This month I have two selections from Hugh Acheson’s cookbook, A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen (affiliate code) - Grilled Fish with Hot Sauce Buerre Blanc and Saffron Braised Celery. My husband, Paul, came back from a fishing trip in Mexico with nearly two coolers worth of California yellowtail (also called amberjack). For those of you who never had yellowtail grilled (most of us probably have tried it as sushi), it tastes a bit sweet and isn’t fishy at all. It’s the perfect fish to grill since it stands up to the high heat without falling apart. And it’s mild enough to go with just about any type of sauce or seasonings. Since Hugh’s original recipe in A New Turn in the South, calls for mahi mahi, I figured yellowtail was a good substitute. You can use either or another mild white fish like tilapia.

I included a side dish this time – Saffron Braised Celery. I don’t know about you, but I have a little teeny bottle of saffron in my spice rack that I rarely use. This recipe was a good way to use some of it along with the leftover celery I had in my refrigerator.

I made both dishes on a weeknight without too much difficulty – plan about 40 minutes to an hour total prep and cook time. To make it more convenient, you could make the sauce and the cucumber salad the night before and prep the celery dish. Or plan to make it on a Friday night when a late dinner won’t make it too difficult for your family to wake up early the next day. You may want to double the amount of sauce, too, as it goes great on leftover fish, vegetables, rice or chicken.

I made some minor changes to Hugh’s recipes such as using olive oil instead of butter in the celery. I used a buttery spread instead of butter and a Colorado beer infused hot sauce, Old Chub: 3 Chili Chipotle Sauce, in the buerre blanc because that’s what I had on hand. Feel free to your favorite hot sauce though Hugh warns that Tabasco sauce is too spicy.

Saffron Braised Celery

Based on Hugh Acheson’s Saffron Braised Celery recipe from A New Turn in the South (page 223)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 12 celery stalks with leafy parts removed, cut into 3-inch lengths
• 1 pinch of saffron
• 1 cup chicken stock
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Over medium heat in an oven safe sauté pan, Dutch oven or braising pan (I used my Le Creuset 5-Quart Round Braiser [affiliate code]) heat the oil and sweat the shallots for about 5 minutes.
3. Place the celery in the pan. Add saffron and stock.
4. Cover, remove from the stovetop, and braise in the oven for 30 minutes or until tender.
5. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Serve hot.

Grilled Fish with Hot Sauce Buerre Blanc

Based on Hugh Acheson’s Grilled Mahi Mahi with Hot Sauce Buerre Blanc recipe from A New Turn in the South (page 158)

Ingredients:

• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used 1 tablespoon of Garden Gourmet’s parsley)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1/4 pound butter spread, cold, cut into chunks
• 4 6-ounce fillets of yellow tail, mahi mahi, tilapia, or other mild white fish

Directions:

1. Place the cucumber slices in a medium sized mixing bowl and season with 1/4 teaspoon of the sea salt.
2. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice over the cucumbers.
3. Add parsley and toss to combine. Let sit at room temperature as you prepare the rest of the dish.
4. Heat your grill.
5. In a small saucepan over medium heat, place the shallot, cider vinegar, and rest of the lemon juice.
6. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
7. Add the hot sauce and reduce the heat to low until you have a slight simmer.
8. Whisk in the chunks of cold buttery spread until melted.
9. Season with a pinch of salt and keep warm on very low heat. (Or just the warm burner if you have an electric stove.)
10. Place fish fillets on a platter or plate and season with remaining sea salt.
11. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the fish.
12. Grill on high heat (so you have nice grill marks) until done. Amount of time will depend on the thickness of the fish.
13. To plate, arrange cucumbers on a plate and place grilled fish on top. Drizzle with the buerre blanc and serve.

Saffron Braised Celery and Grilled Fish with Hot Sauce Buerre Blanc from A New Turn in the South is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

If you’re looking for a more healthful way to eat, you’ve probably heard about the Paleo diet. For those of you who haven’t, the basic idea is to eat like our hunter-gatherer ancestors did before the development of agriculture and diets heavy in grains like rice and wheat. Paleo is a protein heavy diet, but allows for vegetables, nuts and seeds. Many people feel better eating the paleo way and have lost weight or gotten rid of health problems like diabetes due to it. The Paleo diet also works well those who eat gluten free because of having celiacs or food sensitivities, since Paleo recipes don’t contain wheat or other types of glutenous foods.

Eating the Paleo way isn’t very hard to do, especially if you love to grill steaks or fish or enjoy a nice salad or sautéed veggies. However, until I came across The Paleo Slow Cooker: Healthy, Gluten-Free Meals the Easy Way cookbook by Arsy Vartanian I never thought of using my slow cooker to cook Paleo foods. Arsy, who blogs at Rubies and Radishes, makes it look easy and delicious! Her cookbook features chapters on beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and seafood. The Paleo Slow Cooker also features recipes for appetizers, breakfast, drinks and even Paleo friendly desserts. I’m impressed! Even better, it’s a visually beautiful book with excellent photography, though I wish there was more of it.

Whether you’re a hardcore Paleo dieter or just looking to turn your health and cooking around with simple and healthy recipes, then maybe the  The Paleo Slow Cooker is for you! Not convinced? Try Arsy’s recipe for Pear Ginger Pork Ribs. This is a perfect dish when pears are in season, plus pork is very reasonably priced. I like that Arsy uses coconut oil in this recipe, which should really give this pork dish a lovely flavor. And yes, honey is considered OK on the Paleo diet, especially raw honey (local if you can find it). If you need to avoid honey, try using stevia instead, which is OK on the Paleo diet, has no calories, and is considered a natural sweetener.

Finally, I would double this recipe if you have a big slow cooker. That way you can have leftover pork chops the next day for lunch – gently reheat in the microwave or dice up the pork and put it in a salad or Paleo friendly stir fry!

Pear Ginger Pork Chops

From the The Paleo Slow Cooker: Healthy, Gluten-Free Meals the Easy Way cookbook by Arsy Vartanian

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 thick cut pork chops
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 2 ripe d’anjou pears, cored and cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup white wine (can substitute water or broth)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• Salt and pepper just before serving

Directions:

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
2. Brown the pork chops on both sides (in batches if necessary) for about 5 minutes total and place in the slow cooker.
3. Sauté the pears and ginger in the remaining coconut oil.
4. Add the vinegar and wine, turn to medium low and cook for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
5. Pour mixture over chops in slow cooker.
6. Cook on low for 6 hours.
7. Salt and pepper to taste, then serve.

Recipe and photograph used with permission.

The Paleo Slow Cooker: Healthy, Gluten-Free Meals the Easy Way cookbook review and Pear Ginger Pork Chops recipe #glutenfree #gfcommunity is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Has your family participated in Meatless Monday yet? Maybe you’re reluctant to because someone in your family thinks veggies are yucky. Or maybe you’re just perplexed on how to cook up a vegetarian dish that’s filling and will be liked by all family members. That’s why you have to check out the new cookbook by Suzanne Landry, The Passionate Vegetable. Her health inspired recipes  promise to revitalize your life whether you’re a vegetarian or a meat lover.

You can tell that Suzanne is a health educator, because The Passionate Vegetable is as educational as it is inspirational. The cookbook includes a simple guide to food nutrition, suggestions for healthy vegetarian meals, transition recipes for the meat lover (love this!), and a guide to remaking your pantry to be healthier and vegetarian friendly. The Passionate Vegetable contains over 145 recipes including breakfasts, salads, soups, grains and bean dishes, and entries, as well as a chapter devoted to meat and healthy treats and desserts. It also features fantastic food photography for some but not all her recipes, unfortunately. Recipes I’m looking forward to making include Ratatouille over Spaghetti Squash and Roasted Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese.

Summer salads

With the weather getting warmer, I’m on the lookout for recipes that require a minimum of cooking and are more on the light side. This recipe from The Passionate Vegetable for California Fiesta Quinoa Salad fits the bill, since you can make it ahead of time in the morning when it’s cooler. Quinoa makes a terrific main dish since it’s an excellent source of vegetarian protein and it’s gluten free. Suzanne suggests adding leftover quinoa salad to scrambled eggs – just before the eggs set hard, add 1/4 cup and give it a stir. She likes this egg and quinoa salad dish for breakfast, but you could make it for lunch or dinner, too!

California Fiesta Quinoa Salad

Recipe from The Passionate Vegetable by Suzanne Landry from Health Inspired Publishing

Serves 6

Salad ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 2 cups water
• 1/4  teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4  cup tomato, chopped (1 medium tomato)
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped (1 stalk)
• 1/2  cup cucumber, seeded and chopped (1 medium cucumber)
• 1/2 cup scallions, chopped (4 scallions)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, cleaned and chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn, blanched
• 1/2 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup black olives, pitted and diced (Kalamata are the best!)

Dressing ingredients:

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1   teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• 2   tablespoon red wine vinegar or 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2  teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

• Boil 2 cups water and add salt. Thoroughly rinse quinoa in strainer. Place in boiling water, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes or until grain is fluffed and water is absorbed.  Remove from pot into a large bowl and allow to cool before adding vegetables.
• Slice tomatoes into 1/2-inch slabs and remove most of the seeds.  Then cut tomatoes into sticks and crosswise into ½-inch cubes.  This will give you evenly sized tomato pieces that won’t get mushy if the salad isn’t eaten right away.
• Cut celery by slicing down the rib in the center of the stalk. If the stalk is large you might want to cut it in thirds. Then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Slice cucumber lengthwise into 4 strips and then remove center seeds. Chop these strips into 1/2-inch pieces. Remove root ends of scallions and cross chop into 1/4-inch pieces. Toss cooled quinoa with all remaining vegetables, beans, and olives.
• Mix vinegar, oil, hot pepper flakes, and salt together.  Toss lightly with salad.  Refrigerate for an hour before serving.  This will last 5 days in the refrigerator.

Recipe and picture used with permission.

Meatless Monday: The Passionate Vegetable cookbook review and a recipe for California Fiesta Quinoa Salad #meatlessmonday #glutenfree is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I couldn’t resist sharing another terrific recipe from Teen Cuisine: New Vegetarian. This one is for Smart Bars is terrific to make for your lunchbox, as a snack on the way to sports practice, or to enjoy while hiking this summer. (Make a double batch so you have plenty on hand!)

If you have a nut allergy, omit the almonds and double the amount of sunflower seeds. Or you can substitute pine nuts (which are seeds) for the almonds. For the peanut butter, use sunflower seed butter instead. As for the almond milk, try substituting coconut or rice milk.

Other substitutions could be to use stevia and/or coconut palm sugar instead of raw or brown sugar and agave nectar instead of honey or maple syrup. (If you do use honey, try to get some from a local source at your farmer’s market. So much better tasting than that stuff at the grocery store!) Also, feel free to use a buttery spread instead of butter. Experiment with different nuts, seeds and dried fruit (maybe even a little unsweetened shredded coconut) and have fun with this recipe – see the Chef’s Tip below!

Smart Bars

Vegetarian

When you don’t have time for breakfast or lunch, or want something different to serve at your next get-together, Smart Bars are the solution. Shop for quality dried fruits for this recipe, preferably without sulfites or other preservatives. Plan ahead so that after the bars have baked, they have time to set before you cut them. If you rush the process, the bars may crumble, making it harder to transport them. Patience will pay off. The combination of nuts, oats, wheat germ, and dried fruit come together in a classic granola bar that’ll make you forget the ones that sell in supermarkets. This recipe will create a snacking legend. Now that’s smart!

Makes 16 bars

• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1 cup raisins or other chopped dried fruit
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
• 1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped dates
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup dried blueberries or other dried berries
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup firmly packed raw (turbinado) or light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-natural chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

On your mark . . .

• Generously oil the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking dish.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle of the oven.

Get set . . .

• Combine the oats and wheat germ in a medium bowl. Pour the mixture evenly across a dry 13- by 18-inch heavy-duty metal baking sheet.
• Bake undisturbed on the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, but don’t turn off the oven.
• In the meantime, carefully fit the all-purpose blade in a food processor.
• Add the almonds and close the lid. Process for 15 seconds or until the almonds are finely chopped.
• Add the raisins, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and dates; process for about 15 seconds or until coarsely chopped.
• Add the eggs and flour to the food processor and process for 15 seconds.
• Transfer the fruit-and-nut mixture from the food processor to a large bowl.
• Add the oat mixture and the blueberries. Mix well to coat all the ingredients. Set the bowl aside.

Cook!

• Combine the butter, honey, sugar, and peanut butter in a small saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring until smooth.
• Add the butter mixture to the fruit mixture along with the almond milk and toss well to combine and coat all the ingredients.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, packing it down firmly into an even thickness. A spatula will work well for this. Wet your hands and pack firmly again, pressing the mixture into the pan. The better packed the mixture, the less likely it is to crumble when you cut it.
• Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. It is all right if the top of the bars get browned.
• Let the bars cool on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes.
• Cut the bars into 16 squares.
• Let them cool completely at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
• Wrap the bars individually in wax paper, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve. They can also be frozen.

Chef’s Tip

• You can use your favorite combination of dried fruits and seeds. Just make sure it adds up to 2 3/4 cups.

Photo and recipe used with permission.

Cookbook Week cont’d: Teen Cuisine New Vegetarian recipe for Smart Bars is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

So much for Cookbook Week being only one week. Between Spring Break and more cookbooks arriving at my door, I didn’t have a chance to get to more than last week’s Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking and  Homemade with Love reviews. My apologies!

Let’s start this week off with a cookbook that was sent for me to review that’s perfect for all of you with vegetarian teens or kids who want the family to participate more in Meatless Monday. It’s Teen Cuisine: New Vegetarian, a finalist for the 2013 International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award in the Children’s, Youth and Family category.

Teen Cuisine: New Vegetarian features 50 delicious recipes arranged into chapters such as “Smart Starts,” “Party Hearty,” “Bowl Me Over” and “Just Desserts.” There’s even a special sushi section along with an “And On the Side” chapter on pickles, relish and other homemade condiments. The recipe format is perfect for those new to the kitchen, since each recipe features step-by-step instructions in a On Your Mark, Get Set, and Cook! format. Each recipe also features helpful tips and gorgeous photographs. This would be a wonderful cookbook to give someone as a high school graduation gift or as a way to keep them busy in the kitchen during summer break.

Here’s a sample of one of the recipes from Teen Cuisine: New Vegetarian. I’ve included the original formatting so you can see how recipes are laid out.

Bite-Me Chili

Vegetarian or Vegan

A bowl of chili is a thing of beauty. So what’s wrong with a triple dose of heat in your chili? This recipe combines three types of chilies into one big bite of zippy flavor and satisfying chili goodness. Read the chef’s tip below to find out how to adjust the heat level.

Serves 4

• 1 pound tempeh, any flavor
• 1 medium-size white onion
• 5 to 6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
• 5 to 6 sprigs cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 to 2 jalapeno or Serrano chilies
• 1 to 3 dried Ancho, negro, or Pasilla chilies, depending on taste
• 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted or regular chopped tomatoes
• 1 10-ounce can Ro*Tel brand diced
• tomatoes and green chilies
• 1 15.5-ounce can red pinto, great Northern, or black beans
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive or safflower oil
• 1 4-ounce can chopped mild, medium, or hot green chilies
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 cup water, plus more as needed

Chili Fixings

• Chopped scallions
• Chopped white or red onions
• Cheddar cheese or vegan cheddar, grated
• Monterey Jack or vegan Jack cheese, grated
• Sour cream or vegan sour cream
• Plain whole-milk yogurt or soy yogurt

On your mark . . .

• Cut the tempeh into medium-size pieces and put into a 2-quart saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.
• Peel the onion, chop into medium dice, measure out 1 cup, and set aside.
• Wash the parsley and cilantro, shake off any excess water, and dry by rolling in paper towels. Remove the leaves and discard the stems. Coarsely chop the parsley and cilantro together and set aside.
• Slightly crush the garlic by laying the flat side of a chef’s knife on the clove and pressing firmly to break open the skin. Remove the skin, cut off the root end, and discard. Coarsely chop the garlic and set aside.
• Slip on a pair of latex kitchen gloves. Remove the stem from the fresh chilies and cut in half lengthwise. Rinse under cold water and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a spoon. If you like the chili a bit hotter, leave in the seeds. Chop into small pieces and set aside. Rinse, dry, and remove the gloves.

Get set . . .

• Break the stem from the dried chilies and discard. Shake out any seeds, tear the chilies into small pieces, and place in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup hot water and set aside to soften. Wash your hands.
• Combine the tomatoes, including the liquid, and the tomato-and-green chili combination. Measure out 3 cups and set aside.
• Drain the canned beans in a hand strainer or colander. Rinse under cold water and set aside to drain.
• Coarsely chop the tempeh and set aside.

Cook!

• Drain the dried chilies in a hand strainer or colander and pat dry.
• Heat the oil in a 4- to 6-quart pot (with lid) over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
• Add the onion and dried chilies and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
• Add the garlic, tempeh, canned green chilies, chopped fresh chilies, chili powder, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, if using, and the chopped parsley and cilantro. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the tempeh has browned.
• Add the 3 cups tomato mixture, beans, and water. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes with the lid slightly ajar.
• Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add water if the chili becomes too thick, but avoid making it soupy. Taste the chili and correct the seasoning.
• Serve hot, passing the scallions, onions, grated cheeses, sour cream, and yogurt on the side.

Chef’s Tip

• If you like your chili very hot, use the full amount of cayenne pepper listed. You can reduce the heat to a less fiery level by omitting it altogether.

Pictures and recipes used with permission.

Cookbook Week cont’d: Teen Cuisine New Vegetarian and a #MeatlessMonday recipe for Bite-Me Chili is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I met Jennifer Perillo of In Jennie’s Kitchen a few years ago at the Yahoo! Motherboard get together in California. She was sitting with our mutual friend, Vanessa from French Foodie Mom, discussing food blogging and how much flour and butter she’d go through while developing recipes. I liked Jennie instantly, and was in awe that someone who had her recipes regularly featured in magazines like Working Mother, Saveur, and Bon Appetit was hanging out with us lowly food bloggers.

So when the folks at Role Mommy offered me a chance to review Jennie’s new cookbook, Homemade with Love: Simple Scratch Cooking from In Jennie's Kitchen, I jumped at the chance to do so! You see not only is it a collection of Jennie’s work, but the photography is by Penny De Los Santos, whose work I admire immensely. (My only complaint about Homemade with Love is that there are not enough of Penny’s photographs!)

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that while I love Jennie’s blog and Homemade with Love, she and I cook somewhat differently. I’m not much of a baker and rarely make desserts for my family. Instead, I’m a healthy foodie who has to cook around my food sensitivities such as being gluten free and avoiding whey. Jennie doesn’t have that issue and makes gluten and whey laden, yummy desserts like Chocolate Tres Leches Cake and dishes like Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie. Luckily for people like me, she includes symbols in her recipes to let you easily know if something is vegan, vegetarian, gluten or egg free as well as if it’s a recipe you can make ahead of time or prepare in 30 minutes or less.

What Jennie and I have in common is that we believe in cooking from scratch and making it easy for other cooks to do so. For example, in Homemade with Love, Jennie writes about how to set up a homemade kitchen. This includes showing you how to stock your pantry with the dry goods you should have on hand, to what to stock in your fridge and freezer. Jennie also covers the everyday basics and offers shortcuts like recipes for homemade baking mixes and recipes for homemade necessities like mayonnaise, chicken stock, marinara sauce, and yogurt. She also covers canning and making pickles. (I can’t wait to try her Jalapeno Picked Watermelon Rinds once watermelons are back in season!)

While there are lots of decedent recipes for tarts, cupcakes and cake, there are also healthy ones like Sweet Potato, Leek and Ricotta Soufflé, Chickpea, Parmesan & Fennel Salad, and Baked Sole with Lemon, Olives & Herbs. If you’re looking for a cookbook that will inspire you to cook simply, deliciously, and easily from scratch, Jennifer Perillo’s cookbook, Homemade with Love: Simple Scratch Cooking from In Jennie's Kitchen is it!

Cookbook Week: Jennifer Perillo’s Homemade with Love is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

So many wonderful cookbooks have been crossing my desk lately that I decided to dedicate a week to (mostly) cookbook reviews. So sit back and enjoy! Since it’s Meatless Monday, we start the week with a vegetarian cookbook by Mary McCartney, the daughter of Paul and Linda McCartney.

Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking

I was excited to receive a review copy of the Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking because I’ve been a fan of Mary’s father’s music since I was a kid, and loved her mother’s photography for almost as long. Paul and Linda were the first people I ever knew in the public spotlight who were vegetarians, too. Indeed, Linda was the author of several very popular and still well thought of vegetarian cookbooks like Linda's Kitchen: Simple and Inspiring Recipes for Meat-Less Meals. So with an upbringing like that, I had high expectations for Mary’s cookbook, especially since she was doing both the recipe development as well as the photography.

Food features lovely vegetarian recipes that even non-vegetarians will like such as Corn Fritters, Super Quinoa Salad, Lip-Smacking Minestrone, and several desserts. These are straight forward, simple meals that are perfect for novice cooks or those who are new to vegetarian cooking. She doesn’t use crazy, hard to find ingredients – quinoa is as exotic as she gets. All in all Mary’s recipes in Food are very accessible to anyone who’d like to include more vegetarians meals in their culinary routine.

The only downside to Food is Mary’s food photography since I feel her food shots are too close up, overly blurry, and sometimes not very appetizing. I find that Mary’s a better photographer of people, spaces and gardens than food, and love her pictures of the signs at a farmer’s market and scenes from her home. That’s where her photographic talent and artistic personality come through in this book.

Can’t decide if Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking is right for you? Check out Mary’s recipe for Cheese and Eggplant Oven Bake, something you can easily make most weeknights. Even better, it’s gluten free if you use gluten free soy or tamari sauce.

Cheese and Eggplant Oven Bake

From Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking by Mary McCartney

This dish is wonderful just as it is, but sometimes I like to vary the recipe for a change. A pinch of chili flakes added to the tomato sauce provides a great kick, and 3 ounces of vegetarian ground meat substitute cooked into the tomato sauce adds substantial “bite” to the meal. Feel free to play around with it, too. This is good served with sautéed leeks and a leafy salad or steamed green beans.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons light olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs, plus a pinch set aside for the olive oil mixture
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 medium eggplants, sliced crosswise into discs 1⁄3 inch thick
• 3 ounces soft goat cheese or chopped mozzarella
• 4 ounces goat Cheddar or sharp Cheddar, grated
• handful fresh basil leaves (if available), roughly chopped

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. First make the tomato sauce. In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and gently sauté the chopped onion until softened and slightly golden brown, about 8 minutes. Then stir in the garlic, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, mixed herbs, a small pinch of sea salt, and some black pepper. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the soy sauce, and the pinch of mixed herbs. Lightly brush both sides of each eggplant slice with the olive oil mixture. Sauté the slices in batches in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat, cooking for 3–4 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
4. Spread a third of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a medium baking dish. Arrange a layer of eggplant slices over the sauce and then spoon 1 teaspoon of tomato sauce over each eggplant disc. Scatter crumbled pieces of the soft goat cheese over the disc, followed by a layer of eggplant. Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the eggplant slices and, finally, scatter the basil leaves and grated Cheddar over the top.
5. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the tomato sauce is bubbling and the cheese is lightly brown on top.

A short interview with Mary McCartney

Q.  When did you first start cooking?

A. I was involved in the experience of cooking from a very early age. The kitchen was the center of the universe and Mum got us involved, helping cook and tasting…lots of tasting.

Q. Who influenced you most in the kitchen?

A. My main cooking influence was my mother, Linda. She described herself as a peasant cook and had the ability to transform whatever she found in the pantry into delicious meals.

Q.  How did she influence your own perspective on cooking then?

A. Her love of food was infectious, but never precious. She never seemed to write anything down, a trick I inherited, but which made the creation of this book particularly testing!

Q. How would you define your style of cooking?

A. I favor uncomplicated cooking, I enjoy meals that are bright, tasty and satisfying and not too time consuming to make.

Q. What’s your recipe of choice?

A. When we were young, Mum let us choose our favorite meal on our birthday. I often chose her cream of tomato soup and fluffy quiche with a large mixed salad.

Q. If you chose just one thing you loved most about cooking, what would that be?

A. I love cooking for friends and family, getting everyone around the table together to enjoy the banter around informal meals, and for me, the satisfaction of wiped-clean plates is worth the effort.

Recipe and photographs used with permission.

Cookbook Week: Mary McCartney’s Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

This month’s selection from Hugh Acheson’s cookbook, A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen, was another attempt to use up something we had in the freezer – a three pound rack of beef short ribs. It was one of those “Manager’s Specials” my husband purchased at Kroger – you know, the package of meat that’s quickly approaching it’s due date and has been drastically reduced in price. I know my husband probably thought “barbeque!” but I thought braised short ribs instead.

However, these short ribs weren’t very short. In fact, they were twice as long as what would be served in Hugh’s restaurant. Lacking a band saw, I decided to make due and forge ahead with the ribs as is. So instead of two little elegant rib pieces, I had to serve up Fred Flintstone sized ribs instead. No biggie.

So, when buying ribs, make sure you’d have enough to serve one rib to each person. (The rack I had consisted of six ribs and was three pounds, so I doubled the recipe.) If I was buying ribs, I’d ask my butcher for four ribs weighing in at 1 1/2 pounds – and I would ask to have the ribs cut in half.

Weeknight cooking strategy

This recipe takes four to five hours to make, so it’s something you’d make on the weekend. However, you could make it during the week with a little planning. Here’s how:

Evening 1 – after dinner, prepare your “mise en place” – your chopped vegetables, measured seasonings, measured out liquids, etc. Place everything in small bowls or measuring cups, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. This will take you 30 to 45 minutes including clean up time.

Evening 2 – while cooking dinner (if possible) or after, cook up steps 1 through 10. Place ribs back in the Dutch oven and store in the pot in the refrigerator. Also, don’t bother skimming the fat off the braising liquid. By storing it in the refrigerator overnight, you’ll have a thick, congealed layer of fat on the top, which you can spoon off. So much easier and more healthy, too! This will take 3 to 3 1/2 hours including clean up and storage time.

Evening 3 – cook up steps 11 through 17 and serve. You may need to heat ribs in the stew 5 minutes longer since they’ll be cold from the refrigerator. This part will take 25 to 30 minutes.

A note on hominy and Dutch ovens

Hominy is made from dried corn that’s been soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater, and hulled. Here in the Georgia, I was able to find canned hominy – both white and yellow variations – in the canned vegetable aisle near the beans. If your store doesn’t stock hominy in that aisle, try the Hispanic section or buy it at a Hispanic market as hominy is a popular ingredient in pozole soup.

Since the short ribs have to be cooked both on the stove top, then in the oven, you need to have cookware with a lid that will work in both. I used my two ancient Le Creuset 5 1/2-Quart Round French Ovens, since I doubled the recipe. But secretly I would have loved to have a Le Creuset 7 1/4-Quart French Oven or a couple of Le Creuset’s 5-Quart Round Braisers. If wishes were fishes…

If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can sear the ribs in a skillet and transfer them to a casserole dish with a lid for braising.

Not-So-Short Short Ribs with Hominy Stew

Based on Hugh Acheson’s Braised Short Ribs with Hominy Stew recipe from A New Turn in the South (page 193)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 (6 ounce) portions of short ribs, trimmed of connective tissue
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus additional per taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and coarsely cut into a large dice
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
• 1 celery stalk, leaves removed, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 dried ancho chile
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 15.5- ounce can hominy – yellow or white
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 leek, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch dice (use just the white and light green parts of the leek)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons, canned roasted green chiles
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. On a large platter or cutting board, lay out the short ribs and evenly rub all sides with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil in a cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ribs to the pan and sear on all sides – about 2 minutes per side. If needed, do the ribs in batches.
4. With ribs still in the Dutch oven, add the onion, carrot and celery. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the chile, bay leaves, thyme sprig, and red wine. Cook to reduce the wine by half – about 15 minutes.
6. Add the beef stock and bring to a simmer.
7. Cover the Dutch oven and place in the preheated oven. Allow to cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is starting to pull away from the bone.
8. Remove the short ribs from the Dutch oven and place ribs aside on a large plate or bowl. (You’ll be using the Dutch oven for the final step, so don’t wash it! Instead, lightly wipe out any remaining fat or vegetable matter.)
9. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the braising liquid into a 2-cup or larger measuring cup. Discard the onion, celery, bay leaves, thyme and chile.
10. Skim off all the fat from the surface. If there’s less than 2 cups of braising liquid, add enough beef stock or water to bring it up to 2 cups.
11. Drain and rinse hominy, and set aside.
12. Place Dutch oven on stove over medium heat. Add the butter, leek and garlic. Sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes, while occasionally stirring.
13. Add the roasted green chiles, diced tomato, cumin, thyme, and the 2 cups of braising liquid. Simmer for 5 minutes and season with salt to taste. (While simmering, feel free to scrape the sides of your Dutch oven to add the “brown yummy goodness” from the braising to your vegetables.)
14. Add the hominy and cook for another 5 minutes.
15. Add the short ribs to the stew to reheat. Stir to cover the ribs in the stew and cook for 5 minutes.
16. Turn off heat and stir in the parsley.
17. Ladle the stew into 4 bowls, placing the ribs on top. Enjoy!

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Disclosure: Amazon links are affiliate links. A commission may be earned from a referred sale to their website.

Braised Not-So-Short Short Ribs with Hominy Stew from A New Turn in the South is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Eggland's Best recently released their second original eCookbook, Your Best Recipes featuring the top 20 recipes from the first nation-wide Eggland’s Best “Your Best Recipe Contest.”   These delicious recipes were chosen from thousands of entries submitted by at-home chefs and bloggers, and each recipe highlights a creative way of using Eggland’s Best eggs.

The eCookbook, a $9.99 value, is available via a free eCookbook download only through February 15, 2013. That’s TOMORROW!!

Here’s how to download your FREE eCookbook:

1. Visit Eggland’s Best special promotion page and connect your Facebook account to "like" Eggland's Best on Facebook.
2. Once you've connected your Facebook account, click the red button to download your eCookbook.

The eCookbook features gorgeous food photographs and recipes for appetizers, main courses, breakfast and dessert. Some of the recipes on my “To Cook” list are Israeli Salad with Tahini Lemon Dressing, Grilled Shrimp & Asparagus Avgolemono (Greek Egg Lemon Soup), and Korean Bibimbap Salad.

Hurry! This free eCookbook download offer is only available through February 15, 2013.

FREE egg recipe eCookbook from Eggland’s Best (offer ends February 15!) is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Usually I’m very disappointed with celebrity cookbooks as the recipes are just the same old stuff and the quality of the recipe and book are usually so-so.  Well, that’s not the case with Made With Love: The Meals On Wheels Family Cookbook! The recipes are unique, modern and interesting, and the photographs are beautiful. Even better, the profits from each sale help the Meals On Wheels Association of America.

Recipes in Made With Love come from celebrity chefs like Mario Batalli, TV food personalities Paula Deen and Martha Stewart, and movie stars galore like Helen Mirren and Judi Dench. The cookbook even features recipes from politicians like Senator Al Franken, whose Wild Rice & Turkey Hot Dish is something he makes for his family every Thanksgiving. Another politician whose recipe I admired was Alabama Governor Steven L. Beshear’s Spoon Cornbread. It’s a family recipe that’s been made for generations and is served at family functions at the Governor’s Mansion.

Other recipes to check out include Adam West’s Sawtooth Mountain Pot Roast, which is shown on the cover, and Maya Angelou’s Jollof Rice. (Yeah, Batman and poets can sure cook!) Both are on my “To Make” list! For more information on Made With Love be sure to check out the book trailer, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

Robert Egger’s recipe for Posole

Made With Love also features recipes from Meals on Wheels volunteers and others who help feed the needy, like Robert Egger. Robert is the president of DC Central Kitchen, which provides meals for thousands of at-risk individuals. DC Central Kitchen also helps train once-homeless adults in the culinary field. This recipe was created in honor of his wife’s stepdad, Grant, who was from New Mexico.

Grant’s Green Chile Posole

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pounds chicken tenders, or boneless, skinless breasts, cut into strips
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 (15-ounce) cans hominy, drained
• 3 (32-ounce) containers chicken broth
• 4 (2-ounce) cans chopped green chilies
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• Flour tortillas, warmed and buttered, to serve

Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm oil. Add chicken and cook until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic, and continue cooking until onions soften, about 2 minutes.
2. Add hominy, broth, chilies, and oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Ladle into bowls, and serve with tortillas.

Win a copy of Made with Love: The Meals on Wheels Family Cookbook

One lucky reader will win a copy of Made With Love (retail value: $29.95). Here’s how to enter the giveaway:

Giveaway closed. Congrats to Shannon B.!

• Comment below on why you’d like to win the cookbook.

You have until midnight ET on Sunday, February 10, 2013 to enter.

ONE winner will be chosen at random. You must be willing to send me your full name and mailing address so I forward it to Made with Love’s publicist. I’ll announce the winner on this blog. I won't share your mailing info with the public, just your name. If you have a blog, I’ll link back to it when I announce the winner.

The giveaway is valued at $29.95 and is only open to legal residents of the United States and Canada, 18 years of age and older. No purchase required. Odds of winning based on number of entries. Up to ONE entry per person. ONE copy of Made With Love will be given away. Void where prohibited by law.

By submitting your name and email address, you agree to receive relevant promotional emails and contest follow up communications from This Mama Cooks! On a Diet in compliance with my privacy policy and giveaway rules.

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Disclosure: I was provided with two copies of Made With Love, one to facilitate this review and another to give away. All opinions and experiences are my own. Amazon links are affiliate links. A commission may be earned from a referred sale to their website.

Made with Love: The Meals on Wheels Family Cookbook {give away} and Green Chile Posole is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!