So you got a new cookbook!

Note all recipes mentioned in this post are in italics, all page numbers are from the red HTCE.

I have given several HTCE cookbooks away in the past and this Christmas I'm giving two more to family and friends.  This post is for those recipients who have just received what may be the biggest cookbook ever.  I just wanted to share some tips and some favorite recipes from one cook to another.

First, an introduction.  I would say that this cookbook is an American, from-scratch guide to your kitchen.  Have you ever had something in a restaurant or something from a box and wanted to try to make it at home/from scratch?  Chances are Mark has a recipe that will fit the bill.  One of the best things about this cookbook are all the options and variations Mark gives you for each recipe.  Don't have an ingredient?  Nine times out of ten you can do without, or find a substitute.  It is one of the main reasons I love this cookbook.

Here is my checklist for getting the most out of this cookbook:

• Read it  The size and title of this book can be overwhelming I'll admit, but I know Betsy and I attacked it like you would any other book.  Just open it up and start reading.  Read introductions, titles, scan recipes, etc.  The chapter on Kitchen Basics alone is a great read and the Vegetable and Fruit lexicon (starts p.251 and p.381) made me feel empowered to cook any produce I put my hands on.  Reading it will also give you the lay of the land as far as chapters go.  They all start with Mark's essential recipes and move on from there into subcategories of the chapter.
• WRITE IN IT!!  Almost as important as reading the book I think you must write in this book!  I can see my Dad cringing as I type this, but I think writing in this cookbook is advisable and probably necessary.  You see, with all the variations that are included you have to free yourself to make notes on what you liked and what you didn't like.  I write in pencil because you never know when you are going to change your mind.  Other reasons to write in the book are:
• Making a note of which recipes you have made is helpful since there aren't pictures of the recipes to jog your memory.  Eventually all the titles start sounding familiar.  
• Changing or modifying certain recipes to the taste of your home is sometime necessary and I think would be encouraged by the author.  Two recipes that I have modified are Macaroni and Cheese and Pancakes.
• Since watching Alton Brown's "Good Eats" I now weigh out all my flour.  I have written in pencil on page 836 all of the weights of the different types of flour.  Very handy!
• This book does not contain nutritional facts, and since I have a diabetic in my household I have also used the front cover to make a chart of how many carbohydrates can be found in basic ingredients.  This helps me quickly calculate carbs per serving in any recipe.
• Put a blank box by recipes you want to try while reading.  Then you can go back and check them off when you have tried them.
• Post-its Post-it notes help me keep track of chapter breaks, recipes I'm currently using, and recipes I want to try.  I think they are your friend!
• Start with the Essentials  You can start cooking anywhere in a chapter but some of my favorite recipes are considered by Mark to be "essential" (they are marked with a red star).
• Fresh Tomato Salsa (p.23) - Philip loves this pico de gallo and asks for it anytime we have a mexican dish
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (p.80) I made several variations of these a few years ago, very tasty!
• Real Popcorn (p.81) Beats popcorn from a bag any day and it is so much cheaper!
• Potato Salad with Mustard Viaigrette  (p.189) Potato salad with no mayo that is delicious!
• Roasted Vegetables (p.241) Sweet potatoes, asparagus, almost any vegetable can be roasted.
• Stir-fried Vegetables (p.241) Quick and easy way to use up vegetables that are just laying around.  The variations are endless!
• Fast Tomato Sauce (p.502) I always have the ingredients to make this on hand.
• Spaghetti with Butter and Parmesan (p.506)
• Baked Macaroni and Cheese (p.508) See the above link for the changes I have made to this recipe.
• Stir-Fried Chicken with Cabbage (p.643)
• Chicken MarkNuggets (p.646)
• Meatloaf with Spinach (p.723)
• French Toast (p.794) I use half the milk he calls for, but otherwise this is a good recipe with great variations.
• Cornbread (p.831) This is an average recipe.  I now use this one instead.  I call it "the one".
• Explore the Tables This book is filled with useful tables.  My favorite table is on page 201 and contains recipes for 18 vinaigrettes (these are in addition to the 20 variations listed after the basic vinaigrette recipe).  We love the Soy Vinaigrette with a little Pampered Chef Asian seasoning added (1-2 T.).  We have also made the avocado variation and it was tasty.
• Recipes with few ingredients In addition to the recipes above these also have few ingredients and all are usually already on hand!
• Deviled Eggs (p.84)
• Caramalized Onions (p.325) These are made differently then the way I was taught, but they are awesome!
• Baked Sweet Potatoes (p.358)
• Rice with Cheese (p.460)
• Polenta (p.485)
• Denver Omelet (p.802)
• Popovers (p.847)
• From scratch alternatives I love that this book contains how to make almost anything from scratch.  In addition to the recipes mentioned above here are a few favorites.
• Any kind of broth or stock (p.155)
• Pizza and Calzones
• Vinaigrette (p.199)
• Spicy No-Mayo Coleslaw (p.206)
• Rice Pilaf (p.460) We make the red version for "Mexican rice"
• Bread Crumbs (p.876)
• Oatmeal (p.820)
• Yogurt or Buttermilk Biscuits (p.845)
• Rich Golden Bread, Nine Ways (p.861) I have made the rolls
• Chocolate Sauce and Hot Fudge Sauce (p.921)
• Vanilla Pudding (p.950)
• Other Favorites Here is just a list of other recipes that my family loves!!  Try these soon if you can.
• Cheese Straws (p.88) When I made these I did long logs, but you can cut them into squares
• Crisp Panfried Potatoes (p.341)
• Oven baked Ratatouille (p.373)
• White beans, Tuscan style (p.427)
• Barley and Beef Stew (p.484)
• Chicken Cutlets Roasted with Tomatoes (p.672) serve with Polenta (p.485)!
• Chicken Parmigiana (p.678)
• Roast Chicken with Herb Butter (p.686)
• Broiled Split Chicken (p.693)
• Classic Pot Roast (p.742)
• Roast Pork with Sage and Potatoes (p.754) Use the leftovers here in the Fried Rice with Shrimp and Pork (p.468)
• Everyday Buttermilk Waffles (p.815)
• Overnight Waffles (p.816)
• Crepes, Sweet or Savory (p.817)
• Don't miss the Appendices There is so much in the back of this cookbook that it is too good to skip.  Suggested menus, lists like the ones above if you are looking for essential, fast, make-ahead or vegetarian recipes.  And my favorite part, the index!  I have to admit that since getting the app that goes along with this book I use the book form of the index less and less.  I actually cook from the actual book less too, but this red giant is one of the only cookbooks that is allowed to live on my kitchen counter.

I hope you have found this introduction helpful.  I know for me just flipping through this cookbook again has made me want to try more of its recipes and even though the lists above seem long, they are really just the beginning!

Stir-Fried Chicken with Cabbage

When my friend Betsy suggested this cookbook to me my first complaint was that it didn't have any pictures.  Foodies will tell you that we eat with our eyes first and I have to agree.  Pictures of the recipes was one of the main reasons I wanted to write this blog in the first place!

If you have the HTCE app it highlights one recipe a week and along with a note a picture of the recipe is sent out.  Well the picture that was sent out last week had me very intrigued!  I'm only sorry that my picture isn't as good theirs was.

Not only did this dish taste wonderful but it was quick and easy!  The best part is that other than the Napa cabbage I usually have all the other ingredients on hand.  I did use about two pounds of dark meat chicken because the cabbage was over one and a half pounds.  This was so good we will be having it again next week!  As you can see from the picture we served it over rice.

HTCE p.643

Overnight Waffles

Last night the newscaster mentioned that she loves waffles with peanut butter for breakfast.  Waffles with peanut butter?  Genius!!

So there it was 10:30pm and I have a craving for waffles.  The problem is that Wednesday mornings are our most rushed morning.  Not only do we have to get Ethan off to school, but Asher and I attend BSF so I have to get our bags ready too.  Then I remembered that Bittman has an overnight waffle recipe!  The perfect solution.

I had tried these waffles before but I only let the batter rest for a few hours.  These were much more yeasty tasting and the recipe yielded 6 of these giant waffles instead of just four.  The results were scrumptious!  I have to say that I did take the extra step and broke out my hand mixer to whip those egg whites until they held a soft peak.  I know this is an extra step and three extra dishes but it was well worth it!  It really increased the volume of the batter and added to the lightness of the finished waffle.

The other plus about this batter is that we ran out of time this morning (see previous note about Wednesday mornings) and I didn't have time to cook all the waffles.  No problem!  I just covered the batter and stuck it back in the fridge.  When we got home this afternoon I reheated the waffle iron and finished cooking the last two waffles.  They look just like the ones from this morning so I'm expecting they will taste the same.

You might be wondering how the peanut butter went; it was delicious!  On one side of the 2x2 waffle I drizzled our favorite syrup (Steen's) and on the other side I spread peanut butter.  Then I folded the waffle over on itself and I had breakfast to go!  I will definitely be making these again and again (even on Wednesdays). 

HTCE p.816

HTCEV p.204
Full Recipe 

Bittman and Apples

I know this isn't a recipe from HTCE, but Bittman just wrote an article that referenced all these apple recipes and I had to share it.

You can find the article here.

Naan

Recipe: Naan
Page: 873
Rating: *****

If you like Indian food, Mark's Naan recipe is the way to go! They're delicious and stay pliable for a while (something most homemade versions do not do). They are not hard to make, but they do require some rolling action so plan around that. They cook in just a few minutes, so once you've done the rolling out you won't have to wait long to eat them. We serve them with curry dishes usually. MMmmmmm

Applesauce

HTCEV p. 419

Recipe: Applesauce

Rating: ***

Making applesauce is something I never thought I would try. Two simple things inspired me to do it:

1. The fact that my sister and I made jam ourselves. If nothing else, that experience has gotten me really questioning what I can make myself and why I choose not to.

2. I had a bunch of apples that I wasn't eating. They were sitting in my hanging basket, threatening to begin to rot any day now.

3. (reason to do it once I was inspired) Mark Bittman had some amazing suggestions of things to add to applesauce. After thinking that I may do it, I read the list and was totally on board. Cayenne in applesauce? Consider my interest peaked.

Behold: The makings for applesauce!

I only had five apples and the recipe calls for five pounds. But the recipe is just apples and water so I didn't think it would be that big of a deal. I also had to peel them all by hand since I don't have a food mill. Not having a job and having a fairly slow afternoon ahead of me, this task wasn't really daunting. Besides, I found my pairing knife and wanted to try it out.

Not much to say about this recipe besides that it could not be easier. Since I made half and am now looking at about three servings, I do wish I had more apples and had doubled or tripled the recipe and taking on canning with it. There's always next time.

My comments on this recipe is that the final product wasn't very saucy. I put the amount of water recommended and in the end I got something more of the texture of mashed potatoes. Nothing wrong with that and maybe with a food processor it would have been better. Still, it's something I would make again.

Quick Tip: the Baking Trio

This quick tip might seem obvious to some, but I've been actively cooking (from scratch) in my kitchen for over 5 years and this has just now occurred to me. I use to keep my baking soda, baking powder and salt down in a cabinet with all of my other spices. If you bake often you know that these three are often used together in recipes including everything from quick breads, muffins and pancakes to cookies and cakes!

So here is my quick tip: store these three together in an easy to access spot! I have now moved this trio from my lower spice cabinet to an upper cabinet that also contains my measuring spoons and cups. I'm pretty sure my mom stores them in the same place in her kitchen, but I never noticed that they weren't with the other spices and I never thought to ask why they were stored separately!

My salt, baking soda and baking powder in their new home, right below the measuring utensils!

Got a tip you can share? Email it to us!

Bittman recipes for FREE in a new "app"

I stumbled across this app the other day and I wanted to share it.  I know there are a few of you out there that still don't have the HTCE cookbook.  If you have an iPhone, iPad, or other "i"device you can try out all of the essentials in Mark's book for free!!  I will say that I enjoy the iPad version much better than my iPhone version (which this app resembles), but the concept is the same.

Here is the link to the app.  Enjoy!

Simpler Baked Brown Rice (Variation)

Recipe: Simpler Baked Brown Rice (variation of Simper-than-Pilaf Baked Rice)
Page: HTCE p. 453
Rating: *****

I've cooked A LOT of brown rice in my day, and I've tried several methods. For a while, my favorite was a Cook's Illustrated version where you baked it, but first, I had to bring some water and butter to a boil, then pour it over the rice in a different pan, then cover the pan with 2 layers of foil, and then I had kids... and any extra pot/step was thrown out with the baby's bath water.

So, I started boiling it and just draining off the extra water at the end. Not bad. In fact, Mark gives us this version somewhere--actually, it's the very first recipe in the grains chapter. And, it's easy and predictable.

But then.... I tried this recipe. And. It's. AMAZING. PERFECT brown rice--distinct grains, good flavor, frees up an eye on the stove, even reheats well. I leave out the cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom, use the butter, and add 1 t. salt and a sprinkle of pepper per batch. Good news: you can even triple this recipe with the same timing and results!!! I use my Le Creuset wanna-be enameled cast iron 5-quart dutch oven from Aldi so that I have a nice, heavy, tight-fitting lid--that's important so the steam can't escape. I think Mark's liquid allowance is a little generous and may cut it back a touch next time.

Highly recommended!!!

Spicy No-Mayo Coleslaw

Recipe: Spicy No-Mayo Coleslaw
Page: HTCE p. 207
Rating: ****

We really liked this! The first time I made it a year ago, I wasn't crazy about it. But this time, it was delicious. Not sure what the difference was. I definitely recommend making it at least an hour before and tossing it periodically during that time--the cabbage softens a touch which adds to the finished product. It is yellow as the picture indicates (that's not just my photography!). It's heavy on the mustard which makes it very different from the usual idea of "slaw," but it also helped my husband really like it and he usually hates slaw! So, if you're not a typical slaw fan, this is a good one to try. I think the servings are spot on; we halved it and got 4 generous servings. If you're taking it to a potluck, you'd probably get 10 or more servings out of it.

My First Brussels Sprouts

After being at my in-laws for a week during Thanksgiving I was re-inspired to get back into the kitchen and cook for my family.  Since having Asher cooking has seemed like drudgery but after seeing this recipe I had to try my hand at Brussels sprouts!

Now I don't have any pictures of this recipe because I ate it too quickly, and for never having a Brussels sprout before I thought these were awesome!  I was happy to find that Bittman has many recipes for sprouts in HTCE and one of them is very similar to Tyler's example above.  As a matter of fact Bittman left off the one thing we didn't really like about Tyler's recipe - the soggy breadcrumb topping.

I will say that if I make this recipe again I will combine Bittman's recipe and Tyler's by only cutting the sprouts in half (way quicker) and browning them in the pan with the bacon before adding the water (or if you have it, stock).  If my oven happens to be on, I will still add the Parmesan cheese though because it was nice and crunchy and added a nice texture contrast.

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread (variation)

Recipe: Sandwich Bread, 5 Ways: 50 Percent Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread variation
Page: HTCE p. 859ff
Rating: *****

This is my go to sandwich bread recipe these days: quick (via food processor magic), doubles well, nourishing, tasty, easy, reliable, cheap, .... We make it with one primary change: subbing water for the milk called for. I've found this gives a softer, chewier bread, which we like better. I always use honey and oil (not butter). It's a leisurely process as far as rising time, but super quick to pull the basic dough together. It's a great all-purpose bread and makes terrific raisin bread. It also freezes well.

Muffins, Infinite Ways

Recipe: Muffins, Infinite Ways
Page: HTCE p. 832
Rating: *****

If I've rated these before, then just know they merit AT LEAST 2 ***** ratings. I make these almost weekly. You can't go wrong. They're delicious and just the right size. I've made muffins regularly for 15 years now--I even have a cookbook that is just for muffins. But this is now my go to recipe. I usually use oil instead of butter because I'm lazy. Otherwise, I follow directions per.

Oh--I also usually use half white whole wheat flour.

Variations that our family loves: Banana Nut Muffins (using half whole wheat flour and skipping the nuts), Blueberry Muffins (a real fave around here; leave out the cinnamon, the lemon zest is wonderful but I don't always have time/lemons), Cranberry Muffins (another fave), Coffee Cake Muffins (yum yum yum!), and the Savory Muffins (good with cheese in them instead of the onion).

Enjoy!

Chicken Scampi

We're fans of Olive Garden's chicken scampi around here and found a recipe that recreates it nicely. After I'd made our version a couple of times, I was making Mark's Sauteed Chicken Cutlets and noticed a definite similarity.

If you want to turn the Sauteed Chicken Cutlets with Wine Sauce (p. 679) into Olive Garden-style Chicken Scampi, make the following additions:

Saute 3-6 cloves minced garlic, a sliced red bell pepper (and a green if you want) and a sliced red onion either first or sort of in the sauce near the end.

Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dried basil, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano with the chicken stock as part of the sauce.

That's it! Same directions otherwise. Enjoy.