a+p: a 2010 365 project

I want to try more in these books, but I need to set SOME limits right?  I based my choices primarily on the following:  pictures (I love seeing what my goal in a recipe is) and easy access to ingredients (while I love a challenge, it isn’t a treasure hunt).

I like to try new things, so I decided not to rate these on ease of preparation, because a good meal might take some work, and I am ok with that.  But, I decided to start keeping track of what they cost.  Grocery bills may seem high, but when you break down what your meals cost, it is so much cheaper to each in.  Rather than do the division for you, I have the total cost of the meal and how many servings it provided for us.  My cost is rounded up to account for pantry items such as spices, garlic, and olive oil (things I fly through in no time it seems).  When the recipe calls for something that I might not be using all of, I have added in the total cost of that item (ie.  We don’t use sour cream.  A recipe calls for 2 tablespoons, meaning I have most of a container of sour cream left.  I account for the entire cost of the sour cream).  Basically what I am trying to say is, assume that my number is on the expensive side of things.  And since so many people think Whole Foods is expensive, and that is where I shop, I am sure you can make any of these things much cheaper than I have.

Once I make a new recipe, expect to see it on the 365 with a brief review.   The list below will link to the post!

Long Nights & Log Fires – I found this book at Terrain @ Styers.  I never made it past the first section of soups and I wanted it so badly.  I LOVE soup.

• SOUPS & SNACKS
• pg. 11 Pumpkin Soup with honey & sage
• pg. 12 Roasted Tomato Soup with rarebit toasts
• pg. 13. Slow-cooked Onion & Cider Soup with Gruyere toasts
• pg. 14 Spicy Red Vegetable Soup
• pg. 15 Carrot & Lentil Soup 01.25.10
• pg. 16 Classic Lamb, Chickpea, and Lentil Soup with cumin
• pg. 21 Leek & Potato Soup
• pg. 22 Parmesan & Rosemary Wafers 01.25.10
• pg. 22 Oven-roasted Spiced Nuts
• pg. 23 Dukkah
• pg. 27 Roasted Parsnip & Garlic Dip
• pg. 27 Spiced Carrot Dip
• pg. 28 Potato & Parsnip Croquettes
• pg. 31 Crispy Oven Wedges with homemade pesto sauce
• pg. 32 Parmesan & Bacon Pancakes with chive butter
• DINNER DISHES
• pg. 40 Herby Sausages on polenta with red onion and red currant gravy
• pg. 43 Polenta Baked with Italian Sausage & Cheese 01.19.10 (>$35, 6 servings)
• pg. 45 Quick Thai Chicken Curry
• pg. 45 Jalfrezi
• pg. 53 Spaghetti with butternut squash, sage, and pecorino
• pg. 56 Chicken, Leek, and Tarragon Pot Pie 01.18.10 (>$20, 4 servings)
• pg. 59 Potato & Parmesan Tart
• pg. 60 Red Curry of Roasted Fall Vegetables
• pg. 61 Harissa-Spiced Chickpeas with halloumi and spinach
• pg. 65 Spicy Potato Omelet
• ONE-POT WONDERS
• pg. 77 Lamb Tagine with chestnuts, saffron, and pomegranate seeds
• pg. 78 Spicy Carrot & Chickpea Tagine with turmeric and coriander
• pg. 80 A Big Pot of Cassoulet (this one is made with a lot of things I never buy….)
• pg. 83 Pumpkin and Gorgonzola Risotto
• ROASTS
• pg. 91 Roasted Turkey with lemon and herb stuffing (SOMEDAY I will roast a turkey!)
• pg. 94 Roast Beef Tenderloin with soy and butter sauce
• SIDES AND SALADS
• pg. 103 Perfect Mashed Potatoes
• pg. 104 Pomme Puree
• pg. 104 Creamy Potato Gratin 02.02.10
• pg. 105 Harissa Potatoes
• pg. 106 Baby Leeks with cream and herbs
• pg. 113 Butternut Squash with Pistou
• pg. 115 Baked Spinach Morney
• pg. 115 Roasted Early Fall Vegetables with chickpeas
• pg. 115 Garlic Sauteed Green Beans
• pg. 120 Spiced Tomato & Lentil Salad
• pg. 121 Spiced Pumpkin Dressing
• BAKES AND DESSERTS
• pg. 124 Ginger & Cinnamon Thins
• pg. 125 Stem Ginger Cookies
• pg. 127 Coffee, Macadamia, and White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
• pg. 129 Crumpets
• pg. 130 Gingerbread Mini-Muffins
• pg. 133 Swedish Saffron Cake
• pg. 134 Pear & Ginger Crumble Cake
• pg. 139 Lemony Apple Crumble Tart
• pg. 143 Dusky Apple Pie
• pg. 153 Rhubarb Clafoutis
• pg. 154 Caramel Custard
• pg. 154 Chocolate & Cabernet Pots
• pg. 155 Chocolate Chile Truffles
• DRINKS
• pg. 158 Egg Nog
• pg. 158 Mulled Cider
• pg. 161 Mocha Maple Coffee
• pg. 162 Pumpkin Latte
• pg. 162 Egg Nog Lattee
• pg. 162 Spiced White Chocolate
• pg. 165 Honey Baba
• pg. 165 Hot Rum & Cider Punch
• pg. 167 Saffron Milk
• pg. 167 Mexican Chocolate with vanilla cream
• pg. 169 Turkish Chocolate

Cooking for Two 2009 Annual I bought a small version of this in the grocery store.  ADDICTED!  Needed the whole thing!  Also – it gives you ways of using up the extra ingredients, and the Best brands from their test kitchen.  This from the Publishers of Cooks Illustrated

• SKILLET MEALS
• pg. 12 Tortilla Casserole
• pg. 37 Polenta Dinner with Italian Meat Sauce 02.04.10
• pg. 40 Eggplant Parmesan
• PASTA FOR DINNER
• pg. 45 Pasta with Chicken Bolognese
• pg. 46 Pasta with Chicken, Broccoli, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• pg. 47 Pasta with Chicken, Caramelized Onion, and Red Bell Pepper
• pg. 50 Pasta Caprese
• pg. 52 Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce
• pg. 58 Spaghetti with Lemon and Basil
• pg. 59 Lasagna
• pg. 62 Spaghetti & Meatballs
• pg. 64 Baked Manicotti
• pg. 67 Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken
• EVERYDAY MAIN DISHES
• pg. 71 Simple Chicken Bake with Fennel & Tomatoes 02.03.10
• pg. 73 Chicken Tikka Masala 01.24.10
• pg. 76 Chicken Mole 01.10.10 (>$15, 2 servings)
• pg. 93 Stuffed Eggplant
• FANCY DINNERS
• pg. 103 Herb Roasted Prime Rib with Potatoes
• pg. 106 Herbed Roast Pork Tenderloin
• pg. 110 Duck Breast with Dried Cherry Sauce
• pg. 112 Chicken Kiev
• pg. 121 Ricotta Gnocchi with Browned Butter and Sage Sauce
• ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
• pg. 125 Sauteed Chicken Breasts with White Wine and Herb Pan Sauce 02.02.10
• pg. 127 Lighter Chicken Parmesan
• pg. 129 Chicken en Papillote with Zucchini and Tomatoes 01.17.10 (~$10, 2 servings)
• pg.130 Chicken Burgers
• pg. 133 Chicken Dinner Salad with Orange-Lime Vinaigrette
• pg. 133 Chicken Dinner Salad with Pomegranate-Honey Vinaigrette
• pg. 135 Turkey Chili
• pg. 137 Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Mango Relish
• pg. 139 Lighter Meatloaf
• pg. 144 Pasta with Lighter Creamy Basil Pesto 02.08.10
• pg. 145 Pasta with Lighter Roasted Red Pepper Pesto 02.05.10
• pg. 148 Pasta with Garden Vegetable Sauce
• pg. 149 Pasta Salad with Summer Vegetables
• pg. 150 Pasta Salad with Arugula and Sun Dried Tomatoes
• pg. 153 Provencal Vegetable Soup with Pistou
• LAST-MINUTE SUPPERS FROM THE PANTRY
• pg. 157 Bacon, Potato and Cheddar Frittata
• pg. 158 Skillet Strata with Cheddar and Thyme
• pg. 167 Tuscan White Bean Soup
• pg. 169 Pasta e Fagioli
• pg. 173 Cheese Souffle
• ONE BIG ROAST, 3 GREAT MEALS
• pg. 180 Pan Roasted Turkey Breast with Gravy
• and THEN pg. 182 White Turkey Chili
• and THEN pg. 182 Skillet Turkey Pot Pie with Fennel
• or THEN pg. 184 Turkey Curry with Carrots and Green Beans
• pg. 186 French-Style Pot Roast
• and THEN pg. 187 Rigatoni with Beef Ragu
• and THEN pg. 189 Hearty Beef and Barley Stew
• DINNER OFF THE GRILL *we don’t have a grill…so these will wait
• pg. 197 Grilled Chicken Breasts with Cherry Tomatoes
• pg. 200 Grilled Chicken Fajitas
• pg. 203 Grilled Bratwurst with Onions and Peppers
• pg. 207 Grilled T-Bone with Red Potatoes
• pg. 211 Grilled Beef and Vegetable Kebabs
• SIDE DISHES
• pg. 226 Garlicky Green Beans
• pg. 229 Glazed Curried Carrots with Currants and Almonds
• pg. 235 Creamed Spinach – Use up Spinach!
• pg. 237 Fennel & Orange Salad
• pg. 239 Summer Vegetable Gratin
• pg. 242 Potato Gratin
• pg. 246 Mashed Potatoes and Root Vegetables
• pg. 249 Rice Pilaf
• pg. 17 Romesco Sauce - how to finish 1/2 a red bell pepper!
• pg. 27 Tzatziki Sauce
• pg. 61 Ricotta Spread – how to use up the Ricotta Cheese!
• pg. 70 Quick Salsa – use up cherry tomatoes!
• pg. 85 Creamy Avocado-Herb Dressing – use up Avocado!
• pg. 137 Mango Chutney – use up the extra Mango!
• pg. 147 Zucchini & Chickpea Salad – use up the Zucchini!
• DESSERTS
• pg. 253 Easy Strawberry Shortcakes
• pg. 258 Pear Crisp
• pg. 260 Cherry Clafouti
• pg. 261 Free Form Apple Tarlets 01.21.10 (~$7, 2 servings)
• pg.263 Apple Dumplings
• pg. 268 Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake
• pg. 271 Rich Chocolate Bundt Cake
• pg. 273 Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting
• pg. 277 Almond Cake
• pg. 279 New Orleans Bourbon Bread Pudding
• pg. 285 Flan

Wow.  This is going to be a huge project.  Hopefully though, this will help me keep better track of recipes I want to try.  Expect to see more of my cook books added to this list.  Going through over 400 pages of recipes in one night=awesome.  I LOVE FOOD!

Saving Dinner I have had this book for years.  I made about 3 recipes out of it and never touched it again.  They were nice and easy.  The book is definitely meant for moms on the go.  Lots of casseroles, crock-pot meals, etc.  Also, it is broken down by season, and then by week.  Each week provides a shopping list of what you will need for those recipes.  So if you aren’t picky, it would be great.  All the recipes feed 6 as well, so for us, it meant a lot of leftovers.  None-the-less, here is my list:

• FALL
• pg. 5 Apple Chicken
• pg. 6 Roast Beef Picante
• pg. 9 Italian Turkey Meat Loaf
• pg. 13 Chicken & Rice Chowder
• pg. 16 Red Beans & Rice
• pg. 17 Crock Beef Sandwiches
• pg. 22 Smashing Pumpkin Soup
• pg. 24 Crock Frijoles
• pg. 34 Asian Honey Chicken
• pg. 34 Perfect Pot Roast
• pg. 41 Chicken Pepper Skillet
• pg. 53 Curried Chicken and Rice Soup
• pg. 54 Crock Lentil Stew
• pg. 57 Garlic Lime Chicken
• pg. 58 Shepherd’s Skillet
• WINTER
• pg. 67 Skillet Chicken with Spinach
• pg. 84 Basic Black Bean Soup
• pg. 86 Spinach Pasta Casserole
• pg. 87 Crock-Pot Chicken Jambalaya
• pg. 92 Layered Enchilada Casserole
• pg. 94 Crock-Pot Italian Chicken
• pg. 99 White Turkey Chili
• pg. 101 Crock-Pot Chicken Stew
• pg. 109 Crock-Pot Tuscan Chicken & Beans
• pg. 115 Thai Rollups
• pg. 117 Crock-Pot Beef Stew
• pg. 121 Rosemary Chicken
• pg. 124 Tuscan Bean & Sausage Soup
• SPRING
• pg. 135 Orange-Thyme Crock-Pot Chicken
• pg. 143 Mexican Torta
• pg. 148 Low Country Beef & Rice
• pg. 150 Caramelized Garlic Chicken
• pg. 152 Pepper Steak
• pg. 152 Moroccan Chicken (crock pot)
• pg. 157 Polenta Pie
• pg. 158 Thai Beef
• pg. 165 Mexican Lasagna
• pg. 189 White Bean and Sausage Pasta
• pg. 195 Skillet Chili Chicken
• pg. 197 Indian Lentils & Rice
• SUMMER
• pg. 215 Grilled Rosemary Chicken
• pg. 216 Crock-Pot Gingered Beef
• pg. 219 Skillet Lemon Chicken with Rosemary
• pg. 221 Tuscan Squash & Beans on Rice
• pg. 226 Chicken Lo Mein
• pg. 229 Chicken with Toasted Couscous Salad
• pg. 248 Crock-Pot Nutty Chicken
• ON THE SIDE
• pg. 258 Roast Red Potatoes
• pg. 258 Good Old-Fashioned Mashed Potatoes

Other:

http://livingthe7th.org/2007/04/21/barley-lentil-soup-16-cups/