Susie's Supper Club

I was turned on to this cookbook by another blogger who knew Susie when she was just a cook for a family. Then Susie turned her food into a delivery/takeout service for meals. Then the book. I read the flap copy and a little bit about Susie. I liked her. I bought the book thinking that I would use it unlike the other 45 cookbooks lining my shelves that have clean, white pages. I was right. I made three things the first week. Her recipes are easy to follow with only a few steps and no fancy ingredients. It's right up my alley. I recommend the turkey meatballs. I substituted the panko with regular and used fresh herbs since I had them on hand. The macaroni and cheese was also easy and delish. It's made in a muffin tin so you have 12 individual servings. I even used reduced fat cheese and it was just as good. I froze the remaining servings and even reheated one for CityBaby for dinner last week. I also made the asian inspired sugar snap peas. These were incredibly easy and I even added in some extra broccoli I had laying around. It provides inspiration and enough room for me to edit and adapt as I need to. I also found out that she sells her frozen entrees at Whole Foods. Unlikely that I would buy them since I prefer fresh but a nice option if you are really crunched for time.

CSA Week 1

On Friday we picked up our first crop from the CSA. This bounty included mustard greens, collard greens, plantation onions (these look scallions on steroids) and dark green romaine lettuce. We also got a gallon of strawberries, a small bouquet of flowers and a little green frog named Putt-Putt. He didn't come with that name but was dubbed it by CityBaby. At first glance, I find the amount of greens intimidating. I am not really a "greens" person. We donated the collards to a someone who not only knows how to cook them but also knows to eat them for wealth. I am thinking about cooking up the mustard greens a la spinach with some garlic and lemon. I gave away a bunch of strawberries and still have a million left. I am drying some as I type. This is one of my favorite things to do since my oven has a drying feature. Extra vegetables, fruits and herbs all get the drying treatment in this house. I am scratching my head over the plantation onions. I might just sautee them and use them I would onions. It feels good to be out of my comfort zone in the vegetable arena. And, who knows? I might find I really quite like greens.

Spring Cleaning

It is that time of year again. For me, Passover always marks spring cleaning. It starts in the kitchen but extends far beyond there. This year I had additional inspiration from Oprah. I know, get in line. Her March issue was dedicated to clearing out the clutter and reorganizing. Both actual, spiritual and emotional. I could you use of the above. So, I've been cleaning out for a few weeks now. I always start with closets moving from clothes to shoes. That usually takes the good part of 2 weeks. My method is to chip away at it. A few hours here and there. Otherwise, the task becomes so daunting I would literally be clearing out my Madonna look from the 80s. This year, I took an extra step and audited my bags. Oy, do I have bags! I have big purses and small purses and gym bags and weekend bags and computer bags bearing all kinds of logos that I have been collecting since my first job. Some of the companies aren't even around anymore. I found some good homes for some. Mama Ruth had been looking for a red bag so that was a great placement. Others had to be sacrificed in the form of Goodwill donation. From closets, I moved on to our home office. I started with the obvious. Tax returns older than ten years were shredded. Then I got rid of files for cars and homes and appliances we no longer own. Then on to child artwork, toy warranties and dog immunization records from 2005. The kitchen pantry was next. First, it was everything with an expired due date. Sad to admit that that garbage bag was hefty. Then it was things that were technically still fresh but had taken a beating. Ever seen a fruit bar that had taken a pounding from canned tomatoes? Not pretty. Then I found an amazing amount of matzah products. I always forget I have it and buy it again. I have matzah meal and cake meal and farfel and gluten-free matzah and salt-free matzah and egg matzah. The good news? Fresh matzah tastes stale so this stuff never expires. Then I took my cookbooks to task. I have a lot of cookbooks for someone who always complains they need inspiration. I gave them a shelf and now with their titles all facing out, I just need to glance to find inspiration. I am ready to take on spring, Passover and warm weather. Until next week, when my new organization needs re-organizing.

Ktichen Itchin'

I love cooking gadgets. I love things I don't need or plan to use once and have to have. If you open the numerous drawers in my kitchen (for some reason I have a lot of drawer space), they are loaded to the top with gadgets. OK, fine, I give....they are loaded with crap. Items like mutliple mushroom brushes for the two sizes of mushrooms I never clean. And, a cheese grater, a cheese slicer and a microplane, because one can never have enough cheese and ways to prepare it. I have a handheld frother and a candy thermometer. I have never made candy but, you never know. Recently, there was an article about this. Gadgets and tools that people buy with the best of intentions but never end up using. There's a therapy niche somewhere for some smart, enterprising shrink. My issue goes beyond gadgets. I have a Ron Popeil rotisserie oven (it was wedding gift). I have drinking glasses that go on for days. I have red wine goblets and white wine chalices and beer steins (only four) and cocktail tumblers and juice glasses and an array of sippy cups, because CityBaby couldn't decide which sippy cup would work before he abandoned them all for two cent drinking straws. I have a rice cooker that also steams vegetables and a vegetable steamer that also cooks rice. I also am the proud owner of a Magic Bullet. Now you can't say I am a culinary snob. And, just to prove that I am not over my addiction, just this week I ordered a pineapple corer. We don't eat that much pineapple but on the rare occasion, I find it a mess to peel and forever to cut. Now, to decide what to do with the two minutes I saved.......