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December 01, 2013

Food Thread -- ~~Holiday~~Christmas Gift Edition [CBD]
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If you have a budding cook, or a kid on his own who can't afford to eat out, or just need a great reference for pretty much everything, then Joy of Cooking By Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker is hard to beat. The recipes are the baseline in American cooking. Everything is here!

This little beast is a great tool when you are chopping more than one or two onions or other vegetables. When I make anything braised I use this for the consistency of the chop. And, it cuts things besides onions...carrots, peppers and other tough skinned or hard foods (No link to Ace's Amazon page....it's a bit pricey there. Bed Bath And Beyond will probably do better).

At the risk of exposing the Moron Horde to the utter vapidness and squishy hard-left sensibilities of a born-and-bred New York City progressive, this is a glorious book about one man's journey from drinker to non-drinker. Rest assured, it is not preachy; it is a glimpse of an interesting life, well lubricated -- and damaged -- by alcohol. A Drinking Life, by Pete Hamill is a worthwhile read, especially for those interested in A NYC that no longer exists (Thank you Michael Bloomberg).

Don't be fooled by the pedigree of this chef, he has transfered his brilliant restaurant cooking to the home stage, without dumbing down the technique. He runs two of the greatest restaurants in America, and the attention to detail required of those are in clear evidence in this book. Ad Hoc At Home, by Thomas Keller, is not for the disinterested cook, but if you are interested in rigorous technique and sometimes nitpicking detail, this is for you.

Chemistry, physics and cooking are of course intimately linked. On Food and Cooking:The Science and Lore of the Kitchen By Harold McGee may be the best single source for the science behind what happens in the pot and the oven. It's also interesting in its own right, with a deceptively easy writing style and a huge amount of useful data.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 12:05 PM | Comments (169)
Post contains 396 words, total size 3 kb.

1 *urp*

Posted by: eman at December 01, 2013 12:10 PM (AO9UG)

2 Pardon

Posted by: eman at December 01, 2013 12:10 PM (AO9UG)

3 So that thing is a fancier Slap-Chop?

Posted by: EC at December 01, 2013 12:14 PM (doBIb)

4 If you are planning on making minced meat pies, you'd better start soaking the meat in the spiced rum now. Should be just about perfect for when Christmas comes around.

Posted by: The Rummy Hat at December 01, 2013 12:16 PM (Vk2pI)

5 I have to take something for a gift exchange next weekend. I think I'm going to get a couple ornaments that are cookies and cupcakes (found on Amazon) and put them in a basket with real cookies and a lemon bread that is super yummy. Any cookie recipes that are good for gifts? I've got choc. chip and peanut butter ones that I'm comfortable with already.

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 12:16 PM (SUKHu)

6 'Joy' should be the first cookbook anyone cracks open...

Posted by: OG Celtic-American at December 01, 2013 12:17 PM (vHRtU)

Kids in the Kitchen?

Count me in!

Posted by: Jeff Smith at December 01, 2013 12:18 PM (aZ01J)

8 I like the Betty Crocker cookbook. No home should be without one and it is ideal for beginners.

And I have one of those onion choppers myself. Great little item.

Posted by: Vic at December 01, 2013 12:19 PM (YowqD)

9 'Joy' should be the first cookbook anyone cracks open... Posted by: OG Celtic-American at December 01, 2013 04:17 PM (vHRtU) We beg to differÂ…

Posted by: The Kanamit at December 01, 2013 12:19 PM (Vk2pI)

10 Kids in the Kitchen? Count me in! Posted by: Jeff Smith at December 01, 2013 04:18 PM (aZ01J) Under the kitchen is better ...

Posted by: John Wayne Gacy at December 01, 2013 12:20 PM (jdRXP)

11 Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything is also a great reference even though he is a grade A douchebag.

Posted by: NCKate at December 01, 2013 12:22 PM (X/4E9)

12 Repost in the correct thread.

I have the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, but the same recommendation applies: it's a great baseline and perfect if you have someone just starting out who needs one overall cookbook.

Posted by: Colorado Alex at December 01, 2013 12:22 PM (lr3d7)

13 I have 2 editions of the Joy of Cooking. The original and an updated on ca. 1999(?). The Rombauers taught me how to cook in college! I still refer to them both constantly. The older one has some recipes that were dropped that are still favorites and also offers a fascinating glimpse into how the American culinary landsacpe has changed.

Posted by: Deety at December 01, 2013 12:24 PM (3XUU4)

14 Gingerbread cookies, I guess. With our "ninja-bread men" cookie cutters.

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 12:25 PM (SUKHu)

15 14 I didn't actually click on the link, so maybe this is obvious because of interchangeable plates or something, but isn't the chop thing too fine for a braise? Or do you use it to make the gravy and strain out the itty bitty veggies?

Posted by: Lauren at December 01, 2013 04:24 PM (hFL/3)

The one I have has two different size grates.

Posted by: Vic at December 01, 2013 12:26 PM (YowqD)

16 Made my very American version of shrimp fried rice from Tday appetizer leftovers.My grand daughter loved it just like my daughters did my chicken version. Building traditions by accident is fun

Posted by: The hickster at December 01, 2013 12:26 PM (vCVhg)

17 Mama AJ, how about sugar cookies?

Posted by: NCKate at December 01, 2013 12:27 PM (X/4E9)

18 Posted by: NCKate at December 01, 2013 04:22 PM (X/4E9)

I have to disagree. Not about Bittman being a douchebag...he is absolutely.

http://tinyurl.com/pvpz5cx

But I think his cooking is too "minimalist." Sometimes it's unavoidable to be a bit complex.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 12:27 PM (oJ5Fd)

19 I just used my worn old Joy of Cooking yesterday to make some yummy banana muffins for breakfast. And I got one of those choppers last year just for Thanksgiving dinner since I go through a half a bag of onions and most of a bag of celery. Great timesaver. I also have one of those Slap Chop things which so great for chopping nuts, not good for onions though.

Posted by: rockmom at December 01, 2013 12:28 PM (aG9Vk)

20 Posted by: Lauren at December 01, 2013 04:24 PM (hFL/3)

Vic answered before me.

And, I don't strain the vegetables out. Sometimes I leave them whole, and sometimes I blend them with a stick blender.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 12:29 PM (oJ5Fd)

21 Any cookie recipes that are good for gifts? I've got choc. chip and peanut butter ones that I'm comfortable with already. Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 04:16 PM (SUKHu) Red velvet cookies would be pretty in a gift basket.

Posted by: [/i][/b][/u][/s] Tami at December 01, 2013 12:33 PM (bCEmE)

22 For someone just starting to cook on their own, Bittman can serve a purpose.

Posted by: NCKate at December 01, 2013 12:33 PM (X/4E9)

23 Sugar cookies would be good. Thanks. I like Martha Stewart's "Cookies" book despite too many recipes with coconut. Do you want your choc chip cookies to be cakey or soft and chewy?? Ooh, giant chocolate sugar cookies are in the "crumbly and sandy" category...

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 12:34 PM (SUKHu)

24 Yep, I use the Joy of Cooking as a reference, even now in the internet age. If you haven't used up all of your turkey, especially the dark and "medium" (back, wing) meat, I highly recommend making b'stilla, that savory Moroccan pie: pic.twitter.com/TZqAr49VhM Here's a recipe (also in nick): http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Moroccan-Style-Chicken-Pie-351511 I usually make it with chicken thighs, but the turkey worked great (burp!). Make the filling the day before so assembly is easier. And ignore their instructions on assembly. Layer the phyllo sheets on the pie, then trim after you're done making the pie. Amazingly (to me, anyway) it is even better the second day.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 12:36 PM (zDsvJ)

25 >>a stick blender. I've decided I really need one of those.

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 12:36 PM (SUKHu)

26 Ad Hoc at Home rules. My wife picked it up for me when it was something like 75% off at Anthropologie or something like that. The melted onion recipe alone made it worthwhile. I make it all the time, and put it in/on everything, mostly burgers, stew, stuffing, and sometimes scrambled eggs.

Posted by: Professor Marius von Totenkopf (formerly Hoss Fuentes) at December 01, 2013 12:36 PM (aozUR)

27 Southern Living has a cookie cookbook that I've used since I was a kid, Christmas Cookies. It's got some great recipes.

Posted by: NCKate at December 01, 2013 12:38 PM (X/4E9)

28 McGee's book is the unofficial textbook for Harvard's course on Science and Cooking. (It's offered through edX.org, so you don't even have to be a Harvard student to take the course) I'd recommend it for anyone of a foodie/geeky bent. (Along with Alton Brown's Good Eats and Jeff Potter's Cooking for Geeks)

Posted by: Saber Alter at December 01, 2013 12:38 PM (8V74Y)

29 For anyone just starting to cook. Have no fear just cook. Yes some things will suck but the lessons learned on what does work are invaluable. Look in the books but then play to your own tastes.

Posted by: The hickster at December 01, 2013 12:39 PM (vCVhg)

30 Chemistry, physics and cooking are of course intimately linked. On Food and Cooking:The Science and Lore of the Kitchen By Harold McGee may be the best single source for the science behind what happens in the pot and the oven. It's also interesting in its own right, with a deceptively easy writing style and a huge amount of useful data.

I'm still working my way through this book. It's fascinating on so many different levels, especially for me (a cook and a scientist).

Posted by: DangerGirl, home sweet home at December 01, 2013 12:39 PM (GrtrJ)

31 No one has asked, but I can highly recommend this book for any of you who, like me, are struggling to bake at high altitude: Pie in the Sky by Susan Purdy. http://www.amazon.com/Pie-Successful-Baking-High-Altitudes/dp/0060522585 It's really the only resource I've found that is helping me adapt to higher elevations. Haven't found much of value on the internet. The author actually took her recipes and baked them at 5 (iirc) different altitudes.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 12:40 PM (zDsvJ)

32 I have Joy, Bh&G and Betty Crocker. First 3 places I look for anything not in the homemade cookbook from my grandma. Best cookbook I got last year? Michael Symon's Carnivore. Best recipe out of it? Creamed Leeks. I mean the meat recipes are good but that side dish is so incredibly simple and tasty.

Posted by: Ragamuffin at December 01, 2013 12:40 PM (fzFF6)

33 >>Red velvet cookies would be pretty in a gift basket. Oh, yeh. The directions for the gift exchange say a wrapped present. I'm tempted to put everything in a brown grocery bag* and see who's brave enough to pick it. *I'm germ phobic enough that I feel obliged to say "a grocery bag that only had cereal or something in it, not one that had meat and has been cultivating in my cabinet for a while."

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 12:41 PM (SUKHu)

34 31 For anyone just starting to cook. Have no fear just cook. Yes some things will suck but the lessons learned on what does work are invaluable. Look in the books but then play to your own tastes. --- I agree. I find that for "international" cooking, it also helps to go out to eat to get a feel for the cuisine if you are trying to develop your instincts.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 12:42 PM (zDsvJ)

35 Also, if you're a lazyass like me, you can rarely go wrong with a crockpot/slow cooker. Many times all you have to do is dump a few ingredients into it, set it to low, and pretty much forget about it until dinner. (I like using Ninja's All-in_one cooker, since you can use the stovetop function for "fancier" dishes and then change it to the slow cooker function)

Posted by: Saber Alter at December 01, 2013 12:43 PM (8V74Y)

36 I like using Ninja's All-in_one cooker, since you can use the stovetop function for "fancier" dishes and then change it to the slow cooker function ---- How long have you had it? Any complaints? I had to return a Cuisinart (?) all-in-one cooker b/c it went haywire, so I'm making do with a too-small slow-cooker that has a removable metal insert for stove top sauteeing. But I'd love to have the all-in-one function again.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 12:45 PM (zDsvJ)

37 Talking about the science behind the cooking, The Bread Baker's Apprentice, is a great book for anyone interested in baking bread. Reinhart knows his stuff. I've taken four or five of his classes and his wealth of knowledge is just insane.

Posted by: NCKate at December 01, 2013 12:46 PM (X/4E9)

38 Any cookie recipes that are good for gifts?

People who don't bake themselves seem to be impressed by snickerdoodles with a little green and red food coloring paste mixed into the cinnamon sugar (separately, of course). If you're not giving a whole batch, stack a few on a square of plastic wrap, alternating colors, and tie a bow around the top.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ at December 01, 2013 12:47 PM (hO8IJ)

39 "7
Kids in the Kitchen?
Count me in!

Posted by: Jeff Smith at December 01, 2013 04:18 PM (aZ01J)"

Yes, Jeff Smith is a pervert but his first "Frugal Gourmet" cook book is a great start for somebody who is on their own and cooking for themself or for themself and a significant other. You will have to find it at a used book store since, as they used to say on Mission Impossible, the secretary has denied all knowledge of him. It is worth searching out and whoever you give it to will eat better, cheaper and healthier.

Posted by: Obnoxious A-hole at December 01, 2013 12:47 PM (BcCwi)

40 I sure am glad they took Home Ec out of schools/sarc

Posted by: Lauren at December 01, 2013 04:43 PM (hFL/3)

If the kids knew how to cook, they'd never eat a Mooshelle approved meal (unless they got an invite to Moosh's White House table)!

Posted by: Hrothgar at December 01, 2013 12:47 PM (XdnQT)

41 Ad Hoc is a great book to have.

Posted by: garrett at December 01, 2013 12:48 PM (aZ01J)

42 I sure am glad they took Home Ec out of schools/sarc

Ah, Home Ec. We made instant pudding and "pizza" by spooning jarred sauce and pillow-pak pepperoni on to English muffins. I learned more in study hall.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ at December 01, 2013 12:51 PM (hO8IJ)

43 Yes, Jeff Smith is a pervert but his first "Frugal Gourmet" cook book is a great start for somebody who is on their own and cooking for themself or for themself and a significant other. --- Yep. I used that one and the Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine a lot when we were first married. My puppy decided to eat the wine one, but Mr Y-not found it used on Amazon.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 12:52 PM (zDsvJ)

44 Home Ec was useless except for learning how to set up a sewing machine. Shop was more fun.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 12:52 PM (zDsvJ)

45 >>People who don't bake themselves seem to be impressed by snickerdoodles with a little green and red food coloring paste mixed into the cinnamon sugar (separately, of course). Cool. That reminds me...I got some maple sugar and haven't figured out what to do with it yet.

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 12:53 PM (SUKHu)

46 Any cookie recipes that are good for gifts? I've got choc. chip and peanut butter ones that I'm comfortable with already.

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 04:16 PM (SUKHu)

Mama, for something different, I have a white chocolate and lemon biscotti recipe I can post.

Posted by: DangerGirl, home sweet home at December 01, 2013 12:53 PM (GrtrJ)

47 Mama AJ, these brown butter sandies are simple and really good -- they taste like chai tea! http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/brown-butter-sandies-10000001182777/

Posted by: Mindy is standing on her head because the world is upside down at December 01, 2013 12:53 PM (lCBX+)

48 Posted by: NCKate at December 01, 2013 04:46 PM (X/4E9)

Sorry, but bread baking is magic.

It defies logic, and anyone who is really good at it is in league with the devil.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 12:55 PM (oJ5Fd)

Rugelach makes for a great Holiday Cookie.

Ina has a good recipe available online.

Posted by: garrett at December 01, 2013 12:55 PM (aZ01J)

50 One of the many things my Mother did for me was her " I'm not hungry" cooking lessons. Having to fend for yourself has it's lasting rewards. I learned how important it was later in the College dorm, when someone asked me how I knew how to cook a hamburger.

Posted by: The hickster at December 01, 2013 12:56 PM (vCVhg)

51 Shop was more fun.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 04:52 PM (zDsvJ)

From what I understand, shop classes are almost non-existent these days. I think they were eliminated for two reasons, one, they taught a pre-cursor set of trade skills (while every one knows the goal should be a white collar job with a college degree), and, two, it is hard to preach liberal doctrine when your are handling welding equipment.

Posted by: Hrothgar at December 01, 2013 12:56 PM (XdnQT)

52 I'm in my early thirties and very Southern, so my go-to for years has been Paula Deen's Lady and Sons and Lady and Sons II. I started learning to cook when I was probably about 8 or 9 by helping my Granny and Grandpa in the kitchen. However, most members of my extended family, grandparents included, are very stingy with their recipes. Everything's sooooooper seeeekrit, which I think is pretty stupid. So when I got out on my own I picked up Deen's cookbooks and started playing around with her recipes. My family, on both sides, cooks very similar dishes and so I was able to look at her recipes as a base for whatever I wanted to make and play with it until I got it close to how my family's dish tasted. My Granny just about shit herself when I showed up with cornbread dressing that tasted just like hers after she refused to give me the recipe. As far as the JoC goes, my family never really used it as far as I know. But my MIL uses it and I've never been particularly impressed. But that could also be the chef and not the book.

Posted by: Mandy P., lurking lurker who lurks at December 01, 2013 12:56 PM (qFpRI)

53 Home Ec was useless except for learning how to set up a sewing machine.

We didn't even do that much. We did counted cross-stitch, and daily lectures about contraception, and occasionally fractions (in high school, FFS), but nothing that would help you plan a week's meals on a budget or anything useful.

(I really don't understand why conservatives have such a hard-on for schools mandating personal stuff like eating and exercise. They can't even teach math and reading in their allotted time.)

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ at December 01, 2013 12:58 PM (hO8IJ)

54 Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 04:55 PM (oJ5Fd)

I made yeast rolls twice this year 5 days apart using the same ingredients. One worked, one didn't. Dealing with yeast is indeed an art!

Posted by: Hrothgar at December 01, 2013 12:58 PM (XdnQT)

55 13 I have 2 editions of the Joy of Cooking.
Deety at December 01, 2013 04:24 PM (3XUU4)

Me too! One is Copyright 1975 and was given to me by my parents when I graduated college and the other is the updated Copyright 1999 edition. I feel the same about the difference between the booksÂ’ recipes. The 1975 book is my Â“go toÂ” for technique and anything that needs thorough explanation.

Posted by: jix at December 01, 2013 12:59 PM (iGpXz)

56 Actually, I'll just post the recipe. I make these every year, they are delicious.

White Chocolate Lemon Biscotti
http://tinyurl.com/p6fxn4b

Posted by: DangerGirl, home sweet home at December 01, 2013 01:00 PM (GrtrJ)

57 Yes, Jeff Smith is a pervert but his first "Frugal Gourmet" cook book is a great start for somebody who is on their own and cooking for themself or for themself and a significant other. --- Yep. I used that one and the Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine a lot when we were first married. My puppy decided to eat the wine one, but Mr Y-not found it used on Amazon. Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 04:52 PM (zDsvJ) His secret ingredient? The tears of little boys.

Posted by: Harry Reid, Culinary Connoisseur at December 01, 2013 01:00 PM (Vk2pI)

58 Posted by: Mandy P., lurking lurker who lurks at December 01, 2013 04:56 PM (qFpRI)

Joy of Cooking is an excellent reference, but the South is ~~perhaps~~ the region of the country best able to stand on its own cooking, so JoC may be a tad simplistic for a woman of the South.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 01:01 PM (oJ5Fd)

59 My family always makes Turkey Hash after Thanksgiving. It's simple, and possibly better than the turkey itself on the big day. Chop up about a pound of leftover turkey. Use the damned dry breast meat. If you're from the Midwest and make boring stuffing, chop and melt one onion and add it to the turkey. Then mix together with your leftover stuffing and leftover gravy, adjusting the amounts to make a hash. If it looks too dry, add more gravy. If it's too soupy, add more stuffing. We always served it over waffles, but I can attest that it's very good with biscuits as well. Leftover cranberry sauce on the side.

Posted by: Trimegistus at December 01, 2013 01:01 PM (Y010F)

60 From what I understand, shop classes are almost non-existent these days. I think they were eliminated for two reasons, --- Heh. The liability issues might also be a factor.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:02 PM (zDsvJ)

61 Yes, Jeff Smith is a pervert but his first "Frugal Gourmet" cook book is a great start for somebody who is on their own and cooking for themself or for themself and a significant other. You will have to find it at a used book store since, as they used to say on Mission Impossible, the secretary has denied all knowledge of him. It is worth searching out and whoever you give it to will eat better, cheaper and healthier. Posted by: Obnoxious A-hole at December 01, 2013 04:47 PM (BcCwi) This! I used it a lot when we were first married. Still have it. Also have his 'Frugal Gourmet Cooks American', from which I got the recipe for sweet potato pie I still use. (I think it was the 1/2 cup bourbon in the recipe that attracted me). Use to watch his show all the time too.

Posted by: [/i][/b][/u][/s] Tami at December 01, 2013 01:03 PM (bCEmE)

62 As to cookbooks, I'd also recommend a book called Ratio, by Michael Ruhlman. He outlines the fairly simple ratios that underlie most foods. Very useful and good to read.

Posted by: Trimegistus at December 01, 2013 01:03 PM (Y010F)

63 Cotton Country Collection: Junior League of Monroe, La is the go to cookbook for me. It is a classic regional cookbook and very well written. I have used it for decades. Holy crap. It was published in 1973! I'm old.

Posted by: Lester at December 01, 2013 01:03 PM (2UPXV)

64 Joy of Cooking is an excellent reference, but the South is perhaps the region of the country best able to stand on its own cooking --- I'm not a Utahn, so this isn't self-serving, but I'd guess Utah women may have Southern women beat -- certainly tied. They grind their own flour, for frig sake!

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:04 PM (zDsvJ)

From what I understand, shop classes are almost non-existent these days. I think they were eliminated for two reasons,

These days, most kids are allergic to work. I know my nephew and his friends are.

Posted by: garrett at December 01, 2013 01:04 PM (aZ01J)

66 Nigel Slater's Tender has great, quick to prepare recipes and is fun to read. Dinosaur Bar B Que by John Stage and One fish, Two Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish by Carole Baldwin and Julie Mounts are chocked full of great cooking ideas.

Posted by: Angel with a sword at December 01, 2013 01:04 PM (hpgw1)

67 Oh, shit, I meant to ask for tips on roasting goose. Haven't done one before and that's what we've decided to do for Christmas. I know to pierce the skin and sounds like I should also brine it. Anything else? Good sides to go with it?

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:05 PM (zDsvJ)

68 new one from Ace

Posted by: Vic at December 01, 2013 01:05 PM (YowqD)

69 Better Homes and Gardens as well as Betty Crocker are good, but are a far sight better if you can get an older edition where the recipes use lard for pie crusts etc. The newer editions are designed for the average fellow that doesn't understand that fat=flavor. In my misspent youth I would buy old tatty church group recipe books at garage sales, the older the better, they would often contain several 2nd or 3rd tier family recipes from little old ladies hoping to save a family recipe in absence of an interested family member. I cannot stress this enough- spend time with your elder family members learning the family recipes- the best ones are not written down because they learned it from their mother when they were 6, if you do not, they will be gone FOREVER. I spent the time 30 years ago to learn among other things my Grandmother's pie crust- I am now the only person in my family, save my Grandmother that knows it. None of my Grandmother's son's, daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, took the time to learn any of it. My Grandmother is 95, time is short to hear the stories, learn the recipes, hear their laugh. Seize this time while you have it, you can give your children, grandchildren, and hopefully great-grandchildren a taste of joy from your childhood.

Posted by: Zhytamyr at December 01, 2013 01:06 PM (91nzM)

70 I've had the Joy of Cooking cookbook on my kitchen shelves for years, it's a great place to start for just about everything. Though the newest release still didn't include my suggestion for grilled manatee.

Posted by: iNC Ref at December 01, 2013 01:06 PM (c5Luo)

71 The lawyers and insurance companies probably had more to do with killing the shop classes.

Posted by: Vic at December 01, 2013 01:06 PM (YowqD)

72 Does anyone have a peanut butter cookie recipe that stands out?

There's a bakery in town that makes spectacular ones, but they are obscenely priced (the owner is a celebrity baker). And this is the NY metro area, so obscene really means OBSCENE!

My wife is a connoisseur of PB cookies, so run-of-the-mill will not cut it.

This will help my sex life, so please......

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 01:07 PM (oJ5Fd)

73 Being old, we got to cast personalized aluminum ash trays in shop class. And my Regulator clock made in shop class still hangs in a room at my parents house. Never did take home ec though.

Posted by: The hickster at December 01, 2013 01:07 PM (vCVhg)

74 Posted by: Vic at December 01, 2013 05:06 PM (YowqD)

Yup.

Sharp things spinning at high rates of speed make lawyers drool.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 01:08 PM (oJ5Fd)

75 Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 05:04 PM (zDsvJ) Yes, but Southern ladies cook everything in bacon grease.

Posted by: Mandy P., lurking lurker who lurks at December 01, 2013 01:08 PM (qFpRI)

76 Wish I could help, CBD. I love PB cookies, but I've never made them.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:08 PM (zDsvJ)

77 >>Yes, but Southern ladies cook everything in bacon grease. Well, that IS an advantage!

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:09 PM (zDsvJ)

78 I have a really easy microwave fudge recipe and an easy microwave peanut brittle recipe. I will post them if anyone wants them. I always give those to our neighbors. I also give them an "almond roca" type candy (but that recipe is always more challenging and usually involves some nice 1st degree burns.)

Posted by: runningrn at December 01, 2013 01:09 PM (PLOz8)

79 Pretty much any of Jacques Pepin's cookbooks are very useful. He kind of writes the same book over and over, so it doesn't matter which one you get. La Technique or Essential Techniques or Complete Techniques. One of those. Dude knows how to cook, and how to explain cooking.

Posted by: Trimegistus at December 01, 2013 01:10 PM (Y010F)

80 >>It defies logic, and anyone who is really good at it is in league with the devil. No challah for you, then. And it's wonderful. BRB with my pb cookie recipe...

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 01:11 PM (SUKHu)

81 "How long have you had it? Any complaints? " So far, the only time I had to send it in for repairs was when a mouse chewed through the cord. I thought that would fall under "act of God" and they'd charge me, but nope. Sent a brand-new one out to me and all I had to cover was shipping. On the cooking front, I put it through a lot of abuse and it still runs the same as it always has.

Posted by: Saber Alter at December 01, 2013 01:11 PM (8V74Y)

82 Oh, and as far as great basic cookbooks, I love my Silver Palate New Basics by Rosso and Lukins. I make a ton of stuff out of that, and it always turns out great!

Posted by: runningrn at December 01, 2013 01:11 PM (PLOz8)

83 The absolutely most important thing about roasting a goose: make sure the goose doesn't stick out beyond the edge of the roasting pan anywhere. If it does, you're going to have a goose-fat fire in the oven which covers everything in thick greasy soot. Trust me on this.

Posted by: Trimegistus at December 01, 2013 01:11 PM (Y010F)

84 Thanks, Saber. So you bought it direct from the mfr?

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:12 PM (zDsvJ)

85 Pretty much any of Jacques Pepin's cookbooks are very useful. He kind of writes the same book over and over, so it doesn't matter which one you get. La Technique or Essential Techniques or Complete Techniques. One of those. Dude knows how to cook, and how to explain cooking. It was always fun watching him do specials with Julia Childs. She towered over him, it was great! They had really good kitchen chemistry together.

Posted by: runningrn at December 01, 2013 01:13 PM (PLOz8)

86 >> I have a really easy microwave fudge recipe and an easy microwave peanut brittle recipe. I will post them if anyone wants them. Oh yes, please. >>White Chocolate Lemon Biscotti Wow. I bought some gingerbread biscotti last week for my husband. I think he'd like these to. Thank you all for the recipes. I think I'll have to "experiment" this week on my family. They keep getting annoyed that I only bake to take to church events...

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 01:13 PM (SUKHu)

Not a fan of the plain PB Cookie, but here you go.

http://tinyurl.com/ok9t4ak

These are as good as any I have made. Better if you add a little more Peanut Butter (3/4 cup instead of 1/2).

Posted by: garrett at December 01, 2013 01:13 PM (aZ01J)

88 Betty Crocker Peanut Butter cookies

http://tinyurl.com/2caxdp4

Posted by: Vic at December 01, 2013 01:13 PM (YowqD)

89 I'm not a Utahn, so this isn't self-serving, but I'd guess Utah women may have Southern women beat -- certainly tied. They grind their own flour, for frig sake! Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 05:04 PM (zDsvJ) But can they make a sammich?

Posted by: iNC Ref at December 01, 2013 01:14 PM (c5Luo)

90 >>But can they make a sammich? Probably have a lot of practice IYKWIM! ;-)

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:14 PM (zDsvJ)

91 I think the key to getting a great PB cookie is getting the salt content just right.

Posted by: garrett at December 01, 2013 01:15 PM (aZ01J)

92 Y-not, Treat it like a big duck and have fun in the kitchen.

Posted by: Angel with a sword at December 01, 2013 01:15 PM (hpgw1)

93 Posted by: Trimegistus at December 01, 2013 05:11 PM Do you recommend a higher sided pan? I have one of those dark blue enamel ones - the lidded ones that a lot of our moms used back in the day. I could use that without the lid.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:15 PM (zDsvJ)

94 A few years back, we got our nieces for Christmas:
A good slow cooker and a recipe book for it.
The Reynolds slow cooker liners. Saves a lot of clean up time.
A book (I forgot which one..probably the Lutherans Guide to Fancy eating) of casseroles.

They found out how much money they cold save by not eating out at crappy food places. Plus leftovers for lunch and or dinner.

Posted by: Bruce at December 01, 2013 01:15 PM (yidDm)

95 It was a Christmas gift last year...I think my mother got it from Henderson Hall? (the Marine base in DC) But I think even Wal-Mart has them now.

Posted by: Saber Alter at December 01, 2013 01:16 PM (8V74Y)

96 >>Treat it like a big duck and have fun in the kitchen. I give you better best duck.

Posted by: Ling at December 01, 2013 01:17 PM (zDsvJ)

97 If you are roasting a goose, make sure you use some of the fat to cook your potatoes in. Nothing better than taters cooked in goose fat.

Posted by: garrett at December 01, 2013 01:18 PM (aZ01J)

98 Posted by: Trimegistus at December 01, 2013 05:10 PM (Y010F)

As much as I want to like his cook books, I find it them too aggressively "French."

Overdone vegetables, braised leafy greens....all the stuff that just doesn't appeal to me.

And...I think he is stuck in a cuisine that has its roots in a poor, post-war nation.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 01:18 PM (oJ5Fd)

'You think with a financial statement like zees you can have ze Duck?'

Posted by: Jean Luc Picard at December 01, 2013 01:19 PM (aZ01J)

100 For the bakers on your list: Someone already mentioned Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice, and I'll second that. Also, Field's The Italian Baker is highly recommended. For professional baking supplies check out the San Francisco Baking Institute: http://www.sfbi.com/baking-supplies/. If you're really generous and live in the Bay Area (or can afford the travel expenses) you can give the special baker in your life an enrollment in one of their classes. Been thinking of taking their sourdough course myself.

Posted by: Average Guy at December 01, 2013 01:19 PM (wbQiy)

101 Nothing better than taters cooked in goose fat.

Posted by: garrett at December 01, 2013 05:18 PM (aZ01J)

Pommes de Terres Sarladaise.

Crisp potatoes in duck or goose fat with garlic.

It may be the Platonic Ideal of potatoes.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 01:20 PM (oJ5Fd)

102 Danger Girl, thanks for the biscotti recipe, I just emailed it to myself. That looks yummy! "I made yeast rolls twice this year 5 days apart using the same ingredients. One worked, one didn't. Dealing with yeast is indeed an art!" I got a great tip from Alton Brown. I bought a cheap heating pad just for rising yeast bread. It stays nice and flat in my kitchen gadget drawer. Occasionally, I'll wipe it down with a damp sponge and wash the cover with my dish towels. it totally solved the problem of slow rising yeast breads due to drafts/cold room. I also use Rapid Rise yeast. I've never had anything not rise using that.

Posted by: runningrn at December 01, 2013 01:21 PM (PLOz8)

103 Y-not you crack me up! :-D

Posted by: iNC Ref at December 01, 2013 01:21 PM (c5Luo)

104 PB Cookies 1/c cup shortening 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup sugar 1 cup peanut butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs (unbeaten) 1 1/2 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking soda Combine first 7 ingredients and beat until smooth. Whisk flour and baking soda together; add to mixture and blend. Shape dough into balls 1 inch in diameter. Place on greased baking sheets and press each ball with fork. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes 5 dozen. I've used this recipe since I was a kid.

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 01:22 PM (SUKHu)

105

Michele Stuart's 'Perfect Pies' is a good gift cookbook.

Great one to grab for that 'I didn't know I'd need a gift' occasions.

Posted by: garrett at December 01, 2013 01:22 PM (aZ01J)

106 One of the great inventions of southern cooking is red eye gravy. You can use any type of pork fat. I prefer ham, but bacon will do the job.

Posted by: Angel with a sword at December 01, 2013 01:24 PM (hpgw1)

107 Do NOT be hatin' on Jacques Pepin. Dude is hawt.

Posted by: Ling at December 01, 2013 01:25 PM (zDsvJ)

108 For Y-not above (#70), I've never brined a goose, goose is a lot more fatty than turkey and is a lot more forgiving to overcooking. Goose is to my mind very much like duck, although far less fatty, and less of an almost gamy liver note to the flesh. if you can roast a duck you can roast a goose. I've always served goose with English style sides like: minted peas, creamed baby onions, & oyster stuffing. Mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, sweet potato pie and just about anything else goes great with it as well. Use a grate if possible, as the extra fat will burn the side that is down. Ideally, I would roast it upright like a duck, but I do not have a commercial oven at the house.

Posted by: Zhytamyr at December 01, 2013 01:25 PM (91nzM)

109 Explanation for no link to the chopper is ...understood. But. What the heck is the bloody thing called so I can google it and find it somewhere??? (And yeah, I made a more than cursory attempt to scan through the comments: nada.)

Posted by: davisbr at December 01, 2013 01:25 PM (1B8lF)

110 *Bond girl sock off*

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:25 PM (zDsvJ)

111 My aunt, who was the bread maker among her sisters, used to say never make bread on a rainy day. Could humidity make a difference? Keep in mind this was in the days before hermetically sealed houses.

Posted by: Retread at December 01, 2013 01:25 PM (IiAs3)

112
If you roast a goose, do so on a rack that fits inside the pan. Letting the bird sit in it's grease will ruin it, and you'll never want to do another.

    Basting will give you a nice crackly skin and when the bird is nearly ready, tent it--keeps it moist.

   Gravy is tough, the drippings need to be well skimmed.

    I've had really good luck with a slurry of flour and water, boiled to make it thicken.

Posted by: irongrampa at December 01, 2013 01:26 PM (SAMxH)

113 >> Betty Crocker Peanut Butter cookies That recipe has slightly less flour than mine...and half the sugar and peanut butter. I might change the name of mine to "sugar, held together with peanut butter and some other stuff."

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 01:26 PM (SUKHu)

114 Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 05:22 PM (SUKHu)

Thanks!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 01:27 PM (oJ5Fd)

115 Thanks, Zhytamyr!

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:27 PM (zDsvJ)

116 Microwave Peanut Brittle (From the Seattle Times) 1 1/2 c. raw Spanish peanuts, skin on 1 c. sugar 1/2 c. light corn syrup 1/8 tsp. of salt 1 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. baking soda 1. In 1 1/2 qt. microwave safe bowl, stir nuts, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Nuke 4 minutes on high. Remove from oven and stir. Return to oven and nuke 4 minutes more on high. 2. Remove from oven and stir in butter and vanilla. Nuke 2 more minutes. Remove from oven and add baking soda. Stir til smooth and medium brown in color. Immediate spread onto lightly greased baking sheet, marble slab, foil or Silpat lined (I use Silpat) baking sheet. When cool, break into small pieces and store in air tight container. (I wear rubber gloves when I break this and my almond roca up, candy has sharp edges!) This recipe has always turned out for me. I make at least 4 batches during the Holidays (give to my neighbors and family).

Posted by: runningrn at December 01, 2013 01:29 PM (PLOz8)

117 never make bread on a rainy day. Could humidity make a difference? --- The minimal amount of baking I've done here at 4500 ft is exquisitely sensitive to humidity. Even reliable cookie recipes won't work if the weather's wrong. It's probably just as well. Last thing our waistlines need is for me to become a skilled baker! Thanks for all the tips on the goose. I'm looking forward to it.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:30 PM (zDsvJ)

118 The chopper is called Vidalia Chop Wizard (after Vidalia onions). Its kind of pricey at Amazon

http://tinyurl.com/q9mqtnd

Posted by: Vic at December 01, 2013 01:32 PM (YowqD)

119 A good general cookbook that covers all the main types of recipes is a must have for people setting up their own living arrangements. When I went into an apartment in college I swiped my mom's Pillsbury Cookbook. Betty Crocker is also great. I'm always surprised when I make something basic, like German potato salad, and take it to a potluck. Some adult woman will ask me how I knew how to make it. It doesn't even occur to them to look at the index of a cookbook. I had a roommate years ago who tried to make an apple pie without putting any sugar or cinnamon on the apples. She also tried to make gravy with a half cup of flour.

Posted by: nerdygirl at December 01, 2013 01:32 PM (6da/j)

120 If you brine your goose, make sure you let the skin dry completely before slipping it into the oven to roast. A fan works well for this.

Posted by: Michael Douglas at December 01, 2013 01:34 PM (aZ01J)

121 Roasting a goose makes so much rendered fat you're going to think you've got a new oil field in your kitchen. Use a high-sided pan, and go in with the baster and bail it out often. SAVE THE FAT. It's great for frying, sauteeing, etc.

Posted by: Trimegistus at December 01, 2013 01:34 PM (Y010F)

122 Netflix just informed me that the 3d season of BBQ Pitmasters is now available for streaming.

Posted by: mrp at December 01, 2013 01:34 PM (HjPtV)

123 Posted by: Vic at December 01, 2013 05:32 PM (YowqD)

Yeah....I checked Amazon and thought it was too expensive....that's why there is no link to Ace's Amazon page.

I think I paid $12 for mine at BBB.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 01:35 PM (oJ5Fd)

124 I once had the Joy of Cooking Cookbook. It included recipes for these old fashioned things that most people don't eat anymore. Tripe, heart, tongue. The kind of offal that people ate during the depression because they were too poor to buy much meat.

Posted by: nerdygirl at December 01, 2013 01:35 PM (6da/j)

125 ...answered my own question with a generic search for "bed bath and beyond food chopper" lol. It's official name is "progressive international onion chopper", and the Amazon price was only $13. Link to Amazon page: http://tinyurl.com/nm9a9lm ...and yeah, I'm a kitchen gadgets junkie.

Posted by: davisbr at December 01, 2013 01:35 PM (1B8lF)

126 Microwave Fudge (My friend, Lois's recipe, R.I.P.) 1 can Eagle sweetened condensed milk 1 1/2 cups nuts (for traditional fudge, I use walnuts with vanilla; for almond fudge, I use the chopped almonds toasted with almond extract). 1 8 oz. pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips (I like Ghiardelli bittersweet chocolate chips, but Nestle works fine) 1 T. vanilla or Almond extract or 2 Tbsp. rum 1. Place chips and condensed milk in 2 quart microwave safe bowl. Cover and nuke on high for 2 minutes. 2. Blend well and microwave one more minute. 3. Add vanilla and nuts and mix well 4. Pour into wax paper lined dish (I use 8" x 8" or 10 3/4" x 7" baking dish). 5. Cover and refrigerate til firm. This recipe always comes out. It is so easy and so yummy!

Posted by: runningrn at December 01, 2013 01:36 PM (PLOz8)

127 40...I agree with The Bread Bakers Apprentice...His Pain a L' Ancienne is the only bread I eat in my house. I also learned a lot from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan...a good one for those into Italian.

Posted by: dumbartist at December 01, 2013 01:36 PM (ahBY0)

128 Posted by: davisbr at December 01, 2013 05:35 PM (1B8lF)

Poke around and find one with two inserts...one small and one large.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 01, 2013 01:37 PM (oJ5Fd)

129 Oops. Cross posted. Thanks Vic; missed your update while I was searching. I found it for five bucks cheaper on Amazon at the above link, and on this site it's $10: http://tinyurl.com/oyrxxww

Posted by: davisbr at December 01, 2013 01:38 PM (1B8lF)

130 Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 05:22 PM (SUKHu) That's pretty much my PB cookie recipe. I sprinkle a tiny bit of sea salt on the top of the cookies before they bake.

Posted by: runningrn at December 01, 2013 01:38 PM (PLOz8)

131 "Tripe, heart, tongue. The kind of offal that people ate during the depression because they were too poor to buy much meat. Posted by: nerdygirl"

Dunno about tripe and heart, but properly prepared beef tongue is a delicacy. On freshly baked sourdough bread, it is delicious.

Posted by: mrp at December 01, 2013 01:39 PM (HjPtV)

132 Thanks! I see a couple of books listed here that I plan on picking up.

Posted by: Timwi at December 01, 2013 01:39 PM (pdhxN)

133 $12.65 on Amazon sounds reasonable for that onion chopper but beware, they want an additional $5.68 for shipping. It isn't 'sold and shipped by Amazon.'

Posted by: Retread at December 01, 2013 01:44 PM (IiAs3)

134 Junior League cookbooks (as mentioned earlier) are awesome. I have the San Francisco A La Cart, and the Blueberry coffee cake and the Chocolate Sour Cream cake are both killer recipes. I also agree with Marcella Hazan for Italian. Rick Bayless is really good for Mexican food (but his recipes are long, involved with lots of ingrediants). You cannot beat Ina Garten for simplicity. All of her recipes are just one page long--both ingrediants and instructions. I have 4 of her cookbooks. Simple, tasty food.

Posted by: runningrn at December 01, 2013 01:44 PM (PLOz8)

135 Thanks for the advice Charlie ...I found a version with both big and small choppers for $20 at Bed Bath and Beyond. its here: http://tinyurl.com/nz283o6 If I find a cheaper one, I'll update.

Posted by: davisbr at December 01, 2013 01:45 PM (1B8lF)

136 Posted by: runningrn at December 01, 2013 05:21 PM (PLOz

Great tip!

Posted by: Hrothgar at December 01, 2013 01:47 PM (XdnQT)

137 Trimegistus...funny you mention Ruhlman"s books...I've got some pork about to become chorizo as we speak from his Charcuterie book.

Posted by: dumbartist at December 01, 2013 01:48 PM (ahBY0)

138 123 If you brine your goose, make sure you let the skin dry completely before slipping it into the oven to roast. A fan works well for this. --- Will do. I assume convection roast would be the way to go for cooking it? It does wonders for my turkeys.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:52 PM (zDsvJ)

139 Okey-dokey. Cheaper found. Maybe. Wally World has an interesting variation called the Munchkin Fresh Food Chopper and Steamer for $14: http://tinyurl.com/qcq8xa2 ...headed out to Walmart & BB&B to see 'em live, close up, and in person lol. Thanks again Vic & CharlieBrown.

Posted by: davisbr at December 01, 2013 01:52 PM (1B8lF)

140 Sounds like I should avoid the fruity glazes for the goose if I want to use the fat afterward.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:53 PM (zDsvJ)

141 7 Kids in the Kitchen? Count me in! Posted by: Jeff Smith at December 01, 2013 04:18 PM (aZ01J) You aren't mentioned on PBS anymore. Why is that? Hanging out with Harry Reid?

Posted by: nerdygirl at December 01, 2013 01:53 PM (6da/j)

142 Pretty sure Jeff Smith is dead.

Posted by: Y-not at December 01, 2013 01:55 PM (zDsvJ)

143 Fried hominy.

Get a pack of really good bacon, a bundle of green onions, and a 30-oz can of hominy.

1. Fry up five or six slices of bacon. Chop the green onions during the process. When the bacon's done, slice it up while sauteeing the onions in your bacon drippings. When the onions are just starting to turn brown, toss the bacon back in and add the hominy (after draining all that useless liquid from the can). Mix it all up well.
2. Cook this mixture for five to ten minutes on High and then ten to fifteen minutes on Medium, stirring frequently.

To double the recipe, do #1, then repeat the process, then mix both sets together before moving on to #2.

A single batch is just fine for a cheap, delicious, satisfying bachelor meal, or a side dish for a small group. The double batch is better for a main dish for a small group, or a side dish for a larger group (like what you might have visiting at Thanksgiving).

It's a great Thanksgiving dish, not just because it's so awesome in and of itself, but because it's a Cherokee dish that takes classic AmerInd foodstuffs (hominy and green onions) and combines them with the white man's bacon to make something neither culture could've made on its own. Now that's America!

Posted by: Prothonotary Warbler at December 01, 2013 01:59 PM (RGQmh)

144 Dunno about tripe and heart, but properly prepared beef tongue is a delicacy. On freshly baked sourdough bread, it is delicious. Posted by: mrp at December 01, 2013 05:39 PM (HjPtV) I'm one of the few people I know that likes liver. Someone else has to cook it of course. Because. Gross. One of the best dishes I ever had in an Italian restaurant was spaghetti with chicken livers.

Posted by: nerdygirl at December 01, 2013 02:04 PM (6da/j)

145 I had beef tongue once, on a high school trip to Mexico. It was stewed in a tomato sauce. I really liked it, but nobody else in my class was willing to try it.

Posted by: Prothonotary Warbler at December 01, 2013 02:12 PM (RGQmh)

146 Posted by: Prothonotary Warbler at December 01, 2013 06:12 PM (RGQmh)

My Father used to love him some tongue sammichs! I never acquired the taste.

Posted by: Hrothgar at December 01, 2013 02:17 PM (XdnQT)

147 80% of the time a conservative speaking out against Obamacare will not be audited.

Posted by: Hrothgar at December 01, 2013 02:18 PM (XdnQT)

148

Either JoC (and the 70s edition!) or Fanny Farmer. Either is the solid basis for a good cookbook collection. The thing about JoC is that whatever it is, there will be a good or at least a semi-ok recipe for it, for when the zombie apocalypse takes down the internet. There are also interesting instructions for dressing and trimming wild game.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at December 01, 2013 02:21 PM (Asjr7)

149 >>Any cookie recipes that are good for gifts?

I'm late to the thread, but just in case... My son and I make his teachers shortbread cookies because it's so simple - few ingredients and it can be done completely in the blender.

For biscotti, Fine Cooking (dot)com has a great Gingerbread biscotti recipe and I drizzle melted white chocolate on top - yum. Epicurious(dot)com has a triple chocolate biscotti recipe that is yummy (I swap out white choc. chips with slivered almonds because the white chips don't slice easily but then drizzle white chocolate on top).

Posted by: Lizzy at December 01, 2013 02:24 PM (JRmiD)

150

Oh, and as a good all-in-one cookbook for a single person or a couple? Barbara Swain's Cookery for One or Two. It's out of print now, I think, but there are used copies galore on Amazon. All the recipes (and there are a lovely variety of them) are scaled down to serve one or two. I ate from it for years, when I was living in the barracks, or when as a single mother I was on a very tight budget.

One of my favorites is for the carrot cake cupcakes. It only makes half a dozen cupcakes, but I have scaled it up for years and made them in larger quantities.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at December 01, 2013 02:27 PM (Asjr7)

151 One cookie recipe I've been making since I was a kid is Betty Crocker's Chocolate Crinkles: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2e6heq6
Really tasty and pretty, too.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 01, 2013 02:32 PM (JRmiD)

152 Found an electric smoker on sale this weekend; it's a Chinese scrap metal special, but I couldn't beat the price. Curing it now and making sure it doesn't burst into flames. Looking forward to smoking fresh-caught salmon (if I can ever get back to fishing...).

Posted by: PabloD at December 01, 2013 02:35 PM (1tPAf)

153 Middlest Kidlet is interested in What's a Cook to Do? as a Christmas present. It's supposed to have a lot of the *why* about cooking as well as many substitutions and such from a guy who's been a professional chef and teacher for about 30 years. I have the sample on Kindle, but will get her the dead-tree version if it's good.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at December 01, 2013 02:35 PM (GDulk)

154 It's tough to cook for one, I agree. By the time I get thru a pot of chili or a pound of pasta I'm so sick of it I don't have a taste for it for a long while. When I freeze it, it goes somewhere and I don't find it till it's an unrecognizable ball of frost.

Posted by: dumbartist at December 01, 2013 02:37 PM (ahBY0)

155 Ooh, giant chocolate sugar cookies are in the "crumbly and sandy" category... Posted by: Mama AJ at December 01, 2013 04:34 PM (SUKHu) My M-i-l's recipe has sourcream in it. Makes the cookies very soft and not crunchy at all. Only recipe like that I've seen.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at December 01, 2013 02:39 PM (GDulk)

156 My standard reference cookbook when I went off to college was the McCall's cook book. Amusing for its references to "pampering your husband with cookies", it was nonetheless a useful source for answering questions such as "okay, I bought this chicken, now how long must I cook it to avoid three days of vomiting?"

Posted by: PabloD at December 01, 2013 02:40 PM (1tPAf)

157 Alton Brown's Good Eats is a great show for beginning cooks. His presentation leans toward the absurd at times, but he's great at explaining the WHY of cooking.

On the other end of the spectrum, Mario Batali is a genius. Ina Garten is completely underrated, and Giada DiLaurentis .... has great cleavage. Even has websites devoted to those luscious orbs.

Posted by: Ombudsman at December 01, 2013 02:41 PM (Sa+uF)

158 Posted by: Hrothgar at December 01, 2013 04:58 PM (XdnQT) 1 tsp of yeast to 2 cups flour. Has worked well for years. Of course, using a bread machine simplifys a lot of it too.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at December 01, 2013 02:48 PM (GDulk)

159 124 Roasting a goose makes so much rendered fat you're going to think you've got a new oil field in your kitchen. Use a high-sided pan, and go in with the baster and bail it out often. SAVE THE FAT. It's great for frying, sauteeing, etc.

Use some of it for Yorkshire Pudding. Yum!

Posted by: jix at December 01, 2013 03:17 PM (iGpXz)

160 Thomas Keller's cookbooks are amazing. I also have the Bouchon Bakery and the classic The French Laundry Cookbook. Regarding the Joy of Cooking; Also a very good beginners cookbook is (I bought one for an old boyfriend who did not know the first thing about cooking. And, bonus, it's filled with illustrations/pictures.): The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook: America's Bestselling Step-by-Step Cookbook, with More Than 1,400 Recipe There is also a booming fast and easy cookbook industry. Some of my favorites that I grab when I'm out of time at the end of the day are: The Best 30-Minute Recipe from the editors of Cook's Illustrated; Gourmet Meals in Minutes by the Culinary Institute of America; The Bon Appetit Cookbook: Fast Easy Fresh; and, all of the Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast series. The Culinary Institute of America's One Dish Meals is one of my favorites, because I hate washing dishes...

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at December 01, 2013 03:29 PM (IXrOn)

161 For the bakers on your list: Someone already mentioned Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice, and I'll second that. Also, Field's The Italian Baker is highly recommended. For professional baking supplies check out the San Francisco Baking Institute: http://www.sfbi.com/baking-supplies/. If you're really generous and live in the Bay Area (or can afford the travel expenses) you can give the special baker in your life an enrollment in one of their classes. Been thinking of taking their sourdough course myself. Posted by: Average Guy at December 01, 2013 05:19 PM (wbQiy) agree You might like A Baker's Odyssey by Greg Patent. Celebrating Time-Honored Recipes from America's Rich Immigrant Heritage. Great book. The Bouchon Bakery has a great selection of bread/baked goods - with interesting techniques for crisping bread and adding steam without having a professional deck oven with steam injection. River rocks, metal chain, pan, and a super soaker! Fun stuff.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at December 01, 2013 03:48 PM (IXrOn)

162 Betty Crocker Peanut Butter cookies http://tinyurl.com/2caxdp4 Posted by: Vic at December 01, 2013 05:13 PM (YowqD) Spot on, Vic. These are so easy to make, and really good.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at December 01, 2013 03:56 PM (IXrOn)

163 #157: Yeah, that's why my pathetic ass eats out most of the time. Cooking for one (and other things, too, like washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen) is such a pain. On big holidays, I'll buy something the day before that I can heat up in the oven if I don't have something else going on. I love me some capitalism, but I also love helping retail and restaurant employees to get the day off on days like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Posted by: Prothonotary Warbler at December 01, 2013 04:34 PM (RGQmh)

164 OK, way late here, but if you want to bake something that travels and mails well, bake biscotti. Almond with dried cherries. Dip edge in white chocolate. Chocolate hazelnut. Dip edge in more nummy chocolate. Google just about any recipe. Super easy.

Posted by: Justamom at December 01, 2013 04:52 PM (Sptt8)

165 166...I hear ya...add laundry to your list too...If I could afford it I'd eat out more but I'm finding out that I can actually make some stuff better than restaurants can. Not sure if I'm learning how to cook or just getting used to myself, but asian...cannot cook Thai or Chinese better than the restaurants no matter what I've tried.

Posted by: dumbartist at December 01, 2013 04:56 PM (ahBY0)

166 #168: If I can get away with adding bacon or cheese or jalapenos or green onions (preferably more than one of those), I'm pretty confident that I can cook just about anything.

Oh, and I'm still single, ladies! The line forms to my left. No, it doesn't mean anything if you're the only one there.

I... hey, where are you going?

Posted by: Prothonotary Warbler at December 01, 2013 05:28 PM (RGQmh)

167 I organized a secondary Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. I bought a deep-fried turkey from a local Cajun restaurant, so it was really easy to twist the necessary arms to make it happen.

I also made some of that fried hominy that I described above, and the hosts made mashed potatoes and stuffing, plus gravy made from the juices in the pan the turkey came in. They bought some rolls, too. One of the guests brought some good beer. And so did I.

It was a great dinner, and I really enjoyed having such a nice meal with friends. None of them are Morons, so they won't see me being all mushy and stuff in this message, but it was a great time. The sort of time that makes you really think about how you've been blessed.

So, yeah. Thanks, God!

Posted by: Prothonotary Warbler at December 01, 2013 06:14 PM (RGQmh)

168 Whoooole lotta name dropping in "A Drinking Life." That was my main take-away. Hamill doesn't have much else to offer.

Posted by: Links at December 02, 2013 07:41 AM (RgIRJ)

169 I'm a fairly accomplished cook(baking is another story) and I still refer back to Joy of Cooking. Lots of info for cooking game and birds that you don't find in recently published cookbooks, plus it has all those great 1950's recipes for cocktail hors' deveours that are out of fashion, but make a plate of them and they immediately disappear, LOL.

Posted by: Jen at December 02, 2013 08:25 AM (z6rIp)

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