v is for vent

Okay, look at this book. Take a minute and really digest what you see. Really, take your time. I'll wait.

Okay, now read this:

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A feast, a voyage, and a marvel." (Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love )

"Laugh-out-loud funny." (Boston Globe )

"Powell writes like a culinary Chris Rock - profane, honest, and very funny." (Seattle Times )

"A really good book." (Washington Post Book World )

Product Description
Julie & Julia, the bestselling memoir that's "irresistible....A kind of Bridget Jones meets The French Chef" (Philadelphia Inquirer), is now a major motion picture. Julie Powell, nearing thirty and trapped in a dead-end secretarial job, resolves to reclaim her life by cooking in the span of a single year, every one of the 524 recipes in Julia Child's legendary Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Her unexpected reward: not just a newfound respect for calves' livers and aspic, but a new life-lived with gusto. The film is written and directed by Nora Ephron and stars Amy Adams as Julie and Meryl Streep as Julia.

Okay, now how much do you want to read this book?

Because you are spending your time here I would assume you have an interest in cooking. That means that it's possible you might see this book and read the reviews and want to pick it up at the book store. And it is that possibility that has prompted this post.

I saw a preview of the afore-mentioned movie this month and was immediately interested in the idea. I picked up Julia Child's My Life in France the next time I was at the book store and enjoyed it. I liked her writing and the topic and she has a personality that can't help but bring life to the story. Besides, my dad loves Paris, so I enjoyed her almost blind affection for all things French. About half way through Julia Child's book I decided I was going to read Julie Powell's when I was done. I didn't really think twice about it and picked it up at the bookstore last weekend.

I began reading on Saturday night and soon realized that a powerful black pen was a neccesary companion whenever I opened those covers. I was blacking out bad language on just about every page. Now, I realize that I probably have a much lower tolerance for profanity than most people, but this was a little ridiculous. I think she has an unhealthy obsession with the f-word. Maybe I should have known then, but I am some kind of naive and I assumed that was going to be the worst of it. Oh, no.

So, after ripping out a whole chapter that catalogs her introduction and subsequent addiction to an inappropriate book she found in her parents house when she was eleven (eleven!), I was a little more wary. But I still didn't want to call it quits. I wanted to hear about her cooking experiences and how it changed her. I guess I was assuming that she changed in the ways I wanted her to; i.e., it inspired her to clean up her language and get her mind out of the gutter!

Ripping a few more pages out (and wondering why because I'm surely not keeping this for anyone else to read!) I began to resign myself to the idea of not finishing the book. But I didn't want to miss her life-changing experiences and her respect and admiration and gratitude for Julia Child! I was torn.

Then I read it. Her ridiculous account of a detailed conversation with her friend about her affair with a married co-worker. That was it. With a heavy heart, I tried one last thing. I read through the accounts from Paul and Julia Child's life that she had novelized. Somehow these had escaped the influence of her vocabulary and moral depravity and were much more in the tone of Julia Child's own book. Then I turned to the last chapter, hoping against hope to find a new and different Julie Powell writing. It was a discussion of her reaction to the news of Julia Child's death, which I thought might be a good occasion for her to demonstrate a respect for more sacred things, like life. No such luck. More foul language and a flippant attitude toward mortality. I was crushed. I threw the book into the garbage and turned my back on it forever. I even threw it in my bathroom trash, just to show that I was never going to fish it back out again. (Bathroom trash cans gross me out. Ew.)

And that is a faithful account of my dealings with Julie Powell's book.

Now, back to the exercise at the beginning of this post. How many of you would expect to read the f-word at least once in each chapter, accompanied by some other choice jewels of expression of the four-letter variety, of course, when looking at that cover? And how many of you would expect to hear detailed accounts of scandalous affairs and other such adventures in immorality? And how many of you would find those things marvelous? The reviews on the cover of my book included the word "delightful", which now boggles my mind.

I am either way out of touch with what is marvelous and delightful in the world today, which is a distinct possibility, or they are selling this thing as something it just isn't. So, that's my whole point. Don't get sucked in. If you want to read it and can withstand the kind of moral decripitude that it contains, go for it. I just think you ought to know what your getting into. I wish I had. So sad. An adventure in cooking is interesting enough on its own, if it's written well. It doesn't need that kind of gaudy and gross ornamentation! Anyway, I'd better quit while I'm ahead. Thanks for letting me vent.

Oh, and read Julia Child's book if you get a chance. I thought it was genuinely delightful, although she does think that all politically conservative people are brainwashed and close-minded. Maybe I just proved her right...

u is for utensils

uten·sil

Pronunciation:

\yu̇-ˈten(t)-səl, ˈyü-ˌ\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, vessels for domestic use, from Middle French utensile, from Latin utensilia, from neuter plural ofutensilis useful, from uti to use

Date:

14th century

1 : an implement, instrument, or vessel used in a household and especially a kitchen2 : a useful tool or implement

Oh, yes. I struggled for a while with what to write for u, but I'm convinced this is a good idea. We are going to talk about utensils. What are your favorite kitchen tools? I have a few. Let's share...

1. The Magic Bullet: I think I've mentioned this one before. I use it for smoothies, ice cream shakes, pasta sauce, baby food, zucchini soup, and guacamole. I love that everything fits nicely into the dishwasher. It's a good buy. BJ got mine at Target.

2. Mini Rubber Spatulas: I got mine at Williams Sonoma and they are a lovely yellow. Yellow always reminds me of my mom, so I love it. These are especially helpful with soup cans, blenders, and even scraping off my kitchen aid attachments. I use mine a lot.

3. Kitchen Aid: I got mine from BJ's aunt and uncle when we got married. It was a very generous gift, which is something his family is very good at. That mixer actually stopped working one lovely evening in 2005 when Caleb was helping me cook. He dropped a measuring cup in there and it got stuck and the mixer stopped mixing. I could never get it to start up again after that. It may just be Houston, but I couldn't find anyone in the area who would fix it. So we decided there were two options: we could starve or we could spend $200 on a new one. Yes, sadly, I am very attached to my mixer. I grew up watching my mom use hers constantly. That's just how you cook in my mind. So, we bought a nice new one and now I have two bowls and two of each of the attachments, which is very convenient. I use mine to make everything from pancakes to cookies to bread. I love love love it.

4. Pizza Stone: My dad bought me a pizza stone in February when he came to visit for a couple days. He loves kitchen stores and book stores, so BJ and I love to go shopping with him. I had made pizza off and on before, but with this new appliance specifically for that purpose, I figured I'd better institute a pizza night and start practicing. Now I make pizza every Friday and any other day I can fit it in. I love it. I have "invented" a couple new topping combinations and I love to experiment. I made cookies on it once and they were nice and soft on top and crisp on the bottom. Good texture. I used mine for a big fruit pizza too and that was fun. I want one more stone so I can make two pizzas without having to shift from stone to cooling rack. It's on my wish list. Dad got mine at Sur La Table.

5. Mini-muffin Tin: This was another gift from Dad and I have used it a couple times with great success. The kids loved eating the mini-muffins and I could get the normal 12 muffins plus the 12 mini-muffins out of a regular sized batch. This also came from Sur La Table.

6. IKEA dishes: Obviously from IKEA, these come in six different colors, including the essential (at our house, at least) pink and orange. We have the plates, cups, and bowls. We've never invested in the forks and spoons because we already have a good supply of kidsy ones. These are great size for kid portions and they fit well in the dishwasher and our crowded dish cupboards. I love the bright colors and the kids love to use them.

7. Little cutting boards: These come in fruit and vegetable shapes and colors and they are very convenient. BJ and the kids got me some for mothers day one year and I use them daily, usually more than once. They fit nicely in the dishwasher and it's easy to keep track of what you cut on which board. I have a green pepper, an orange pepper, a red apple, and a yellow lemon. These are from Target.

8. Pyrex with lids: I have bowls of three different sizes, which are wonderful for storing or serving. I love that I can prepare fruit or dip or something ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge without using a ton of plastic wrap or transferring it to a nicer looking dish for serving. I am all about simplicity, especially in dishwashing or other forms of cleaning. I also have three 7"x5"x1.5" casserole dishes and a 2.75 Quart casserole dish with lids. Those are really nice for making things ahead or doubling a recipe and freezing one for later. For example, I prepare my cheese enchiladas early in the day in those dishes and then store them, covered, in the fridge until I'm ready to cook them. Then I pull them out when I preheat the oven so the pyrex is closer to room temperature when it goes in the hot oven. These are handy for me since our dinner time is very rushed with picking up BJ, meetings, and aiming for a decent bedtime. I don't know where we picked these up, but I'm pretty sure they're easy to find at a Target or Walmart or Kohls.

Well, these are a few of my favorite convenience utensils. What do you love to use in your kitchen?

t is for tortillas

I first tried making my own tortillas a couple years ago when I was pregnant with William. It was springtime, which doesn't last very long here in Houston, and I would let the kids play in the backyard while I made dinner. I opened the kitchen window above the sink and listened to them enjoy the cool weather and I rolled and rolled and rolled and rolled tortillas all night long. Well, that's what it felt like anyway. The first recipe I ever used made 24 tortillas, so that was quite the undertaking in one night. This recipe, which I use often, makes only 8 tortillas and is softer and tastier. I made them last night and we enjoyed tacos. I love making tacos because my kids eat it up and ask for more. Some of my skinnier kids actually get some nutrition! It's a comforting sight.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

1 cup white flour

1 cup wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup canola oil

2/3 cup water

Combine flours, baking powder, salt.

Stir in oil and water all at once, using mixer or fork to toss quickly.

When it's all moistened, knead a few times.

Form 8 balls of dough.

Roll dough on floured surface until 7 inches or larger in diameter. Use even strokes that don't reach to the edge, turning over frequently.

Place tortilla in an ungreased, frying pan preheated on medium-high heat.

Cook 30-40 seconds on one side, turn over and cook 30-40 seconds on the other side.

Repeat with each ball of dough.

Stack tortillas on a plate as they are cooked and cover with a clean dish towel to keep soft.

s is for salt water taffy

Okay, Natalie, this one is for you. You asked for a "tried and true" recipe and I had never made it before, so I thought I ought to try. I collected a recipe and gave it a whirl. Here is the recipe:

Salt Water Taffy Recipe

Makes about one pound.

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup light Corn Syrup
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Use a square pan: 8X8X2.

Mix sugar, corn syrup, water, cornstarch, butter and salt in a 2 quart saucepan. Heat to boiling and stir continuously.

Then, cook, without stirring, to 256 degrees using a candy thermometer (hard ball). Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into pan.

When the taffy is cool enough to handle, pull it until it is satiny, light in color and stiff. Pull the taffy into long strips about 1/2inch wide. Cut the strip into pieces with a scissor.

Finally wrap the pieces individually in plastic or waxed paper to hold its shape.

I have now made this three times and every time it tasted good. It's a very basic recipe and I'm sure you could try adding flavorings and colorings as you want. It will probably taste great. If you can get it to be the proper consistency, that is. I have not made candy on my own before and my first three attempts were not pretty. They were, as I said, tasty enough, but not pretty. The first time I didn't bother to test the candy thermometer and when it said "hard ball" the candy was actually at hard crack. So I tried again, using the cold water test to be safer, but it was still a bit too hard. And, after I wrapped it all it stuck to the wax paper. Then, today, I thought I'd try one last time. I was inspired by Julia Child (it's a long story) and I went for it. I guess I heated it to soft ball this time, because it was just too sticky to work with. So, good luck with your efforts and let me know what tricks and tips you have. I may never make it again or I may be brave and figure it out. I hope it goes better for you than for me!

r is for rolls

My Grandma Page used to make rolls for every Sunday dinner (as far as I remember). They were always rolled up, browned, and buttered to perfection every time. I remember watching her pull a large metal bowl out of her fridge that was overflowing with dough. The puffy contents were topped with an inverted plate that was now stuck to the cold dough. She'd take it out, punch it down and proceed to create her Sunday dinner masterpiece. I loved those rolls.

Dinner rolls are some of my favorite things to make. They are fairly simple and can be really pretty, I think. I'm weird about the way my food looks. I use the Lion House recipe and it works well every time. I've heard a lot of people complain about their bread and rolls not rising correctly here, but I don't have problems with mine. I don't know what's different about making them here because this is the place I've done most of my baking. I'm sure it differs a little depending on humidity and temperature and stuff. But this one recipe is from Utah and works well here, so good luck!

Lion House Dinner Rolls

2 cups warm water
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
2 Tbsp. dry yeast
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, shortening, or margarine
1 egg
5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour, or bread flour

In large bowl or electric mixer, combine water and milk powder; stir until milk dissolves. Add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups of flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add about ½ cup flour at a time and mix again until dough is soft, but not sticky. (The entire amount of flour may not be necessary.)

Scrape dough off sides of bowl and pour one Tbsp. oil all around sides of bowl. Turn dough over in bowl so it is covered with oil. (This helps prevent dough from drying out.) Cover with plastic and allow to rise in warm place until double in size. Sprinkle cutting board or counter with flour and place dough on floured board. Roll out and cut rolls into desired shape and size. Place on greased or parchment lined baking pans. Let rise in warm place until rolls are double in size (about 1-1 ½ hours).

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Brush with melted butter while hot.

q is for questions

Well, since I can't think of anything too interesting to post under q, I'll answer any questions anybody has. This means I will read your questions and research until I find the answer, since I don't know enough about anything on my own. It can be about anything from cooking to American history to kids to rocket science. Ask away...

And, since you asked a little while ago and I remembered to look today, the bread crumbs at our walmart are right next to the flour on the lowest shelf. Who knows if that's where you can find them where you're shopping, but I hope it helps!

And, I tried that chicken curry and will be posting the super-easy recipe I used soon. My kids really liked it.

p is for pesto

A couple of years ago my mom gave out jars of dried basil and a recipe for pesto sauce for Christmas. We've been making it often ever since. I've tried a few different things with it over the years and it's always been good. Our most recent version is a lazy-man's pesto pasta. I found (and got free with coupons--hooray!) an Italian pesto dressing from Kraft, so we use that along with some fun additions. Here's all it takes: the dressing; pasta (whatever shape you like); feta; cooked and cut up chicken; and fresh tomatoes, sliced. You just cook up the pasta, drain it, toss it with the dressing, and add the other stuff as you like it.