Tag Archives: how to cook everything

[65] Classic Lasagne, Italian-American Style

How to Cook Everything, Revised Edition by Mark Bittman

So, the last lasagne in the freezer had all been eaten, and it wasn’t exactly what I’d had in mind when I first envisioned a pile o’ lasagne in the freezer anyway. Given all of that, I decided to try again with Bittman’s “Classic Italian-American” version of lasagne.

h2. Ingredients

Salt (Assuming you boil your noodles.)
Lasagne noodles, fresh or dried (Dried is about a pound.)

~1 c ricotta cheese

~1 c mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp softened butter or extra virgin olive oil

~3 cups, Meat Sauce, Bolognese Style

1.5 c freshly ground Parmesan Cheese (We used 12 month aged Manchego)

h2. Instructions

This is a lot like the last lasagne, so the directions are going to be almost exactly the same. You might get a sense of déjà vu.… Continue reading →

[61] Sandwich Bread, Five Ways, Version 1

How to Cook Everything, Revised Edition by Mark Bittman

Well, we’ve discussed this bread a couple of times previously. First because the dough seemed to utterly fail to rise. Time took care of that. Then, since time took care of that, Bill and I decided to give it a go. This was despite the fact that the top of the dough had dried out quite a bit during the rise.

So, with all of that in mind, I’m going to launch straight into the recipe, and skip over the typically longer pre-recipe banter. Of course, there will still be cooking and consumption notes after the recipe. Also, as a note, I have and use a stand mixer for this, so those are the directions I’ll give. Looking at it, it appears Bittman prefers a food processor for this, but I <3 my stand mixer.… Continue reading →

[58] Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

How to Cook Everything, Revised Edition by Mark Bittman

Until a few days ago, I’d never eaten brussels sprouts. If I recall correctly, this is because my mother loathes them. Like most people, as a child/teen, I mostly ate what my parents fed me. Especially when it came to vegetables, because I certainly wasn’t putting vegetables in my mouth of my own accord! (I wish now that hadn’t been true then. It might’ve made doing so now easier. I am getting better. Evidence? You’re reading it.)

Thus, I really hate peas, and all things that taste like peas, to this day. Peas being basically the only vegetable my father would eat (at least in any quantity). My mother hates peas, but served a ton of them anyway. I just don’t get why she’d do that to us (us being her, my sister and me).… Continue reading →

[57] Bean and Potato Gratin (with Turnips)

How to Cook Everything, Revised Edition by Mark Bittman

For the vast majority of my life, beans have been involved in many meals I’ve consumed. However, each of those meals used the exact same preparation and type of beans.

Yes, I grew up in New Mexico. So I ate a lot of refried pinto beans. A lot of them. No, even more than that. Seriously. Because I really didn’t like most meat burritos, or tacos, or well, lots of things. I was basically left with eating bean burritos every time my family went for New Mexican food (except breakfast – that glorious meal). Or some variation on bean burritos. Like bean-stuffed sopapillas. Or the bean and cheese turnover at the now extinct Ron’s (Ron & Marsha’s to my parents).

Beyond that, though, I have almost no experience with beans.… Continue reading →

Experiment time!

Well. So.

The bread dough did seem to be sort of growing a little bit by the time the 2h rise was up, but not at any real pace. I didn’t have enough time to make new dough & let rise, or to change the environment and restart the 2h rise, and punch down, rise again, bake before our plans yesterday. That was what super bummed me.

So I did what any sane and curious person would do. I left it alone.

By this morning, it had definitely risen a goodly amount. I didn’t have time to do anything with it before my piano lesson, and then after I debated. Curiosity won out, as usual.

The dough has been punched down, and is waiting 15 more minutes in the warmest spot I could think of.… Continue reading →