I want to cook with lavender. I want to bake bread. I have never done either. It's an adventure!

I had a lavender bread when I went here with my dad. It was one of the best meals I've ever had, and the lavender bread was the best part of it. I could have eaten an entire loaf. I made a pretty valiant effort, actually ( Read more... )

So last night, before I went out to the Vid with psychopeg, zenmasterzeno, tuanda13, et al., I stuck some pinto beans and ham hocks in the (terrifying, thirty-year-old, avocado green) crock pot that Mom gave me. Please note that the pork products are largely for seasoning. My mother looked at me like I was playing "Dueling Banjos" with my feet, in overalls with no shirt, when I ( Read more... )

Three salads... because I miss summer.

( One )

From nineteenfishes3 cups rolled oats (not instant ( Read more... )

from lizzymommyI've done it with steel-cut oats, I've omitted the butter, I've omitted the brown sugar, I've sub'd apricots for the apples or the raisins, I usually leave out the walnuts, as that's more calories than I need in the morning, and I've sub'd part water for some of the milk, or just flat out added water ( Read more... )

I've been taking a lot of pleasure lately in planning and packing my lunches for work. Today's lunch is:

-a pear
-Strained yogurt with honey ( Read more... )

An example of why my relationship with Rachael Ray is so conflicted. She's a little annoying, has no formal chef's training, and seems on the edge of a severe emotional breakdown 80 percent of the time. But she's also completely guileless (she once said, "Let's just sit here and have a cup of coffee while Chef Roy tosses my salad" on $40 a Day ( Read more... )

This tahini-free hummus recipe from A.B. is great for parties and snacks, but I recommend that you take it easy on both the garlic and the peanut butter, as both can be overpowering, and I tend to use less olive oil (more like 1/4 cup). It took me a few tries to get that the idea is for this to taste like hummus, not like peanut-butter-flavored ( Read more... )

I feel like gaining a (gas!) kitchen of my own and a largish grocery budget more than justify the creation of a journal just for food-related pursuits. I hope to make this page a depository for pictures, recipes, notes for myself and others, and an all-around learning tool. For my first entry, I will discuss... leavening ( Read more... )