Weekend Cookbook Challenge #1: Dig out your oldest cookbook and make something from it.

The night I got the cookbook (December 1995):

(That’s me - seated in the middle. Don’t ask why I’m wearing a shiny shirt! It was the 90s, people!)

My oldest cookbook also happens to be the one that means the most to me, even though I rarely use it. I received it as a gift from my co-workers upon my graduation from U.C.L.A. (GO BRUINS!) In college, my job was planning events for the Student Union.

At my goodbye dinner, my friends all signed the inside of the cookbook with sweet wishes for me as I embarked on my new life as an adult. The messages are dated December 7, 1995 so that means I received this cookbook exactly 10 years and 8 days ago. Holy crap, I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since I graduated from college!

Check out the kind words from my co-workers:

We went to dinner at Chin-Chin’s in Brentwood to celebrate my graduation. So I pasted the fortune from my chocolate-dipped fortune cookie in the corner of the signed page. It says, “Have patience. It will benefit you.”

I only keep in touch with one of the people who signed my cookbook, but I’ll always treasure the generous thoughts behind the gesture. Also, I think it’s interesting that I was already culinarily-inclined back then considered I’d never cooked a meal in my life at that point. Living in a sorority house certainly kept me spoiled for longer than many college students.

Anyway, my co-workers gave me the Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook a lifestyle choice which, as my husband commented recently, must have seemed quite “avant garde” at the time. As a freshman at U.C.L.A. I gave up eating meat because the food in the dorms scared me. There were rumors that the cafeteria meat was Grade “D” and I believed it. So I pretty much subsisted on Golden Grahams, Coke, and the Salad Bar.

When I moved into my sorority house the food situation improved, but I took my new vegetarian preferences with me. I went at least 5 years without having even a bite of meat and that includes chicken and turkey. I went a full 10 years without having red meat at all. I didn’t miss it, in case you’re wondering. But I prefer how I eat now because I consider my current diet more moderate and flexible.

I used to cook from this book more, but I haven’t made anything from it in about 8 years. So today, as part of the Cookbook Challenge, I made the Middle Eastern Rice with Lentils. It was yummy, but nowadays I would consider it more of a side dish than a main course. I used chicken broth instead of water - so much for eating vegetarian! And I used dried currants instead of raisins because that’s what I had on hand.

Middle Eastern Rice with Lentils
Serves 4

1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 T vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 T tomato paste
2 1/2 cups water (I used chicken broth)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup dry lentils
1 t salt
1/2 cup raisins (I used dried currants)
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
Additional water, if needed

In a large saucepan, cook the onion in oil, stirring, until soft, over medium heat. Add the rice and stir for several minutes. Combine the tomato paste with the water or broth and cinnamon. Add to the rice along with the lentils. Bring to a boil, cover and lower the heat. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir the salt, raisins, and pine nuts into the rice mixture. The mixture should be a little watery; add 1/4 cup water if it is dry. Place the mixture in a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Cover and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

It’s my happy place. And since Nordstrom is holding their Half-Yearly Sale right now, the lucky women of the world have swarmed upon my favorite place on the planet to take part in a wonderland of sales.

It’s the happiest time of the year… made even happier for this food blogger because as Amanda and I were ordering our comfort food at the Cafe, I noticed that a new Nordstrom cookbook came out just two days ago. It’s called Nordstrom’s Entertaining at Home Cookbook: Delicious Recipes for Memorable Gatherings.

Here are some of the recipes that have already caught my eye during a preliminary persual:

• Tomato and Goat Cheese Crepes
• Chicken Yakisoba Salad
• Chilean Sea Bass with Wild Mushrooms on Three-Cheese Polenta
• Parmesan-Scalloped Potato Gratin
• Sinful Chocolate Torte

I already have the Cafe’s previous cookbook, Friends and Family, which I must admit I haven’t yet cooked from. I have a little problem that I know I share with many of you - I buy a lot of cookbooks and I often don’t cook very much from them. I feel compelled to own all of these cookbooks. But, I need to get motivated and utilize this wealth of resources that I just “had to have.” What is the deal with this cookbook problem so many of us seem to have?

Anyway, I’d love to point you to a place where you could further check out or purchase these Nordstrom cookbooks online, but I couldn’t find them anywhere. I feel that the name Nordstrom is synonymous with quality. I bought both of these cookbooks sight-unseen. If I ever cook from them, you’ll be the first to know!

But until then, get your ass to the Half-Yearly Sale!

This is the cookbook I’ve used the most in my life:

Despite my obvious passion for food, I don’t watch any shows on The Food Network. And I don’t eat very much Italian food. But this summer, I found myself obsessively TIVOing as many episodes as possible of Giada DeLaurentiis’ show Everyday Italian. I felt desperate to make almost everything I saw her create on the show. I don’t know where this sudden compulsion came from, but I’m glad it did.

Before I knew it, her book sat in my kitchen and the pages were slowly but surely getting covered in olive oil spatters and garlicky fingerprints. I’ve liked everything I’ve ever tried from Giada’s cookbook and web site. I’ve found her concoctions are pretty reliable and fool-proof, though definitely not light. The recipes are far from intimidating, but certainly impressive for company.

Besides the two recipes I mentioned last week, here are my other Giada faves:

• Roasted Bell Peppers
• Sweet Red Pepper Crostini
• Cheese and Spinach Puff Pastry Pockets
• Eggplant Rollatini
• Gnocchi with Butter Thyme Sauce
• Peaches Stuffed with Amaretti Cookies & Fresh Whipped Cream

Whoa, that’s a lot of recipes from a single cookbook for me! I own a ton of cookbooks, but they usually sit on a shelf without seeing much action. Why is that? I don’t know. Anyway, all of these Giada recipes are definite repeaters, too. Now, which one should I try next?

Today is the day for a recipe that achieves the winning trifecta of food preparation for most people. It’s that rare dish that is super-healthy, painless to assemble, and not only delicious, but comforting and filling… Easy Layered Beans & Rice.

I discovered this recipe through the Cooking Light Boards, which I’ve been reading for years – even when I haven’t been dieting. Even non-calorie counters will find these message boards a very effective way to find all types of recipes that are tried-and-true and worth making. Many of the shared recipes are fat-laden and nowhere near “light.” So, if you cook often and are in the market for some new ideas, check out the CL boards. It’s a great resource for any kitchen help you would ever need.

As a result of this recipe and in light of other glowing commentary, I’ve added “The Meatless Gourmet: Easy Lowfat Favorites” cookbook to my wish list, even though I usually avoid anything labeled “low-fat” like the plague. Anyone have this cookbook?

Easy Layered Beans and Rice
from “The Meatless Gourmet: Easy Lowfat Favorites”
Serves 4

1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
4 sun-dried tomato halves (not packed in oil), cut into small pieces
1 (8-oz) can corn, drained
1 1/4 cups boiling vegetable broth
2 cups reduced-fat, meatless spaghetti sauce
1 (1-lb) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups of cooked beans)
1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375F.

Lightly oil a deep 2-quart casserole or spray with a nonstick cooking spray.

Spread rice in the casserole. Sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes. Spread corn evenly over rice. Gently pour broth over corn.

Spoon half of the spaghetti sauce evenly over the corn. Spoon beans over the sauce, followed by remaining sauce.

Cover tightly and bake 45 minutes.

Uncover, sprinkle with both cheeses, and return to oven until cheese is melted and begins to brown, 5-10 minutes.

Serve-again hint: Here’s everything you need for a bean and rice burrito, including the cheese. Just roll leftovers in flour tortillas, heat in an oven or microwave, then top with salsa.

Per serving: 413 cals, 6g fat (3 g sat), 19g pro, 71g carbs, 938mg sod, 11mg chol

Beth’s Notes:

• I’ll be adding more corn to the mix next time I make this. The more, the better!
• I add an increased amount of sun-dried tomatoes, for the concentrated sweetness they give to the mix. Also, I was a rebel and used oil-packed tomatoes because a little oil doesn’t scare me.

Happy Tuesday, y’all!

Have you checked out Chow Magazine yet? I have thoroughly devoured two copies so far and my subscription card is in the mail.

The magazine’s tone is youthful but not immature, and casual yet still intelligent. I like to think that it fits my Zen Foodist philosophy quite nicely.

Here are a few features that Chow offers that I don’t think you will find in other food magazines:

• Secrets of the Perfect Salsa – Here, the author is so desperate to uncover the secret recipe for her favorite restaurant salsa that she sends it off to Europe for cutting-edge DNA testing! Sounds like something I would do if I had the means!
• Snackie Cakes – For those of us who’d like to make Twinkies and Ding Dongs at home from scratch. Why hasn’t anyone thought of this before? (edited to add: Oops! Thanks, Angie!)
• Recipes for dishes like… a Rice Krispies Treats Birthday Cake and Microwave Crème Brûlée, which comes from an amusing little collection of recipes that college students can put together in their illegal makeshift dorm room “kitchens.”

So, you’ll just have to check out Chow for yourself, if you’re in the market for a funky, youthful, practical, yet still aspirational, bimonthly food read. Until then, here’s an example of a Chow recipe that would make the pretentious foodies of the world cringe in horror:

Dorm Cooking Recipe: Microwave Crème Brûlée
By Audrey Robertson
Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins
Active Time: 15 mins
Serves: 4

Custard

* 1½ cups cream
* 3 egg yolks
* 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramelized Top

* 5 tablespoons granulated sugar

In a large glass measuring cup, heat the cream uncovered for 3 minutes at full power. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until well combined.

Whisking constantly, pour the hot cream down the side of the bowl in a thin stream into the egg mixture. When combined, divide the mixture between four ½-cup ramekins (or any ovenproof or microwaveable container like a mug).

Place the ramekins in a shallow dish, making sure they don’t touch one another. Pour hot water around the ramekins until it reaches two-thirds of the way up the sides. Cook on high in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. The custards are done when the edges are set and the center is still wet. Remove from microwave and let the ramekins cool in the water. When completely cool, refrigerate covered for at least 2 hours.

Once custard has set, preheat toaster oven to broil and sprinkle about 4 teaspoons of sugar on each custard. Place the custards under broiler for about 5 minutes, or until the tops are caramelized and golden brown; watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove from the oven and serve.

Note: Do not put the custards in the refrigerator immediately after broiling because the caramel tops will liquefy. Also, the timing used in this recipe is based on our averages from multiple tests. Since each microwave and toaster oven operates slightly differently, you may need to adjust the times.

Overachiever: Add a few fresh raspberries to the bottom of each ramekin prior to pouring in the custard, or add a teaspoon of either coffee extract or Pear William liqueur to the cream.

Sorority Girl: Don’t eat crème brûlée!