To All You New Cooks Out There....

Today is my little blog's birthday (hence the cupcake)! I can't believe it's already been a year. Well, I can believe it when I think of how far I've come in my cooking skills - from the days where making scrambled eggs seemed challenging, to now making dishes I once thought of as strictly restaurant food. I have a long way to go, but find that each time I step into the kitchen I feel a little bit more confident and comfortable. 

I started this blog as a sort of experiment. I mean, most people I know who actually enjoy and know how to cook learned so from their mothers, grandmothers, aunts, etc. Well, what if you were like me, and spent your childhood doing everything but watching your mom prep dinner. I wanted nothing to do with cooking back then. And to be honest, cooking wasn't really a huge deal in my family either. My mom cooked so that there was food on the table, not because she particularly enjoyed doing so (although she is a fantastic baker - it's amazing I'm not the size of a house!). Her creative outlets were simply outside the kitchen. Heck, everyone has to eat, but not everyone has to actually enjoy the act of preparing a meal. 

So I didn't exactly have the traditional resources and experience most cooks have. A year ago, I thought that throwing a Stouffer's lasagna into the oven qualified as cooking. Ha! What I did have though, was a phenomenal kitchen (a gift of the previous owner's renovation) that was just begging to be used. So after staring at our beautiful Viking stove for over a year, I finally threw up my hands and decided using it as extra storage was no longer an option. I quickly came to realize that you didn't need the Sicilian grandmother who slaved over a stove all day to learn how to cook. All you needed was a little passion, patience, and know-how. 

Below is a list of the top 10 lessons that I think every new cook should know. So, after a year of cooking, baking, and blogging I give you:

Top 10 Lessons for the Culinary Wannabe 

(aka, you think deglazing a pan involves licking the batter bowl)

1) Read the ENTIRE recipe, at least twice before you begin cooking. Even 3, 4, or 5 times. You should know the progression of the dish and should only have to look back to the recipe to reference exact measurements. Trust me, many recipes throw in a "meanwhile" step that could totally throw you off if you are just reading as you go.

2) Never test a new recipe on company. Do not try out a new, complicated recipe on unassuming company. If you want to do so, make sure the guests know that they will be used as guinea pigs, and be sure to have delivery menus close by. There is nothing worst than having people over for a lovely dinner, and having put something inedible on their plate.

3) Taste and season as you go. When I first started cooking, I would add exactly the amount of salt that the recipe called for, no more, no less. And I also wouldn't bother tasting the food until it had been plated and I had a napkin on my lap. This is a big no no. How can you possibly know how something tastes without trying it? Not to mention the fact that many recipes just say "add salt and pepper to taste." Taste your food, pay attention, and try to determine what your "taste" actually is. As you become more experienced, you will be able to determine what a dish needs. This also entails paying attention to the ingredients you are using. Smell and taste the basil, and try to remember those sensations. Many people aspire to create their own recipes, and knowing ingredients is one of the key components to doing so successfully. 

4) Watch cooking shows. I know a lot of foodies don't really love the quality of cooking shows out there, but the truth is, that when you are just starting out you need to see someone cooking. There is a world of difference between reading something and actually seeing it done. Cooking shows were an enormous help to me at the beginning. Seeing Giada chop an onion, seeing Ina beating egg whites - these are all important steps, and if you didn't grow up watching someone in the kitchen, cooking show are the next best thing. In addition, try and immerse yourself in the culinary culture. There are a bazillion food blogs, magazines, books, etc, to help you. Use them. It's just like learning a language. You will never become fully fluent until you are really surrounded by it.

5) Develop a kitchen arsenal. Having the right tools is pretty darn essential, but you won't be able to determine which items you will really find useful and which you could totally do without, until you have actually clocked some hours in the kitchen. If you have an unlimited budget and ample storage space, by all means go on a Williams-Sonoma shopping spree and get the top of the line for everything. But since that probably isn't realistic, my suggestion would be to start with just the basics and grow or upgrade as you develop your own cooking style. For instance, say you just graduated college and literally don't have a pot to your name. I think a good course of action would be to go down to Kmart, buy a not so expensive starter set of pots and pans, and see which ones you use the most. If you find that you've used the big soup pot the most, then feel free to buy yourself a nice Le Creuset pot. 

6) Be your own quality control, but also believe the responses people give you. By this I mean, don't start with the "Oh, you didn't like it then" routine if your husband doesn't go back for thirds. If he told you he liked it, be probably did just that. Especially if you start cooking a lot. He could stomach a less than stellar meal every once in a while, but certainly not every night. But you should also learn to decide for yourself if something came out well. Make notes to yourself (on the actual recipe so that you way you will have them for next time) about changes your would make, or even how you felt the recipe turned out. We are our own toughest critiques.

7) Get organized. Planning and preparing meals will be so much easier if you have everything neatly squared away. This means the pantry, fridge, and freezer, as well as recipes. Personally, I like to do pretty much all of my organizing electronically. I have a Word document with a list of staple items (or items I frequently buy at the store), all categorized by department. When I'm going to the store, I will print off this list, go through it while standing in front of the fridge and pantry and mark off any items we are out of or low on. I can't tell you how many times this has saved me from realizing 3 days later that the sugar jar is nearly empty, right when I'm about to make a batch of cookies. It also helps to have everything nicely organized in corresponding categories once you get it home (baking, oils, snacks, vegetables, etc). Another trick is to lay out the ingredients you will need before you begin cooking. Even pre-measure them like your own little cooking show if you like. This saves you from having to scramble around the kitchen looking for chicken stock while your garlic is burning.

When it comes to actual recipe organization, I'm a big fan of binders and tabs. I have one binder for recipes I've made before and would make again, and one binder for recipes I want to try. They both have identical categories (meat, seafood, appetizers, etc.) making it easy to skim through. I also keep a side folder with recipes that I would like to make in the very near future. That way, when I'm planning our meals for the week, I can just look through that folder instead of the huge binders. I update this folder once a month or whenever it's running low. Google docs is another great way to store recipes you find online. Develop all your own systems though, and use what works for you. 

8) Know that you don't have to be Julia Child, but you also don't have to be Sandra Lee. Everyone has their own cooking style, and yours needs to adapt with what you are given. Cooking shouldn't be an all or nothing kinda gig. So you only have 20 minutes to throw together dinner - use a Rachel Ray recipe and get on with your life. There are no prerequisite as to how long a meal has to take to prepare, or how fancy the ingredients have to be for it to be special. That being said, spending an afternoon preparing a feast for an anniversary or birthday can not only be enjoyable, but also leave you with a sense of accomplishment and pride. Give yourself room to find what works for you, and abide by only the standards you set for yourself. Can you imagine where people like Sandra Lee would be if they told her that using canned biscuits was too taboo? 

9) Share the goods. This is an easy one if you have a bunch of family members in your house, or hungry neighbors who will eat just about anything. But even if you don't have readily accessible taste testers, its definitely worth it to find people to share in the fruits of your culinary efforts. By giving people food, you are not only giving them something that is (hopefully) delicious, but you are also giving them the gift of your time and thoughtfulness. It really touches a nerve with people when you give them something homemade. My mom sends crazy care packages to all her children (including ones to my husbands office - she is the hero of their trading floor and received a standing ovation at our wedding!) every chance she gets.  In these, we are constantly reminded of how much she loves and cares about us. Give cookies to the neighborhood kids, bake lasagna for your friend who just had a baby, or cook a stunning 3-course dinner for you husband on your anniversary. By doing these things you show people you care about them in a way store bought gifts never will. Plus, that warm & fuzzy feeling you'll get inside from doing something nice for others will only help to further your passions in the kitchen.

10) Have fun! Play music, wear a cute apron, get your friends involved - make the kitchen a fun and relaxing place. Stop stressing about whether or not it's going to turn out perfectly. If you actually enjoy cooking and don't take yourself too seriously, there is a good chance that you will be happily doing it for many years to come. Because we do have to eat, you don't want it to turn into a chore or a requirement. So keep things interesting. Try new recipes and experiment with ones of your own. Someone had to figure out that chocolate and peanut butter were a match made in heaven. Maybe you will come up with the next unbelievable combo. Worst case scenario, keep a frozen pizza on hand as backup.  If you enjoy what you are doing, it will show in your food. 

So there they are, the top 10 lessons I've learned in the past year. I would love to hear what you guys think and what lessons you would add! Cheers!

Roasted Pepper Guacamole

In my somewhat humble opinion, this is the BEST guacamole ever. I've tried just about every version under the sun, from the minimalist type they make in Cabo, to the elaborate types made table side at fancy NYC restaurants, and this one is by far my favorite. It's the roasted garlic and red peppers that add just a bit of a unique flavor and really separate this one from the pack.

I've been making this version for years now (seriously, it was published in CL in 2006), and it's a hit every single time. Pair this guacamole with some tortilla chips and a big michelada and you will have yourself one heck of a Cinco de Mayo celebration!

Roasted Pepper Guacamole

slightly adapted from Cooking Light

5 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 medium red bell pepper

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (more or less depending on preference)

2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (additional to taste)

1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, and coarsely mashed

• Preheat oven to 450℉.
• Wrap garlic cloves in aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes, or until soft.
• Set aside to cool, then remove skins and, in a medium sized bowl, coarsely mash with a fork.
• Preheat broiler.
• Slice pepper in half and remove seeds.
• Place skin side up on a foil lined baking sheet, and press down with hand to flatten.
• Broil for 15 minutes, turning frequently, until skin is blackened.
• Wrap pepper in the aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Peel skin off pepper and finely chop.
• Combine all ingredients to the garlic and stir well.

Tuscan Ribolita with Tomato Garlic Bread

Everybody pull out your slow cookers yet again, I have a heck of a soup for you to try. It's hearty and warm and will give your house the most mouth watering smell. Forget lilac, I want a ribolita candle. It's also very quick to throw together and is fairly healthy considering it is totally meat-free and has lots of veggies and beans (you know how the song goes...).

I made this the other day when the hubby and L had another one of their little jam sessions, and  we all thought it was completely soul satisfying and perfectly flavored. The hubby even said that it was better than the soup he gets for lunch most days at Hale and Hearty. Considering these are on just about every corner of NYC, my culinary ego is feeling a little puffed today. :) This is the first recipe I've made from this cookbook, so I will definitely be going back for more.

I normally serve a soup up with some kind of sandwich or salad, as I usually don't find soups satisfying enough on their own. Every meal needs something to literally bite into, not just sip, in my opinion. But the bread cubes in the ribolita really do the trick and make it hearty enough in its own right. Nevertheless, I made up some toasted bread and rubbed it with tomato and garlic to serve alongside. For something so simple, it sure tasted good and the tomatoey bread was a great compliment to the soup.

Tuscan Ribolita

Adapted from Slow Cooker - Willams-Sonoma

1/4 cup olive oil, plus some for drizzling

2 yellow onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

6 cups canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 bunch kale or savoy cabbage, coarsely chopped

4 carrots, coarsely chopped

2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced

Salt and pepper

3 cups day-old crusty bread

Parmesan cheese shavings (optional)

• Warm olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan.
• Add onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened.
• Stir in tomato paste and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
• Add broth to the pan and bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat once the liquid begins to boil.
• Place beans, kale, carrots, celery, and thyme in slow cooker.
• Add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.
• Add in the broth.
• Cook in slow cooker for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
• Stir bread into soup about 10 minutes before serving.
• Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
• Optionally, each serving can be drizzled with olive oil and parmesan shavings.

Tomato Garlic Bread

Slices of crusty bread (I used ciabatta)

Garlic cloves, peeled

Tomatoes, halved

EVOO

Coarse Salt

• Lay the slices of bread over a grill pan for a few minutes on each side until they are toasted and have nice markings.
• Rub each piece of toast with a garlic clove then the cut side of the tomato half.
• Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and follow with a sprinkle of salt.

Rachel's Perfect Pre-Race Meal

I know, I know. I went on and on about being on a health kick in my last post, and here I am showing you a recipe for a very unhealthy dish. But let me explain - see, tomorrow I will be, on my own free will, running 13.1 miles. Yes, these are the kinds of things crazy people like me, i.e. runners, do for fun. Tomorrow is the NYC Half-Marathon, which is by far my favorite race of the year. It starts with a lap around Central Park, heads right through Times Square, sends you down the blessedly flat West Side Highway, then ends all the way downtown in Battery Park. An amazing race to run for New Yorkers and visitors alike.

I've been running for over 10 years now, and continue to start nearly every morning with it. It got me through the stresses of college (and helped to work off some of those late night eating sessions), provided moments of solace in trying times, and has given me the opportunity to explore an unfamiliar and intimidating city. There's something oddly comforting in knowing that, in a city as big as New York, I can always count on seeing the same faces at 6 am doing a loop in the Park.

A large number of my friends are runners as well. One in particular, J, has been my long run buddy for a few years now. Where I generally like shorter, faster races, J prefers the steady, longer runs. So I always feed off her for inspiration and to ensure my butt is out of bed and on the road early Saturday mornings. Last year I deserted her for the NYC Half since I had a wedding to go to. This year, it's my turn to suffer it out alone as she has an important family function. So, this pasta dish is my way of pouting about having to toe the line alone. No healthiness here - just good ol' carbo loading.

Onto this yummy, yummy plate of pasta goodness. Right when I saw Rachel making this I knew I had to try it myself. She deemed this a "lasagna-bowl," or an easy way of making a fairly complicated dish in minimal time. I mean everyone loves the whole cheese-pasta-sauce combo going on in lasagna, so recreating it in a 30-minute time frame just seemed genius. And let me tell you - it is. The meat sauce has an awesome flavor from the pancetta, beef broth and wine, and the cheese sauce has just enough flavor to combat any kind of dairy craving without being ridiculously heavy. The only variations I made from her recipe were to use all ground beef instead of the beef, pork, veal mix (if only FreshDirect would let me buy in smaller quantities...) and I used Conchiglie pasta instead of Campanelle. Conchiglie was just what I had on hand, but I thought it was awesome in this dish - the sauce really stuck to it and the big bites made it seem just that much more decadent.

Trust me - this dish is worth the 13.1 miles! Good-luck to anyone running tomorrow (in a race or not)!

Please visit the link below for the recipe:

Rachel's Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowl
Adapted from 30 Minute Meals - Rachel Ray

The Ultimate

I always feel like I've gotten a full body workout after watching a Tyler Florence show. That man moves a million miles an hour! He knows his food though, and his "ultimate" title sure does seem to fit. So even though he doesn't come off that beginner friendly, I decided I had to try something he's made. So what better to start off with than a grilled cheese? I mean grilled cheese is fairly straightforward and if every college kid in America can bang one out, I sure should be able to too!

This is no average grilled cheese though. This one is loaded with bacon, apples, yummy cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard and thick country white bread. No, it's definitely not the most diet friendly choice, but just try to run around the kitchen like Tyler and I think it will all even out ;)

This decadent sandwich is totally doable and a definite crowd pleaser. So pull out your non-stick fry pans and make yourself something impressively delicious and so simple that even I was able to pull it off without a hitch!

Tyler's Ultimate Grilled Cheese
Adapted from Tyler's Ultimate - Tyler Florence

8 slices thick white bread

12 ounces sliced cheddar cheese

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

12 slices cooked bacon

1 thinly sliced green apple

Dijon mustard

• Turn heat up to medium low beneath a fry pan or griddle.
• Spread Dijon on 4 pieces of bread on one side.
• Place cheese, 3 slices of bacon, apple slices and more cheese over the Dijon.
• Top with another piece of bread and spread butter over the top of the sandwich.
• Place butter side down into pan and cook for a few minutes until the inside begins to get a bit melty and the bread develops a nice golden crust.
• Flip to other side and cook until that side is also golden brown and the cheese is melted all the way.