Tuesday Reviews-Day: Breakfast

Tuesday Revews-Day

We’re big fans of breakfast around here, though we seldom eat it at the “traditional” breakfast time. During the week it’s all about the race to get out the door and to the office, and on the weekends I’m more for sleeping in than getting up early to eat.

So super-informal brunch happens a lot, as does brinner (breakfast for dinner). We do that at least once a week, so when I told Todd we’d be having a lot more breakfasts his response was “oh, twist my arm.”

Why the uptick in egg-laden meals? Because I received a copy of Breakfast: the Most Important Book About the Best Meal of the Day for review. And if you’ve read this blog long enough, you know I feel duty-bound to make several recipes from a cookbook before offering up any sort of review.

I opened the book with a pad of sticky-notes in hand, expecting to flip through the book and pick out the promising menu items and move on quickly to creating my grocery list but found myself, quite a while later, barely having scratched the surface.

Some cookbook fans love to read a new cookbook like a novel. Others wonder how that’s even possible. With Breakfast, it’s more like reading a collection of essays. Created by the editors of Extra Crispy, Breakfast is easily half information and half recipes. There are infographics, history lessons, personal anecdotes, and comparison guides galore. And lots of eye-catching, slightly retro-feeling photography, too.

But the recipes, how are they? We sampled six of them, ranging from the more traditional to the how-does-this-classify-as-breakfast, and the overall feeling is they were all tasty, indeed. I did have some issues (like the recipe that serves 4, shows an egg on top of each serving, but only calls for 1-2 eggs… Oooookay) or lacking salt and pepper in other recipes, but the key pieces are there and you can generally infer the rest.

The luxurious Ham & Cheese Dutch Baby…

I was first introduced to the Dutch Baby shortly after graduating high school. Sense then I’ve made them many times, but never–for whatever reason–did it occur to make them savory, topped with black forest ham and cheese. That was unfortunate because the Ham & Cheese Dutch Baby was amazing. Even without the savory topping, the density of the custard (in part because my pan was a bit smaller than called for) was heavenly, and the leftovers reheated beautifully for lunch.

Next up was the Squash and Spam Hash. I had never had Spam before, but figured this was as good a time as any to rectify that issue. While it won’t be making my regular rotation, combining it with yellow squash, zucchini, and corn was not a bad introduction to the spiced ham in a can.

This next one got a bit of a brow-raise from Todd, but I had to try it! Ramen Carbonara–billed as a hangover cure to end all hangover cures–was quite tasty. It does not call for those sodium-packed seasoning packets, so fear not on that score, and I had some gluten-free ramen noodles in the pantry which worked just fine. I’m a big fan of carbonara in general, so adding a little more egg was not a hard sell for me.

The Mojito Pancakes might have been one of the more involved recipes I made from Breakfast, but only because it included making a flavored butter and doctoring the syrup in addition to make this actual pancakes.

But the effort was worth it! These pancakes were so amazing and the lime and rum-spiked syrup was just a thing of beauty in and of itself. This was probably my favorite of what we’ve sampled so far.

Next up was the Texas Red Chili and Eggs. I’m all for a no-bean chili (which is why this recipe appealed to me to begin with) but–and I never thought I’d hear myself say this–I missed the tomatoes. The meat was great, the chili blend on point (though why we soaked the anchos but not the guajillos I’m still fuzzy on), but I think I would have liked this just as much with the meat shredded and on a bun rather than in a bowl topped with an egg.

Finally we have the Instant Pot Burrito. As with many Instant Pot recipes, it’s more the novelty that you can make it in there than the pressure cooking really adds to the recipe in any way. Sure, it was nice that I could leave it to cook while I went and hung up laundry, but it wasn’t necessary, either. They were good burritos, though!

Thus we close the book on Breakfast… for now. I still have several other recipes marked to try at some point in the future. This book makes a great gift for a brunch-loving foodie that won’t be relegated to the shelf. It’ll be perfectly at home on the coffee table, the breakfast table, or the reading nook and could spark quite a few lively discussions around the table or elsewhere.

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of Breakfast in exchange for an honest review. All opinions (and errors) are mine and mine alone. Affiliate links have been used in this post, should you choose to support the book and this blog at the same time.

The Verdict Is In | Crock Pot Express Diary, Part 4

Tuesday Revews-Day

This is an entirely unsolicited, unsubsidized review of the Crock Pot Express and a few cookbooks relating to the appliance. While there will be Amazon affiliate links, that’s as far as it goes.

If you’re starting at the end, make sure to check out the play-by-play in parts 1, 2, and 3.


Final Thoughts on the 6qt Crock Pot Express

Overall, I was surprisingly impressed by the Crock Pot Express and I look forward to trying out more of it’s functions and features in the coming weeks. Oh, hell, I named the damn thing, I adore it–let’s be honest!

From a usability standpoint, once I got accustomed to the way the appliance worked, my comfort level grew exponentially. Unlike the stove top pressure cooker I tried a few years ago, this one doesn’t rattle and only whistles the tiniest bit when it’s building pressure. Nothing alarming or concerning at all. No desire to flee to the next room and peek around the corner with a mirror to protect myself from the shrapnel.

The earlier recipe issues were, I think, just that. Incomplete instructions made for lackluster results. My concern that the cooker may not be functioning as intended was dispelled once we got into more straightforward applications.

Upkeep-wise, I’d read (in reviews on the Crock Pot site, when I was looking at replacement parts availability) that using the dishwasher for the inner pot (despite this being shown on the sales page for the pot) had damaged the finish for some people. Since I don’t want that to happen, we’ve stuck to handwashing. The good news is that so far nothing sticks and clean-up is a breeze. I’m still planning on ordering a second inner pot (and a spare gasket, just in case) to have on hand for busy nights.

Also, I need to get my hands on some smaller cooking vessels for pot-in-pot recipes. I found a 7-cup Pyrex bowl (I carried it over to the display model in Target to make sure it would fit!) that I used for the quiche, but they didn’t have a small enough springform pan or other bakeware. The steam rack that comes with the CPE is a shade over 7.5″ wide, so 6-inch diameter vessels seem the safest bed.


A Word on the Books

I used a lot of the recipes from 500 Crock Pot Express Recipes by Jamie Stewart, even after the first few tried to go pear-shaped on me. It wasn’t planned, it’s just the one I bookmarked the most out of. Would I actually recommend it? Hard to say. No, really! With 500 recipes, there’s bound to be a few duds, but at the same time it also means you’ve got a lot of options to choose from.

The Crock Pot Express Cookbook by Dave Zinman didn’t have as many recipes that I was interested in, but your mileage may vary, as with all things. There was one recipe that involved Cake Crusts as an ingredient that puzzled me to no end. Upon looking it up I did find some references to using the crust of a sponge cake for cheesecake instead of graham cracker, etc. So maybe that’s it.

The Crock Pot Express Beginner’s Guide and Cookbook (by Elizabeth Moore), however, I cooked zero recipes from–I just didn’t get to them–but really enjoyed the info at the beginning of the book. That’s where I learned things like the CPE needs at least a cup of liquid to create sufficient pressure and to thin down thicker sauces (like barbecue sauce) to prevent burning or insufficient pressure.

Of course, you also have to take some of the tips with a grain of salt as she mentions removing foods like oatmeal or pearl barley from recipes when you convert the for pressure because they foam and can clog the works. There’s a multigrain preset, so that seems a bit overly cautious, don’t you think? And then the first recipe is for Apples and Cinnamon Oatmeal. So, yeah, a little contradictory.

I think after a few weeks I’ll feel more comfortable adapting recipes for use in Exie and I won’t feel so dependent on specific recipes. We shall see!

Signal Boost: What to Feed Your Raiding Party is Having a Sale!

Everyday Adventures, News, Nibbles, Sips

True, this is not what I usually post about, but I wanted to get the word out to as many folks as possible (apologies if you follow me on various social media channels as I’ll be boosting this all weekend).

For the first time since it’s release in June, 2012, What to Feed Your Raiding Party (my comic book cookbook that challenges gamers to cook their way out of the fast food dungeon) is available at pre-release prices!

Of course, if you only read Scraps Of Life, you may not know much about my book. Here’s a video that a fan shot of me at last year’s Ancient City Con–it’ll give you the full scoop!

I generally don’t discount my products or services (I try to price fairly from the beginning) BUT I had to cancel a convention appearance for this weekend (with quite a bit of regret–I hate letting con staff and fans down!), leaving me with inventory that otherwise would be sold this weekend. I’m sure you see my dilemma.

But you totally get to reap the benefits of life getting the way of my plans:

  • $5 off the cover price of the book
  • Free shipping (another $5 value)
  • 1 in 8 books will be upgraded to an Artist Edition as an additional thank you!
  • Gift wrap (with it’s cute D20 tag) is still available!

And, if you know for sure that you’d like an Artist Edition (which comes with a sketch on the dedication page), go ahead and order it (for only $5 additional instead of the usual $10–that’s like getting the Artist Edition for free under normal circumstances) and if your book is the one that wins the upgrade, I’ll refund the $5 AE fee, so you’re not out anything!

This sale will run from noon on Friday, October 3 (i.e., right now!) until 6pm on Sunday, October 5 (all times EDT), but don’t wait–go ahead and place your order with the handy little button below! They make great gifts for the gamers in your life, cookbook collectors, friends and family away at college or in their first apartment and, yes, as much as we may be loathe to admit it, the holidays are right around the corner!

(Oh, hey, if you’re reading this via RSS feed, you might not see that there’s a shopping cart link in the post–make sure you click through to see it!)

And if this still isn’t the right time for you to order, would you at least mind sharing this link via twitter, facebook, or whatever your preferred social network is?

Thanks!

and now back to our regularly scheduled creativity…

Tuesday Reviews-Day: 250 Best Meals in a Mug

Tuesday Revews-Day

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What do you first think of when you hear the term “mug recipe”? Probably one of the hundreds of mug cake, mug brownie, or mug cookie recipes floating around the Internet and seen often on Pinterest.

Not that there’s anything wrong with them–I’ve been known to whip up a quickie mug cake when a craving strikes–but there is so much more that can fill those mugs, and Camilla V. Saulsbury has compiled some tasty ones in 250 Best Meals in a Mug (Robert Rose Publishing).

While we mostly use our microwave to steam vegetables or do some last-minute defrosting, I certainly wouldn’t want to be without it when the need arises. Furthermore, being able to prepare meals (or parts of meals) without heating up the kitchen is always a nice option to have. The week we spent trying recipes out from 250 Best Meals in a Mug was a refreshing change of pace for our dinner and lunch duties.

Each of the recipes is for a single serving. This makes customizing meals for differing tastes supremely easy. It also came in handy when we needed lunches one day after going out the night before and has none of our usual planned leftovers to use. Each recipe also includes strategies for prepping ahead, so if you have even less time than the few minutes most of the recipes take to prepare (or want to grab-and-go for breakfast or lunch), you have that option. For most of the meals we either combined two mug recipes or served one mug meal with a non-mug side dish. Another thing this book is great for is portion size–making one serving at a time is a great way to keep from going back for seconds!

A word about the mugs in question: yours may be too small for the majority of the recipes–most of mine were! Recipes call for 12-16oz mugs most often, some for a minimum of 16 ounces (2 cups). This is as much to prevent boil-overs as for strict capacity reasons, but you don’t have to go out and buy a new stable of mugs just to cook from this book. Any microwave-safe container–be it the reusable plastic-ware used for leftovers or even bowls or Pyrex measuring cups–will work just fine (though some will require covering, so a level edge is certainly best.

the "Baked" Banana Oatmeal  (p 32) was a nice change from my usual instant or overnight oats!

the “Baked” Banana Oatmeal (p 32) was a nice change from my usual instant or overnight oats!

The Pumpkin Sage Soup (p35, see recipe below) paired perfectly with a grilled cheese sandwich.

The Pumpkin Sage Soup (p35, see recipe below) paired perfectly with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Pumpkin Sage Soup

  • 16-oz (500 mL) mug

3/4 cup ready-to-use chicken or vegetable broth
2/3 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/4 tsp dried rubbed sage
3 Tbsp half-and-half (10%) cream or milk
salt and ground black pepper

1. In the mug, stir broth, pumpkin and sage until blended. Microwave on High for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes (checking at 1 1/2) or until hot but not boiling.

2. Stir in cream. Microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds (checking at 30) or until hot but not boiling. Season to taste with salt and pepper. [We added dried chives and some toasted pepitas as a garnish.]

Irish Brown Bread (p96)

Irish Brown Bread (p96)

I made two versions of the Irish Brown Bread–one with wheat flour, one with my alternate flour–and we were surprised to find that the gluten-free version was better than the traditional. Of course it didn’t brown the way a baked bread would, but for a quick accompaniment to corned beef it did it’s duty quite well.

Italian Meatball Stew (p146) uses frozen meatballs, ready-made sauce, and canned mixed vegetables. You could easily make your staples ahead of time if needed.

Italian Meatball Stew (p146) uses frozen meatballs, ready-made sauce, and canned mixed vegetables. You could easily make your staples ahead of time if needed.

Chile Rellenos Mug Casserole (p173) skips the frying but not the flavor.

Chile Rellenos Mug Casserole (p173) skips the frying but not the flavor.

The Mug Meatloaf (p190) resembles a large meatball more than anything, but was surprisingly filling.

The Mug Meatloaf (p190) resembles a large meatball more than anything, but was surprisingly filling.

We paired the Barbecue Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps (p208) with the Sesame Noodles (p50)--probably the best version of sesame noodles I've had to date!

We paired the Barbecue Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps (p208) with the Sesame Noodles (p237)–probably the best version of sesame noodles I’ve had to date!

Another great lunch option, the Loaded Quinoa Taco Mug (p248) went great with some blue corn tortilla chips.

Another great lunch option, the Loaded Quinoa Taco Mug (p248) went great with some blue corn tortilla chips.

There are snacks included in the book, as well, like this Jalapeno Popper Dip (p.260) that our friends gobbled up at a weekend get together--good thing I made a double batch!

There are snacks included in the book, as well, like this Jalapeno Popper Dip (p.260) that our friends gobbled up at a weekend get together–good thing I made a double batch!

And of course we tried a dessert! Todd was especially interested in the Bananas Faster Foster (p.292)--maybe not quite as good as the inspiration, but for a quick version is went well over ice cream.

And of course we tried a dessert! Todd was especially interested in the Bananas Faster Foster (p.292)–maybe not quite as good as the inspiration, but for a quick version is went well over ice cream.

About the only things I wasn’t 100% thrilled with was the use of convenience products. In the realm of quick and easy it certainly makes sense, and most of them aren’t heavily processed, but if you prefer the  benefits of fresh, whole foods over pre-packaged, some prep work would be called for to make these meals fit that mode. Things like prepping your own veggies instead of using canned blends, preparing your own stock, making your own meatballs in bulk and then freezing them, cooking a bunch of chicken breasts or thighs and then portioning for later use, that sort of thing. Certainly not enough to make me think twice about using or recommending this book!

Not only would certain recipes from 250 Best Meals in a Mug make excellent meals for when we travel, being able to make inventive meals with minimal clean-up will come in quite handy for our upcoming move and the kitchen renovation we’re planning afterwards!

I received a copy of the cookbook for purpose of review. No other compensation has been received and all opinions expressed are my own.

Tuesday Reviews-Day: the Southern Bite Cookbook

Tuesday Revews-Day

SouthernBite-web

I admit, I hadn’t heard of SouthernBite.com until I got the press release about blogger Stacey Little’s new book, the Southern Bite Cookbook. You see, I’m from the south–southeast Louisiana, point of fact–and I’ve never really had to hunt farther than my own bookcase (if even that far) for a little taste of home. But for fans of southern cooking who either didn’t grow up with it or maybe missed learning at the mother’s or grandmother’s elbows, sites like SouthernBite.com can be a fun and useful resource and offer a sense of community among the comments. Todd, who grew up in Nebraska but did have the good fortune to spend 10 years of his adult life in the same area of Louisiana from which I hail, is a good example of the latter and was quite excited to page through Little’s book for supper inspiration.

A good cookbook can be read like a novel, giving you insights into the life of the author or the regional culture the recipes draw from. Little does an excellent job of infusing the Southern Bite Cookbook with just those little touches. He talks about growing up in Alabama, the memories certain recipes always stir for him, and his food philosophy now that he’s the one cooking for friends and family. He’s forthright about the rigors of having a family and trying to get dinner on the table each evening and doesn’t apologize for his liberal use of convenience products. That said, the southern cooking I grew up with didn’t use nearly so much canned cream of something soup or ranch dressing mix, or at least not so often as this cross section of southern cuisine might lead one to believe.

In fact, that’s my only real complaint about the book–the preponderance of canned soups and dry soup mixes.  But, just like anything else, you can easily find ways around those items and still be able to make many of the recipes in Little’s book. Here’s what we sampled:

jvanderbeek_southernbite-1

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes (p.96) and Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (p.70)

jvanderbeek_southernbite-2

Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese (p.37) and Spicy Black-Eyed Peas (p.116)

jvanderbeek_southernbite-3

Grits & Grillades (p.46, featuring My Secret Cheese Grits, p.47) and Fried Green Tomatoes (p.17)

jvanderbeek_southernbite-4

Shrimp Creole (p.31)

jvanderbeek_southernbite-5

Sweet and Sour Green Beans (p.88)

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Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya (p.72)

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Okra Fritters (p.80, shown with leftover Remoulade from the FGT)

The Okra Fritters are a great example of a quintessential southern food–fried okra–turned on its ear a bit and elevated to posh nibble over just another deep-fried side-dish. The components are simple and cooking doesn’t take long, either, with pan-frying being much easier to manage than setting up and dealing with a deep fryer (not to mention all those little bits of breaded okra flipping around). It was also super simple to translate into gluten-free cooking: instead of self-rising cornmeal and all-purpose (wheat) flour, I used regular corn meal and gluten-free Bisquick in their place. These sorts of simple substitutions are usually all that’s necessary to make southern classics into safe for the necessarily picky eaters. (And since lactose-free buttermilk is hard to come by, use the trick of adding a bit of white vinegar or lemon juice to your lactose-free milk and letting set for 5 minutes or so to get a near-perfect substitution!)

Overall we enjoyed the Southern Bite Cookbook and, at the very least, those Okra Fritters will likely be gracing our table again!

***I was provided a copy of the Southern Bite Cookbook for the purpose of review. No other compensation has been received and all opinions expressed are my own.***