baked chickpeas

I love beans, every and all types. Pintos, lentils, black beans, black eyed peas, and of course chickpeas (or garbanzos). This recipe is a great family favorite. It's vegan and rich in protein. I found the recipe in my favorite cookbook, The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook. The dish is a traditional Greek Lenten meal, and it's full of warmth and flavor. It's very filling, great served alongside a salad and some bread.

Baked Chickpeas & Tomatoes

adapted from the Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

INGREDIENTS:

3 15.5 ounce cans chickpeas, reserve the liquid
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 green bell peppers, sliced lengthwise
1 jalapeno chili, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1.5 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Gently saute the onions, peppers, and jalepeno in oil over medium heat until the vegetables are soft--about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and mix well, then stir in tomatoes, parsley, oregano, and bay leaves. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Drain the chickpeas (reserving the liquid) and add to the tomato sauce. Transfer mixture to a large casserole. Add 1/2 cup (355 ml) or more of the chickpea liquid, just enough to cover the peas with liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until beans are very tender. Add some of the chickpea liquid from time to time if sauce starts to reduce too much. The chickpeas and vegetables should always be just covered with liquid.

cookbook stash: the complete book of greek cooking

I love Greek food. There is so much flavor, warmth, and spice. But it's often also refreshing and light. While I love a good moussaka, I also love sliced cucumbers and tomatoes topped with tzatziki. In my town, unfortunately, there is no Greek restaurant. There's a Greek pizza place, which isn't bad, but no restaurant serving authentic dishes.

I decided I would make my own Greek food and picked up The Complete Book of Greek Cooking. This great cookbook was compiled and written by the Recipe Club of Saint Paul's Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Hempstead, NY. It's over 300 pages long with a yellow and blue soft cover. It's arranged into 11 chapters by the type of dish (i.e. meats, desserts, breads) and very easy to navigate.

The book not only has some delicious recipes, but some great features as well. There's a map of Greece along with information on religious customs in the Orthodox church. The Orthodox fast during Lent, giving up fish, meat, alcohol, oils, and dairy until Easter. The recipes appropriate for a Lenten fast are marked, which is convenient for my family since my brother is Orthodox.

There is a really great appendix in the back of the cookbook listing helpful information and history on Greek cooking. You'll find pages on Greek tea and coffee. There are tips for working with common ingredients, like phyllo. A glossary with ingredients and terms is included. Best of all, there is a section about Greek cheese and wine.

This is a great primer for those eager to dive into the world of Greek cooking. One thing I like is that each recipe has both the Greek name for the dish and the English translation. The recipes are authentic and family-oriented. It's a church cookbook, but in a more professional format.

A lot of the recipes are simple, but I would probably recommend this for someone who knows their way around the kitchen. A novice cook might have a little trouble. I like having cookbooks on my favorite cuisine, so this is the perfect addition to my stash.


Best features: appendix, Lenten dishes
Recipes worth trying: Marinated Cocktail Meatballs, Eggplant Spread, Meatless Stuffed Grape Leaves, Chicken Souvlakia, Moussaka, Hot Potato Salad, Spinach Phyllo Pie, Almond Cookies, Baklava
Yay or Nay? Yay! Great overview on Greek cooking for those interested in trying the cuisine.
Purchase here: I recommend purchasing from the cathedral directly, but you can also find it on Amazon: The Complete Book of Greek Cooking

cookbook stash: the mediterranean diet cookbook

I'm going to share the most beloved cookbook in my collection. The one that has been used and adored above all others. The one that actually belongs to my mother but very conveniently found its way into my bookcase.



The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Nancy Harmon Jenkins is a hefty tome (500+ pages) chock full of fresh and flavorful dishes from the Mediterranean region. You'll find food from Greece, Italy, France, Tukey, Tunisia, Israel, and more. All the recipes are authentic and are accompanied by detailed information on the history and ingredients.

I have a hardcover edition that once wore a dust jacket, but now sits naked on my bookshelf. The pages are thick and sturdy, but there are no photographs of the food. Each recipe lists nutritional information per serving, which is convenient for those who are trying to lose weight.

The author is well-informed and cites nutritional information from reputable sources to back up her claims of the healthfulness of the Mediterranean diet. There is also a introduction written by two doctors and professors, one from Athens, the other from Harvard. This lends credence to the lifestyle, and I think it's a beneficial asset that my other cookbooks lack.

The recipes are arranged in nine chapters, but they make sense and are easy to navigate. In the back there is a useful section on cooking/preparation methods, materials, and ingredients. After this you can find a resources section, with information on where to purchase necessary ingredients and kitchen tools. One of my favorite features is a Mediterranean Diet Pyramid from the Harvard School of Public Health. You'll also find extensive explanations accompanying the pyramid. Anyone armed with this cookbook and information can make a switch to a healthy, rewarding lifestyle.

This is a great choice in cookbook for anyone looking to get healthy. I would also recommend it for people who just love the flavors of the Mediterranean. It would be a good choice for vegetarians, as well. Though a lot of dishes contain meat, there are a lot that don't. Some of my very favorite recipes come from this book. It has great techniques for pizzas, stocks, Greek pies, sauces, and more.

The cookbook is a bit on the pricey side at $35, but I consider it a good investment for such a useful book. The book was first published in 1994 (this is the edition I own), but a new edition was published in 2008. Another downfall for this book is that some of the dishes might be challenging for a novice cook, but there are simple recipes as well. A lot of the dishes take a long time, so it might not be compatible for those with an "on-the-go" lifestyle.

Best features: knowledge and resources on lifestyle, nutritional facts for recipes
Recipes worth trying: Hummus Bi Tahini, Tzatziki, Tabbouleh, Grape Leaves Stuffed with Meat and Rice, Pasta Salad from Capri, Provencal Chick-Pea Soup, "Armenian" Bread from Cyprus, Baked Chick Peas in Tomato Sauce, Kourabiedes
Yay or Nay? Yay! This would be a beneficial cookbook for just about anybody!
Purchase here: The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: A Delicious Alternative for Lifelong Health

yum, brussels sprouts!

I know a lot of people don't like Brussels sprouts. Heck, I didn't like them either for a very long time. I was so used to those mushy things that were frozen, then nuked. Yuck. The best way to cook them is to start with the fresh ones! Forget about steaming or boiling, you need to roast them for the best flavor and texture.

My mom started making this recipe for Brussels sprouts several years ago for every Thanksgiving. Delicious!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

from Wegmans Menu magazine

INGREDIENTS:

6 slices thick bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 lbs fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed, quartered
3 Tbsp basting oil or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup peeled chestnuts, halved

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat large ovenproof skillet on medium-high. Add bacon; cook, turning occasionally, until crisp. Remove from pan; set aside. Toss Brussels sprouts with oil; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add to pan; roast in oven about 30 min. Remove from oven; stir in chestnuts and cooked bacon. Return to oven about 10 min to heat.

 I like to use Applewood smoked bacon, but any bacon will do--even turkey bacon if you're trying to eat a bit healthier. If you are unable to find chestnuts, you can omit them or just use a different type of nut. They can be a bit hard to find outside of the holiday months. Slivered almonds or chopped hazelnuts are a delicious alternative.

cookbook stash: cook yourself thin

After my dismal review of the Hungry Girl cookbook, I thought I would share a better and healthier alternative.

I was browsing the book section at Wal-Mart a year ago looking for some of my guilty pleasure Charlaine Harris novels. I didn't find any I hadn't read, but found this treat of a cookbook instead: Cook Yourself Thin by Harry Eastwood, Candice Kumai, and Allison Fishman. Learning from my past mistakes, I skimmed the book and found most of the ingredients were fresh and lacking in preservatives. Seemed good to me. I bought the book and read it in its entirety when I got home.



The Cook Yourself Thin philosophy focuses on reducing your calorie intake while making fresh, colorful, and real food. The only low-fat items you find will be low-fat dairy, and they favor the use of natural sweeteners, like honey. This lifestyle is about adapting and discovering, not restricting.

There are over 200 pages of helpful information and recipes. Not every dish has a photograph, but it seems like roughly half of them do. Photos in cookbooks aren't a necessity for me, but it's always nice when they are included. The recipes are arranged very simply: breakfasts, main dishes, and sweets.

This book has some great features. It is lacking in the benefit of a professional opinion from a dietitian or nutritionist, but the three authors are all chefs and seem to be well-informed about basic nutrition. At the beginning there is a quiz to determine your "dieting downfalls". It's not meant to be anything scientific, but it can pinpoint some of your concerns. There is a section about calories: what they are, how many you should eat, and how many are in some common foods. I appreciate that they warn against those "lite" and "sugar-free" products that Hungry Girl basks in.

There is also information on kitchen equipment, swapping high caloric foods for a healthier alternative, and even a section on exercise. The focus in this book is on monitoring your calorie intake, so you won't find a long list of nutritional information. There is simply a calorie-per-serving for each recipe.

This is a great book for a beginner cook who is looking to eat a healthier, fresher diet. You won't find any Splenda or non-dairy creamer in these recipes!

Best features: information on calories, food swaps
Recipes worth trying: Stuffed French Toast Sundaes, Portobello Mushroom Benedict, Homemade Granola, Penne alla "Not-ka", Healthy Potato Skins, Easy Herb Roasted Chicken, Peanut Butter Dream Bars, Roasted Peach Crisp
Yay or Nay? Yay! Great recipes for the health conscious.
Purchase here: Cook Yourself Thin: Skinny Meals You Can Make in Minutes

cookbook stash: hungry girl

I can imagine Hungry Girl (a.k.a. Lisa Lillien) would make Michael Pollan and Anthony Bourdain crap their pants. The Hungry Girl strategy of eating is to turn fattening fast food favorites into guilt-free meals using mainly processed food. It's a strategy that goes against two of my idols' very way of life. This is not a lifestyle for foodies.


I bought the Hungry Girl cookbook a couple years ago when I was in one of my "get fit" stages. The book is arranged somewhat strangely into 14 chapters that I won't even begin to list. This makes the cookbook irritating to navigate. There is a photo insert that shows a couple dozen of the many, many recipes. This wouldn't be a good book for family cooks; the recipes are all single servings. Most of the recipes in the book use fat-free, low-fat, and sugar-free shelf stable food products. These things can be fine once in awhile, but I would boldly consider it unhealthy to create an entire lifestyle around them. But then again, I've probably got a few pounds on Hungry Girl.

Also, there is no input from a doctor, nutritionist, or registered dietitian. I think when it comes to weight loss, it's important to have a professional opinion.

The recipes are easy enough to make and a lot of them utilize the microwave, making it convenient for on-the-go types or beginner cooks. Some of the recipes are a waste, like the "Big Bopper Burger Stopper", which is just assembling a Boca burger. That's another thing: the recipes have cringe-worthy cheesy names. You know when you're at a restaurant and some genius names half the dishes with dorky names? Don't you always feel like an idiot asking for something like "Caribbean Rockin' Reggae Ribs"? That is a real dish at T.G.I. Friday's, by the way.

There are a few good little nuggets in this cookbook, though. There are good tips about calories and fat in popular restaurant dishes. There are good tips for cutting calories in healthy ways. Cleverly, some of the recipes use Fiber One bran crumbs as a breading to replace fatty batters.

I've tried a few different recipes. Most are kind of bland and don't have a lot of flavor, which I think is very important in the quest to lose weight. Your food should have MORE flavor, not less. But there are some good things to try. The chapter on soup has the best dishes.

Best feature: Nutritional information listed for each recipe, food survival guides in the back
Recipes worth trying: V10 Soup, Citrus-y Stir-Fry Shrimp (without the Splenda), Bake-tastic Butternut Squash Fries, Dan Good Chili, Dreamy Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
Yay or Nay? Nay. Google the recipes I listed and check out the Hungry-Girl website for the helpful tips and survival guides.
Purchase here: Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World

cookbook stash: the pioneer woman cooks

A few years ago, I discovered the most wonderful food blog, full of beautiful step-by-step photographs and stick-to-your-ribs food. By now, it seems like the whole world is acquainted with The Pioneer Woman. With a cookbook under her belt, she will continue to entertain us all with a published tell-all and movie.

When her cookbook was announced, I quickly pre-ordered a copy on Amazon and waited impatiently for its arrival in the fall. It arrived, just as spectacular as I had hoped and filled with tasty recipes.



The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond is a hard cover cookbook with a colorful dust jacket. It has almost 250 glossy pages filled with bright photographs. Each recipe has step-by-step instructions with accompanying photos, and a large photo showcasing the final dish. Woven throughout the book are photographs taken by the author documenting her family life on an Oklahoma cattle ranch.

The recipes are arranged by course: appetizers, breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. It's a convenient set-up for a family cookbook. There are cute icons designating dishes for "cowboys" and "cowgirls". I would say this is a book for the home cook, the family warrior. The meals are hearty and not fussy. They are full of flavor and substance. The unique step-by-step format is great for cooks who are unsure of their skill. A new cook could even breeze their way through most of the recipes.

I think the thing I like most about Pioneer Woman's blog and cookbook is the intimacy. It feels like you're flipping through the family recipe box. You feel like each dish is one of those "secret family recipes". I also like the humor and tell-all tone that the book has. Even if you don't cook a thing, it's an entertaining read.

Every dish I have tried has been replicated with success...and everyone loves them. The cookbook retails for $27.50, but can be found a little cheaper on Amazon. If your wallet is a little bare for now, a lot of the recipes can be found on the Pioneer Woman blog.

Best features: step-by-step photography, lots of color
Recipes worth trying: Guacamole, Cinnamon Rolls, Beans and Cornbread, Potato-Leek Pizza, Simple Perfect Enchiladas, Lasagna, Oatmeal Crispies
Yay or Nay? Yay! As long as you don't mind butter.
Purchase here: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl

cookbook stash: cook with jamie

My first cookbook I would like to share is one of my favorites of my collection: Jamie Oliver's Cook With Jamie. I received this cookbook two years ago as a Christmas gift and it has since been well-used.

The book is a nice hardcover edition with gold lettering and a ribbon bookmark. The nearly 450 pages are thick and sturdy, and each recipe has its own color photograph. The book does retail for the hefty price of $37.50, but for such a high quality product, I don't find this excessive. If you are still unconvinced, all the proceeds from the book are donated to Jamie's Fifteen Foundation, which trains young adults from tough backgrounds in the culinary arts.

The idea of the book is to teach its readers how to be a better cook. I think it's a good book for someone with basic cooking experience, but looking to branch out to more complicated techniques and dishes. There are six chapters of recipes (salads, pasta, meat, fish, vegetables, and desserts). Jamie gives advice on pairing alcohol with food, basic kitchen tools, how to shop for meats and fish, food safety, and techniques like cutting and freezing your food.

Jamie has a great command on flavors and what ingredients pair well together. He teaches you how to make your own pasta and salad dressing. He is extremely knowledgeable on the ingredients he uses and gives expert advice on preparing everything from squid to lamb shanks. There are recipes for everyone, foodies and homebodies alike. Jamie may be arrogant and unabashed, but he knows his stuff. How can you hate a guy who preaches the importance of eating fresh and local?

Cook With Jamie has become an indispensable volume in my collection. I consult it for just about all my cooking needs and have made recipes with great success. Anybody who wants to be more comfortable in the kitchen should add this to their own stash.

Best features: beautiful color photographs and detailed instructions
Recipes worth trying: Jools' favorite Saturday afternoon pasta, Mushroom risotto, Dinner-lady carrots, Creamy butternut squash, Rhubarb and custard
Yay or Nay? Yay! Great cookbook for anyone who loves to cook.
Purchase here: Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook

cookbook stash

For the next few days, I'll be sharing some of my favorite cookbooks from my arsenal. I have some great volumes, but I'm dying for some of those classics that make up my mom's collection. I really need a nice copy of Joy Of Cooking.

I wanted to share my cookbooks with everyone while giving honest reviews. You might even find a cookbook to add to your own collection.

Here are the current books that make up my stash:

1. Mastering The Art Of French Cooking by Julia Child
2. The Complete Book Of Greek Cooking by The Recipe Club of St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Cathedral
   
3. Cook Yourself Thin
4. The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond
5. Cook With Jamie by Jamie Oliver
6. The Accidental Vegetarian by Simon Rimmer
7. Noodles by Beverly Le Blanc
8. Cold Pasta by James McNair
9. I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence by Amy Sedaris
10. Food Network Kitchens Cookbook
11. Hungry Girl by Lisa Lillien
12. Christmas With Southern Living 2010
13. Pasta Cookbook by Bridget Jones
14. Veggie Chic by Rose Elliot
15. The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Nancy Harmon Jenkins
16. Frida's Fiestas by Guadalupe Rivera and Marie-Pierre Colle
    

I have quite a few more than I realized, and I don't know if I'll actually share them all on my blog, but we'll see. If this interests you, stay tuned for the next few days, and if not, well...here's a cute picture of Chihuahuas to make up for it:

a summer picnic in versailles

When I studied abroad to France a few years ago, I was surprised at some of the similarities between my culture and the French culture. One thing we have in common: picnics.


I was fortunate to be in Paris for Bastille Day, France's celebration of the storming of the Bastille prison, and a symbol of the beginning of modern France. Celebrations are much like our Independence Day festivities: parades, flags, firecrackers, and picnics. My French host lived in the town of Versailles, home of the famous Palace and an important site during the tumultuous years of the Revolution. I was invited to a barbecue picnic at his home on Bastille Day.

French picnics seem to be similar to the ones I am accustomed to in the United States. Our host grilled chicken, steaks, and lamb. His wife made vibrant chilled salads and vegetable sides. But what makes French picnics unique is the bread, cheese, and wine. An improvement, I'd say.

Everyone's favorite dish seemed to be a simple vegetable salad dressed with a tangy vinaigrette. I was too shy to ask for the recipe, but our host's wife did tell us that what made the salad so delicious was the addition of French mustard into the vinaigrette.

On the metro ride back to my dorm in Paris, I scribbled down the bare bones of the dish in my little notebook I always carry with me. When I arrived back in the States, I attempted to recreate the dish myself. It wasn't quite as delicious as I remember, but it turned out very similar.

It is a great summer salad--as all the vegetables are in season during the summer months--served alongside a good piece of grilled meat or fish. The key, I think, is to use a high quality French mustard, and to let the dressing marinate with the vegetables for a couple hours.

Bon Appetit!

Versailles Salad

INGREDIENTS:
2 cucumbers, roughly chopped
3 tomatoes, cut in small wedges
1 bag frozen corn, defrosted -- may substitute fresh grilled corn if desired
French mustard (Dijon works fine)
White wine or Champagne vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk together the mustard, vinegar and oil to make a thin dressing. I never measure the amounts; I always just guess and adjust the ingredients as necessary. To make a rough guess, I would suggest starting with 1/3 cup oil, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 teaspoon mustard, but work with it until you get the desired taste. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the chopped vegetables on a platter in rows: 1 row with tomatoes, 1 row with corn, 1 row with cucumbers. It should resemble the French flag, but in different colors. If this is too fussy for you, you can simply toss the veggies together in a bowl.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and refrigerate for a couple hours. Serve cold. I recommend using a piece of crusty bread to soak up the leftover dressing.

did someone say vichyssoise?

It's no secret that I love all things French. But the problem with French food is that it can often be full of butter and cream and cheese. It is all so delicious, though--buttery croissants that flake apart in your mouth; warm, nutty chocolat au pain that dribbles chocolate down your chin when you take a bite; onion soup chock full of smoky sweet onions and crunchy toast with Swiss; and cool, creamy vichyssoise. No wonder Louis XVI was so portly in his later years.

Vichyssoise is a chilled soup made with potatoes, leeks, chicken stock, and of course, butter and cream. It's one of my favorites, but does no favors for the waistline. I found this great alternative online and it has become a family favorite. It's not a traditional vichyssoise by any means. I actually prefer this version served hot, but it's great cooled as well. This recipe serves 4 people and contains 7 grams of fat per serving and 265 calories.

Healthy-ish Potato and Leek Soup (Vichyssoise)

INGREDIENTS:
4 leeks, white parts only, well-cleaned and chopped
4 green onions, white parts chopped and green parts reserved
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 lb. yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper (white pepper if you have it)

DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the leeks, green onion whites, and 1/2 cup of chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes.

Add the diced potatoes and remaining chicken stock. Cover and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter until it melts. Leave standing without a cover for about 15 minutes, until slightly cooled.

Very carefully transfer the hot vegetable mixture to a blender and puree until very smooth. Do this in batches if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

If eating hot: Garnish with chopped green onion tops and serve in individual bowls.
If eating cold: Allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating for 4+ hours. When ready to serve, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Believe it or not, but when chilled, the seasoning can become less pronounced. Garnish with chopped green onion tops and serve in individual bowls.

Goes great with a slice of crusty French bread!

tgif links

It's Friday! Do something fun!

Get organized with some free printables at Kind Over Matter

Never lose a book again with a free personal library kit at Twig & Thistle

Make your own decorative chandelier at Brassy Apple

Create jewelry with washers at Helping Little Hands

Bring the s'mores inside and make s'mores stuffed brownies at Picky Palate

Bake some wings with an unusual glaze at Steamy Kitchen

Check out the top beaches for finding sea glass at Uptake

tgif links

It's the weekend! Do something fun!

Recycle old magazines into coasters at How About Orange

Bust out your sewing machine & make a floor pouf at Design*Sponge

DIY design: create your own ruffled pillows at Tidytipsy

Reuse jelly jars to make your own tea light lanterns at Recaptured Charm

Supplement a high-intensity workout with protein pancakes at The Fitnessista

Whip up a delicious strawberry sheet cake at Homesick Texan

Cool down with the Magic Juice cocktail at Design*Sponge

Use a little Jane Austen design inspiration at Design*Sponge

Find the perfect mint green nail polish at Vampy Varnish

products I love: food

I can't sleep, so naturally here are some of my favorite food products.

Blue Bell Ice Cream
This is one of my favorite brands of ice cream, but it's only available in the South (and Arizona, oddly enough). I love the Rocky Road and Cookies n' Cream, and it looks like they've got some great newer flavors. I loved their Bullets and Mooo pops when I was younger.

Blue Diamond Wasabi & Soy Sauce Almonds
I love the spiciness of these almonds. They're one of my favorite snacks.

Amy's Indian Palak Paneer
Amy's Kitchen makes a lot of decent frozen TV dinners (decent as far as frozen meals go). I really like the Indian ones they make, but the Palak Paneer is my favorite because it's one of my favorite Indian dishes. You can generally find these in the organic section of your supermarket.

Diet Dr. Pepper
The best diet coke ever, and possibly the best non-diet coke. It's a Southern staple. There is nothing like a cold DDP on a hot, humid day.

Laughing Cow Cheese
Laughing Cow is like the Cheez Whiz of France...only a hundred times better and luckily available in the U.S., though not under the cool name "La Veche Qui Rit". It is so creamy and delicious. I can eat it plain, but it's even better on a crepe or hunk of baguette.

Southwestern Egg Beaters
I generally really dislike eggs. I think it's the yolks. I have been known to enjoy an omelet or scrambled eggs doused in hot sauce, but if I'm going to do the egg thing, I try to do Egg Beaters. I can tolerate them and sometimes even crave them. But the Southwestern style? Yum. I love to scramble them up and toss them with hot sauce. One of my favorite breakfasts.

Nestle Abuelita Mexican Hot Chocolate
Mexican hot chocolate is a favorite from my childhood, though I always wondered why there was a very WASP-y grandma on the packaging. It is seriously SO delicious. You melt the hunks of cinnamon-laced chocolate in milk and whip it until it's frothy. This can be found at any supermarket in the international foods section.

Tazo Green Ginger Tea
Tazo makes some excellent tea, but their Green Ginger is my favorite. It's great by itself or sublime with a little honey added.

Irn-Bru
I first tried this amazing coke when I went to Scotland. It is everywhere and is said to be more popular than Coca-Cola in Scotland. I hear it makes a great hangover cure, but have yet to try it. It is bright orange and has a delicious bubble gum/orange flavor. It's hard to describe, but really yummy. It was banned in the U.S. for a long time, but is now available. I found it in the international foods section.

Fage Greek Yogurt with Cherry
Greek yogurt is thick, creamy, rich, and positively delicious. Fage makes Greek yogurt with different fruits to stir in. The cherry is my favorite, but they also have peach, strawberry, and honey.

Walker's Shortbread Fingers
Sometimes there is nothing better than a rich, warm, buttery shortbread finger. Walker's makes the best you can buy in a box, containing simply flour, butter, sugar and salt. No preservatives, no dyes, just pure delicious cookie. They aren't as good as the warm chocolate chip shortbread I had in Scotland at Marks & Spencers, but a perfectly suitable substitute (especially if you warm them in the oven).

Peanut Patch Green Boiled Peanuts

Some of my fondest memories as a child are driving through the deep South on the way to Florida. There are stands all across the South selling delicious peanut products. I can remember stopping and getting bags of hot, salty boiled peanuts and crispy peanut brittle. Good luck finding a peanut stand in Pennsylvania. They have these in the international foods section at my local Wegman's--I guess Southern food is a truly foreign food to Northerners. I can't describe how yummy these are. They are salty, nutty, and melt in your mouth. I love slurping the brine out of the shells.

Lawry's Seasoned Salt
I often use this as a replacement for regular table salt. I don't know quite what they put in here, but it makes everything delicious.

Rotel
Rotel is what makes chili so damn delicious, but it enhances so many other foods: nachos, beans, enchiladas, queso, salsa, chicken, macaroni & cheese, burritos, quesadillas, etc. We always have stacks of Rotel in our pantry.

Carroll Shelby's Texas Chili Kit
A good chili kit, like this one, is another of my secrets for making really good chili. It makes the whole process foolproof.

Pirate's Booty
Like cheese popcorn, but fluffier and yummier...and healthier!

Tabasco Sauce
My life would not be complete without Tabasco. I put it on EVERYTHING.

Penzeys Spices
Penzeys makes very high quality spices and spice blends. They have hundreds to choose from and every one I have tried has been excellent and fresh. I like the Sandwich Sprinkle, Herbes de Provence, Lemon-Pepper, Tuscan Sunset, and Barbecue. I haven't tried the above pictured Sunny Paris, but it sounds delicious. You can order them online or from their catalog (which usually has some good recipes).

Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
Sriracha is so deliciously spicy and a great accompaniment to Thai and Vietnamese food. It's a sweeter, hotter version of American hot sauces. I love it in noodles and especially Pho soup. If I have a cold, I love to stir in a teaspoon or so into my chicken noodle soup.

Thai Kitchen Spring Onion Rice Noodle Bowl
This is one of my favorite soups. The broth is so delicious and light. It's very low in fat, but unfortunately high in sodium. It's so worth it, though. Don't get the Roasted Garlic or Hot & Sour version--stick with the Spring Onion. And of course, stir in a little Sriracha.

tgis links

It's the weekend! Do something fun!

Recycle your beer bottles by making a self-watering garden at Design*Sponge

DIY bath salts at Delicious Ambiguity

Laundry detergent recipe at Little Birdie Secrets

Create jewelry with pom-poms at P.S. I Made This

Make your own mini pinatas at Not Martha

Try a "healthier" version of fettucine alfredo at A Cozy Kitchen

Host a taco night: veg or meat at My Kitchen Addiction & Tasty Kitchen

Satisfy your sweet tooth with chocolate peanut butter bars at The Parsley Thief

Yum! Stuffed grape leaves at Budget Bytes

Get a cute blog template for free at Lee Lou

Design inspired by Frida Kahlo at Design*Sponge