Nigella Express, Answer Me Yes!

January 18, 2010 | Posted by Lorraine as Celebrity Chefs, Cookbook of the Day, Cookbooks at 4:53 pm | Comments »

I apologize if the title of this post confused you. I’m obviously a child of the 80’s, and think that the rock musical Starlight Express is the bomb. Moving along: today I want to post about one of my favorite cookbooks, the lovely Nigella Express: Good Food, Fast by the lovely Nigella Lawson.

I have nearly all of Nigella’s cookbooks, but because I’m constantly in a hurry/flurry, this is the one I pull out the most. The titular “Express” refers, of course, to fast food- not the sodium-drenched kind, but quick and easy meals you can make yourself at home, whatever sort of hurry/flurry you find yourself in.

Like this Pea and Pesto soup. I never thought to marry peas and pesto, but a few days ago I found myself staring at the photo of creamy green soup in the book, imagining how such a combination- the fresh mushiness of the peas, the garlicky pepperiness of the pesto- might taste in my mouth. And so I made it:

Pea and Pesto Soup
from Nigella Express: Good Food, Fast

3 cups water
3 cups frozen peas
2 scallions
1 teaspoon Maldon salt or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) fresh pesto (not jarred)

The quickest way to proceed is to fill a kettle first and put it on to boil. When it’s boiled, measure the amount you need into a pan and put on the stove to come back to a boil.

Add the frozen peas, scallions, salt and lime juice and let everything bubble together for 7 minutes.

Discard the scallions and blitz the peas and their liquid with the pesto in a blender.*

Pour into a thermos flask that you’ve left filled with hot water and then emptied and make sure you screw the top on securely.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

The verdict? Delicious. Almost gloriously so. And so, so comforting.

5,000 cooking tips

February 26, 2008 | Posted by Lorena as Cookbook of the Day, Cookbooks, Tid Bits & News at 12:01 am | (3) Comments »

Get 5,000 tips and shortcuts with Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks The tips are organized alphabetically, from “Acidity” to “Zucchini” with every entry broken into “Basics,” with “Problem Solvers,” “Time Savers,” “Flavor Tips” and “Healthy Hints.” There are also some recipes, with more difficult techniques broken down into illustrated step-by-steps.

This book is a wonderful gift for a new bride just learning how to cook for her family, though even seasoned kitchen godesses can pick up handy shortcuts and tips.

Cookbook of the Day: Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Get Real Meals

July 31, 2007 | Posted by Allison as Celebrity Chefs, Cookbook of the Day at 6:37 am | Comments »

Well folks, today is the last day of July. This year is flying by fast, isn’t it? The kids & teachers are heading back to school & I only wish I could string out the summer a bit for them. But time waits for no man, they say.

With today being the end of Cookbook of the Day posts for a while, I wanted to end with celebrity chef Rachael Ray. Ray’s 30-Minute Get Real Meals cookbook is actually the bestselling of her books & deserves some praise.

With more than 150 dish recipes as well as time-saving tips from a professional, this cookbook is worth its weight in kitchen gold! From Burgers Gone Wild to Salads that Stack Up, Rachael doesn’t miss a beat. And guess what?! Most of the recipes have the added bonus that they’re healthy as well!

Cookbook of the Day: Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Get Real Meals

July 31, 2007 | Posted by Foodie as Celebrity Chefs, Cookbook of the Day at 6:37 am | Comments »

Well folks, today is the last day of July.Â ThisÂ year is flying by fast, isn’t it?Â The kids & teachers are heading back to schoolÂ & IÂ only wish I could string out the summer a bit for them.Â But time waits forÂ no man, they say.

With today being the end of Cookbook of theÂ Day posts for a while, I wanted to end with celebrity chefÂ Rachael Ray.Â Ray’s 30-Minute Get Real Meals cookbook is actually the bestselling of her books & deserves some praise.

With more than 150 dish recipes as well as time-saving tips from a professional, this cookbook is worth its weight in kitchen gold!Â From Burgers Gone Wild to Salads that Stack Up,Â Rachael doesn’t miss a beat.Â AndÂ guess what?! Most of the recipes have the added bonus that they’re healthy as well!

Cookbook Of the Day: Legends Of Texas Barbecue

July 30, 2007 | Posted by Allison as Cookbook of the Day at 6:43 am | Comments »

Say howdy to the cookbook of the day, Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook by Robb Walsh.

A finer collection of BBQ recipes was never printed, if you ask me. With plenty of recipes & lore to boot, this is one of the better barbeque cookbooks around.

From classic Southern pork barbecue, to Mexican cow head, this cookbook will fill you in on what you & your grill have been missing this summer!

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