Feeling Nostalgic

I like trying new recipes, but there are times when I crave a dish from my past.  The trigger to making Bacon and Tomato Soup was seeing large, luscious-looking tomatoes at the grocery store.  They reminded me of my childhood, when a tomato tasted like a tomato.  I bought some and sliced them up as a side dish.  They were so good that Bart and I ate them all in one sitting.

How Big Is Julia Child’s Shadow in My Kitchen?

French Onion Soup

Every once in a while I think about Julie Child and wonder how much she influenced me.  She began her world domination before I started dabbling in the kitchen.  And when I did start, I was so intimidated by her reputation that I avoided her famous 1961 opus, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”

Egg Noodles: What Are They and How Do I Use Them?

My grandmother put egg noodles in chicken soup, but I didn’t know they were different from spaghetti or other noodles until well after I left home and started cooking for myself. 

When Best Intentions Aren’t Enough

I had been thinking about roasted, spicy chicken legs for dinner ever since I read a favorable review of a local chicken restaurant.   ‘I should be able to make something similar,’ I said to myself while roaming around the supermarket. 

When I spotted a large plastic-wrapped package of chicken legs on sale, I knew my dream dinner was about to come true.  I’ve roasted chicken parts before so I just followed my instincts, mixing together a few spices with some olive oil, coating the legs and baking them for about 45 minutes.   Then I popped them briefly under the broiler to get crispy.

Major disappointment!

When a Recipe Ingredient Looks Wrong

I have often clipped out a recipe from a newspaper’s food page and then the following week noticed a correction.  Maybe the cooking time was wrong or an ingredient was left out.  Had I followed the recipe, it might have been a disaster. 

Such corrections make me cautious when trying new recipes.  Now I always read through the ingredients and directions several times, looking for anything that might be off.  Baking cookies at 500 degrees—no way.

Mom Money-Saving Tip 95

Reluctant to throw out mixed lettuce leaves that are no longer at their best?  Add them to a stir fry or soup.  They will shrink when cooked but will add a bit of flavor and a lot of color.  And you won’t feel guilty about wasting food.

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A Cheap Emergency Meal

Thank goodness for eggs.  Most people who have refrigerators also have a box of eggs in them.  Eggs are cheap, versatile and full of protein.  They’re one of the basics of my life, whether I’m making a dessert, an omelet or a heavy-duty soup that can serve as a main course.

When I’ve assessed the contents of my freezer and can find nothing I want to eat for dinner, I turn to Oniony Egg Soup.  I don’t know where the recipe came from, but I’ve been making it for years. 

It doesn’t require many ingredients:

It’s Time to Take Turkey Leftovers Out of the Freezer

After gorging on turkey on Thanksgiving and Christmas, I got truly sick of it.  That’s why I carefully packaged up the leftovers and popped them in the freezer for a day when I’d appreciate them. 

Well, that day arrived.  After rummaging through an overcrowded freezer, I was actually excited to see a package labeled Christmas Turkey Leftovers.  A few nights ago I made Turkey Stuffed Tortillas--cut up pieces of turkey as a filling for a heated tortilla, topped with grated cheese, guacamole and salsa.

Then I used up some more

Emergency Chicken Soup

Whenever I think of chicken soup, I think of my grandmother.  She served her homemade version to the family every Friday night.  This was back in the days when whole chickens, not beautifully prepacked chicken parts, were sold in grocery stores. 

One of the most exciting aspects of her soup was the possibility of tiny cooked egg yolks popping up in the soup bowl.  At the time you could get real chickens seemingly straight from the farm, and these chickens had unlaid eggs in various stages of development inside them.  The downside was you had to gut and clean the chickens yourself.

Mom Cooking Tip 139

Looking for a flavor boost?  Add a teaspoon of soy sauce to a soup, sauce or stew.

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Disguising a Food Purchase Mistake

When I was at my local supermarket recently, I discovered a two-pound bag of individually frozen salmon fillets on sale and immediately bought a package.  The price was right--$5.99 for 6 fillets instead of $12.99.

I pan-fried two of them for dinner that night and got a resounding boo from my husband.  After a few bites, he pushed the salmon around his plate for a while and then took an extra helping of rice.  Seldom has he been so negative about what I cook.

I couldn’t bring myself to throw out the other fillets.  I figured I would eat them when he was away on a trip. 

A few weeks later I had an idea.

Mom Money-Saving Tip 89

Roast Pork Loin

Roasts provide lots of meals.  Buy them when they’re on sale, cook them and then freeze half the leftovers.  Use the rest for sandwiches, cut up in tortillas or soup or a simple repeat of your original dinner.  I just bought a 4-pound pork loin roast for $10 and used some of the leftovers for Cuban Sandwiches.  

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Cornstarch: What Is It and How Do I Use It?

In England, cornstarch is called cornflour, and this is a clue to what is actually is—flour made from corn.  It’s sold in the baking section and often comes in a 16-ounce box.  I use it as a thickener for sauces, soups and gravies. 

Cornstarch, which feels silkier than flour, has a tendency to clump in the box.  Always dissolve it in cold water, stirring thoroughly to make sure no lumps remain.  If you add cornstarch directly to a hot liquid, you’ll end up with lots of lumps.

Mom Cooking Tip 124

To remove fat from gravy, soup or meat stews, refrigerate the cooked food overnight.  The fat will solidify and rise to the top of the container.  Use a fork or large soup spoon to lift the fat off and discard.  This technique is easier and more effective than trying to spoon away fat while the dish is still cooking.

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Parsnips: What Are They and How Do I Cook Them?

Carrots (left)  Parsnips (right)

Parsnips look like carrots but are cream-colored instead of orange.  They are a little sweeter than carrots but just as versatile.

I first tasted a parsnip at a dinner party when the hostess served Curried Parsnip Soup.  I was intrigued by the idea of a soup made from a vegetable I’d never heard of.  But I couldn’t fully taste the delicate flavor because of the seasoning.

A few days later I scrubbed and roasted a few parsnips as a side dish.  Everybody liked them.  Now I often add parsnips to a panful of raw vegetables, sprinkle on some olive oil and pop the pan into the oven for 45 minutes at 425 degrees.

Gumbo and Garlic Bread

Normally I would think twice before recommending a mix.  However, after my whole family loved the soup that was based on a box of Zatarain's Gumbo Mix, I feel comfortable mentioning it.  We even fought over the leftovers, and that is unheard of in our house.

Mom Cooking Tip 119

Use fresh breadcrumbs to thicken soup.

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Where Do You Get Your Recipes?

Shrimp Chowder

I like trying new recipes, but I’ve learned to be careful about the source.  If my aunt, a terrible cook, hands me a copy of a recipe she likes, I say thank you and put it in my purse, never to be seen again.  If a close friend who is also a skillful cook offers one, I try it immediately.  I don’t always like the end result, but I’m willing to give it a chance.

With cookbooks, I’ll test out one or two recipes.  If they’re successful, I’ll try some more.  If they’re not, that cookbook moves down to a shelf near the floor of my kitchen and may never be consulted again.  If it was an epic fail, I banish the cookbook to the garage.

Mom Cooking Tip 100

If a soup recipe calls for fresh spinach and you don’t have any, substitute several handfuls of mixed salad greens.

Bean and Vegetable Soup

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Mom Money-Saving Tip 77

Leek and Potato Soup

Serve soup at the start of a meal, and you will need less of the main dish.

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