Lori in PA

I'm amending this to "In 2007, I will TRY to..." In 2007, I will eat the foods my body not only wants, but needs. I will make more shortbread! I will find the best method for ME to bake "artisinal" breads. I will learn to work bread-baking into my daily routine. This is the year I will try not to check a cookbook out of the library without trying at least one dish from it. I will taste more critically, without becoming critical of others' efforts. I will use my talents as a cook to bless others in my orbit. I will give more time to teaching adult friends to cook. I will give thanks every day for not just enough food for my family, but good food, tasty food, and healthful food. We (The Husband and I) will try to budget for another meal at Restaurant Sydney. My kids will continue to learn cooking skills through my summer cooking classes. I will teach more children than I wish to cook. I will read about a cuisine unfamiliar to me.

I have this book checked out of the library after seeing/hearing about Snowangel/Susan's success with the Baked Eggs in Maple Toast Cups (pg. 243) in the cookbook roulette thread. I think I'm gonna have to buy a copy. I suppose some my disparage a "best of" cookbook like they might eschew buying "best of" CDs, but some of us they are a boon -- another knowledgeable person has done some of the footwork for us and found us some reliable dishes to try. Sometimes I enjoy the hunt, but sometimes it's nice to have someone say, "Make this -- you'll like it," and that is what Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens have done in this volume. Its subtitle is "Indispensible Dishes from Legendary Chefs and Undiscovered Cooks," which gives an accurate taste of what you'll find. The Zuni Cafe's Roast Chicken and Bread Salad is in here (Wow -- how did I not know about this? Maybe because I live far from Zuni Cafe?), but so is Skillet Blueberry Cobbler by someone named Ezra Stovall, via "gang email." Of course this cookbook isn't comprehensive -- there are only 150 recipes, after all -- but just about everything in it sounds good to me. So far, I've made the following and I'm just getting started: Tagliatelle With Creme Fraiche and Arugula (except mine was with linguini and frisee) Zuni Roast Chicken with Bread Salad Braised Green Beans with Tomato and Fennel Double Corn Polenta Here's what I hope to try next: Cheddar Walnut Crisps Smoked Salmon Rolls with Arugula, Mascarpone, Chives, and Capers Manly Meatballs Carrot, Parsley, and Pine Nut Salad with Fried Goat Cheese Monte's Ham (It's party season, you know. ) So, has anybody else been playing with this book? Tell me.

I made the whole wheat bread from NNTK, but added walnuts. It made the best toast!

I've never had any problem doing this.

Seth and his family had lunch with us yesterday and it was a very productive visit. I had made veal breast in the style of Osso Buco sans onion and garlic (served those on the side). Mom and I made Risotto Milanese without onion, which was a new dish for her to learn. We also had roasted carrots. Dessert was baked apples with raisins, walnuts, and honey and also almond cookies brought by Mom. We spent the rest of the afternoon discussing possibilities and I answered lots of cooking questions. I sent her home with some recipes to try. She was so sweet and thankful -- a joy for me to help someone like her. I'm going to copy responsess to this thread for her, too. Thank you again, everyone.

How exciting -- so much for me to learn as I know almost nothing about Turkey. What is the climate like there?

I haven't made it at all. As you can see, it has a "normal" amount of yeast, so isn't really designed for an overnight fridge retard, but only trying it will tell!

I am actually liking the recipes in No Need to Knead better than the NYT guy one. Most often, I make the Pane Rustica. I'm bastardizing the two recipes somewhat -- using the hot pot with lid method with this books' recipes.

Thank you again to everyone. I have no idea what some of the dishes and ingredients you've suggested are, so I have much grist for the (gluten-free) mill here. Susan, I don't know the ingredients of fish sauce, so don't know if it is allowed.

Thank you VERY much for all the replies. To answer a few questions: chiles are not allowed (or any peppers), though Mom says she has gotten away with very small amounts of chile powder in a big pot of something. soy is not allowed, except for a small amount of tamari (this info from Mom -- I'm thinking tamari has some soy but I haven't researched) no cinnamon or other spices in that family (I haven't researched the "family" yet) no ginger Seth is five. I'm not sure how adventurous his palate is because of his extremely limited diet (and the limits of his mom's cooking know-how), but I think the whole family is open to trying new things, mainly to have variety. This all came about because Seth's mom told me she was feeling depressed about how difficult cooking has become -- making essentially two meals all the time to accomodate Seth's needs. She mentioned how EXCITED he gets when the whole family can eat the same thing. We talked about the importance/significance of sharing food and why Seth would feel that way, and we also discussed how much easier it would be if she could come up with a repertoir of many dishes everyone can eat and that she can take to potlucks, too. One thing that did occur to me: if I was Seth's mom, I think I'd keep sauteed onions on hand in the fridge and pass them around at mealtime like the salt and pepper, for those who can have them to stir into the spaghetti sauce or whatever "wants" onions. I've invited them for lunch on Sunday. I want to make some kind of main dish ahead, plus show her how to make roasted carrots and risotto (with sauteed onions to pass at table). I want to make a dessert ahead, too -- maybe a steamed pudding of some kind?

I'm working with a friend whose child has multiple food allergies to help her come up with as many dishes as possible to feed her whole family together. Little Seth has a shorter list of foods he can eat than ones he can't. The hardest thing I'm finding is the prohibition of all alliums -- I can't think of a single cuisine that doesn't use them extensively. Can you? In case you're interested, here's the list of allowed foods: Grains: rice corn potato starch potatoes cornstarch rice flour ground nuts (no peanuts or cashews) rice pasta gluten-free: bread, waffles, pancakes, etc. Fruit (in small amts.): apples kiwi pears peaches plums apricots cherries grapes dried fruit: raisins, dates, apricots, figs juice: apple, apple cider, grape Vegetables: carrots tomatoes corn limas green beans salad greens cooked greens potatoes sweet potatoes Protein: chicken beef lamb legumes egg replacer up to 2 eggs in a recipe Cheese: parmesan goat Dairy: goat milk Other: butter vegetable oil olive oil yeast Flavorings: herbs, except mustard tamari (small amts) sour cream or yogurt (small amts) vinegar wine cocoa powder nutmeg cloves pepper salt vanilla flavoring (artificial) other artificial “extracts” Ideas are welcome!

My local butcher has these for $3.99/lb. I can picture great stronganoff and a sort of quick beef bourginon, but what else?

To me, a simple green salad with vinaigrette is perfect just before or after the cassoulet, then a cheese plate and some fruit to end.

OK, we accept your plea of self-defense. ← Yes, we accept it, but still bake it anyway if it happens again. How else will you learn? I had a loaf in the oven while I was replying to your first post this afternoon. It was overproofed and I knew it wouldn't be great, but it turned out to be not so bad. It'll be great for toast in the morning, for sure.

How cool is it supposed to be before cutting into it? It was probably below 60 degrees, because that's how cold my loft is. How did you improve your dough? Less water? Thanks! ← Yes, I used less water. Also, to improve flavor, I've been reserving about 1/4-1/2 c. of dough in a covered jar in the fridge to add to the next batch. It sounds like your bread was fine temp-wise -- I asked because some of us got so excited we cut into our hot bread right out of the oven and were disappointed with the wet interior texture.

Did you let it cool befor cutting into it, Paul? My first attempt wasn't so great either -- my dough was too wet -- but subsequent batches are much improved, so don't give up.

The choco-nana bread, like all quick breads, was even better today after ripening overnight.

After reading Susan's glowing report, I checked Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens' The 150 Best American Recipes out of the library. I made Braised Green Beans with Tomatoes and Fennel, using frozen green beans. Yuh-hum. Even better with a little heavy cream stirred in at the end and allowed to reduce a tad. I've got to do more with this book.

I enjoyed the Choco-Nana Bread, though all I've had so far was an end-piece. All the other dessert eaters were pleased and an unexpected guest asked for the recipe. I'm sending one to dd at college -- it seems like a good candidate for shipping.

It looks good, Jen -- glad my adjustments worked for you. My youngest ds asked me the other day if I was going to make more of that good sugar bread.

I have double batch of Choco-Banana Bread in the oven now. Initial report: --A double batch makes for a full mixer bowl and generous splatters of both dry and liquid ingredients in the vicinity of the mixer. :-) --The recipe makes an eminently lickable batter. More later...

Lovely, Rachel, though I admit to feeling rather exhausted JUST reading about it.

My, what big ears you have! (Couldn't resist -- I just learned this term while reading The Breadbaker's Apprentice for the first time. Nice-looking bread!

You are wise.

I love banana and peanut butter sandwiches with a schmear of mayo. My aunt likes the same but adds a layer of thin sliced onion.