I’m starting a small window garden! Let’s Hope it works… there is basil, chives, and oregano. We’ll check back in a few weeks to see how it’s going!
Posted from moBlog – mobile blogging tool for Windows Mobile
Archive for the 'tools' Category
I like saving money. In fact, in my other life, I would like to have started a blog on financial matters, saving money, and making money. Problem is, it’s already been done–a lot–and I’m not always the best at taking the advice I would be giving 
But, I do read a lot of personal finance blogs (you can see my favorites in the Links section). Sometimes, they even post a foodie Gem, like Jonathan did on “My Money Blog” with his review of his new Cast Iron Skillet. He pointed out that he received a really nice set of anodized, non-stick cookware when he got married (as did I), but after years of misuse they were non-stick(y). So, he purchased a 12 inch cast iron skillet from Amazon and hasn’t looked back.
Cast iron pieces make very economical additions to your cooking tool arsenal. You can usually find these pieces for relatively little money (Jonathan’s was only $15), they are sturdy, cook better than many other bargain pieces, and will last a lifetime. If you are just starting out, I would almost recommend cast iron over a cheap cook set simply for these reasons. And, you can outfit yourself with just some basics for $52 (the skillet Jonathan bought, a 5 quart dutch oven, and a small griddle–thin things you have to flip, like eggs and pancakes, work better in a griddle).
I have to admit, I only have two pieces of cast-iron cookware in my cooking tool arsenal, but they are often put to (reasonably) good use. I have a small (8 inch) skillet and a griddle/grill-pan. Usually, I use the skillet for corn bread and I make a mean flank-steak with the griddle. Both these items were spared from the “non-essential” designation in our recent move/downsizing, and are permanent fixtures in my woefully small kitchen. And, with the benefits emphasized in the article Jonathan cites, they might make a good investment and replacement for my really nice set of anodized, non-stick cookware, which have their own special holder in the cabinet to prevent damage to the non-stick surface.
I have only three criticisms that keep me from ditching my non-stick for cast-iron completely (and, I’m lumping my beautiful Le Creuset cast iron/enamel dutch oven in the category).
First, they are big and heavy. I love the lightness of my Calphalon, and how I can easily lift, toss, and transport my cookware with one hand.
Second, even when properly seasoned, a cast-iron piece cannot compete with my Calphalon in total non-stick-ness. I don’t like doing dishes, despite my love for food, so I’d rather just wipe out my pans with hot, soapy water, than scrub with my nylon sponge.
Finally, cast iron requires a little more maintenance–when you wash it, you have to ensure it’s dry before you store it, or else it will start to rust (this isn’t stainless steal). Usually, you put a very thin coat of oil on the cooking surface to keep this from happening, and that adds to your clean-up time.
I definitely don’t think these reasons should keep someone from using cast iron in his/her cooking arsenal, but for many people, I would suspect that they will be a supplement, rather than a total replacement, for modern cookware (though, see my note above, about cast iron versus cheap cookware). Still, it’s hard to argue with a perfectly seared steak, or the unique flavor and crispness fried chicken has, when coming from cast iron. Sometimes, the most traditional tools are still the best!
My sister-in-law was really excited at Christmas time, because she got me a fabulous present! She had been telling me for several weeks that she couldn’t wait until I opened her present, so I knew it had to be good. When I tore off the paper last week, my face lit up when I saw what she got me:
A potato ricer!
These things are pretty neat, because they can mash potatoes, cut butter for pastry dough, or strain leafy vegetables before you use them in a recipe. This tool was really exciting for me, because I didn’t have a potato masher (in fact, when I mashed the Pan Smashed Potatoes, I used the back of a slotted spatula).
Over the next several months, I’ll be looking for recipes and uses for my new ricer. The first will be Roasted Red Pepper Mashed Potatoes. Check back later for the recipe!
I wrote yesterday that my wife made me a delicious dinner, but it wasn’t cheap because she had to run out to the store to pick up some ingredients because we didn’t have a well stocked pantry.
Run a Google search, and you’ll get all kinds of hits telling you what to get (the first one on this list has an unreal amount of items for the pantry). I actually was really surprised. Let’s take a look at that first hit. These are all great great items, but do you honestly have enough room in your freezer for all of these things? What about produce? I expect pantry staples to be shelf-stable for a long while, and I would be surprised if you could use this assortment of fresh produce in less than the time before it expires.
I must concede that a well stocked pantry means something different to different people. But, it doesn’t have to be a mini-grocery store in itself to be well stocked. This is what I have to say about pantry staples–have on hand very basic items that are shelf stable, and supplement those items with fresh items from the grocery each week. Plan your meals so you can do this, and you’ll be fine.
Our “well-stocked” pantry includes:
- cans of chicken, beef, and vegetable stock
- cans of whole and diced tomatoes, in juice
- cans of tomato sauce and paste
- cans of cream of (whatever) soup
- Skyline Chili
- boxes of macaroni and cheese
- boxes of soup mix (chicken noodle, onion)
- boxes of ranch dip mix
- tuna in a can
- cans of green chilies
- various pasta (currently, about 4 boxes of angel hair and one of penne)
- boxes of instant potatoes
- pasta sauce
- pizza sauce
- corn bread mix
- pizza dough mix
- baking mix (a la Bisquick)
- oatmeal (I have pin-oats right now)
- white and light brown sugar
- flour, baking soda, baking powder
- cornmeal
- cornstarch
- rice
- a bunch of spices (I always have cinnamon, nutmeg, basil, oregano, seasoned salt, garlic powder and vanilla extract on hand)
- tea
- butter
- milk (since we don’t actually drink it, I use it in the powdered form)
- frozen vegatables (corn, green beans, broccoli, peas, spinach)
- frozen chicken patties, tenders
- frozen meatballs
- yellow mustard
- ketchup
- mayonnaise
- dijon mustard
- worcestershire sauce
- soy sauce
- rice wine
- rice vinegar
- red wine vinegar
- apple cider vinegar
- balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
- canola oil
- honey
- shortening
- potatoes
- onions
- garlic
- peanut butter
- cocoa powder
We usually buy meat when its on sale, and produce as we need it. If we had a garden, we’d probably grow fresh tomatoes and herbs. There are some shelf stable produce items you can get (like root vegetables) and don’t have to worry about them going bad quickly, but I get really nervous about most fruits and vegetables after they’ve been in my fridge for about a week. I’m probably just weird about that, though; to me, it just tastes better if it’s fresh. We find we can usually make some good things from these items, and most of them are called for over and over again in recipes.
What items are in your pantry?
I love to cook and my wife usually indulges this habit. Particularly for the last two weeks, as the semester has been coming to a close and she’s incredibly busy. However, I guess last night she decided to start repaying all my selfless culinary… er… giving. The result was a pretty tasty dish that was filling and reasonably healthy. I can’t promise that it was cheap, but that’s because we didn’t have a well stocked pantry (I need to write up an entry about that) and she had to pick some items up at the store.
Without further ado…
Ingredients:
- 4 oz. uncooked linguine, broken in half
- 2 medium zucchini (6 to 8 inches long)
- 1/2 lb. ground pork
- 2 (or more) garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/8 teaspoon of pepper
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Cook the linguine to desired doneness as directed on package.
- Meanwhile, cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Set aside
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add pork and 1 of the minced garlic cloves; cook and stir until pork is no longer pink, gently breaking pork into large bite-sized pieces. Remove from skillet; drain.
- In same skillet, heat oil until hot. Add zucchini and remaining mined garlic clove(s); cook and stir 5 to 7 minutes or until zucchini is tender.
- Drain linguine; cover to keep warm.
- To zucchini in skillet, add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper; cook and stir until tomatoes are thoroughly heated. Add cooked linguine and pork; cook and stir until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheese.
| Serving Size | 1 cup |
| Calories | 310 |
| Total Fat | 14 g |
| Sat. Fat | 5 g |
| Carbs | 28 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 18 g |
The source for this recipe came from the Pillsbury 30-Minute Meals cookbook (ISBN 0-609-60859-2). We particularly like this cookbook because the recipes are usually easy and have few ingredients. And, it’s been our experience, these meals are closer to 30 minute meals than almost anything Rachel Ray comes up with. In fairness, though, this cookbook is more like a cross between Rachel’s and Sandra Lee’s philosophies, so there are a lot of short cuts that Rachel would certainly not take–at least not all the time.
Since our move, my wife and I have been finding interesting ways to entertain ourselves. One such way has been to experiment with different wine flavors and try some things out with some of the meals we create.
Another thing we like to do is to bring some of the unique tastes of our home to our table–we’re originally from the Greater Cincinnati area. You wouldn’t think this area has some unique foods, but it’s very true. One of the things we miss most is Cincinnati Style Chili. I’ve not tried a good recipe for the chili, yet, because we can still get it from the grocery store in cans or in spice packets (our favorite Cincinnati style chili is Skyline).
So, I bought some ground beef and made some chili Friday night. My wife wanted to check out some wine, so I turned to my favorite wine pairing resource:
Food & Wine Pairings : Wine and Drinks: Party Ideas: Food Network
This site is great, because it gives you an idea of what flavors go well together. You see, the trick with pairing wine with food is to find a wine that has a similar flavor to the food you are serving it with. You’ll find that if you serve a sweet wine with a dessert, the sweetness of both mellows and the wine becomes a refreshing accompaniment.
The dominant flavors in Cincinnati style chili are garlic, cinnamon, and something sweet–maybe some nutmeg or chocolate. The grid doesn’t help much with that description. Looking at some of the foods it does suggested, I decided the food type that most likely had the same flavors was “Asian foods, Ham, Chicken, Turkey, Foie gras, and Cheese.” This is because these flavors are generally a little sweeter than savory. So my first suggestion for a wine was either a Riesling or a Gewurtztraminer. Both wines are white and little on the sweet side.
Second, since I was cooking ground beef, and there would presumably be a lot of grease, I wanted to suggest something that would cut through the grease and be sweet at the same time. This seems to describe most Champagnes or sparkling wines, so that was my second suggestion.
Finally, just to cross check to see if there was anything I missed, I ran a Google search for “skyline chili wine pairing” and the second hit was Best Zinfandel Wine Pairing Recipes - Top 20 Zinfandel Wine Pairing Recipes. Of course, this makes perfect sense–a regular Zinfandel (not white!) is a little on the sweet side, as well. So, that was my third suggestion.
Well, my wife picked up the wine, choosing a Gewurtztraminer. I have to say, it paired up very well with the chili. I don’t know the first thing about describing the combination to you, or the technical details of why it worked, but it did. I suspect that any other three types of wine would have been great, too, but that is another post for another day.
