Are you hungry? Then you're at the right spot.
I've been thinking about this for a while -- a place where I could share my love of cooking and share tips, recipes and ideas with friends and family. I also want a place where others can share their ideas with me, too. My husband has been suggesting this for months, and I finally decided to give it a shot. So, indulge me as I try to find that inner writer in me, and let's jump in!
So, first a few things about me. As much as I love to cook and eat, I am a picky eater. I'm not particularly proud of this fact, but I've learned to live with it. So has my family. In fact, "Hold the cilantro, please" was inspired by my adorable daughter. She asks almost daily why I don't like cilantro. And bell peppers. And fish. And raw onions. Oh, and zucchini, too. So, yeah, fussy. I've learned to like onions cooked. But the others, well, not so much. I refuse to let that stop me from diving head-first into the nearest cookbook.
Of course, like everyone, there are the foods I can't live without. I love most fruits. Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes are in my house often. There are very few desserts that I will turn down. And when my husband asks me what kind of food I want have when I dine out, I almost always suggest Middle Eastern.
I've been dieting for more than a year. And it's working, too! Since March 2008, I've lost 42 pounds. However, there are certain dieting tips suggestions that I can't work around. For instance, I don't care for most fat-free products. And I mostly avoid sugar substitutes. For me, it's not worth it to eat something that doesn't taste good.
To fuel my love of cooking, I've accumulated a large collection of cookbooks, cooking magazines and hundreds of recipes from a huge array of sources. I plan to include a recipe that I've tried and have really enjoyed.
So, please join me on my new journey. I look forward to sharing my joy of cooking (but not my cookbook of the same name)!
Here's my first recipe to share. This one's from a 2000 issue of Sunset magazine:
Lemon Wild Rice Salad
2 packages (about 6 oz. each) long grain and wild rice pilaf mix
1 jar (6 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts
1 lb. ripe tomatoes, rinsed, cored and coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3 tbsp. drained capers (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper
Follow package directions to cook rice until tender to bite; pour into a large bowl.
Drain artichoke marinade into bowl with rice. Chop artichokes and add to rice. Mix, then stir occasionally until rice is cool, 30 to 45 minutes.
Mix tomatoes, bell peppers, parsley, capers, lemon peel, lemon juice and sugar to cool rice mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook's notes: I usually omit bell peppers and include cucumbers instead.
I've been thinking about this for a while -- a place where I could share my love of cooking and share tips, recipes and ideas with friends and family. I also want a place where others can share their ideas with me, too. My husband has been suggesting this for months, and I finally decided to give it a shot. So, indulge me as I try to find that inner writer in me, and let's jump in!
So, first a few things about me. As much as I love to cook and eat, I am a picky eater. I'm not particularly proud of this fact, but I've learned to live with it. So has my family. In fact, "Hold the cilantro, please" was inspired by my adorable daughter. She asks almost daily why I don't like cilantro. And bell peppers. And fish. And raw onions. Oh, and zucchini, too. So, yeah, fussy. I've learned to like onions cooked. But the others, well, not so much. I refuse to let that stop me from diving head-first into the nearest cookbook.
Of course, like everyone, there are the foods I can't live without. I love most fruits. Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes are in my house often. There are very few desserts that I will turn down. And when my husband asks me what kind of food I want have when I dine out, I almost always suggest Middle Eastern.
I've been dieting for more than a year. And it's working, too! Since March 2008, I've lost 42 pounds. However, there are certain dieting tips suggestions that I can't work around. For instance, I don't care for most fat-free products. And I mostly avoid sugar substitutes. For me, it's not worth it to eat something that doesn't taste good.
To fuel my love of cooking, I've accumulated a large collection of cookbooks, cooking magazines and hundreds of recipes from a huge array of sources. I plan to include a recipe that I've tried and have really enjoyed.
So, please join me on my new journey. I look forward to sharing my joy of cooking (but not my cookbook of the same name)!
Here's my first recipe to share. This one's from a 2000 issue of Sunset magazine:
Lemon Wild Rice Salad
2 packages (about 6 oz. each) long grain and wild rice pilaf mix
1 jar (6 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts
1 lb. ripe tomatoes, rinsed, cored and coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3 tbsp. drained capers (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper
Follow package directions to cook rice until tender to bite; pour into a large bowl.
Drain artichoke marinade into bowl with rice. Chop artichokes and add to rice. Mix, then stir occasionally until rice is cool, 30 to 45 minutes.
Mix tomatoes, bell peppers, parsley, capers, lemon peel, lemon juice and sugar to cool rice mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook's notes: I usually omit bell peppers and include cucumbers instead.
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That's so cool that you've become such a cook. It's funny, because I'm a picky eater, too, although I LOVE cilantro! But I hate mushrooms and onions, which makes being a vegetarian a bit tricky, but maybe I can learn a thing or two from you!
ReplyDelete:) Annette