Fun Coffee Foodlore

Not my fault. I was going to do my blog last night, but Internet usage wasn't available at my hotel, due to local weather.

I think the reason I haven't been cooking, is because I have lost my appetite . I go in spurts like this, lose my appetite for 3 or 4 days and then its back. I could lose weight if it lasted for more than 3 or 4 days. I don't know what brings it on.

But I'll be just fine, just fine.

Anyway, I've just started reading this book. If you can find this book, read it. And it won't be sold on the Internet on my website, until I'm done with it. The name is Life Is Meals by James & Kay Salter. The book is everything I want to do. It is filled with lots of food facts, which I will include now in my blogs.

The coffee tree, a small evergreen with fragrant white flowers and dark red pods, each containing two beans, is thought to be native to Ethiopia, and East Africa remains a producer behind South America, where Brazil is the leader. The beverage was made of the roasted, crushed beans and probably developed in Arabia. It is then moved northward to Egypt and Turkey where it became essential to daily life that in Constantinople, denying a wife her coffee gave her grounds for divorce. When it arrived in Europe and the Americas in the 1600s, it was the thick, unfiltered liquid still served in Turkey, Greece, and the Middle East. Gradually, as it travelled, its preparation was adapted to the taste of its public by filtering or adding milk, sugar, or flavorings.

Always valued for its stimulating effect, coffee contains more caffeine than any other drink. There are about 110 to 150 milligrams of caffeine in a cup of coffee made by the drip method and 65 to 125 in a percolated cup, nearly twice the amount found in tea, Espresso, though stronger in taste because it is more concentrated, actually has less caffeine than regular coffee. Decaffeinated, which has been around for one hundred years, accounts for about twety per cent of coffee sales in the United States.

Cookbook Val

Eventful Week for Me!

I have had a week full of events in my life. Starting with some Kashmir sapphires I bought many years ago in India. I have found a buyer for them and if all goes well, I may have a small fortune on my hand. On the other hand, if they are appraised and I was sold glass (which I don't think I was), I will have as much as I had before-very pretty stones that need setting.

Besides cookbooks & cooking in my life, I have been collecting gemstones for years, waiting for the right time and enough money to set them all. Now, I think its time to look for barter, buyers and some more jewelry lessons to set some of them.

I read a book recently called The Late, Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow. It was a hard book to get into, but once I did, it was very moving. Sappy Val showed up at the end. It doesn't take much to get Sappy Val out and crying these days.

Today, I took a drive into the desert to the Gold Strike Casino in Jean, NV. They offered me a free buffet and a much needed long drive in the desert. The buffet was good, good country food, quite the hot spot in Jean, NV. For $4.95 per person, every table was filled very quickly and as well as open seats at my booth. The drive was needed to clear my head, about sapphires and relationships and new horizons ahead. I'm still not there yet, but soon will be.

My cookbook of the day, "Farewell To Fat" by Richard Simmons. Who is described in this book as the Yankee Doodle Dandy of aerobics. This man should receive an award, for everything that he as done and contributed to the weight loss community. Yes, he's a little over the top, but he has contributed so much in the 70's, 80's & 90's! The recipes in this book are steeped in American tradition-dishes passed on from one generation to another and now updated with flavorful twists from Richard's own kitchen. Look for this book on EBay, under cookbooks or Valerie2901-my little part of EBay.

Cookbook Val

Clay-Pot Cooking

I've been feeling sorry for myself for awhile now, but that's over. It's time for me to start travelling and visiting new places again. I have always loved to travel. Right now, I'm trying to decide what city I can afford. I'm looking at Berlin, never been or Ixtapa, Mexico (to go to the pyramids). Next week I have some time off, so I need to make a decision tonight.

Today, I came across The Clay-Pot Cookbook by Georgia MacLeod Sales & Grover Sales. If you have an unglazed clay pot, then this is the book for you! You can bake, roast or simmer with the recipes in this book (look on Ebay, under cookbooks or Valerie2901). The Beef Stroganoff in this book is to die for, so easy, so few ingredients and honestly this could be down in a crockpot (slow-cooker) just as easily. With this clay-pot, you can bake bread, make pies, or hearty chowders. If you don't have one of these claypots, look in the expensive kitchen ware departments or maybe your local thrift store.

I also found the book Brunch Cookery by Pat Jester. Over 200 recipes to please friends and family during brunch. So many options: quiches, souffle's, omelets, appetizers and so much more. Something for everyone in this book.

I'm still not cooking, but by tomorrow I will be. I need to get some bread crumbs, to take some leftover ground Turkey into Turkey meatballs.

CookbookVal

Life goes on!

From living in Las Vegas, I have been an occasional gambler, nothing exciting, just $20-40 a day when I'm home. I think though I am finally gambled out. I no longer need to gamble, except for the occasional bingo game, which I never win at.

Still working hard on my cookbook listings, lots of good books, but nothing really exciting. I want something new, something special to try. I may make a coconut cream pie this week-I love coconut, but I know it is not a favorite of alot of people.

Sorry, about not blogging yesterday. Just coming back from my trip and I was just too tired to focus or concentrate on being somewhat articulate.

Life goes on-a long-term relationship is finished and I have to decide where to go from here. I'm thinking of moving back to Los Angeles or Boston. Los Angeles, only if I can be on the water. Boston or somewhere in Mass. somewhere on the water. Or maybe I'm just running away again.

Or taking a cruise around the world, that has always been one of my dreams. Somebody recommended a freighter cruise-more affordable, but I don't know if I am a freighter kind of gal.

Cookbook Val

Southern Fried Banana Pies

I have learned of a new place in Las Vegas.At the Hard Rock Hotel, in the pool area, on Sunday is the hot spot for the young and single..It's called Rehab. For $150 a person,you have unlimited drink & food & you can party like a rock star.. When I questioned some people about the cost, they said it was well worth it, they could drink that much alone. I guess everyone wants to be a rock star or at least party like one.

I had a piece of my newly made raspberry pie, with a chocolate graham crust and it was beyond wonderful.

One of my co-workers gave me her grandmother's recipe for fried banana pies:

a rolled out pie crust

1 cup of sliced thin bananas or 1 cup mashed bananas

1/4 cup sugar

Mix the sugar with the bananas. Set aside. With a drinking glass, rim coated in flour, cut out as many circles as you can on the pie crust. Place a teaspoon to a tablespoon of banana on each circle(depends on size of glass rim). Fold the pastry circle in half. With the fork tines, close up the half circle. poke a couple of fork tines in top to let air out. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan. Place banana turnovers in pan and fry until brown on both sides (you may need more butter). Eat plain like that or sprinkle a (little) confectioner sugar on top. Good eating's from a southern home.

Cookbook Val

Turkish Cookery by Inci Kut

Turkish Cookery is my cookbook to talk about today. Listed on my EBay website-Valerie2901 under the general headings of cookbooks. I have been to Turkey a couple of times, so I'm really enjoying reading this. The culinary art in Turkey is made of a great variety of delicious dishes which are a mixture of various delicacies inherited from different regions of the vast Ottoman Empire. Among different parts of Turkish Cookery, the most notable are hors d'oeuvres (meze), pastries (borek) filled with meat, cheese, vegetables or any other filling, stuffed vegetables and vine leaves (dolma) of two different kinds with meat or rice, broiled or roasted meat dishes (kebab and kofte), different kinds of rice dishes (pilav) and finally vegetables cooked in oil (zeytinyagli). There is so much more in this book to learn about the food and culture. One of my exotic books.

I thought of another cookbook that sells really well: George Foreman cookbooks! I love my George Foreman Grill-use it all the time. The books are well worth getting.

One of my favrite places to eat in Las Vegas is at Ellis Island Casino-one of the best deals in town-for $6.99, you get a 16 ounce beer from their micro brewery on site, a large salad, a baked potatoe and a 10 ounce top sirloin (and the steak is really good). What a deal!

Also, yesterday, besides picking up the fabulous rasberries, I picked up a bag of 6 pears and a bag filled with a dozen plums, for $.99 each.

That,s all for n0w.
Cookbook Val

Raspberry Pie in a Chocolate Graham Crust

There were raspberries available today, so today I made a raspberry pie. But, it had to chill for 3 hours and I don't eat usually after 6pm. It looks delicious. I'll try a piece when I'm back in town on Sunday.

I found an interesting cookbook to tell you about today. I listed this on my EBay website Valerie2901. So, the cookbook is called Centel's Classified Cooks, a bicentennial collection of recipes from the employees of Central Telephone Company's Nevada Division. I was a little daunted by the 1st recipe I came across: Busy Mother's Recipe for Roasting Rabbit, but I pushed on and I love this book! My favorite: Down Home Tennessee Barbecue:
1st Day:
In Crock Pot (on low):
2 1/2 lbs. beef roast, cut in chunks
2 1/2 lbs. pork roast, cut in chunks
salt and pepper
After at least 10 hours, (may need to skim off some juice), add: 2 tbsp. chopped fine onions and 1 clove garlic (chopped)
2nd day:
Add 1 bottle barbecue sauce (hickory suggested) or 18 ounce homemade
3rd day:
Add 1 large head cabbage, shredded. Continue cooking at least 4 hours after cabbage added.
May be cooked in roasting pan in oven at 150 F. for 4 days. Cook meat and onions and sauce, 3 days, add cabbage 4th day.
Stirring is not required.

Is this a great recipe or what! I can so see this working!

I also found two other recipes in this book I love: Corn Cob Jelly, using real corn cobs & Irish Moss Jelly, for the treatment of rheumatic affections. Do you love this or what?

Anyway all of you out in the land of internet. I don't have alot to say today. Up way too early, wanted to go see Don Rickles at the Orleans, but not in my budget. Just swimming, working on my great tan. I am so fair, I will never be dark-dark, just light tan with lots of freckles.

That's it for not.
Cookbook Val

Soybeans-another Protein?

I don't eat much in the way of beans. Occasionally, I may have some chickpeas in my salads, but that's it. But today in listing my books on my EBay website-Valerie2901, I came across two new books that seemed interesting. One was The Art of Tofu and The Proteins for Pennies Cookbook-the first book of gourmet soybean cookery. Over 200 delicious, super-nutritious recipes. Did you know that soybeans contains three times as much protein as roast beef, but none of its built-in fat? Soybeans are filled with all-important minerals and iron and it's virtually starch-free. It still hasn't convinced me to be a soybean eater yet, but it's something to keep in mind for the future.

And interestingly enough, my biggest purchasers of vegetarian cookbooks are those living in Canada, not California. Times are changing. I can remember going to Canada to a local drugstore (similar to Walgreen's), and there would be 2-3 full store aisles of diabetic foods available. Family has a summer cottage in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada-I didn't want you to think I only ever went to one drugstore in Canada and this was my full perception of the health and lifestyle of the average Canadian. Like I said, times are changing, so are eating habits.

Is anyone out there reading this? I spend all day trying to think up topics and ideas. But again, this is good for me, it's getting me to write again. Even if it is only to myself.

The only cooking I've done this week is grilling some turkey hot dogs, and chicken-filled polish sausage (not bad, actually). I just can't seem to get motivated to bake or do real cooking.

You may not know this, but I am a great wine drinker. Did you know that you get a liter of wine at Trader Joe's for $2.99 per bottle (sometimes great, sometimes not so great) and at Wal-Mart for $2.49 per bottle. Again, sometimes very good, sometimes not so good. Some Kroger's stores (Smiths stores out west) have become competitive with a $2.99 bottle, but usually only those close to a Trader Joe's store. Kroger's wine is actually pretty good most of the time.

On September 5, 2009... there is going to be a Bridal Show at the Green Valley Resort, Spa & Casino. I so want to get married. It's not going to happen, but I so want it. Anyway, things planned are a Bridal Gown Giveaway, Bridal Fashion Shows-all day long, One-Stop Planning, Battle of the Bakers-Wedding Cake Bake Off, Catering Contest (free food) and more. I'm going, everyone needs a little pain and free food in their lives. Maybe I'll win the Bridal Gown, then I just need to find a man to marry me-I'm halfway there! If you need more information, please go to www.lasvegasbride.com.

That's all for now.
Cookbook Val

No cooking today!

I am trying to find time to cook and for the last 2 days, all I have done is run errands. Plus I can't decide what recipe to use next. Since I can't decide what to cook, I'm going to tell you about my EBay site-Valerie2901. I have always sold one thing or another on EBay, but when I moved to Las Vegas, I decided to focus on one thing-cookbooks. I have a couple hundred of my own, plus I like reading cookbooks. So I decided to give it a shot. I am doing very well with this.

The best sellers for cookbooks are: Grilling/Barbecuing(you're all probably saying, yeah, I get that), then making homemade bread/bread machines (who would have thought so many people had time to still make bread) and then exotic cookbooks (ex: Indian Cooking (like from India), Slow Cookers would be next and then all the Sunset/Southern Living Annuals (this I expect, you usually get 400 + recipes in these books).

One book, I am going to focus on is The Victorian Kitchen-Best of Milk & Honey. A pretty book with lots of color photographs, perfect for planning your next Tea Party. The thing about this book is it only has 30 recipes! And yet, I know this will be sold in the upcoming week, with only 30 recipes. This book reveals the recipes and the techniques perfected by the Victoria cook and shows you how you too can transform milk and cream into elegant syllabubs, pale and interesting blancmanges, luscious homemade ices and rich ambitious desserts. This could almost be described an an exotic book-not from a foreign land, but a past time. I have to study up, because at this point I don't know what syllabubs and blancmanges are.

That's what is so interesting about cookbooks. Reading them, being inspired to cook-I love it.

No longer a redhead, but back to being blonde again. After the hairdresser literally stripped the red color out of my hair and not applying another color, I ended up with dark golden blonde-just the right color.

If you ever come to Las Vegas-look at Craigslist under free tickets. Lots of shows that need to fill showrooms will offer free tickets. Mostly comedy clubs and magic shows, but occasionally big names pop up. Recently I saw the Dixie Dooley Show-the man has been performing magic for the last 30 years, the show was great. Geared towards the family audience, I was entertained and enthralled. The Mayor of Las Vegas, even made November 13th-Dixie Dooley Day, to honor his commitment to magic and longevity in Las Vegas. Also, if you're in Las Vegas for Halloween, October 31st, Dixie is going to have a seance and to try and contact Houdini-this is the only seance, endorsed by the Harry Houdini family.

That's all for now. CookBook Val

People Get A Grip!

Once again, I am politically incorrect. I am so sorry, that I have an opinion in life. All's I want to do is enjoy life, sell cookbooks (EBay-Valerie2901), and have my own cooking show someday. I have opinions on many things in life and America has become so sensititve to each and everything. You make a comment about an individual and you're a racist-except you weren't making an opinion based on the race of the individual, or the nationality, just about the individual. Or you're a major gossip. People, if you don't want personal information passed around, you should stop bragging about your sex life and such. There is such a thing as saying "don't say anything, this is between us", but if you don't say anything, then all is fair game.

When I was young and beautiful, I made a career out of dating spies-CIA, DEA & FBI. I had a documented profile, that said I had a big mouth and to qualify anything that shouldn't be repeated. Again, if you didn't qualify confidential information, then it was great gossip to pass among my friends.

Moving on, releasing the anger. Every cook needs an apron. Why, to keep the spills and splotches from getting all over your clothes, while you're cooking. That's going to be my christmas present to friends and family this year. An apron, with their name embroidered on it-like Chef Nick (for my son). Everyone will be a Chef this year.

I'm back in Las Vegas, shipping and packing off all my cookbooks for EBay and visiting my thrift stores. Today, among many, I visited the New Vista Emporium on W. Charleston. Their best buys are the great leather couches (sets) that they receive as donations. Selling for an individual sofa from $200 to a 3 piece set for $800. I keep trying to catch one of them, but I haven't achieved it yet. I just see them as they are getting packed off to the new owner.

Do you ever think you receive signs from above? I do, but I'm trying to find out the latest signs and their meanings. When I reached my home late last night, I found a white feather (in my home) and a set sapphire. The white feather suppp0sedly means cowardice-me or someone else and the sapphire. The sapphire was already set in white gold. Now, I set gemstones, especially sapphires, but this wasn't one of mine that I set. I have housekeeping, so I assume that the sapphire was left in error by the housekeeper. The white feather is another story, still looking up what it might mean.

But I have had other signs, the most recent was on my laptop. A few months ago, I lost the letter V on my laptop, it just popped off. I let it go. Not the end of the world, just have to press down harder on the letter V. On Friday, 6 new letters popped off, all at once, within minutes of each other. I contacted Dell to see if my warranty was still intact and they arranged for repair. The warranty is set to expire in less than 2 weeks! The repair man said, if I had to repair this on my own, the hardware would have cost more than a new computer.

Two months ago, my battery died on my car. Found someone to help me jump the car. Next day, went to the auto repair place and he said the battery was fine. 2 hours later, someone hit my car in a parking lot at a superstore & then waited for me (miracle all on its own). While getting my car info available for insurance company, found out my tags were expiring in 5 days. Now, I would have been very upset, if the police had stopped me and told me my tags were expired and fined me additional money-which I couldn't afford at the time.

Many other signs. I have to keep reminding myself that I am a lucky woman. I have so much more than most. I have a good career, good health, family and 2 men who love me (son & someone else). What more do I need in life!

Still looking for a recipe which features almond paste-something unusual untried, something with chicken or beef involved. I have found a pie recipe I would like to try, but so many ingredients-this would be one expensive pie.

That's all for now. Cookbook Val

People Get A Grip!

Apology for being polictly incorrect

In my last blog, I referred to a group of mentally retarded young men and women (in reference to: Opportunity Village). I have just been told, the correct term is disabled. I do apologize if I offended anyone. People are so sensitive these days. Today, I encountered a young boy with sensory issues (bottom-line-autistic). I know what autistic is and I know how to assist the needs of an autistic child/adult. I don't know know how to assist an all-encompassing disabled or sensory sensitive individual. We are way too sensitive these days.

Alright, how many of you drink diet coke or diet products with aspartame in them. Next time you drink one, look on the side panel of ingredients. Look for the word phenylalnine-translation: embaling fluid. The FDA requires products with aspartame to list this preservative. It is the consumers responbility to know what they're drinking. I discovered this, because a colleague of mine, convinced me that by not drinking diet coke, I would actually lose weight. She had lost 33 pounds in a one-year period, losing diet coke,detoxifying her body of it. Note-she didn't need to lose weight, she had other health issues. So, I looked it up on the internet and came up with embalming fluid. While I have only lost 5 pound in the last 6 weeks, she predicted I would lose all my back fat first-which I did, in the 1st 4 weeks. Now I see little pockets of fat lost in my stomach-not overall, just pockets.

Two weeks ago, I dyed my hair red. Then I changed my mind and decided to go back to dark blonde. The hair color box assured me that I would go from red to blonde. I even bought the expensive hair color..Red beats blonde. Still red haired, I've decided to strip my hair color with cheap hotel shampoos. Will keep you posted on the cheap shampoo stripping of color.

This week's cooking will include almond paste. I have one recipe for stuffed chicken breasts, stuffed with almond paste, mozzarella cheese. & bread crumbs & sauteed in a sherry cooking sauce, that is incredible. I will try and find something new to do with almond paste this week.

Peace be with you.

Cookbook Val

Spicy Avocado Dressing?

I love the chicken at El Loco Pollo or is it El Pollo Loco (translates-The Crazy Chicken) & one of their salsas/sauces they serve is a spicy avocado dressing-which they won't divulge the ingredients. I thought maybe it was really just a jalapeno dressing, but that isn't it. My wish list also is to have their marinade that they put on their chicken, prior to grilling. The best grilled chicken in town. They have fast food stores (but all grilled chicken) in most major cities.

I'm in Charlotte, NC, sitting in a hotel on a Sunday afternoon with no TV reception, due to the pouring rain outside. I'm surprised the internet has held up with all the thunder and lightening outside. My flight will be delayed tonight, I can see it already.

I'm amazed how many people are obessed with weather. Did you know that there are 3 hurricanes in the Atlantic right now. My co-workers are constantly huddled over their Blackberry, tracking the progress. Like maybe it will fly off its path and maybe hit Charlotte, as we lounge in our hoel rooms.

Back to my thrift store shopping in Las Vegas. No, I'm not obessed with it, but I do enjoy the buys, I sometimes find. The Oppotunity Village on Main St. Not the best of areas. It seems to be a fledgling art/antique district. The store is located next to a Bail Bonds office. Inside the store it is kept neat and clean, with 3-4 supervisors on duty and approximately 15 mentally retarded young men & women. The staff is amazingly so patient with their workers-while teaching them basic skills in a retail environment. This store has some local connection with Pier One Imports and donations. Lots of new Pier One stuff sold here all the time for $.99 and up. I have bought some future good Christmas presents here. They also recently got a huge brand new wedding dresses donation-in every size from $20 & up. Every time I visit, there is at least one future bride trying on a wedding dress that she can actually afford to buy. It is so sweet to see!

I know some people are reading this now. It feels good to be interactive (is this a correct statement) on the internet.

I am alone out there?

Since m0ving to Las Vegas, 8 months ago, I sometimes feel all alone. There's no one there but me. I fill in my time, in between business trips out of town, making the thrift store runs for my cookbooks that I sell on EBay, cooking, and lying by the pool working on my tan.

I am out of town now on a business trip and won't be back until late Monday night. Then back to shipping and packing those cookbooks from orders that came in out over the weekend. Lately, the EBay cookbooks selling is alot of work. But then again, the more cookbooks I sell, the less I may have to work at my real job. At least that's the plan.

I enjoy searching for the cookbooks in the thrift stores. There are great thrift stores in Las Vegas, the land of living to excess.

I cook alot while I'm home, sometimes for my own personal cookbook, sometimes for fun. My second cookbook when finished will be a 20 year collection of chicken wings. After all I was raised in the land of chicken wings-Buffalo, NY.

As far as my great tan goes, my friends and family are horrified (or maybe jealous). I keep the sunblock on my face and the rest of my body is out in the sun to gather more freckles and darken enough to make all the freckles seem to join together. I need the sun and heat so badly. It is so cold here in the land of air conditioning.

I do make it out to shows occasionally, but they are not in my weekly budget.

Cooking tip I ran across- When measuring peanut butter, first spray glass or cup with non-stick cooking spray. It will slide right out, no muss, no fuss.

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val

Banana Cream Pie

I made a banana cream pie the other night and finally got around to tasting it last night. The taste was wonderful, the looks, not so good. In many fruit pies, you can use over ripe fruit and it doesn't make any difference. But not so with bananas-I had used bananas starting to go to mush, sliced them up in my pie and when the pie was sliced, that's what I saw-small pieces of light brown mush bananas. I will know next time-firm ripe bananas only.

Last night I tried a recipe called Chicken on a Diet. It sounded good. 3 chicken breasts baked at 325 F for 1 hour with 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1 can of orange soda. The chicken was tender, but otherwise no distinguishable flavor to it. Then again, you don't know how it's going to work out, until you at least try.

I don't know where I'm going with this blog. Just writing to keep the creative juices flowing. For years, I wrote travel articles pubished in newspapers all over the U.S. Now, I write this. Maybe this will inspire me to finally write my Romantic Adventure Novel or maybe this will lead to a cooking show that I want to do. Or maybe I'll just cook my little heart out and finally finish my cook books. In the meanwhile, I am writing this for me, a place to talk about my cooking adventures.

I live in Las Vegas and I found a new store chain here where everything is priced .99. Not the Dollar Tree, the $.99 store. All there vegetables and produce are all $.99. Fresh raspberries, blueberries, asparagus, red, orange and yellow peppers-I am so amazed at this. Of course, you have to be there at the right time and place. I have watched women buy 20 pints of blueberries and then eat them in the check-out line like candy. This is obviously the place to buy fruits and vegetables in Las Vegas. They said new shipments come in Tuesdays, but I tried one of the big stores, at Charleston & Decatur and I didn't notice more or less. I do know not to go in Saturday afternoons for fruits and vegs, because everything is gone. Even their food in the frozen section-which is adequate, but nothing to write about.

I also found a thrift store chain I like for kitchen ware called Savers. I have noticed they get alot of commercial kitchen equipment. So I'll be there each week checking out the kitchen ware. They also have clothes, furniture, etc, but I'm be there for the kitchen ware. I found the other day, a heavy duty sauce pan I need for $5.99 with cover, thought it looked good, felt heavy. Found it on the internet as Professional cookware. The next day, I went to pick up some more pieces and they were already gone. I did manage to get an electric fondue, perfect for some deep frying, when you don't want to use a big pot or fryer for $4.99 and a solid 24-inch one-piece wooden rolling pin for $2.99. I love getting great buys.

Your friend on the internet, Cookbook Val

Marlboro Country Cookbook

No, I am not a smoker and I am not advocating smoking, but this is a good looking cookbook-Morning Fires, Evening Lights. As I said before, I sell cookbooks, new and used on EBay-look for me at Valerie2901. When I picked up this book, I was very impressed with the photography and recipes in it. I placed it for sale on EBay, but then decided to save it for myself. For my 26 year-old son for Christmas-it was basic enough for him-a fledgling cook ,but by the time I got back to my website, the bids were already in. I wasn't quick enough and now have lost out on what could have been a great Christmas present! Again, it is a basic cookbook, but the pictures are beautiful and if you can run across another one, I would grab it.

One recipe I did snag, bef0re mailing this off was for a Rum Fruit Jar:

In a clean, sterilized jar, place leftover fruit in season(sliced, diced, etc), 1-4 cups of sugar (I had alot of seasonal fruit leftover, so this allowed for less sugar) and fill the rest of the space with rum or brandy. Keep filling with rum or brandy as needed to keep the fruit covered. Place in a cool, dark spot for at least 6 weeks. Use on pound cake, french toast, pancakes or waffles.

What a great way to use fruit that was going to be uneaten anyway.

Today, I was talking with my TV Producer friend and he told me what a great cook I was. To which I replied, I am not a great cook, but I am a "enthusiastic cook". When I make mistakes, I just keeping trying. Some things work, some things fail. But my friend only remembers the things that work (thank goodness) and he tells me that I make him so hungry all the time, describing flavors and different ingredients that I work with. That's how I feel about Rachel Ray and Paula Deen-they are "enthusiastic cooks" and they bring that across when they are cooking. Especially Paula Deen, she makes me laugh when she tastes her own food and expresses them to the audience. I know just how she feels. So we did talk again about a cooking show for me and I said I was willing to have a stationary show, if I could be the Queen of Pies-only making pies. Once again, me trying to control things, my way only, but I do love making pies. Maybe next season.

In the meanwhile, I have bought some kiwi to make a pie with and can't find a recipe that interests me. Why, kiwi-again the price was right-6 kiwi fruits for $.99. And did you know, you can keep kiwi in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for up to 6 months! So my quest for a baked kiwi pie continues. Most of the recipes I have come across are either tarts, or just placing kiwi on top of a cream pie. Not too exciting.

Cookbook Val

My Cooking Show

Since this is my blog and the chance of anyone reading it is slim, I can express my hopes and dreams in the land of cooking. One day, I want my own Cooking/Travelling Show. I have had TV producers interested in my concept before, but then they want to change it to their concept, of me on a cooking show-that's it. I don't cook everything, I cook whatever I'm in the mood for. Though I can be a little flexible, the type of show I want someday will be held in different cities of the U.S. each week. I will find some restaurants (possibly 2 per 30 minute show), find out what the specialities of these restaurants are and then have the chefs show me and the audience how to make it. I was asked for an example of what I meant and the TV producers were located in Palm Springs, CA, so I started with restaurants in Palm Springs. What I came up with was Sherman's Deli & Bakery, in business since 1953. For this restaurant, since it is a kosher restaurant and I'm not jewish, I thought they could show me how to make Beef'n Latkas and also how to make Passover Honey Cake. The other Chef I was interested in was actually a local caterer, who was well known for his Malayasian appetizers-Chef Heng Ngooi-he could do various appetizers in his commercial kitchen for me.

Right now I'm in my pie baking phase, testing pie recipes for my pie cookbook that I am writing. If anyone has a pie recipe to forward to me and I use it, you will get credit for it. So the other night I made a pear pie, but the topping wasn't quite right. It was supposed to be a crumble topping, but a friend had suggested I melt the butter, before mixing it with the flour & brown sugar. What a mistake, it was good to taste, but gooey and wouldn't cover the whole top of the pie. This time I will cut the butter into the crumble topping and it should work out better. I had never had a pear pie before, but the price was right for a bag of pears, so I decided to try it. Firm pears take alot longer to cook, then soft going to mush pears-more cooking time needed for this recipe. And pears when cooked actually taste alot like apples.

CookbookVal

my cookbooks

I watched the movie Julie/Julia & I'm inspired. Not to master the art of French Cooking. Too many foods involved, that I would never cook. But I do sell cookbooks on Ebay-Valerie2901 and I enjoy cooking so much. My family and friends ask me when my own cookbook will be finished. But there are 3 cookbooks, almost finished. Like Julia Child, I try and re-try recipes. So here is my blog diary. Maybe someday, someone will read this, maybe not, but it my creation, like my un-published, un-finished cookbooks. The day before yesterday, I made a pear pie. While making it, I thought oh-my-god, this smells better than sex. But when completed, it still needs work. Sex is still better, but working with almond extract/or almond paste comes to a close second.