Soooo Worth It!

I feel like I've been advertising a lot lately.  I've had many links to Gourmet Magazine, pastry school, and lots of fun little (and big) kitchen items to buy.  Please know that no matter what I write about that I mean it. 

Now, those of you who know me well also know that, next to God and my personal relationships, my three main loves in this world are as follows:

1. Toby (my dog)

2. Food

3. Shopping

Hence the links and posts of many a great thing that I have bought or wish to buy.  Believe it or not I am discerning about the things I purchase.  I only buy what I love and/or what makes me very happy to own.  So, I will tell you, what makes me very happy to own is this:

Bob Kramer for Shun 8" Chef's knife from Sur La Table. 

I received this for Christmas this past year, and I have to say it is one of the awesomest Christmas presents I have ever received.  If you are curious who Bob Kramer is, he is pretty famous among chefs for being the last of his kind.  He hand makes knives to personally fit each and every buyer for a very costly price.  Bob Kramer had a 3-5 year waiting list, until he cut off orders completely.  In order to keep up with demand, however, he teamed up with the Japanese knife company Shun (and apparently Sur La Table, also), taught about 100 Japanese dudes everything he knows, and put them all to work hand making the knife you see above- my beloved knife- and others.  

So you still may be thinking, "A $350 knife!? What the heck is the big deal?"  If you've ever had a nice knife, you know the big deal.  It's like the difference between a Fisher Price stethoscope and the ones the doctors actually use (I know you know what I'm talking about).  It made all my other knives feel like toys.  So, what's a girl to do?  Save up all my pennies until today came, when I finally had enough to go out and buy my knife's 'mini me.'  

Shun by Bob Kramer 3 1/4" Paring Knife

With this duo, I am unstoppable.  I feel like the super hero "Knife Girl."  I really don't think I need anything else in my kitchen.  Except maybe the bread knife from the set... and the honing steel....

I know, I know not everyone can, or cares to, go spend this kind of money on cutlery.  Please, though, take my advice and buy the best you can, and care to, afford.  There's no one who doesn't love a good knife...once you know what a good knife is!

Domino Magazine Closing!

BOO! Next to Gourmet, this was my favorite magazine!

I suppose that I should feel blessed that my favorite magazine folding is the worst I have experienced in this recession thus far. But it's still very sad! Domino is the only magazine of it's kind. There is a HUGE market for young, urban decorators with a mid-income level, and Domino is (was) the only one magazine for us!



Every Domino issue always had a great section about entertaining. What I loved about it was that it always focused on eating food with friends, and enjoying the time with people around you. Not to mention the recipes were really good (like the blueberry tart pictured above). I was just about to cut up my stack of 30+ Dominos for my book of inspiration. I think now I'll keep them whole!



Go to the website and print your favorite recipes for as long as you can!

:(

Remembering the Worth of Baking School

Notice how I said, "baking school" and not "pastry school?" The program was actually called, "Baking and Pastry" and yes, there is a difference. Honestly, I am much more for the baking (breads, doughs, cookies, scones, pies, tarts, etc...) than the pastry (decorations, tiny fancy restaurant desserts, arty show pieces, etc...). So much, in fact, that once someone called me a "non nonsense baker." And I know just what she meant. I am in no way willing to sacrifice taste for looks. That show Ace of Cakes
on the food network, although tres inspirational, often bugs me because half of the cake is not actually edible.

Now on to that mouth watering photo of that beautiful roll. This, and other rolls, is (are?) on the cover of February's Gourmet Magazine. I was so excited when I got mine in the mail, and this is an issue I would encourage you to go get. You really don't have to go to pastry school, baking school, or any school to be able to make bread. What I did learn in my baking school was how to give bread some TLC. And I do love it. Baking bread is my absolute favorite thing to do. I love the smell of the yeast, and watching my Kitchen Aid mixer hook kneading a floury mess of ingredients into a tight little elastic ball (no, we bakers don't knead by hand. Too much work). I truly feel a rush of joy when I come back to my dough 2 hours or so later and it's become a puffy, happy little loaf from the partying that the yeast has been doing. And nothing, I tell you, beats the small of fresh bread when it's done.

Being busy a lot make baking your own bread take a back seat, but when I saw the cover of the magazine all these feelings and memories rushed back to the front of my mind, and I just had to bake! I am not going to give you the recipe for the rolls pictured above, that's how much I want you to go buy this issue. But I will tell you that they were as good and better than the picture may lead you to believe. When it comes down to it, you don't really need any more time than mixing a batch of cookies. The lengthy part the dough does all by itself. And be grateful to the dough, because it works very hard for you. Love your dough!

A Terrible, Wonderful Habit

I am a very busy person lately, as many of you are. This is the last thing I needed to add in my life, I tell you, but it happened on accident!



First I'll tell you the problem I've developed: I can't drink regular orange juice anymore- only fresh squeezed. DO YOU KNOW HOW DIFFERENT THIS TASTES?!? I had no idea, that is, until I started drinking the fresh squeezed OJ from Jamba Juice. At $3.50, it was becoming a very expensive treat to have every day (or at least every other). That's $108.50 a month. On orange juice. Clearly, something had to be done.

So I bought a juicer. This one. It's not a super high end one- it only cost me $19.99. It works ok- it does the job, anyway, with minimal effort.


My problem now is, this saves money, but not a ton. Maybe if I lived back in California, in the house I had growing up, with quite a sizable orange tree in my back yard. It was wonderful. And I was a silly little child, taking it for granted and not having any idea how amazing it was to have that kind of fruit growing right outside of my kitchen, alongside of an apricot and a pomegranate tree. Sigh.

I don't need to remind anyone of where I now dwell- in the land of leafy greens and root vegetables, and a few late summer berries if we're lucky. Well, except blackberries- did you know that the city of Seattle officially named blackberry bushes a "weed of concern"? What does that even mean?

Anyway, a full glass of juice takes about 3 navel oranges. At $3-$5 a pound, there's no way I can make organic juice. Even non-organic can cost $2-$3 a pound. Now I live my life completely at the mercy of grocery stores and costco, endlessly looking for specials on navel oranges and stocking up with pounds of them.

Like I said, I don't have time for this....but it's so delicious I can't stop!

Orla Kiely For Target!

Right now home design and fashion blogs across the internet are peeing their pants in celebration, and I'm about to join them! (In the celebration- not the pants peeing). Orla Keily, a unique and fairly popular designer (well, I guess VERY popular now) has collaborated with Target to make one of those designer-label-for-cheap lines that gets people very excited. Except this is all for home and kitchen!

Orla Keily is most known for her was adorable prints- like the print on the wallpaper in my living room.

They are sort of things that Anthropologie sells, and I've seen her purses at Nordstrom and other department stores. In my very humble opinion, some of her stuff, although oh so cute, is pretty overpriced, which is what makes this so darned fun!

They go on sale in February (a good break of color and happiness for this depressing time of year, I think). I guarantee this is going to fly off the shelves into the hands of crazy, design obsessed recessionistas all over the country. Go get it, but no biting!

Leftover Ham

I am still stuck on Edna Lewis. This morning I used one of her recipes to make breakfast, and I think it's one of the best ideas ever. She used a simple biscuit recipe, but in a very southern manner added a half cup of cooked minced ham to the recipe just before adding the buttermilk.

This morning we had it with eggs and fresh squeezed citrus juices. What a lovely breakfast it was! Again, you don't really have to use this specific biscuit recipe, but it did come from Edna, herself.

Biscuits (with ham, see above) by Edna Lewis

1. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2. 2 teaspoons baking powder
   
3. 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 1/3 cup cold lard or vegetable shortening (or butter), cut into pieces
6. 1/2 cup buttermilk
7. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. In a bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingers, work in the lard just until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the buttermilk just until moistened.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead 2 or 3 times. Roll out or pat the dough 1/2 inch thick. Using a 2-inch round cutter, stamp out biscuits as close together as possible. Transfer the biscuits to a baking sheet. Pat the dough scraps together, reroll and cut out the remaining biscuits; do not overwork the dough.
3. Pierce the top of each biscuit 3 times with a fork and brush with the butter. Bake the biscuits for 12 to 14 minutes, or until risen and golden. Serve at once.

Leftover Zucchini

I can't find it, but I am absolutely sure that somewhere along the line I shared with you my recipe for vegetable pancakes. Whenever I get out my Cuisinart food processor to do any task (in this case grate veggies), I like to make sure it is worth my time washing and cleaning all those darn pieces afterward. In this case, I always (whether purposefully or accidentally) grate a bunch of extra zucchini. This way, I can make zucchini bread and the hardest (or most annoying, anyway) step is already done!

You don't really have to use this specific recipe for your zucchini bread. The only thing I require in my humble opinion is that it has HAS to have pineapple in it to make it worth eating. This one does.

Zucchini Bread with Pineapple

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 cup olive oil
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups coarsely grated zucchini
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixer, beat eggs. Add oil, sugar, and vanilla; continue beating mixture until thick and foamy. With a spoon, stir in the zucchini and pineapple.

2 In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. A third at a time, add dry ingredients into wet and gently stir (by hand) after each addition. Add the walnuts and raisins, blend gently.

3 Divide the batter equally between 2 greased and flour-dusted 5 by 9 inch loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in to the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool thoroughly.

Makes 2 loaves.

Leftover Spaghetti

This week will be simple and straightforward. The theme is fun things to do with leftovers. I was inspired when I made one of my favorite dishes (the recipe for today). Though I love it, I always thought it silly and unrefined. That is, until Raj took it to work the next day for lunch, and called me because a few women in his office saw it and wanted the recipe.

And so, with this recipe and others for the week I honor the recessionista by wasting not, and still doing it fabulously!

Note: There's something about this recipe that is so tasty. The spaghetti gets all crunch on the outside, and the eggs make me feel like I am eating more than just carbs for dinner. Especially if my leftover spaghetti had ground sausage or something like that in it.

Pizza di Spaghetti (by Giada De Laurentis of Everyday Italian)

• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup whole milk
  
• 1/2cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnishing
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups leftover spaghetti with olives and tomato sauce, recipe follows
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Add leftover spaghetti and combine well.

In a large 10-inch non-stick skillet, heat extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add spaghetti and egg mixture, spreading evenly and pressing down in pan. Cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Carefully invert onto plate, add a little more oil to the pan, and slide mixure back into skillet and cook the other side for 6 minutes. Turn out onto serving platter and cut into wedges and serve warm.

A Quick Note

Hello! I am just stopping by to tell you what I've been up to....You see, since the holidays I have been in quite a food slump. Ya know those times when you walk into the grocery store and know that you need food, but still have no idea what to buy because you are totally uninspired? Well, that's how I've been, anyway.

I have a little confession to make. Last month I wrote a quick note about Ms. Edna Lewis, the late and renown southern chef/ cookbook author. Well, although I have heard the name of Edna Lewis many, many times, I had never actually read any of her books. Until now.

The other day I order through amazon, The Taste of Country Cooking, and now I can officially say this is a MUST HAVE for any household. Even if you don't cook. Seriously, I have been taking it to bed with me for my night time reading. It is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read- let alone cookbooks. Ms. Lewis supplements all of her amazing recipes with stories about the way things were. It gives me that kind of cozy feeling like I had when reading Little House on the Prairie as a child. It makes me want to be living on the farm, harvesting greens and eating them with the ham and biscuits and home canned peaches that she writes about. I want to be the little girl in Freetown, Virginia, making apple pie with mama and serving it with coffee to the guests that come by the house.

But don't take my word for it....read the book yourself!

Organic Junk Food

I enjoy good food, ooooh yes I do.  And I detest low quality food.  Today I am here to break stereotypes.  No, I'm not going to tell you that something low quality is actually good, but rather that there are higher quality versions of these common foods that you, yourself can buy! Some of these things I love.  They are not fancy or gourmet by any means, but they can still be healthy (ok, sometimes), organic, grass fed, all natural, and made with care.  If what I'm saying is confusing you, let me give you my list of simple foods that I just happen to love.

-Microwave popcorn

-Hot dogs

-Toaster waffles

-String cheese

-Ground beef tacos

-Cereal

-Pizza

-Sea salt and vinegar Kettle Chips

-Pre packaged oatmeal

Raj and I jokingly call this stuff "organic junk food."  Except in my opinion, most of those foods listed are a perfectly fine as long as fruits, veggies, and greens are added on to it.  Some you can even eat as much as you want to!  Except the sea salt and vinegar potato chips, which still have as much fat and calories as regular ones.  But I can't eat too many anyways, because the vinegar makes my lips lose feeling.  

So don't feel guilty if you eat a hot dog.  Just buy an organic one, or at least all natural, and eat it on a whole grain bun.  Add organic ketchup (which has 5 times more nutrients than conventional ketchup and no high fructose corn syrup), and eat with broccoli and pineapple.  Now that's a complete meal! Wow!

String cheese is commonly low in fat and high in protein. It's a great snack, and I like to eat it a bit of ham around it.  My my!

I know that giving myself an extra 45 minutes in the morning to boil steel cut oats is better for me, but I also know that it's never gonna happen.  That's why I'm glad I can get "just add boiling water" packets of unflavored oatmeal and add a bit of maple syrup and banana.  Oh joy!

My Rainy Day Off

For the first time in a loooong time, I have had the chance to take a day and do only what I wanted to do all day.  I wish that Raj had the day off also, so we could spend the day together, but sometimes it's nice to even do the things that he doesn't enjoy as much as I do.  For example, using a Christmas gift certificate on a facial, and spending close to two hours piddling around the aisles of Target.  After I finish this blog I plan on going through my home decor magazines and cutting and pasting pictures in my book of inspiration.  Also, I am going to sit down and read my new Gourmet magazine.

But this is food related, I promise!  Since this is a day for me, I wanted to eat something delicious.  I also didn't want to spend much time or thought on it or leave the house.  It just so happens to be one of those "what the heck is there to eat?" kinda times in my fridge where there happens to be a lot of random ingredients, but no real meals.  When I was standing and staring at my fridge, I was inspired by a leftover baked chicken breast, and  I came up with the perfect mathematical formula for a great chicken salad sandwich!  Just for you!

Annika's "what the heck is there to eat?" Chicken Salad Formula

-1 leftover chicken breast shredded or chopped- baked, roasted, boiled, whatever

plus

-1/4 cup fruit sensible for chicken salad diced very small- apples, pears, grapes, or you could use dried fruits also.  Get creative!

plus

-A scant handful of any chopped nuts if you want them

plus

-1 teaspoon whatever herb is sitting around from the package you bought when you only needed a tiny bit and now you don't know what to do with the rest (this happens to me ALL the time)

plus

-About 3 tablespoons of mayo, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a good grinding of pepper, and a scant teaspoon of whatever mustard you may have

Mix it all together and put it on whatever bread you have, with whatever greens you may have, and you have a healthy, yummy sandwich!

My Pastry Career Thus Far

The new year always makes me think of where I have been. Almost exactly 3 years ago today I was starting pastry school in California, and beginning my pasty career. It feels like yesterday and it feels like 20 years ago, all at the same time. Despite how I feel, though, in relation to an entire career in baking and pastry three years is nothin'. I remind myself of this when I am feeling sad or disappointed that I am not yet a world famous head pastry chef or mega successful bakery owner.

Three years, though, is definitely enough time to be able to look back on where I've been.....

Honestly, I've been a bit of a floater as far as actual jobs go. In a nutshell, I started at Whole Foods, and then moved my way to Cupcake Royale. After that, future financial goals determined that I ought to find a non-baking, higher-paying job, and begin working on projects on my own. I have learned a ton at all these places.

I decided long ago that the restaurant scene was not the place for my personality type. My good and firm goal is to one day run my own business. Two of my favorite ideas are a bed and breakfast and a gourmet donut shop (in California...the market in Seattle is too saturated). For now I continue to bake, research, dream, and wait for the right time.

In conclusion, I am very pleased with my pastry career so far. I have no regrets, and I am still so glad that I went to pastry school.

A Little iCandy

There is a grand old website, maybe you have heard of it, called www.dailycandy.com. You can register to your local region or city (LA, Seattle, NYC, Miami, etc...) and get regular emails of interesting goings on in that city. They send emails about big sales at local stores, concerts, and other events. What I love most about Daily Candy is that it has introduced me to some of my very favorite restaurants in Seattle when they opened.

It seems Daily Candy had gotten ahold of my last grocery shopping list, because I was planning on making potato-leek soup the other day. Sadly, I could not find a recipe that turned my crank. Lo and behold that very same day, Daily Candy sent me an email with a very nice sounding recipe. Now, normally I would not pass a recipe on to you without trying it first. However, this one seems simple and low risk enough, and I don't know how you could go wrong with the ingredients. Warning: it's a pretty girly recipe (I'm making it tonight, since Raj is at school). I am going to use milk instead of cream. I'll let you know how that goes.


This Spud’s for You
Scott Lent’s Leek and Potato Soup

Is there anything cozier than being home for the holidays? Yes: a pot of Bin Vivant chef Scott Lents’s creamy comfort soup.

Leek and Potato Soup
Serves eight

Ingredients
1 tbsp. butter
2 bunches leeks, sliced thin crosswise
1 sprig fresh thyme
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 c. vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 c. cream
½ c. goat cheese

1. Melt the butter in a heavy casserole dish or stockpot.

2. Add leeks and thyme. Cook over low heat until soft.

3. Add potatoes and vegetable stock.

4. Season with salt and pepper.

5. When the potatoes are soft, add cream and bring to a boil.

6. Transfer contents to a blender in batches and carefully blend until smooth. (Make sure to cover the blender lid with a kitchen towel.)

7. Add goat cheese to the last batch of soup to be blended.

8. Strain soup to remove lumps.

9. Add more salt and pepper if needed. If soup is too thick, thin with water.

10. Garnish with lemon zest and lobster meat. Other possible garnishes are black truffles or sliced smoked duck.

11. Pair with a chardonnay (Bin Vivant wine tender, Yashar Shayan, suggests the 2006 Buty from Columbia Valley).

12. Prepare for things to get steamy.

The Year in Review

Ok, I really want to have a countdown of ten recipes, but I only started this blog in August. Sooo....

Here are the links to my 5 favorite online recipes of 2008

5. Baked Beans
4. Meat Loaf
3. Caramel
2. Pumpkin Cookies
1. Chocolate Chip Cookies






Happy New Year, everyone. Cheers!

Now This is Christmas

I hope all of you, just like me, had a wonderful Christmas time. Perhaps it was because I left a city run amok with snow for vacation in sun and 60 degree weather, but week was simply peaceful and perfect. I let go of my obligations (thus explaining my lack of bloggery), and truly enjoyed every moment. I didn't forget about you completely, though.



I am very glad this year that I have this blog. Because I knew I was going to need something to write about, I kept mental notes of all I ate, and took special notice of the gift of food while spending time with loved ones. As a result, I have many more moments captured in my memory that I have in Christmases past. When I think about what I ate I remember having Hungarian bean soup with spaetzle dumplings with my grandparents. I remember eating homemade Indian food with my in-laws and nieces and nephews. I remember sharing an amazing sandwich with my mom after getting our hair done together, cheese and wine on Christmas eve, and drinking tea while playing games with everyone I love.



I truly hope that you all keep these kinds of memories through the holidays and into your new year.

Now this is Christmas:

It's the Thought that Counts...Right??

So here is the letter I just sent out to my friends and neighbors this year for Christmas:

Hello to everyone!

I am writing to let you know that I had beautiful visions of making wonderful Christmas treats for you all. My plan was to bake knock-your-socks-off gingerbread and decorate them so beautifully that you wanted to cry and simply couldn't bring yourself to eat them, except for the fact that they smelled so good that you couldn't contain yourself. It was going to be great.

Since I am super busy at work this week, I had one afternoon to do this. One shot. No problem, right? WRONG! I am so embarrassed to say that I picked THE most disgusting gingerbread recipe. The cookies were awful, and I couldn't possibly give them out. It seems in all my baking talents I have a curse when it comes to making Christmas treats (if you remember the "marmalade" incident of last year). So after this I ran out of time, ran out of ingredients, ran out of patience, and ran out the door to work.

Rather than go through the entire process again, I went philanthropic. Instead of goodies, I picked out and angel tree card at the University Village, and on behalf of you all I bought a pair of pants, a top, and a magnetic toy thing set for Ernesto the 8 year old boy.

So Merry Christmas to you all from Raj and I. I'm sure Ernesto will be grateful.

Love,

Annika

By the way, just so you never EVER use this recipe, here it is. It was a horrid texture, and literally tasted like eating cardboard.

Busy, Busy Baker

The Holiday season is the busiest time of the year for the baker. Honestly, this is part of the reason I do not work in a commercial bakery anymore. I like to have time off around Christmas to fly back to warm and sunny California and spend time with my family. With that said, while I am working I like to keep busy!

Last night I catered the desserts for a Christmas party, and in the process found my new favorite Christmas dessert. When I do parties, I almost always to petits fours. People just love tiny desserts, and it really makes a dessert spread look special. Not to mention the big eating trend right now- in sweet and savory- is little bites of everything.

The little guys I made last night are the most perfect for a Christmas party! Light buttons of meringue are layered with pillows of spiced whipped cream and topped with jewels of pomegranate. I can't even begin to tell you how beautiful these are. They look like little snowmen with holly berries for decorations or rubies on display.

And they are tasty, too! Between the crunch of the meringue, the softness of the cream, and the burst of juice, the mouth really has a lot of sensations to take in. They were a hit among kids and adults alike. I encourage you to try it!

Note: I used cinnamon instead of anise to give it more of a traditional Christmas flavor. You can use whatever you want to.



Merigue Petits Fours with Anise Cream and Pomegranate (on the right in the picture)

For meringues

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup superfine granulated sugar

For cream and topping

• 2 teaspoons regular granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
• 1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

• Special equipment: a pastry bag fitted with 1/3-inch plain tip; parchment paper; an electric coffee/spice grinder

Preparation

Make meringues:
Preheat oven to 175°F.

Beat egg whites with salt using an electric mixer at high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. Add superfine sugar a little at a time, beating at high speed, and continue to beat until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks.

Spoon meringue into pastry bag and pipe 1 1/4-inch-wide disks (about 1/3 inch high) about 1/2 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake meringues in middle of oven until dry but still white, about 1 1/2 hours, then cool in turned-off oven (with door closed) 1 hour. Transfer meringues on baking sheet to a rack to cool completely.

Whip cream and assemble petits fours:
Finely grind regular sugar with anise in coffee/spice grinder. Beat cream in a bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks, then add anise sugar, beating until it just holds stiff peaks.

Peel meringues from parchment, then dollop 1 teaspoon cream onto each meringue and top with 3 pomegranate seeds.

The Recessionista on Food

I LOVE this word, recessionista.  I bet by next year this term will be in the dictionary- especially if the economy doesn't improve.  I have mostly heard is referred to ladies who are able to keep up with fashion during this time of financial woes. I think it represents more.  The word says that you can still be fabulous (that's another one of my favorite words) even if no one really has any money to spend.  In the case of this blog, you can still eat fabulous.

Eating fabulous means that although you don't have much money to spend on food, you do not have to eat off dollar menus, or buy only the preservative filled crap that comes in the Sunday newspaper coupon section.

So, as defined by internet sources, a recessionista is defined by four things: being 

Crafty, Careful, Charismatic, and Cash Conscious

Crafty: So, the biggest and most bestest way of saving money is to stop eating out so much, and stop buying pre-made food.  This means that you must know how to cook! And really, all cooking is is following directions.  If this is as far as you can get, then so be it, but let me push you even farther....  Think of food items that are healthy and don't cost so much- my two favorites are lentils and rolled oats since they can also multitask.  The next step is to think of things that pack a lot of flavor, but you don't need to use to much of- such as bacon (like in this previous blog), maple syrup, or spices.  Use these as the inspiration for your meals.

Careful: In clothes shopping, this refers to two things. 1. No impulse buying! This is almost easier to apply with groceries, because you can just make a list of what you need and stick to it.  Don't throw things into your cart just because they look like fun.  Don't buy something that you don't eat just because it's on sale.  2. Don't buy something that's poor quality and will damage your health just because it's cheaper! Lastly, I think another part of this is to be careful not to waste your food.  If veggies are getting a little soft, make soup!  If bread is getting stale make French toast!

Charismatic: If all you have to eat for dinner is bean soup...again....then make the most of it by serving it up on the prettiest dishes you own.  Set your table, put on music, and light a candle, even if you're eating alone!  Go out and buy the best baguette that money can buy- because you know it's never going to be more than $4- to "kick it up a notch."  (I hope I don't get sued for copyrights for that one.

Cash Conscious: This means...

finding the best quality product for the best price

Need I emphasize that more?  Buying the cheapest possible item out there is not always the best thing!  Now is the time to research.  You may spend $2 more a pound on salmon at one store, but will that salmon last 5 days rather than 2? Some ice cream brands may be more expensive, but is that because they lack fillers (such as sawdust) that other brands put in to make you THINK you're getting more?  A cereal may be on sale, but is that because you are sending your kids off to school full of processed corn and sugar?

One last thing from me: You need to reward yourself.  Go out to your favorite restaurant- just do it once a month.  Buy your favorite brand of coffee or real vanilla extract, even if it's more expensive!  A true RECESSIONISTA knows that a total cutoff of niceties leads to binging, and that is the worst thing you can do for your budget!  Just make sure whatever it is you indulge in is so totally worth it that your heart palpitates and you must close your eyes to enjoy it!

If I Were Single...

I have said this before....

If I were single I would eat nothing but fruits, cheeses, and baguettes for dinner every night. Well, since Raj has been in class for business school half of the week, I have had a lot of single nights. Most often I'm missing the time I would have been sitting next to him on the couch after work, but since I know he's working hard for our future I make the most out my situations.

Anyway, that's what I did tonight. In the form of a caprese salad. Sometimes I forget how easy this salad is to make. Especially when you buy those little mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes. Put it together with some basil, good olive oil, salt and pepper, and you have one girly dinner! One other thing: I was surprised to find that many caprese recipes did not use balsamic vinegar. I personally think it makes the salad. But you don't have to eat mine. Go make your own.

Oh! And let me also remind you Christmas party throwers of the beautiful colors of this salad.



Just a reminder.

Back to Pie

I don't care what anyone says. You could go to pastry school at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and work as a pastry chef for years at the finest restaurants in the world. But no one, and I mean no one, can make pie like grandma can! When I say grandma, I don't necessarily mean mine or yours. It is more of just a generic title that I give to all grandmas. I wonder, what age is it when one suddenly gets bestowed upon them the magical gift of making amazing pies? It makes me look forward to aging. Maybe one night after my children have all been married off and I have just celebrated retirement, the magic pie fairy will come into my window and slip a secret recipe card under my pillow, along with some "amazing pie" dust.

Until then I will have to keep trucking on and learning from the greats as much as I can. I remember most vividly the pumpkin pies from my grandma, but this Thanksgiving I got a lesson from my grandmother-in-law. Do you remember this picture?



Well, that pie was a collaborative effort. You see Eleanor (my grandmother-in-law) has an ever so famous apple pie that she has made for holidays for years and years. But for her, just like for many, when the pie fairy left her gifts, she took with her the vigor of youth. Eleanor does not have the energy to move about the kitchen, chopping apples to 1/8 of an inch, and mixing butter and flour into pea sized bits with her fingers, so I have had the honour of the torch being passed to me.



So, on Thanksgiving Eleanor sat right next to me, and instructed to me step-by-step everything I did. In fact, it was kinda like the movie "Ratatouille," where the rat pulls on the hair of the chef like a puppet. Except she did not sit on my shoulders. I concentrated very hard, trying to remember every little nuance and method. She withheld the magic "amazing pie" dust, but I imagine she's not allowed to reveal that.



In the end, I did not know how my pie compared, because I had not had years of holidays in that family to know what they were expecting. The consesus from everyone else was "not exactly like grandma's, but still just as good!" I could definitely take that! I really had great fun learning. Sometimes you can learn more from the people around you than you could from Julia Child. Now, for the kids who had Julia Child for a grandma....man....what kinda pies did that combination create?