Archive for December, 2007

« Previous Entries

(Too) Sweet treats

Monday, December 31st, 2007

Nothing says festive quite like gingerbread, so I was happy to whip up the Barefoot Contessa at Home’s ultimate ginger cookie on Christmas day. Given Ina’s deep love of saturated fat, I was surprised to find that this recipe called for zero butter, but vegetable oil and only one egg.
Tasters loved the texture of these cookies — chewy on […]

Happy holidays!

Friday, December 21st, 2007

 
Tomorrow, Cooking the Books goes on the road to sunny Southern California, home of the only fast food we’ll eat (In-n-Out), the world’s best Mexican restaurant (Enrique’s in Long Beach), and 70-degree December days (we’ve never known a white Christmas).
We’ve still got four recipes to go before we fulfill our 2007 cookbook obligations, so we’ll be filing […]

Barefoot ole!

Thursday, December 20th, 2007

Perhaps I should be eating last week’s dismissive words about Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten. I made the book’s recipe for Mexican chicken soup last night and it reminded me all over again why I love the Barefoot Contessa.

Five items: Finger foods

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

 
Mark Bittman had a great article in today’s NYT Dining section on 101 simple appetizers in 20 minutes or less. He has lots of good finger food ideas — I particularly like #15 beef tartare, #19 white bean bruschetta, and #38 marinated mushrooms. A few feel like a stretch, particularly #76 hummus (I think we […]

Ooh-la-lentils

Tuesday, December 18th, 2007

 
Actually, there is nothing ooh-la-la about the lentil soup I made last night, but I couldn’t resist the pun. I admit, I chose the recipe from Recipes from Provence because it was labelled “easy” – simply combine lentils, water, chopped onion, garlic, a bay leaf and cloves, cook until soft and then puree. Yes, it was […]

Progress: 0

Monday, December 17th, 2007

After my impassioned vow to use those three virgin cookbooks, guess how many recipes I made this weekend? None.
But I did have a great time up in New York. Highlights included panino, white bean soup, and salad at ‘ino (I’m addicted to their roasted garlic salad dressing), seeing Hannah and Her Sisters at Film Forum, […]

Ready steady cook!

Friday, December 14th, 2007

 
I’ve been feeling a little guilty about those three neglected cookbooks of 2007. I bought them with such high hopes and dreams of delicious meals. With their help, I was going to become a carefree Barefoot Contessa, living in a Provencal farmhouse with the scent of Moorish spices filling the air. Or, er, something like that. Yet, these poor books remain […]

Wish list

Thursday, December 13th, 2007

 
Just in time for the gift-giving season, here a few cookbooks that I find intriguing…
Patricia Wells at Home in Provence by Patricia Wells
I used this cookbook in Provence and loved its clear instructions and casual demeanor. Her soupe au pistou stands out in my memory as one of the best soups I’ve ever made (though this could […]

Cookbooks of 2007

Wednesday, December 12th, 2007

 
Inspired by all the gift guides, here are some thoughts on cookbooks I purchased (or was given) in 2007. 
Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten
I love Ina Garten’s TV show and especially love to imagine myself living in her shingled East Hampton beach home. (Side note: Another dream-worthy Hamptons house is the one owned by Diane […]

Stir crazy

Tuesday, December 11th, 2007

 
Regular readers may recall my dismay (read: irritation) at the tedium of creating a stock of wholesome Deceptively Delicious vegetable purees, so that they’re always on hand. When on earth would I use these purees? I wondered.

« Previous Entries