Recent Cooking From Scratch News

Here are a few good recent articles on cooking from scratch. From the fun you can have cooking from scratch with friends or family, to the importance of cooking from scratch for building a healthy diet and avoiding artificial ingredients and processed foods, to the origins of the phrase "cooking from scratch," here are some quick and interesting articles to check out.

Cooking from scratch brings a special touch to family fave ...
Last spring, my friend Katrina and I decided that not only did we want to make our own lasagna, but we also wanted to make it from scratch. It felt like quite an ambitious undertaking, but we found a great recipe from The America's Test ...
Publish Date: 02/10/2011 0:00
http://www.jhunewsletter.com/news/2011/02/10/NewsFeatures/Cooking.From.Scratch.Brings.A.Special.Touch.To.Family.Fave.Lasagna-3978048.shtml

Cooking From Scratch (AKA No More Processed Foods!) - FitDay ...
So...a few of us on the Motivational thread were beginning to chat about cooking from scratch and incorporating more natural ingredients into our diet,
Publish Date: 02/16/2011 10:16
http://www.fitday.com/fitness/forums/food-talk/3430-cooking-scratch-aka-no-more-processed-foods.html

The Grammarphobia Blog » Blog Archive » Cooking from scratch
Cooking from scratch. Q: Why does cooking something “from scratch” mean making it from the most basic ingredients? A: To bake a cake “from scratch,” as you say, means to make it without using a prepared mixture of ingredients. ...
Publish Date: 01/15/2011 8:10
http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2011/01/scratch.html

Related Articles on Cooking From Scratch:

• Guest Post: Creative Frugality~Cooking From Scratch (frugalupstate.com)
• Healthy Cooking Tricks -- How Learning to Cook Can Help You Resolve Your Issues with Food (webmd.com)
• The lost art of cooking (theglobeandmail.com)
• Cooking Connections: Creating an Efficient Kitchen (frugalupstate.com)
• Remembering who I am: The Meaning of Cooking Paella (elyisra.wordpress.com)

Recipe-Linguini Carbonara with Organic Bacon & Mushrooms

I came up with this recipe this week when I was in the mood for pasta. I had just gotten some naturally raised pork bacon in my CSA share, and also had loads of yummy fresh organic veggies on hand from my Winter Veggie CSA, so I wanted to come up with a fairly quick dinner. The results were great, though I wished I'd had  more Parmesan cheese (I've included the amount I wished I had, in the recipe below).

Linguini Carbonara - Finished

Linguini Carbonara with Bacon & Mushrooms: (Serves: 4-6; Difficulty: Intermediate)

Ingredients:
1/2 lb shitake (or other) mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 strips natural cured bacon
2 c. whole milk (preferably non-homogenized, or at least organic; may also use half-and-half, or lower fat milk cut with cream)
2 TB flour
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
8-oz dry linguini or other pasta (I like mixing whole wheat with some regular, for texture and variety of taste)
1 bag (approx. 12-oz to 1-lb) fresh spinach, rinsed and chopped
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste


Directions:
1. Bring large pot of water to boil for the pasta.
2. Fry bacon in large skillet over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until slices are crispy. Then remove and drain on paper towels. Pour off some of the bacon grease into a dish (save this in case you need a little later), and reserve about 1 TB in the skillet.
3. Meanwhile, prepare onions and garlic,  wash mushrooms and remove stems. Discard stems, and slice shitake caps into strips.
4. Add onions and mushrooms to bacon fat in skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and saute about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, 'til tender and onions are golden brown. (You may cover the skillet for part of this time, if you want them to cook a little faster.) Add a bit more bacon grease if needed.
5. Add minced garlic, fresh ground pepper, and salt, and cook and stir for about 1-2 minutes more.
6. Add pasta to boiling water in pot, stir well, lower heat to medium, and cover. Stir occasionally.
6. Sprinkle flour into the skillet over vegetables, and stir well to coat. Increase heat to medium.
7. Begin adding milk gradually, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until sauce is smooth and the consistency of thick cream. Do NOT let it boil. If sauce still seems to thick, add a bit more milk, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
8. Remove skillet from heat.
9. Add spinach into pasta pot and cover.
10. Dice bacon finely, add to sauce in skillet, and stir well.
11. Stir pasta, test for doneness, and if done, drain pasta and spinach in colander.
12. Put pasta and spinach in large bowl, and pour sauce over. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and mix well.
13. Serve hot, with a fresh green salad.

As always, experiment, and have fun! Some possible substitutions: different types of mushrooms, diced green or red bell peppers, Romano or other similar cheeses instead of Parmesan, also, try adding shrimp - it would probably be great in this dish - I just didn't have any on hand. If you add shrimp, add it with the garlic, and then cook and extra minute or two until it is pink, before you add the milk/cream.

Enjoy! And feel free to share your thoughts or ideas below!

Gourmet Cooking for Pleasure

We talk a lot about cooking for beginners on this blog, but today we're going to get a little more advanced. But don't get scared - it's actually not that difficult to cook at a higher level - in fact, gourmet cooking can be simpler thank you think! And it all starts with your ingredients....

Image by jlastras via FlickrGourmet cooking is a style of food preparation that deals with the finest and freshest possible ingredients. This means that to enjoy authentic gourmet food you should prepare your food immediately after purchasing the fresh ingredients that will comprise your meals. Not only do you want to purchase the freshest ingredients when cooking gourmet meals but you also want to ensure that you are purchasing ingredients of superior quality. (I get my fresh ingredients from a local CSA, but you can also patronize your local farmers markets. You should avoid the grocery stores and non-local foods when possible, as you really don't know how long they've been sitting on the shelf, and how fresh they really are.)

When it comes to cooking gourmet food the two rules mentioned above are the only hard and fast rules. Everything else is purely a matter of adventure and taste. Now this doesn't mean that any and everyone can become a gourmet cook simply by going out and purchasing the finest and freshest of ingredients and throwing them into a pot. There is some degree of art involved when it comes to gourmet cooking and some degree of skill that is necessary in order to achieve these culinary masterpieces.

You should also understand and be prepared to discover that fresh ingredients are not always available so there are times when compromises must be made when cooking gourmet meals. For this reason it is best to capitalize on what is in season and plan your meals accordingly whenever possible. One important quality when it comes to cooking gourmet food is the layering of flavors. You should be able to taste the meat or seafood as well as the vegetables, herbs, and spices that comprise your skillfully prepared meal.

You should not however rely on taste or aroma alone when cooking gourmet foods. As I mentioned above gourmet cooking is a large degree skill but there is some degree of art involved. For this reason, presentation is a key component of the gourmet dining experience. Arrange a few freshly chopped herbs on the plate before placing the food, or top the food with appealing and aromatic herbs that will compliment the flavor of the meal you have prepared. Present the fruits and vegetable sides in a visually appealing fashion rather than simply tossing them onto a plate.

Image via WikipediaWith proper presentation even foods that were simple to prepare can take on the flavor of a gourmet feast. This is something you should keep in mind whether your cooking plans for the evening involve the gourmet or the every day. The thing about gourmet cooking is that it is to some degree more art than science. This means that there is always room to improve your skills and stretch your limits as a cook. There will always be the next great challenge or the 'what if' when it comes to flavor combinations.

In fact, some of the greatest foods began with someone asking, "What would happen if I added this?" Always ask what if and always seek to improve your skills. The good news if this is an avenue you wish to pursue is that there are often gourmet cooking classes offered at gourmet food shops in your area. Some colleges or local community programs will also offer these sorts of classes for a few if you are interested. This means that there are almost always opportunities to broaden your experiences with gourmet cooking and expand your horizons.

Whether this is your first time considering gourmet cooking or you are an old pro, keep in mind that skills can be learned over time with the proper motivation and an open and honest desire to learn. If you want to learn more about gourmet cooking there is really nothing to stop you from doing so other than yourself. The Internet, your local library, and many bookstores across the country have countless volumes of information that can help you get started on your journey to gourmet cooking bliss.

And be sure to  keep checking out this blog for from-scratch recipes that taste gourmet, but are generally simple and easy to prepare, even for beginning cooks!

Some Gourmet Cooking Resources to Get You Started:   

Video - Rosemary Fish Recipe

Wow, this video made me SO hungry!  I haven't tried it yet, as I just found this, but I will definitely be making this soon!  I just love her Greek accent - makes me feel like I'm in some foreign land eating some amazing food.... But I can bring the foreign land to my own kitchen with this very simple recipe! The only thing is I couldn't exactly hear how much olive oil she said - it sounded like "a cup", but it doesn't look like nearly that much - I think I would try 1/4 cup and that would probably be enough.

Can't wait to try it! Would love to hear if you've tried it as well, and what you think:

Rosemary Fish Recipe
A new twist on the classic fish recipe. With a very light breading and use of rosemary this simple recipe will become a weekly go-to recipe in your household.



Greek Cooking Resources:
   

All About Rosemary (My Favorite Herb)

Rosemary is a relative to the mint family and the name is derived from its Latin origin to mean "dew of the sea." Rosemary is very common in Mediterranean cuisine and has somewhat of a bitter astringent taste to it. While that is true it compliments oily foods very nicely. A tisane can be made from the Rosemary leaves and that is also very popular when cooking.

Image via WikipediaFirst it is burned and then added to a BBQ to flavor various foods. Rosemary should be harvested just as you are going to use it because it can lose a lot of its flavor once dried. Gardner's swear that if you plant some Rosemary plants in and around your garden, the Rosemary will fend off moths, beetles, and carrot flies.

Older Europeans loved Rosemary and believed that it improved memory and also used it as a symbol of remembrance. It was often tossed into fresh graves before they were closed up. One old legend has it that Rosemary, left untrimmed, would grow for thirty three years where it will reach the height of Christ when he was crucified. Many would also place sprigs of Rosemary underneath their pillows to ward of evil and nightmares. Often the wood that comes from the stems of the Rosemary plant was used to make musical instruments. Even today, many wreaths are made from Rosemary as a symbol of remembrance.

Today, Rosemary is still used for many things besides cooking as it is in potpourris, air fresheners, shampoos, and cosmetics. There has also been scientific evidence that Rosemary works very well as a memory stimulant. Rosemary has also shown some cancer prevention properties in animals. But further Rosemary has shown a strong relationship in relaxing muscles, and to soothe stomach upset as well as menstrual cramps. The main thing to remember when using Rosemary for this purpose is that if you use too much it can actually cause a counter effect.

When made into a tea it is ingested for calming nerves and anxiety and as an antiseptic. Rosemary when used as a tea many people find to taste very good. Making a tea from Rosemary is quite simple actually, just pour boiling water over the leaves and steep for 10-15 minutes. A little sugar or honey can be added but you should not add any cream. A few sprigs can be added to oils and vinegars to flavor the products which add a nice taste for cooking. (I also like to float a sprig in a glass of white wine for a few minutes - it imparts a very delightful and unique flavor! I like it best with a sweeter wine, such a Riesling.)

Image via WikipediaWhen used cosmetically it can lighten and tone human hair and when mixed with equal parts of shampoo it has been known to strengthen hair too. It also makes for a nice additive in hot bath water. Rosemary is still used quite commonly today, however more so for cooking than anything else. It is my favorite herb, and I love it with chicken, lamb, potatoes, and in lots of other dishes. It also grows very well for me in pots year-round (I take it inside once the outside temperature drops below 40 degrees), and mine is quite huge and bushy right now! I don't have a recent photo, but you can view a picture of my current rosemary plant (just a few months smaller) on our main website's gardening page: http://www.newholisticliving.com/sustainablegardening.html.

Eating Healthy On A Budget

If you have problems serving healthy foods because you think they're too expensive, you'll find these tips to be just what you need to eat healthy on a budget.

Image via Wikipedia1.  Eliminate junk food
Doing your shopping on your own is the easiest way to shop, as children and sometimes spouses are usually the ones requesting junk food.  Shopping alone will prevent this, and ensure that you only buy the foods you need. Choose fruits & vegetables for snacks, then cut them and put them in the fridge so it easy to grab a healthy snack when you're on the go.

2.  Choose water or milk instead of soft drinks
This is a great way to save money and be healthier. There are more studies coming out every day on how unhealthy soft drinks are for you, whether the "diet" kind or not. Water is the healthiest thing you can drink, and it's cheap! (Especially if you invest in a good water filter - you can have healthy clean water straight from the faucet for pennies.) If you really feel deprived, you can still splurge one in a while and enjoy your favorite drinks at a sporting event or night out, although you should stick with the smallest size when shopping to save money and calories.

3.  Buy fruits in quantity
Most fruits freeze well. When they are in season, buy fruits in quantity and freeze any extras.  You can buy several pounds this way, and freeze extras to have them when the fruit goes out of season.  Wash the fruit well,  remove any spoiled pieces, dry thoroughly, then freeze in plastic zipper bags.

4.  Swap between meats and beans
Meats and beans are the best sources for protein. Lean meat is more expensive than meats with a lot of fat, though. To eat healthier, you may want to substitute beans for meat in some dishes, a couple of days per week.  (See next tip.)

Image via Wikipedia5.  Beans as a substitute
You can use beans a substitute for meat on a regular basis.  If dried beans take too long to prepare, you can also use canned. Canned beans are a great deal, as they give you protein at a great price. There are several varieties, so you can mix it up. To make cooking dried beans easier, prepare them in a crock pot, so when you return home they are ready to eat.

The USDA recommends eating beans at least 4 times per week.  If you experience gas after eating beans, try washing them, covering them with water, bringing the water to a boil, then draining it off and refilling the pot with fresh water before cooking. 

6.  If you live in a coastal area or an area where fish are abundant, make that an integral part of your diet.  You can also catch your own from local lakes or rivers, saving money in the process.

7.  Peanut butter is great for those on a budget as it's popular with almost everyone.  You can use it for sandwiches instead of eating hot dogs.  It does need to be refrigerated, although bigger jars can last you for weeks. (Be sure you buy real, natural peanut butter - not the Jif or Skippy kinds which are loaded with sugar and artificial fats and are very unhealthy. Real peanut butter should contain ONLY peanuts and sometimes salt.)

8.  Fill up with foods that have a high content of water - these tend to be good for you.  Many of these are also full of healthy fiber. Watermelon, salads, and green veggies such as cucumbers or celery are some good examples.

9. Eat local!  Join a CSA, or shop at your farmer's market, for superior quality fresh foods at a great price. (Check out our recent blog post on the cost of eating local through a CSA.)

Eating healthy is one of the most important things you can do for your body.  You can still eat healthy for just a few bucks, which makes it perfect for those on a budget. Now, you don't need a lot of money to have the lifestyle and health you've always wanted.

Video - Romantic Valentine's Dinner on a Budget

Here is a great 6-minute video showing what a wonderful romantic dinner can be created on a shoestring budget. It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to prepare a memorable and delicious dinner to remember. The video says the whole meal costs less than $35.00, but it factors in buying all the spices/condiments, so if you already have some of these on hand, it could actually cost you less.

A perfect meal (fun, yummy, and affordable) to share with your special sweetie!

Romantic Valentine's Dinner
Husband and wife team Lachlan and Allison Patterson have formed a very delicious pairing, as they create a budget-friendly "Chef On A Shoestring" Valentine's Day dinner which no one can resist.

Cooking for Two on Valentine's Day

There are many holidays that are meant to be a celebration of family, friends, and memories. Valentine's day is a holiday that is meant to be a celebration of love. While that love can relate to family and friends it is quite often interpreted as a celebration of romantic love. While it would be nice if we could all go out and enjoy dinner together each Valentine's Day at our favorite restaurant that is not always a possibility. After all, someone has to prepare and serve the foods, put on the productions we see, and drive us to and from those locations or any number of other important features. There is also, of course, the little matter of the fact that for many of us, Valentine's Day falls a day or two prior to payday.

Image by Mundoo via FlickrDon't despair however - cooking for two is a great romantic option for that special day, and can be a lot of fun if you pour your heart and soul into the meal planning and preparations. It is even more fun if you do it together! Great Valentine's Day favorites include dishes that we don't eat every day such as steak and lobster, streak and shrimp, well steak and pretty much anything but also include foods that are believed to be aphrodisiacs such as oysters, truffles, chocolate (ever wonder why the stores fill with boxes of chocolate around Valentine's Day?), and asparagus.

If this isn't your style or you just want a nice romantic dinner you might want to brush up on your seafood recipes such as shrimp scampi, roasted salmon, lasagna, chicken alfredo, and countless other favorites that you and the love of your life may share. If nothing else seems appealing go through your sweetie's personal list of favorites and cook something that is a personal favorite for them. Even if it's chicken and dumplings they'll appreciate the effort and that you put his or her favorite on the table. It's almost always the thought that counts and he or she will appreciate the thought that you put into the meal.

Dessert is also very important when it comes to preparing the perfect Valentine's Day feast. While you do not want anything so heavy that you can't move afterwards, a light dessert of chocolate soufflé, or cheesecake is an excellent ending to a beautiful meal. You want to be prepared to do a little moving around afterwards - whether swinging on the front porch or dancing in the den to get the blood flowing and work off those extra calories. Of course both of these things can be a great prelude to other romantic activities that work off some serious calories!

Image by Viterxo13 via FlickrIn addition to cooking your favorite meal for two for your Valentine's Day celebration of love you will also want to set the mood for the evening with a nice setting. Get out the formal table cloth, the good China, the formal silver, and light a few candles in the room. Have champagne on ice and some romantic music playing in the CD player. If you have a fireplace be sure to light a fire so that there is a warm glow in the room. You want your dinner to be an event rather than just another meal in your daily life!

Perhaps the most important thing about making your Valentine's Day cooking worthy of a romantic event is to send the little ones (if you have any) off to a sitter or home with the grandparents for an evening. It makes the preparation and enjoyment of a meal much more enjoyable if you are able to do both without constant interruptions from those children you adore. It is good to have time alone and important for sanity and for relationship building with the person you are supposed to be sharing your life with.

Making your Valentine's Day dinner special for the two of you will help create many wonderful memories that you can share in the months and years to come.

Venison Stew Recipe - Video

I know I just shared a great stew recipe, but the venison in my freezer inspired me to share another one that I found that looks good! I haven't actually made this one yet, but plan on trying it soon. Let me know what you think, and if you have other good venison recipes, I'd love to hear them!

Venison Stew Recipe
make note of a delicious venison crock-pot recipe that is a favorite around the Farmer household and at the "Kentucky Afield" television studio.



Other Venison Recipes:
   

Recipe: Black Beans with Brown-Sugared Ham

Here is a new recipe I came up with last week, when cleaning out my freezer to make room for the next round of meat from my CSA. This one is a hearty, healthy, and delicious recipe great for these long, cold winter nights! You could use other kinds of meat as well - venison would probably work well, or a tougher cut of beef. I cooked it in the crockpot for maximum tenderness and minimum work, but you could do it on the stove-top as well - it will still probably need a couple of hours, for the meat to fall apart as it should.

Feel free to improvise as you wish, and share your outcomes below!

But here is the way I did it:

Black Beans with Brown-Sugared Ham

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups black beans (dry), rinsed and soaked 8 hours
1 ham hock, or small ham, bone-in (organic/naturally raised)
1 large onion, diced
3 TB brown sugar
2 tsp ground cumin
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 fresh (or frozen) jalepeno peppers
1/2 tsp salt
Water, to cover

Instructions:

1. Spread diced onion in bottom of 2-qt (or larger) crockpot.
2. Rub ham liberally with brown sugar on all sides, and set on top of onions. Sprinkle minced garlic over.
3. Drain black beans and rinse well. Fill beans in around ham. Sprinkle with the cumin.
4. Pour diced tomatoes over all. 
5. Gently pour in water until beans are completely covered (it is okay if ham sticks up a little above the beans).
6. Cover crockpot tightly, and cook on High for 4 hours. Lower heat to Low, and continue to cook 2 more hours. 
7. Mince jalepenos (or other small hot peppers) finely, add to crock pot with salt, and stir well. Cook 1-2 more hours, til done. Beans should be tender, and ham falling off the bone. 
8. Using a fork, shred meat, and remove the bone.
9. Serve hot, with green salad or steamed greens, and cornbread.

Kids Cooking Videos

If you  have kids, this is a great blog to check out! It features lots of tips, recipes and ideas for involving your kids in cooking meals, and pleasing their picky palates. Usually if you can get your kids involved in helping prepare the meal, they will be more willing to try new things. It will also help prepare them to be healthy, self-sufficient adults, if they learn to enjoy cooking and trying new things during their formative years.

Here are some great cooking videos that will help in this teaching (and learning) process:

Kids Cooking Videos
One of the best ways to teach kids to cook (or to teach parents who don't like to cook how to make kid-friendly recipes) is to watch a few cooking videos. These Cooking Videos all feature video recipes that either appeal to kids' ...
Publish Date: 01/27/2011 11:00
http://kidscooking.about.com/b/2011/01/27/kids-cooking-videos.htm


Other Good Cooking With Kids Resources:
   

Cooking with Your Kids

There is little on this earth that can teach you as much about yourself and the way your children view you as cooking with your children. Of course, this is the perfect opportunity for many of us to let our hair down a little, relax, and have fun in the kitchen. Unfortunately, if you are anything like me, this is a difficult process to say the least. I am a bit of a control freak in my kitchen! It is my domain or sovereign territory so to speak. For this reason it is difficult to give up that little bit of control and hand over the reins to anyone - let alone children!

Image via WikipediaOn the other hand, I know they are learning important skills that they honestly need to know in life. This knowledge of course doesn't make it any less difficult when I'm scraping tomato sauce out of places I would never have thought to see it. If you are considering cooking with your children you need to make sure you have the proper ingredients on hand before beginning. You certainly do not want to be caught without that cup (or two!) full of patience you will be requiring, nor do you want to have to leave in the middle of things for a run to the local grocery store to pick up missing ingredients.

Another great rule of thumb when it comes to cooking with children is the KISS rule. (Keep it simple silly.) This rule will help out more than you ever realize. First of all, most children have relatively short attention spans. While they want to learn and help mommy (or daddy) out, they also do not want to get bored with the details. Use simple recipes when cooking with children and your chances for success will be much greater than with overly complicated or ingredient-intense recipes.

Image via WikipediaAs if this wasn't enough to absorb, another very important rule when it comes to cooking with children is to clean as you go whenever possible. (This is also helpful when cooking by yourself.) Trust me on this. While there is part of you that will want to put off the task of cleaning the messes that are made until later, or wait till the end and only clean once, this allows the opportunity for messes to layer and compound themselves. Constantly clean throughout the process for the best results. You should enlist your children in the cleaning process as well. While it may be easier to do yourself, it is far more important to teach them the basics of cleaning as you go. Remember one day they will more than likely invade your kitchen while you're not looking.

Cooking with children can be an incredible way to have a fun day if you are able to let go of the control that you hold over the kitchen. Give over the keys to your kingdom for a day of fun and frolicking among the flour and sugar and see just how many wonderful memories you can make with your little ones along the way.