Confessions of a Cookbook Addict

Posted on August 30, 2011 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

I am a cookbook-a-holic.

There, I’ve said it out loud…well, sort of. I know many of us have lots of cookbooks and/or love to read them, but I’ve kind of taken it to the extreme. In fact, they are running me out of the house.

My unorganized reading table of cookbooks, food mags and Ree Drummond's new book.

Sure, I have my favorites, and they rotate sometimes. I have some very old ones, hand me down ones and some found at yard sales. I have some by famous chefs, some by famous cooks, some from other countries and some from little churches, schools and Junior Leagues. And In addition to the ones I own, I’ve read a bunch that I checked out from the library. It’s like some kind of a jones or something, every now and then…mostly now…I have cravings to read a new cookbook, essay or magazine about food like others have cravings to eat some chocolate. What can I say? I’m kinda weird that way. Continue reading →

Go Grill! Sun-dried Tomato Turkey Burgers, that is…

Posted on August 23, 2011 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

Just look at that juicy, flavor-packed burger with oozy blue cheese and balsamic glazed onions tumbling out of it. Who wouldn't want to eat that?

Don’t get me wrong, I still love beef, but especially in the summer months I do like to eat a little lighter for the most part. One of my favorite items to grill is my recipe for Sun-dried Tomato Turkey Burgers with Balsamic Glazed Onions. I know what you’re thinking. “Turkey Burgers, oooooh, those are so dry. Not juicy and not a good substitution for good ole’ ground chuck!” I beg to differ. I’ve shared this recipe with a friend who said just that, and once he and his wife tasted these, they changed their minds completely, and it’s become part of their cooking repertoire. Continue reading →

words, no pictures

Posted on August 20, 2011 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

Yesterday was supposed to be a celebratory day. It was my friend’s birthday, and we had lunch together at a great new local restaurant. Later that evening, my husband and I had been invited to the home of more friends—some we don’t see often enough—for a dinner party, and I was making a peach crisp to take for dessert. Continue reading →

A Little Taste of the Mediterranean

Posted on August 17, 2011 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

Mediterranean Pasta Salad finished with a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper.

I’ve always loved a great pasta salad, full of fresh ingredients and lightly dressed. Last night I felt inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean and decided to make my pasta salad by the same name. It’s easy, makes a lot, and keeps for several days. This recipe has been the hit of many a party or pot luck gathering, and is a pretty and filling summer entree all by itself. You can find the full recipe here and the step by step is below. Mangia!

To your cooked pasta, add scallion or shallot, parsley, arugula, fresh tomatoes and Kalamata olives. But don't stir yet!

Then add the artichoke hearts with the marinade, sun-dried tomatoes with 1/4 cup of their oil, the tuna and it's oil, and then stir to combine. Lastly add the feta cheese, salt and pepper and stir again. Chill to blend the flavors and eat!

Of Mountains, Waterfalls and Picnics

Posted on August 15, 2011 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the wind longs to play with your hair.”

—Kahlil Gibran

Yesterday seemed like a perfect day to drive up to the North Georgia mountains for a little R&R from the city and we chose Amicalola Falls as our destination. Located in the Amicalola Falls State Park and situated at the southern terminous of the Appalachian Trail, it is the tallest cascade in the Southeast at 729 feet. We were pleased to find it not so crowded, and there was an invitingly cool and gentle breeze blowing…the promise of fall was in the air. Continue reading →

BSP, What You Mean to Me

Posted on August 14, 2011 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

LOTS has been written about the Brick Store Pub here in Decatur, GA. The owners—Dave Blanchard, Mike Gallagher and Tom Moore—get much due praise and press for their accomplishments with “The Brick,” as it is fondly known, and for Leon’s Full Service. They certainly deserve credit for bringing Belgian beer and Belgian style beers and ales to the palettes of Decaturites—as well as bringing Atlanta to Decatur to drink them—and their selection and skill in pouring draft is, in my opinion, the best in town. They have some pretty darn good eats at the Brick, too, including a recently updated menu featuring some tasty new items along with some old favorites, and I’ll talk more about that in a minute. Continue reading →

Local News Bit: Growlers at Sherlock’s

Posted on August 11, 2011 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

Our own Decatur Sherlock’s Wine Merchants is now pouring growlers!

I’m on their email list and they announced it a couple of days ago, but I was in there today and saw their set-up with my very own eyes. Right now they are pouring Allagash White, Bell’s Brewing Amber Ale, Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale and Port Brewing Wipeout IPA, and Warner says they’ll probably switch one out to a Creme Brulee Stout this weekend…hmmm, sounds delish!

You say Potato, and I say Frittata!

Posted on August 10, 2011 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

When I think of leftover roasted potatoes, I think “Frittata,” which is an egg-based dish similar to an omelet or a quiche, with added goodies like veggies, meat and cheeses. They are not hard to make and a fantastic way to use up some supplies in your fridge.

I’m still working through my CSA box goodies from last week, and tonight I have on hand some roasted potatoes, onions, a few grape tomatoes, bell peppers, ham, herbs, eggs and Parmesan cheese. If that doesn’t scream “frittata” I don’t know what does! Sometimes I add some raw spinach if I have it, or raw kale, which I do happen to have in my garden, so it’s going in, too. You can customize to your heart’s content. Continue reading →

Cool as a Cucumber

Posted on August 8, 2011 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

A cup of coolness, cucumber soup.

Mmmmm. This past weekend brought us some much needed rain, a few breezes and a very slight breather in the heat wave we’ve experienced this summer. But it’s still in the 90’s, and anything that has the word “chilled” as part of its name, gets my attention. We had some very pretty little cucumbers in this week’s CSA box of summer goodness, and I’ve made a quick, easy and delicious Chilled Cucumber Soup. And since my mission is to come up with delicious ways to use up all of that goodness, I made another tomato pie Saturday night—a variation on my last one that I’ll call Tomato Pie II—using a pound of red and yellow heirloom tomatoes and some beautiful organic red onions, along with some fresh basil and thyme, a little wine and some gooey-good soft goat cheese—and we had some leftover pie along with the soup, since tomatoes and cucumbers go together so wonderfully well. Continue reading →

A Superb Summer Sandwich: Pan Bagnat

Posted on August 4, 2011 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

Recently, Pan Bagnat has come back across my radar. What a wonderful summer sandwich it is, and why haven’t I made it in such a long time? I believe the first time I tasted it was in the south of France, where it’s very common and you can find many different versions of it. It tasted so good on a hot summer day, was easy to make, and I made it many times right after we returned. But as time marched on, I somehow forgot about it. Then, just last week, I saw a post on a blog in France about Pan Bagnat made with fresh produce from a Mediterranean garden, and it looked so yummy that it brought the taste back to me, and I’ve been craving it. Continue reading →