Monthly Archives: June 2010

The Everything Thai Cookbook by Jennifer Malott Kotylo

Cover of The Everything Thai Cookbook by Jennifer Malott Kotylo

Wasn’t Bill just beginning to wonder if he owned any cookbooks coming into this relationship? Is it a trick answer if I say, “yes”, but the first one discussed was given explicitly to him, but after we started dating?

I’ll leave that question to the philosophers.

Either way, while this cookbook is definitely “ours” now, it started out as his. Joe & Patty, if you’re reading this, he was SUPER thrilled to get it (and the tequila that came with it). I think, though I can’t swear to it, he even has cooked a thing or two out of it. Though he hasn’t since I got back from Kenya.

This could well be because we’re eating out a lot. Or because I’m a little shy regarding spicy foods (though they are growing on me).… Continue reading →

The Healthy Kitchen by Andrew Weil, M.D., and Rosie Daley – DONATED

Cover of The Healthy Kitchen, by Andrew Weil and Rosie Daley

As occasionally happens, I had a very long entry typed up regarding this cookbook, and then accidentally managed to erase the whole damn thing. The worst part? I use Firefox, had the Lazarus add-on installed for just such an occasion, and was still unable to recover it. Good job, Lazarus.

Anyway, I’ll try to recover it from memory to the best of my ability, but these things always end up far shorter than the original. Some of you might even think this is no bad thing, but I’m bummed.

I first heard of “Dr. Weil”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Weil back in the days when I was a “Prevention Magazine”:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005NIOO?ie=UTF8&tag=metaco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00005NIOO subscriber. He often writes for them, or did back in the early 2000s (I still don’t know what to call that decade/this decade if you’re one of Bill’s or my more pedantic friends).… Continue reading →

How to Cook Everything, Revised Edition

How to Cook Everything, Revised Edition by Mark Bittman

How to Cook Everything has been on my shelf for many years (so many that I can’t remember when I bought it), and I’ve made a few recipes from it. Not, actually, that many relative to the number of recipes it contains but being as I’ve made more than one recipe from it, it’s infinitely more recipes than some cookbooks we own.

Mark Bittman taught me how to make roast chicken via this book. And, as anyone who’s had my roast chicken can attest, I’m full of awesome at it. Now, anyway. I did used to attempt to make roast chickens prior to using this book. Bill can tell you about the disastrous attempt about six years ago, long before we were dating, to make a roast chicken while he was visiting.… Continue reading →

[15] Wilted Kale with Mushrooms

Cover of The Healthy Kitchen by Rosie Daley and Andrew Weil, M.D.

Thank goodness for days when we can manage to make more than one recipe! This means that, despite our occasional issues with eating dinner at home, we’re not too far below one on the recipes:days ratio. I think 15 recipes in 16 days of challenge is a great start.

It’s really already changing our eating and thinking, I can see. At least mine. I’m much more inclined to try to figure out a way to cook at home these days, already, than to chose to eat out. In addition, I’m much more inclined to find recipes at home that use what I have here at home than to go buy something new.

Unfortunately, that second one isn’t really working out for us as well as I’d like it to.… Continue reading →

[14] The Best Scrambled Eggs (So says Mark Bittman)

Cover if How to Cook Everything, Revised Edition, by Mark Bittman

Really? THE best? That’s a pretty strong claim, Mr. Bittman. However, I must say, the idea of having the best scrambled eggs ever is super appealing, especially when you point out that they take so long to cook that they’re great for dinners.

So, that’s what we had for dinner last night. Mr. Bittman’s scrambled eggs. Which were certainly better than my personal scrambled egg “recipe” which involves no specific recipe at all, but they did cause Jessie to miss her bus. Luckily Bill is an awesome guy and walked her home. Unluckily, I could not join them, because we didn’t know when, exactly, our CSA share was supposed to arrive. Further unluckily? It didn’t arrive until after Bill got back, so I could have joined them after all.… Continue reading →