Sauteed Spinach with Garlic: Eat your greens

This is a sure fire way to use up spinach greens and not have to choke them down. If you got the hang of roasting garlic bulbs, you can use the cloves in this recipe. Otherwise fresh garlic works just fine. By the way, this is INSANELY easy to do. Your biggest worry is burning the garlic or spilling the spinach.

What you'll need:

• frying pan
• tongs
• kitchen knife

Ingredients:

• a bag or two of spinach (depending on how many are eating)
• 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, sliced or chopped
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt to taste

The Starter Kitchen: Tools Part 2

The second installation of what you NEED in the kitchen. Remember, these house-ware stores and As Seen On TV people will try to get you to buy more than you need. Don't. You work hard for that money!

More Tools you need:

1. Measuring spoons
2. Ladle
3. Spatula
4. Colander & Sieve (and sometimes, a salad spinner)
   
5. Baking Sheet/Cookie Sheet
   
6. Serving Utensils
   

The Gravy Train Stops Here

For the love of god and all that is good and holy, WHY do people insist on destroying gravy? I was lucky enough to dodge bad gravy this season, but I think back on what my father said to my mother the first time he brought her to his family's Thanksgiving, "don't touch the gravy. It's spackle." He was right. Eventually he broke down and chased his aunts out of the kitchen and commandeered the turkey drippings, thus saving gravy for all in attendance.

OK enough of that crap.

The Starter Kitchen: Tools Part 1

I've gotten the question more than once, "what do I need in my kitchen." in this section I'll show you things you need, things that are good to have and things that. With each tool you'll get a run down of how it works and what you would use it for.

Because of time constraints, and the fact that I work all day, this will be a series of posts.

Making Bread Crumbs: When bread is hard enough to kill

We've all gone through this. You buy a beautiful long baguette with the best intentions of using it. You leave it in it's store packaging on the counter over night and the next day it feels like a red wood trunk.

You've got stale!

Your first instinct is to go, "Mother @#$%!" and throw it out. STOP! Calm down. Have some dip. This can be fixed.

Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda: What's the difference and why should I care?

I'll tell you why ya bunch of ingrates! If you mix the two up your libel to cock up your entire recipe, and then you have a mess on your hands and in your kitchen. An inedible mess.

Listen up bake fans. Cooking is different from baking because of one essential reason. Cooking is an art form, baking is a science. What does that mean? Glad you (didn't) ask. That means when a baking recipe tells you to do something you do it without question! Think of it as martial law, especially when you're going though the recipe for the first time. Some of the culinary art's most spectacular fails have happening in baking. You can at least modify a cooking recipe and save it. Ever try to separate a tablespoon of salt from four cups of flour. Forget it kid, you're now officially screwed to the wall.

You can't cook, so order takeout - best pizza

As requested, here's a review of Keste:

Let's get this out of the way first: this place rocks! I've been three times now, and I've noticed three things consistently:

1) The pizza is exceptionally good, consistently.

2) The service is Europe-slow, but accurate.

3) With the closing of Una Pizza Napoletana, this is the best pizza joint in Manhattan. I haven't been to some of the greats in Brooklyn (Grimaldi's, Motorino, Franny's), so I can't compare with those, but this easily betters Lombardi's, Veloce, John's and Joe's.

For those not in the know, a pizza upskirt is a shot of the bottom of the crust; this allows you to see the char left behind by a good oven (or lack thereof, by a bad oven).

Fail Fixed: Biscuits to French Toast

Even I mess up in the kitchen at times. Biscuits are my kryptonite. For some reason making biscuits or scones from scratch escapes me. I used a CookingLight.com recipe for "Angel Biscuits" and they came out like little tough breads. Yeah, fail.

Vitamin Roll Call: Meet Vitamin D

Sources Used:
Vitamin D Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_D
Version from July 24, 2009

Office of Dietary Supplements - http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp
Posted Date: 4/18/2008
Updated: 12/11/2008

VOA News.com – http://www.voanews.com/english/Science/2009-07-20-voa47.cfm
Article Title: Harmful Vitamin D Deficiency Common Around World
Author: Meredith Hegg
20 July 2009

Mayo Clinic.com - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-d/NS_patient-vitamind
Entry from March 1, 2008

The New York Times.com - http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/14/science/vitamin-d-in-milk.html
Vitamin D in Milk, By C. CLAIBORNE RAY
Published: Tuesday, January 14, 2003

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Vitamin Roll Call: Meet Vitamin D

This vitamin is pretty impressive. Aside from the fact that it “does a body good” by strengthening bones, it’s either the only or one of the only vitamins you get from the sun. Dude, the freakin’ sun. Don’t over do it and end up with skin cancer. 10 minutes of running around on a bright sunny day is enough to get things going. I digress and on with the show.

You can't cook.. so order takeout!

While this blog is primarily about teaching people the basics of how to pick out good food and make it edible, sometimes you just don't have the time for this. When you're desperately hungry, and a spiderweb is taking up most of your pantry, it's time for, "You can't cook... so order takeout!" This new series will help you find the best bang for you buck when you can't get make it yourself.

Quick Snack Fix: What Reese’s Doesn’t Want You to Know

Picture it. New York. 2009. It’s midnight and you have a major snack attack. Ok, so if you live in Manhattan, chances are you can just go out and get whatever it is you want, because you can. However, if you live in any of the other boroughs, and some of the neighborhoods get rough after 8pm, you don’t really have that option since the stores don’t stay open longer than necessary. Here’s a quick fix for a sweet tooth without having to leave your apartment.

The Salad Bar #2: Salmon and Spinach Salad

This recipe is so simple that my cat can make it. Or make off with the fish anyway. You wouldn't believe the amount of yowling I get from these two whenever I bring a slice of fish in the house. Moving on... You won't need much for this dish and if you have a microwave it's even easier.

Pasta: Penne with Sausage & Peppers

Serves 4 to 6
(depending on who’s eating and how well you made it)

When you come from a New York borough OTHER than Manhattan, it’s pronounced sawsage ‘n’ pepezz. If you never heard of the other boroughs that make up New York City, then you’re a noob and you really need to get out more. And by the way, wandering over to Canal Street after 5 pm doesn’t improve your NYC street cred either. Get a metro card and get on the Q, loser.

The Pasta Sauce That Made Me Famous: Or Should Have…..

You want it? You got it! This is my family recipe for damn good tomato sauce. Actually it’s more of a pizzaola sauce, but it’s still damn good. Ever go to a restaurant and order spaghetti and meatballs, only to be disappointed by the sauce, or the pasta, or everything? Well now you don’t have to suffer! I’ll admit, when I’m totally tired after a long day at work, I’ll pop open a jar of good sauce, but if you make this in advance and freeze it you’ll only be a few minutes of defrosting away from a great meal.

Homemade Salsa: SALSA!

Sure it’s easy to get a jar of salsa and a bag of chips and demolish the whole thing. We’ve all done that at some point. But what happens when you run out and it’s 2am and all you have are three tomatoes and an onion. Make your own! Lemmie tell ya, you make this and you’re eating the whole thing. And it’s healthy! Just be careful how many corn chips you eat with it.

The Salad Bar #1: Real Chicken Salad

I have a very distinct idea about what a salad consists of and it doesn’t include mayonnaise. When I hear the word salad I think tomatoes, fresh greens, carrots, onions, herbs, feta cheese and olives. One of the worst insults to a chef is slopping a bucket of ranch dressing on a beautifully crafted salad. One of the worst insults to a diner is presenting them with a browned, wilted wedge of iceberg lettuce, one thick slab of under ripe, tasteless tomato and shredded carrot. Ick. No wonder little Jimmy won’t eat his veggies. I wouldn’t either! Now I’m gonna show you how it’s done.

Epic Food Fail: The Great Custard Fiasco

Everyone makes mistakes. This one was a colossal mistake, made by yours truly. Yes, even I have my epic fail days and this was one of them.

I had a yen for custard, that eggy, creamy, English custard that’s just so rich and good. So I decided to make it myself, since I couldn’t find it in the supermarket. I got the eggs, milk and sugar needed to make the custard. I also found a recipe for it in the Jacques Pepin Complete Techniques book. I followed the recipe very closely. Yeah….

S'mores: Everyone Want'S'more

Who says you need a campfire to make a decent s’more? I just made them last night in my oven. That’s right. No foraging for sticks and twigs, straight from the broiler, lovely melty s’mores. And after trying out this recipe you and I will have to meet up so we can run our fat asses off. Stay tuned for the sister site of U Can’t Cook – U Can’t Eat (That Anymore).

Upcoming Events

Stay tuned for the creation and unveiling of www.ucantcook.com! It's only a matter of time before I figure out what the hell I'm doing and make a full functioning web site! WOO HOO!

Scrambled Eggs: It's What's for Breakfast

Would you believe that when I first met my husband he didn't know how to scramble and egg? Me neither. He knows a good deal about cooking, but this escaped him, mostly because he doesn't like eggs. It's not that hard and I have the video to prove it!

Quick Meal #3: The Mighty Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I know it may seem like a silly thing to teach people, but I've seen this one in action and it's not pretty. Let's get one thing straight. Slapping a slice of Kraft Singles on a piece of Wonder bread and putting it in the microwave for a minute and a half is fine if you're 8 years old and you can't use the stove. This is grilled cheese for the big boys and girls. Let's get started.

I Bought a Zucchini....Now What?

Congrats on your new veggie purchase! Trying new food is always a good thing. Now I'm gonna show you why to do with it.

Yay Pancakes!!!! .....from a box?

Hey why not? People have done great things with cake mix and boxed mashed potatoes. There have also been tragedies in the same realm but you gotta take the good with the bad. Just don't expect me to eat it. On cool fall days and cold winter mornings, sometimes a hot sugary breakfast is desperately needed and sometimes required. Add a side of bacon to this and everyone is happy.

Well, not the pig of course.

The Cold Cut Platter: When it's too hot to cook

We've had 90 degree days for a while and it's just too damn hot to cook. This is what you do when the cat is sticking to linoleum and the mercury threatens to blow. Go to the supermarket and get a bunch of cold cuts and some salad veggies.

Pasta with Shrimp: It's easier than it sounds

Ever wonder how some people can just go through the fridge and take whatever they find and make a great meal out of it? They'll grab leftover tuna, mustard and an old shoe and make a dish Martha Stewart would envy. Yeah I don't either, I just plot their death, however this recipe will show up those snot nosed brats. It could be classified as a quick meal but my standards for QM's involve only one item or less getting stove cooked. On with the show...