Putting love into your food.

Cooking makes me calm. It makes me happy to make food for those I love. Nourishment may be necessary to our survival, but it is also a symbol of the combination of love, history, and care. It is why I do what I do. And why I am trying to improve myself in this area, as well as in many others.

"Finished Product" Recipe Organizer

So I am finally done with my recipe organizer. And by "done" I mean that I now have tons of recipes in a binder (that looks pretty snazzy, actually) that I will add to until it bursts. Here's how it turned out:

and the spine:

The inside front and separators:

...and the cute fill-in recipe pages that I printed out:

The problem is that I ran out of page prtectors (and I got 50!). They are a tad expensive, so I will wait to get more. This has been a fun project. I can't wait to add to the tome!

My love affair with snack food.

Anyone who really knows me knows that I love to graze. I would rather snack than eat a complex meal. I get hungry fairly often in the typical day and I eat small meals or snacks when I get hungry.

I should add that anyone who has been around me for more than, let's say 2 hours at a time knows that I have a food love. We've been going steady for about two years now--ever since they first came onto the scene:

Yes, Cheez-its. And no, not all Cheez-its. Just Pepper Jack Cheez-its. Essentially, they are my very own crack rock. I don't much like the other flavors (for some reason I dig the whole grain variety, but not like I love these). I think I consume a box every week. They are so great. People actually make fun of me for this. That is how much I eat them. In fact, if and when they stop making these, I might have an episode similar to the Great-Surge-Incident-of -2000:

I can't believe those A-holes took away our Surge!

Needless to say, I would be very, very sad.

So, clearly I love snack food. And I just found a new one!!

Under normal circumstances, I don't really dig on pretzels (unless they are giant soft pretzels--yum), but man, these things are basically amazing. They are Ritz pretzels; which means that they are buttery like Ritz, but they also taste like pretzels. I could sit here and eat the damn box. But I won't.

Sure, I have willpower...

70 Calorie Omelet, Recipe Binder, and sifting through 4 years of food magazines.

I have been trying to eat more healthfully lately. High fiber, high protein, low fat, and low cholesterol. The low sodium thing will come in time. So, my grocery list has been complex in the past few weeks.

I have always been a big believer in coupons, sales, and other ways to save money. I am a cheapskate--it's just who I am. So I am cooking a bit differently for my husband and myself.

For example, the grocery list for me last week looked like this:

Fresh fruit (apples, pears, and oranges)
Kashi 7-grain puffed cereal
Almond milk (unsweetened)
Egg beaters
Low-fat cheese
turkey bacon
deli ham
high-fiber cottage cheese
veggie burgers

Yes, my diet (not ON a diet, just my overall diet seems boring, I know) But it is actually very good. Take a look at this baby:

You know how I was talking about "pretty food" yesterday? This actually turned out to be very pretty. And guess what? It has 70 calories and 3 grams of fat. Here's the scoop:

Lite and Satisfying Omelet:

Non-stick cooking spray
1/4 c. eggbeaters (or similar egg substitute)
1/4 slice of reduced fat cheese, torn into small pieces
1 slice turkey bacon, crisped in microwave
dash each, herbs Provence, parsley, salt, pepper
hot sauce (optional)

and you cook it just like a regular omelet. Egg substitute does not taste much different than "real eggs". Because it's made with egg whites and beta-carotene. This is a very easy recipe and it is filled with protein, without the fat and cholesterol in shell eggs. I really like this stuff. I feel full but not weighed down like I do when I eat shell eggs.

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Even though I am still sticking to this meal plan, for the most part, I don't want my husband to have to eat this stuff all of the time. And I love to cook. So this week is going to consist of several crock pot meals (chicken enchiladas, spaghetti sauce with "drunken" chicken and Twisted Cheese Sticks and chicken and dumplings) and a stuffed pizza with pepperoni and Italian cheeses. I hope that they will be good. I will provide pictures and full recipes once they are cooked and approved :)

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In addition to dietary changes, I have also been making other changes. I bought a 2-inch 3-ring binder, dividers and clear sleeves for recipes. This was necessary, as I cut out recipes from some 40 food magazines (some of which I have had for nearly 4 years) and am now going to organize them into categories. I will also have parts of each section dedicated to written recipes; something that I think is a dying art form that I intend to preserve (at least in my home).

So far, it is going well. It's is also giving me an opportunity to take a short break from the last part of my thesis. Two more deadlines down, two more to go. But I find this organization relaxing. It's my own type-A zen-space.

This is something that I hope to one day pass down to my children--an amalgam of pop culture finds, family recipes, and maybe even some of my very own.

As my project progresses, I will be posing pictures.

Hope that everyone is having a wonderful day.

My Granny, some nostalgia, and some "truths of Southern food."

Sure, it's awesome when you can make food that is beautiful. And then some "food photographer" can make it look even prettier. However, I am of the belief that food doesn't necessarily have to be "pretty" to be awesome.

See, I grew up here in Georgia. Southern cooking constantly lives within my memory. Some even venture to say that this food and this culture runs in our veins.

My maternal grandparents are from Arkansas; paternal from Mississippi. They knew what good Southern food was and is. Seemingly simple "farm food" is really anything but. The regional differences matter; just as they do in every region of every country in the world.

In Arkansas, fried catfish and cornbread seem still to be the dinner of choice. In Vicksburg, Mississippi, catfish is fairly popular; but cuisine has a decidedly Cajun influence. Shrimp and grits, collard greens and pot likker, and Creole seafood still reign.

I love the fact that my parents come from backgrounds that are rich with food traditions. My Granny Fran made black-eyed peas and rice that were amazing. And my beloved Granny West made (and still makes) the best home fries, corn bread, and purple-hull peas in the world.

My Granny West (Momma's Mom) has always been so special to all of us. She always puts love into whatever she does; whether in her cooking, or her continual efforts within her own community.

I remember so clearly sitting around Granny's kitchen table, making sausage balls and oyster cracker snack mix. These were just two of many recipes that were holiday staples each year.

When we came home for holidays, we always got up early. We all wanted more time together than we had. And the smell of Granny and Granddaddy's house woke us up naturally anyway. It smelled like home; like a dream forgotten for a while, but then happily revisited each year. We woke to lovely smells: coffee (brewing since Granny woke at 5am), ham (cooking for the greens that would soon join them), and eggs (that Granny woke early to make for Granddaddy's breakfast).

Morning was forever magical in my Granny's kitchen. But so were all of the times with Granny. She remains an incredibly special woman; her love shows in so many ways.

I am so lucky to have her, still.

Hummus (everyone gets it wrong)

Ok people, hummus is made from chickpeas, tahini, and oil.

It is not really hummus if it is made with beans (cannelini, black beans, pintos). If you are making dip with these beans, it is bean dip, not hummus.

grrrrr.

Crock Pot Girls!

Great website full of crockpot recipes!! Awesome!

Crock Pot Girls Site

Crissy's Easy Cold or Hot Pasta Salad and "World's Easiest Dinner"

Yesterday, I went outside my comfort zone and made a Frankstein's monster pasta salad. I took some ingredients from recipes I'd seen on FN, stuff my mom used to put in her pasta salad, and then just threw in some other stuff I thought sounded good. Could have been a disaster right? Well it wasn't! It actually turned out great. Here's the proof:

(The photo makes it look pretty boring, but it tastes great and I think that it has great color. Perhaps some green would make it prettier next time.)

Summertime Cold or Hot Pasta Salad
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Chill time: 2+ hours

1-16oz package shaped pasta of your choice, cooked to al dente and drained (you can used anything really--except long noodles. I prefer whole wheat or pasta plus varieties because they stay al dente and won't fall apart during all of the mixing that you have to do with pasta salad)
1-1&1/2 bottles of good oil and vinegar dressing (or make your own)I like Newman's Own
1 each red, green, and yellow bell peppers (or any combination of these), chopped
1 package of white mushrooms (sliced or chopped roughly)
1 can of cannellini (white kidney) beans, fully drained(Caution add this last!)
1 ball fresh mozzarella, chopped (caution: add this last!)
1/2 lb good salami, chopped
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
salt to taste
(Optional)
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
3 wedges laughing cow garlic and herb cheese, softened (room-temp)
1 large onion, chopped

Directions:
Begin by boiling a large pot of water with a little bit of olive oil--add pasta when it comes to a rolling boil. (you need a big pot because you are going to mix the salad in this later). While waiting for pasta to boil, chop peppers, mushrooms, salami, and mozzarella. Open can of cannellini beans and drain. Put all of the above off to the side for a few minutes. Drain the pasta completely and give it a quick rinse under cool water (not too hot or cold). Once the pasta has cooled down (after 3-5 mins). Add chopped veggies and fold in gently. Next add the dressing and fold again (be careful not to break the pasta!) Add salami, seasonings, and parm (if desired) and fold again. Finally, add the fresh mozzarella and beans and fold very gently (these break very easily). Pour mixture into one large glass or plastic container or two medium-sized containers. Cover and chill salad for at least two hours (3 is better).

Then it's all ready. You can eat this cold or hot, since, unlike "Southern" pasta salad, there is no mayo in it. It's great cold for a summer picnic, or hot for a really hearty dinner--the moz melts wonderfully. And it really is easy. It seems like a long time between start and finish, but most of that is chill time--so you can just chill while it's just chillin'. I think that you will like it.

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So last week I tried out this recipe that I found on youtube of all places. It was indeed one of the easiest dinners I've ever made. And it was actually good. And it was very inexpensive. I forgot to take a picture when it was done, but will do so next time. So, without further ado:

"World's Easiest Dinner" (courtesy of robjnixon)
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 2-2&1/2 hours

2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
1 cup of rice (you can use the rice of your choice; but I'd recommend against brown rice in this dish--it doesn't get tender enough--basmati or white are better)
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 packet french onion soup mix
1 tsp. dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh thyme)
1 large onion, chopped
1 9x9 glass casserole dish

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large measuring up, combine cream of celery soup, packet of onion soup, and 2 cans (use the soup cans) full of water, and thyme; mix until smooth (you can use an immersion blender for this; but if you do, transfer mixture into a metal or glass bowl). Pour rice over the bottom of the casserole dish, making sure that it is evenly distributed. Place chicken breasts on top of rice, so that the rice is almost completely covered. Add soup mixture to chicken and rice. Finally add the chopped onions to the top of the mixture, covering the chicken. Cover and bake at 250 for 2-2*1/2 hours (depending on your oven--this is a "low-and-slow" recipe so don't worry too much about it burning.)

This dish is great for several reasons--the soup mixture marinates the chicken completely and keeps is extremely moist; it also completely cooks the rice but doesn't leave it gummy. You can substitute low fat cream of celery soup and the fat content drops to about 2 grams total. And it is super inexpensive (especially if you buy frozen boneless/skinless breasts at Kroger, Walmart, or Costco). I figured out the exact cost of the whole meal (which feeds two--with leftovers!)

2 chicken breasts $2.50-$3
1 c. rice $0.25
1 can cream of celery soup $1
1 packet FO soup $0.75
1 onion $1 or less

Total: $5.75 (that's $2.88 per person, with leftovers--and it's great warmed-over)

So there you have it. My experiments have gone pretty well this week. Hope I can keep this up :) Let me know if there is anything you guys would like to see here. I am always up for a challenge!

And remember, food is love and peace friends!

Passed-Down Recipes

I've become very interested in creating a collection of recipes that have been passed down in my family. When I have some time, I am going to contact my female relatives and have them send me some tried-and-true family recipes. Once I have a good collection, I plan on putting them all into a scrapbook (even though I hate scrapbooking with the fire of a thousand suns). I want this book to be something that people can continuously add to throughout the years that can be passed down to many future generations.

Big task? Sure...But worth it.