Book Giveaway!

While at the American Library Association Annual Meeting I attended a couple of the cookbook demonstrations. These events are held in the exhibit hall, on a stage with the author in attendance to sign books. There were times in between meetings and presentations that I found myself in the exhibit hall and as you know I can't refuse a cookbook. 

Most of the books are free but this one cost me $10. I was more than willing to pay the price because all the proceeds are going to New Orleans Habitat for Humanity - Katrina relief. I picked up this cookbook for the expressed purpose of giving it away to one of you.

From Tom Fitzmorris's website:

"A collection of the best dishes in all of New Orleans cuisine, from the point of view of the city's most experienced observer of its restaurants and cooking trends. Tom Fitzmorris has written and broadcast for almost four decades about his obsessive quest for the best food in his cherished home town. The first edition, published right after Hurricane Katrina, has now been updated with 25 new recipes, plus Tom's latest tweaks on the older ones. Every one has been tested in Tom's own home kitchen, as well as by his thousands of readers and listeners. Who are forever telling him how much they've enjoyed Tom's take on New Orleans food."

I'm copying the Ragout of Mushrooms with Grits recipe on page 261. I'll skip the grits since I don't really like them. Just like I don't like polenta. You know they are virtually the same thing, right?  I'll serve this over cheese toast instead because cheese, bread and mushrooms in sauce are like best friends. It will be almost like one of the dinners I had while in NOLA. It was the best food I had in NOLA. I sort of embarrassed myself by scooping up the sauce with my finger. Hey! There wasn't a spoon on the table. I licked my fingers on the sly. I don't think anyone noticed...too much.

If you want this book just leave a comment saying that you want to cook all those recipes that you've heard that New Orleans restaurants are famous for. Never been to New Orleans? No problem, still leave a comment and I'll add you to the hat. 

I'm going to have to limit this giveaway to those that live in North America. Sorry about that but the shipping can be expensive outside of the United States and Canada. From what I hear the Canadian postal workers are on strike so those of you from Canada may be waiting for awhile if you win. 

I'll be drawing a name on Sunday and announce the winner on Monday, July 11th. 

Please leave only one comment per day. If you post it on facebook or tweet the giveaway let me know. I'll add another slip to the hat with your name on it. 

Good Luck!

Love,

M

Everything was so good I wasn't sure which recipe to post

Saturday I handed the kids a couple of cookbooks with instructions to pick something they wanted me to make on Sunday. Then after they had spent an hour or so scanning cookbooks I totally ignored their suggestions and picked my own recipes to cook. I just like to mess with their heads every once in awhile. 

There are so few joys in my life. Screwing with my kids has always been the one I've held onto the tightest. Held onto like it was the only life vest on the Titanic. 


What I picked for Sunday dinner was:

Sweet Potato Souffle
Baked Broccoli and Cauliflower
and
Orzo Salad

I adapted all the recipes from the Tastes & Treasures cookbook that was given to me by my friends and co-workers at the Arizona State Library. It is a cookbook of historic Arizona. To say I adapted them is to really say that I used the recipe as a guideline only, not so much a rule.

Every single one of the dishes (We'll be revisiting this cookbook in the near future.) came out so awesome I wasn't sure which one to post.  I'll give you the only one I had the presence of mind to take a photo of. 

 

Don't worry, this looks a whole lot scarier than it really is. It only takes 1 bowl, 1 fry pan, and 1 pot.

Orzo Salad

Dijon Vinaigrette

 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon onion, minced

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Salad

 1 cup zucchini, sliced and halved

2 medium carrots, sliced

16 ounces orzo

8 ounces of mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup onion, chopped

2 tablespoons or 4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, re-constituted and chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

6 ounces reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup fresh mint, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped

2 teaspoons dried basil or 1/2 cup fresh basil chopped

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 cup pine nuts, toasted

Instructions

Grab yourself the biggest bowl you have. I'm not talking just a big mixing bowl. I'm talking the biggest pasta bowl you have ever seen. This recipe make enough to feed a small but respectable army. If you don't live with a small but respectable army you will want to cut this recipe in half. 

Make the vinaigrette in this bowl by whisking all the ingredients in the huge bowl in the order that I have listed them.

Salad

Cook the pasta as directed. While it is cooking prepare your veggies. In a large fry pan on medium heat cook the carrots for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini. Cook for 3 more minutes. Add the onion, cook for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for another couple of minutes. Add to the big bowl with the vinaigrette. Sniff. Isn't that wonderful?

Drain pasta. Add to big bowl with the vinaigrette and veggies.

Add the rest of the ingredients in the order listed. I toasted my pine nuts in the same cast iron fry pan that I cooked the veggie in. See, not so scary.

Toss. Serve at room temperature. 

This could be made ahead then refrigerated. Bring back to room temperature when you are ready to serve. Like I said, this recipe makes a boat load of salad. If you've got a potluck, family picnic or small invasion planned I'd take this salad. If I had to guess, I'd say that as this recipe is written it serves a good dozen or more people.

It was wonderful and I ate too much and I plan to eat too much for lunch for the next week. 

Love,

M

PS: this is your Meatless Monday recipe though I'm not strict on the Monday thing. Any day this week works for me.

Random bag of stuff but mostly produce

Keely. Random. Now!

This is my haul from the farmers market. I've numbered each thing (I'm not anal and food obsessed, sort of) but the numbers are so small I'm not sure you can see them. So if you squint real hard....
1. 3 different types of summer squash. (I've used most of these)
2. Patty pan squash. (roasted tomorrow for pizza with the leftovers for other equally yummy things)
3. baby beets. (roasted for pizza)
4. Grape tomatoes (pizza again)
5. Green beans (last night's dinner)
6. Chicken eggs (frittata and breakfast)
7. Duck eggs (breakfast this week with last night's mushroom ragout)
8. Tomatoes (general eating)
9. Jalapeno goat cheese (sprinkled on pizza after it is done cooking)
10. Baby and Japenese eggplant (stuffed on Thursday)
11 & 12. Assorted peppers (stuffed, roasted and general eating)
13. Peaches (baked in puff pastry)
14. Oyster mushrooms (last night's ragout)
15. Butternut squash (not sure but I'm thinking ravioli)
16. Sweet onions (general eating)

Now, my sweets your days are numbered. Mahahahahaha... Days are numbered, get it? Numbered.....I crack myself up.

Home Helps

The view from the Oasis restaurant at Lake Travis. JR and I sat outside, had a drink and chatted. Our topic of conversation was my NEED for one of these:

He wasn't buying it. Literally or figuratively.

War Time Cook and Health


The Dirty Dog tavern sign on 6th Street. This is about as classy as 6th Street gets.



The Kitchen Encyclopedia

I was feeling pretty smug about my personal sense of style until I recalled this photo. That goofy looking dork wearing a hat but no shoes is me. To see where I got my fashion sense just take a gander at the woman up front with the huge sunglasses and high-water pants. That would be my mother. My dad is not in this photo but trust me when I say, he was equally fashion backward.

I dare you to come up with a photo of yourself at the cocky age of 15. I bet my dorky trumps your dorky.

Love,
M

PS. Cookbooks care of Duke University. Who has the most exciting collection of cookbooks and advertising ephemera.

Randon Tuesday Thoughts on Wednesday

So I'm a day late? I'm also a dollar short. Does anyone say that antidote anymore? Yeah, I didn't think so. And, with the economy in the toilet it should read: A day late and 10 dollars short. We can just say I'm late today.

As most of you know I was at a Librarian's conference this weekend in lovely but busy Washington DC. Our nation's capitol, where the air is humid and the drivers are crazy. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to stop by your blogs but the conference site didn't have wireless. I KNOW! How crazy is that.

Here are some random highlights of my trip. Details to follow.

Wine on patio of restaurant in Annapolis, Maryland.

Very pretty
Very peaceful
VERY HOT!
VERY HUMID!

Exhibit hall in conference center.

Busy little bees work down there.

Cooking/cookbook demo in exhibit hall.
You knew I couldn't pass this up
Hey, I got a free cookbook out of the deal
and that gentleman up there, we had a meaningful discussion.
Okay, we traded business cards. Shut up! It was too meaningful.

Cookbook section of the Mt. Vernon gift shop.
I really haven't found a gift shop I didn't like
but one that carries cookbooks is my favorite.

Mt. Vernon. The home of George Washington.
He was there by the way.
Of course, he's dead.
So he probably doesn't smell too good.
He probably didn't smell too good when he was alive.
Bathing wasn't an everyday occurrence back then.

Pretty flowers.

We'll get into some more details in the coming days. I need to make some apologies to the drivers in the Washington DC metro area, I have some thoughts on conference sessions held after lunch, the best thing I ate and many more exciting topics. Can't wait, can you?

Off to work now,
See you all later.

Love,
M

1944 Good Housekeeping Cookbook - A Quiz

No Meatless Monday recipe for today because....

We're on the road again.
Just can't wait to get of the road again.

Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends.
Insisting that the world keep turning our way

Okay, I'll stop. I promise. (I must be channeling Willie again. I hate it when this happens. Next thing I know I'm wanting to grow my hair long, pick up a guitar, stop paying my taxes, and start smoking pot. Hmmmm....why does that not sound so bad.) But, we are on the road.

Since, I started this post on Friday I'm going to guess that we are somewhere near El Paso, TX. Not a real hot spot of beauty and culture but it could be worse. I'll have my iTouch filled with books on tape and my watercolors at the ready. Believe it or not I can paint in the car. Vehicle abstracts are wonderful. They just have a certain driving energy to them. (Hahahaha, driving energy, Get it? Driving? Energy? HA! I crack myself up)

I'm sure you are asking yourself; "self, if Michele isn't posting a recipe, what in the world will she do for Monday's food post." I've been asking myself that same question. Here's what I've come up with......a quiz. A food quiz.

A pop quiz!
Oh joy!

Don't get nervous because you didn't study for this quiz. This is just for fun. It's true or false so you have at least a 50/50 chance of getting the right answer. And, your score will go up considerably if you are up on your 1940s meal serving rules.

Grab your #2 pencil. Ready?

1. When setting the table for a formal dinner party the table cloth should overhang the table by 10" to 14". True or False?
2. Dinner napkins should be placed to the left of the forks so that the lower right hand corner is the open corner . True or False?
3. At a formal dinner party candlesticks should be silver or crystal only with white candles. True or False?
4. When designing a centerpiece for an informal dinner or luncheon the size and shape should be in relation and proportion to the table. It should be in a low bowl and be appropriately casual in nature, such as; flowers from your garden or fruits and vegetables of pleasing shapes and colors. This is the time to use your imagination and good taste. True or False.
5. 18" is the correct distance between the centers of adjacent plates.
6. When training your maid it is best if you provide written instructions, have practice sessions and making sure she is familiar with Setting the Table, Basic Rules for Serving, and Routine of Service. True or False?
   

Answers are provided below.


1. False. The answer is that the cloth should hang between 15 to 18 inches. Not 14". And definitely not 19" Do you think there was table cloth police in the 1940s? Do you think that terribly correct diners slyly measure the cloth then proceed to look down on you because yours was too short?

2. True. Obviously, the thought process here is that if the napkin is right next to the forks you would pick it up first then work your way in. A hint that maybe you wouldn't put your napkin in your lap if it wasn't handy. Talk about lowering the expectations.

3. True. Colors will not be tolerated. I believe that the table cloth police are also responsible for upholding the white candles only dictate.

4. True. I'm not exactly sure what you do if you don't have imagination and good taste. There are those of us with lots of imagination and really bad taste. Think of all the avocado kitchens in the 70s. What rates as appropriately casual and what is inappropriately casual when it comes to fruits and vegetables? Which fruit is the most formal?

5. False. 20" is the best distance be between centers of adjacent plates. You are bound to have that one guest who puts her elbows on the table and leans over far enough to get food on the front of her shirt. What? I can't be the only one.

6. True. According to my 1944 Good Housekeeping Cook Book it is imperative that a guest not be served last, that water glasses only be filled 3/4 full, that the finger bowls should be filled 2/3 full with lukewarm water, and that the maid never ever touch the guests. I don't even want to think about what kind of damage a poorly trained maid might do.


How did you do?


Love,
M

4 Cookbooks and a How-to

I've got a bit of a thing for cookbooks. Mostly, I have a bit of a thing for books in general but cookbooks in particular. My theory on cookbooks is that one can never have enough of them. JR has yet to buy into my theory.

1. Cookin' Southern Vegetarian Style. I have to tell you I've been a lot of places in the South and have yet to find a southern vegetarian style. Want an example of a vegetarian meal in New Orleans? For dinner I had a side dish of green beans (requested no bacon) and a baked potato (requested no bacon). In Charleston, South Carolina I did have the most fantastic mushroom risotto. Now, if that is in this cookbook I'll be buying it.

2. The Moosewood Cookbook. I have heard nothing up but good things about the Moosewood restaurant and cookbooks.



3. the Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without. This is another cookbook by Mollie Katzen. I would hope that this one and number 2 don't have the same recipes in them. I think I'll start with the Moosewood one than work up.



4. The Hippy Gourmet's Ouick and Simple Cookbook for Healthy Eating. Why do I need this one? It goes without saying but it will match the first vegetarian cookbook I ever bought 30 years ago. From the age of 18 to 23 I was a vegetarian. This is pretty typical behavior. Most vegetarians become vegetarians in their late teens to early 20s. Then they stop then start back up again when they get older. I've kept the same cookbook all these years. And if I'm going to buy this one I seriously have to buy the one below.




5. The Hippie Handbook: How to Tie-Dye a T-shirt, Flash a Peace Sign, and Other Essential Skills for the Carefree Life. Enough said.


So I think I'll be buying 4 out of the 5 books on this list. Yay! It's about $50. I qualify for free shipping. Just don't tell JR. He seems to think that 150 cookbooks is enough.

Love,
M