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Salad Meals, cookbook review

I love salads but I’m so lazy/utilitarian about them. I just don’t keep enough “stuff” on hand to make them very interesting, and I’m too cheap to go out for salad. But even as I say this, I’m always trying to do better about eating my vegetables, so I was definitely interested in “Salad Meals: Salads to feed body, soul, and friends” by Emily Ezekiel when it was released just last month.

The book is sectioned by season. And each season includes a sharing platter recipe, a salad in a jar recipe, and fruit salad. Some of the fruit salads are more like yogurt bowls, but I’m ok with that (I eat a LOT of yogurt). To finish, the last chapter of the book is “dressings, pickles, toppers, and oils.” It should also be noted that, though these are all salad recipes, they are not all vegetarian or vegan recipes. Some recipes have fish, meat, or poultry.

While I may try to cook my way through this book one day, here are some that I thought were eye-catching:

  • Rhubarb and citrus salad with a quick granola topper,
  • Steak frites salad with Dijon dressing,
  • Roast beet salad with labneh, soft boiled eggs and dukkah,
  • Rhubarb and potato bake with watercress and cheddar,
  • Charred zucchini salad with mozzarella and fregola,
  • Corn and orecchiette salad with cherry tomatoes and ricotta,
  • Grilled fruit salad with arugula, almonds, and pickled chiles,
  • Cherry and jalapeno salad with Israeli couscous,
  • Indian-style chaat salad with cilantro and tamarind sauces,
  • Summer fruit salad with a coffee mascarpone,
  • Apple and pear salad with whipped ricotta,
  • Roasted fall fruit salad with a spiced oat crumb,
  • Poached chicken salad with scallions and rice,
  • Winter soba noodle salad with miso and lime dressing,
  • Chamomile fruit salad with mascarpone,
  • Winter poke bowl with sweet potato and garlic greens
  • Green goddess jalapeno dressing
  • Za’atar dressing

Since it’s spring where I am, I picked two recipes from the Spring chapter to explore. The first one I made was the peppers and bean salad with anchovies. This one did not require me to make a component from another chapter. It’s made with red bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, paprika, sherry wine vinegar, cannellini beans, anchovies (packed in oil), lemon zest (optional), parsley, salt and pepper. I made a shopping mistake and didn’t have the cannellini beans so I swapped with an equal amount of chickpeas. Next time, I will use the cannellini beans because I realized that, more or less, I’ve had the chickpea version before. Overall, I enjoyed this salad, and remembered how much I like the combination of olive oil, garlic, paprika, and bell pepper. But I will make some minor changes next time. The first change will be to reduce the amount of bell peppers. The ingredient list asks for 6 bell peppers but the recipe only serves 2. I ended up using 5 and still think the ratio was off. My salad per serving had very few legumes in it, while the book photo shows mostly beans and a smaller amount of bell peppers. I suppose that the bell peppers could be at the bottom of the bowl in the photo but 3 bell peppers per person is a lot for a serving.

The other thing I would change is topping the salad with anchovies. While I have nothing against anchovies, it was weird to me to just have them as garnish. It was too salty and too “fishy” this way. When I ate the leftovers, I intentionally mixed the anchovies into the dressing and found that to be better balance of flavors. I did skip the lemon zest but I’m wishing that I had it for an extra layer of flavor.

The second recipe I made was for a mushroom and kale salad with a poached egg. This one uses shallots, white vinegar, butter, olive oil, mushrooms, garlic, eggs, lemon, red chile, kale, parsley, and some grated Parmesan. You mix the shallots and vinegar first, and set aside. Then you cook the mushrooms in butter and olive oil, adding some garlic, and finishing with lemon zest and chile. Separately, you poach an egg. Once all the components are done, you toss the mushrooms with the kale and parsley. The salad is finished with the egg, shallots, and cheese.

Overall, I really enjoyed the flavors of this salad. The downside is that it took me longer than I thought it was going to. Even though I read the recipe ahead, it didn’t really occur to me that I was going to use multiple dishes to prep the components. But more importantly, would I make this again? Yes. It’s also very easy to do more as a meal prep item. I can imagine swapping the poached egg for soft boiled eggs so that you can have it ready ahead of time.

As summer approaches sooner rather than later, I really want to make all the fruit salad recipes. I’ll make it a goal to do so (feel free to follow my IG for updates – shameless plug, I know). This is all to say that I think this is a wonderful collection of recipes. Are you looking to eat healthier? Try this book! Do you love salads? Try this book!

Disclaimer – I kindly received a copy of this book from Hardie Grant North America for this review.  I’m not getting paid for this post. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.  This cookbook is available for purchase from your favorite bookshops.

Reference Links:

https://emilyezekiel.com/

https://www.instagram.com/emilyezekiel

https://www.hardiegrantusa.com/

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Sesame, Soy, Spice review

“Sesame, Soy, Spice: 90 Asian-ish Vegan and Glute-free Recipes to Reconnect, Root, and Restore” is the first cookbook by Remy Morimoto Park, a health and wellness blogger based in NYC. She also comes with a Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese background. According to the author/book, the recipes “are love letters to her family members, to the countries she’s lived in, and to her teenage self – the one who thought she had to reject the food of her culture to live authentically for herself.”

The chapters are listed as:

  • First things first,
  • Salads that don’t suck (and other delicious vegetables),
  • Snacks that smile back,
  • Crying over spilt soymilk,
  • Long life noodles, rice, and other mains,
  • More things my family members, who never measure anything, like to make,
  • You deserve it

At first glance, I was confused by the title “crying over spilled milk” but that chapter talks about the heavy topic of substance abuse at a young age, and turning to sobriety. It then offers recipes for alcohol-free drinks.

Some recipes that I think sound good are:

  • Just-add-mylk pancake mix,
  • Miso-glazed mushroom toast,
  • Vegan cream cheese,
  • Smoky maple tempeh bacon,
  • Matcha and pistachio granola,
  • Crunchy togarashi asparagus,
  • Scallion pesto,
  • Korean bbq-loaded nachos,
  • Perfect pistachio milk,
  • Pistachio milk matcha with cheesecake cream,
  • Black sesame cacao smoothie,
  • Cucumber sesame noodles,
  • Shredded Korean bbq bulgogi tofu,
  • Spicy peanut ramen,
  • Thai basil tempeh,
  • Popcorn tofu,
  • Chinese peanut cookies,
  • Thai tea panna cotta,
  • Miso caramel creme brulee,
  • Black sesame chocolate chip bliss balls,
  • Miso butter chocolate chip cookies

My only real criticism of the book is that not all of the recipes are “Asian-ish” which is what I was expecting based on the title.  The recipes I highlighted above are but there’s also recipes like “snap pea slaw” and “quinoa salad with raspberry poppyseed dressing” which really are not.  (You can make the raspberry poppyseed dressing more Asian inspired by adding gochujang but that’s listed as an optional ingredient.) It’s only when you read the inside jacket that it says “elegant, easy-to-make plant-based takes on Asian-ish and international dishes.”

The first recipe I made is not Asian in any way, but sounds delicious: chocolate quinoa breakfast bowl.  It’s made with quinoa, water, plant milk, maple syrup, cacao powder, almond butter, vanilla, and topped with fruits/nuts of choosing.  It’s pretty easy to make but take more time than you might think.  You first cook the quinoa in water for 10-12 minutes, and then finish cooking it in the plant milk for another 7-8 minutes.    My recommendation is to use less plant milk to start than what is listed.  I used an oatmilk brand that I had never used before, and it was very thin.  I used the full amount, and my final results were more watery than what the book photo presents.  It does thicken up if you store leftovers in the fridge, but my oatmilk was so thin that it still felt too watery to me the next day.  Admittedly, I made this recipe because One Degree Organic Foods’ Organic Sprouted Oat Granola Quinoa Cacao is one of my favorite snacks.  They are very different chocolate quinoa recipes.  The porridge here is more bittersweet, and the quinoa flavor is more pronounced.  That doesn’t mean that I think it’s bad or anything.  It’s just different.  The porridge is also very filling.  The recipe says it’s for 2 servings, but with nuts and fruits (and a serving of yogurt which I have every morning), I was able to stretch this into 5 servings.  This a great option for meal prepping.

The second recipe I made also came from the same chapter but I ate them for lunch: super scallion quiche cups.  It’s inspired by egg bites and scallion pancakes.  It’s made with oil, leeks, scallions, extra firm tofu, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, plant milk, miso, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Essentially, these all get blended together to make the quiche batter.  The recipe was written for a 24 mini muffin tin, but I used a standard 12 cup muffin tin.  The recipe says to blend until spoonable but not too runny.  I took that mean a hummus like consistency which was a pain in the butt to scoop out of my blender as I got closer to the blades.  I think I will try this in a food processor next time.  This is also a great meal prep item, especially if you’re on the go.  Overall I enjoyed this, but I think I can add more scallions, nutritional yeast, miso, and onion/garlic powders.  The tofu can take it.  Otherwise, it might be fun to garnish with a flavored schmear of choice.

The book has a fun array of vegan recipes.  I think this book will appeal to anyone new to veganism, long-time vegans looking for new ideas, or anyone looking for recipes to increase their vegetable consumption.  Just don’t get this book for you’re expecting Asian inspired recipes only.  

Disclaimer – I kindly received a copy of this book from William Morrow/Harper Collins for this review.  I’m not getting paid for this post. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.  This cookbook is available for purchase from your favorite bookshops.

Reference Links:

https://www.instagram.com/veggiekins/?hl=en

https://veggiekinsblog.com/

https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/remy-morimoto-park-84771

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Anything’s Pastable review

I didn’t realize that Dan Pashman of cascatelli fame had a new cookbook until I saw he was recently a guest on the “Hotdog is a Sandwich” podcast.  I suppose it should not be be a surprise that the new cookbook is called “Anything’s Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People.”  This is not a collection of recipes that an Italian nonna is going to have, and that’s what I love about it.  There is a lot of global influence, and well thought out fusion recipes.

The book is divided into: 

  • Pestos, pangrattatos, and the jarred tomato sauce decision tree
  • Classic comfort: Hugs on a plate
  • Carby and crispy: adventures in texture
  • Zing: flavor bombs, not belly bombs
  • Stews, rouxes, and ragus: thick and hearty, warm and toasty
  • Pasta salads redeemed: fresh and bright, hold the mayo
  • To the forno!: baked pasta dishes

You’ll find recipes like: 

  • Ritz cracker and chive pangrattato,
  • Shells with miso butter and scallions,
  • Mac ‘n’ dal,
  • Scallion oil bucatini with runny eggs,
  • Swordfish with salsa verde sagne a pezzi,
  • Kimchi carbonara,
  • Shakshuka and shells,
  • Gnocchi with bacon and sauerkraut,
  • Keema bolognese,
  • Mapo tofu cascatelli,
  • Tteokbokki bolognese,
  • Cavatelli with crunchy fresh corn, tomatoes, ricotta salata, and mozzarella,
  • Crispy gnocchi salad with preserved lemon-tomato dressing,
  • Italian cafeteria hot dog pasta salad with canned vegetables,
  • Pasta pizza,
  • Smoked cheddar and chicken manicotti “enchiladas”

The recipe that immediately caught my attention was tortellini in kimchi parmesan brodo.  It’s made with butter, bacon, scallions, napa cabbage kimchi, gochugaru, chicken stock, lemon, Parmesan, black pepper, and refrigerated cheese or spinach-and-cheese tortellini.  Freshly made, I liked the soup but I wasn’t in love with it.  For me, the lemon flavor seemed to overtake the cheese flavor.  But then I realized that I liked this recipe so much more as leftovers.  I found the lemon mellowed out and gave a nice acidity, and the cheese flavor seemed stronger the next day.  Overall, it was better balanced.  There’s a lot of liquid for the amount of pasta, but it gave me the flexibility to bulk up the leftovers with tofu and kale.

The second recipe I made was for ssamjang aglio olio which has a short ingredient list: salt garlic, extra virgin olive oil, ssamjang, red pepper flakes, mafalde (bucatini, fettuccine, spaghetti), and roasted unsalted peanuts.  (I used fettuccine.)  I’ve never made the original aglio e olio even though I am a garlic lover.  This recipe took me longer to make than I thought it would, but I assume that it’ll go faster next time.  Basically, you make a garlic infused oil, then use it for the ssamjang sauce base.  Next, you boil the pasta, and finish the pasta and sauce together with pasta cooking water.  Plate up the pasta, and garnish with peanuts.

There’s really not much to say except that I loved the ssamjang aglio olio.  I think everyone who loves Asian flavors will love this pasta sauce. It also reminds me to use ssamjang more often.

I can’t wait to cook more from this book.  I recommend this book to everyone.  And I mean “everyone.” Don’t eat pasta much?  Doesn’t matter!  Feel free to serve the sauces over tofu, over vegetables, etc.  Not to sound hyperbolic, but this might be my favorite cookbook of 2024.

Disclaimer – I kindly received a copy of this book from William Morrow/Harper Collins for this review.  I’m not getting paid for this post. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.  This cookbook is available for purchase from your favorite bookshops.

Reference Links:

https://www.sporkful.com/

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/anythings-pastable-dan-pashman

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Gohan cookbook review

Emiko Davies, the Australian-Japanese cookbook author based in Italy, is mostly known for her Italian cooking.  She’s written five books on Italian cooking, and I recognize her name from the work she’s done for Food52.  My introduction to her was a Food52 Youtube video in the days of the covid-19 pandemic where she made Torta Caprese.  But more recently, in September 2023, she release a Japanese cookbook with Smith Street Books.

“Gohan”, by Davies, almost feels like looking through a family photo album. At first glance, the recipes are unpretentious and ageless. Here, you’ll find basic Japanese cooking and flavors.

The book is divided into:

  • Home-made pantry staples
  • Rice
  • Noodles and street food
  • The West meets Japan
  • Japanese Breakfast
  • Vegetables
  • Family favorites
  • Sweets

When I say basic Japanese cooking, I mean items like onigiri (rice balls) and grilled fish.  It’s humble, and not glitzy for internet fame. You can also find recipes like:

  • No-waste furikake seasoning
  • All-purpose soup base
  • Tonkatsu sauce
  • Pickled ginger
  • My mother’s lemon-pickled daikon
  • Scrambled eggs with garlic chives
  • Salmon donburi
  • Fried and braised lotus root and carrot
  • Golden taro and potatoes in soy butter
  • Cold somen noodles with cucumber and ginger
  • Winter hotpot (oden)
  • Potato salad
  • Curry rice
  • Japanese milk bread
  • Red bean buns
  • Kanten fruit jelly cups

The first recipe I made from the book was for braised tofu. The ingredient list is uncomplicated: firm tofu, onion, scallion, soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and water.  The results were pretty much what I imagined they would be. It’s a simple but tasty way to consume tofu. (Typically you would serve with rice, but I must admit that I ate with broccoli and pasta instead.) I will definitely remake in the future.

The other recipe I made was for kinako and chestnut cake. It’s made with lots of butter, sugar, Okinawan black sugar (alternately brown sugar), lots of eggs, all purpose flour, kinako (aka roasted soybean powder), and whole chestnuts.  For the chestnuts, I cheated and used one 100g bag of roasted chestnuts from the market. I adore chestnuts but I don’t really eat them in other dishes, so I was curious how this dessert would turn out. I’ve also never thought about using kinako in baked goods. I’ve only used it as a condiment for Korean BBQ. This recipe ended up being surprisingly difficult for me. I probably should have stayed away when I realized that there were no leavening agents. All of the loft is made from the eggs (which I am generally not great at). I followed the recipe to the T, making sure that the wet ingredients were well mixed with an electric mixer and timed it. But the batter is extremely thick and sticky, almost more like a cookie batter than like a cake batter. By the time I folded in all of the flour, I worked out too much air from the eggs.

My cake still rose, but not much, and I ended up with a fairly dense crumb. But more importantly, how was the flavor? It was not at all what I was expecting, but at the same time, it is the epitome of a Japanese dessert. (I know that’s a terrible description.) It’s not too sweet, and it’s very light in flavor. I’m not sure I’d make it as written again. Next time, I will give in to the temptation to add some baking powder. I might also add some vanilla, or alter the sugar ratio for more brown sugar (I do not have black sugar in my pantry). I’m not sure. It’s probably the American in me, but I wanted just a bit more oomph (especially for the amount of effort).

Baking technicalities aside, I’m glad I made it. A more talented home baker will not have trouble with it. (Or do I remake it as written just to prove to myself that I can do it? Hmmm…) I wish a little that I made the matcha almond cookies recipe instead. I didn’t choose that one because my matcha powder is old and the bright green color has oxidized into a dull green.

I think anyone who appreciates Japanese food will enjoy this book. I think the photos are gorgeous, and there are lovely stories and ingredient information. My only caution is that this book is in weighed amounts, no US volumetric.

Disclaimer – I kindly received a copy of this book from Smith Street Books/Rizzoli New York for this review.  I’m not getting paid for this post. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.  This cookbook is available for purchase from your favorite bookshops.

Reference Links:

https://food52.com/users/23872-emiko/articles

https://www.emikodavies.com

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How to Fall in Love with Tofu, cookbook review

Tofu is underrated.  I’m not really sure why so many people claim to hate it.  Since silken tofu and super firm tofu exists, it can’t only be a texture issue.  Obviously, if you’re allergic to it, don’t eat it.  But otherwise, in this day in age where nutritional guidelines tell you to eat less meat, it’s such a great way to consume protein with less saturated fat.

I will say that it’s very easy to run out of ideas on how to serve tofu.  I tend to default to serving tofu in soup, or baked tofu as a meat substitute.  I know that there are other ways to cook it, but I just can’t think of them off the top of my head.

So, it was personally fun to get the chance to review “How to Fall in Love with Tofu”, by Emma de Thouars.

The book has chapters but it also has sub-chapters. But honestly, the sub-chapters feel like their own chapters through and through. So here’s the full list:

  • Make Your Own Tofu,
  • Breakfast and Sandwiches,
  • Tofu and Egg, Snacks,
  • Stuffed Tofu, Saucy,
  • Tofu as a Centerpiece,
  • Not So Saucy,
  • Sweet Side Dishes,
  • Stock,
  • Crispies

The recipes that stand out to me are:

  • Scrambled tofu with crispy chilli,
  • Tofu sando,
  • Tofu omelette with tomato chilli sauce,
  • Korean tofu pancakes with prawns,
  • Tofu stuffed with minced pork,
  • Dan dan noodles with tofu,
  • Korean tofu stew with clams,
  • Deep-fried tofu with garlic sauce,
  • Pad krapow with tofu,
  • Spring onion tofu,
  • Tofu larb,
  • Tofu pudding with sago and green tea

The first recipe I made was for steamed egg with tofu.  I’ve had Chinese styled steamed eggs (literal English translation of the dish name is “water eggs”) either plain or with ground pork.  This recipe basically replace the pork with tofu.  The ingredients are simple!  It’s just eggs, dashi, silken tofu, soy sauce, and scallions/roasted seaweed for serving.  (You can skip the scallions and seaweed if you want.)  You will need a dish both wide enough but shallow enough for steaming.  I used a 9″ glass pie pan and the recipe barely fit.  I was surprised by how much I liked this.  My previous recipe for steamed eggs was heavier on the liquid.  More liquid does make a silkier texture, but it also means that more liquid seeps out the minute you cut into in it.  I realized that I prefer this recipe which has less liquid for a firmer texture.

I imagine that I’ll make this on the regular.  You can easily dress it up by garnishing with chili crisp, or change the flavor profile by using a different soup base than dashi.

The second recipe I made was for butter tofu sloppy joes.  I love Indian flavors, and I also love a good sandwich.  It never occurred to me to “remix” it with tofu.  This recipe uses butter, garlic, ginger, chilli powder, ground cumin, garam masala, tomato paste, firm tofu, heavy cream, and brioche buns.  You cook up the aromatics first, and then add tofu, cream, and some water.  Let it cook down to get saucy.  Then simply serve on toasted brioche buns.  This was another fun recipe.  The only thing I did different was to grate my tofu (because I was using super firm tofu), instead of just crumbling it.   I think this a great recipe for someone who’s unsure about eating tofu.  For the average North American, it feels less foreign even though the flavors are Indian.  And if you don’t want to buy the individual spices, I highly recommend buying a butter chicken spice packet.  Honestly, it’s probably what I’ll do when I remake it.

Overall, my only critique is that I wish there were more than 40 recipes!  Tofu as a centerpiece is only 3 recipes (4 if you include frying a whole tofu block), and they are all fried.  I’m too lazy to fry anything. But it’s a lovely resource when you want to get out of a rut. I definitely recommend giving this book a try.

Disclaimer – I kindly received a copy of this book from Smith Street Books/Rizzoli New York for this review.  I’m not getting paid for this post. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.  This cookbook is available for purchase from your favorite bookshops.

Reference Links:

https://www.instagram.com/emmadethouars/?hl=en

https://www.smithstreetbooks.com/catalogue/how-to-fall-in-love-with-tofu/

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Compact Cooking, cookbook review

Happy New Year, everyone! Sorry I haven’t posted in some time. It’s because books that I was expecting to get before the holidays all got delayed. It is what it is. But here’s to the first cookbook review of 2024!

I think it’s pretty obvious that I don’t live in a dorm since I have a cookbook review blog. I have a functional kitchen, but I don’t have a great kitchen.  I have zero counter space, and barely a work table.  It’s probably why I dislike doing complicated cooking projects. I’m also someone who mostly cooks for one, so Jenna Hunter’s new cookbook, “Compact Cooking: Big Flavor from Small Kitchens”, captured my attention by title alone.  The recipes in this book vary in cooking methods, utilizing the air fryer, the slow cooker, the microwave, hot plate/stove top, and toaster oven/standard oven.  But most of the recipes only make 1-2 servings.  (Some make 3 servings, and I think there’s only 1 recipe that makes more than 3.)

The book is broken down into:

  • Simple Breakfasts (Feelin’ Somethin’ Savory?  Feelin’ Somethin’ Sweet?)
  • Effortless Lunches (Simple Soups, Satisfying Salads, Sandwichin’ It)
  • Satisfying Snacks
  • Easy-Peasy Dinners (Dinners in a Dash, Slow and Steady Suppers)
  • Sweet Treats (Quick Fixes, Indulgent Treats)

Some things you’ll find in here are:

  • Lazy tomato and egg bake
  • Baked sliced peach
  • Cake for breakfast
  • Warm chicken and kale salad
  • Hearty vegetarian bowl
  • Mom’s couscous salad
  • Sweet ‘n salty turkey melt
  • Baked jalapeno, raspberry, and cream cheese dip
  • Air fryer crab cakes
  • Cheesy garlicky spaghetti squash
  • Chicken tikka masala
  • Tavern pot roast
  • Garlic chicken parm pasta
  • Date caramel dip
  • Mason jar cinnamon-spiced vanilla ice cream

Because I had leftover bread that I really wanted to use up, I first made the “Any Berry French Toast Muffins.”  Made from whole wheat bread, eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and frozen berries (cherries for me), this is a very easy recipe to put together.  The only change I made was to use a small cake pan to bake the French toast/bread pudding/casserole, instead of a muffin pan.  I loved the amount it made.  I didn’t have to worry about being stuck with too much in leftovers.  It is a little on the bland side because there isn’t any added sugar or salt.  However, it’s the perfect vehicle for a drizzle of maple syrup (my favorite sweetener of all time).  I’m already planning on remaking this but maybe swapping out the frozen berries with fruit spread (which I have in abundance in my fridge).

The second recipe I made was for the “Comforting Winter Soup.”  I don’t know why but I fixated on this recipe the moment I saw it.  It’s made with smoked sausage, butternut squash, spinach, onion, beef broth, smoked paprika, black pepper, and garlic powder in a slow cooker.  Since this recipe was for 3 servings, I used my 4.5 quart slow cooker which ended up being a mistake.  Even before I added the spinach, my slow cooker was filled nearly to the top.  I ended up letting this cook until the butternut squash was done, spooning it out, and then adding the spinach to cook.  While very easy to put together, I didn’t love this soup as much as I thought I would.  I wonder if I would like this better on the stovetop.  Butternut squash is one of my favorite vegetables, but the flavor of it mostly disappeared here on the long cook time.  Maybe I would prefer to use a different spice over the smoked paprika?  Would that let the butternut squash flavor come though stronger?  I really liked the warmth the black pepper provided without being overly peppery but I think I need to workshop this recipe to appeal more to my taste buds.

I was originally going to stop at 2 recipe tests, but I felt bad that I didn’t love the winter soup.  So, I made the “Microwave Cranberry Pecan Breakfast Cookie.”  It’s made with applesauce, oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, quick oats, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and white chocolate (optional).  I didn’t have cranberries, but I had pecans and white chocolate on hand so they went into the batter.  The reality is that it’s cooked in a microwave and will never get a cookie texture.  In essence, this is baked oatmeal for one.  The flavor is great, and it’s sweet like a cookie. It can definitely satisfy a sweet craving. If you don’t like the texture of baked oatmeal, you might not like this. In that case, maybe try eating this cold as it will firm up a bit. (It still won’t be a cookie, but it’ll feel less like baked oatmeal.) The only critique I have about this recipe is that it wants you to cook the batter in a 5″ microwave-safe bowl.  I technically didn’t have one, and I think most people won’t as well.  I ended up using my smallest Pyrex mixing bowl, and just shaping the batter nicely at the bottom.

Overall, I think this is a cute book. All recipes come with a photo of the finished dish so if you’re less comfortable with cooking, you might find the photos to be helpful. If you’re looking to cook with as few leftovers as possible, this is the book for you. If you’re looking for small kitchen appliance meal ideas and inspiration, or because you don’t have access to a normal kitchen, this book is for you. 

Disclaimer – I kindly received this book from Freemont Press/Victory Belt for this review.  I’m not getting paid for this post. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own. The book is available for purchase now from your preferred vendor.

Reference Links:

https://www.tiktok.com/@thehealthyhophead?lang=en

https://www.fremontpress.com/

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River Cottage Great Roasts

When I think of “roast dinners” as part of a cultural identity, it is British cuisine that comes to mind.  According to Food52, “the origins of the British Sunday roast reportedly date back as far as the 15th century, but the ritual—which is enjoyed across the United Kingdom and Ireland—became popular in the 19th century.”  While I didn’t grow up with roast dinners, cooking food in the oven is my favorite method.  (It also helps warm up my New England kitchen on a cold day.) I think it’s a lovely dining habit to have.

And when one thinks of British cuisine, the River Cottage brand may come to mind. My introduction to the River Cottage came by way of Heidi Swanson’s 101 Cookbooks blog, when she wrote about making homemade bouillon using a River Cottage recipe.  The brand has done television series, cookery courses, events, restaurants and products such as beer and organic yogurts.  The latest cookbook from the brand is “River Cottage Great Roasts” by Gelf Alderson.

The chapters you’ll find here are:

  • Breakfast and brunch,
  • Snacky things,
  • One-tray wonders,
  • All about veg,
  • Sunday roast,
  • Super sides,
  • Fruity numbers

The recipes seem to be an interesting variety:

  • Roast asparagus, lettuce, and eggs
  • Roast plums with star anise, oats, and kefir
  • Spiced roasted carrot and orange hummus
  • Fennel pork crackling
  • Smoked haddock with potatoes, spinach, cream, and thyme
  • Sausages with lentils and squash
  • Roast lettuce, spinach, and peas with herby breadcrumbs
  • Roast beetroot, cumin, and tomato crumble
  • Roast mushrooms with beer and dumplings
  • Roast parsnip, leek, and fennel curry
  • Spelt, kimchi, and apple pilaf with mangetout (snowpeas in the US) and green beans
  • Pot-roast brisket with beer, orange, and star anise
  • Roast purple sprouting broccoli with kimchi butter
  • Brussels sprouts with prunes, walnuts, and clementines
  • Roast swede (rutabaga in the US), Cheddar, and spring onion mash
  • Roast pears with ginger and toffee

While I’m not vegetarian, I find that it is the vegetarian recipes in this book that appeal to me the most.  I wanted to test a dessert recipe, but summer is already long gone so it was going to be challenging to find some of the ingredients (rhubarb, I’m looking at you).  I am also not cooking for 6-8 people, so I gravitated to the breakfast chapter the most.

The first recipe I made was crispy potatoes with bacon, tomatoes, and spinach.   Maybe this was cheating as I knew the flavors were all going to work together.  (The only other ingredients in this recipe were oil, salt, and pepper.)  But it never occurred to me to try to do it as a sheet pan recipe.  You start by cooking the potatoes and bacon, later adding the tomatoes, and finally throwing on the spinach to wilt toward the end of cooking.  While the recipe specified unsmoked bacon, it was just easier for me to get smoked thick cut bacon.  Even though I got the thick cut, it was too thin for cooking over the whole duration of this recipe.  I think next time, I’ll start with just the bacon, and then remove it before proceeding with the recipe.  What I liked best is that this is also lovely for lunch, or even a side dish for dinner.  This was so tasty, satisfying, and simple that this will probably go into regular rotation in my kitchen. (Hey, maybe I’ll put it on the Thanksgiving dinner table.)

The other recipe I tried was for spiced apple compote with apricots and toasted cereals.  The ingredients are apples, dried apricots, whole grain flakes (I used old fashioned rolled oats but rye flakes or wheat flakes are options), pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.  My market was out of pumpkin seeds the day I was shopping, so I picked up sliced almonds instead.  You bake the fruit first, mash it, top with the oats and seeds, and bake a few minutes more.  I had doubts about baking the apricots with the apples.  I really worried that they would dry out.  They even looked a touch dry when I took the baking dish out of the oven to mash.  However, the mashing went on without issue, so I guess my fears were unfounded.  (But I might soak the dried apricots in water or apple juice next time just out of curiosity.)  The end results are like baked oatmeal without being baked oatmeal.  The topping doesn’t sink and bake into the fruit.  It stays pretty dry so it’s more like a crumble. I thought the color was a little anemic when it came out of the oven (there’s no oil in this recipe) so I broiled it for color.  If that is something that you think you also want to do, don’t walk away!  I got distracted and came pretty close to burning it.  (oops?)  But since the topping was still dry and loose, it was easy to spoon out the bits that were a touch too dark.  No real harm done, and it was totally my fault.  (Browning it was not part of the instructions.)  I loved this as a warm breakfast option.  I want to try other fresh fruits and dried fruits so this is also on the remake list.

If you’re on the hunt for comfy content, this book might be it. While some of the recipes have a lengthy ingredient list, most of the recipes are not fussy. For cooks who are not comfortable cooking in the metric system, beware that there is no U.S volumetric measurements listed in this book (but small measurements like teaspoons are given). Most of the recipes have a photo of the finished product, so I think the savvier cook could probably get away with visually guessing the amounts of main ingredients. If you’re looking to expand your oven cooking repertoire, then “Great Roasts” might fit the bill.

Disclaimer – I kindly received this book from Bloomsbury for this review.  I’m not getting paid for this post. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own. The book is available for purchase now from your preferred vendor.

Reference Links:

https://www.rivercottage.net/

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Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy (cookbook review)

I’ve reviewed and enjoyed Danielle Kartes’ previous books “Rustic Joyful Food: My Heart’s Table” and “Rustic Joyful Food: Generations” but it’s her appearance on Food52 with Kristen Miglore that I remember best.  They made Coconut Custard Macaroons together, and the synergy was hilarious. So I had a very vague idea of what to expect in her newest book, “Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy.”  A couple of previous “Joyful” recipes are reprinted in the new book (including the macaroons), and there might be other reprinted recipes as she’s authored 11 books total. (As I’ve mentioned previously about this cookbook series, there’s some faith-based commentary in it. I’m not passing any judgement. You do you.)

The book is simply divided into:

  • Cookies
  • Puddings, Possets, and Panna Cotta
  • Bars and Bakes
  • Pies and Galettes
  • Cakes

Some of the recipes I dearly want to try are:

  • Chew spiced molasses cookies
  • Perfect apricot and chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies
  • Gloria’s chocolate drops with cream cheese glaze
  • Hummingbird oatmeal cookies
  • Swedish cream with port wine and berries
  • Real pistachio pudding
  • Old school tapioca cream pudding with rhubarb compote
  • No-bake blackberry cheesecake slab
  • Skillet s’mores brownie
  • Cranberry bread pudding with cream cheese glaze
  • Rhubarb and frangipane galette
  • Silky smooth cream cheese pumpkin pie
  • Creamy mango lime tarts
  • Tender gingerbread cake
  • Gramma Thora’s walnut and sour cream cake
  • Buttermilk, cherry, and pistachio cake
  • Buttermilk yellow sheet cake with glossy fudge frosting

The first recipe I made was for snickerdoodle bars.  The ingredients are fairly typical of snickerdoodles, but I noticed that there is no baking soda in this recipe.  The twist here is that the dough is cooked in a 9×13 pan.  I made a half batch and used an 8×8 pan, but no other changes (even though I was really tempted to throw a pinch of baking soda into it).  They smelled lovely while baking.  When I pulled them out, I realized that my bars looked nothing like the book photo.  I was really confused for a few days.  I do think I overbaked them, compared to what Kartes intended but I couldn’t figure out why they looked so different.  While mildly disheartened, I kept reminding myself that they were pretty tasty cookies.  I even brought a few to a friend’s house and they were quickly consumed.

At some point, it occurred to me to image search for snickerdoodle bars, and to my surprise (and delight?), my results look like what most people published.

Out of curiosity (and maybe masochism), the second recipe I made was for the “ultimate rye chocolate chip cookie.”  I wanted to make this cookie because there are no leavening agents listed… no baking soda, no baking powder.  But the cookies look gorgeous in the book.  Was it possible?  (Also, the trend for the rye and chocolate combo has been pretty strong for the last 5 years or so, but I had not tried baking it yet.)  These cookies call for: browned butter, dark brown sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, rye flour, and chocolate of your choice (disks, chips, or chunks).  Again, I made a half batch (to save my waistband).  And the results?  They were not what I expected.  Luckily, they weren’t too dense, but they simply did not have the texture the photo conveys.  I know that I chose to use chips instead of disks or chopped chocolate, but the cookies never spread.  They were very “tight” looking.  And my cookies didn’t have nearly enough chocolate.  There are no instructions for banging the cookies a la Sarah Kieffer style.  There are no instructions for pressing them flat (which I tried for the second tray that went into the oven… but it didn’t help much).  

I’ve done some research on this (yes, it mattered that much to me lol!) and I think the issue comes down to two things.  One, baking soda helps develop color and helps the cookie dough to spread when it bakes.  I wonder if Kartes leaves it out because there’s not enough water in the recipe to activate it.  A lot of recipes that use browned butter will ask you to add a small amount of liquid to replace the water that was cooked off in the browning process.  Two (and more importantly here), I think Kartes is scooping her cookies larger than the printed “heaping tablespoon.”  Dough of a relatively small size bakes fairly evenly.  So, the way it looks when it goes into the oven will be similar to the way it looks when it comes out.  If the cookies were baked larger, then the cookies would spread out more as the edges melt more quickly than the center can.

This deeper dive into cookie science honestly reminded me that sometimes you have to go with your gut instinct.  Re-watching Danielle Kristen and Kristen Danielle bake together reminded me that it’s how Kartes operates.  Are the recipes in the newest book simple and sweet?  Yes, but maybe don’t equate that with “good for beginners.”  If you think your cookies need to be larger, or needs more mix-in’s than listed, then go for it.  A new baker may prefer more guidance.  And more importantly, don’t beat yourself up if your results aren’t as pretty as you wanted.  They will still taste good and provide joy.  

Disclaimer – I kindly received this book from Sourcebooks for this review.  I’m not getting paid for this post. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own. The book is available for purchase from your preferred vendor, and will be released on November 6th.

Reference Links:

https://rusticjoyfulfood.com/

https://read.sourcebooks.com/author/A4034/danielle-kartes

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Cooking with the Crunch Bros, review

If you’re looking for a casual cookbook inspired by Korean and Japanese recipes, “Cooking with the Crunch Bros” by Jeff and Jordan Kim might be the solution.  I first heard about Instagram account ‘easypeasyjordan’ relatively recently, and was quickly amused by a young boy who was dancing to his rice cooker.  I don’t know the background on this influencer family but dad, son, and daughter (mom is behind the scenes) can easily be found online cooking, taste-testing, and making mukbangs.  They reportedly have 3.9 million followers across all their social media accounts. And now, they have a family cookbook that can be enjoyed too.

The book is sectioned by:

  • Easy peasy sides, snacks, and sauces
  • In the kitchen with Crunchdad
  • Jordan’s favorite things to cook and eat
  • In the kitchen with Crunchmom

Here are some of the recipes you’ll find:

  • Kimchi mac salad
  • Kimchi guac
  • Miso mayo dip
  • Korean breakfast burrito
  • Bacon kimchi fried rice
  • Sizzling pork belly kimchi
  • Sweet tteokbokki
  • Jalapeno garlic pork
  • Spicy marinated pork
  • Mochi pizza
  • Galbi gyoza
  • Miso mayo udon
  • Kimchi udon
  • Ramen salad
  • Wafu-style bacon and mushroom pasta
  • Easy salmon rice
  • Panko and tartar sauce salmon
  • Tofu and chicken hambagu
  • Everyone’s favorite sukiyaki
  • Quick and easy nikujaga

This book is honestly one of the rare instances where I think I want to make everything.   None of the ingredient lists are terribly long, and everything seems approachable.  The first recipe I made was for ‘Baba’s garlic shoyu chicken’ as it sounded perfect for meal prepping.  It’s simply chicken thighs in a marinade of soy sauce, mirin, fresh garlic, and onion powder that is cooked on the stove.  Serve it with a simple side dish, and voila! meal done!  My only caution is that the salinity of the end product is going to depend on which soy sauce you use.  I used Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, and found it a touch too salty.  I had to serve it along something “plain” like roasted sweet potatoes and steamed white rice.

The second recipe I made was for “beefy corn fried rice”.  This fried rice variation incorporates thinly sliced rib eye, onion, canned corn, and the homemade yakiniku sauce.  You cook the beef, then add the onion and corn. Once that’s is cooked, mix in the rice. Finally, add the sauce.

Since I made the yakiniku sauce, it’s technically the third recipe I made.  The sauce is prepped ahead from sliced scallions, roasted sesame seeds, sugar, soy sauce, cooking sake, black pepper, fresh garlic, and just a touch of lemon juice.  I’m not sure the sesame seeds add enough character to the sauce, and I thought it got lost in the fried rice.  But the dish was tasty overall.  The only substitution I made was to use frozen corn instead of canned because that’s what I tend to stock in my kitchen.  It’s very different from the fried rice my family makes, but the flavors are still familiar.

Both recipes got a seal of approval from my mom (who seems to be my taste tester lately lol!).   I used the leftover yakiniku sauce to cook some fresh shiitake mushrooms, and some ground turkey. The sesame seeds were more noticeable in these applications because I kept them fairly plain with no other ingredients. So in essence, I was garnishing my dishes with sesame seeds. Since the fried rice had other ingredients, it was harder to notice the seeds. If you’re looking for the texture they provide, leave them in the sauce recipe. If you’re looking for sesame flavor instead, maybe swap them with a touch of toasted sesame oil. Quick note: even though I halved the recipe, I still have some sauce left.

An awesome feature of the book is that, while it’s in U.S. volumetric measurement, the main ingredients are also listed in grams. The only downside (for me anyway) is that I have trouble remember which chapter a recipes belong to. Technically, Korean recipes are in the Crunchdad chapter while Japanese recipes are in the Crunchmom chapter (Jeff is Korean-American while his wife is Japanese-American). Asian fusion recipes tend to be in the first chapter or in Jordan’s chapter. Even knowing that, I found I relied on the index most of the time.

When all is said and done, this is a very enjoyable cookbook that I am happy to recommend to any one who wants to cook more with Asian flavors.

Disclaimer – I kindly received a copy of this book from Harvard Common Press/Quarto for this review.  I’m not getting paid for this post. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.  This book is available for purchase through your favorite retailer, and will be released on October 17th.

Reference Links:

https://www.tiktok.com/@thecrunchbros

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkCYWJzLzPV2k8X3H5Q5OCg

https://www.instagram.com/thecrunchbros/

https://www.instagram.com/thecrunchtube/

https://www.instagram.com/easypeasyjordan/

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The Global Pantry Cookbook review

There’s a food/cooking channel on Youtube that has several videos about “hacks” and “cheats” to quicken and/or elevate your home cooking.  I like that it’s not about gadgets, or some weird viral cooking method.  It’s more like “here, let’s replace traditional pasta with instant ramen to cut the time on this recipe.”  Or, “take a traditional recipe with potatoes but swap the potatoes with potato chips which will still taste good and cook quickly.”

“The Global Pantry Cookbook: Transform Your Everyday Cooking with Tahini, Gochujang, Miso, and Other Irresistible Ingredients” by Ann Taylor Pittman and Scott Mowbray reminds me of those videos.  Like the title suggests, here we’re taking a pantry ingredient (possibly a new-to you pantry ingredient), and using it creatively or using it to its fullest potential.

The book is broken down into: 

  • Wow-a-Crowd Snack and Apps,
  • Crunchy, Vibrant Salads,
  • Soups and Comfort Stews,
  • Rich and Hearty Beef and Lamb,
  • Pork is an Umami Superstar,
  • Poultry, Mostly Chicken,
  • Entirely Elevated, Irresistible Fish and Seafood (Sustainable, Too),
  • Meat-free Mains for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner,
  • Totally Satisfying Sandwiches,
  • Noodles, Pasta, Pizzas, and Breads,
  • Easy Vegetables and Starchy Things
  • Seductive Sweets and Frozen Treats

Some of the recipes that particularly appeal to me are: 

  • Shrimp boil hush puppies,
  • 5 Flavors of super-crunchy wokcorn (basic, sesame kettle with furikake, tahini za’atar, nacho-ish, white chocolate-strawberry),
  • Roasted cauliflower salad with quick-pickled raisins,
  • Spinach, grapefruit, and avocado salad with sesame vinaigrette,
  • Damn fine meatloaf with spicy onion glaze,
  • Hamburger steaks with rich onion gravy,
  • Rustic tomato galette with smoky bacon, melty cheese, and sweet onions,
  • 10 minute pan-seared scallops with yuzu kosho sauce,
  • How to build a damn fine veggie burger,
  • Tender multigrain walnut pancakes with plum compote,
  • Ground beef bulgogi sloppy joes with fiery napa slaw,
  • Korean fire chicken pizza,
  • Coconutty banana pudding with candied black walnuts,
  • Salty tahini and pine nut ice cream

The first recipe I tried was for “simply the best-est and moist-est turkey meatballs.” The ingredients are “soft but not squishy white bread”, evaporated milk, ground turkey breast, fresh parsley, salt, pepper, dried oregano, garlic, egg, and oyster sauce.  I make meatballs regularly enough that I had some doubts about the soft white bread.  I’ve always used dried breadcrumbs like panko.  I had some homemade soft bread that was a few days old, stored in the fridge.  Even though it was not in the instructions, I decided to put the specified amount of bread, sliced, on a plate to dry out for a few hours.  I’m glad I did but it ultimately did not help me with the end product.  This recipe has a lot of liquid in it.  The book warns you that “the mixture will be very soft” but it was gloopy.  I used a portion scoop but my meatballs barely held shape.  I had hoped it was just a matter of baking them up, but it was not.  I don’t think the photos do it justice, but instead of meatballs, I had meaty UFOs.

I am mildly amused that it’s stated in the book’s introduction, “we cross-tested each other’s recipes to make sure the steps are clear, times are accurate, and flavors are as they’re supposed to be.”  I want to know if there was any third party testing. lol!

Issues with the shape aside, the overall flavor was really good.  The oyster sauce is used as a glaze, which makes that very first bite tasty while giving a nice shine to the surface.  For personal preference, I think I will cut back some of the salt that goes into the meat mixture.  I found the saltiness of the oyster sauce to be very noticeable since it hits the tongue first, so the whole tasting experience was almost too salty. Meanwhile, my mom (who also got to eat some) absolutely loved them as is.

The second recipe I made was for broiled leeks with toasted pine nut sauce. The pantry ingredient for this one is Banyuls vinegar, which I had never heard of before. It’s a long-aged French vinegar, but the books says you can use a sherry vinegar. Sherry vinegar is quite possibly my favorite vinegar so I used the substitution. (Although I now want to purchase a bottle of Banyuls out of curiosity.) Overall, this dish is very easy to make. You make a sauce with toasted pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, the vinegar, salt, fresh garlic, and black pepper. The sauce is served over broiled leeks. I had pine nuts hiding in my freezer so I took this opportunity to use them. The only thing that I did wrong is that I initially forgot to add hot water to the sauce to make it thinner, otherwise it’s a thick nut butter. So my plated photo was before I remembered to add the water. (Yes, I actually scraped off the sauce, added water, mixed, and then reapplied. lol!)

This was so good! But you do have to like pine nuts to like this recipe. I had sauce leftover which ended up making a lovely sandwich spread. (I used it for both turkey sandwiches and tofu sandwiches.)

And then, though there is no photographic evidence of it, I made the quick pickled raisins. The raisins are supposed to be served with a roasted cauliflower salad but I didn’t buy any cauliflower. I’ve made (and liked) quick pickled raisins before but never with sherry vinegar. (Banyuls was the original ingredient listed.) Also, this version added paprika to the liquid, which I had never done before. Overall, I enjoyed them, and added them to whatever I was eating for a pop of acidity and sweetness.

I had fun with this cookbook, and look forward to cooking from it some more. Other comments? Not every recipe has a photo, in case that matters to you. Ingredients are mostly listed in the volumetric system. Having said that, the baking recipes does offer weighed measurements in ounces for all of the flour which I really appreciate. Since this book revolves around pantry ingredients, you can easily find all the recipes for each pantry ingredient in the index. For example, I can easily see that ghee is listed in 8 recipes.

I think all home cooks who like to work with different ingredients from around the world will enjoy “The Global Pantry Cookbook.”

Disclaimer – I kindly received a copy of this book from Workman Publishing for this review.  I’m not getting paid for this post. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.  This book is available for purchase through your favorite retailer, and will be released on October 10th.

Reference Links:

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/scott-mowbray/the-global-pantry-cookbook/9781523516858/

https://www.anntaylorpittman.com/

https://www.instagram.com/scottmowb/?hl=en