Featured Cookbook - Cook This, Not That by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding

There are really basically two kinds of cookbooks.  The kind you cook from.  And the kind you curl up with, much like a good novel.  You pore over the recipes, drool over the photographs.  Maybe you don't cook from the book because it's too complicated, too daunting.  Maybe you don't cook from the book because you don't dare mess it up.  Or maybe you don't cook from the book because it's enough to read to the stories behind the recipes, the little anecdotes that have been thrown in, or just simply the recipes.

I have both kinds of books.   And I love both kinds.  I've had "Baking with Julia" since 1998, but have never really opened it because it's signed, and that's good enough for me.  I didn't get to meet Julia Child, but I had the bookstore (the now closed Bookmark Cafe in Oyster Bay, Long Island) have her sign it for me, and I picked it up a day later.  Other books, like Molly O'Neill's "New York Cookbook" have never been cooked from, either.  It's been enough to just open that book and read stories about old New York and everyone's Nana and Tia and Baba  and to look at the great photos of people and neighborhoods and food.  And I'm sure it's a great cookbook.  I will definitely try some of the recipes.   I just love to read it.

But I've used "Cook This, Not That" a lot.   If it sounds familiar, it's part of the "Eat This, Not That" series by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding.  They originally had a column in "Men's Health" magazine (which, by the way, I find much more interesting than "Women's Health" magazine.)  The column compares unhealthful foods and and their healthier substitutes, and is always an eye-opener.

"Cook This, Not That" takes favorite meals from favorite chain restaurants (and I admit to having a weird soft spot for chain restaurants) and remakes them into a healthier versions.
Their Turkey Chili has become a staple at my house.  They use chipotle chili and cocoa powder (or dark chocolate). Oh, and beer. And it's delicious.  I always add less turkey and a few cans of white beans. And have sometimes skipped the beer.   You can play with the recipe and not go wrong.  I also have made their chicken mole enchiladas, chicken fingers with chipotle-honey (yes, I like chipotle!) and their Miso Cod is not that far off of Nobu's!  (one of the most amazing restaurants anywhere).  I thought the cucumbers were a bit too salty, I would adjust those.  And I sprinkled Panko crumbs on  the cod, and wrapped them in lettuce leaves just like Nobu does.  So, so good!  Most of their recipes do not have a lot of ingredients, and are easy to make.  And if you don't follow them exactly, they're still good.  There are even chapters on how to stock the perfect pantry, and what pans and knives to have in your kitchen.  And there are photos, lots of photos.

I'm addicted to Zinczenko and Goulding's books, and I think I may  have all of them.  But now that I'm cooking at home more often, this has definitely become my favorite of their books, and is currently one of my most used - and most fun - cookbooks.

The Cutest Ice Cream Machine

I never buy a gadget on a whim.  I will research the smallest knife or peeler forever before I buy it.  Lately I've been craving an ice cream machine (or ice cream maker).  Even though I'm not a huge ice cream fan.  I already have two in the house.
The Ice Cream Ball (Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker - also available at LL Bean)
was fun when the kids were young.  You put the ingredients in the center, filled the outer portion with rock salt and then kicked it around for a while.  Literally.  We used it once.  I still think it's cool, but you don't get much ice cream out of it, and it's better for young kids.

My second ice cream maker was the one by Euro Pro (or Bravetti.)
 I bought it about three years ago from  a TV shopping channel, thinking it would be great to be able to make three different flavors of ice cream at a time to serve to guests. I still haven't used it.  Too confusing to figure out just which three flavors I should make.
When my friend told me about the ice cream maker that she got last Christmas, an attachment for her Kitchenaid mixer, I started having ice cream fantasies again, ans was almost ready to buy it but...
 I found myself in Target two days ago, staring at the
Hamilton Beach Half Pint Soft Serve, It  was so cute!  I really wanted it, but I knew nothing about it.  But I remembered I had my iPhone and looked up the Amazon reviews.  Surprise!  There were a lot of fans.  I tossed it in the cart, and home it went.  Target's Half Pint only came in blue in Target, but they also come in pink on line, as well as the pistachio color you see here.
     There are so many things I love about this ice cream maker.
* First of all - ice cream makers in general.  You use your own, fresh ingredients.  You can make completely organic ice cream.  You can lower the sugar or fat content according to your preference.  Sometimes you can actually taste the chemicals in commercial or storefront ice cream - you don't have to worry about that when you make your own.
I made chocolate ice cream yesterday with 4 ingredients - Pure cocoa powder, half and half, sugar and pure vanilla.
I like knowing exactly what I'm eating.
     *It's quick.  I churned  a serving size of ice cream in about 12  minutes.  You do have to store and chill the ice cream bowls in the freezer - no rock salt is needed.  Mixing the ingredients took just a few minutes.  The ice cream maker is electric, it churned while I was on the phone.  
*  Portion size (this is what really got me)  The recipe I used (included with the machine) made 6 ounces of ice cream (one serving of ice cream is 4 ounces.)  I shared with my son.  So you can make a small amount of ice cream and not have a huge amount of leftover ice cream to tempt you.  Or, make up to 24 ounces with the two bowls if you have more mouths to feed.
The machine says it makes "soft serve" ice cream.  I found the texture to be great - not too firm, not too soft.  You can put it into the freezer to firm up more if you want.  If you want to add mix-ins (and I always do, I love "stuff" in my ice cream), you add it about half-way through.  Nothing like making your own fantasy ice cream!
I promised my older son vanilla ice cream today, and I'll add some Oreo pieces to it.  Tomorrow, I'll take the chocolate ice cream recipe, add some instant coffee to it, mix in some almonds and maybe pour on a touch of fudge to see how close I can get to my favorite - Baskin Robbin's Jamoca Almond Fudge.
No, I won't start gorging on ice cream.  But I will experiment once in a while.  I'll try frozen yogurt, and the recipes for sorbet look really good.  I watch a lot of Top Chef, and someone's always creating a delicious, exotic ice cream - basil, lemon, green tea, Kahlua...  Or pomegranate sorbet...
The Half Pint ice cream maker comes in a cute package - it looks like a cylindrical container of ice cream.  It would make a birthday gift,  put into a basket with some ice cream bowls and spoons, and containers of sprinkles and crunchies and caramel or fudge sauce.  Can't wait to make my next batch.