Recipe Mutiny steals recipes from food blogs and recipe sites. Then we publish them. With credit (Naturally).
I love these crunchy, sesame-coated pork chops, and placing them the on top of a fresh spinach salad turns them into a complete meal.
I sometimes make an extra chop just to have for lunch the next day. Heaven!
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Dinner. It’s an inescapable occurrence, 365 days of the year.
Many of us have our go-to moves when all else fails — template meals that are easy and easily adaptable. Tacos. Egg scrambles. Pasta. Soup. And then there are the nights when it’s more about desperate calls for take-out. (It’s ok. You’re among friends. We understand.)
Yes, dinner. If we don’t plan it properly, it sneaks up on us at 4pm — or, yikes, later! — and we are faced with the perennial question: “What are we eating?”
Because we all get tired of the same-old same-old, I thought I’d share five favorite cookbooks for those of us who could always use more ideas for dinner.
Vegetables are definitely having their fair say these days, and thank goodness. The dynamic duo behind Beekman House, a self-described “lifestyle company” that revolves around their farm in New York, has produced a few cookbooks, but I particularly like this one because it’s focused on veggies, heirloom and otherwise.
If you’ve got veggies in your fridge and you’re not sure what to do with them, these are the guys you should go to for dinner.
Seasonal in its organization, this book presents creative ways to use all sorts of vegetables, from standards like potatoes, corn, and tomatoes, to lesser-known (and perhaps misunderstood) ones like kohlrabi and rutabaga (the latter roasted with a brown sugar and Guinness stout glaze – so good!).
Slightly left-of-center approaches in their recipes bring things like cucumbers into a creamy buttermilk sorbet and radishes into a butter made with sorrel. There’s also savory Vegetable Cheddar Breakfast Muffins, which come together in a flash with zucchini, peppers, and cheese.
The sweetest, homiest touch in this book, though, is the space after each recipe for your own notes; the design is reminiscent of an old-fashioned recipe card.
This is the book for those of us with ever-expanding palates, for the curious cooks, and for those who just get bored easily cooking the same fare.
Joachim and the editors of Cooking Light combed through the magazine’s storehouse of recipes to find the best of the best, plus added a good number of original recipes, and came up with this 150-recipe cookbook – the equivalent of a culinary world tour.
If you’re not sure about how to make pho, empanadas, or injera, Joachim breaks it down into easy steps. Those pressed for time at dinner will also appreciate the inclusion of “hands on time” and “total time” with each recipe. Those with different dietary needs will also like the suggestions for adapting classic dishes, like making a vegetarian version of Classic Pad Thai by swapping out the fish sauce for soy and omitting the dried shrimp.
The book is divided regionally, and I like that each section begins with a two-page spread about common ingredients, spices, herbs, and so forth — the flavor profile of the region. The overall presentation of the book is colorful and inviting – which makes a difference when you’re trying to get motivated to make dinner.
For a quick dinner, I like the flavorful Chiang Mai Pork Patties with some Thai sticky rice. Like Middle Eastern flavors? Tabbouleh gets a protein boost with the addition of some chicken thighs. Got a lazy afternoon? Classics such as French Cassoulet will warm your house with its savory aroma.
Approaching dinner in a systematized, game-planning manner is one way to tackle the demands of dinnertime these days. I like that the authors walk you through the grocery list for each week’s meals, and also include instructions for how you can prep the components of the meals ahead of time. The tone is encouraging and lively, and it’s a breath of fresh air to have someone do the thinking for you!
The cookbook is geared toward the four seasons, so if you shop — and eat — with an eye toward that first, these ladies have your back.
Right now, I’m loving their recipe for blistered cherry tomatoes in this book. There are so many ways to work them into meals throughout the week: an add-in for plain Greek yogurt, mixed with pasta or other grain, or as a pizza topping.
As the weather changes, I’m also eyeing the ricotta gnocchi and the creamy butternut squash soup with sherry.
This one is an oldie but goodie. Lawson focuses on recipes that have been pared down to their essentials so you can make good meals in a flash.
If you have a decently stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer, you’ll be prepped and ready to make something Coq au Riesling (a speedier version of the classic Coq au Vin), or Sesame Peanut Noodles, which is better than the takeout option most nights of the week and makes for great leftovers for snacking on straight from the fridge.
Express won’t win awards for being super-duper innovative or introducing you to new ingredients, but that’s not the goal here. It’s more about brevity. This said, Express is definitely comprehensive and global in its approach, so boredom won’t be an issue. Lawson is a Londoner, after all, with a cosmopolitan palate.
I treat this book as inspiration when I am feeling stuck in a rut or when am exceedingly pressed for time. Her potato and mushroom gratin, for example, is a meal in and of itself. Who even needs the roasted chicken?
I like cookbooks with a strong voice and strong headnotes. Those that champion a hefty dose of veggies, too, automatically get my love. Rodale’s book delivers on all counts.
Maria Rodale is the granddaughter of J.I. Rodale, a pioneer in the organic and sustainable food movement and publisher of Prevention, Runner’s World, and countless other health and wellness publications and books. In this cookbook, Rodale brings you to her table. What she offers is homey, welcoming fare that you’ll want to return to again and again — and lots of pictures of her three daughters.
I’m digging her recipe for really green pesto pasta — blanching the basil keeps it from turning an unsavory shade of brown. We also share a love for Arnabit — a roasted cauliflower dish with tahini dressing that pairs well with Middle Eastern fare or simple grilled fish. When the weather changes, I’m headed straight for her savory spiced pumpkin soup, which incorporates coconut milk.
What are your favorite cookbooks for mealtime inspiration?
Continue reading "5 Cookbooks for People Who Always Need More Ideas for Dinner" »
Durian is one of those things that you either love or hate. Its smell is astoundingly potent and deterrent enough to keep most people from going near it. In fact, it has affectionately been compared to rotten onions, raw sewage, and smelly gym socks, and even earned itself a ban from Singapore’s mass transit system. Emanating somewhere beneath its spiky, thick rind is the source to its pungent smell, and scientists have found it.
According to a recent study published in academic journal Nature Genetics, durian gets its distinctive smell from a group of genes that are responsible for creating its sulfuric, onion-esque aroma.
The research team mapped the genome of the Durio zibenthinus tree, the plant that bears the Southeast Asian endemic fruit, and isolated the cause for its formidable smell.
“Our analysis revealed that VSC production is turbocharged in durian fruits, which fits with many people’s opinions that durian smell has a ‘sulphury’ aspect,” said co-lead author Professor Patrick Tan from Duke-NUS Medical School. “The team speculates that in the wild, the ability of durians to produce high VSC levels and a pungent smell may be important in attracting animals to eat and disperse durian seeds to other regions.”
Durian is grown in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, among other Southeast Asian countries, and is easily identified by its thorn-covered husk, size, and oblong shape. When opened, its thick, yellow, fleshy custard can cause a range of visceral reactions, ranging from disgust to fond appreciation.
Gliezl Bancal on Unsplash
Last year, actress Jessica Chastain brought the notorious fruit on set with her to “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” sharing her love of it and comparing the taste to “onions, and garlic, and avocado and pineapple, kind of like in a custard.” Jimmy Kimmel so lovingly described the taste, “on the line between horrible and delicious.”
And like all fruits, there is a huge selection of durian, with varying textures, flavors, and smells, depending on the plant variety and place of origin. Among them, the Monthong cultivar in Thailand, is the most prized, due to its sweet, fibrous, and fleshy innards.
If the pungent smell does not dissuade you, and you are ready to give this fruit a chance, the most traditional way to eat it is as-is. Simply place the durian stem-side down, and use a large knife to cut through the skin at the very top. After cutting a slit, pull the skin back with both hands so that you have two halves. Now, just remove the fruit using a spoon and dig in. And remember to wash your hands afterwards; you do not want the smell to linger with you into the rest of the day.
Regardless of what people think of the smell, this divisive fruit, that is both loved and loathed in equal parts, can so deservingly be given the title, the “king of fruits.”
Anthony Bourdain describes eating durian best: “something you will either love or despise…your breath will smell as if you’d been French-kissing your dead grandmother.”
Has this happened to you? Someone starts talking about how amazing Sancerre is, you agree, but deep down you are not really sure why or what it is. No, really. What is it and why am I the last invite to this party? If so, please know, you are not alone. I am right there with you. It’s not because I don’t like wine. At home, just about anything is a good excuse for a celebratory sip: writing this article, a bestie got a promotion, the weekend, you beat traffic, or—to be real—you’re home, it’s after 12 pm, and Hulu is always playing, well, everything. So, while I could certainly appreciate a Wine of the Month Club, certain details elude me. For example, Sancerre.
For years, I knew it was dry like Sauvignon Blanc and have always noticed that Sancerre, like many French things, is just more expensive.
Well, did you know that Sancerre is made from the same grape as Sauvignon Blanc? Neither did I. Then, what’s the big deal? Well, like many well-cultivated pleasures, there is a story. Luckily, I got all the deets so you and I can nod knowingly the next time we get into confusing wine conversation.
To start, let’s get some basic wine knowledge out of the way, so we can really appreciate this story.
The advertised names of wines around the world are not consistent. At its most basic, wines have varietals, which are the types of grapes and regions, which are where they are grown. The winemaker gets to decide what gets stressed when the wine is advertised. Confusing? I know.
In most of the world, we use the name of the grape first and then talk about the location. A great example is Malbec from Mendoza in Argentina. Malbec is the grape, Mendoza is the region. Or, if there is a blend, some neutral name is made up—like the party-favorite Ménage a Trois (a wine-maker who became famous for blending three different grapes to make its white and red wines).
In Europe, it’s location, location, location. Where wine is grown is so important that wine-makers make sure their wines fit the regional classification requirements.
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The Sancerre we know is wine from France. This means just France, specifically Sancerre, France and it is made from only Sauvignon Blanc grapes. You could steal the grapes and grow them in your backyard, but the wine wouldn’t count. It’s so Mean Girls, but this is true of all French wine. Just think of it as France’s serious quality control, better known as appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) system. So, the price tag that you see for Sancerre is partially based on people’s willingness to pay for wine based on the supply and reputation. This also means that if the region suddenly stopped growing Sauvignon Blanc and replaced it, the name wouldn’t change. Shocking, I know. Do you know what is crazier? This has already happened.
Sancerre wine used to be associated with Burgundy, which is south of Sancerre. What did they grow? Pinot Noir and Gamay—aka red wine. Strangely, due to the cooler climate in Sancerre, the wine didn’t quite measure up to the rest of Burgundy. Then, an extremely unfortunate epidemic struck Sancerre in the late 1800s. We are referring to microscopic sap-sucking insects that feed on the roots and leaves of grapevines, better known as Phylloxera. These bugs damage and expose grapevines to infections. Sadly, there is no cure, so Sancerre lost whole plantations and had to graft American phylloxera-resistant grapes with French grapes. Basically, the winemakers got a do-over and they decided they wanted a makeover instead. Enter Sauvignon Blanc. Why? Sauvignon Blanc actually does better in cooler climates, so they were hoping to pick a grape that would fare better than Pinot Noir and Gamay, both of which were already having trouble with the grafting. Fortunately for wine-obsessed sippers like me, it worked.
Sancerre became famous in Paris as the wine that paired well with good company or good food. Usually, everyone preferred all three.
What set Sancerre apart? Compared to other Sauvignon Blancs, you are going to get a more subtle and complex flavor from Sancerre’s terroir. The terroir or “soil” is the taste and flavor that is infused into a wine by the environment in which it is produced. Terroir, the reason behind the AOC system, helps to articulate a region’s specific influence on its grapes. In Sancerre, flint gives the wine a mineral quality, gravel gives it citrus, chalk adds floral notes, and limestone and clay add an herbal richness to round out the flavor. These attributes make Sancerre one of the most ideal iterations of Sauvignon Blanc in the world. There are many other popular regions that grow Sauvignon Blanc, such as California, New Zealand, and South Africa, but many people love Sancerre for its consistent depth and complexity. Also, it is really hard to find haters of this wine to spite the popularity.
Thus, Sancerre’s greatest recommendation is the lack of hater-ation out there. People just love it and it’s a fabulous addition to your dinner table. The citrus will pair perfectly with poultry and fish, the herbaceous quality will enliven spices, and it keeps your veggies tasting fresh. Feeling parched and ready to nibble? Well, let’s think of some things that will help you enjoy your next glass.
Chowhound
Sancerre is actually highly acidic, so it helps to pair it with a creamy cheese. You can be a purist and get one cheese; or, you can simply try everything all at once through this epic cheese ball recipe. Get our The Turducken of Cheese Balls recipe.
Chowhound
Goat cheese is traditionally a favorite with Sancerre. The tangy and gamy quality in the cheese, however, can be overpowering. This changes with a little Sancerre. The wine counters goat cheese’s harsher qualities and makes the combined experience more palatable. Why not enjoy it over lunch with a little fig and goat cheese pizza? Get our Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza recipe.
Goat Cheese and Fresh Herb Omelet
Chowhound
Want to have a bougie, best-y brunch? Grab a bottle of Sancerre—or, as many as you feel necessary (no judging here)—and try out this herbaceous goat cheese omelet. Sancerre will intensify your favorite herbs and the complexities of the wine will open up as it brings out a saltiness in the cheese. Get our Goat Cheese and Fresh Herb Omelet recipe.
Cheers!
What isn’t there to love about eggs? Complete little packets of protein and nutrients, eggs fulfill an amazing array of functions in almost every way you could possibly want to cook them. From a simple scramble to the building blocks of pancakes, quiches, pastas and even cocktail foams, the aptly titled “Incredible Edible Egg” is a staple many of us can’t live without.
However, eggs have been getting a lot more press recently with the increased focus on animal welfare and healthy eating. Videos of chickens being abused or confined to cramped cages have caused an uproar among both animal rights activists and consumers who believe that animals raised for consumption should be treated humanely. This increased pressure for humane standards has spilled over to the food and restaurant industry at large: It’s now more common to walk into a fast casual restaurant and see the egg dishes on their menus re-labeled to say specifically that they are “made with cage-free eggs.”
So what does that mean, exactly? Does “cage-free” mean that the chickens are happily frolicking around a large field? Is cage-free the same as free-range? Is pasture-raised better than anything else? Or are these all just empty marketing terms designed to falsely reassure the egg-eating public? It turns out the answer is quite multifaceted, and understanding the differences in terminology can make a huge difference between what you think you’re eating and what you’re actually eating.
Cage-Free Eggs:
Quite simply put, eggs from hens labeled as cage-free are just that: those that do not live in cages. The uproar from undercover videos came from images of chickens confined in small cages, unable to walk or move around, lined up in barns or shelters without access to the outdoors. For the most part, labeling a chicken as cage-free simply just takes away the cage from that environment. However, eggs packed in USDA grademarked consumer packages labeled as cage-free must meet specific standards: The eggs must be “produced by hens housed in some type of building or enclosed area that allows for unlimited access to food, water, and provides the freedom to roam within the area during the laying cycle.” Note, however, that these USDA regulations do not include any requirements for outdoor space, or even exactly how much space each chicken should have within the enclosed area. They also don’t regulate what the birds are eating which means they likely feast on a soy and corn diet, or something similar.
If additional standards such as space requirements are important to you, you may want to shop for eggs whose packages have additional labels from independent certifying organizations. One such organization, Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), developed the Certified Humane® labeling standards and focuses on more specific humane standards for all kinds of farm animals, does their own farm inspections, and takes the USDA requirements for cage-free eggs a few steps further. Cage-free chickens that are labeled as Certified Humane® must have at least 1.5 square feet of space per chicken in the barn or enclosure to roam around. Unlike the USDA requirements which specify no minimum amount of space per chicken, this standard helps to limit the number of birds that can reside in an enclosed area so that they are not overly packed in. In addition, hens labeled with the Certified Humane® stamp of approval must also meet many other chicken-welfare standards such as air quality, light, perch availability, and more.
Free-Range:
Cage-free and free-range are often used interchangeably, but it’s important to note that there are specific differences between these terms. The main difference is that free-range birds must have access to the outside, meaning they can leave their shed or enclosure. Per USDA labeling requirements, egg packages that have the USDA grademark and are labeled as free-range “must be produced by hens housed in a building, room, or area that allows for unlimited access to food, water, and continuous access to the outdoors during their laying cycle. The outdoor area may be fenced and/or covered with netting-like material.” Note that it’s the same description as the cage-free requirements, but with the additional caveat of having access to the outdoors. However, once again the USDA does not designate any sort of minimum or maximum size for the outdoor area. That means that there could be a large yard for all the chickens to roam around in, but it could also mean a small, semi-enclosed concrete space, like a porch, that only a small fraction of the birds can access at any one time, and only if they are able and willing to reach the outdoors. That means that despite the availability of outdoor space, there’s no guarantee that the hens will ever see the outdoors on a daily basis.
Again, however, any free-range eggs that include the Certified Humane® label must meet additional stringent regulations in order to be classified as free-range as opposed to cage-free. In their definition, the hens are still housed in shelters but must have at least two square feet per bird of outdoor space in addition to their minimum required indoor space. This ensures that, unlike a small fenced in area, the chickens can all have enough room to roam outside should they want to do so together. The birds also must have access to the outdoors for a minimum of six hours per day during the daytime, allowing them not only enough space but enough time to roam.
Pasture-Raised:
Generally when someone wants to buy eggs that came from chickens running free on a field, foraging for grubs and insects, pasture-raised chickens are what they are envisioning. And unfortunately true pasture-raised eggs can be much harder to find unless you shop at a farmer’s market or specialty food store. This is because the USDA does not have any sort of regulation for pasture-raised products, so you’re likely not going to find a carton of eggs at your grocery store that has both a pasture-raised label and the USDA grademark. That doesn’t mean that pasture raised chickens don’t exist, though. Continue to look for certifications such as the Certified Humane® label on your eggs that claim to be pasture-raised. To meet that Certified Humane® milestone, the farm must have a minimum of 2.5 acres per 1,000 birds, and the chicken must be outdoors for a minimum of six hours per day every day, in addition to many other standards. Note that these chickens must be outdoors for six hours a day, versus the free-range chickens just having access to the outdoors for a minimum of six hours per day. To have a farm that meets those standards—in addition to all of the other housing, perching, food, and environmental standards—takes a lot of space and work, which means that pasture-raised eggs are harder to find and generally more expensive. However, if you feel strongly about having eggs from hens with the best quality of life, it would be worth your while to seek out pasture-raised eggs.
However you choose your eggs, just remember that standards for each classification are not fully regulated so it’s possible to see eggs labeled as free-range or pasture-raised without any sort of verification or certification on the carton. There are also other regulating bodies beyond HFAC that provide their own strict standards. The best you can do is dig a little deeper into the producer’s welfare standards and better yet, ask your local farmer how they raise their eggs so that you feel comfortable with your purchase. And once you do pick out the carton of eggs that meets your needs, dig in to some typical and not-so-typical egg recipes below:
If you want a reliable southern comfort breakfast, eggs and grits have got you covered. Many people are scared of trying to make a poached egg but with a little practice it’s easy to master, and this recipe has great step-by-step instructions to poach the perfect egg. Just remember that though eggs are healthy, adding a good dose of classic grits makes this anything other than a diet-friendly breakfast. Get our Poached Eggs on Creamy Grits recipe.
Chowhound
The great thing about eggs is that they can be an important part of a recipe without having to be the star. These cornbread muffins are all about the cornbread and the spice, but clearly can’t be made without the eggs giving them the moist rise they need. Use them as a side dish for breakfast or a bowl of chili, or enjoy as an afternoon snack. Get our Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins recipe.
Smitten Kitchen
I’m obsessed with this recipe. I found it years ago when trying to find ways to use up a farmer’s market bounty. It sounds so boring —chard and leeks? Yawn, but the combination of flavors including thyme and nutmeg make this a blockbuster. The eggs give it a quiche-like fluffy consistency. It’s easy to put together (Pro tip: Definitely use a frozen puff pastry, you don’t need to make your own.) and the leftovers are even better the next day. And the day after that. Get the recipe.
The Spruce
Who says eggs have to be used for baking and cooking? Pisco is a Peruvian brandy that I discovered during a visit to South America and any time I see a pisco sour on a cocktail menu I have to order it. Part sweet and tangy, it’s an simple cocktail that’s easy to make at home and will impress your friends. So what about the egg? A classic pisco sour will be topped by a dollop of foamy whipped egg whites dashed with angostura bitters. So in case you’re wondering what to do with the egg whites you couldn’t use in the chard and leek tart above, a pisco sour is a delicious way to ensure those whites won’t go to waste. Get the recipe.
Chowhound
‘Tis the season for pumpkin spiced everything, so why not use it in a classic cupcake? Imagine pumpkin bread in a more portable, single-serving sized portion with the extra rich bonus of a pumpkin flavored cream cheese frosting. Don’t set these out for your trick or treaters or they’ll be gone in an instant. Get our Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes recipe.
Crisp Pancetta and Egg Salad Sandwich
Chowhound
The great thing about egg-based sandwiches is they can be a breakfast, lunch, or dinner food. Here, salty crispy pancetta melds deliciously with creamy homemade egg salad. Pickles and vinegar give the egg salad a nice bit of tang and crunch. Once you put the egg salad together, the rest of the sandwich is a cinch. Get our Crisp Pancetta and Egg Salad Sandwich recipe.
