Cooking for one?

I recently bought the book, "Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One." Kevin wasn't all that pleased that I brought home the book, seen as a giant F-you to him, declaring that I would never cook for him again. He really wasn't upset though. I bought the book mostly to talk to the author, Joe Yonan, food columnist for The Washington Post.

I asked Joe how he got to his dream job, writing about food for the Post. His response: "a lot of practice." I wasn't exactly sure if he meant writing or cooking, but I didn't probe Joe further and left his answer at that. Lots of practice! What wonderful, simple advice!

The premise for his book, though, cooking for one might not even exist anymore. Well, at least, that's what a study from The Hartman Group says. Entitled, "Clicks & Cravings: The Impact of Social Technology on Food Culture," the study says that single people who are "cooking for one" are still connecting with people through texts, social networks, or on recipe sites. In fact, 40 percent of people are getting their food advice from blogs, websites, and apps instead of their mom or family members, UPI reported.

I have mixed feelings about the study. Yes, it's true that social media helps connect people so that people are no longer eating by themselves in a room alone. But it's makes me sad to hear that people aren't going to their family members for recipes as much these days. That's my goal for this blog--to share the advice that I've gotten (and will continue to acquire) from friends and family. Hopefully, it works!

Currently reading: Cooking with Nora

I just took out another cookbook from the library, Cooking with Nora: Seasonal Menus from Restaurant Nora. Nora Pouillon is the owner-chef of two DC restaurants, including one that is Michelle Obama's favorite (President Obama surprised her with a dinner there for her 46th birthday). What's unique is that Nora has been in the business of responsible cooking, serving organic everything (food, beer, even the cotton on the tables and the waiters). I was lucky enough to have eaten there (thanks to a generous gift certificate). It was as delicious as promised.

Nora suggests the following tips for home cooking:

Currently reading: Double Delicious

I'm currently reading Double Delicious: Good, Simple Food for Busy, Complicated Lives by Jessica Seinfeld. I know, I know. It's you choice in whether you believe she pulled a Mark Zuckerberg, stealing the idea of her first New York Times bestseller for extolling the virtues of purees. However, it is a well-known secret ingredient to get kids (or in my case, a boyfriend) to eat veggies.

My review of the book: it was worth what I paid (i.e., a free borrowed loan from the library). There are some helpful tidbits:

• Use a cast-iron skillet. You won't need as much oil to cook your food, and you get the added bonus of more iron in your diet. (When I was running cross country many moons ago, I was iron-deficient. My doctor also told me to use cast-iron skillets or woks.)
• Store your oils in a dark, cool cabinet---not on your stove. Exposure to oxygen, heat, and light can make them rancid.
• Use purees. Start with non-green vegetables (cauliflower, butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash) because you'll notice the taste less when you mix with other foods.

I will certainly try to add more veggie purees to my meals. More to come...

Currently reading: Good Housekeeping Budget Dinners

I'm currently reading Good Housekeeping Budget Dinners: Quick and Easy Everyday Recipes (thanks to a friend's Christmas present). The book has eight core strategies to eating on a budget:

1. Cook it slow and easy.
   I love my slow cooker and can't say enough about it. A slow cooker can cost as little as $30 and basically turns cheap cuts of meat into magic.
   
2. One dish, many meals.
   Think a roasted chicken turned into chicken mac and cheese or chicken pot pie for the following dinner.