Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries & Shakes

Who doesn't love a burger? And Bobby Flay's latest book Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries & Shakes ...title says it all folks! ...has some great variations to wow your friends and family.

Truth is, I haven't made a milkshake in years...not since the girls were little and my waistline expanded, but reading that section definitely took me back to teenage days spent at the Orange Julep in Montreal with burgers, fries & shakes served by cute waitresses (yes, they were still called that!). And even though I'm a classic vanilla milkshake girl...the blueberry pomegranate, and the blackberry cheesecake and the double chocolate and the....Oh dear, I just grew a pant size and I'm only thinking of them!

As for fries...there are perfect fries, bistro fries, grilled steak fries, oven roasted fries and more including two awesome looking recipes for onion rings.

But seriously, folks...if you know me...you know what a carnivore I am, so I headed straight to the burger and condiment sections. I love the first two short sections that explain the critical elements of a burger and, if you're a cheeseburger fan...which are the best cheeses to try and why.

One interesting fact...all the beef burgers (and there are twenty six beef, a turkey and four fish burgers in all) are just beef (Bobby prefers chuck that is 80% lean & 20% fat seasoned with a little salt & pepper-that's it! - No fillers, no spices (all the variety comes from the cheeses and dressings/condiments).

My favorites so far...

The Argentinean Burger with Chimichurri Sauce

The Wild Mushroom & Cheddar Burger with Chipotle Ketchup

Not sure what I'll choose next, because each and every one sound delicious.

Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen

I might not have picked up a copy of Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen Cookbook: Rock Your Kitchen-And Let the Boys Clean Up the Mess , given that I'm such a prim & proper lady...okay, perhaps not, but even if you are, the book is funny, cool and the recipes are fantastic, so give it a go. You'll be glad you did.

But let me back up a bit. Last weekend I was attending the Eat Real Eat Local Foodblogger Panel, which was terrific. More about that at another time, but just by visiting the site (don't skip the intro for some astonishing food stats) and pledging to commit to prepare, buy and eat more locally grown foods, Hellmann's will donate to the Evergreen Foundation - 100,000 actions=$25,000 to their projects.

One of the participants, Angelique writes for the Bitchinkitchen.tv blog and she gave us each a copy. Naturally, I have every pasta dish bookmarked for a Presto Pasta Night entry....plus a whole lot more.

This time, though, I wanted to make the "Spicy Beef Kebabs with Mint". It sounds awesome and the photo looks good enough to lick off the paper. Here was my dilemma though

ONE: it's Spring and there's nothing like Spring lamb from Nova Scotia and coming right off of the panel where everyone agreed that the fresher and closer to home, the better the food tastes...well, that plus the sprig of mint sitting on what I know as tzatziki (Nadia calls it Mint Sauce - and it is and anyway...she's way to cool to argue with. She might even get her very muscled boys to come after me...but I digress). Bottom line...the photo made me opt for lamb.

TWO: when we moved from Toronto and sold the barbecue, we also had a garage sale and sold the skewers I rarely used anyway...and since we don't have a place for a bbq (no lawn, no porch, no terrace, no balcony...see where I'm going with this?) I didn't replace them.

THREE: my original intention was to mold the lamb around the skewers (like Nadia G suggests) and then I was going to serve them in a pita pocket with the tzatziki. Good idea, even as a burger, but the problem was it all disintegrated when we put the burger in the too big pita pocket, which was also too thin, so the "sauce" made it all fall apart. Nadia and the gang would be laughing their asses.... oh, right I don't talk like that! Good thing we had buns!

Spicy Lamb Burgers with Minty Tzatziki

I will be trying the real deal out at my daughter & son-in-law's, after all they do have a brand new bbq and I'll even splurge for the skewers. The taste, after we stopped laughing - awesome!

Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone

Perhaps it's just that Curtis Stone looks like he lives on the beach, or perhaps it's that whenever I think of Australia, I only think of summer. Whatever my weird reasoning, I think I got a sun tan just reading his new cookbook....Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone....and relaxed is the key word.

I was in heaven from "first thing in the morning" with granolas, smoothies, caramelized nectarines with yoghurt and honey to "sweet dreams" (the last delicious chapter) with espresso creme brulee, chocolate souffle, green tea ice cream...the list of sweet endings is endless...and every chapter in between has me chomping at the bit.

There are countless weekend breakfasts, brunches, lunches and quick week night dinners that will delight everyone and each dish is so simple you'll never break a sweat, even if it is hot outside.

Just a taste of things to come at my house...I've earmarked plenty, but will definitely try these in the next few weeks...cheesy crepes with prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes and olives; sticky chicken drumsticks; all American baby back ribs (I'm a sucker for all things meaty and sticky); steamed mussels with chorizo and white wine (I'm drooling even now at the thought of picking up local Indian Point Mussels at the market this Saturday); pan fried halibut with black beans and cilantro chili salsa; paella with shrimp, mussels, clams and scallops (all local - it's good to live in Atlantic Canada!)...I could go on forever, but I will stop and share the two side dishes I made to go along with some grilled local lamb chops. There is no recipe for the lamb, but Curtis's way of simple cooking is contagious - just a few ingredients...fresh and seasonal and a little help from fresh herbs - and you're ready to feast.

Curtis's Sauteed Wild Mushrooms with Baby Spinach took less than 10 minutes and was so delicious even though I only used shitake and cremini this time around. And frankly, that probably would have been enough to accompany my grilled lamb chops...I know it will be awesome as a bed for roasted salmon....but I couldn't resist this...

...his Roasted Acorn Squash with Thyme and Maple Syrup....pure candy! and a perfect complement to any grilled fish, chicken or meat.

I think perhaps tonight's dinner will be linguine with garlic shrimp & pesto...drool, drool.

Chocolate for Breakfast

Warning! This is one of those cookbooks you can lose yourself in even before you make it to the kitchen!

Before I even share my thoughts, let me say that Barbara Passino, chef and owner extraordinaire of Oak Knoll Inn in the Napa Valley is a genius and I can't wait to spend some time at the inn. Just from reading this wonderful book, replete with stunning photos, I've moved it high up on my "must visit places".

And, I must say, the title is somewhat misleading...not EVERY recipe calls for chocolate and most of the dishes would be spectacular served at any meal, not just breakfast. So for those of you who need more than chocolate in your life...fools that you are....oops, was that my "outside voice"?...or like me, who only eat real breakfasts on the weekend...that's about to change here, because most of the dishes are incredibly easy to put together...even if you're half asleep.

The recipes are delightful - inventive, fanciful, creative, and just plain fun and the subtitle says it all....

"Entertaining Menus to Start the Day with a Celebration"

Even the Table of Contents is worth the read...

North of South West

Chocolate Tacos

Chocolate Papaya Tamales with Mango Mint Salsa

Asian Persuasion

Apple Eggrolls

Lacy Singapore Omelet

Chocolate Fortune Cookies

Little Italy

Chocolate Pasta

Breakfast Pizza

French Connection

Moroccan Excursion...

And that's just a taste!

So far I've whipped up the Lacy Singapore Omelet which we loved and it took mere minutes.

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti that intrigued me. I had to hunt for chocolate nibs (nice but a bit bitter) and made half the recipe with hazelnuts. The perfect break with a cup of coffee to get even more lost in the book.

Romesco Sauce - creamy and spicy and will be perfect over pasta for dinner. Look at that color and tell me you're not transported to sunny California!

I think a little more biscotti and more flipping through this fabulous book is required immediately!

Once Upon A Tart

How could I resist this book? It hooked me in from the title...Once Upon a Tart I mean...how could it miss? And, if you're like me and afraid of making your own tarts, there are lots of other delicious dishes to slowly work your way up to it.

But let me back up a bit. Years ago, before it was trendy, two enterprising men - Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau, joined forces and decided to open a bake shop and cafe...tarts being hard to find in NYC then. Right from the beginning, it was a hit with line ups for lots of wonderful goodies, but mostly for their awesome tarts -savory or sweet...or both. Anyway, now there's yet another reason to visit NYC. The cafe is at 135 Sullivan Street...just in case you're in the neighborhood.

That said, until I get there in person, I'm glad I found the book which is filled with not only superb tarts but soups (doesn't Chickpea & Tomato Soup with Fresh Rosemary sound divine?); sandwiches (chicken & mashed avocado with radish sprouts & soy ginger vinaigrette are on tap for the weekend-or perhaps the goat cheese with marinated artichoke hearts & black olive vinaigrette on a sourdough baguette); salads (you'll never think of 3 bean salad the same...this one has honey-balsamic vinaigrette!); scones ( I did try the buttermilk & Dried Currants scones exactly as said...yum); cookies; condiments....and, of course...tarts!!!

Savory

Roasted Potato Tart with Herbs, Mushrooms & Melted Gruyere

Total Heaven on a plate, even if I did cheat a bit and did the entire mixing process in my food processor.

Sweet

Alsatian Apple Custard Tart

Seriously...look how pretty that is. I should have paid more attention and removed the tart from the outer rim before brushing with glaze..some of the shell stuck so it wasn't as pretty as could be. That said, there wasn't much left over either. The neighbors gladly got the last of it this morning.

Buttermilk & Dried Currant Scones

Not sure what I'll do next, but this is a book I'll refer to often.

Quick Vegetarian Pleasures

In starting my Cookbook Inventory Index, I realized that although I own and use several vegetarian cookbooks...really, I do!...I just haven't specifically written about any. So let me start with my first and still favorite...Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin. I love it so much I bought it for each of my daughters and annotated the pages with my favorite recipes.

The spine is broken, most pages are stained...in other words, it's well worn and used often. Here are a few of my favorite recipes from it...

Couscous & Vegetable Salad with Orange & Garlic (my annotation: unbelievably delicious) It's a standard at any buffet brunch or supper I ever do.

Mixed Greens with Miso Dressing (no photo, guess I'll have to make it again soon)

Lemon-Soy Marinade...the best I've ever used and fantastic for grilled vegetables (or even gasp, gasp, fish & chicken)

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins very tasty as is..

Herb Oat Bread that's so good you forget how good it is for you!

Actually, every recipe is fantastic...tasty, healthy and quick to make. What more could anyone ask for?

All My Cookbooks - The Index

I've been putting off this project for a long time because, frankly, I don't know how to start. I have a gazillion cookbooks, I've written about most of them and I have no idea how to organize them in this index.

I could do it the way Librarians do it...simply by alphabetical order of the author, or I could do it the way we often find books in a bookstore...by category and author. I choose the latter, simply because it's also how I organize my bookshelves...in my own fashion, of course.

The other monumental question .... is ...do I link to each recipe I've adapted over the years? I'm not sure, but I guess I will just jump in the deep end, start with the books (they all have links to recipes anyway), and let it evolve as it will.

Reference Cookbooks (those "how to" encyclopedia books that should be in every kitchen...at least one volume)
The Cook's Book
The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook, CIA chefs
Herbs & Spices, Jill Norman
The Illustrated Kitchen Bible

Baking Books (Breads, cakes, cookies, chocolate, desserts, etc.)
The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, J Hertzberg & Z Francois

The Seven Sins of Chocolate, L Schott

Ethnic & Country Specific (Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, American, etc.)
Time Life Series of Foods of the Worlds (out of print, unfortunately)

New Orleans Seafood Cookbook, Ralph Brennan

Beyond the Great Wall, Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid

Marty's World Famous Cookbook-secrets of the Muskoka Landmark Cafe (Ontario), Marty Curtis

ZOV - Recipes & Memories from the Heart, Zov Karamardian

Morimoto-The New Art of Japanese Cooking, Morimoto

The New American Cooking, Joan Nathan

Chocolate for Breakfast, Barbara Passino

Ethnic Paris Cookbook, C Puckette & O Kiang-Snaije

A Spoonful of Ginger, Nina Simonds

Anita Stewart's Canada, Anita Stewart

Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone, Curtis Stone

Healthful (not that the others aren't)
The Healthiest Meals on Earth, J Bowden

The Healthy Kitchen, Andrew Weil & Rosie Daley

Jewish (until I write something for each one, here's a snapshot of some of the ones I use often but somehow never wrote about)
Norene's Healthy Kitchen, Norene Gilletz

Second Helpings Please! & The Food Processor Bible (or Pleasures of my Food Processor, if you're lucky enough to have a copy..out of print), Norene Gilletz

A Treasury of Jewish Baking, Marcy Goldman

Healthy Cooking for the Jewish Home, Faye Levy

Bonnie Stern Friday Night Dinners, Bonnie Stern

My Favorite Celebrity Chefs
A la di Stasio, Josee di Stasio

Giada's Kitchen, Giada de Laurentiis

Bitchin' Kitchen, Nadia Giosia

Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries & Shakes, Bobby Flay

Fresh & Local, Craig Flinn

Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, Ina Garten

Ainsley Harriott's Fresh & Fabulous Meals in Minutes, Ainsley Harriott

Nigella Christmas, Nigella Lawson

In the Kitchen with Anna, Anna Olsen

Appetizers & Finger Foods
Small Bites, Jennifer Joyce

Vegetarian
Quick Vegetarian Pleasures, Jeanne Lemlin

Grilling
Grill It! C Schlesinger & J Willoughey

General (meaning I don't know where to put these)
300 Sensational Soups, M Deeds & C Snyder

The Mixer Bible, M Deeds & C Snyder

Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories, Ruth Daniels

ZOV-Recipes & Memories From the Heart, Zov Karamardian

Blue Eggs & Yellow Tomatoes, Jeanne Kelley

Wine Bar Food, C & T Mantuano

Once Upon a Tart, Frank Mentesana & Jerome Audureau