Cooking with Amy: A Food Blog

Parmesan Flatbread Recipe

2009-11-11T11:19:00.000-08:00

I have a weakness for flatbread, all kinds of flatbread. If flatbread is on a menu, it's pretty much a given that I will order it. Years ago I made those Chinese spring onion pancakes, but other than that, I really haven't bothered. Why? Well, making flatbread seemed like it would be a bother, what with the yeast and the kneading, and rising and resting and all I figured it was easier to just order it in restaurants. Until last week.

While in London I spent many hours perusing food magazines and the fantastic cookbook collection at Books for Cooks, one of my favorite book stores in the world. I will share with you my list of purchases at some other point, but suffice it to say one of my purchases was a Donna Hay magazine. Donna Hay is Australian but she is tremendously popular in the UK and for good reason. Her recipes are generally not that complicated but offer maximum impact for a minimum of effort. When I saw her recipe for rosemary flatbread I was intrigued.

I adapted her recipe by leaving out the rosemary. Plain flatbread is more versatile and easy to top with just about anything. I tested the recipe for one of my recipe development clients, MyWinesDirect. I topped it with smoked salmon, goat cheese, cucumbers and chives so that it would pair well with a fragrant and crisp Pinot Grigio.

Because the dough has a lot of parmesan cheese in it, the resulting bread is quite hearty and robust but with great texture, soft on the inside and flecked with crisp brown freckles. Some suggestions for toppings toppings:

* Smoked salmon, goat cheese, cucumbers & chives (pictured)
* Fresh tomatoes & olives
* Sausage & winter squash
* Mushrooms, onions & bacon
* Pears, gorgonzola & toasted hazelnuts
* Figs & prosciutto

These are just a few off the top of my head, you can probably think of even more. I also think you could swap out some of the unbleached white flour for white whole wheat or whole wheat flour. Let me know how your variations turn out...!

Parmesan Flatbread
Makes 2 large flatbreads

1 cup unbleached white flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup boiling water
additional olive oil for cooking

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder and parmesan cheese. Add the olive oil and boiling water and quickly stir to form a soft dough. Divide the dough in half and roll each half on a floured surface into a roughly 8 1/2 inch round. Heat a non-stick pan or flat griddle over medium high heat. Drizzle with about 2 teaspoons of olive oil and when hot, cook the flat bread, about 3 minutes on each side or until brown in spots. Top with whatever toppings you like and slice into wedges.

Enjoy!

Bay Area Food Events

2009-11-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

I am very pleased to introduce a new feature on Cooking with Amy. If you scroll down the page on the right hand you will find a Google Calendar that lists local events that I have cherry picked. These are not randomly chosen, but only events I personally think will be well worth attending. I may even be attending some of them myself. Note: the image on the left is just that, an image, so don't try clicking on it!

To use the calendar just click on the title of the event you are interested in for more details. Click on the title again and you will again see the full listing of events. If you click on the "+ Google Calendar" image you can subscribe to the calendar if you wish. I'll be adding more events as they come to my attention.

A big thanks again to my coding guru Christine Vilar for making this calendar come to life.

The Perfect Fruit: Book Review

2009-10-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how the perfect fruit demands your attention? A run of the mill apple or banana is fine, benign even. But really spectacular fruit grabs you and doesn't let go. I hope everyone has the amazing experience of fresh, intensely flavored, sensual and almost overwhelming experience some day that Chip Brantley had when he first tasted a pluot. It changed his life. No kidding. The Perfect Fruit is his personal and journalistic investigation of this relatively recent stone fruit.

Barely into the first chapter I found myself inexplicably drawn to a local farmers market where I found the aptly named "flavor king." You have to admit, it is an awfully beautiful looking fruit. It tasted even better. Sweet, tangy, juicy, floral and complex.

The season for pluots is pretty much now over, but if you want to read a book about a most unlikely subject that will draw you in, much like a piece of perfect fruit, I wholeheartedly recommend The Perfect Fruit. Brantley covers the breeding, the marketing and flavor of the fruit. The book is well-written, with a strong attention to detail, it covers much of the business related to stone fruit but also the passion that drives fruit breeders to keep working on new hybrids all the time.

I was a bit skeptical about a whole book on pluots. But it's a book filled with interesting characters, almost dynastic families and the forces of nature. I found it fascinating, I hope you will too.

Why do YOU cook, Guy Prince?

2009-10-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

Guy Prince is a man with focus. He grills and he smokes and coaxes the best out of food in his own unmistakeable way. Who else would serve squares of bacon as an appetizer at a picnic? There is no mistaking the man, his food or his writing. He's also a true gentleman who never passes up the opportunity to help anyone with their smoking, grilling or meaty dilemmas. His blog is Meathenge and his stunning carnivorous photos will make you insanely hungry.

"Excellent question. For me, when I was a lot younger I found that I could cook better tasting food at home. And since I live and grew up in California, I could sure as hell out grill or out smoke any my local BBQ joints. The deal was sealed."

Hodo Soy Beanery Factory Tour

2009-10-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

Last week I got a sneak peek at the Hodo Soy Beanery factory in Oakland. I learned how tofu, soy milk and yuba (tofu skin) is made and my ability to eat store bought tofu was ruined forever.

I am not a tofu hater. I like it. I don't find it bland, but mild, and I love the way it picks up the flavor of whatever else is in the pot or pan. I even like the Japanese style of serving cold cubes of tofu topped with a little grated ginger, soy sauce and scallions. Hodo Soy founder Minh Tsai likes tofu too. But he missed the fresh tofu he ate in Vietnam where he grew up. He experimented making it and his creations were a big success. Today he sells to high end restaurants like Greens, Slanted Door and Coi. Tsai explained at first restaurants used his products for staff meals but quickly it migrated on to menus. Soon his tofu will be at retail outlets and in December you can visit the factory and see it being made too.

It's not a very complicated process, though much of the process is done by hand. Organic non-genetically modified soybeans grown in the US are soaked 6-8 hours, then ground, water is added, they are cooked by steam injection and filtered. The soy milk can be drank fresh, used to make yuba, a most delicate and tender tofu skin (nothing like the kind that is rehydrated) and also used to make tofu. Calcium sulfate is used to coagulate the soy milk and turn it into tofu, and then it is pressed and cut into chunks.

Fresh tofu is a lot like fresh mozzarella. It tastes very different and much better when it is super fresh. The texture is better and so is the flavor. Yes, flavor. Fresh tofu and soy milk have unbelievable creamy, nutty, slightly bean-y flavor. It is delicious with sweet or savory preparations. You just have to try it to believe it. I can see using the sheets of yuba like crepes, as noodles, and stir fried. "Ho" means good in Chinese and "Do" means bean. Good bean. Really.

Halloween Chocolate: Michael Recchiuti

2009-10-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that Halloween has become a major commercial holiday? I'd complain except that I am completely beguiled by the marvelous creations in the October edition of Martha Stewart Living magazine. I actually got a sneak peek at the photos for this issue when I was in New York last year. That chocolate cake with the green snake has been haunting me ever since!

If I need one more thing to put me in the Halloween spirit it's this, Michael Recchiuti's adorable Jack o'Lantern decorated Halloween motif chocolates. They are filled with burnt caramel, one of the most popular flavors. A box of eight chocolate confections is $19. Any excuse is just fine to indulge in Recchiuti chocolates and these little sweets are more cute than creepy. But treat yourself soon, they are available only until October 31.

Burnt caramel is something Michael Recchiuti clearly enjoys playing with, it ends up as a sauce, coating nuts, and even in ice cream. It really is the flavor of Fall as far as I'm concerned, a little bitter, a little sweet and whole lot delicious.

Why do YOU cook, Susan Russo?

2009-10-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

In a very short time Susan of the blog Food Blogga has established herself in the food blogging constellation. From the very beginning she reached out to her readers and other bloggers which is how I got to know her. Her breezy honest writing style and solid recipe writing skills has gained her a following not just on her blog but at NPR where she writes for Kitchen Window. Susan doesn't just share recipes but also family stories. Italian American to the core, her perspective spans her youth in New England and current life in San Diego. Next year, look forward to seeing not just one, but two cookbooks she is writing for Quirk Books.

"Why do I cook? I could say because I’m endlessly fascinated with San Diego’s local produce (which I am), or because I like to eat healthfully (which I do). But the real reason I cook, the reason I’m drawn to the kitchen day after day is because it’s where I’m the happiest. I have my mom to thank for that. I grew up in an Italian-American family in Rhode Island, so food was at the epi-center of our lives. In addition to her many hugs, kisses, and cheek pinches, my mom used cooking as a way to express her love for those around her. Making someone’s favorite dish – my stuffed artichokes or my dad’s pineapple upside-down cake – was her way of telling us that we were special. Like my mom, I find cooking comforting; I get pleasure out of feeding others; and I see cooking as a way to keep family traditions alive. My husband and I have lived away from home for over twelve years now, and it has been cooking, that no matter how far away we were, always made us feel like we were home."

Brussels Sprout Slaw with Apples & Walnuts Recipe

2009-10-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

This brussels sprout salad recipe is perfect for lovers and haters of the little cabbage-looking sprout. The flavor is so mild, that it barely has any cabbage flavor. Because the brussels sprouts are shredded, guests might not even know they are the basis for the dish. Sweet apples and toasted nuts add complexity and crunch. It's a nice balance of sweet, salty, crunchy, tangy with just a touch of richness from the walnuts and the oil.

Brussels sprout slaw is yet another recipe that was created out of "whatever was in the house." I will admit, laziness that keeps me from going to the store in turn inspires new recipes on a regular basis. In this case I had one apple and a bag of brussels sprouts. Back from a weekend out of town, I had no desire to go shopping. My original plan was to roast or saute them, but raw was a refreshing change from the expected. You could probably slice the brussels sprouts very thinly with a knife, but it's much easier to do in a food processor or with a mandolin. You do have a mandolin, right? Cheap Japanese ones are fine, just watch your fingers!

I've seen a number of brussels sprout salads, but very few of them are raw. I hope you will try a raw brussels sprout salad, mine or one of the others listed below. They are delicious and make a great side dish. I served mine as a side to spaghetti alla carbonara but it would go with any kind of roasted meat or chicken, fish, you-name-it. As with all recipes, adjust the seasonings to your taste.

Brussels Sprout Slaw with Apples and Walnuts

1/2 lb brussels sprouts
1 green apple
2 green onions, white and pale green part only
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil (or walnut oil)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Dijon style mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

Shred the brussels sprouts using a mandolin or shredding blade in a food processor. Thinly slice the apple, then cut each slice into matchsticks. Thinly slice the green onions and toss with the shredded brussels sprouts and apple pieces. In a small bowl combine the cider vinegar, olive oil, salt and Dijon mustard. Toss the dressing with the salad, season with freshly ground pepper to taste and gently add the toasted walnuts. Allow to rest a room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

More Brussels Sprouts Salads & Slaws

Spicy Brussels Sprouts Salad with Almonds and Mint, from Molly Watson at About.com Local Foods
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Fresh Walnuts and Pecorino, from Gourmet
Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Mustard Seeds, from Whole Living/Martha Stewart
Brussels Sprouts Salad, from 101 Cookbooks
Stolen Salad, from The Food Section
Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad with Almonds and Parmesan, from Oprah magazine

Goodbye, Gourmet

2009-10-08T11:18:00.000-07:00

I am definitely going through the five stages of grief. I could not believe the news on Monday that Gourmet was closing--denial. I quickly became angry. How dare they! Don't they know how important that magazine is? Bargaining came next. Why didn't they sell the magazine? Go to quarterly issues? Charge more for subscriptions? I wanted to find any way possible to save it.

Right now I'm firmly in depression. I'm just so sad to see a magazine that provoked, inspired, educated and entertained for so long go away. It's not the end of the world, but it feels devastating, as if an old dear friend has slipped away without even a chance to say goodbye. I didn't always agree with the editorial or art direction but I always appreciated it and I never dreamed it would disappear. Visiting the Gourmet offices last year and the test kitchens was an experience I will treasure forever. It made me appreciate all that went into the magazine even more than I had before. At some point I will make a list of all my favorite recipes that I have used over the years. Fortunately they will live on at Epicurious.

I think a lot of the editorials and pundits have really gotten it wrong when it comes to the demise of Gourmet. Anyone who actually read the magazine knew it wasn't just for the cultural elite, it dealt with cultural and political issues having to do with food. And it wasn't the internet that killed the magazine or even a change in readers, but a change in the economy, a change I want to believe is temporary.

I did like the post in Salon very much and an opinion piece in the Christian Science Monitor. I also liked the post in Faster Times and this blog post at Wasabimon. I hope you will enjoy them too. Finally Julie of a Mingling of Tastes is planning a celebration of Gourmet online. If I can get to the fifth stage, acceptance, perhaps I will be able to participate. For now, I'm just too sad.

Why do YOU cook, Kamran Siddiqi?

2009-10-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Kamran Siddiqi

Kamran Siddiqi is unlike any food blogger I know. It's not because his blog The Sophisticated Gourmet is beautifully designed with gorgeous photos and an infectious enthusiasm, it's because at 17 he has that appealing confidence that comes with youth. Anyone who thinks teenagers are unfocused, rude and living only in their own world, clearly hasn't encountered Kamran or his blog.

"Recipes meander through my head during every minute of every day. As a child, I was always in the kitchen where I would watch my parents, grandparents, and other family members create masterpieces. It was always exhilarating to hear the knife against the cutting board, pots and pans clacking, and spoons tapping against the sides of things. Who knew that these unintentional symphonies could create such amazing dishes? Sure, we all cook and eat to fill our stomachs, but as years go by, for most of us cooks, cooking, baking, and eating (and anything else that has to do with food) becomes an art. Personally, cooking is not just something that allows me to fill my stomach with food- it is a way in which I can create palatable dishes that satisfy all of my senses. Cooking allows me to express myself in ways artists do with their paintbrushes. It is not only a method of self-expression, but it allows me to de-stress and wander away from the unnecessary plethora of AP homework that I receive on a daily basis. The 15, 20, 30, or even 60 minutes that I get in the kitchen to bang, chop, dice, julienne, and whisk allow me to conclude my unintentional symphonies with simple, yet sophisticated masterpieces that anyone can enjoy."

Starbucks VIA Ready Brew instant coffee & giveaway

2009-10-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

I got a chance to try "VIA Ready Brew" coffee last week, and perhaps you tried it too over the weekend when Starbucks was offering taste tests in their stores*. It was the best instant coffee I've ever tasted, and it was certainly the most expensive instant coffee I ever tasted, at about $1 per serving. VIA is being sold in a 12 pack for $9.95 and a 3 pack for $2.95. Starbucks doesn't want you to stop drinking their fresh brewed coffee, they want you to take VIA everywhere you can't get their fresh brewed coffee. For people who drink good coffee everyday, this might be an acceptable option when camping, traveling, or for making iced coffee in a hurry, since it dissolves in hot or cold water.

The story behind Starbucks VIA instant coffee is interesting. The late Don Valencia was a cell biologist who developed a technique for freeze-drying cells for examination under the microscope. In the early 1990's Starbucks hired him to head up research and development. His research led to creation of a coffee extract used in many products including bottled drinks and ice cream. It also led to the patent-pending process for making a new kind of instant coffee with more of the aroma, flavor and body of fresh brewed coffee.

I have a confession to make. I'm not really a coffee drinker. I drink it when I'm in Italy, otherwise, not so much. But I do love the flavor of coffee in baked goods, stews, chili, ice cream, you name it. I have a bottle of espresso powder I keep in the fridge for cooking purposes, but even I can tell that instant is not the same as fresh brewed coffee. Since I am not a regular coffee drinker, I will probably be using my samples primarily for cooking.

I have 10 each 3 packs of Columbia and Italian Roast, both are made from 100% arabica beans, ethically sourced. The Columbia is described as "rich and smooth" the Italian "big, bold and full-bodied." To win a sample, leave a comment with any thoughts you have about coffee, a recipe idea, favorite blend, how you might use it, whatever you like. I will choose 10 winners at random who will receive a 3 pack of each variety. You must have a valid email address and US mailing address since I am paying to mail these out. You can also use your sample to inspire an entry in the Starbucks VIA contest with prizes ranging from free coffee to roundtrip airline tickets or a $2,500 Williams-Sonoma gift card. Good luck!

* Today, Monday October 5th, is the last day of the taste test to try VIA for free at Starbucks stores. They will even give you a free cup of brewed coffee for your time.

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS

Why do YOU cook, Matthew Amster-Burton?

2009-10-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Lara Ferroni
Matthew Amster-Burton doesn't post photos and doesn't blog all that often, but his writing at Roots and Grubs is enlightening, honest and often very funny. He's a dad who cooks which is somewhat rare in the food blogging world. In addition to his blog he wrote the laugh-out-loud funny book Hungry Monkey and you can frequently find his writing online at Gourmet, Culinate, and the Seattle Times. His writing has also been featured in various editions of the annual anthology, Best Food Writing.

"I cook because I like chopping vegetables. Because my family appreciates it. Because my kitchen was the only place in my neighborhood to get a Korean taco until, inevitably, a Korean taco truck arrived. Because nobody minds if I drink beer while I do it. Because I like playing with gadgets and shiny objects. Because a new favorite dinner is worth a dozen unsuccessful attempts."

McQuade's Celtic Chutney Tasting

2009-10-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

I love the idea of 18 Reasons. It's space where people can connect with artists, food producers and learn about food. I keep eyeing butchering classes, but there are also coffee roasting classes, cheese and beer pairing classes, the lineup changes all the time with many intriguing options. If you plan on attending often, you'll want to become a member because you get a stack of gift cards to Mission favorites like Bi-Rite Creamery and Tartine Bakery in addition to discounts on everything they do.

Tonight for a mere donation of $10 (or $5 for members) you can taste McQuade's Celtic Chutney with various cheeses, paired with riesling. I always say Alison's chutney is for chutney haters because it is nothing like the glop you get at the supermarket. It's fresh chunky and always with a hit of spice and tang. Current tongue tingling varieties include Plum & Black Pepper, Fig & Ginger, Habanero, and Pineapple Red Chili.

I met Alison years ago and interviewed her for KQED's Bay Area Bites and later wrote about her killer Habanero chutney. She has a great story and her chutney is addictive.

McQuade's Celtic Chutney Tasting @ 18 Reasons
Oct 1, 2009 from 7pm – 9pm
593 Guerrero St
San Francisco

OTD Bush a sneak peek

2009-09-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

You may have eaten at Slanted Door or even at Out The Door either at the Ferry Building or at San Francisco Centre, but you're going to want to try OTD Bush in the Fillmore. In addition to many of the dishes that Chef Charles Phan is famous for such as Vietnamese Spring Rolls and the Jicama and Grapefruit Salad or the Chicken Claypot, OTD Bush offers something else entirely. Breakfast!

I love breakfast but let's face it, going out for breakfast in this town usually means American fare, dim sum or maybe Mexican food. Now there is something new, Vietnamese food. At a press preview I got tastes of a lot of deliciousness. Hats off to Pastry Chef Chucky Dugo for a whole bunch of sweet and savory treats to dig into. I was crazy about the crunchy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside Beignets, Crepes with apples, Warm Banana Sticky Rice with toasted coconut and sweet and savory style pate choux pastries. The little puff pastries were still slightly eggy on the inside, just the way I like them.

For breakfast traditionalists, there are several different egg dishes, including a Fried Egg with pâté and baguette. The Coconut Pull Bread was a big hit with almost everyone but I found the filling a bit cloying. For a pre-opening event the food was amazingly good. I do hope guests warm up to the comforting Chicken Porridge flavored with rau ram, crispy shallots and black pepper. It's just the thing when you are feeling a bit under the weather. Prices on the breakfast menu range from $3 for steamed buns stuffed with gingery chicken, mushrooms or pork to $13 for the Poached Sun Hill Farms Eggs with braised Niman Ranch brisket and crispy potatoes. Most dishes are under $10.

Like the other locations OTD is modern and clean. This location features cool blue green tile, warm wood, marble counters and an open kitchen that runs practically the whole length of the long and narrow space. Lunch and dinner menus look promising as well. I just hope my dyslexic brain can be convinced that the servers t-shirts don't actually proclaim them as sufferers of OCD.

OTD Bush
2232 Bush St @ Fillmore
San Francisco
415.923.9575

Judging the National Beef Cook-Off 2009

2009-09-29T07:19:00.000-07:00

Last week I was one of the judges at the National Beef Cook-Off. It's one of the top culinary contests in the United States, held once every two years with $70,000 in prize money. It was interesting to see what contestants included in their recipes. Trendy ingredients and "superfoods" like walnuts and pomegranates made it into multiple recipes. There were familiar flavors like balsamic vinegar, chipotle and blue cheese, and more exotic ingredients like pistachios and quinoa.

I tasted 15 dishes culled from about 2,000 entries. In each category there was a clear winner and a very delicious dish that anyone could make at home. Should you be interested in entering a cooking competition, the most common mistakes that contestants made were:

* Under seasoning the food, some dishes really needed salt

* Not paying attention to texture, some dishes were very mushy

* Not having a satisfying balance of flavors--too rich or too little acid

* Not cooking the beef for the right amount of time

* Using too many ingredients in one dish creating muddled flavors

In the end, simplicity won with a dish in the Live Well with Fast & Convenient Grilled Beef category. Sonoma Steaks with Vegetable Bocconcini combines Summer vegetables--zucchini, bell peppers and grape tomatoes with grilled steak and mozzarella. It would be great for a pot luck or barbecue dinner. It has very few ingredients but uses some innovative techniques including doctoring the herb marinade from the bocconcini mozzarella balls and microwaving the mozzarella balls to take the chill off and soften them just slightly.

Most of my favorite dishes came from the teen category. I enjoyed the Rustic Beef Caldo which I will cook longer than the recipe indicates, and the Southeast Asian Steak Salad. I also want to try the Sicilian Beef Short Ribs but I would replace the grape juice with a dry red wine.

I was honored to be included with the other judges, Betsy Wray, editor in chief (pictured), Cooking Pleasures magazine; Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle, Jackie Plant, food and nutrition director, Woman's Day magazine; and Niesha Lofing, food and family writer, The Sacramento Bee. Past judges of the contest include Julia Child and James Beard.

To learn more about how long to marinate beef and the best cooking methods for each cut, visit Beef It's What's for DInner

More:
Michael Bauer's blog post

"Beef ambassador's" videos

Why do YOU cook, Sean Timberlake & DPaul?

2009-09-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: DPaul

Sean and DPaul aren't just home cooks they are home canners, unafraid to take on one hundred pounds of tomatoes at a time. They are also culinary explorers, bakers, and cocktail makers, not to mention charming dinner companions. Their posts at Hedonia share a joie de vivre and a taste for all things delicious from the simplest down home barbecue to dinners at Alinea.

"DPaul and I are both pretty adept in the kitchen, though we tend to do different things. When he's cooking, I'm the de facto sous chef. Unlike him, I love prepping. I find zen in the methodical and repetitious tasks in the kitchen like chopping, and really enjoy working with a knife. I also love cooking as an alchemical process. I enjoy watching flour and egg transform into cool, silky pasta, or fruit and sugar into viscous jam. It's truly magical to me."

Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich: Recipe

2009-09-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

There's no getting around it. If you want to eat cheap and healthy food, peanut butter is a natural choice. I know some people can't stand the stuff, but I rather like it. What I don't really like are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. This year during the Hunger Challenge I didn't buy any jam, but I did splurge on some bananas at about 30¢ a piece. Because they are large, I only needed a half a banana to make this sandwich. I like it open face, but you could easily slap another piece of bread on it.

The good thing about eating something like this is that it's tasty, filling and nutritious, but also well under budget, allowing more money for other meals. But this like almost all my meals is starchy and while it might satiate my hunger it doesn't give me as much energy as I would like. Living on a limited budget is all about making choices. It's not terrible, but left to my own devices I might choose this sandwich no more than once a year.

Last year I took the Hunger Challenge a week before the official dates. This year I shopped for the Challenge, cooked for the Challenge but my schedule made participating for one full week really hard. Because my career involves food--especially developing recipes and writing about food, there were just too many events that got in the way. Within the space of two short weeks in addition to my regular workload, I had dinner with several clients and colleagues, I worked on seven recipes for two corporate clients, got ready for a food blog conference, made two guest appearances at writing classes, celebrated the Jewish New Year, and judged a national cook-off (more about that later). I'm not trying to make excuses, but I do realize that if I was on limited budget I would not have been able to do all those work related but fun food oriented things.

Don't get me wrong, I ate plenty of Hunger Challenge meals these past two weeks, I just wasn't able to give the Challenge my full attention. But I do hope my experiences and posts helped to raise awareness. Thanks for sticking it out with me during a couple of tough weeks.

Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich
1 serving, about 34¢

1 slice whole wheat bread, 19¢
1 Tablespoon peanut butter, 10¢
1/2 banana, 15¢

Spread bread with peanut butter, top with thinly sliced banana.

Carrot Salad Recipe

2009-09-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my first Hunger Challenge post this past Sunday, carrots are a bargain. They are nutrient dense, much cheaper than salad greens and can be served so many different ways. Last year I missed eating salad during the Challenge. This year I was determined to try to come up with some kind of a budget-friendly salad and carrots came to the rescue. All my recipes last year were for one pot style meals. They are easy on the wallet but don't allow for much variety on the plate.

Remember those carrot and raisin salads you ate as a child? I really didn't want to make one of those. This has more of a tangy profile than a sweet one. It's inspired by a Moroccan version that I found in Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Eastern Food. I'm particularly pleased with how this recipe turned out. It goes well with sandwiches and as a side dish but can also be served as a snack. I can actually imagine making this beyond the Challenge.

Food isn't just a source of nourishment. Food provides comfort, adventure, and a means for sharing experiences. Day after day the Challenge reminds me not so much of being hungry, but of feeling deprived. I miss chocolate and tea and dessert and fresh fruit and salad and the sharing of a really good time around the dinner table.

Carrot Salad
Make 6 servings about 43¢ per serving

1 1/2 pounds carrots $1.47
Juice of 1 lemon 69¢
2 Tablespoons olive oil 36¢
1 garlic clove, minced 6¢
Salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin or to taste

Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and cumin in a serving bowl. Slice the carrots into 1/8th inch thick disks. Toss the carrots with the dressing, season aggressively with salt and taste.

Lentil & Potato Curry Recipe

2009-09-23T07:09:00.000-07:00

When I saw the Lentil & Potato Curry recipe in Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian cookbook I thought it would be a budget friendly recipe. I can't seem to shake the idea that potatoes are inexpensive. The truth is, they are not. Organic potatoes, the only ones I could find at Whole Foods, were $1.49 a pound. One large potato? About a pound. But potatoes are high in Vitamin C and B6 and leaving the skin on provides good fiber so they are a good pick when it comes to nutrition.

I don't know about you, but I can barely cook anything without onions and garlic. I couldn't help but notice Bittman's recipe was missing those two crucial ingredients so I added them. I was able to get away with buying a very small portion of lentils in the bulk section. Sometimes buying a larger package is more economical but in this case it wouldn't have saved me any money. Can half a cup of lentils and one potato serve two people? In this recipe it can.

Lentil and Potato Curry is a bit like stone soup, the more stuff you add to it, the better it's likely to be. I'd love to serve it topped with a dollop of yogurt, a bit of chutney, a sprinkling of chopped cilantro, some rice and a fresh green vegetable like spinach, but staying on a strict budget means making sacrifices.

Lentil & Potato Curry
makes 2 servings about $1.38 per serving

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 5¢
1/2 onion, chopped 75¢
2 garlic cloves, mashed 10¢
1/2 cup brown lentils 36¢
2 cups water, or more as needed
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder (I considered this pantry supplies)
1 large potato, cut into chunks $1.49

In a large saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onions for 8 minutes or until soft and golden. Add the garlic and curry and saute for another minute. Add the lentils and water. Simmer partially covered for 15 minutes. Add the potato and cover pan. Gently simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils and potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Optional: top with yogurt and cilantro.

Parsley Pesto Recipe

2009-09-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Eating on a budget is possible, but it's not exactly exciting. To be honest, despite my success with recipes I developed last year during the Hunger Challenge I didn't make any of them again after the Challenge was over. They were too plain, sad reminders of a week of limitations. My desire this year is to coax maximum flavor out of inexpensive dishes and not rely on my old standbys, bacon and parmesan cheese. The Challenge seems to be turning me into a vegan.

One recipe I've been trying to rethink is pesto. In this version I replaced basil with parsley, took out the cheese and olive oil, used pumpkin seeds in place of pine nuts and used a bit of bread to give the sauce some texture. I credit cookbook author Sally Schneider with that idea. She uses a mixture of bread and water to create creamy texture that tricks you into thinking you are eating something made with oil or fat. The nice thing about this sauce is that in addition to using it on pasta, you could also serve it with chicken, vegetables or even fish, assuming you caught some that is.

The pesto was pretty good on angel hair pasta with a sprinkling of toasted bread crumbs on top, an Italian "cucina povera" technique. It acts as a stand in for parmesan cheese because it is crunchy and a little salty. I will admit, without the parmesan this sauce does need more salt than conventional pesto. Since pasta can be found for 99¢ a package or about 25¢ a serving I leave it up to you to decide if you want to add a drizzle of olive oil..

Parsley Pesto
About 1 cup, 6 servings about 34¢ per serving

1 bunch parsley $1.49
1 garlic clove, smashed 5¢
1/2 slice soft bread, wheat or white 10¢
2 Tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds, shelled 40¢
1/2 - 2/3 cup water or more as needed
Salt to taste

In a dry (no oil) non-stick pan over medium heat toast the pumpkin seeds for about 2 minutes or until they begin to lighten in color and get crispy. Roughly chop the parsley and stems, trimming the very end of the stems off. Put the water in the blender first, then add the parsley, garlic, pumpkin seeds and the bread. Whirl until pureed, adding more water if necessary. Season to taste with salt. Serve over pasta, chicken, bread, etc.

Budget Grocery Shopping Tips

2009-09-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

Just yesterday the San Francisco Chronicle reported that unemployment has reached 12.2% in California, that's the highest it's been since 1976. That means more and more people are struggling to make ends meet. More and more people are facing hunger.

I'm lucky, I've never faced hunger. I've never used food stamps or gotten food from a food bank, but for the second year in a row, I'll be participating in the Hunger Challenge sponsored by the San Francisco Food Bank. It's an opportunity to try to gain a better understanding of the challenges that come with trying to eat 3 meals a day for only $4, the typical food budget of a food stamp recipient.

I've already gone shopping twice at Whole Foods, once for my own cooking and a second time with Sue Kwon of KPIX to help her as she takes on the challenge. This week I'll be sharing my experiences, tips and recipes. To kick things off, here are some of suggestions for how to save on groceries at Whole Foods:

+ Buy bulk, that way you can get as little as you need for recipes using ingredients such as nuts, legumes or grains.

+ Frozen vegetables are often a better value than fresh, especially when it comes to green peas, spinach and broccoli.

+ Use flavor boosters to help make bland foods taste better--try a little garlic, lemon zest or chili flakes.

+ It's perfectly ok to buy one stick of butter, even if you have to open a package to get it.

+ Look to the Whole Foods 365 brand for tremendous values. Best bets include peanut butter, pasta, and oatmeal.

+ Protein is expensive, but eggs are still a good bargain and can be purchased for under $3 a dozen.

+ Lentils are another cheap source of protein and cook quicker than other types of beans. Dry beans are always cheaper than canned beans.

+ One of the best bargains in the produce section is carrots at 99 cents per pound. Eat them raw in salad, cooked as a side dish, or add them to soups and stews.

Here is a great list of 50 Items Under $1.50 at Whole Foods compiled by Stephanie at Noshotopia. Not all the prices are still the same, but they are pretty close.

Why do YOU cook, Carol Blymire?

2009-09-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

Carol Blymire brings a new level of commitment to food blogging. You think cooking through Mastering the Art of French Cooking was impressive? That's nothing. Carol cooked her way through the French Laundry cookbook and documented it on her blog, French Laundry at Home, and is now cooking her way through Alinea at her follow-up blog, Alinea at Home.

Carol shares her adventures and her food and reading how friends and neighbors react to her creations makes me feel like I'm right there with them. There's a good chance I may never cook from either of those books, but I am a vicarious observer and long-distance appreciator of every dish and every post.

"I cook because I'm adopted. Stay with me; I know it might sound weird, but trust me, it's true. Study after study shows that when babies who were adopted reach adolescence and adulthood, they have greater difficulty connecting with others on an intimate, trusting level. When I was born in the late 1960s, newborns were placed into foster care or in an orphanage for a few months before being placed with their family. That means newborns who were put up for adoption at that time were separated from the only human being they've ever known moments after being born, then again, months later, from their foster mother or caregiver at the orphanage. So, while most babies spend their first three months developing their sense of trust by merely being able to stare into the same parents' eyes from the moment they were born, people like me have stared into many eyes, heard many voices, and had some fractures in learning how to build trust and intimacy. It can be done -- and my relationship with my family is incredibly loving and close -- but, we have to work harder at it. The one constant in all that change among all those different people who loved me before my parents got the chance to, is nourishment. No matter who cared for me, no matter whose eyes I stared into, those people fed me. And, I don't think it's merely a coincidence that when I was three months old, my parents brought me into their home for the first time on the night before Thanksgiving, so that my first meal with my new family took place on a day when food is celebrated and honored the most. It took some time and perspective to understand it, but I now know and cherish that, for me, food is the singularly constant language of love and caring I know. It's why I sometimes get teary at restaurants -- when chefs and cooks share their craft, their passion, their hands, and their work with me, it speaks to me in a way that it might not with others. Especially having recently been diagnosed with celiac and not being able to eat gluten -- having someone cook something for me that won't make me sick has taken my gratefulness for nourishment to a level that is nearly indescribable. But the question was not "why do you eat" or "why do you write about food," it's "why do you cook?" I cook because, for me, it's the most honest way for me to show my love. I don't throw big dinner parties and invite people I barely know; in fact, I'm actually pretty selective about who sits at my table, and why. Whether it's new friends I want to get to know better, old friends I've known my whole life, or having my family come for a Sunday dinner, the best and most trusting, honest way I show my love and affection is to have you eat something I've made. It might be something it took me all day to make, or it might be something I threw together at the last minute -- the how is not important, but the why is. The people with whom I share the food I make should be able to hear, feel, smell, touch, and taste my care, my respect, and my love of not just the food, but of them. That's why I cook -- not just because I know how to, but because I love to feed the people I love having in my life."

The Visual Food Lover's Guide

2009-09-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

The Visual Food Lover's Guide is a terrific resource that I can't stop leafing through. In fact, it has taken up residence next to my bed along with a few other treasured tomes. It has the basic information on how to buy, prepare, cook, serve and store over 1,000 types of food. It also gives you the rundown on nutritional information. It's nowhere near as personal or opinionated as Jane Grigon's Vegetable Book, but with hundreds of entries it is much more comprehensive.

I really like that there's a color illustration of each item and some photos for techniques like how to make bread or pry open oyster shells. The entry for anise has an illustration of the flowering plant, star anise seeds and pods. That level of detail is what makes it so worthwhile. They've also done a great job making sure that produce and seafood from different geographic locations are included. My only complaint is that the mushroom section is a bit thin. I would have loved to have seen mushrooms such as hedgehog, lobster and lion's mane included.

The book is in a very convenient small paperback format. I do wish there was an iPhone app so I could it take it with me everywhere! There are still plenty of ingredients that I have yet to explore, and this reference book is a great way to familiarize myself with them before I buy or cook. In fact, I think I could use a copy in my car for my excursions to ethnic markets.

Another must have book for the curious and creative cook is The Flavor Bible. A big congratulations to Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg on the one year anniversary of this landmark book. It has thousands of combinations of ingredients that are tried and true. It actually pairs well with the Visual Food Lover's Guide. It has gotten me out of a rut many times and opened my eyes to some new ways of thinking about ingredients. Like The Visual Food Lover's Guide, it belongs on the shelf of anyone looking to learn more about ingredients and create their own recipes.

Why do YOU cook, Garrett McCord?

2009-09-15T07:39:00.000-07:00

Photo credit Garrett McCord
Garrett McCord is a fearless cook. He can be wildly creative at times, but mostly I am fascinated by what intrigues him and what challenges he is willing to take like making chocolate truffles with bacon or elderberry syrup. I first got hooked on his writing when he was blogging about his crazy out-of-the-box cupcake creations. His blog is Vanilla Garlic and he is also a contributor at Edible Sacramento and Simply Recipes.

"These days I find my life completely consumed by work and graduate school. More than once have I had to resort shoving fast food down my craw for fuel so I can continue researching or writing. Still I do my best to find time to cook. It's a basic human practice to try and find pleasure in satisfying hunger so cooking acts as a source of joy. Cooking becomes my respite and study break. Brewing up a batch of preserves and making a batch of cookies allows me to work with my hands and exercise a different part of my brain. It's a therapy session, mediation, and play all wrapped into one."

Sausage & Vegetable Kebabs

2009-09-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

I love kebabs! I don't know why eating food on a stick is so much fun, but it is. The best kebabs I ever had were in Istanbul, the meat sizzled on the outside but was juicy on the inside. Luckily kebabs are easy to make at home even for those like me, without an outdoor grill.

I'm amazed at how versatile kebabs are and how they always manage to stretch whatever I'm cooking. It must have something to do with surface area and spacial relations. When food is served on a stick, it just seems like there is more of it. Two slices of eggplant, two small zucchini and just under two Italian sausages somehow made a huge dinner for two. It also gave me the feeling of Summer, even though it was cooked and eaten indoors.

When it comes to kebabs, skip the bamboo. The best kind of skewers are metal--I have two sets, flat metal which are particularly good for meat and vegetables and double pronged which are perfect for seafood. With either one you choose, the food won't slip and slide. In my experience food also cooks faster and more evenly on metal skewers than on bamboo. Buy 'em once, use them forever.

The secret to this recipe is the marinade. Most recipes call for putting a sauce on the vegetables after they cook, but this marinade has nothing in it that will burn and the eggplant in particular soaks up lots of flavor. The smoked paprika adds great smoky flavor and color. I also find that the sausage is salty enough that you don't need to add any additional salt. I used spicy sausages, but I think you could use sweet ones if you prefer. Don't be tempted to cut the sausage and vegetables into larger chunks, keeping the vegetables and sausage slices small allows them to cook quickly and evenly.

Sausage & Vegetable Kebabs

Makes 2 servings

3/4 lb mixed eggplant and summer squash
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika--hot or sweet
2 Italian sausages, about 1/2 pound
Fresh basil or sage leaves, optional

Slice the eggplant and squash into small cubes, about 1/2 inch. Make the marinade by combining the lemon juice, olive oil, galic and smoked paprika. Place the marinade and vegetables into a zip top bag and let marinate for up to 3 hours. Most of the marinade will be absorbed by the vegetables.

Preheat broiler then slice the sausage into about 12 - 15 slices. Slide the cubes of squash, eggplant and sausage onto skewers, preferably metal, with sage or basil leaves on top of each piece of sausage. All the meat and vegetables should be touching with no spaces in between.

Place skewers on a foil lined broiler pan and broil about 7 minutes on each side or until meat and vegetables are cooked through. Serve with couscous.

Enjoy!