Hi everyone! Before we get started, I thought I would take a minute to note that everyone should have a few good cookbooks in their kitchen. While I know how to make many dishes without the use of a guide, in order to experiment outside of my cooking comfort zone, I need something to refer back to - it helps when I don't know whether I need one teaspoon of saffron or one tablespoon, for example. There is nothing to say that once you get your hands dirty you can't "tweak" your recipes to make them your own, but don't be afraid to get ideas and a jump start to your cooking adventure by perusing a few culinary compilations. Unless you went to the CIA or the Art Institute to learn how to cook, these books will certainly give you the much needed guidance to get started on a wonderful journey in the kitchen.
A special note - for couples who are reading, there is a marvelous cookbook that pairs down some great recipes into 2-person portions...it is called "Cooking for Two 2009" by America's Test Kitchen (you may have seen the show on public television). It takes the year's best recipes and cuts them down to size for two people. Also, some of the recipes allow you to make another dish later in the week using some of the hard work you already put into a dish.
For instance, last night I made a French-Style Pot Roast. The recipe called for a 3.5 to 4 pound Boneless Chuck-Eye Roast. Unless I am John Candy eating the 96er, that is too much meat for two people. But the recipe allows you to take the final product from the French-Style Pot Roast and make two additional dishes (Shepherd's Pie, Rigatoni with Beef Ragu or a Hearty Beef and Barley Stew). So, not only can you enjoy your meals more than once without it being the exact same "leftovers", you can also save money by using ingredients once and eating more than once and save time by having your meals later in the week already partially prepared. "Cooking for Two 2009" cost me $19.99 and I highly recommend it. I will be sampling from this book quite a bit, so you can see some of the recipes and decide if the assortment is up your alley or not.
Ok - tonight, I will be endeavoring to make an Indian dish called "Chicken Tikka Masala (from "Cooking for Two 2009" and I will post pictures and hints after dinner tonight. I hope you'll tune in later! Until next writing...
Yours in cooking,
Chris
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I would really appreciate your feedback. Please leave a comment after you read letting me know what you think. Also, if you try a recipe, please let me know how it came out and if you found my post helpful! Thanks so much for reading.