Posted by stella on 2006-05-16 23:08:21
Post Subject:
The Joy of Cooking has a couple of vegan cake recipes, and their recipes are usually reliable.
i know i've made vegan cakes before, but i can't remember if i used a recipe or modified a regular recipe.
you can get stuff called "ener-g egg replacer" at health food stores and follow the instructions to use it to substitute for eggs. use margerine instead of butter and soy or almond milk if the recipe calls for milk. you can just use margerine and powdered sugar to make frosting.
if you can, it's better to test the cake first to fine-tune it and make sure it isn't horrible.
Posted by brightsun on 2005-11-02 12:41:48
Post Subject:
i always like to make chicken parm (i use the recipe from the joy of cooking). i couple this with a big mixed salad with dark greens and lightly toasted bread from the bakery around dinner time...
and of course a decent (yet cheap :) ) bottle of red wine!
yummmm... i'm starting to feel romantic already...
Posted by sallysunshine on 2005-08-21 00:44:46
Post Subject: Re: HELP pie crust question
hi hi hi
im so eager to bake a pie, but scared to death of pie shells. does anyone have a fool proof trick for making the perfect pie shell? (not pillsbury... haha)
thanks!
-- eli.xoxo
I have two pie crust tricks. First, don't attempt an all-butter crust until you have some practice. Butter melts really easily, and melted butter is the enemy of flakiness. I use half butter and half cream cheese. (I use the cream cheese pie crust recipe out of the Joy of Cooking.) Second, have everything really cold before you start. I freeze the butter (just for a few minutes), the bowl, the rolling pin, the pastry cutter... everything.
Supposedly, it's much easier to make pie crust in a food processer. I don't have a food processer, so I do it by hand, and it works out ok.
I got a little set from the cooking store that has a mat to roll your crust out on and a cover for your rolling pin. They're made of a fabric that absorbs flour, so they're non-stick. I keep those in the fridge, so they're really cold when I'm ready to roll out my crust. Wax paper works, too.
But the most important thing to remember, I think, is that it doesn't have to be perfect. It takes some practice to get the hang of pie crust, but even not-perfect crust is pretty darn great. You're better off if you stop angsting about it and just start practicing.
Posted by craftfetish on 2006-10-03 09:44:15
Post Subject:
I have made my own stock, I don't do so consistently.
Yes, you can make stock from one chicken carcass (just less than if you had more "stuff") - The Joy of Cooking recommends only using enough water to cover the "stuff," adding more as it evaporates. When in doubt, I trust the Rombauers.
It is worth it if you (a) are interested in saving money/not wasting any of your chicken, (b) concerned about ingredients and really want to be able to monitor the sodium in your stock.
Taste-wise, I think it is only worth it if you are making something where the taste of the stock will be shown off e.g. chicken noodle or matzo ball soup.
If you are using the stock somewhere that there will a bunch of other flavors (roasting vegetables, a tomato based soup, etc) then the convenience of store-bought stock may win out.
Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-02-18 18:03:26
Post Subject:
You can add noodles, croutons, cheese, frozen veggies, minced chicken or beef, onions or chives, mushrooms, dried tomatoes, wine, sherry- all sorts of things. It depends on the kind of soup. You might want to look at one of Jeff Smith's old books- he talked a lot obut cooking with wine. Or look at the Joy of Cooking- anything that you can use to make soup can be put into a soup to flavor it. Soup is actually very easy to make, especially if you have access to a fridge to keep the extra.
Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-12-03 22:33:30
Post Subject:
The coffee simply intensifies the bittersweet chocolate. If you didn't know there was coffee in there, I don't think you would taste it much if at all- and I can say that having used coffee with chicory added.
The mousse was absolutely insaneo, wacko decadent. I felt naughty just eating it. If you're going to let it sit overnight, cover it with saran. Not that it's going to last long anyway. Do not blame me for any pregnancies, adulterous affairs, or orgies that might result from eating this recipe. This would be a good recipe for Valentine's Day- I may have to do a mousse and souffle theme. I make a lobster souffle in the shell that is also good- the recipe is in the originial Joy of Cooking, I believe. Pair it with asparagus, oysters, and a good split of champagne, and chances are you'll be getting jiggy before the night is over. Heck, I'd just bring all the food into the bedroom and serve it on a table surrounded by candles. That way you'll be cutting out exces movement.
All I can say is, you might want to get dark sheets if you don't want to ruin your bed. Chocolate leaves a hell of a stain. : )
Posted by sweetpea on 2005-07-28 20:20:47
Post Subject:
I've got one. It's in my joy of cooking, and I made it the first time for my lactose-intolerant sister-in-law. She makes it for her vegan buddy.
Here we go:
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease/flour one 8x8" pan.
Sift together into a large bowl:
1 1/2c. all-purpose flour
1c plus 2T sugar
6T unsweetened nonalkalized cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8tsp salt
Combine and add:
1c cold water
1/4c veggie oil
1T white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla
Stir until smooth. Scrape into pan and spread evenly. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Slide a slim knife around hte cake to detach it form the pan. Invert cake. Let cool. Serve plain, dusted with powdered sugar.
Posted by sweetpea on 2006-06-01 14:23:38
Post Subject:
Sometimes I make a really quick no cook sauce with a can of diced tomatoes, some garlic, olive oil, and oregano, zipped in the food processor for a few seconds. It's really zesty, since the garlic is uncooked. I mostly use a crust recipe from my Joy of Cooking book, but I have a no-rise thin crust recipe, too, from a better homes and gardens cookbook.
Posted by anthrogirl on 2007-01-07 15:52:04
Post Subject:
Sally, I feel for you. I'm lucky in that my farmers' market happens 4 days a week until dusk. However, I went through a period at work where I was working every day that the market was in session, including Saturday- I thought I would die of starvation, and I gained weight from eating supermarket garbage and fast food.
Perhaps you could go in with a neighbor who is capable of picking up food co-op food for you. Or perhaps you should send a letter to the people who run the run the farmers' market to find out why it happens at such an inconvenient time for consumers like yourself. As corny a it sounds, I've often found that giving people a head's up often works.
As for the rest- the farmer's marker allows me to eat locally, sustainably, and organically for the most part. I'm able to ignore Whole Foods even though there's one near me- the farmers at my market pretty much hate it because only big farms really have a chance of getting in- a farmer pretty much has to guarantee that he or she can serve the entire Northeast to be considered.
If you can't eat locally, though (and for some people that's impossible, especially if they want any variety), there is another alternative- going old-fashioned and learning how to can and preserve. Even though I live in a major city where I can theoretically get anything I want, I learned years ago that store-bought food of any kind isn't that great. So recently I've been teaching myself the art of preserving food, both local and non-local. Not only do I pretty much flash-freeze veggies at the peak of freshness in my freezer for the winter months (and I don't have anything more than a fridge freezer), but I'm learning how to make preserves by reading my decades-old copy of The Joy of Cooking and recipes off the internet. I gave my boyfriend strawberry preserves that I made this summer with just strawberries, sugar and honey (I didn't even use store-bought pectin) and he was amazed at how good they were. Tomorrow is my birthday and I just finished eating a special birthday meal of mostly local seafood (raw and cooked oysters and sauteed buttery bay scallops) seasoned with lemons I preserved in the fridge a few months ago.
In some ways I feel like I've willingly entered a time warp in which on one side it's 2007, and on the other it's the 1600's- 1800's and refrigeration hasn't been invented yet. One the modern side I use a Kitchen Aid mixer, a gas oven, and listen to DVDs while I cook- but I'm using preservation methods that are hundreds of years old and exploring how this affects the texture and taste of my food.
For those who are curious- I used sugar and salt and lemon juice to preserve the organic lemons, whose skins now have a silky taste that is the essence on lemoniness. The strawberries (small sweet wild ones that are not very like the ones found in most supermarkets) were not as gelled as they would have been with pectin added, which makes them closer in taste and texture to what people would have eaten prior to about 1850 or so.
So that's a choice too- to eat many of the foods now available as our ancestors did, only with improved ingredients that are more nutritious. What I find is that this kind of food is more soul-satisfying, and one doesn't eat as much. There's also an aesthetic pleasure in seeing the ingredients for dishes come into being, and in finally getting to use them. I have to admit that the lemons were made without my ever having knowingly tasted a preserved lemon, and I was blown away last night when I finally used some It was like a subtle yet intense ray of sunshine on a cold day.
Posted by vega on 2006-09-26 19:18:45
Post Subject: yum fondue
being french canadian, yes we have a flair of french from the other side of the ocean, fondue bouguignone is to die for.
if you can find a cast iron type pot the advantage is that it keeps a high temperature longer. the preferred oil used is peanut, distinctive but light taste. then the cut of meat, as expensive as you can afford, talk to the butcher in the shop or supermarket. but the dip sauces are to die for. check them out in the Joy of Cooking or use your imagination. basic ingredient of yogurt, sour cream or mayonnaise, then add what ever spices suit your fancy, green onins, tomatoes, peppers etc.
Posted by Karla on 2004-08-23 16:07:59
Post Subject:
I actually found a recipe for crystallized ginger on-line that was adapted from the Joy of Cooking! Here's a link if anyone else is interested. It takes several days to make but, I bet your kitchen will smell great the whole time! yum!
Posted by craftfetish on 2006-11-16 12:41:21
Post Subject:
Not exactly crafting, but The Joy of Cooking.
Every other cookbook I have seen, purchased or coveted has been nice, but that is where it all starts for me. It provides a solid foundation in just about everything I have ever wanted to cook.
And as for crafting...let's be sure to support our own
Get Crafty: Hip Home Ec by our fearless leader Jean Railla
Art de la Soul from the lovely and talented Kathy Cano Murillo
Super Crafty by Susan Beal et al
(all fabulous books even if they weren't affiliated with this site)
Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-11-01 16:04:56
Post Subject:
It's been a slow reading month here, too.
My big read this month was a doozy, though- "La Bonne Cuisine" by Madame E. Saint-Ange. first published in 1927, it was the French 'Joy of Cooking'. Julia Child read it when she lived in France, and it inspired her to become a chef. I can't wait to try the recipes. what I've learned so far is that in 1927, people ate a lot more butter than they do now- but they also ate fresher food straight from the farm in much smaller portions. Her chicken recipe is supposed to feed 6 people, and she's not using anything near a Purdue Oven-stuffer.
Posted by for_esme on 2004-08-23 12:44:33
Post Subject:
oooh, how i love fresh ginger. some of my favorite ways to use it:
brew some mild green tea, and then steep 4 or 5 coin-sized slices of ginger in it for about 5 minutes. add some honey, if you like your tea a little sweeter - this is a great tea for an upset tummy.
my boyfriend and i also love this recipe from the "new vegetarian cooking" cookbook by rose elliot:
noodles with peanut and ginger sauce, serves 2.
9 ounces soba noodles
2 tbsp peanut butter, crunchy or smooth (one without palm oil)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin, rice syrup, or honey
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
a few red chili pepper flakes
a little fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional)
bring a large saucepan of water to boil and cook soba for around 4 minutes or according to directions on the package.
meanwhile, make the dressing by mixing the peanut butter with the soy sauce, mirin (or rice syrup or honey), ginger, and garlic.
when noodles are done, drain them in a colander and return them to the pan. swirl in the sesame oil, then add the peanut mixture and toss the noodles so they are well coated.
sprinkle with a few chili pepper flakes, then serve, scattererd with some chopped cilantro.
--
we also like the sauce of this recipe so much that sometimes we omit the noodles and make sushi rice and tofu to go with it instead.
another idea, for the candy or crystallized ginger - try looking in the joy of cooking. i don't have mine on hand, but usually i find if i look up an ingredient in the index there'll be tips on how to prepare and store it in lots of different and yummy ways.
Posted by delqc on 2005-11-21 16:37:50
Post Subject: casseroles
Ok, I live a crazy lifestyle. I work full time, go to school part time, and am desperately trying to work out enough to lose 50 pounds. The boy works full time + loads of overtime, trains for a competitive sport, and will be going to school part time starting this winter.
AND we have 2 homes (apt in the city and cottage in the country) which require a fair bit of maitenance and cleaning.
And we generate more laundry than a football team.
So ... I'm trying to make the most of my cooking time. Last week while making one supper (butter chicken, rice and green peas with pre-made sauce) I also made a casserole for supper the next night. Same time in the kitchen, but 2 meals. The next night all we had to do was toss that Mac'n'cheese in the oven, do our workouts, then chow down.
So, do you have any easy casserole recipes that one could make the night before, and that make almost a complete meal? For the mac'n'cheese, we the eating night we just had to steam some spinach ...
Lemme know!
del
P.S. I use the mac'n'cheese recipe from the Joy of Cooking. It's REALLY GOOD!!!
Posted by Lyric on 2004-09-10 16:35:41
Post Subject: I would do an infomercial for....
Procactiv Skincare-- ohmygosh i LOVE this stuff. it changed my life and i'll be a loyal customer for life. i recommend it to everyone who has problematic skin. i wish i had paid attention to their cheesey ads years and years ago...
Hagen Daz Dulce de Leche ice cream. unbelievable.
Netflix -- what a great concept!
Budget Living and ReadyMademagazines -- i can't wait for them to come in the mail -- wish they came out with weekly issues!
Martha Stewart Everday Food magazine -- this little mag has pulled me out of many a bind for what to make for dinner -- I rarely use any other cookbooks now (except for Joy of Cooking -- which is an Essential)
Cover Girl Lip Slicks Lip Gloss -- i go through tubes and tubes of this stuff -in fact, i think i have been using it for over a decade now?!
And last, but not least... I will spare everyone from listing my favorite products from this place, and just encompass it all by saying where they come from--my fav. grocery store--- Trader Joes -- If I ever move to a state that doesn't have a TJ, I will cry my eyes out. I love this place so much everytime I go, I wish I could get a job there just to bask in its wonderfulness...
Posted by for_esme on 2006-11-18 11:50:59
Post Subject:
Wow, talk about a blast from the past with this thread popping back up! It's funny to read this now... because not only did I try to Joy of Cooking pumpkin bread recipe, but I am totally addicted to it!!
hmarkowitz, here is the recipe (from my 1997 copy of the Joy of Cooking, pg. 774):
"You can make this loaf with any cooked mashed squash, yams, or sweet potatoes.
Have all ingredients at room temperature. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 inch (8 cup) loaf pan. Whisk together thoroughly:
Combine in another bowl:
1/3 cup water or milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
In a large bowl, beat until creamy, about 30 seconds:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Gradually add and beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 3 to 4 minutes:
1 1/3 cups sugar, or 1 cup sugar plus 1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
Beat in 1 at a time:
2 large eggs
Add and beat on low speed just until blended:
1 cup pumpkin puree
Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 parts, beating on low speed or stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Fold in:
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1/3 cup raisins or chopped dates
Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about one hour. Let cook in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack."
Posted by mrs_stroozi on 2006-01-03 14:23:21
Post Subject:
I second anthrogirl's recommendation to get an old copy of Joy of Cooking for anyone looking to learn to cook. It's a marvelous learning cookbook! I would also recommend Fanny Farmer, the old Boston School of Cooking bible. I learned from Fanny Farmer, because my boss (I worked as a cook and housekeeper in Cape Cod that summer) preferred it, and I still use my old 1985 copy almost every week. Can't beat Fanny's brownie recipe!
Also, FlyLady.net is one of the bestest and most straighforward methods I've ever used for organizing and simplifying my life. I don't follow her system religiously, but if it wasn't for her my life would be a quivering mess of pasty spaghetti and hair on the floor. I HIGHLY recommend Ms. FlyLady!
My resolutions are simple -
.Walk 15 minutes a day. And once I'm used to that, add more time or more visits to the gym.
.Curb my snacking and improve my eating in general so I will lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week until I'm down 10 lbs, and then eat to maintain that weight.
.Be a better friend: answer eMail and phone calls more regularly, remember birthdays, etc.
.Make it through my first semester of grad school without damaging myself or anyone in my family.
.Update my Quicken accounts and balance my checkbook in a timely manner.
.Don't forget I'm a creative person and make sure to always have a project going!
Posted by literaryvamp on 2006-01-01 13:56:34
Post Subject:
Liisotchka - From everything that I've read, you can lose two pounds safely in a week if you combine healthy eating with exercise. According to my diet assistant, I need to lose 2.18 pounds per week in order to hit my target weight by the time I've designated. I just rounded up when I was writing. But thanks for looking out for me! I may not be able to lose that extra 0.18 a week, but I'll be adjusting my goals as I go. I have two deadlines, one in May and one in December, so I have plenty of time to adjust if I need to. I made up all the little goals so that even if I skip an exercise session one day, at least I'm still getting some exercise when I walk the dog. I sort of see the small goals as different options that I can use to succeed.
And the reason for my weight loss actually has very little to do with appearance. I visited my grandma over the Christmas holidays, and on top of being a complete bitch, she is so obese (due to her eating habits) that she's lost the use of her legs. I am motivated by fear rather than by social pressures to conform.
But let's not make this thread all about me!
Anthrogirl - Thanks for the offer! My mom has an old Joy of Cooking book that she loves, and I'll keep an eye out for my own copy when I go to the used bookstores.
Posted by anthrogirl on 2005-12-31 23:06:47
Post Subject:
My resolution was to some some weight, which I did. I'm a lot closer to my goal now.
I'm actually a pretty decent cook, which makes meal planning easy. For those who don't know how to cook, may I make a suggestion? The old Joy of Cooking (can't really speack about the new one) is like having a patient grandmother in your kitchen. The book covers meal-planning, how to prep food, and so on. It's great for the new cook, and you can get it at most used bookstores. It think you can even buy new copies.
The thing to remember about food is that it's freezable for the most part. If you are bad at plannig meals, make up your own 'tv dinners' by cooking a veg, some simple meat or protein (chicken is really easy) and a starch, getting some of those throw-away containers or old Tupperware, and making meal packs. You can store them in the fridge or take them to work, and be assured of a cheap healthy meal that is portion-controlled. One roast chicken, for instance, can give you chicken breasts for sandwiches, pot pie, and meat to stuff green peppers and tomatoes, dark meat for eating as is, and a carcass that can be used for soup (cooked chicken carcasses are much tastier for soup stock than a fresh chicken).
Too bad you live in Canada- otherwise I'd just come over and cook for you! Even though I live in Manhattan, I actually have a whole winter's worth of food in my freezer. I went ape this fall and cooked like a madwoman, or just prepped and stored.
Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-11-12 22:08:42
Post Subject:
Outfitting a Kitchen
No matter how big or small your kitchen might be, there are certain basic items you'll need. You don't have to be a fancy cook either- these are items that can be used with the microwave or mixes. While one doesn't need all of these items to cook a simple meal, having them does make cooking easier. Most of them can be picked up at a thrift shop or garage sale, and having truly retro pieces can add a lot of charm to your kitchen.
If you are a single person or part of a couple, you might want to halve the number of silverware and plates that are recommended. But if you are every planning on having some friends over for dinner, it's nice to have the extra pieces on hand for entertaining.
3 rubber spatulas of different sizes
3 wooden spoons
a balloon whisk for eggs and sauces
1 set each of dry and wet measuring cups
1 set of measuring spoons
A pepper grinder
2 Teflon-coated oven mitts
assorted potholders
A medium-sized strainer
assorted dishtowels
2 wooden cutting boards (one for meat ingredients and one for veggies, if possible)
containers for flour and sugar (they should hold a minimum of 4 cups each)
a soapdish and soap for keeping clean in between cooking different items
a good basic set of knives (bread/tomato knife, paring knife, boning knife, utility knife) and a sharpener or knife steel
a pair of good sharp scissors
a set of cutlery for 8 (if you eat meat, you'll need steak knives; otherwise, knife, tea spoon, fork, and possibly soup spoon)
a set of tableware for 8 (bowl, regular plate, dessert plate, water glass, cup and saucer)
a decent set of pots and pans, preferably ones that can go from oven to table (1, 2, and 3 quarts, and a large pot for soup)
containers for leftovers
freezer bags in various sizes
ice cube trays
a kitchen trash bin
a sponge or dishcloth
a water kettle and/or a coffee pot
a hand mixer and two bowls
At least one plain table cloth and 8 napkins
a kitchen timer
an oven thermometer
storage containers for leftovers
two cookie sheets
a can opener
a large serving platter
Useful but not necessary:
a Silpat (silicone baking sheet)
baking dishes
pie weights
kitchen twine for tying roasts and poultry
2 cake pans
1 loaf pan
1 pound cake/bundt pan
an immersion mixer
a French press coffee maker
a coffee/spice grinder
8 mugs
a copy of the older version of The Joy of Cooking (it has information on how to cook pretty much anything from scratch and is the next best thing to having a grandmother in the kitchen with you)
a meat thermometer
a candy thermometer
a rolling pin
a spice cabinet
a toaster oven
a blender
a food processor
Posted by sallysunshine on 2004-12-07 18:44:51
Post Subject:
These burritos call for kidney beans, but I often use black beans instead: http://vegweb.com/recipes/burritos/996.shtml
I'm not a vegan, so I don't worry about the veganness of the mustard, and I usually put some grated cheese on top. They're good, and they freeze really well.
Black beans also work well in chili. My veggie chili recipe is kind of long to post, and it's basically adapted from the Joy of Cooking, but let me know if you want it and I'll type it all out.
Ok, here's a reasonably tough one. I have a jar of coriander chutney that I got from an Indian grocery. My roommate used to make sandwiches out of coriander chutney and Laughing Cow cheese on toast, but that Laughing Cow stuff is expensive and not very healthy, and I'm looking for other stuff to do with the chutney. Thoughts?
Posted by LizQuincy on 2004-10-09 20:57:28
Post Subject:
I have almost all of the books by Cooks Illustrated (America's Test Kitchen). I want to work for them someday. I love the way they perfect every recipe. So I trust it completely. My mom is loyal to Joy of Cooking, but she's never been with the stuff I make from these books.
Posted by jean on 2004-09-30 13:49:34
Post Subject:
marcella hazan: the essentials of italian cuisine.
the joy of cooking
julia and jacques cook at home.
all the fattening, old school style stuff! i am looking to lighten up things. i really like the naked chef cookbooks, whcih i have gotten from the library.
for the vegans, have you checked out the angelika cookbook? super good.
Posted by sra_nelson on 2004-10-03 16:19:10
Post Subject:
These aren't really cookbooks, although they do have some recipes in them. But, they are all about food!
The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffrey Steingarten (he's a food critic for Vogue). The sequel is It Must Have Been Something I Ate.
Both are fabulous reads with lots of great information about different foods!
I second (or third or fourth!) The New Joy of Cooking.
Posted by beanie on 2004-10-22 15:04:43
Post Subject:
My faves are The Joy of Cooking and How to Cook Everything.
A couple of weeks ago I discovered Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian....wonderful, wonderful recipes...there are a lot of Indian dishes, lots of wonderful things to do with chickpeas and chickpea flour...of course there's tons more than that, but I've been on a chickpea kick lately!
The new Gourmet cookbook seems pretty useful. I have it from the library and the three things I've made thus far are quite good. There are some amazing-sounding dessert recipes in there!
Posted by alterego on 2004-10-01 01:50:10
Post Subject:
Great thread! I second the Joy of Cooking (but you've got to get the newest one, edited by the grandson) and the Nigella cookbooks (which I don't own but have checked out of the library and enjoy very much). The cookbook that has had the most impact on me is The Unplugged Kitchen, by Viana LaPlace. My mom introduced me to this cookbook a few years ago and I shared it with my two best friends and we all LOVE it. It's not even recipes, so much, more like just way pared down ways to prepare and eat vegetables, mostly. It's very soothing and eye-opening, and she introduced me to a lot of the things that are now central to how I eat (plus she's got a recipe for leek-and-orange salad, which is just leeks and oranges chopped together and dressed with olive oil, sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper--this is a GREAT brunch salad).
I should look into the Garden of Vegan/How It All Vegan cookbooks. They do look very cute, but I'm not vegan and sometimes get turned off by recipes that bend over backwards to avoid dairy and eggs. However, I could really use some fresh and simple ideas. OK, I'm sold!
Posted by cannibalsandwich on 2005-02-05 17:50:12
Post Subject:
I keep my herbs in a glass of water on the counter. Treat them like flowers -- trim them and change the water every couple of days. This works great for parsley, basil, and the like. I've had fresh parsley on my counter for weeks this way. And I love that pesto idea!
Fave cookbooks:
Joy of Cooking. I have a 50s version. LOVE IT.
The French Chef Cookbook by Julia Child. Julia!
The Book of Herb Cookery by Irene Hoffman. It's a 1940 classic, heavy on the vegetables.
The Spice Cookbook by Avanelle Day and Lillie Stuckey. 1964. I just made Gingerbread Waffles this morning. Yum.
I have a thing for old school food. All these cookbooks came from thrift stores. I love to find old cookbooks that the past owners have written comments in, or pasted in recipes from newspapers. It's cooking history!
And many old cook books have great recipes for vegetables. Case in point, here's Marlene Dietrich's recipe for Russian Salad:
1 or 2 tart apples, cored and chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/4 to 1/2 red onion, chopped
Mix ingredients. Dress with salt and lemon juice. Add a dash of olive oil, if desired. My sister uses lime juice and chopped parsley. We call that version California-Russian Salad.
Sorry to get off topic. I just get really excited about food. My husband just called me a cooking nerd. I guess that shoe fits.
Posted by for_esme on 2004-10-06 17:41:25
Post Subject: favorite pumpkin recipes
i was just wondering if you all have any favorite pumpkin (or other squash) recipes... i guess i'm getting into the fall groove. specifically, i've been wanting to make pumpkin bread and am thinking of following the recipe in joy of cooking. has anyone tried it? suggestions (bread or otherwise) would be welcomed!
Posted by EvesApple on 2004-10-11 11:21:00
Post Subject: Re: favorite pumpkin recipes
i was just wondering if you all have any favorite pumpkin (or other squash) recipes... i guess i'm getting into the fall groove. specifically, i've been wanting to make pumpkin bread and am thinking of following the recipe in joy of cooking. has anyone tried it? suggestions (bread or otherwise) would be welcomed!
I've made it...it's good stuff. Just about everything in Joy is good stuff.
Posted by for_esme on 2004-10-09 00:10:03
Post Subject:
yes, bookish, please do post the pumpkin chocolate chip recipe! it actually sounds to me like a delicious combination.
tonight i made the pumpkin bread recipe from the joy of cooking. it smells soooo good, although it's not done baking yet so i can't tell you how it tastes. the recipe does use a lot of sugar, though, much more than i'd like. anyone have any pumpkin bread recipes that are a bit less sugar-crazed?
that pumpkin casserole sounds so good too! i'll have to look that cookbook up on the library's website.
Posted by hmarkowitz on 2006-11-18 10:24:25
Post Subject: help
maybe someone out there will be willing to help me. i have tried the quick pumpkin bread recipe from Joy of Cooking and i LOVE it! i have used the recipe many times and it always comes out irresistable. my problem is that i am now in school in scotland and had to leave my cookbooks behind when i came over. is anyone out there able to send me the recipe or direct me to a link that has it? i tried to find the book here but the local Borders doesn't stock it. short of special ordering it (which i don't want to do yet) i can't get my hands on my favorite pumpkin bread recipe. thanks.
Posted by hmarkowitz on 2006-11-18 13:40:50
Post Subject: pumpkin
thank you thank you thank you!!!!
if it helps any....when i used to make this recipe i would triple it and use an entire large can of libby's pumpkin, which gives you just a little bit more than 3 cups of pumpkin. it makes it just a touch more 'pumpkiny' :). and it's just a bit more gooey if you cook it until it is almost, but not quite done all the way in the center. plus, i always used the milk instead of water and i think i substitued butter flavor crisco instead of unsalted butter (or maybe the version of the recipe i had called for crisco and i used the butter flavor?).
again, THANK YOU so much for reuniting me with my favorite recipe ever!! my copy of joy of cooking back in the states is all stained with orange splatters from all the times i have made this.
Posted by vmandala on 2005-05-14 20:29:23
Post Subject:
The Joy of Cooking. If you are into cooking and baking this is the best book for your buck. It teaches rudimentary skills as well as more advanced skills. Plus, there have been few recipies that I have looked for that haven't been in this book.
Hope this helps!
Posted by sweetpea on 2006-06-02 16:36:25
Post Subject:
I swear by my Joy of Cooking as the answer to nearly every cooking question I've ever had. How long to keep cheese? How to cook a turkey? It's got an answer for everything. I also really like Lidia's Italian Table--the recipes are tasty and pretty easy to follow. I have quite a collection, but I use these two all the time.
Posted by craftfetish on 2006-01-13 10:48:09
Post Subject:
As I am new here, this will be my attempt to introduce myself...
1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen (really, any Austen)
2. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott (I so wanted to be Jo March)
3. Dangerous Angels: The Weetzie Bat Books - Francesca Lia Block
4. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger (came along at the right time in my life)
5. The Joy of Cooking (getting this from Grandma meant you were a grown-up)
6. The Powerbook - Jeanette Winterson
7. Cunt - Inga Muscio
8. Are You There God, It's Me Margaret - Judy Blume (Judy Blume is a genius)
9. The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell
10. Madeline - Ludwig Belemans
of course, if you asked me tomorrow, you would probably get a completely different list.
Posted by tiggycat on 2006-05-29 14:41:53
Post Subject:
One of my favorite topics, revived!
I love:
The Moosewood Cookbook
Actually, all of Mollie Katzen's books, esp. Vegetable Heaven (the chapter on sauces has changed my life!)
The Joy of Cooking
How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
I like looking at Nigella's books (and the lovely Nigella herself)
World Vegetarian by Madhur Jaffrey
A great old book called The Breads of France (don't know the author-- I check it out from the library every few months)
A great cooking-related book I recently read is Julie and Julia.
Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-01-12 15:05:43
Post Subject:
Just came across this thread- I'll probably sound like a party-pooper, too.
1. The Joy of Cooking by the Rombauers
2. Persuasion by Jane Austen
3. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
4. The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila
5. Argonauts of the Western Pacific by Bronislaw Malinowski
6. The City, edited by Robert Park
7. For Her Own Good by Ehrenreich and English
8. The Greek Myths by Robert Graves
9. I Love You This Much by Lynn Hodges
10. Jewish Folktales by Pinhas Sadeh
I find it interesting that I didn't put any 'black' books on my list. But I love to cook, I'm an anthropologist (I could have chosen Boas or Hurston), I love myth and folklore (and I used to read that folklore book to my husband), and the Hodges book always makes me cry because my husband and I referred to each other as 'bunnies'. Jane Austen was very realistic about the lives of women, and Persuasion is what happens when women and men are unable to express their feelings. For Her Own Good is about all the methods society has used to control women in the West for over 150 years. Plus, I'm a noir fan.
I really need a list of 12, so I'll cheat and include Franz Boas' speech at Atlanta University in which he denounced racism, and Tell My Horse by Zora Neale Hurston.
Posted by literaryvamp on 2006-01-06 22:33:14
Post Subject:
Okay, yesterday's wrapup. I didn't exercise.... :( My body was so tired from all the hassles of the week, as well as all the extra exercise. This week was pretty stressful for me, so I'm being compassionate to myself (thank you, expensive therapist!) and cutting myself a break.
One major food problem that I have is with my lovely husband. He loves to cook, but his stuff favors taste over nutrition. I was making whole-wheat spaghetti with regular canned sauce when he came along and offered to help. In the few minutes that I left the stove alone, he added red wine, half-and-half, and parmesan cheese to the sauce. Of course, it was the most heavenly thing on the planet, but my thighs weren't too impressed.
I'm going to steal a copy of that book "Joy of Cooking" that you all recommended from my mom. She has a really old copy that I think she'd let me have. Oh, and thanks to whoever posted the Hungrygirl link! Cute site!
