This is a Food Blog.

In the days since Christmas, we have successfully prepared most of our meals at home. True, we did rely on our old pals Zaxby’s and Whataburger for lunch on two separate occasions, but other than that, we’ve done well!

We decided to plan out two weeks’ worth of meals at a time and subsequently shop for ingredients. Having a well-stocked fridge and pantry feels pretty great; it’s comforting to think I could make practically anything we felt like having. It’s a huge difference from a year ago, when I was hoping my Ramen supply would hold out until my job started again.

One unexpected element: a feeling of isolation. I never realized how much of my social interaction is done while dining out or picking up food. Yes, I see people at work, but it’s somehow not the same. For a while, I felt closed off and lonely. When we went out, we not only spoke with other people, but we dedicated more attention to talking with each other. It makes sense; having a conversation is easier when distractions are eliminated. Since Mr. P has an unusual work schedule, he goes to sleep very early. Toiling to finish dinner at a reasonable hour while trying to unwind from my own workday didn’t leave time for much chitchat.

For a while, I just sat around feeling unhappy. Finally, the “differentness” is gone and I’m comfortable again. The bit of post-holiday depression I experienced wasn’t entirely helpful, either. Now, though, my cooking skills are actually improving. I’m getting faster at prep work, and I’m working toward washing all dishes immediately (what a time saver that is!). I’m able to do kitchen tasks and spend time with my fiancé simultaneously. Even though I’m doing more at home, I feel more relaxed. Cooking doesn’t feel like such a marathon any longer.

Since we’re cooking more often, we’ve even expanded our horizons! I’m not making the same few dishes over and over again; instead, we’re pulling new recipes from our collection of cookbooks. This is both fun and interesting.

With my free time in the evenings, I’ve started reading! Due to being immersed in scholarly books practically constantly, I haven’t read for pleasure in ages. I forgot how great it is. It’s possible to download a heap of classic novels FOR FREE on the Kindle machine, too, so I’m looking forward to delving into some of those.

Funny, we started this project in order to save money, but it seems to be positively affecting other areas, too. All this in under two weeks! Wow.

I’m looking forward to Mr. P’s designated cooking night on Saturday. He makes a mean Skyline Cheese Coney.

Mr. P and I received a SodaStream for Christmas. After doing the math, we finally decided to add one to our wedding registry. It seemed a bit of a lavish item, but it would end up saving us quite a bit of money in the long run. The more we thought about it, the more we wanted a little fizz maker. We didn’t think anyone might get it for us; rather, we thought we might save up here and there and buy it eventually.

Well! My mom actually bought us the Fizz model for Christmas. Ours is red. The gadget manages to look retro and futuristic at once, and it’s a bit larger than it seems in photos.

What fun the SodaStream is to use, though! You can customize the level of fizz, which is fantastic for me because I want my drinks as bubbly as possible, like a natural disaster in a bottle.

All of the flavors we’ve tried so far have been delicious. My favorites are Diet Pink Grapefruit (a little like Fresca) and Orange, which tastes like those sugar-crusted gummy citrus wedges. We’ve also tried Diet Cranberry Raspberry, Root Beer, Fountain Mist (tastes just like Mountain Dew!), Diet Cola, and Dr. Pete. I’ll let you guess what flavor that one echoes!

You can adjust the amount of flavoring, which is nice. None of the flavors contain High Fructose Corn Syrup, and even the non-diet flavors are much lower in calories than their store-bought counterparts. The flavors do contain Splenda, but considering I was drinking about 4 cans daily of soda sweetened with aspartame, I can work with Splenda.

You can even use Monin or Torani-type syrups to make Italian Sodas, you can add a splash of juice, or you can make plain seltzer water. Lots of versatility here!

So far, we love it! We’re already taking out exponentially less trash (our community does not offer recycling -boo). According to studies, homemade soda also costs less than ready-made soda. Annnd we have much more free space in the fridge – woohoo!

Plus, making the soda is so much fun! Hopefully the Fizz will help in our quest to save money in 2012.

What flavor should I make next? Hmmm…

(SodaStream has not paid me a cent for this write-up; I’m literally just a very excited customer.)

Christmas is over. Although I usually love the holidays, I’m kind of glad it’s time for life to return to normal.

Mr. Parker and I aren’t really resolution makers, but we did set one main goal for 2012: save more money!

We have two strategies in order to fulfill our goal: 1) Stop buying junk we don’t need, and 2) Cook more meals at home.

While Strategy 1 is going to require mostly willpower, Strategy 2 is actually going to demand planning and effort. I’d like to stick to fairly simple recipes that will yield leftovers, which will save us money by allowing us to pack the leftovers for the next day’s lunch. Why go out for burgers if you have a great, already-cooked meal waiting in the fridge, right?

We’ll also have to be better about grocery shopping. Right now, we shop when we need ingredients. We’ll need to transition into buying affordable staples once a week, and then planning meals around those ingredients.

And if there’s a night we’re simply too tired to cook? Since this should be no more than once a week to once every other week, we’ll simply go out. The planning and cooking at home should save us enough money that occasional restaurant trips are not a big deal.

We’re eager to get started, and we look forward to sharing our progress with you.

Are you making any sort of cooking-related resolutions?

Happy New Year!

Mashed potatoes have been a preferred food my entire life – just ask my mom. My mema’s mashed potatoes are still my ultimate favorite, and I have yet to successfully duplicate them.

In the meantime, I’ve combined various aspects of recipes from Michael Chiarello (pound cake potatoes!) and Paula Deen and ended up with these, which are pretty special. Yes, they’re terrible for you, but I love them. They’re also full of odd ingredients. Professional chefs would probably say there are too many competing flavors, which is probably true. Still, I find them to be delicious. They’re so good, they don’t even need gravy.

Yukon Gold potatoes 4 – 6 large. Half -peeled.

Butter – salted, several tablespoons

Cream

Salt

Pepper

Parmesan

Cream Cheese

Optional: Roasted Garlic

Cut the potatoes into one-inch cubes and gently boil in salted water until easily pierced with a fork. Drain and transfer to a bowl; mash with a potato masher. Add salt, pepper, cream, and lots of butter. Stir and re-mash if necessary.

Next, add Parmesan (about two tablespoons) and about a quarter-cup of cream cheese (adjust as needed). Toss in additional cream and butter if the situation merits. If you’re using roasted garlic, add it now. Stir. Enjoy. You’re now ruined on plain old mashed potatoes forever.

There’s a reason enameled cast iron cookware has become so popular: it’s fantastic. Plus, there’s no need to season it like would be necessary with basic cast iron. I love it for making pasta sauces as well as roasts and the like.

Enameled cast iron is also, unfortunately, very expensive. Famous brands typically cost $300 or so. Now, $300 might end up being a really good value for a pan a cook will use at least three times a week for decades, but there is no room in my budget for $300 expenditures anywhere.

But!

I found this 7 quart enameled cast iron dutch oven at Target (it’s from Giada’s line) last fall. It was $89, and since I had literally no kitchen supplies (I moved back to Florida with two dogs, two suitcases, and a bunch of books), I used my birthday money from my mema to buy it.

Even though this piece isn’t from the popular French line, I like it even more than the pricey dutch ovens I had to leave behind in Washington. The weight is perfect, it’s incredibly easy to clean, and any dish I prepare in it turns out wonderfully. Of all the times I’ve cooked in the last nine months, I’ve probably used it all but three times. It still looks and performs just like it did when it was new, too. I’m anticipating it will last many years.

A 5 – 7 quart enameled cast iron dutch oven is an ideal addition to any kitchen, especially one this versatile at this nice of a pricepoint. One can use it for almost anything.

(And no, I have no financial relationship whatsoever with Target or Giada for Target… well, aside from the one where I pay <i>them</i> money and then take home way.too.much home decor stuff every time I visit. This is simply I product I really, really like, and I think you might like it, too. The end.)

Something like seven years ago, my friend Katy taught me to cook asparagus. Sadly, I don’t think I had even tried those funny-looking green stalks before! Asparagus is definitely one of those vegetables that can be daunting if you aren’t sure how to prepare it. Katy’s method is so good, I’ve used variations of it ever since.

You’ll need:

A heap of asparagus

A foil-lined pan or cookie sheet

Olive oil

And seasoning! Katy uses coarse salt and lemon pepper; I like coarse salt, pepper, and smashed cloves of garlic.

I begin by bending the asparagus stalks near the end – usually, the dry, tough part will snap right off. Then, wash thoroughly.

Distribute in a single layer on the foil-lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle on the seasonings. Bake at 350 for 25 – 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus stalks.

Eat. Enjoy. Yes, it’s that easy!

Yes, it has been practically an eon since I last posted. Life has been busy!

April: finishing finals was a struggle! Being sick for two months early in the year set me back a lot, but I managed to finish and actually did pretty well. We went to my sister’s graduation in Tallahassee, which was a nice getaway. It was good to see my sister. She also took us to eat food at Roly Poly. You can thank her for my addiction.

May: Mr. Parker and I moved in together! Our “new” apartment is still very 1980s, but it’s significantly larger. The kitchen is little, but the few extra inches of counter space make a big difference.

June: We went to Mr. Parker’s cousin’s wedding in Michigan. I met much of Mr. Parker’s extended family on his mom’s side, and everyone was completely lovely and wonderful. I also managed to get food poisoning, which, when you’re sharing a hotel room with your boyfriend’s brother (whom you’ve met once) and his girlfriend (whom you’ve never met), isn’t embarrassing at all. Ahem. Mr. Parker’s mom is fantastic, and she made sure I had sufficient refills of 7-Up for the entire reception.

I also received a job offer, so I’ve been working both the new job and my current/former job simultaneously for the past several weeks. “Exhausting” would be an understatement. Oh yes, and summer term began two days after spring semester ended, so I’ve been scurrying to ensure my classwork is done. Meanwhile, our apartment sits almost completely unpacked, less our bedroom closet and the kitchen.

Not only have I cooked some great dishes, I’ve taken decent photographs, too! If only I knew where to locate my camera’s USB cord! It’s in one of these boxes… somewhere.

The new job has almost no commute, and the hours will enable me to actually have a life. I won’t be scrambling to keep up with school work while my fun hobbies – cooking, baking, and sewing (yes, I’m trying sewing, and yes, I’m terrible at it… so far) get pushed aside. I’m happy. Life is good.

Now, I just need to get better at unpacking.

I first read of Marmite in one of Jamie Oliver’s cookbooks. Fellow Americans claimed it was icky. My English friend James said it was fantastic, particularly with cheese.

I wasn’t entirely convinced.

Wikipedia describes Marmite as being “made from yeast extract” and “extremely salty and savoury.”

While living in an isolated part of Washington state, I wasn’t able to find Marmite in any of the stores. The opportunity to try some arose when I visited London, though. My hotel rate included a full breakfast, and English friends assured me that Marmite is always available in such places. They cautioned that due to its strong flavor, I should only spread a very thin layer on my toast.

Noted.

I wasn’t terribly eager to try poor Marmite, because I had a feeling it was going to taste like bitter old Guinness.

Since I failed to make it to breakfast the entire time I was in Britain because of enjoying too many ciders in the pubs the nights previous (yes, those are all plural), I thought I’d never get to taste England’s most beloved condiment. Then I moved back to the great state of Florida, where we have Publix supermarkets. They carry Marmite, HP Sauce, Aero bars, Jammy Dodgers, PG Tips, and a host of other splendid English food items. Nirvana!

I tried my first Marmite on buttered toast, and I loved it. It didn’t taste yeasty or beer-y at all; it actually reminds me of gravy or beef consomme (despite being a vegetarian product). I think they must put crack in it, too, because I have excitedly devoured Marmite toast every morning since then, and I long for Marmite during the workday.

Do follow the Brits’ advice and use a very thin layer – it’s robust! Marmite makes a very good addition to a grilled cheese sandwich, too, if you’re a fan of salty flavors!

Nigella has a recipe for Marmite Spaghetti, which I cannot wait to try. I think I may have to convince Mr. Parker to sample some this evening!

Okay, Englishpeople. You win this one. Marmite is good.

Ginmonades

(Yes, Ginmonade is a congolmeration of “Gin” and “Lemonade”)

So, gin. It’s made from juniper, you know. I think it tastes a bit pine-needley on its own, but in this cocktail, it’s fantastic. I would’ve never guessed that gin and lemonade would go so well together, but they do. The Ginmonade is refreshing and light, perfect for spring or summer. Something about it feels very southern.

1 ounce Tanqueray gin
1 ounce Limoncello
1 ounce Tom Collins mix
2 ounces lemonade

Feel free to use more or less gin and/or limoncello, depending on taste preferences.

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with a heap of ice. Shake until the metal on the shaker gets cold. Pour into a tall glass over more ice. Sip with a straw.

(Also, it is perfectly acceptable for me to have an Arthur Curry doll; it says right on the package they’re for grown folks. Really.)

As I was suffering from the aforementioned plague on Valentine’s Day, Mr. Parker and I celebrated on Thursday instead of Monday. Since I was not quite well even by then, instead of going out and doing something fancy, Mr. Parker made me dinner.

That’s right! I got to pick whatever I wanted, too. This was exciting, since no one (no one = anyone who is not my mother) has ever made or attempted to make a celebratory dinner for me, let alone let me decide what they should prepare.

I was tempted to ask for something intricate, but I did not want to trap Mr. Parker in the kitchen for hours to labor and stress. He doesn’t cook often, but he does grill a mean cheese and make a nice bowl of Ramen on occasion.

With that in mind, I selected Penne alla Vodka. It’s inexpensive, easy, fairly quick, and it tastes great.

One of my favorite Penne alla Vodka recipes is Rachael Ray’s You Won’t Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta. And yes, I really dislike the title. The recipe was from a Valentine’s Day themed show, not that that’s a worthy excuse! At any rate, I’ve been using Rachael’s recipe since 2005 and it has yet to turn out badly, and I knew it wouldn’t be too much work for Mr. Parker. Plus it’s way better than jarred vodka sauce.

The half-hour preparation time is pretty accurate, and Mr. Parker didn’t seem to have any difficulty. The finished dish was really impressive, too! The texture was perfect, it looked great, and it tasted fabulous! The fresh basil is really the jam, so don’t omit it if you can help it! A dash of red pepper flakes is a fab addition, too. We also topped the pasta with shaved parmesan. It was grand. We ate every bit of the leftovers, and usually I am not a fan of reheated food.

In all, Mr. Parker’s cooking adventure was a great success. This Penne alla Vodka dish is a good choice for anyone, and it’s easy even for those who don’t have heaps of experience in the kitchen.

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