With my new job as a barista I usually finish work exhausted with extremely sore feet (which Ive been told is the norm for workers everywhere lol). But with my work so close to the public library I decided to stop in and check out their books.
Maybe its the coffee fumes or just my general exhaustion but Ive hardly been cooking these days let alone eat much. My most popular meal over the last fortnight has been nothing but a variety of salads, some home made and some store bought with a bit of protein added in. The best store bought salad Ive had so far actually came from McDonalds. That sounds horrible - a 'good' salad from McDonalds?!! You must be mad I hear you saying. Hey well try it before you bash it I always say! Here it is -
Im not saying Im totally naive and foolish to think its healthier than say a homemade salad especially with the chicken in it. But given the hurry I was in and the starving sensation in my stomach and the McDonalds drive thru calling to me I was relieved that I had a choice other than a 1000 calorie Big Mac. And here in Canada it only cost me approx $7 and the salad was huge and it came in a container I actually took home and reused for my other leftovers because it was so sturdy and had a lid.
For those curious heres a link to McDonalds nutrition information on this salad -
The specific things I liked about it was the teriyaki chicken, edamame and decent sized portions of red pepper and crunchy lettuce. This wasn't a pathetically limp tiny portioned salad. You know the ones Im talking about - the advertising gloats about the real veges in it and when you open it up you discover only tiny reconstituted veges or none at all. Gross. Not this one. I was actually really pleased. I don't think I'd go back continually just for this salad - Id much prefer try and make a homemade version. BUT if you've got the money to burn and McDonalds is all thats around and you don't want bloating and gas from their other options - try it, its delicious.
So ANYWAY, I was in the library and and these are the cookbooks I got:
I know Im a fantastic home cook. Im pretty good at picking a recipe and usually every time getting it bang on perfect. Cooking reminds me that I am good at science (as opposed to what my high school science teacher believed) - its chemistry isn't it? The thing Im discovering with working full time is my need to plan. Previously when I was a energy filled housewife I had this uncanny ability of going to the refrigerator at 5 o'clock in the evening and eyeing up what was there and within 30 seconds knowing what I would make and then making it all within 30-45 minutes. I never planned my meals, I just cooked and everything was done from scratch.
Now that Im working that super power has all but disappeared. Now when I think of food or look in my fridge I tend to look like this -
- Persona staring at box of moving pictures in brain dead state otherwise known as "The Nothing Box"
So I got out those four cookbooks for various reasons:
Jamie Oliver: I love this guy but usually I can only do his recipes after watching him do it on tv. Largely because he writes the majority of his recipes in a way that Im not used to - combining the ingredients into the recipe sequences. I got his 'Food Revolution' in hope that Steven would take a peak and try a few because theyre written for the inexperienced cook. I also got it because this book specifically goes back to basics and inspires me to change my favorites every now and then and because hes a POM and I grew up on British cooking so its all a comfort to me.
Rachael Ray: Again, like Jamie Oliver I can only make her recipes after watching her. Additionally her previous cookbooks were a nightmare to read. As someone who is visual and unfamiliar with her American-Italian food I NEED pictures and her books had zero pictures! And I need descriptions of what the recipe is about since she highly favours spices and chilies in her food. So does Jamie Oliver but at least he warns me in his books. Once Ive made a recipe and I like it, I don't need picturessince I can just use the mental reference. However, I like her energy and I like her recipes and how east coast American they are. So she has lots of Italian, Irish, Jewish, European influences that Ive never heard of that I want to try out.
Martha Stewart: I like Martha Stewart in the capacity as I liked Michael Jackson - I like their talent but not them personally. Martha Stewart despite her private issues and horribly perfect home decor is a fantastic cook and this cookbook especially I would rate up there with 'Joy of Cooking' or Betty Crocker. Its an American Edmonds cookbook. Nothing but American classics. Some of the recipes Ive heard of before and some I havent but this is the 3rd time Ive gotten this book out and that should tell you something. Like most American's she uses far too much fat and carbs than what Im used to in home cooking so I usually adapt it to make them healthier.
Cajun and Creole: Since I moved to Canada Ive been really interested in Southern food particularly the food history of Louisiana with mexican, african and french influences particularly their seafood!. Im slowly getting myself used to spices I would have never tried in my childhood. With our proximity to the US and our ability to buy their food cheaply I want to really have a go at making some of these recipes esp the ones involving crab and shrimp!
So with some planning around my work days, I will try to make at least 2 recipes from these books during the week and I will put my tryouts and thoughts on them here :D
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