Because I need inspiration.
You know I do.
In an effort to reignite a spark, I've added a couple of new cookbooks to my kitchen counter. Let's hope they don't just sit there:
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (I already bake bread, and I already take a lot of shortcuts, but I want some confirmation and new ideas about the shortcuts from the pros.)
From a Monastery Kitchen
Twelve Months of Monastery Soups
If you have any extraordinarily inpsirational ideas, I'd love to hear them.
You might start with, "Karen, open the cookbooks."
To which I'll smugly reply, "That's how much you know. There just happens to be a huge batch of bread dough in my fridge right this very minute. So there."
I'll keep you posted. And I'll try to stop talking like a third grader.
7 comments:
www.allrecipes.com has been extremely helpful in clearing my "Chef's Block" (just like Writer' Block, but with cooking!). It even has a neat feature when you click on the "ingredients" tab: you list all the foods you have, and it finds recipes that contain these foods.
I also find the reviews really great!
HTH!
I second the AllRecipes recommendation! That ingredients search feature has introduced us to some great new recipes!
I have the Artisan Bread cookbook but haven't cracked it open yet because it's too hot to cook right now, but I have been using their main recipe that I got from their website for a while and it works like a dream. I can't wait for it to get cooler so I can try the variations they offer in the book.
Same with the Monastery Soup book. The recipes look simple enough and tasty, but it's too hot for soup and since my kids aren't big soup fans, I probably end up fixing one once in a while just for hubby and me.
I've used the Allrecipes site, but I haven't used the "Ingredients" tab -- thanks, ladies!
A friend just posted a link to this Canadian article about meal planning. My children don't actually read yet, but I thought that the idea of having the family suggest meals for the next week on the plan for the current week was good. http://www.canadianparents.com/article/to-plan-or-not-to-planthis-is-the-question
Now that fall is approaching, I have rediscoverd my crockpot. I love Stephanie O'Dea's blog: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
Her cookbook just came out but most of the recipes are on the site. :)
I love the Monastery cookbooks. I actually found my simple Brazilian homemade soups in there. My dear Mother-in-law gave me Taste Of Heaven--you will love it too. I am not much of a cookbook person--I usually read them for pleasure with a cup of coffee for inspiration and ideas as opposed to actually following recipes.
Lindsay, I have a friend -- a mom of eight -- who has different kids help with dinner each night, and one of her teen girls just offered to fully take over all the lunch prep every day. Kid-involvement is definitely a great thing!
Megan, thanks for the crock pot site. I'm always looking for good crock pot meals, as they are lifesavers.
And Ana, thanks for another cookbook idea! It sounds heavenly. :) You sound much more creative in the kitchen than I am.
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