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May 2008
What’s the weirdest flavor combination you’ve had?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I recently saw a recipe on-line for grilled flank steak with a spicy orange salsa. I had never tried a citrus salsa and thought it looked interesting enough to give it a go. As I read through the ingredients I suddenly I hit on green olives. Now that seemed a little weird.
I reminded myself that sometimes flavors have a way of unexpectedly working together and you end up with a surprising reward. Unfortunately, I have to report that in this instance they didn’t. It wasn’t horrible, but it certainly wasn’t great. It was just kind of strange and made me wonder, “what were they thinking…”
The whole sweet and salty thing is usually a good thing. Teriyaki and honey is a twosome that immediately comes to mind. And the sweet and heat thing from fruit and chiles is also yummy. When I recently tested the recipe for Taqueria Del Sol’s cole slaw I was impressed how much the addition of pickled jalapeno added to the dish, providing a whole new dimension of flavor. It was definitely a pairing I would never have thought of.
What is the most unusual combination that you’ve made or tried? Did it work or did it fall flat? What are your favorite unexpected flavors that go great together?
RELATED: Taqueria del Sol recipes and photos
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Stretching your food dollar? What’s your best tip?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Food prices are creeping up. How are you coping?
Are you learning how to stretch ingredients, recycle leftovers, find cheaper substitutions? Does Monday’s chicken show up as Tuesday’s chicken soup? Is there a revival of the backyard truck garden?
AJC reporter Bo Emerson is looking for metro Atlantans who will share their best ideas for for putting food on the table without emptying your wallet. And he also wants to know how the rising cost of food has changed your lifestyle.
Please contact Bo Emerson at 404-526-5759, or by e-mail at bemerson@ajc.com.
You can also share your ideas here. What’s the best trick you’ve used or heard of for saving money in the kitchen?
GET IDEAS: Tips for Saving Dough
ONE FAMILY’S STORY: Feeding a family of 10 on $250 per week
RELATED: Cheapskate central: More money-saving ideas from on AJC.com
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Did you experience barbecue sticker shock?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For me, it isn’t Memorial Day without a cookout…and from the smell of charcoal wafting through my neighborhood yesterday, I’m not the only one.
With the craziness that comes with the end of the school year, I hadn’t been doing large shopping trips for the last couple of weeks. There were so many last minute celebrations, our eating schedule was too erratic. To prevent wasting food (or continually transferring things to the freezer for later cooking), I had better luck picking up just what I needed that day or a day ahead after our schedule was set.
While I had noticed prices steadily climbing at the supermarket, it wasn’t until I did my blowout party shopping that the increases hit me over the head. I’ve never felt as pinched at the cash register as I did this past weekend.
I began looking at my holiday menu more closely to see where I could economize. Knowing I have the tendency to prepare enough food for an army, I took a closer look at serving sizes, scaling back from automatically cooking the whole box of pasta for macaroni salad, realizing I could halve the recipe and still have plenty. I also reduced the number of side dishes, keeping just as much as needed for variety. And, when people offered to bring something, this time I said “sure.”
I realize these were modest cutbacks since I didn’t want to sacrifice too much on a special occasion. I have to say, for my guests, they probably weren’t even noticeable. But, I know I am going to have to continue in this vein, going even further to keep costs down as the summer rolls on.
Did you experience sticker shock at the supermarket this weekend? How did you make adjustments this holiday because of rising prices?
RELATED BLOG: Is grilling just for guys?
RELATED LINKS: The rising cost of cooking out | Grilling recipes and tips
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Grilling - A battle of the sexes?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With Memorial Day approaching, many of us will be firing up our outdoor grills, some for the first time this season.
I know people say grilling is “man’s” domain, but I know I can barely get my husband to switch out the gas tank, let alone handle cooking duty. Whether it’s burgers, kebabs or steaks, it’s yours truly out there flipping and basting.
It seems to me that grilling takes as much skill as any type of indoor cooking. In fact, there seem to be even more variables for getting things just right. What makes the legions of male “weekend warriors” willing to tackle this culinary adventure while managing to stay clear of anything involving a stove?
Is it just me out there? Are gals really not grillers? What makes grilling a “man’s job”; and are the men actually doing it?
RELATED: Barbecue basics and sauce recipes | Higher prices hit the grill
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Do you cook for one?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I recently read that 60% of American households contain just one or two people. At first that statistic seemed surprisingly high to me, but between all the singles and empty nesters, I guess it makes sense.
I know the complexities of cooking for a multi-person family and when my husband is out of town for a couple of days, I definitely look for easier ways to feed my kids…quesadillas, hot dogs and hamburgers are easy choices. We also go out or take out more, as much to avoid the clean up rush before bedtime as to avoid cooking.
But if it was a long-term thing, I hope I would still make the effort. In the summer when my kids are away at overnight camp, I still cook, but I’m more likely to make simple fare, which is the way I like to cook in the summer. Simple grilled meats and fish, lots of salads, light pastas with fresh herbs and cold soups that I can make ahead.
What about you? Do you cook just for yourself and/or your spouse? It seems like the reward of a good meal is worth the effort. What are your favorite tips for cooking for just one or two?
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Do you cook out on the grill in the rain?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We had an old friend coming for dinner last night and I had arranged a menu around grilled flank steak with a fruit salsa. I had everything prepped and ready to go. Unfortunately, the weather decided to turn less than cooperative…with the steady rain intensifying right before I was due to grill.
For me, nothing matches the flavor of smoky flavor of meat from an outdoor grill, especially when it’s been marinating for hours. So I was faced with what I call “the weather dilemma”. Stay the course and brave the elements, or, turn on the broiler in the comfort of my cozy and dry kitchen.
Even though the weather’s only been consistently mild for a few weeks, that’s all I’ve needed to embrace outdoor cooking. I just couldn’t go back. I might have looked like a drowned rat when we sat down to eat, but man, that steak was good.
What about you? Would you rather save your hairdo? Do you let weather deter you from outdoor cooking?
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Are you a potato salad purist?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When the weather warms, like on these recent days, I think picnic. Unfortunately, in these busy times, it’s usually not the idyllic vision of the wicker basket on a red checkered blanket in an expansive pristine field. Now it’s more likely to be a plastic cooler parked at the pool for the day or carried to some outdoor venue to sustain my family though my son’s endless soccer or baseball tournaments.
When I think of on-the-go food, I always start with the “holy trinity” of side dishes - cole slaw, macaroni salad and, of course, potato salad.
While I rarely vary dramatically from the classic mayonnaise based versions of cole slaw and macaroni salads, when it comes to potato salad I tend to be more experimental. A quick look at the most recent “Joy of Cooking” explains why. There are five variations of potato salad, including French, German and even a Peruvian version made with peanuts, cheese and hot peppers! I usually don’t deviate that much…but, I have had good luck with a roasted potato salad tossed with vinaigrette.
When it comes to potato salad, do you stray from simplicity? In addition to when to peel (before or after cooking, or not at all), which type of potato to employ (baby red, the classic Russet or my favorite, fingerlings) there are so many ways to put your personal touch on the dish, as Frances Huber does in this week’s Southern Recipe Restoration Project. What are your favorite ways to make it?
POLL: What’s your favorite potato salad ingredient? (aside from potatoes, that is) | Photos
RELATED: Picnic recipes and portable food ideas for summer
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Can “salad days” save your sanity?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
These weeks towards the end of the school year are enough to put me over the edge.
On top of all the extra school events crammed in before they shutter the doors for the summer, my kids’ recreational sport’s schedules have kicked into full gear, with game after game to prepare for tournament after tournament. And did I mention junior high play rehearsals till 6 during the week and on the weekends too?
I’m in the car constantly after work, but still want to have dinner together for my brood for those 15 minutes of togetherness, whenever it might come. In the winter, that means plugging in the crock-pot, but with the warmer weather, that food’s just too heavy for me.
So I turn to salads. Yep, that’s right salads. Those cold crunchy things that can be made in as many varieties as there are activities to keep you on the go. After writing the 5:30 Challenge column for so many years, I can’t help but think of meals in terms of five ingredients. So, I start with greens, a protein, a dressing and then add 2 other “bonus” items to keep it interesting. For an upcoming 5:30 Challenge recipe, I did a Chicken Caesar, so began with a bed of romaine, topped with grilled chicken, zesty dressing, croutons and shredded Parmesan cheese. I keep what ever needs to stay crunchy together and toss with the other ingredients just before servings, or if we’re eating sequentially, let people top their own.
What are your tricks to keep weekdays meals moving? Do you have specific solutions especially for spring and summer? I have a feeling we can all use a few new ideas to keep things fresh and fast. Also, if you have your own 5-ingredient salad, let me know here or email me at fivethirty@ajc.com.
RELATED: 5:30 challenge recipes | Easy salads
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Are you ready for swimsuit season?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, it’s coming. Whether we’re ready or not.
Now that the water restrictions for neighborhood pools have been lifted and the school year is winding down, there’s no way around it it, it’s time to switch from parkas to swimsuits.
Obviously those baggy sweaters are good for more than just keeping warm. After months of comfort food, and a bit of overindulging, many of us need to deal with those extra pounds that snuck up during the chilly winter months.
Luckily, these pristine sun-filled days are energizing. I find myself out more, away from the fridge, whether it’s going for a walk or puttering in the garden. I also find myself craving healthier foods like fresh fruit and grilled fish and chicken, so that helps.
But there’s still that bathing suit that needs to be tried on or updated and I am doing my best to avoid that inevitable encounter.
What do you do to get ready for swimsuit season…or do you just not care? What are your best ways to quickly get in shape? How much of it is exercise and how much is diet?
LINKS: Exercises to get you in swimsuit shape | Grill recipes | Easy Low-fat recipes | Exercises for Waist management and Better arms
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Are you watching your food budget?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s no denying it. Food costs are going north and predicted to go even higher.
While gas price increases seemed to hit me over the head, (with those giant numbers staring down at me whenever I filled up, they were hard to miss), rising food prices sort of snuck up on me.
Typically at the supermarket I did my loop, grabbing staples without looking at the fine print. It wasn’t until they totalled it up that sticker shock hit and I realized that trip just cost way more than it used to.
Up until now, I’ve mostly looked at prices closely when I was buying something new or comparing sizes for the better value. I guess I took the costs for things like milk, cereal and juice for granted. But I know that’s going to change.
Have you noticed your grocery bill growing? Are you making changes to economize? What are you best strategies for making your food budget go further?
RELATED: 7 ways to stretch your food dollar
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