50 Shades of Peeps

I read someplace that each Easter, Americans buy more than 700 million Peeps.

Now, I would like to show you my coffee table.

Oh, you can't see it?  Maybe that's because it's coated in Peeps. I'm pretty sure I now own about 2 million of them.

Before you worry that I've lost my Peepin mind, please know that I bought these for Science.

First, I wrote an extremely important article at work on Peeps and manicures (somebody had to).  And second, I felt it was my duty as a Peep lover to try every last kind and share my findings with you.

Now, as any Peep aficionado will tell you, the ONLY way to eat them is stale -- and head first. Just slice open the package and let those chicks and bunnies breathe like a fine wine. It may be tempting, but eating a fresh, fluffy Peep is like drinking boxed wine.

Cheap thrills.

On to the taste test!  Grab a rack and munch along...

Classic Chicks Taste Test: Pink, Yellow, Blue, Purple, Green & Orange
Winner: YELLOW!
I know these all taste the same, but I am a purist.  Yellow is the only way to go.

Classic Bunnies Taste Test: Pink, Yellow, Purple, Green & Blue
Winner: PINK!
Again, yes, they taste the same but just as chicks are yellow, the best bunnies are pink.

Peeps Minis Taste Test: Vanilla Creme, Strawberry Creme, Sour Watermelon, Chocolate Creme
Winner: VANILLA CREME!
These are all pretty gross (Watermelon, talking to YOU), and they are weirdly deflated, so take the win with a grain of sugar... er... salt.

Peeps Mystery Taste Test: Mystery Bunnies & Mystery Chicks
Winner: MYSTERY CHICKS!
These limited-edition bunnies (sour apple?) and chicks (pineapple?) were more fun to guess than to eat. 

Chocolate-Covered Peep Taste Test: Milk & Dark Chocolate Peepsters & Milk & Dark Chocolate-Covered Peeps
Winner: DARK CHOCOLATE-COVERED PEEP
Dipping these in choc makes them beyond sweet, so while I usually go for milk, dark is the better bet here.

Peeps Delights Taste Test: Orange, Lemon & Lime
Winner: LEMON!
These would be better if they weren't also dipped in tropical chocolate, but lemon is as refreshing as a marshmallow can be.

Chocolate-Dipped Peeps Taste Test: Plain, Strawberry,  Sugar Cookie, Milk & Dark Chocolate
Winner: MILK CHOCOLATE!
I don't love any of these, but if I had to pick, I'm going with this little fella.

Peeps Novelties: Bunnies & Peeps on a Stick, Decorated Eggs & the Jumbo Bunny
Winner: RAINBOW PEEPS ON A STICK!
This is just fun to eat.  Plus mine was already stale, which was ok by me.

Peeps Flavors Taste Test: Blue Raspberry, Sour Watermelon, Sweet Lemonade, Bubble Gum, Party Cake & Orange Creme
Winner: ORANGE CREME!
This was the best part -- the rest of these (minus the Lemonade) are totally inedible (especially Bubble Gum -- blech).
But Orange tastes just like a Creamsicle and is totally delicious.  I wish I had another pack.  Or seven.

To summarize: Go for the yellow chicks, the pink bunnies, and if you find the Orange Creme, give me a call.

Thank God I got to the bottom of this.

Now, this is what happens when you have too much time and too many Peeps on your hands. This is my dining room table -- the coffee table could not possibly contain all this Peep-y goodness.

And yes, there are more than 50 different kinds of Peeps up in here:

Finally, I know today is Easter, and that's cool, but tomorrow is the better holiday.

It's the Day-After-Easter Candy Sale (aka Pink Monday).  Ok okaaay, I just made up that nickname, but the holiday is 100% legit.

Here's how you participate:
1) Go to CVS and clear out a shelf of cheap Easter candy
2) Pay for it (don't forget your mile-long receipt)
3) Eat all the deliciousness knowing every pound you gain is a dollar you saved

But be quick like a bunny -- chubby grandmas get up early!


tags: food, holidays, taste tests

Bunny Treats

I hate eggs.  Actual, from a chicken, eggs.  Can't stand 'em.

All kinds?  Yes.  But what about [insert gag-worthy eggy dish here]?  Nooo thank you.  What?!?  Get over it.

As far as I'm concerned, the MVP of the Easter basket is the Reese's Peanut Butter Egg.  I could eat a whole rack before the ham hits the table.

Now, everyone knows the single wrapped egg is a tease.  Real eggs travel in packs.  Buy the sixer.

But if you haven't noticed, Reese's bunnies have been busy multiplying.  Just in case the bright neon lights of your local drug store, super store, or super market make you woozy and you accidentally pick up a different Reese's Easter candy, do NOT panic.

I am here for you.

I have tried them all, and have the ill-fitting pants to prove it.  Here's what should hop, skip, and jump right into your piehole.

Let's start with the duds.  You'll want to skip these:

Skip Reester Bunnies

Here's why:
They just don't taste very good.  The peanut butter to chocolate ratio is totally off.  The only thing this dude has going for him is that he is not hollow -- THOSE are an abomination.  Still, he's only smiling because he tricked you into buying a sub-par bunny.

Skip Reese's Novelties

Here's why:
These are a flash in the pan.  I think they're supposed to tempt you with their unusual shapes.  And the orange Reese's Pieces carrot is kind of cute.  But the rest of them stink.  The big yellow egg was a hodgepodge that included the white egg (gross). The 8 egg carton was just silly.  And the chicken sitting on top of a stack of mini cups is like a lazy man's Pez dispenser, but no where near as fun.

Skip All Reese's Minis

Here's why:
These are dangerous.  They are small, and it's way too easy to eat 10 without realizing it.  But they taste like sadness because they're inferior to the full-sized Reese's Peanut Butter Cup or Reese's Peanut Butter Egg.  If you like these little nuggets better, you probably also like black jelly beans.  And we can't be friends.

Sorry.





Ok, now for the good stuff.  Hop right on over to these:

Giant Reese's Eggs

Here's why:
These are GIANT eggs.  Loaded with peanut butter.  That you need to cut with a knife.

Do I really need to say more?

Reese's Pieces Eggs

Here's why:
These are actually tasty.  I thought they would be bad.  I was crazy.  Imagine the Cadbury Mini Egg if it was made from peanut butter.  Sounds pretty good, right?  It is.  But avoid the weird Eggbeaters carton package and just buy the sack. Also, get yourself some of those Cadbury Mini Eggs.  They're also quite delicious.

(I'm sure you can guess how I feel about gloopy Cadbury Creme Eggs.  Cluck no.)

Classic Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs

Here's why:
These make life worth living.  Nom nom nom nom nom.











Is there anything better than seasonal chocolate treats?  Well, yes, I can think of about 10 things without even trying.  Still, they're pretty tasty.  List your own faves below...

Thank you, Easter Bunny!


tags: food, holidays, taste tests

A Gluten-Free Holiday Feast

Is gluten-free a fad?

I dunno. But I think it is helping me feel better (if only in my mind). Like I said, it's pretty easy to keep to a GF diet during your normal life, but here's 2 places when it's hard: 1) while traveling, and 2) during the holidays.

For instance, I was in San Fran and Park City earlier this month and every food court was filled with nothing but sandwiches, pizza, and burgers. I had no choice but to eat airport sushi to stay on the wagon.

Yep. I like to live dangerously.

The holidays can be even trickier, especially with wheat-y staples like stuffing, gravy, bread, macaroni & cheese, cupcakes and pie tempting your tastebuds. What's a girl to do? Make a totally gluten-free homemade holiday feast!

And guess what?

It was good. Seriously!

Not... not horrible. Not good... all things considered. Just plain good. Tasty, even! So, here's a rundown of what I made, and how you can make it too.

Side note: I don't like to follow recipes, but I'm linking to some recipes I used for inspiration because didn't want this post to be 52 pages long describing exactly how I made each dish.

Side note 2: Food tastes better if you have the proper inspiration while cooking.  I watched a double feature of Julie & Julia and Big Night. Twice. But really, any food-centric movie will do -- Chef and The Hundred Foot Journey, or Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Ratatouille would also be delightful duos.

Bon appetit!

Think I'm kidding? Check out this feast! All. Gluten. Free.
Only keep reading if you like delicious food...

For starters, I made apps that were super easy. Cheese & GF crackers (Breton,
Mediterranean & Glutino), sopersatta, veggies, chips, Snyder's GF pretzels,
and a delightful nut medely made with cashews, pistachios, dried cranberries, and Raisinettes. 

Ok, okaaaay, I cooked ONE app. Brown sugar-coated bacon-wrapped dates.
Because they are delicious.

Then, I made creamy butternut squash soup with apple and sherry.
An immersion blender will make this silky smooth, but you can use a reg blender too,
just be careful if the soup is hot. You don't want to wear it. And don't skip the heavy cream
or the sherry (go for dry, I got a brand called Taylor for $8 from the liquor store downstairs).

I could have made biscuits with GF Bisquick, but instead I picked up Bob's Red Mill GF cornbread mix,
and prepared it according to the package. Plus, I added a can of corn to the mix. And some extra milk
so it was less dry. Also, I served it with orange honey butter and Sarabeth's cranberry relish.
Aaand, I bought this cute cast-iron pan from C&B so I could feel like a pilgrim. Or a cowboy.

Gizzards and bones aren't for me. So I made boneless turkey breasts. Three, to be exact.
Blasphemous? Maybe. I don't care. One thing to note: Turns out chicken broth can have gluten in it!
So, see that box of College Inn in the background? Don't buy it. And definitely don't buy
three of them to go with your three breasts.

Every turkey needs gravy. Unfortunately most aren't GF. I prefer brown beef gravy over
tan turkey gravy and got a mix from McCormick. Then, I realized one packet wasn't enough
so I added more Kitchen Basics GF stock and Cup for Cup GF flour, and baby portobello mushrooms.  

This GF stuffing with sausage, apples, onions, celery, dried cranberries and sage was really, really good.
I didn't follow a recipe here, but I recommend getting Schar GF sandwich bread and
cutting it into cubes. And Jones pork sausage. And more GF stock. The rest takes care of itself.

I could lick the screen right now. This is a sweet potato gratin with sage and smoked gouda.
And it is my new favorite side dish. I also made a heaping pile of buttery masted potatoes,
but you know what that looks like.

This is a roasted veggie dish I made out of guilt from all those starchy sides. It's rainbow
carrots, parsnips, squash and cipollini onions, but you could use anything here. I got tired,
so I didn't mix them with maple, bacon, and pecans. But if I had, it would have looked like this.

Speaking of starchy sides, I made cheesy stovetop mac & cheese, using my own recipe,
but with Barilla GF elbow macaroni and GF flour instead. Side note: This also freezes pretty well.
Put individual portions in Gladware, freeze, then when you want one, microwave for about 6 minutes,
stirring every 2. Add a few splashes of milk along the way to make it super creamy again.

I guess pumpkin or pecan is a more traditional holiday pie, but I love apple. I couldn't find
GF pie crust and I hate to bake so I didn't make my own. Instead, I used these ramekins
to make individual apple pie crisps with Comstock's apple pie filling. I ground up some
Schar graham crackers with butter to make a crust and added brown sugar topping.

Betty Crocker makes GF yellow cake mix so I whipped up a batch of cupcakes too. I'll be honest,
of all the GF goodies, this one has a bizarre texture, but if you add in the vanilla extract like they
recommend, it tastes pretty much the same. And regular frosting works here because
it never had gluten to begin with. Sweet.

Finally, a holiday feast isn't complete without leftovers. Here's a turkey salad I made
with cheddar & gouda cheeses, roasted pecans, pears, and red grapes.

Ok, now I'm hungry.

Do you have any gluten-free go-to recipes? Share them below...


tags: food, holidays, recipes

The Best Pasta Salad I've Ever Eaten

I've gone gluten-free. So anything made with wheat = no bueno.

It's been about 4 months and it's actually going pretty good.  I started because I heard it helps reduce inflammation.  Knowing myself, I needed something like this that could be more of a lifestyle change than a true diet (though I have lost about 20lbs in the process!).  Apparently, going vegan is even better to bring down swelling, but I could never, ever give up dairy. 

My middle name is Cheese.  And also, TV.  And also, Michelle.

Subconsciously, I think it was a way for me to control SOMETHING when my health was on a bottomless downward spiral.  Truth is, though, even now that I've rebounded I don't mind the restrictions.

Mostly.

I never really noticed before, but GF substitutes are everywhere! From grocery stores to restaurants, it's pretty easy to stay on track because everybody who's anybody is swapping wheat for rice. You learn about new brands like Udi's, Van's, and Glutino but even Ronzoni, Bisquick and Betty Crocker have jumped in the ring.

Gluten's kinda sneaky (FACT: it lurks in soy sauce).  You'd be surprised what never had gluten to begin with and is totally ok to eat.  Like, Cheetos (FACT: they are delicious). When I do fall off the gluten wagon, it's usually for fluffy pancakes, crispy pizza, crusty bagels, or a cozy bowl of pasta.

But that's not my fault, that's Science.

Anyway, I've been eating lots of salads.  Do you know what my favorite kind of salad used to be?  Pasta salad!  Let me be clear: not nasty supermarket counter mayonnaise-y elbow macaroni pasta salad.  Fancy pasta salad.

The best I've ever had was at a restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ, called Cowboy Ciao.  They're famous for their Stetson Salad, and for good reason: it's savory and sweet and crunchy and creamy and super addictive. So much so, that when I came home, I HAD to recreate it -- and make it even better with more of the things I like.

Next time I cheat, it will totally be with this here cowboy...


THE STETSON CHOPPED SALAD

TIME: 10 minutes cook time, 30 minutes prep time

SERVES: 4 people once, or a single gal for 4 nights

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups of Israeli couscous (if you find a GF kind, let me know!)
• 4oz of smoked salmon
• A handful of grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1 can of corn nibblets, drained
• A few tbsps of sunflower seeds
• A handful of dried cranberries (or Craisins or Plum Amazins)
• Shredded asiago cheese 
• Guacamole ranch dressing (as much as you like)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Go shopping for all this stuff -- and find a more economical way to do it than I did.  It cost me $34.62, and I didn't even care. Yep, this is THAT good.  Also, I mis-manage my money so my tolerance for overspending is quite high.
2. Come home and make the couscous according to whatever the box says.  Make sure you get the Israeli kind that looks like pasta pearls, not the tiny kind that looks like seedy sand.  They will probably tell you to toast the couscous, then boil and drain it.  Feel free to skip the toast part -- I never have the energy for that step and it still tastes just fine.
3. Lay the couscous in a bed at the bottom of deep dish bowl and let it cool off.  Later, you'll be making stripey layers on top of the couscous with each of the ingredients.  This may seem unnecessary, but it is not.  Organized food tastes better.
4. Chop up the smoked salmon.  This is the best part of the salad.  If you don't like salmon, get over it.  It's the bacon of the sea.  If you do, it's up to you how much to spend here, but since you'll be eating it with a whole bunch of other stuff, no one will know if you buy the cheaper packaged kind.
5. Cut all the grape tomatoes into fourths so the pieces are small and will blend in with the rest of the chopped salad.  If you can't find grape, use cherry and cut into eighths, but beware those have more greenish oozy tomato guts inside.
6. Open (and drain) the can of corn, the dried fruit, the cheese, and the sunflower seeds.  Feel free to substitute anything you want here, but you're looking for a mix of sweet (corn), sweet chewy (fruit), salty (cheese), and salty crunchy (seeds).  Also, use these in any amount you like.  I added measurements because this is a recipe, but the truth is I never use them when I cook.  Or assemble pretty salads.
7. Remember those stripey layers I mentioned in Step 3?  Now's the time to make them.  Start with the salmon down the center and build out from there.  You should be able to fit 7 in total, including one for a peek at the couscous that lies underneath.
8. Now bring this to the table and let your friends and family oooh and ahhh.  Take a victory lap. You earned it!  Incidentally, this is how they do it in the restaurant, too.
9. Last step is to mix it all up, tableside. Pour the creamy guacamole ranch dressing on top and go to town.  Yes, I said, "creamy," as in fatty -- skinny cooks can't be trusted.  If you can't find the guacamole kind of ranch, get some guacamole and mix it with some good old-fashioned ranch.  It's really not complicated.
10. Now chow down. Shouting "Yee Haw!" with a mouthful of food is 100% optional. You should probably chew and swallow first.

So, is a salad really a salad if it doesn't contain anything green? 

And can you seriously not wait to make this at home?  Go!  Do it.  Then mosey on over to the comments and tell me how it was.


tags: food

Gobble Gobble

For some people, Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without that gloopy green bean casserole (it's kinda a vegetable).  For others, it's cranberry sauce fresh from a can (the ridges lock in the flavor!). 

For me, it's Stove Top Stuffing.  Classic chicken style.  Nothing else comes close. 

Well, just when I thought nobody could love a box of croutons and secret spices as much as I do, this little gem comes along:





Gobble, gobble, friends.

Serve up a dish YOU can't live without in the comments below.  And Happy Thanksgiving!


tags: holidays, food, commercials

I Heart Rodolphe Lindt

(Note: This is a sponsored post for SheKnows Experts Among Us, but the taste test is all my own)

As you know, I've been enjoying Lindt LINDOR Caramel milk chocolate truffles at work each day (hard life, I know). 

Truth is, I have a total soft spot in my heart for these sweet treats because they make me think of my mom.

Each Christmas when I was growing up, we would head to Willowbrook Mall in scenic Wayne, NJ.  We'd take the escalator up to the 2nd floor, then make a beeline to the shops outside Lord&Taylor to pick up our favorite stocking stuffer. 

Any guess what that was?

Liver & onions! 

Kidding.  It was a big gold bag of Lindt LINDOR chocolate truffles from the Lindt store.  To this day, no holiday is complete without them.  Occasionally, we'd have a few left by the time Christmas Day rolled around.  Always a good idea to leave one for Santa... the man cannot live on cookies alone.

Anyway, at the time we took this photo (17 years ago!), I was a size 8, mauve curtains were all the rage, and that yummy chocolate goodness cost just $10.  But even today, it's an amazing value.

I suppose the same can be said for my pants.

Anyway, you might recall the first taste test I ever did was with a chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your hands.  Well, THIS is the original that makes every day feel like a special occasion.

My parents live down in Del Boca Vista now, so they can't do this taste test with me, but I'm guessing they'll be pretty happy when I bring them the leftovers next month. 

(If they last that long.)

Join me on a sweet escape...

Recipe: LINDOR Caramel

Shell: milk chocolate infused with caramel
Center: caramel milk chocolate

Escape: major me time

Recipe: LINDOR Dark Chocolate

Shell: dark chocolate
Center: dark chocolate

Escape: medium me time

Recipe: LINDOR Extra Dark Chocolate

Shell: 60% cocoa extra dark chocolate
Center: dark chocolate

Escape: minor me time

Recipe: LINDOR Hazelnut

Shell: milk chocolate with hazelnut pieces
Center: hazelnut milk chocolate

Escape: major me time

Recipe: LINDOR Milk Chocolate

Shell: milk chocolate
Center: milk chocolate

Escape: major me time

Recipe: LINDOR Peanut Butter

Shell: milk chocolate
Center: peanut butter milk chocolate

Escape: massive me time
(yes, there are only 2 here -- I ate 1 during the photo shoot -- I am only human)

Recipe: LINDOR Stracciatella

Shell: white chocolate with cocoa pieces
Center: white chocolate

Escape: major me time

Recipe: LINDOR White Chocolate

Shell: white chocolate
Center: white chocolate

Escape: medium me time





Looks like I gravitate towards the salty-sweet combos -- the ultimate taste combination.  Like, anything and bacon (Lindt, are you listening?). 

What's YOUR chocolate personality?  Vote below! 

poll by twiigs.com

Wow, I got through this whole post without once saying, "life is like a box of chocolates!"

Oh. 

Oops...


tags: family, food, polls, taste tests

Me Time

(Note: This is a sponsored post for SheKnows Experts Among Us, but the me time is all my own.)

I'm in serious need of some "me time."

You'd think because I'm single, and I don't have any kids, or a yard to rake, and just the one job, that I'd have sweet, sweet me time coming out my ears. 

But I don't.

What I might REALLY need is a lesson in time management, but that's not the point of this post.  Between work, and travel, and life, and my mildly unhealthy obsession with TV, there simply aren't enough hours in my day. 

I suppose sleeping is the ultimate me time, but I prefer to be conscious when I'm relaxing.

It's going to be a while before I can get lost again in a new Ikea catalogue, so here are 5 more ways I'd like to escape from the everyday: 

Anywhere Me Time: Writing
You might recall, I started this blog in 2008 as a way to get back into writing novels (ok, manuscripts that wish to grow into published novels one day).  But I actually wound up loving blogging for blogging's sake.  A novel is a commitment.  A blog post is a fling.  That's more my speed these days.   

At Home Me Time: Painting My Nails
I should seriously have my head examined for the amount I spend on nail polish.  You might think I was a 13 year old girl, but then you'd quickly realize a 13 year old girl could never earn enough in babysitting money to afford a collection like mine.  It's impossible for me to leave CVS without a new shade (Sally Hansen is my BFF) and don't even get me started about my bi-weekly trips to Sephora (I'm currently cheating on Butter London with Marc Jacobs, shhhhh). I find professional manicures thoroughly uncomfortable, but painting my own fingers and piggies is delightful.

In the Air Me Time: Reading a Magazine
You know what I love about JetBlue, besides the legroom, and the snacks, and the TV?  I love the fact that you can't get wifi.  You know what that means?  Hours of unplugged, uninterrupted time to read my all-time fave, Food Network Magazine, cover to beautiful cover.  It's heaven.  I usually also pick up US and Life & Style (which I hide inside the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly).  While everyone else is busy pretending to turn their electronics off by slipping them into the inexplicably insufficient "airplane mode," I'm lost in a story about the RHONJ because you can't power down a magazine.

Out & About Me Time: Grocery Shopping
I'm an advertiser's dream -- I'm crazy brand loyal and yet can't wait to try all kinds of new products.  If a commercial told me toothpaste was a vegetable, I'd probably believe it.  I prefer to go to the grocery store alone so I can take my time and leave no section unexplored.  It's not as fun here in the city (with the exception of Fairway).  I take my REAL grocery me time in the 'burbs, where the aisles are wide and the prices are low.  Beer, wine, Ensure?  I'll take them all.  You never know...

At Work Me Time: An Afternoon Treat
I'm not a coffee drinker.  Or a smoker (gross).  Or a person with Restless Leg Syndrome who needs to get up every 10 minutes.  So I don't often have an excuse to leave my desk during the day, unless I'm headed to a meeting.  But I actually don't need to get up to get away.  There's a tiny chocolate escape that lives in my desk drawer and calls my name around 4pm.  Can you hear it too?  Right now, I'm pretty partial to Lindt LINDOR Caramel Milk Chocolate Truffles.  They're a smooth and creamy trip for my taste buds.  In fact, I just might have to eat one now.  Ok, two.  Alriiight...maybe three.


So, how do YOU find me time?  List your favorite ways below, and then go do them! 

Unless reading my blog is part of your me time ritual, in which case, please read on.  Who am I to stand between you and sheer literary pleasure?


tags: beauty, food, shopping, travel, writing

My Favorite Cookbooks

When I was little I remember making "soup" out of buttons and spare change. 

It was delicious.

But I suppose the first edible thing I ever tried to cook was a yellow cake with chocolate frosting from my old-school orange Easy-Bake Oven. 

Who knew an ordinary lightbulb could yield such a delicious homemade treat?

The first time I used the actual, grown-up oven, I was 9.  I'd taken an after school class on cooking and they taught us to make something called Applesauce Muffins. 

I'm pretty sure it involved adding some Motts to a box of muffin mix, but I felt like a baker and I couldn't wait to come home and make it for my family.

It's funny that my first cooking memories are of baking, since I'm horrible at it.  Seriously, I am a bad baker.  I don't have the patience for it.  All the measuring, and the sifting, and the mixing, and the kneading, and the timing -- it's annoying.

But I do love to cook.

As you know, I have an addiction to buying small kitchen appliances.  And even though I can't bake to save my life, I'm dying to get a mini-pie maker.  Yeah, it's a problem.

I also love buying cookbooks.  Have a whole bookcase full of 'em.  But I hate following recipes.

(I am a riddle, wrapped in an enigma.)

I'll follow a recipe as it was written for the first time, but then I make it my own.  Here's a baker's dozen of my favorite cookbooks:

The Joy of Cooking (1931)
by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker

Why I like it: It's a classic. Ironic that it's called "joy" since it's a total snoozefest to look at -- no pictures, and it's a bazillion pages long -- but anything you ever wanted to know how to cook is in here.

My favorite recipe: Baked Macaroni & Cheese (p. 320)

Mrs. Fields Cookie Book (1992)
by Debbi Fields

Why I like it: My mom got this for me my senior year in college, and my roommate and I put it to good use by making about 30 dozen Christmas cookies that we hand-delivered to friends (mostly boys). We were pretty popular that day.  So seeing this one on my bookshelf always makes me smile.

My favorite recipe: Christmas Sugar Cookies (p. 57)

Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen (1996)
by Rick Bayless

Why I like it: My mom taught me everything I know about Italian cooking, but this book told me what I needed to know about Mexican.  So many great recipes in here for burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, chili, moles, and more.

My favorite recipe: Guacamole (p. 78-80)

Top Secret Restaurant Recipes (1997)
by Todd Wilbur

Why I like it: I randomly picked up this one to fulfill my commitment in a book club.  Little did I know how awesome it was!  I love how he deconstructs and recreates the things we love to order when eating out.  And while I've only eaten at Olive Garden once in my life, their dip has become a party staple in our family.

My favorite recipe: Olive Garden Hot Artichoke-Spinach Dip (p. 188-189)

Boy Meets Grill (1999)
by Bobby Flay

Why I like it: I first learned of Bobby Flay when he did a show called Grilling & Chilling where he BBQ'ed with a hillbilly chef.  I've always been a fan of his straightforward style, and I have a few of his cookbooks, but this one was my first and my fave. 

My favorite recipe: Turkey Burgers with Brie and Granny Smith Apple Slices (p. 18-19)

Pizza, Pasta, and More (2000)
by Wolfgang Puck

Why I like it: I went to a friend's house years ago and she used this cookbook to make the best homemade pizza I've ever had.  So I bought the book.  I haven't made the pizza yet,  but the tapenade is another one of my family's go-to recipes.  I think my dad could eat the whole bowl!

My favorite recipes: Black and Green Olive Tapenade (p. 22) and Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Pizza (p. 84)

Barefoot Contessa Family Style (2002)
by Ina Garten

Why I like it: I've seen and heard enough about Ina to know we wouldn't be buddies, but I do like a chubby chef that looks like she eats her own food.  I had the fish & chips from the Barefoot Contessa and they were really delish.  Although you could probably deep fry a boot and I'd like that too.

My favorite recipe: Parker's Fish & Chips (p. 97)

The Soprano's Family Cookbook as Compiled by Artie Bucco (2002)
by Allen Rucker and Michele Scicolone

Why I like it: You'd think a novelty cookbook like this would be junky, but this one has some great recipes.  And there are some fun show tidbits sprinkled throughout the pages.  Sure, I have cookbooks from Patsy's and Rao's too, but I like this one best.  Fuggedaboutit.

My favorite recipe: Tiramisu (p. 179)

The New Legal Sea Foods Cookbook (2003)
by Roger Berkowitz and Jane Doerfer

Why I like it: I loved going to Legal Sea Foods at the Short Hills Mall because it reminded me of summer and being young.  The only chowder I've ever had that beats the Black Pearl in Newport, RI (where I spent many a summer in my 20's) was here.

My favorite recipe: Clam Chowder (p. 236)

Everyday Italian (2005)
by Giada De Laurentiis

Why I like it: She's adorable and her food is really yummy.  What more could you want?

My favorite recipes: Arancini di Riso (Rice Balls, p. 133) and Everyday Caponata (p. 206)

The Pioneer Woman Cooks (2009)
by Ree Drummond

Why I like it: When I grow up I'd like to be this gal.  I want to hang out in her cabin with her cute-as-a-button kids and whip up ranch foods (occasionally served with ranch dressing) for her cowboy husband, then snap some pics, blog about it, and shoot a cooking show.  I'll skip milking cows and getting up at dawn.  That isn't on the menu.

My favorite recipes: Spicy Pulled Pork (p. 94-95)

5 Ingredient Fix (2010)
by Claire Robinson

Why I like it: I hate recipes that have a zillion ingredients.  Who wants to spend $57 to make homemade risotto AND have to wash the dishes?  No thanks.  I was psyched to discover Claire because all her recipes contain 5 ingredients or less.  Perfect for NYC living.

My favorite recipe: Buttermilk Pecan Chicken (p. 116)

The Epicurious Cookbook (2012)
by Tanya Steel and the Editors of Epicurious

Why I like it: This one was written by some of my most fave peeps, so it automatically makes the list.  But it's also a pretty awesome collection of recipes.  And they're grouped by what's in season, so it's not just tasty, it's smart too!

My favorite recipes: Tom Colicchio's Herb-Butter Turkey (p. 260-261) and New England Sausage, Apple, and Dried Cranberry Stuffing (p. 262)





So are YOU cooking any books?  See one I'm missing?  Add your favorites below...


tags: food