January 24, 2014

Cooking Adventures








I've been eyeing this cookbook for a long time, and even had it on my Amazon wish list in hopes that I would get it as a gift, but I finally decided to just buy it, after I had thumbed through it many times in bookstores. There isn't a veggie that I don't like, so everything in this book looks so good to me, especially the cover of the book!  I plan on working my way through this book :) I had to hunt down the herb mix at a Persian market, but other than that it was pretty simple and was a very nice side dish. I served lamb chops and brown rice with it.
In the book it tells how to successfully take out all the little pomegranate jewels. You cut in half horizontally, and then with cut side down, in the palm of your hand, you start to whack it with a wooden spoon quite vigorously. I really didn't think this would work and would cause a huge mess, but it didn't! They all popped out neat and clean with minimum mess. I was so thrilled that now I will not look at a pomegranate the same again!   So.....doesn't my picture on the bottom look like the cover of the book?  :)

This weekend we are having friends over for dinner, and I'm making cassoulet. It is a two day affair, so while I'm waiting for the beans to rest, I thought I'd say hi!
Still unseasonably warm out here in Northern California, and I'm hoping that my cassoulet won't be that out of place to eat with the sun shinning brightly outside!

Got some good news from Nicole this past Monday! She landed a really nice job here. We are all proud of her and I think she will really enjoy working there. She won't be designing, but instead she will be the studio manager, which gives her a lot of new tools to add to her  resume.

Oops the timer just went off....cassoulet building time!!!  Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

9 comments:

  1. I'm so impressed with your culinary skills. I know I've probably said that more than once before, but its true. I'm anxious to hear about more of the recipes you try from that book.

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    1. Thanks Tricia! I really love to cook and bake :)

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  2. Yes, your photo looks exactly like the cover of the book! The cookbook looks awesome. Please send some of your warm weather to the east coast - it was 9 degrees this morning. Congrats to your daughter! Enjoy your dinner with friends this weekend!

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    1. Thanks Julia! The cookbook has some really yummy recipes that I can't wait to try. I sure wish I could send some of this sunshine to you. We have all had enough, since we are now in a severe drought situation. Mid week coming up, it will be 77 degrees! Very odd and, all the pollen is floating around as if it were spring time!

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  3. Yum!!! Looks like an exact replica of the cover! Makes me hungry. Congrats to Nicole!!

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  4. Elizabeth, your eggplant looks just as delicious as the photo in the book. I wonder, just how long did you have to roast the eggplant? Mine have been in the over for more than an hour and they're a long way from looking anything like the photo. I always seem to have trouble with slow roasting. It seems to take twice as long as the author recommends. I've checked my oven temp and it's accurate. Any suggestions/thoughts? Thanks!

    Stephaney

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    1. Hi Stephaney, I roasted the eggplant for about 45 min. at 400 degrees. They said also to score it almost down to the skin. 45 degree angle then again, making a diamond pattern. I also used not so huge ones either, as they were kind of an individual serving. Hope that helps :)

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    2. Well that explains it! I followed the recipe and roasted them at 200. I suspected they wouldn't be done in 35/40 minutes but I figured they knew what they were doing. I typically follow the recipe the first time I make something. I should have gone with my gut.

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    3. Stephaney, I think I know what may have happened. You might have a UK edition and you are seeing 200 Celsius. Are you from the States or the Uk? My copy says 400 degrees fahrenheit.

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