finger foods.

I started her out with soft foods cut into tiny pieces, and she gobbled it up. We've done avocado, tofu, bread, peas, peach, apricot, plum, melon, watermelon, banana, cooked vegetables (e.g., eggplant, zucchini, carrot), and any other soft foods I could find in the refrigerator, freezer, or on our plates. One twist I've taken is to make a lentil puree, freeze it in one ounce cubes (these are great!!), and defrost as needed (e.g., one for a meal). When I reheat it in the microwave, it dries out just enough so that I can easily roll it into a ball for baby handling. I've slowly made the pieces of food ever so slightly bigger, but they're still relatively tiny. I did recently give her half of a small apricot without the pit, and she ate the whole thing. It was a hilarious mess to behold. With her newly discovered independence, she now happily eats her meals with the family.

The take home lesson? All kids are different eaters, but that doesn't mean that eating is off the table (har har). If your baby isn't eating, try a different approach. It might take a while, but take cues from your baby, and just be mindful of food size and tenderness for choking hazards.

Around the Internet: Food

Bad, bad, naughty food.

The Cookie Cake Pie - This is so over the top. My teeth hurt just looking at it!

Chain Restaurants Engaged in Obesity-Promoting "Waist Race" - Ever had the Cheesecake Factory's Fried Macaroni and Cheese Balls? "With 1,570 calories and 69 grams of saturated fat, you'd be better off eating an entire stick of butter."

If that's not a motivation to cook at home, I don't know what is. To spur on that sentiment, here are 5 things that we don’t have to do in the kitchen.

That said, even if you cook at home, that doesn't mean your "healthy food" is what it claims to be. This article addresses some misleading manufacturer's labels found on chicken, salt substitutes, artificial sweeteners, wheat bread, foods containing fiber, and foods claiming to not contain trans fats. For example,

"roughly one-third of the fresh chicken sold in the U.S. is 'plumped' with water, salt and sometimes a seaweed extract called carrageenan that helps it retain the added water." How does that impact your dinner? "Untreated chicken has about 45 to 60 mgs of sodium per four-ounce serving. So-called enhanced or 'plumped' chicken has between 200 and 400 mgs of sodium per serving, almost as much as a serving of fast-food french fries."

Maybe it's just as well that Jamie Oliver will be putting a U.S. city on a diet.

New Cookbooks: Ratio and The Flavor Bible

I cook at home for my family. The extent of my training is from cookbooks, which I read for fun (easier to finish than a novel these days), and TV personalities, primarily those with entertaining accents (yes, Jacques, I'm looking at you).

But you don't really learn much from those sources, other than a specific recipe and an occasional tip. One of the reasons I watch Alton Brown religiously and subscribe to Cook's Illustrated is because I want to know how the cooking and baking processes work, so that I can understand how to negotiate a recipe to serve my needs.

Yes, certain foods are easy to vary (e.g., add more vegetables, use less salt). I have no problem changing things up in a stew, for example. Herbs and spices are always mere suggestions. And there's always room for some vermouth! But when it comes to making bread, pie crusts, or cakes, I'm at the mercy of my recipe books. I love my books, but sometimes I wish I understood why certain ingredients are listed so that I know whether or not I can substitute or omit them all together.

Enter Michael Ruhlman. His most recent book is Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking. This is the book I've been looking for since I burned, cut, and maimed myself while foraging for sustenance in my sad little kitchen oh so long ago. This book gives you the ratios of how to make foods that require precision, thereby offering me a foundation from which to be creative in the kitchen.

For example, as he states after offering the ratio for bread is 5 parts flour to 3 parts water:

"You can make fresh bread without opening a single book or scouring a website for random recipes, and you can make as much or as little as you like. That 500 grams of flour or 20 ounces of flour with the water, a pinch of dry yeast, and 2 big pinches of salt make a good loaf of bread. But if you want to liven it up, add a tablespoon of freshly chopped rosemary and a head of roasted garlic and stretch it out for a roasted garlic and rosemary ciabatta. Other fresh herbs such as thyme, sage, and oregano work beautifully, too. Or use other intense, flavorful ingredients: poblano and chipotle peppers, kalamata olives and walnuts, chocolate and cherries, pistachios and cranberries. Caramelized onion! A sausage! Cheese! The variations are limitless because you know the ratio, 5 parts flour, 3 parts water."

After giving you ratios and a few other tips, he gives you a few recipes to understand how to use the information. Because the point isn't to walk away with a recipe, it's to walk away with an understanding of how you can make every recipe bend and yield at your command!! Mwa, ha, haaaaa!! Hmm...too much? OK, it's at least a great tool in understanding how you can manipulate recipes to suit your ingredients on hand, or alter the servings needed (serves 4 vs. serves 8 isn't always a matter of doubling everything).

Now that this book is in my hot little hands, I'm much more keen on getting The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg. After hearing about it at every turn (a fun review here), I checked it out from the library, and found that it wasn't for me. Much like a dictionary, it lists foods and their complimentary pairings. For example, if you look up cherries, it will list every food that goes well with cherries, as well as a list of foods that go exceptionally well with cherries. Personally, I found that it put the onus on me of understanding what I cook, and that's just silly. But as I feel a bit more confident in cooking and baking, I might feel more inclined to have such a tool in my kitchen. As a home cook, it really can come in handy. If I'm debating on what to do for dinner and I know I have some herbs or vegetables that I want to use up before they go off, this book would be a great way to figure out how I can use a few ingredients effectively. Things like that don't just come to me...I need help! And how likely is it that I'll find a recipe in a random book or online as easily? Riiiiiight.

So these are my exciting new kitchen finds. Have you seen anything exciting out there?

Recipe: $10 Meals for 4 via NPR

How Low Can You Go? $10 Meals for 4 on NPR - Four recipes submitted by professionals, all ringing in under $10. Personally, I love Jose Andres (a charming Spaniard, though aren't they all ;-), but all of the recipes look good!

From Chef Jose Andres, A Family Favorite For $10

Navy Chef Gets Creative With A $10 Skate Meal

Chef Ming Tsai Makes $10 Dish His Kids Love

The Neelys Get Playful With A $9 Mac 'N' Cheese

And if you continue on to the comments, you'll find hundreds of recipes submitted by readers.

Recipe: Quick & Easy Muesli

Breakfast in 5 minutes...tops!

This is a super easy recipe that feels like a decadent treat every time I make it. I got the original recipe from Darina Allen's Ballymaloe Cooking School Cookbook. It's a wonderful book full of great basic techniques, master recipes, and delicious ideas. It's one of my recent cookbook purchases, but has turned into a great culinary resource.

Besides being quick and easy, the ingredients are pretty portable. So it could be an easy breakfast when you're not at home.

The original recipe says it feeds two, but I could easily eat it all on my own. If you want to share, make more ;-)

Apple Muesli
1/4 cup rolled oats
3 tablespoons water
1 sweet apple (e.g., Golden Delicious)
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoons nuts (e.g., walnuts), chopped
1 tablespoons raisins, halved if large

Measure out the water into a bowl and sprinkle the oatmeal on top. Let the oatmeal soak up the water while you grate the apple, preferably with the skin.

Stir the honey into the oatmeal, followed by the apple, nuts, and raisins.

Alternative:
As strawberry season flits by, consider mashing in a few instead of apple. Or blueberries, banana, mango...mmm...

Great Price on Enameled Cast Iron Pot in Blue

The color isn't very traditional, but Macy's has a Martha Stewart Collection blue enameled cast iron pot (5.5 quarts) for $33.74 (usually retails for $99.99). That price is fabulous!

I haven't actually seen this collection, so I can't speak for the the quality. However, I have a 5.5 quart Le Creuset enameled cast iron pot, and I love it. I use it several times a week for everything from sautees, to stir frys, to braises...it's my go to pot.

I'm just saying.

Recipe: Fish Layered with Vegetables and Ginger

As I've mentioned before, I like baking. I like making desserts and trying new recipes. However, baking requires a degree of precision that I can't afford these days due to time constraints. I've adopted cooking as the next best thing to baking. Generally speaking, ingredients and timing are a lot less strict when it comes to cooking, so I'm a little freer to manage tempers at the MetaHome. And I've really come to enjoy it. Trying out new recipes and ingredients.

So, cooking is currently my thing. It's something I can make my own, but I can share with MetaBoy. He loves naming (and tasting) ingredients. How proud am I when he yells "eggplant!" I've also come to appreciate food I make at home because I can control the content. We were ordering in a bit more for a while there, and in general, despite being cautious about our food choices, the food felt rich and heavy by comparison to homemade food. And now that I'm avoiding dairy and soy because I'm nursing, I find that it's nearly impossible to avoid certain ingredients when you eat out.

Yes, time is a lot less available these days. I couldn't tell you what happens in any given day that makes it fly by so quickly, but before I have time to blink, it's 5PM and tummies are rumbling (mine included). I plan out a weekly menu to assure I buy no more and no less than the food we need during the week. And when possible, I try to plan meals that will leave leftovers for lunches and future dinners. My biggest precaution is to remain flexible, so I use the menu as a guideline to dinners. If everyone is in a crabby mood, or time is too tight, we might order in and push tonight's dinner idea to tomorrow. If we order in, I make sure to get extra food for leftovers. Overall, most lunches and one or two dinners are comprised of leftovers. In sum, I aim to make dinner about four times per week.

I've been watching Jacques Pepin on PBS recently, and I like how quick and easy his recipes can be. Fast Food My Way is available on DVD (I found it at my local library), but More Fast Food My Way is his new series. I wouldn't make everything he makes, but if I walk away with one good idea per episode, I consider my watching time well spent. My recent walk away idea was a skirt steak with lime and anchovies that takes no time to cook. Yum!

I'm really into ginger right now, and this recipe from The Exotic Kitchens of Peru is a great vehicle for it. Although the original recipe calls for 2 pounds of fish, I only use one because I can layer it neatly in my pot, and it's more than enough for us. Consider adjusting the amount of fish to suit your needs and/or limitations.

Sudado de Pescado (Fish Layered with Vegetables and Ginger)
2 tablespoons corn oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound fish, such as sea bass, red snapper, or similar fish (cut filets in half...about 3-inch long pieces)
1 large onion, sliced
1 sweet red pepper, sliced into julienne strips
2 medium sliced ripe tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
A 1/2-inch piece of ginger, grated
1/4 cup water (optional: combine with vermouth or a dry white wine)
2 scallions, sliced thin

Heat the oil in a large shallow pan and stir-fry the garlic, turmeric, cumin, and pepper over low heat for 2 minutes. Be careful that you don't burn the garlic (my favorite trick, just ask MetaDaddy).

Arrange the fish pieces on top and fry for 2 minutes.

Spread a layer of the onion over the fish; top with a layer of the red pepper, then a layer of tomatoes, and season with the salt. Add the ginger. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the water and simmer for 10 minutes more to allow sauce to accumulate, basting the layers several times with the pan juices. Sprinkle the scallions over all, cover the pan, and let stnd off the heat for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with warm rice. Serves 4

Avoid Browning Avocados

I figured something out the hard way. I occasionally only use half of an avocado. The problem with leaving the other half exposed is that it'll turn brown. If left overnight, it'll develop a rather unpleasant, leathery skin. Not so good.

I found that I can avoid this reaction by placing the avocado's cut side onto a flat plate. If you really want a good seal to prevent oxygen from certain avocado demise, a Cook's Illustrated tip suggested putting some oil on the plate before you place the avocado on it. But I find a flat plate is good enough.