Misadventures of the Monster Librarian

Beef, bean, and local Sticks corn chili I love this colder weather and the food that comes with it! I made an enormous pot of chili, chock full of beef, black beans, kidneys beans, and local Sticks corn this weekend! Delicious! Here's how I make my chili, don't have measurements of spices, as I just eyeball things: Chop two yellow onions and mince 4 cloves of garlic, saute both in olive oil in a pot Brown 1lb beef in separate pan Chop green pepper, toss into onion/garlic pot once the onions have been cooking for a few minutes While veggies saute, sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, chipotle pepper (love that smokey flavor!)  Add now browned and drained beef, 1can drained and rinsed black beans, 1 can drained and rinsed kidney beans, 1-15 oz can stewed tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes that have been blanched and had skins and cores removed) Add 1 can tomato paste (15oz can)  Throw in corn (I threw in about 3-4 cups (frozen, which added more liquid) Dump in a about 4-5 c...

We turn to things to cheer us up, tried and tested talismans against our cases of the mean reds. For sadness we might listen to country music and bake, to remember a past boy/girlfriend we may listen to our soundtracks; for Luisa Weiss she turns to food. Weiss' book was sitting on my bedside table, next in line to be read, when my best friend K came for a visit. She picked it up and was about 2 chapters into it by the time I was showered and ready to head out for my (our) first party in Sticks. By the time K was heading back to Michigan at the end of the weekend, she'd bought the book for her Kindle, and checked in with me every so often to see where I was at in the story. K made Luisa's meatballs for her birthday party a couple weekends ago; it just felt right to be discussing Luisa's book as we took turns stirring her recipe into existence...as though we were conjuring her to us for the party... Weiss' My Berlin Kitchen: A Love Story (with Recipes) is (as the t...

I recently read and really enjoyed Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa's, Foolproof , which I found to be a fun, accessible cookbook. What I really like about this cookbook are both the recipes and photos; the meals that sound delicious and simple enough for any home cook. Garten also includes suggestions for table settings and "Foolproof menus" in the back for anything from Thanksgiving dinner to "French Bistro," "Dinner for In-laws," and "Snowy Day," meals! Not to be overlooked are the drink recipes too. :) Check it out, though you may have to put a hold on it, our copy's been out since we got it!

Recently read Dr. Marwan Sabbagh & Beau MacMillian's The Alzheimer's Prevention Cookbook: Recipes to Boost Brain Health ; the book was informative and interesting and many of the recipes sounded delicious, but I found that unfortunately, like some cookbooks, some of the recipes include ingredients which may prove expensive or harder to find.. As I said, the recipes are interesting and appealing; being a foodie, I wanted more pictures to go with the text. If nothing else, the book is informative--the first section goes into the disease of Alzheimer's, the progression of the disease, treatment, how exercise may be helpful, etc.; the later sections break down recipes by meal, etc Would I recommend it? Sure Wanted to also mention how pleased I am that more chefs and doctors are working to create cookbooks which reach out to patients with certain conditions/illnesses; Dr. Sabbagh & MacMillian's Alzheimer's cookbook joins other cookbooks covering: ADHD Au...

I recently read an article which suggested some cook books--thought I would pass along these titles: The Simple Art of EatingWell Cookbook   Jessie Price & the EatingWell Test Kitchen I was unimpressed with this book. Pig: King of the Southern table , James Villas I LOVED this book! Embrace the Southerner within. Salted: A Manifesto on the World’s Most Essential Mineral, with Recipes by Mark Bitterman I have found this book utterly fascinating. And the pictures: AMAZING! Oaxaca al Gusto, Diana Kenned y I have only looked at the first few pages, but this book looks pretty impresssive! And the rest of these books I have on order from the library. Thank God for Inter-library Loan! Good to the Grain: Baking with whole-grain flours , Kim Boyce Secrets of the Sommeliers: how to think and drink like the world's top wine professionals , Jorday Mackay and Rajat Parr The Essential NY Times Cook Book: classic recipes for a new century , Amanda Hesser Meat: A Kitchen Educ...

As you may have noticed, I am currently reading, As Always, Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto --this after falling in love with Julia Child upon reading her autobiography, My life in France . I just love love love Julia: her love of travel, her love for her husband Paul, her flair for life, her love of food and wine, her willingness to be genuine even if it meant seeming silly. Anyway, earlier tonight I was reading an article called With Latest Donation N.Y.U. Food Library Joins Big Leagues , which lists some great culinary library collections in the U.S., and it made me think of Julia Child, how this might make her happy--so many great and fascinating cookbooks, books about food, books about the culture of eating, loaded up by the thousands in these special collections! I wish I had learned about things like this in library school...though, I don't guess that I would have appreciated it in the same way... Anyway, the list includes: Janice Bluestein Longone...