best bread. ever!

Please, for the love of all that is tasty, make this! The result is a rustic ciabatta bread, airy and chewy and crusty and wonderful.

Mix together 1 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon yeast, and 2/3 cup warm water for about 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for at least 12 hours. This is called the biga. Within 1-2 hours you will see very small bubbles forming - that's good!

Add 2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup non-skim milk, and 1/2 cup water to the biga. Be sure the milk and water is room temperature. Mix for about 5 minutes, then knead for 8-10 minutes. The dough will be very sticky, but do as best you can.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours.

Very gently fold dough a few times with a spoon, re-cover, and let rise for 45 minutes. Repeat. Do this very gently and only a few times - you don't want the gluten to go crazy. Fold, don't mix!

Gently divide dough in two. Take each half and gently fold in half, then press your well-floured fingers into both loaves so that there are indents all over the surface. The key word is "gentle" here! Let rise for another 45 minutes or so. Heat oven to 450.

When ready - finally! - spray surface of dough with water. Bake for 5 minutes and spray again. Repeat. Bread is done when the surface is golden and crusty and wonderful.

This is really, honestly, truly, the best bread! I've taken to keeping a little biga in the fridge, just in case I want a snack later.

Now, I'm the queen of substitutions and otherwise "doing it my own way" recipe-wise. However, don't you dare try to use yogurt, soy milk, or skim milk! The proteins in the milk are what makes the texture airy and bubbly. I'm going to attempt a gluten-free batch next week. If you can manage to save some of the bread for the next day, it does not go stale overnight and makes for wonderful paninis in the morning.

***
Usefulness of the day: If you prefer to air-dry your clothing but don't like the stiffness, pour plain white vinegar in the fabric softener holder. The stiffness is a result of detergent residue, and vinegar will dissolve it.

homemade yogurt!

A few people emailed me asking for details on the homemade yogurt...here it is.

I never considered making yogurt. Fermented dough (and grape juice) I can handle. Growing bacteria - deliberately! - in a dairy product was, I assumed, a complicated, tricky process best left to the pros.

Then, I went grocery shopping with a dear friend. She suffers from frequent, full-body yeast infections and only 20-30 ounces of Fage and fistfulls of probiotics per day give her any relief. That easily adds up to several hundred dollars per month. She joked that because I am unemployed, slowly losing my sanity, and crave projects because I am a total domestic divagoddesssiren, I ought to try making her a big batch of yogurt.

I didn't even know yogurt could be made. I guess I thought it sorta just, you know, existed.

Hope the people who put me through boarding school, college, and law school didn't read that.

With a little Googling, I was apprehensive. Yogurt starter? Who the heck sells that? Dirty, crunchy, Birkenstocked hippies, I'll bet. (Actually, yes.) Just as I was starting to schedule in a visit to the dry cleaner's - you know how their patchoulified mari-ju-anna smells just oozes into everything - I realized I could just use plain yogurt with active cultures.


But what about the business of temperature? Bringing to 185 sounded easy enough. But how could I keep the yogurt at 110 for 12 hours? I wasn't wild about using the oven, nor do I own an insulated cooler. Then Coco started yapping about something outside and I decided to borrow her electric heating blanket. Perfect.


What the heck, let's try this!

You will need:
Milk
Plain yogurt with active cultures or yogurt starter
Candy thermometer
Heating pad/electric blanket
Optional: cream

1. Set yogurt or starter on counter. It needs to be room-temperature.
2. Bring milk (optional: add some cream) to 185 degrees, stirring often enough so nothing burns, then turn off burner.
3. Let milk cool to 110 degrees. This could take an hour or more, depending on whether you leave it on the counter or stick in the fridge. Do not get all impatient and rush to stir in your starter.
4. When milk is 110 degrees (a little less is ok, too), stir in a few tablespoons of the room-temperature yogurt.
5. Find some way to keep yogurt covered and around 110 degrees for 12 hours. I covered a gallon pitcher with plastic wrap, which allowed the yogurt to be covered while letting me hook the thermometer to the side. I wrapped the electric blanket around the yogurt. With the blanket beneath, around, and on top of a plastic-covered pitcher, the yogurt stayed at or slighly below 110 throughout the night. A heating pad with a towel would also work.
6. When yogurt reaches the desired consistency, eat. Or, for a thicker yogurt, strain through coffee filters.

Now, did you see what I did up there? How I bolded the temperatures? The proper temperature is really all that matters, similar to how proper kneading is really all that matters with a good loaf of bread. Rumor has it that above 110 degrees kills whatever bacteria is it that turns scalded milk into yogurt.

But let's not talk about bacteria. Just keep it to no more than 110.

See? Really easy. Definitely worth a try if you go through a lot of yogurt. A caveat: this is real yogurt. If you're used to what passes as "yogurt" - yogurt, corn syrup solids, artificial sweeteners, thickeners - this yogurt will taste rather sour. But it's ok! You can add in a little vanilla extract (serious yum), honey, or fruit. On its own, it is definitely an acquired taste. Personally, I don't like this yogurt or Fage on its own - but I usually eat yogurt in smoothies.

As with bread, the downside is that there is a lot of waiting around for stuff to happen. But, we're talking about milk and a little yogurt. Worst-case scenario, you're out five bucks.

Woohoo! I feel all granola mother earth. Where's my tie-dye?

Enchiladas!

I made enchiladas last night, and I am ever so glad I did. After Middle Eastern, Mexican ties with Indian for my second-favorite food. They were eaten before I could grab my camera. Fast, easy, tasty!

Torillas
Oil
Enchilada sauce
Fillings: I used extra-sharp cheddar and green chilies, but shredded meat, textured vegetable protein, or refried or regular beans would all work, too. Please shred your own cheese; pre-shredded cheese melts differently due to the cornstarch coating.
Toppings: I used diced avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime, but just about anything goes...plain yogurt/sour cream, shredded lettuce, cheese, onions.
Equipment: skillet and tongs for frying, baking pan.


Heat up a skillet of oil and lightly fry each tortilla. If you skip the frying, the tortilla will soak up the sauce as it cooks and make for a yummy but mushy enchilada. Let them dry on a paper towel, spoon in your filling, and carefully wrap and place seam-side down in your pan. I tucked in the ends of the torilla, but I don't think that's required. Once all your enchilads are nicely snuggled together in the baking pan, pour a can or more of enchilada sauce over them and bake. I used the middle rack at 375 for about 30 minutes.

Make these tonight! Just in time for St. Patrick's Day :)

***
Usefulness of the day: Using a more intensely flavored cheese (e.g. extra-sharp cheddar) will allow you to use less cheese.

death, cheese, and other kitchen matters

Today is my brother's 23rd birthday. Given that he is rather into death and my mother mentioned he likes to go shopping for groceries, I thought these spatulas were...well, not cute, but useful. Or something. I told my mother she can use them if he won't. In my silly mind I'm thinking, "maybe he will use these spatulas, discover he likes to cook, get a job as a bus boy, then work up the ladder!" Then I realize that, since age 16, he hasn't lasted more than 2 weeks at any job, and I feel sad. And I wonder what it will take to get him out of my parents' house, but so far arson is all I can come up with.

Now, I typically don't buy passive-aggressive "self improvement" type gifts. But the only things on his list revolved around death metal and I draw the line at shirts emblazoned with disemboweled bloody fetuses. I did find some vodka in a pretty glass skull bottle, but, since I'd rather not mail liquids - particularly alcoholic ones to a 23 year old man - the spatulas (spatulae?) will have to do.

***

Does anyone know if cheese can be frozen? Big blocks of solid (not shredded or sliced) cheese?

***

Sur la Table is now carrying two special new Le Creuset colors. I'm more of a kiwi green girl myself...though I'm oddly drawn to that robin's egg blue shade as well.

Please make these today. Thank you.

Friend made these. I ate them.

"Would you like some sweet potato?" she asked on Saturday night, when sweet potatoes, Triscuits, and assorted condiments were the only foodstuffs in her house. "Yeesh. Bleeech. I hate sweet potatoes," I replied. "So I should only make enough for me despite the fact that I can hear your belly from here...is that what you're saying?" I stuck my tongue out and prepared another finger sandwich of Triscuit topped with a salad of chopped water chestnut and Dijon.

About an hour later, Friend requested I sample her creations. I declined. She threatened to kick me out of her house, which was technically possible as we had, by then, managed to get the front door to swing open.

Oh my goodness gracious, these were so good. And they were good even when I wasn't so hungry. I know because I was preparing another five batches even before the first was consumed.

Sweet potato fries, basic
Slice sweet potato into very thin slices. Soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes; this will remove some of the excess starch that makes sweet potato fries mushier than white potatoes. Dry. Brush with olive oil and bake at 375-400, turning several times. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.

SWEET potato fries

Sprinkle a little brown sugar and maybe a tiny bit of cinnamon on fries, checking more often than unsugared slices. I didn't care for these - I don't like sweets - but even I could tell these were yummy. They smelled like apple pie, people! These would be delectable served with vanilla froyogurt.

My favorite

Bake plain. After draining, top with hot sauce and fresh cilantro. While it is true that I'd pronouce just about anything topped with hot sauce as The Best Thing, Ever, the heat and cilantro do something wonderful with the sweetness and make...The Best Thing, Ever.

Questions about going vegetarian/vegan

I had quite a few people email me or leave comments about going vegetarian or vegan after this post, and I'm just going to respond to all of you here. Two months later. Bear in mind that I'm probably not the typical vegetarian, for reasons that will become clear as you read.

Did you grow up in a vegetarian household?
Not even close. There was always a diverse supply of meat: mostly venison from bow-hunting and ostrich and reindeer from a local humane farm. Standard fare like chicken and beef was rare until my mother found a shop that carried hormone-free fare, although my she would often serve something like weird like rabbit or emu and say, "it's chicken." Plenty of nature on the walls and in my mother's closet, too.

Do you dislike meat?
Even as a toddler, I hated meat, especially the texture. I have since learned that I inherited a rare and otherwise benign condition that causes my body to hold onto iron, resulting in very high iron levels. Thanks, Grandma! Analagous to how even a dedicated pre-menopausal veggie lady will crave red meat a few days a month, I suspect this likely explains my aversion. It also means I am rather friendly with the folks at my local blood donation center - a little bloodletting here and there is obviously preferable to iron-lowering drugs.

That said, I so love a hearty pot roast and look forward to making beef bourgogne this weekend.

Why did you go vegetarian?
There are, I think, three reasons to go vegetarian: religion, ethics, and health.

Many faiths restrict certain foods or recommend certain diets. Even where a vegetarian diet is not a rule, some individuals choose it out of convenience. For example, because of the prohibition against mixing meat with dairy, some observant Jews will simply choose to avoid all meat.

I suspect that most people go vegan/vegetarian for ethical reasons. We all know that many meat operations do not raise, feed, or slaughter the animals in a humane way. The same can also be said about, say, the care of cows and chickens who provide us with milk, cheese, yogurt, and eggs. I kinda feel that if you're going to cut out meat because you feel bad for the animals, you might as well stop consuming dairy products as well...and no leather, either. It's all the same principle, isn't it? There is also a second environmental/economic facet emerging - briefly, it is more efficient to produce plant foods than meat foods, and maybe those cows are putting holes in the ozone layer.

I have no answers as far as ethics. Sorry. I love leather and cheese and my mink-trimmed gloves.

That leaves health.

It is generally accepted that a meat-free healthy diet is healthier than meat-containing heathy diet. Yes, I know there are caveman diets out there, but let's stick to the mainstream stuff, shall we? Regular consumption of red meat has been linked to a whole host of unpleasant, life-shortening conditions. Regular consumption of veggies, fruits, healthy plant fats*, and whole grains has been linked to all sorts of pleasant, life-extending benefits. I eat primarily vegetarian for health. You've probably already concluded I don't do it for the ethics. I also never got up and went vegetarian. I simply eat what I like - which just happens to not be meat.

Now, I will sometimes eat meat. It isn't very PC these days to say this, but I believe that, save for an allergy or religious conviction, eating whatever your host has prepared with a smile is a hugely important Life Skill. My work life involves a lot of eating out, and not all restaurants have even a single vegetarian entree. I'm loathe to being That Person with all sorts of dietary requests, especially in a professional environment where (usually) being the only female and the only person under 40 presents enough of a barrier to fitting in. On the plus side, though, I've learned that even when a catered event asks you to pick between beef or salmon, you can call ahead and request a veggie entree. It is almost always much better than the meat dishes, though, so be prepared to share! Don't do this at a wedding, but definitely consider it if your work-related event is in another country.

What would happen if your future husband were a meat eater?
He would eat meat, I imagine. With limited exceptions, what other people put into their bodies doesn't particularly concern me. Obviously, I'd like my spouse to (1) live a long healthy life and (2) maintain a nice BMI - and I expect my spouse would want the same for me. That means that most meals will be healthy and take into account our individual caloric requirements. Though I rarely eat it myself, I do grill up a mean steak!

Again, this is easy for me to say because I'm not motivated by vegetarian ethics. In general, I think that if someone has a strong conviction about anything - faith, saving the trees, not eating meat - she should tailor her dating life accordingly.

What athletes are vegan/vegetarian?
Mr. Universe Bill Pearl, Robert Cheeke, Desmond Howard, Martina Navratilova, Edwin Moss, John Salley, Bill Walton, Robert Parish, Paavo Nurmi, and Chris Campbell are a few of many who are reported to follow (or have followed) at least a vegetarian diet.

Do you rely on protein bars or protein powders?
Yes, but for mostly good reason and a little bit because I'm lazy. When I was working, many meals were taken in the car and a smoothie (soy milk, protein powder, berries, yogurt, and greens powder) was easier to eat than something like a cheese and hummus sandwich. A protein bar can be tucked into a briefcase and nibbled discreetly, unlike a plate of quinoa. In addition, my blood sugar can plunge in mere seconds, making a quick, neat, calorie-dense snack a necessity. I like Promax protein bars and Larabars, which are vegan and raw and yummy. I also eat a lot of almonds. Neither Promax nor Larabar is paying me, but they should with the amount of business I give them.

Have you lost weight?
I'm not trying to lose weight, but replacing some or all of your meat with something lower in calories is one way to lose weight. You have to do it right, though, and keep in mind that weight loss is largely a matter of calories in/calories out. Snickers bars, cheesy poofs, beer, soda, and tobacco are all vegetarian. If portion control is a challenge for you, then yes, switching to something that is filling but less dense in calories - spinach tossed with a little garlic, lemon, and olive oil or veggie soup instead of a saucy steak or cheeseburger - is a fantastic way to lose weight. Most fruits and vegetables have a low calorie-density; meats do not.

How frugal can a vegetarian diet be if the cost of produce is so high?
It can be relatively inexpensive - even in the winter - if you shop properly. Stick to in-season produce and don't buy anything pre-cut. Off-season, visit the freezer aisle. At my grocery store, a big bag of frozen spinach and medium-size bags of broccoli, peas, and carrots goes for under a dollar. I could probably do better price-wise at Wal-Mart or a warehouse club, but they are inconvenient for me. Frozen berries, pineapple, and mango are cheaper than fresh and reasonably priced at Trader Joe's. Beyond that, I am fortunate to be able to shop at a year-round flea market with cheap produce stalls. I have a large chest freezer and stock up when there is a sale. I also live off my garden in the summer - something I can accomplish in a tiny yard by using grow boxes. Remember that if you buy more grains, legumes, and eggs and less meat, you will likely have more to spend on produce. Do a little comparison-shopping, too. It takes 30 seconds to glance at a grocery circular. Finally, I suggest that getting your RDA of produce has a heckuva ROI!

Does it gross you out or offend to go to a restaurant and have people at your table order steak?
Not at all. Again, not PC to say this, but I firmly believe that anyone who is offended by what someone else is eating needs to grow up.

Do you have tips for making the switch?
1. The fastest way to guarantee that your veg kick will last a week, tops, is to go out and load up on tofu. That stuff is awful. Unless you marinate the heck out of it and fry it or hide it in a smoothie, you won't like it. If you have, have had, or are at risk for certain cancers influenced by estrogen - like breast and prostate cancers - you should be aware that there is conflicting evidence as to whether soy prevents or causes cancer...or both.

2. Treat meat as a side - not a main course. No need to cut out meat completely unless that is what you want to do. Or just use less meat. Instead of a steak per person, slice up half a steak and serve over a salad, finely chop half a typical serving of chicken into a soup, or sprinkle bacon over a bean soup.

3. Explore faux meat products, but don't view them as a necessity. Personally, I love textured vegetable protein and garden burgers (which, unlike veggie burgers, don't strive to iminate meat). The rest of the stuff is hit-or-miss. Some of the meat-imitating products - sausage, bacon, etc. - are packed with salt.

4. Pick up a few veggies cookbooks from your library or browse for individual recipes online. If a "tasty veggie entree" sounds like an oxymoron to you, a cookbook is a must.

5. Find a nice friendly spice shop or explore the spice aisle. Especially if you're not used to eating plain veggies, learning how to spice up bland foods is a must. Try to do it without salt or much butter if you can. I use garlic, lemon, red chili pepper flakes, fresh basil, chives, pepper, thyme, and parsley a lot in my kitchen.

6. Be mindful of protein - but also realize that most Americans believe they need much more protein than the average American needs.

7. Experiment and have fun!


* Unless that eggplant is baba ganouj, in which case the speed at which I can polish off a to-be-shared-sized appetizer will terrify amaze you.
** I guess I could do a whole post on fats, but remember that your brain is largely cholesterol. Cholesterol-lowering drugs, for example, often cause short-term memory issues for that reason! Your brain needs fat to function. Your body needs fat to absorb certain vitamins and minerals. And fat doesn't make you fat - eating too many calories does that.

cookies

I know, I know: all of you were like, "wow, that Allison is such a good baker. I wonder when she'll post a cookie recipe."

That is coming. For now, just some cookie advice.


I have tried to make cookies. Oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, white chocolate cranberry. They all turned into rock-hard pancakes. Clearly, all those cookbooks were wrong. I set about writing various letters to the editors straight away. It is just downright deceitful to promise thick, soft, chewy treats and deliver flattened hockey pucks.


Then I picked up a few bags of cookie mix - the mixes where one need only add egg and butter and water. For the sake of scientific integrity, I tried Ms. Crocker's chocolate chip, oatmeal, and peanut butter. Hockey puck, hockey puck, hockey puck.


For reasons I won't get into, my oven was recently repaired and, in any case, turned out perfectly good bread, so I knew it wasn't the oven.


It was me.

(It generally is.)


Was I adding too much water? No. Over-baking? No. Failing to pre-heat? No.


That leaves...the butter!


Evidently, when the recipe specifies that one take 20 minutes and allow the butter to soften, they mean it. I was just cutting cold butter into pieces and stirring. And failing.


So that is lesson #1: follow the directions.

Lesson #2? I only know this because my cookbook failures led me down the boxed baked goods aisle. Because I'm an over-achiever, I couldn't let anyone think that I would resort to boxed cookie mix. Oh, no. I made little switches that would reasonably lead someone to think the cookies were made from scratch. Replace the tablespoon of water with eggnog. Shake in some cinammon, nutmeg, and allspice. Toss in a few peppermint-flavored chocolate chips. Fools 'em every time!

***
Usefulness of the day: Put a few kernels of (unpopped) popcorn in your salt shaker to keep the salt from clumping.

tres leches cake

1. Decide to make tres leches cake.

2. Somehow allow a spoon to land in the batter.

3. Unnoticed.

4. Bake.
5. Cool. Retrieve spoon.

6. Have great fun making frosting from very cold heavy cream. Marvel at how a little arm muscle time with the Kitchen Aid can turn a liquid into a fluff!

7. Fill in the retrieval holes with that marvelous fluffy stuff.

8. Do the dishes.

Please tell me I'm not the only one to have done this!

oh fudge!

This insane pile o' sugar?I was all set to make a few loaves of my killer garlic asiago bread as gifts, but got distracted by the candy canes at the grocery store and somehow decided to whip up some fudge instead.

I've never made fudge before. This may or may not have been a good idea.

I started off with a batch of plain chocolate, then made a big tray of chocolate peanut butter.

Trippy, man.

Then some white chocolate peppermint fudge, dressed up with a little food coloring...
and crushed candy canes!

All three batches are cooling in the fridge...recipe to follow if they turn out ok.

Edited to add: white chocolate peppermint fudge

5 cups white sugar

1 big container Fluff - I think it is 17oz

1 stick butter

1 teaspoon salt

24oz white chocolate chips

1 tablespoon vanilla

2+ tablespoons peppermint extract

Red food coloring

Candy canes/peppermint candies

Wax paper

Crush the candy canes and set aside. Over low heat, combine and constantly stir sugar, Fluff, and butter until the soft ball stage. Turn off heat and stir in salt, chocolate chips, vanilla and peppermint extract. If you want the batch to be totally pink or red, also add the food coloring. When the chips are totally melted and blended, carefully pour into a wax paper-lined tray. Dot the top of fudge with food coloring and gently - with a fork and using a curlique pattern - swirl the top. Top with crushed candy canes and every-so-gently pat into fudge. Let cool for several hours and then cut.

Bok choy, celery, and water chestnut soup

My sister gave me these adorable measuring cups for Christmas last year. I didn't actually get to open the gift until this Thanksgiving, and I was so eager to try them out! (I believe these are still on sale at Anthropologie.) They are so impractical, but look so sweet next to my Kitchen Aid!

After too many holiday soirees - and too many salty processed holiday snacks - all I wanted was a big bowl of light, green, crunchy soup. This is it.

4+ cups chopped bok choy

4+ cups chopped celery

1 can sliced water chestnuts

4+ tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos

5+ garlic cloves, pressed

1-2+ tablespoons lemon juice

2+ tablespoons olive oil

Cayenne, parsley, and thyme - all to taste

Combine Bragg's, freshly pressed garlic, lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best), and olive oil in a cup, give a gentle stir, and set aside. Wash and chop 4+ cups each of bok choy and celery, add to a pot, add water to cover, and the liquids. When veggies are about halfway done, dump in a can of sliced water chestnuts. At this time, also sample the broth and add more Bragg's, garlic, or lemon juice if desired. Shake in some cayenne, parsley, and thyme. Do not omit the cayenne!

This is so simple and so good. It is a tasty and nearly calorie-free way to eat your greens. If you are watching your calories, though, do not omit the olive oil. Your body can't absorb the nutrients from the vegetables without the fat (which is also why you should pass on fat-free salad dressing.)

Frugality Series 2: Food and drink

A few disclaimers here...

- I'm single and have only one finicky palate to please.

- I rarely eat meat; going vegetarian - whether for life, 1 day a week, or even 1 meal a day - will likely cut grocery bills. Disclaimer to this disclaimer: I have nothing against meat-eating or meat-eaters.

- While I've seen the coupons+sale timing game in action and know that it is fully possible to get $742 worth of groceries for under $5, I rarely use coupons because most of the items I eat simply don't come with coupons. If you use coupons, there are tons of sites that will allow you to print them out at home.

- I feel best when I eat healthfully and I do not always take the cheap route. A good example is oil: I have a pronounced addiction to olive oil and go through an obscene three liters per month despite the fact that vegetable oil is much, much cheaper.

- I take a handful of supplements, probably spending anywhere from $10-$60/month, depending on whether there is a frequent 2-for-1 sale, things like fish oil (don't eat fish), B12 (don't eat meat), and calcium+D (small framed white female = high risk for osteoporsis). While it is generally best to get vitamins and minerals from food, a quality supplement from a reputable brand is an alternative. And while spending $15/month on fish oil might seem excessive, it is still cheaper than eating salmon a few times a week.

- I'm very sensitive to blood sugar issues and do best on a high-protein, low-carb diet...but most Americans need far less protein than they actually think.

- It has only been in the past year that I have actually started using my kitchen. (Coincidentally, it has only been in the past year that my kitchen actually started using my smoke detectors). I'm not an expert in anything kitchen-related except for getting it dirty, which I can do with alarming speed and often in ways worthy of those "candid camera" shows.

- I don't can. I'd like to. But I'd also like to not kill myself with botulism. A friend promises I can't mess up pressure-canning, and I'll post on that if I work up to it. (Most of what I would can - vegetable soups - must be pressure-canned. Unfortunately, I don't eat things like jams or fruit preserves that can be heat-canned).

- I'm far too paranoid to leave a crockpot on all day, but some people swear by them.

With those disclaimers, and in no particular order...

FOOD

1. Replace meat with other sources of protein. Very few Americans are even at risk for being protein-deficient. Eggs and beans are the most inexpensive sources of high-quality protein; faux meats and tofu are pricier but still less expensive than real meat. As far as beans go, dried are cheaper than canned, and canned beans often contain preservatives and salt. No need to soak dry beans - just rinse and cook as usual.

2. Use less meat. Instead of a full steak, try slicing half of it over a bed of greens. Top a hearty stew with pieces of bacon to get lots of meaty taste with much meat.

3. Soup's on! I've always had a love affair with soups, so I'm baffled by people who think they will somehow leave the table hungry if soup is the main course. Warm and comforting in the winter, cool and light in the summer, soup is a versatile dish. The best advice for soups is to puree, puree, puree. A humble pot of black beans, onion, and seasonings becomes something rich and velvety when 2/3 of the beans are pureed. Pureeing veggies - especially steamed cauliflower or potato - is a healthful substitute for using cream in a soup.

4. A thyme for all seasons. A spoonful of freshly pressed raw garlic, a dash of hot sauce, or a dusting of pepper will transform a modest dish to something flavorful and delightful. Use non-caloric spices and herbs instead of cheese to add flavor, too. Need more reasons? Garlic boosts immunity and lowers cholesterol, tumeric is thought to be behind the low rate of Alzheimer's Disease in India, and cayenne pepper is good for the heart.

5. Decide what you can reasonably make/do on your own. For some, this means having a herd of various animals in their backyard. For others, it means buying a head of lettuce instead of the pre-cut bagged greens. Up until very recently, I was smack in the middle of the city where L&I doesn't look fondly upon chickens and, in any case, I'd probably come home to two very happy dogs, a few telltale feathers, and no chickens. What do I do on my own? I never buy pre-cut produce. Most people can handle that. I've recently started making my own yogurt, which, as weird and pioneer-ish as it sounds, is astonishing cheap and easy. (I'll post a how-to eventually). I make my own bread.* I make my own protein smoothies and hummus.

I make flavorful, salt-free soup broth with veggie ends. I buy solid blocks of feta instead of the pre-crumbled stuff because, honestly, am I really so lazy I can't crumble my own feta? I make my own croutons and bread crumbs (great way to use stale bread, too). I rarely stop for a drive-through breakfast before work and usually brown-bag my lunch. And, in the summer, I garden. (See below). Basically, I tend to buy more whole ingredients (vegetables) and fewer prepared items (canned vegetable soup).

6. Ask around for farmer's markets and the like. I usually walk away disappointed by most farmer's markets in my area. One would think that being within an hour of Amish country that cheap produce would abound! A few years ago I discovered a large flea market with several dirt-cheap produce stalls. The savings far exceed the bridge toll and cost of fuel for the 30-45 minute trip. Ask around. Because sterotypes are a real time-saver, just sniff around for patchouli or find the guy wearing Birkenstocks in November. They usually know where to find the cheapest granola.**

No farmer's markets convenient to you? Go shopping for produce in the freezer or canned goods sections. Frozen or canned produce often has more nutrients than fresh. Just be sure to avoid frozen or canned produce with extra sugars, syrups, salt, or sauces.

7. Don't waste food. Different people have different ways on how to avoid waste. For me, it means I make several food trips each week. For others, it might mean buying in bulk and freezing or else having a teenage boy. (If you're bored, go buy $100 or so worth of groceries, invite a teenage boy over, and just watch). But what happens when you have say, half a wilted head of lettuce, a small amount of leftover Indian food, and an inch of milk? Scramble with eggs. You'd be amazed at what you can hide in eggs! My breakfast, in fact, was egg whites blended with leftover onion chutney and a handful of spinach. (Soups are good for this, too).

8. Consider a second freezer. For me, not buying a freezer wasn't really an option. I have a real 1930s GE fridge (which, ahem, will not make an appearance on the how-to-save-on-home-energy-costs post) that lacks a freezer. I love, love, love having a big chest freezer. When things like frozen berries or faux meats go on sale, I stock up. I spend one day per month making massive quantities of soups, then freeze in small portions - knowing that I'm 30 minutes away from a healthy soup has thwarted the "I'm too tired to cook, let's get take-out" temptation more than once. Of course, I'm also awake that a power-outage could result in a lot of lost food...which is why I'm working up the courage to try canning. Baby steps.

9. Trader Joe's. The first time I saw TJ's, I thought, "great, another over-priced speciality market." Eventually I found my way inside...and haven't come out since. Their frozen fruits, frozen berries, nuts, and dried fruits are all delicious and wonderful and yummy and cheaper than my local grocery store. A big cannister of whey protein is $20 at TJ's and $40+ at GNC. Their return policy is fabulous, too: if, for whatever reason, you don't like something, you get a hassle-free refund. Plus, everyone there is just so nice. If you are having a bad day, just wander around TJ's. The downside? For one, their produce is limited and often pricey. But my real issue with them is that, because they are constantly adding new, interesting products, some older ones have to go. Often with no warning. I'm still hurt over their 2002 discontinuation of dried strawberry-flavored rhubarb chunks. And if anyone knows where I can find no-sugar-added, sulfur-free, dried rhubarb flavored with strawberry, let me know.

10. Go shopping alone, if possible, and don't go hungry. I know that a trip to Petsmart with the dogs usually results in an impulse-purchase or two, so I can only imagine how many extras go into the cart when you bring along children who throw tantrums or plead for items they see on television. If leaving them at home isn't an option, try Benadryl or duct tape. (That was a joke; don't do that). Just try to give everyone a filling meal before shopping. Even the yummiest display won't tempt you with a big bowl of fiber-packed oatmeal in your belly.

DRINK

1. If you want filtered water, buy a filter and a BPA-free water bottle. I think it is utterly insane to buy water on a regular basis. But that's just me, and I know that at least half of what I do strikes others as similarly ridiculous. Plus, did you know that constantly drinking from a plastic water bottle (or anything with a narrow mouth) causes premature wrinkles around the mouth? It is the same movement as sucking on a cigarette. Which, by the way, is a rather pricey habit.

2. Limit beverages like soda and juice. They don't really add anything of benefit to your diet. Eat an apple instead of drinking a glass of apple juice. If you crave something fizzy, consider seltzer - either on its own or spiked with a little juice.

3. Make your own coffee and tea. I actually fail at this one. I always keep a pitcher of tea in the fridge, but I do stop for a coffee most mornings. It is a bit of a ritual for me. Fortunately, it runs less than $1/day. As far as tea goes, learn how to make it. Green teas, for example, will be bitter if over-steeped. Don't spend money on tea only to ruin it!

4. If you don't drink alcohol, well, you don't spend money buying it. But I love a nice glass of wine. If you have a Trader Joe's near you that sells alcohol, check them out. I drive about 3-4 hours round-trip a few times a year to the closest TJ's with a liquor license and buy several cases "two buck Chuck." Not the very best, but perfectly decent. If you are nowhere near a TJ's, find a small wine shop staffed by people who really know wine and ask for recommendations within your budget. Never, ever, ever fall into the trap of thinking that a good wine must cost a certain amount. As far as beer, liquor, and malt beverages, I don't know enough about them. PBR is coming back in a big, "blue collar chic" way, and Cooks Illustrated experimented with vodkas a year ago and found that running a cheap vodka thorugh a Brita filter several times made it much better. Maybe try that? Probably kills the filter, though.

GARDENING

1. Use grow boxes. You can grow large quantities of produce and concentrate the nutrients by using grow boxes.

2. Make your own grow boxes. A 3x3 plastic box runs about $50-$70 in supply catalogues. Get some lumber and 4-inch nails and make them yourself for $10-$20 each. Plus, it is a chance to use a power drill (though a hammer will suffice just fine), which makes me feel all talented and capable and rugged. I'm not exactly rugged; I wear pearls with t-shirts.

3. Re-use the grow boxes (they will last 2-4 years with proper care), supports, and plastic sheeting.

4. Consider buying established plants. Yes, seeds are cheaper, but considering that the vast amount of gardening money is spent on soil and fertilizer, I don't think it makes much sense to quibble over a $1 seed packet versus a $2 established plant. In my (2 years) experience, only half the seeds germinate and only half those plants survive transplant...by which time I've already lost a month.

5. Only plant what you will eat, and, if you are limited on space, only plant pricier produce. I grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, and raspberries. Corn, garlic, onions, and even strawberries I can get for little at my local flea market.

6. Use red plastic sheeting. Red sheeting triggers a growth protein in tomatoes. I tried it on eggplants and peppers, with good results.

7. Do not skimp on quality soil and fertilizer. Yes, you will get tomatoes if you plop a plant in the ground, but you will get many more tomatoes if you spend a little on fertilizer and good soil.

8. Water mostly in the early morning. Water in daylight, and you're just losing the water to evaporation. Water too much at night and you risk mold.

That's all I have. Do you have anything to add?

* I'm always amused by people who think making one's own bread is the mark of a hardy, capable pioneer. The first time I ever made bread, the loaf came out just as promised - which I say not to emphasize what an amazingly talented superstar baker I am, but to emphasize how easy it is to slap together flour, yeast, and water, wait a little, smack the dough around, wait a little more, then bake. And, as I learned from the time I let the dough rise for about 24 hours instead of the recommended 2, nothing bad happens. Once you master basic bread, you can start playing around with add-ins (seeds, roasted garlic, herbs, fruit, nuts, cheese) and substitutions (yogurt or cottage cheese for water).

** The link is to the satirical publication, The Onion.

cardiologist-on-speed-dial mac & cheese

I made this for a friend last week. She will have none of that homemade whole-wheat pasta, soy cheese, and olive oil foolishness...nothing but real cream, butter, and white flour, please.

Start a pot of water and, when it is at a full, rolling, angry boil, add in 1lb pasta.

I'm using shells - I reasoned they would hold the sauce better. See how they are shaped like little cups just begging to be filled with savory goodness? And, because I'm making the sauce nice and chunky, I chose shells over penne.
Only let the pasta boil for a minute or two! It will be baked later. Drain and set aside.

Find yourself 18oz of sharp cheddar cheese.

Cut it into cubes and add to a large pot.
Do the same thing with a stick of butter. Unsalted - cheddar is salty enough!

Whoops! Wrong aperature. But great shot of my curtains.
That's better.

Cheddar, butter. Butter, cheddar.

Take a pint of evil, sinful, decadent heavy cream and...

pour over the cheese and butter. Turn the burner on very low and be sure to stir as often as you can think of it.

While that is all melting together, grab and onion and chop it however you please. I like decent-sized chunks. Not on my hips, but in just about everything else. Add the onion and a jar of salsa to the cheese mix. Salsa is optional, but it really adds a nice kick. Pour in 1 tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos. If you use salt instead of Bragg's, I strongly advise against adding anything but a tiny pinch, if any - the cheddar is salty enough.

Bragg's is amazing, versatile stuff. You can find it in the natural foods section of a well-stocked grocery store. A 32oz bottle runs $6-$8 around me, and a little goes a long way. Free samples here. No, I don't work for them or own any of their stock. Frankly, I suspect Patricia Bragg is a little kooky. But that's ok. (She is really into John 3:16, too.)

When it is all nice and melty and blendy, this is what you will have:

Oh...my.

Now, remember the drained pasta? Grab it and add to the big pot o'cheese. Mix. You could eat it as is, but you can also bake it. Usually, I spread in a thin layer over a baking sheet, but this time I used a deeper pan as I had to transport it.

Top with chopped green onions and then a handful of seasoned breadcrumbs (I use "spicy hot" breadcrumbs.)

Finally, sprinkle the top with handful of shredded cheddar.
Bake until the top is nice and bubbly.

Um, and then go hop on the treadmill for 2.4 hours for every spoonful.

Edited to add: Be sure to stir a little freshly pressed raw garlic into the mixture, too.

I'm-a-gonna-die recipe:

1 lb pasta

18 oz sharp cheddar, reserving a handful to shred and sprinkle on top

4 oz unsalted butter

1 pt heavy cream

1 large onion

8-12 oz salsa

2-3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or 1 tablespoon soy sauce)

Seasoned breadcrumbs

Green onions/leeks/chives

Healthier version:

Whole wheat or gluten-free pasta

Cheddar (real or fake)

Replace butter with a blend of olive oil and mashed avocado

Replace cream with skim milk, soy milk, plain yogurt, or a combination of milk and yogurt

Onion

Salsa

Green onions/leeks/chives

Garlic

Bragg's

No breadcrumbs

***

Usefulness of the day: Add a little white vinegar to cut flowers to make them last longer.

sunday dinner, new job

Sunday meals usually consist of whatever produce I picked up at the flea market...yesterday, sweet white corn, lucious heavy mangoes, tomatoes, carrots, white peaches, strawberries, garlic, and ginger, for belly-soothing ginger tea. I always thought I didn't like corn. But then...my flea-market buddy bought a roasted ear from a vendor, doused with garlic salt and hot sauce, and munched as we wandered around the stalls. I tasted hers, spraying bits of hot corn all over my face, and high-tailed it back to that vendor.

I probably walked around the rest of the day too blissful to notice the corn stuck in my teeth.

Sunday lunch: grilled sweet white corn rubbed with pepper and garlic and salt, then topped with hot sauce. It is so good.
Fresh tomatoes.
Mango and carrots topped with my hummus.
***
New job starts tomorrow! I'll go into the details later.

Creamy cauliflower soup

Now, generally my meals are quite healthy. However, it is impossible to make a good cauliflower soup without using roux, a truly unholy blend of white flour, butter, and milk. The good news? You can get away with using just a tiny bit and if you want to up the creamy richness later, you can stir in some plain yogurt. (Of course, if you're feeling particularly naughty, you can always use sour cream.)

A good cauliflower soup also needs...

cauliflower! Grab a few - or more! - heads and roughly chop. Put 2/3 in the pot and steam the rest. We're going to puree the steamed cauliflower. Pureeing some of the cauliflower will make the soup seem creamier, which reduces the need to resort to something like, well, cream to make it creamy and rich.

Chop up some celery. I prefer smaller chunks. Use as much as you want. Toss in pot.

This is what happens when a piece of celery hits the floor and you are using a slow shutter speed. Actually, I don't even think the speed was that slow - Coco is just that fast when it comes to food.

I wish she picked up "don't pee on the bathmat even though it is sorta kinda fuzzy like the grass you're supposed to pee on" with the same speed.

Back to the soup. Same goes for the carrots. I used 2-3lbs carrots for a soup using 8 good-sized heads of cauliflower. I grated half of them, got bored, and diced the rest. Toss in pot.

Onions: dice, toss. Please do not skimp on the onions! If cooking for people who claim to dislike onions, just puree. They will never know.

Fill that pot either with chicken stock, veggie stock, water, or a water/stock mix. I make my own base using water, Bragg's, and a little fresh lemon juice. I can't see beef stock working here, especially as we'll be adding in plenty of dry white wine later. Personally, I don't use stock for most of my soups. I get tons of flavor from herbs, spices, and garlic, and most stocks add too much salt. But if you prefer stock, go right ahead!

Let the veggies simmer. Then go pull out a small pot or saucepan for the roux. Toss in one stick of real butter - not the "smart" butter with olive oil - and let it melt using a lower heat.

When the is butter melted, pour in 2 cups milk.

I use real, skim milk, though any real milk will do. Please do not use almond or soy milk. Thank you.

Go pull out some white flour.

After the flour incident, I've taken to storing my flour in glass jars.
(5lbs of flour licked into a cloth couch taught me that much.)

Stir 6 tablespoons flour into the milk/butter liquid using a whisk and low heat. Turn off and set aside. Now, that is a fair amount of roux. I used this amount of roux for 2+ gallons of soup; most recipes instruct to use this same amount for a much smaller batch (4-8 servings, depending on the cookbook.) If you're unsure how much roux you want in your soup - and bear in mind you will need some - stir in a little at a time. It's rich stuff!

As an aside...it is vitally important that you first melt the butter, then add the milk, and then add the flour only when the butter is melted and the milk/butter mixture is nice and warm. If you do it all at once, you will end up with this:

Ick.

Not too icky for the dogs, though. When I cook, I have a special dog pot into which goes veggie ends and anything that fell on the floor...and just a little solid roux.

I told Coco that yappy little minpins go into the soup pot, too.

Now, go peel some garlic - lots of it. Or find all this pre-peeled garlic at your flea market for $1. Whatever floats your boat. I recommend the flea market way. Do not skimp on the garlic!

I think I should rename this blog "do not skimp on the garlic!"

Save some for just before serving, too.

Remember the cauliflower that we set aside to be steamed and then pureed? Go puree that cauliflower with the garlic. You will need to add in about 1/3 of the roux so the food processor can do its job. Pour that wonderful blend of cauliflower, garlic, and roux into the soup.

Now, the wine. I love to cook with wine.

Sometimes, I even put it in the food.

I sent a friend out for a bottle of Chardonnay. She returned with a magnum of Pinot Grigio. Either is fine - just use a dry white, please. Add to taste. Even if you're making a batch as large as I am, you do not need anywhere near an entire magnum of wine. Goodness gracious. For a standard batch, 4-6 servings, use about a cup.

Now, while all that is simmering, let me tell you about this beer since we're already on the topic of alcohol.

Or at least I am.

Golden Monkey by Victory.

I was at dinner with a friend last week and he ordered a bottle of this. It came in a small glass and I joked that our waitress decided he couldn't handle, you know, a full bottle. As it turns out, Philadelphia is not allowed to serve a full bottle of Golden Monkey due to its absurdly high - nearly 10% - alcohol content. That aside, it has a wonderfully spicy finish and I - usually not a beer-drinker - give it my wholehearted endorsement. The problem is that all the spice totally masks the high alcohol content...so be careful. After all, most of us don't check the alcohol content before imbibing. Beware the Golden Monkey!

Hic.

The friend who came over for dinner, who picked up the Pinot Grigio, also picked up some Golden Monkey...which may or may not have resulted in one of my guests fishing out Coco's white eyelet dress and doing this:

Where were we?

Oh. Yes. Soup. Back to that.

Go add in at least some parsley and black pepper. I also add in a healthy amount of Bragg's and a little oregano. If you used stock, be very sure to taste before adding anything salty; most canned stock has lots of sodium. If you're tasting and tasting and can't figure out what it needs, consider adding in more pressed garlic or Bragg's (or soy sauce, or salt.) I generally add in a healthy amount of freshly pressed raw garlic right towards the end. Gives it a little extra somethin' somethin'.

The somethin' somethin' makes all the difference.

This is what you will have at the end. It is so good. It is everything a soup should be: rich and chunky and creamy and flavorful and fresh and comforting and savory and soothing and...and...just perfect. It makes me swoon.