Top 10 Recipes and the Barefoot Contessa

From here

Do you know who the Barefoot Contessa is?  If you have Foxtel or cable you may have come acroos her, otherwise in Australia you are unlikely to have any clue.  She is Ina Garten, who began her food career with a gourmet food shop and catering business and now has many cookbooks and a TV  cooking show.

From here

Ina Garten lives in the Hamptons with her husband Jefferey in the most beautiful house.  I recommend just watching the show for a glimpse of her garden (here is a website that has many beautiful pictures of her place).  You can find her blog here and her main website here. I find most of Ina's recipes too rich (my husband has dubbed her 10-tonne Tessa - in a loving way you understand) and seasoned too much for my taste but she does have some great shortcuts and ideas for parties.  Her webside has both recipes and menus.

From here

On one episode I remember Ina saying if you have 10 great recipes that you do well, and then three variations of each recipe you will have a repertoire that can deal with most scenarios.  I have been thinking for awhile what my 10 dishes would be - it has been hard to think of what my 10 core recipes are.  I thought that I would do a series of posts showing my 10 recipes and their variations.  I also think that one could add another series on what you can make from the leftovers from any of these meals to get an even greater variety of dishes.

So far here are my 10:

1. Risotto
2. Roast Vegetables with cheese
3. Pizza
4. Vegetable Soup
5. Curry
6. Pasta Salad
7. Fish Cakes
8. Vegetable Tart/Quiche
9. Chilli
10. Roast Chicken

As you will notice most of these are vegetarian.  Having one vegetarian and one omnivore in the house, I have had to come up with dishes that both of us will eat with only one thing added or taken away for the other.   With a baby who is also having solids I also have been trying to think of foods that can be given to him without salt that will not mean having to cook another meal!


What are your top 10 dishes?

Blog Love: What I'm Reading

Not that I have a lot of time for reading - so mostly I am currently looking at blogs with a lot of pictures and also blogs that are written by mothers.

Here is my current reading list:

A Bowl Full Of Lemons

I thought that I had a stationery problem - it's not looking so bad now.  This site is the stuff of dreams - I have never seen anyone so organised or colour co-ordinated in my life.  If you are looking to do some culling and organising or thinking about how to set about your finances, pantry, emergency supplies or anything else for that matter, this is the site for you.

The Japanese Vegetarian Kitchen

My Mum put me onto this site - it is written in English by a Japanese speaker as a way to practise her English.  All the recipes here have step-by-step photographs, few ingredients and taste amazing.  There is not posting schedule but there is plenty in the archives to keep you in the kitchen.  Many of the recipes are also vegan, and if you have trouble finding ingredients, Izumi often lists alternates that you can use.

Mamacino

This blog is written by an Australian Mum, Kristen who is interested in "kids, food, travel, life" but the bit that interests me most of course is the food.  The blog features advice on everyday life as well as featuring recipes and links to other great resources (hello the world of probiotics).  The photography is also amazing and the styling to-die-for.

 

Wild Fermentation

I know this title sounds a bit weird but I, like everyone else, seem to be hooked on probiotics and making them myself (not that I have actually done anything about it yet).  This is a resource blog - not too many pictures.  If you want to know how to make something like kimchi or some type of fermented vegetable this is your mecca.  Written by American Sandor Ellix Katz who looks on fermented foods as an important part of healing the body.