August 2009 Archives

Living life is joyous on occasion, rough going sporadically (hopefully), and even keel on most days.  The aforementioned goes for superstar power brokers and well endowed professional athletes - life, as a matter of fact, is ever changing and a challenge (and mundane at times).  

There are, however ,a few simple tips you can keep in mind to optimize life (the tips, of course, are not exhaustive and are meant as a discussion starter while you're showering in the morning pondering those great thoughts): 

 

Thinking on your feet is quite possibly the No. 1 practical skill set of all time.  The skill set can aid in a multitude of scenarios from an impromptu discussion on the value of the product line you manage with the company CEO to the ability to argue a position or answer a question in your college seminar. Thinking on your feet can also land you the ideal job you are looking for because, at the heart of it, a job interview is a sort of spontaneous conversation where the hiring manager is evaluating your ability to speak and formulate ideas.  Simply put, if you can't think on your feet you might as well be flipping burgers as the local McDonalds.

If you distill small talk to it's very essence, it's about being able to handle social situations well.  A person who does small talk well can relate to just about anyone (from the local sanitation worker to the academic at the local college) and quickly situate himself in a social setting and make friends, communicate that he or she is a trustworthy individual, and ultimately put the group or person he / she is engaged with in a calm and agreeable manner.

OK, I'm currently typing this blog entry in shorts, black socks, and with a little bit of scruff on my chin (read: I haven't shaved in two days), yet I'm telling you it's vital that you take your appearance seriously (I'd look better if our 6 week old wasn't dominating our life currently).  I've heard that half of life is merely showing up and looking good; that may be true, but the looking good part should consist of daily exercise, dental hygiene (read brush your teeth, floss, and visit the dentist), regular haircuts and the use of hair product (I'm serious), and respectable, but not too showy and ostentatious, clothing.  You convey a ton to people well before you open your mouth, so get the easy part right and simply look good (it's not hard).

Like thinking on your feet, the ability to be flexible with life is key to living well.  As much as planning and thoughtful analysis is part of my DNA, I see the ability to quickly change directions in life and adapt to shifting professional, family, and social situations as an even more vital skill set.  I think the aforementioned skill set is especially important for younger folks in their twenties and early thirties when patience and seeing the big picture can be difficult (contrary to popular belief, I think older folks are better capable and equipped  to change or adapt).

  

I've written on the virtues of maintaining a strong connection to mom and dad time and time again.  And it's not just mom and dad you want to keep close, but also sisters, brothers, in-laws, uncles, aunts, and cousins.  Maintaining strong family ties creates a real world social network that can help with renovating your home, raising your 1st born child, dealing with difficult life decisions, and just living life in general.  At the risk of sounding like a right leaning conservative, family is vital.  Now, I do include a few close friends within my family group, but I don't have too many close friends because it takes time to nurture friendships (and let's face it, you can't raise a family, work, stay close to mom, dad, and sis, and maintain relationships with 50 "close" friends).

I have to admit that I purchased my first bottle of Turmeric because of the bright orange color.  I use Turmeric in my turkey chili recipe as well as on roasted, bone-in, chicken breast.  Recently, I've been experimenting with Turmeric and pork.  One of my favorite pork cuts is the center cut pork chop (sliced into cutlets).  This is essentially a bone out pork chop which has been thinly sliced (you can do this yourself or buy the cutlets like this at the market, of course the latter will cost you more).  

I usually prepare the same side dishes to go with my Turmeric pork cutlets, namely, sautéed whole button mushrooms and pan fried potatoes with red onion and white wine (I use the white wine to deglaze my pan after the potatoes and onion have caramelized <note: I'm not after a crispy potato with this application>).

Let's start with the ingredients:

- 2 pork chops (with or without bone).

- Juice of half a lemon

- Salt and pepper

- 1 tablespoon of Turmeric

- 2-3 sprigs of Italian parsley

- 2 large potatoes

- 1 medium sized red or white onion

- ½ cup of good white wine (something you would drink)

- 1 package of small white button mushrooms (leave whole).  TIP: As Jacques Pepin says, don't splurge on expensive mushrooms, you can get good flavor from standard white mushrooms.

- 2-3 tabs of butter

- Olive oil

For the pork cutlets begin by slicing your pork chop into three thin pieces; I like to stand the pork chop on it's side and cut through the meat with a sharp knife (make sure you're not using a dull knife).  If your chops have a bone simply remove it and save it for soup or roast it in the oven (it's hard to get all the meat off the bone).  Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of your pork cutlets and pound them until you get the appropriate thinness.  You can pound the pork until the meat is paper thin or you can simply reduce the size of the meat by roughly half (it's up to you, but make sure you use a good mallet, I like the following meat tenderizer).  

After the pork has been sliced and pounded, heat up a large pan over medium to high hear (doesn't need to be non-stick) and add 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil.  At the same time, flower your cutlets with a combination of white flour, turmeric, salt, and pepper.  Make sure to remove any excess flour.  Next, place your cutlets in the hot pan and sear on both sides for 1-2 minutes, you're looking to get good color and not to cook the meat all the way through.  Remove the meat from the pan and place on a clean dish once the desired color has been achieved.  In the same pan, add your butter and allow to melt down.  Thereafter, add your lemon and place the meat back in the pan.  Combine the ingredients and let the pork cook an additional 2-3 minutes.  Add a bit more salt and pepper after tasting your sauce (if needed).

For the mushrooms, simply heat up a small pan and add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil.  At the same time, thoroughly wash your mushrooms (yes, you can submerge mushrooms in water to clean them as long as you use them right away) and dry them as best as possible.  Thereafter, add the mushrooms to your hot pan along with plenty of salt and pepper.  Sautee the mushrooms for 6-9 minutes.  You're looking for the water in the mushrooms to be released and for caramelization to occur.  Keep the mushrooms moving in the pan given that you're working with a hot pan.  

For the white wine potatoes, begin by peeling two large potatoes and thinly slicing them into 1/8 slices.  One you have all of your potatoes sliced submerge them in a large bowl with clean water; thoroughly wash the starch off the potatoes and repeat this process.  Heat up a large non stick pan and add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add your potatoes, along with a good amount of salt and pepper, and let them sit for 4-5 minutes before turning (you want to let the potatoes cook and establish some color before turning them).  Do the same after stirring the potatoes and repeat until all sides of the potatoes are brown and cooked.  Once the potatoes have been cooked remove them to a clean bowl and add your thinly sliced onion along with salt and pepper to your hot pan (along with a bit more olive oil).  Sauté the onions until translucent and add the potatoes back to the pan.  Stir the mixture well and make sure your pan is hot (this is key for deglazing).  Finally, add your white wine and scrape the pan to loosen up all the good browned bits.  I realize that this is an unorthodox process for pan fried potatoes but the flavor is very pleasing when combined with the Turmeric pork; again, this technique will not yield crispy potatoes.  

Enjoy the pork, potatoes, and mushrooms with a crisp lager, like Pilsner Urquell or an equivalent beer.

Nothing makes a home more desirable these days then a new kitchen with all the bells and whistles (well maybe good schools and neighborhoods are more important!).   And most new homeowners either look for a home with a great kitchen or desire to renovate their kitchen at some point during the homeownership experience.

The kitchen home renovation process is grueling, and if done correctly, very rewarding in terms of ROI and pleasure-factor (that is to say, how it feels to spend time in a new space).  You can, indeed, avoid some of the grueling aspects of the kitchen renovation process, but there is no way to avoid feeling frustrated, defeated, and upset during some stage of the renovation project - this is just a fact.  

Here, then, are my 11 major kitchen renovation tips and advice:

1. Avoid adding square feet to your kitchen by expanding. Adding a room or even a small bump out to increase the size of your kitchen will be costly and complicated (permits, foundation work, framing, etc.)  Instead, see if you can find additional space in an adjacent closet, hallway, sun room, etc.  Large, open, kitchens are the current fad, but that may not always be the case (especially when you go and sell in twenty years).  Plus, you don't need a huge kitchen to cook great food and you'll avoid being a slave to your general contractor for 6-12 months.  Kiplinger Magazine even offers the same advice!

2. Splurge on cabinets and flooring.  If there are two elements of your kitchen that will take the most abuse it's your floor and cabinets.  Opt for solid wood cabinet faces and full plywood box construction.  Also, look for drawers that have dovetail joinery and bulky mechanical slides (I like the Blum line of mechanisms and hinges, some Ikea cabinets even use Blum hings!).  I've found that it doesn't really matter who the cabinet company is, but very important if they incorporate the above construction and design items into their product.  On the flooring side, avoid hardwood floors (it just doesn't make sense in a room that will see tons of foot traffic, spills of all sorts, water, etc.)  Instead opt for a Porcelain tile or possibly a natural stone surface (though the latter will require sealing).  Hardwood floors are nice to stand on because they give a little and help with back pain, but it's no substitute for the resilience of a solid, and indestructible, tile surface.   

3. High end appliances don't always perform better.  It's a fact that a $10,000 Viking stove will not boil water faster than a $500 Amana stove, however an industrial will often give you additional burners, beefier construction, and the looks most folks desire in a high end kitchen renovation.  We opted for a duel fuel Wolf stove (6 burner) and it has worked very well thus far, however the stove is very difficult to clean and the large oven takes a long time to reach temperature.  

4. Gut it!  Just like I advocate in my five tips on bathroom renovations, it's best if you gut your existing kitchen so that you can re-wire, re-plumb, level the floor, look for potential problems, etc.

5. DIY within reason.  Professionals cost money and general contractors cost even more.  I would stay away from hiring a general contractor and opt for a 50/50 job where you outsource to professionals for technical tasks (new gas line, installing cabinets, etc.) and insource (i.e. DIY) for not so hard jobs like demolition, painting, etc.

6. Do your research and compare prices when it comes to cabinet makers, appliances, faucet, cabinet hardware, etc.  That is to say, make sure you visit 3-4 appliance shops and cabinet designers and get plenty of estimates on your stove, fridge, dish washer, etc. You can often receive a discount if you purchase all of your appliances from one shop.  On the research side make sure to read plenty of user reviews, read reliability ratings, and check out the manufacturer warranty specs.  Our appliances have had good reliability thus far and the only issue we're really had is with a counter depth Maytag refrigerator (Model MFC2061HE) whose water line (for interior water dispensing) stops working at random times.  On the faucet and cabinet hardware side we purchased all of our material online and saved a ton (I would opt for a high quality faucet and cabinet hardware, we purchased a Rohl Perrin and Rowe bridge faucet and bought cabinet hardware from Horton Brass <Horton has excellent customer service!>).  We also have a Rohl farmhouse sink which has worked well, but beware the surface isn't as tough as they claim and farmhouse sinks, in general, cause lots of water to splash out into your lap and kitchen floor given lower height.  The GardenWeb Kitchen forum is an excellent source for kitchen renovations in terms of asking questions and contacting folks who are going through the renovation process.  

7. Stone surfaces are nice, but require upkeep.  Shh, and don't tell anyone, but Formica countertops are great!  Formica is easy to clean and cheap, but unfortunately it gives a new kitchen a cheap kind of feel.  In turn, most high end kitchen renovations include a stone countertop surface.  Generally, granite is the best choice in terms of durability, price, and upkeep time.  Marble and soap stone require constant maintenance and can chip very easily (marble also yellows over time and it's not pretty after a few years).  We have a standard granite in our kitchen and it has been fairly easy to maintain thus far (I seal it every 6 months and wipe it down every night).

8. Lighting is important.  We live in an older type home and have original, and some replica, lighting throughout our house.  Our kitchen has replica school house fixtures from Rejuvenation Hardware and they look great, however I wish we would have gone with some additional recessed lighting.  We do have pendants over the main work surface and sink, but some general task lighting over the entire kitchen would have provided more light.  

9. Don't overlook ventilating your kitchen.  Whether you opt for an industrial-like stove or go with a traditional 4 burner model, you should overcompensate when it comes to an exhaust system (especially if you do any sort of consistent or serious cooking).  Moreover, try and get your stove installed on an outside wall so that you don't have a long run to the outside (with your vent tubing).  We have a Vent-a-Hood vent and it is quiet, easy to maintain, and very efficient and powerful.  

10. It helps if your basement is not finished when it comes to renovating a kitchen - let me explain.  When you re-wire, re-plumb, add a new gas line, etc. you'll need to access to your electrical panel, water system, main gas line, etc. and, you guessed it, all this stuff is locate in basement (specifically the basement ceiling area).  So, if you're basement is finished you or your pro is going to have a hell of a time running electrical wire, new copper pipes, etc. (this is a small example of why a plumber, for example, will charge you a ton for new kitchen work.).

11. Set up a make shift kitchen in your basement with a cooking element, sink, table, and your old fridge.  Avoid the urge to go out and eat every night and spend even more money by cooking some of your meals at home.   It's not fun eating in your basement, but your waistline and pocketbook will thank you when you're done with the project.

When Tommaso arrived a little over 5 weeks ago he did not come with a technical specification document (that's geek speak for instructions on how he was built).  You see if Tommaso had the correct documents I could simply troubleshoot his crying, turning red, uncontrollable kicking, etc. as opposed to the, ummm, going with my gut type behavior I'm exhibiting these days.  

Here are some things I've learned this past month (to possibly help you avoid going with the gut thing):

1. Prepare for the unexpected.  What does non stop crying or a little bit of blood in spit up mean?  Moreover, is gas normal for newborns and has little Timmy eaten enough tonight?  Newborns are reacting to their bodies and mom and dad just react to little Timmy (the tough part is that parents don't know when a particular reaction is coming or what it means).  The expression, "going with the flow" never rang so true.

2. You will not sleep (very much) - it's true.  Functioning without sleep is difficult at first, but after the first few days you will adjust and function fine.  Most babies begin sleeping through the night after 3 months or so (thank God).  

3. Specialization (thank you, Marx).  It's almost impossible to "share" taking care of the baby.  Naturally, you and your partner will excel at doing certain tasks over others (learn who can do what better and divide and conquer).  This is efficient sharing.

4. Breast Feeding is Tough.  As I've told many people, my wife is doing most of the "heavy lifting" when it comes to nurturing our new son.  That is to say, she is breast feeding and while things are going smoothly now, breast feeding was a challenge in the early stages (don't even ask).  So, bribe your lactation consultant at the hospital and get to know other moms who are going through the same experience (actually, someone should build a Google for breast feeding).

5. Ask for Help / Relocate Near Your Parents.  It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to take care of a newborn baby all alone.  We, for example, have had tremendous help from our parents, family, friends, etc. and we would be in terrible shape without our generous social network.  Read the above as: Don't go at it alone.  

6. Enjoy the time, it really does go by quickly.  Newborns change very quickly - from body hair to body fat, your typical baby is going through tremendous change, so try and savor each moment (specific things will never happen again!).

7. You will need lots of diapers.  We were lucky enough to have many boxes of newborn diapers given to us via my wife's baby shower and it still blows my mind how many diapers we change per day (I know it ain't' Green).

8. Speak to your baby as much as possible.  Babies respond to language even though they have yet to acquire speech.  Our 5 week old loves to follow conversations with his head and eyes; in fact, Charlie Rose has already inquired if he's available to host the show in a few years.

9. Cook in bulk / eat leftovers.  It becomes difficult to cook with a newborn (and this is coming from a dyed in the wool home cook), but if you or your significant other is making dinner one night try making a few dishes to store in the freezer.  If you can't get into the kitchen, ask friends and family to cook for you (and reward them with a bottle of wine or some time with the new baby!).

10. Go out for walks / socialize with family and friends.  You may have a tendency to lock yourself in your home and take care of your baby, but visiting family, strolls around the neighborhood, or even a quick car ride for a coffee/food does wonders for mom's mental state!

Feel free to add your tips and experiences and I'll include them in the list above!

Photo: via Veri on Flikr.

If you haven't experimented with Couscous then you're missing out on a wonderful product.  Most couscous is made from semolina wheat, but Israelis make their couscous with hard wheat and it's usually larger in size.  Traditional couscous takes a good amount of time to prepare, but most folks in the US use the quick cooking, and thus further processed, variety.    

I love the texture of couscous and appreciate the fact that it's made from whole wheat and can be made in bulk and refridgerated for use throughout the week.

Couscous ranks in the top five side dishes of all time for me and here's a quick recipe, starting with the ingredients:

- 1 cup of couscous

- 1 large ripe tomato

- 1 cucumber (with skin and seeds removed)

- 1/2 large red onion

- Fresh Basil ,Parsley, and Mint

- 1/4 cup of olive oil

- Salt and Pepper to taste

- Juice of 1/2 a lemon

- Freshly crumbled feta cheese (about 1/2 a cup) - if you can avoid buying Feta at a supermarket then do so (go to your local Greek or Mediterranean specialty shop and taste all the varieties until you find a variety you like)

To prepare the couscous itself simply bring a cup of water to a boil and then turn off gas and add couscous.  Cover the pot and let the couscous sit for 5-6 minutes.  The couscous should be light and fluffy when done.

Next, finely dice the tomato, cucumbers, and onion (small cubes) and include in a large serving bowl.  Add you couscous and mix well.   Thereafter, finely mince your herbs and add to the bowl.  Next, add olive oil and lemon juice along with feta cheese.  Mix the ingredients well and add salt and pepper after tasting the mixture.  

Enjoy with grilled pork chops and a glass of Temparanillo from Spain. 

Many homeowners are intimated with the prospect of taking care of their own lawn.  They fear cutting, fertilizing, and watering their lawn and year after year are disappointed with the way their lawn looks.  In turn, many homeowners hire a landscaper with no formal training and who charges an arm and a leg to take care of what most people see first when they come to your home (would you let anyone pick your clothes and dress you?). 

So, I'm here to tell you to fire your landscaper (that's right call him tonight) and read the following 6 lawn maintenance tips.  If your lawn doesn't looks great after a year, I'll come over and give you a lawn care tutorial (provided you don't live in sub Saharan Africa).

1. Keep your grass tall or mow high.  You know how your local golf course keeps their lawn (kind of like a green crew cut), well that will kill your lawn at home.  Keeping your lawn between 2-3 inches will allow it to retain moisture, fend off disease/blight, and give the appearance of a lush and healthy lawn.  Get to know the height settings of your lawn mower and use those setting to control grass height (especially during the late summer months).

2. Test your soil.  Contact your local cooperative extension at your local college or university and they'll mail you a soil testing kit.  A soil test will tell you how to fertilize come the Spring and Fall.  Don't just run to the local Home Depot and guess which number fertilizer you need, let a soil test tell you how to amend your soil (including lime).

3. Don't water at night or in the afternoon.  The best time to water your lawn is in the early morning, so that 1. your lawn has an opportunity to absorb the water and 2. it doesn't develop any blight due to watering too late in the evening. If your lawn is large water in stages and let the water soak in for 30-45 minutes.  You should only be watering once a week, even in extreme weather.

4. Don't hire a landscaper.  Taking care of your lawn, once you have the right equipment and know-how, is super easy and also provides an immediate pride of ownership type feeling that can motivate you to take on other projects at home.  Plus, you're saving money by cutting your own lawn and are getting exercise.

5. Detach and aerate your lawn in the Spring (once per year).  If you don't complete these two tasks you'll have a compacted, hard, lawn surface that won't allow for water and nutrients to get down into the soil (and detaching gets rid of any dead grass come the end of winter).  I detach with a rake (it's tough work), but I recommend renting an aerator from the local home center. 

6. Get the right equipment.  With any project, it's difficult to do a job well unless you have the right equipment.  In turn, make sure you purchase a quality mulching mower and sharpen the blade regularly (personally, I don't mulch because it tend to suphicate my lawn, but other folks I know have had success with mulching).  You'll also need a quality rake, fertilizer spreader, edger, and lawn shears.  I love power tools, but I don't own a string trimmer and the 5 year old electric blower gets minimal use because I prefer sweeping/raking (given the exercise).

Finally, and this isn't really a tip but rather a fact, grass will NOT grow where there is shade.  And no matter how desperately you want grass you really do need lots of sunshine for a lawn to flourish.  If you have areas where the sun only shines for 2-3 hours a day, you may want to consider other grand covers like ivy, pachysandra, etc.

Growing up in New Jersey I was surrounded by people from all over the world (on my block alone I remember families from Italy, Egypt, Lebanon, England, Spain, etc.); needless to say, the aroma of food hovered on Oregon Ave like haze hovers over Los Angeles.  

One of my favorite food smells came from my next door neighbor Amelia.  Amelia worked in the New York City garment district as a dress designer, but her real passion was food (and the occasional Americano cocktail in the afternoon).  Amelia was also born in Genoa, Italy - the Pesto capital of the world. You see, in Genoa (given it's geographic position), basil grows like wild flowers.  And the basil in Genoa isn't the metallic, bitter herb you find in your run of the mill supermarket in the US, rather it's sweet, aromatic, and more equivalent to a succulent peach then an herb.

I was lucky enough to watch Amelia make pesto on several occasions as a teenager and to this day I still use her traditional Genovese recipe when I make pesto at home.  The following is Amelia's recipe with a few caveats:

1. Try to find "young" basil; that is to say, first picked basil usually tends to be sweeter and less bitter.  Growing basil is fairly easy and I would recommend purchasing seeds from Europe.  

2. Amelia included a bit of parsley in her recipe and while it's not usually called for in most Pesto recipes it adds another layer of complexity to mixture, which I highly recommend.

Ingredients:

- 1, large, bunch of basil leaves (washed and dried very well - no water)

- 1 handful of Italian parsley (washed and dried) - you can leave some of the parsley stem, but make sure to cut off about half the stem.

- 1 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano (grated on a box grater) - see my guide to Italian cheese

- 3-4 tablespoons of cream cheese (yes, yes, don't laugh!)

- Handful of pine nuts

- Salt and pepper to taste

- 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil

- 2-3 cloves of garlic

You can combine the above ingredients via several tools, namely, 1. food processor, 2., mortar and pestle, or 3. chopping with a large chef's knife or mezzaluna.  Amelia used a mortar and pestle, but you can use a food processor (it does take a little bit away from the flavor of the pesto given the strength of the blade/machine, but, to be blunt, it's tough to get the right consistency with a mortar and pestle set up unless you're accustomed to the tool). 101 Cookbooks swears that a mezzaluna is the best tool, but I think if you use a knife for pesto you're getting more of an alio e olio type of pasta condiment.  

If you're going to use a food processor, start by adding the garlic and pulsing.  Thereafter, add your basil, parsley, and pine nuts.  Let the machine process the ingredients and slowly add your oil, salt, and pepper.  Thereafter, add your cream cheese and pulse again.  Finally, add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the remaining olive oil.  You are looking for a consistency just before the mixture turns into a paste.

I like serving pesto with thin linguine (or linguine fine) and tend to add a splash of fresh olive after plating and, of course, more Parmigiano-Reggiano. A dry red wine like Aglianico from Basilicata (southern Italy) goes well with pasta pesto. 

Photo: Zia Gianna making bread in her olive/chestnut wood fueled oven in Calabria.

Everyone loves "Italian food" and it's many authentic and inauthentic variations, but many people (including chefs at top restaurants) get Italian food wrong.  

In turn, here are ten ways to cook like an Italian (without being a Foodie):

1.  You hear it all the time, but ingredients are key.  Buy fresh and local whenever possible (it's ok to spend money on food; you shouldn't let a coupon drive what you eat at the dinner table).  Organic is good, but don't go out of your way to purchase organic items over locally grown and fresh items.  Also, learn to love food shopping and find the best shops in your area (selecting and finding ingredients is part of the cooking process).

2.  Use tons of olive oil.  I use a good olive oil for sautéing, pan frying, sauces, etc. and extra virgin olive oil for dressing tomatoes, finishing selected dishes, and with plain bread.  

3.  Find good bread and buy it every other day (for the rest of your life).  Italians consume bread like it's water.  And most Italians begin their day with an espresso at the local bar and thereafter visit the local baker for a loaf of bread.  I buy bread every other day and on the second day I re-heat it to bring back the texture and crunch.

4. Buy good fruit and keep it on your kitchen table for dessert after every meal.  You don't need ice cream or cake on an everyday basis and a ripe peach or plum will out dance even the densest chocolate cake (and it's better for you)!

5. Find Time to cook and eat.  Cooking takes time and eating the food you prepare shouldn't be a sprint.  I don't buy the argument that families are too busy to cook these days and can't find the time to sit and enjoy a homemade meal.  If mom or dad can find the time to shuttle little Timmy to soccer, violin, and karate practice (as well as stop by Starbucks for an overpriced coffee-like drink and check their blackberries 20 times an hour) then parents can spend an hour at the dinner table together enjoying food, catching up, and relaxing (with a glass of wine).

6. Incorporate wine into your diet. Yes, I'm recommending wine as part of any balanced, healthy, diet!  Wine, of course, is made to be consumed with food and it also has the ability to calm nerves and put people in better moods (and isn't life about finding happiness).  Buy wine or make it yourself .

7. You don't need William Sonoma.  Skip the fancy stove, marble countertops, $150 chef's knife, and pizza stone.  Good equipment is NOT a prerequisite for preparing good food (15,000 BTUs doesn't boil water faster than your run of the mill GE stove).  I can't tell you how many Nonnas I know that prepare out of this world food over a 4 burner, propane fueled, stove - cutting fresh ingredients with a plastic handled serrated knife.  Nonna Rosa would have laughed at the FOOD TV Network.  Click here for what you need.

8. Eat lots of the right fish, skip the beef, and fall in love with pork and chicken.  OK, there are some areas in Northern Italy where beef is king, but for the most part fresh fish, pork, and chicken rule in Italy.  Fish can be prepared in a simple manner with olive oil, kosher salt, and lemon.  Chicken can be roasted, stewed, pan fried, etc.  Pork requires a little more skill to prepare, but when done correctly is probably the tastiest flesh on the planet.

9. Keep some basic food staples in your pantry at all times (see here).  And see Mark Bittman's article on What To Keep In Your Pantry.

10. Don't become a foodie, just let food become part of your lifestyle.  That is to say, keep it simple, resist the urge to complicate a dish, just enjoy food (without turning it into a career or obsession).

I took one (bad) computer science class in college, and I'm not a web developer. So in early 2008, when I decided I was finally going to build a web site I'd been fantasizing about for years, I was starting from scratch.

How To Loosen Stubborn Nuts, Bolts, and Screws 

via Family HandyMan Magazine

via This Old House

College Costs and Salaries 

via Free Money Finance

via The Digerati Life

Photo: Hadley, MA

I've always had romantic notions about living in the country.  I've dreamed of waking up early and going for long walks and surveying the many acres on my "property" ; maybe encountering wild life and foraging for wild mushrooms (just like Mayle's book, "A Year in Provence").  I would certainly take refuge in the fact that I could not see another neighbor for miles and enjoy fresh country air entering a rustic, but chic, 19th century farmhouse (renovated with all the necessary modern conveniences, of course).  Our country home would be near the sea as well, so I could enjoy the water at the beginning of each day.  

The above is just a dream, of course.  And the fact is that suburbanites in American are significantly more satisfied with their living arrangements than are residents of cities, small towns or rural areas, according to a Pew Research Center Social & Demographic Trends.  Our family lives in a relatively small town (about 9,000 citizens) just 10 minutes outside of New York City in New Jersey.  Our town has a suburban feel with many trees, sidewalks, lawns/ivy, and an active, family-oriented, base population.  The proximity to a major city, however, does skew the town feel a bit towards the urban, at times.  

Choosing where to live is a major life decision and folks are usually influenced by several factors including:

- price of homes.

- quality of schools.

- proximity to job(s).

- proximity to other family members / where they grew up.

- safety.

- available social/recreation activities

- available commercial outlets (shopping).

Photo: Harris Farm, Hollis, NH

As I see it, living in a suburban/urban area has many advantages and while I dream of the rural life enjoyed by my Italian family in Calabria, I could not spend the majority of my time in the country (at least at this stage of my life). Living in a suburban area allows me to:

1. Enjoy my extended family and good friends.

2. Enjoy a short commute to my job (and the availability of potential future jobs)

3. Access to good food/recreation/commercial establishments (I can play tennis, go food shopping, and find virtually any product I may need all within ten miles of my home).

4. Access to different people and cultures (in today's world, if you can't speak the language of diversity and feel comfortable with folks from different part of the globe you might as well have no skill set)

5. Access to educational resources (this not only means good schools for our kids, but also access to libraries, universities, lectures, etc. for adults; if you stop learning, then you stop living)

The suburbs do have disadvantages and I'm sure the average New Yorker, for example, will rattle off many reasons why they're happy to exist only on the Island of Manhattan, but there does seem to be some difficulty in living, long term, in an urban environment (such as cost <see Free Money Finance's article on cities and cost of living>, proximity to other people, space, etc.).  

I'll stick to the Burbs for now and aspire to short stints by the sea and the chic countryside.  

As a writer of a weekly newspaper column on thrift, the author of a blog on the same subject, and a mother of 6 children I consider it my responsibility to continually try out different ways of being thrifty.  

Which is how we came to be chicken owners.  

How tough can raising a bunch of cute adorable chicks be? I asked the family.  

Surprisingly, the answer is it's not tough at all.  

We got our first set of chicks from a reader of my blog who knew I had been thinking about the idea. Well what's thriftier than free chickens?  She gave us 8 brown chicks with the understanding that she would take back any that turned into roosters (our neighbors were happy to hear about that part).  

The chicks came with a 25 pound bag of food and all we had to add was a food and water feeder. They lived happily in our garage for a few weeks. When the youngsters got their feathers it was time to move them outside. Here is where we had our first and only problem with the chickens - where would we keep them? 

We looked for hen-house plans on the internet and in books and while some were very creative (the cab of a truck was used for one and an igloo made out of hay bales was used for another) we decided to have a local builder make one for us.  

Although we could have made it ourselves, or even jury-rigged something for less money, we live in the woods of New Hampshire where we have raccoons, coyotes, and fisher cats. In the long run for the safety of the birds (and my piece of mind) we got a professionally made hen-house that is so sturdy it could survive a nuclear attack.  

Once we got the chickens in the hen house, the daily care was minimal. Each morning we let them out of the hen-house into the pen. If someone was going to be around during the day, we herded them into the fenced-in dog area where they spent the day eating grass and bugs.  

Other than checking on food and water, that's it for the daily care. At night, we don't even have to herd them into the hen-house anymore - when the sun goes down, they automatically go inside.  

We don't have eggs yet and with the cost of the hen-house we figure we'll need to sell 6, 723 eggs to break even. Is it worth it? You betcha, the kids are being incredibly entertained and are learning about taking care of animals. They are seeing where food comes from, the work that goes into it, and how people handle that food. There is a new appreciation for what they eat.  

Having chickens will eventually give us those thrifty eggs but those birds are also making us all better global citizens with respect to food.

Click here to visit Wendy's blog and get more thrifty ideas.

Do you spend hours talking to your significant other about possibly moving an interior wall to free up more space for your kitchen or what the old butler's pantry may look like if your restored the original walnut trim?  If so, you may be itching to renovate a portion of your home.  And if you live in an older home (build before 1950 or so) then you may need to renovate out of necessity.  

I've spent many hours with my super handy father renovating and maintaining our early 20th century foursquare center hall colonial and I've come up with some easy tips to keep in mind before you tackle your next big project:

1. Don't Hire Who You Don't Know (well, either directly or indirectly via a referral).  Never, under any circumstance, hire someone to work on your house if you haven't used them before, received several referrals from close friends, or seen a few examples of their work.

2. Do It Your Self Only If You or Your Help Can Do It Better and More Efficiently.  My father is very good with his hands and has helped me take on multiple home renovations (I'd argue that the quality of his work is better than most contractors).  However, a typical project does end up taking longer than if I hired a so-called Pro to complete the job.  Also, you'll need all the necessary tools (here's part II of my tools list) to do it your self (keep this mind)

3. If You Plan On Staying in Your Home Long Term, Then Buy Good Quality Material.  An example of this would be kitchen cabinets; cheap cabinets often come with flimsy bracing, poor drawer construction, and a non durable exterior finish.  Spend more on material and it will, in general, last longer.

4. Be logical About What You Renovate.  Start with the kitchen, bath, exterior landscaping (front yard), windows, heating/cooling, roof, etc. and avoid bedrooms, basement, attic, garage, etc. in the short term.

5. Avoid Trends in Design and Go For A Classic Look (or match the rest of your home).  Even if you're attracted to Modern design, for example, go for a neutral or classic look when selecting material and style for your next renovation.  If you need to unexpectantly sell your home you'll be glad you didn't paint your walls brown and invest in sheep skin blinds.
 

6. Think Green Where It Makes Sense.  Do you live in a cold climate, for example?  If so, it may make sense to spend a little extra for high quality, super insulated, wood windows when looking to replace your 90 year old, single pane, double hung windows.  Thinking about solar panels for your rooftop?  You may want to think again, considering cost and long terms ROI.

7. Establish a Budget.  I know some folks who go into renovations with an open ended budget; this is bad news considering that even well planned renovations usually go over on budget.  Track every expense and try to leave a little extra cash for unexpected re-wiring or runs to the hardware store.

8. If You Use a General Contractor Be Prepared to Pay More (lots more).  Did you know that most General Contractors don't actually do any work, but rather line up the workers you will need for your kitchen renovation, for example.  You can be your own general contractor if you take the time to find and research workers and then manage their work.  

A recent newspaper article stated:

I read about the above implication over and over again in the media and it drives me crazy!  You (read: us) are not responsible for growing the US economy.  As individuals we are responsible for ourselves and our "financial house", so continue to save and look for ways to cut your spending.   Having cash at hand (via a healthy savings account) will empower you to lead the life you want and make you sleep like a baby at night (let the economists worry about the US economy).

Here are 20 quick tips on how to save:

1. Establish the ritual - saving is about repeating an act over and over again.

2. Put it in and don't take out (i.e., your cash).

3. Make it a game - for every thousand dollars saved, give yourself a small treat (train yourself - just like it's done with a dog).

4. Say goodbye to friends who don't save (remember what peer pressure was like in high school).

5. Avoid too many hobbies (you can have a few, but the more hobbies you take on the more bills you'll have.  E.g., collecting wine, seeing movies at the theatre, stamp collecting, golf, etc.).

6. Try, don't buy (look for inexpensive ways to get the experience or product you desire).

7. Haggle and don't settle for the advertised price.

8. Don't buy a new car and maintain your car until the cost to maintain your vehicle exceeds value of vehicle.

9. Don't eat out or order take out food.

10. Understand and master what truly fulfils you (it's almost never material goods).

11. Exercise (if you feel good, then you're less likely to spend).

12. Splurge on small treats on a consistent basis (yes, if you know that you're going to treat yourself to dinner out once a month, then you know you can't go out every week, for example).

13. Don't live in a large city (things are more expensive and your lifestyle will be more extreme).

14. Get rid of debt fast (if you don't do it immediately after you finish your degree, for examples, debt may stay with you for life)

15. Streamline - figure out what you need versus what you'd like to have.

16. Make your own coffee, breakfast, lunch, and dinner (in general do-it-yourself as much as possible, including home renovation).

17. Love your local library.

18. Don't emulate people, be yourself.

19. Live below your means, in general.

20. Never, ever, let your mortgage and tax payment exceed 20% of your take home pay.

21. Watch your auto renewing services and plans (like cell phone, data plan, Netflix service, cable, magazine subscriptions, etc.)

Grilling skirt steak is a no brainer, but you should be careful as to not overcook the meat.  I like to coat both sides of the skirt steak with lots of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  I use all natural wood lump charcoal and a chimney starter to light my wife (no gas grill and under no circumstances no lighter fluid - why on earth would people use this stuff!).  My grill consists of a simple, but very functional, Weber One Touch circular grill (I've had it for 5 years and it should easily last another 5).  My cooking technique includes:

- Searing the meat on both sides for a total of two minutes (one minute on each side) - do not move the meat once you place it on the grill.  Also, make sure you find the hottest part of your grill.

- Move the meat to the second hottest spot on your grill and cook on both sides for a total of 8-10 minutes (about 4-5 minutes on each side depending on how you like your meat).  I like my beef medium rare, but many folks from outside the US prefer beef a little more on the well done side (there's nothing wrong with this, but note if you do order well done beef at a restaurant you'll probably end up with the worst cut of beef in the place).

- Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes so the juices in the meat can re-distribute (you should apply this principle to any cooked piece of meat).

It's especially important that you slice skirt steak across the grain (doing the opposite will result in chewy pieces).   

I use Chimichurri Sauce on roast chicken, grilled chicken breast, grilled pork chops, and my breakfast cereal (just kidding about the cereal).  Seriously, however, Chimichurri Sauce is an all purpose meat sauce and goes especially well with skirt steak.  Here's my recipe:

- 1 cup chopped parsley (Italian)

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

- 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes

- 2 tablespoons dried oregano

- 2 tablespoons red onion, minced

- 3/4 cup olive oil

- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Simply combine the ingredients well and let the mixture sit for about an hour (the mixture can be stored in the Fridge, but be sure to let the sauce sit at room temp for a bit before using).

My father claims that his mother-in-law (my mother's mother and my grandmother) makes the best fried potatoes on the planet.  And I wholeheartedly agree.  Nonna Vincenzina's fried potatoes start with thinly sliced russet potatoes (which are washed 2x-3x to remove excess starch; you can cut the potatoes about 3/16 of an inch).  The slices are thereafter dried and pan fried in a large skillet (using about 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil and don't be afraid to add more oil if needed).  Thinly sliced onions are added a few minutes after the potatoes go into the skillet along with a generous amount of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Nonna has one basic technique for frying potatoes (let the potatoes sit enough to achieve the browning effect that makes potatoes taste so good).  So, only turn the potatoes a few minutes before burning (this will take some trial and error).  After trying this technique you'll agree there is no need to deep fry potatoes.

My basic tomato salad recipe can be found here and I'd like to dedicate an entire blog entry to preparing greens as side dishes in a few weeks, so I'll refrain from telling you how to make Swiss chard (for now simply enjoy the pic!)

As of late, I've started to recieve some reader questions and going forward I will aim to answer key reader messages as they arrive in my inbox via Scordo.com.  If you have a question ask it in the comments or send an email to blog at scordo dot com.  

I saw your blog post about not being a sucker and opening up home equity lines of credit. I have a related question.

I have never bought a house before, so I'm really not savvy about mortgages or HELOC's.  However, my boyfriend and I are good savers.  We have enough money to liquidate our stocks/mutual funds and pay all cash for a house and still have enough cushion for maybe a year's worth of expenses.  However, my boyfriend prefers to keep even more assets on hand than that.  So we are planning to get a mortgage to pay for part of the home price.  Right now we can get a mortgage for about 5.25% interest, and of course there will be fees etc for setting up the loan.  

My question is ... would it be better for us to get the conventional loan on the mortgage when we buy the house, or would it be better for us to pay ALL CASH for the house and then get an equity line of credit for whatever amount that my boyfriend wants to have on hand for emergencies, etc?  Right now Charles Schwab is offering an equity line of credit with no lender's fees and an interest rate of 3.99%. 

Is it possible to get a 30-year fixed rate with regular monthly payments on the HELOC, something like what we would have on a regular mortgage?  If so, it sounds like it would make more sense to get the HELOC for 3.99% instead of the regular mortgage for 5.25%.  But if the HELOC interest rate is something varies all over the place, then it's probably a safer bet to go with the regular mortgage that we know will be only 5.25% for the next 30 years.

What do you think?

THANKS for your advice.

Anne in San Francisco

- By liquidating your stocks/mutual funds will you therefore have nothing saved for retirement?  My general advice is to not touch your 401K dollars and/or retirement savings to pay for a house.  If possible, it's best to both save for retirement and a home purchase at the same time.

- Historically speaking 5.25% on a 30 year fixed mortgage is a good rate.  I do recommend putting down at least 20 percent on the purchase of a new home; but at 5.25% I would put down more than 50% (you can always pre-pay, just make sure your mortgage has no pre-pay penalties).

- If you have enough cash on hand to both purchase a house for cash and have a 12 month emergency fund then I would not recommend leveraging a HELOC for an emergency type fund.  It sounds like you have enough money to put down a great down payment (say 50%) and have an emergency fund at the same time (without using a home equity line of credit, regardless of interest rate).  

- Have you tried finding a rate on a 15 year fixed rate mortgage under 5% (those rates should exist, especially on a non Jumbo)? 

- Finally, remember I'm not a mortgage specialist so you should ultimately consult your financial advisor and mortgage specialist when making your final decision.  Also, remember that you need to live with your financial decisions for the rest of your life so think hard and make a logical decision.   

Via Genxfinance.com

Via Lifehacker.com

These small drips can add up to big bucks. Once you find the holes and plug them, you'll keep more money in your pocket. That spare cash could be the ticket to finally being able to save, invest, or break your cycle of living paycheck to paycheck.

Via TheDigeratiLife

How is it that we are so eager to watch other people browning beef cubes on screen but so much less eager to brown them ourselves? For the rise of Julia Child as a figure of cultural consequence -- along with Alice Waters and Mario Batali andMartha Stewart and Emeril Lagasse and whoever is crowned the next Food Network star -- has, paradoxically, coincided with the rise of fast food, home-meal replacements and the decline and fall of everyday home cooking.

From Pollen's article, "Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch"

Amen, Mr. Michael Pollen!  It seems that everywhere you go people are talking about food; that is to say, how much they love eating it, seeing it on TV, paying for it, reading about it, dreaming about it, etc.   However, what folks aren't doing with food is actually making it.  

Recently, I had a two day Facebook comment thread discussion with offthebroiler.com food writer, Jason Perlow.   Jason and I have never meet but I have great respect for his knowledge of food and, of course, the great content on his site.  Our discussion on Facebook centered on pizza, specifically, the value and quality of buying pizza from a high end pizzeria (viz., Pepe's Pizzeria in New Haven, CT).  Jason was arguing that Pepe's achieves ethereal pizza status (given "char" and "pliability") because of several factors, the most important being the wood burning oven the pizzeria uses (wood burning ovens can get very hot, to the tune of 800 degrees and I've had the pleasure of standing next to my Aunt Giovanna's olive and chestnut wood feed oven in southern Italy).  My position was/is that, as Pollen states, good food is about the making and not just the eating and that you can achieve great results by making food at home (including pizza).   

Eating out at restaurants, other than the occasional splurge, is in my view a royal waste of money (not to mention the health effects).  Now, don't get me wrong, I do consider myself a foodie (as much as I hate the word), but I take great pride in making my own food (using great ingredients and knowing where they come from), saving money, and spending a evening enjoying the end product with a glass of wine and my family.  

Much of what Pollen is talking about above puts food consumers in the US in a mindset that believes, "I must eat at that famous restaurant" or I could never do what the Iron Chef on the Food Network is doing because I lack a restaurant style stove or truffles from northen Italy.   This type of thinking has led to a huge decline in how much time we spend "preparing" our own meals; as Pollen states:

You need time to cook good food and there's no way around it (not massive amounts of time in the long run because most home chefs become very efficient at prep and cooking over time).  You don't need fancy equipment to make great food at home, but you do need good ingredients and plenty of variety (this is why many individuals turn to high fat foods and restaurant eating).  You also need to experiment with different types of cuisine and see preparing food at home as a long term investment in both your health and general happiness/quality of life.  

So, become a true foodie and start cooking at home and eating out less.  Take the money you would use for a mediocre meal out and buy fresh, high quality, ingredients and prepare a meal at home (I swear you'll be impressed).  I also promise your quality of life will improve and, yes, if you have a Pepe's Pizzera around the corner from you you can order a large pie on occasion!

Here are some related links from Scordo.com

Does the Cash for Clunkers government program make sense for a practical or frugal individual?  Before we dive into the question, let's consider some facts via the official Cars Allowance Rebate System (or CARS) government web site:

- Generally, trade-in vehicles must get 18 or less MPG (some very large pick-up trucks and cargo vans have different requirements).

- Your vehicle must be less than 25 years old on the trade-in date.

- Only purchase or lease of new vehicles qualify.

- You don't need a voucher, dealers will apply a credit at purchase.

- The program requires the scrapping of your eligible trade-in vehicle, and that the dealer disclose to you an estimate of the scrap value of your trade-in. The scrap value, however minimal, will be in addition to the rebate, and not in place of the rebate.

- Qualified consumers will receive the $3,500 or $4,500 credit at the time they purchase their new vehicle.

So, with the above information does it still make sense for you to run to your nearest dealer and trade in your good old clunker for a shiny new piece of metal?  The first question you should be asking yourself is do I really need a new car?  For example, most reliable cars built over the last 10-15 years are designed to run to, at least, 100,000 miles without major repair cost (this doesn't include oil and filter changes, tire and break maintenance, exhaust system, fluids, and some belts).  A reliable vehicle with over 100,000 miles and which gets less than 18 mpg could cost you less over the true life of the vehicle over purchasing a new, fuel efficient, vehicle.

On average a new vehicle in the US costs close to $30,000, so even with the max $4,500 credit the average consumer is still needs to come up with $25,500 to "take advantage" of the Clash for Clunkers program.  You can repair and keep many reliable cars going for 25K!  And If you're looking to spend 25K I can think of a handful of better ideas (including saving the money in a high yield savings account, investing in undervalued stocks, setting up a Roth IRA, etc.) - remember money can buy you many things, it just can't buy happiness.  

Overall, I think it makes sense to leverage the Cash for Clunkers Bill if you're truly in market for a new vehicle, but I wouldn't advocate visiting your dealership if you have a reliable late model vehicle in your fleet (even if it requires the occasional repair and gets under 18 mpg). 

If you absolutely need to purchase a new vehicle here are some tips from an older post.

One of my favorite, all purpose, condiments on this little planet is sun dried tomatoes preserved in olive oil.  Authentic sun dried tomatoes capture the essence of the tomato and can be enjoyed year round.  

As a young boy, one of my first vivid memory includes large outdoor tables lined with hundreds of thinly sliced tomatoes laying in the Calabrian sun.  My grandmother would dry the tomatoes outdoors for days until the slices turned a deep red color and shriveled beyond recognition.  The sun was of the southern Italian variety, of course, and the tomatoes heirloom and nurtured, by most standards, better than most small children.  The combination of dry/intense Mezzogiorno sun and superb tomatoes yielded a product that didn't need much sprucing, but leave it to Nonna Vincenzina to preserve the tomatoes and add even more flavor.

The following is Nonna Vincenzina's sun dried tomato recipe:

Ingredients:

- 3-4 cups of olive oil depending on the size of canning jar

- Fresh basel (you'll need a good amount of leaves to include in each layer, more on this below)

- 4-5 cloves of minced garlic

- ½ cup of dried oregano 

- Kosher salt 

- 3-5 pounds of sun dried tomatoes (try and find the imported variety; here's a link to some organic sun dried tomatoes just in case you can't get them from Italy)

Start by finding a large, wide mouth, mason jar; pint size is fine, but if you can find larger jars they'll store more tomatoes.  Wash your mason jar very well and you can even go as far as sterilizing the jar.  Next, begin layering your unseasoned sun dried tomatoes in the jar in the following order:

- layer of tomatoes

- sprinkle of kosher salt

- pinch of garlic

- pinch of dried oregano

- and a layer of fresh basel leaves

Repeat the above layering process until you're nearly at the top of the jar (don't over stuff the jar because your last step includes filling the jar with olive oil).  Finally, fill the jar with the layered tomatoes with olive oil, making sure that the tomatoes are completely submerged.  Screw on the lid tightly and store the jar in a cool, dark, closet or cupboard.  You'll need to let the tomatoes sit 6-8 days before consuming them (the oil needs to soften the tomatoes and you also need to let the garlic, basel, and oregano do it's thing).

Some of my favorite uses for sun dried tomatoes include:

- lazy weekend lunch with sharp cheese, good bread, and wine

- in any type of sandwich

- as a side dish with roasted pork chops, grilled chicken, or simple white fish (e.g., flounder, cod, etc.)

Sun dried tomatoes go well with a crisp white wine to off-set the sweet and rich flavor of the cured tomato; try a nice Chenin Blanc from South Africa (yes, I know it's not a southern Italian wine, but, hey, it pairs nicely!)

Note: It's vital when you cure vegetables in olive oil that you thoroughly clean the jar itself as well as all the ingredients and utensils used in the preparation.  My family has been curing and pickling vegetables (as well as tomatoes for tomato sauce) for well over 50 years and we haven't had any health issues.  Also, I've tried drying my own tomatoes and I haven't had any luck, the best sun dried tomatoes are truly "sun dried!"

There's something about eating good food outdoors that makes me feel utterly alive and happy.  It may be the fresh air cooling my shoeless feet or the sound of pouring cool Esino Bianco into a wine glass (have questions about wine, click here).  Ultimately, however, it's the wonderful homemade food that makes outdoor dining so enjoyable.  

We have a small glass table on our deck that is cooled by a large umbrella and we take most of our meals (including morning coffee) under the large green umbrella.  At times we set the table and get fancy but most days it's a few small wine glasses, bread from Sullivan Street Bakery, and a few simple dishes from the kitchen.  Here's a recent Wild Cod, Squash, and Zucchini risotto recipe that I particularly enjoyed out on our deck / patio:

Wild Cod, Zucchini, and Squash Risotto 



Who says you can't enjoy risotto in the summer?  The trick to enjoying risotto in the summer is to use light and fresh ingredients (click here to find out how to buy fresh produce at your local market).  Here's what you'll need for the above seafood risotto:

-  ¾ pound of wild cod (or any local, wild, fish; freshness is more important than wild, but try to find local caught fish whenever possible)

- 1 cup of Arborio rice (Cook's Illustrated recently tested several Arborio brands)

- 1 white or red onion finely diced

- 1-2 small yellow squash

- 4-5 sprigs of Italian parsley

- 1 large zucchini

- Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Olive oil (see my guide to olive oil)

- 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes

- 1.5 cups of good dry wine

- 2-3 cups of warm water

- 2-3 tabs of salted butter

A good risotto starts with Arborio rice.  Look for brands imported from Italy and expect to pay a premium for this superb starch (a little goes a long way).  Begin by sautéing a finely diced red onion in a large pot and thereafter add your cubed zucchini, squash, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook the vegetables until they become translucent and remove to a large bowl.  Next, add a bit more olive oil and sauté the Arborio rice until the kernels become translucent (this will add tremendous flavor to the dish and also start the cooking process for the rice).  Next, add the vegetables (along with the red pepper flakes) back to your pan and add a splash of white wine (for deglazing) and enough warm water (if you have stock available substitute for water) to cover the ingredients.  Bring the ingredients to a boil and reduce your flame to a simmer.  At this point you'll need to constantly stir the mixture and add one ladle of warm water every 5 minutes or so (or whenever the ingredients are not covered by liquid).  After about 10-15 minutes you should start to see the Arborio rice release it's starch and the kernels begin to plump up.  The total cooking time should be between 30-45 minutes.  At the 30 minute mark be sure to taste the rice kernels (you don't want al dente rice); once the rice is done add a bit more salt and pepper to taste, a few tabs of butter, and some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.  Mix the rice well and add your cubed wild cod and freshly chopped parsley.  Mix the ingredients well and put a lid on your pot and let the ingredients sit for a few minutes (the cod will cook in minutes).

The above fish risotto went extremely well with an Esino Bianco from Italy.  Esino is a white wine made from 80% Verdicchio and 20%, every day, Trebbiano grapes.  The wine has nice acidity, sour flavors, and light enough for hot summer day.  Plus, try the Moncaro 2005 Esino Bianco for $7.99 via Queen Anne Wines.