CathrnB's Profile

Yay for Nom Nom Paleo! Her website was one of the first paleo-centered sites I discovered. The photography is beautiful and the recipes are great for anyone, even those not interested in a paleo template. Try the kalua pork and asian meatballs...so good! Her ability to juggle being a mom, working full-time (usually graveyard shift from what I see!), AND cooking for her family is an impressive feat. All the while developing recipes, maintaining her website, etc. Can you tell I'm a fan? :) Now I just need an iPad...

Check out America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. My boyfriend does not cook often at all, but even he can follow the recipes! All of their recipes are tested by regular folks and they must past the test of being clear and easy to follow before they'll publish it.

Include an instant read thermometer with the cookbook!

I guess I'm weird...I like the photo of the beef heart...

Never had beef heart before and for some reason, I always thought I would dislike it as much as I dislike liver. Duh, it's a muscle, it's not going to have that same texture that turns me off!

Will have to try it. Been wanting to go to Incanto...I'm sure the Odds & Ends board will be the place to look for it!

This is going to sound silly because I don't know what it's called...if the little "button-like thingy" at the top of the avocado (where it was attached to the tree branch) pops off easily, it's most likely ripe and ready to eat. If the flesh gives in to a little finger pressure, it should be ripe as well.

I find it ridiculous that someone commented that it comes across as "pretentious" to have photos of yourself and your kids on display...if that's how you feel when I invite you into MY home, GTFO!

This is how I learned how to cook jasmine white rice from my Filipino mom. But, I haven't been as successful using this method with brown rice. Because I don't cook rice often, I never remember how much more water I use for brown vs white rice, so I just stick with the 2 cups of brown rice and filling up with water to the #3 line so I don't have to deal with crunchy or mushy rice.

I love arugula! Never had it until I went to Italy nearly 10 years ago. Since then, it's a weekly staple.

Love it simply dressed with good olive oil, sea salt, and cracked pepper. It's my "lazy" salad when I need a green side. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, poached shrimp, and shaved parm and you have a great starter or lunch.

Love it in paninis or adding it at the last minute with pasta and cheese to a pan of olive oil, garlic and pepper flakes.

My mom came from the Philippines, and not one meal was without white rice (usually jasmine). The rice cooker was perpetually on and new batch was made before we got through the last. Someone above mentioned it...even if mom made an American dish like meatloaf or corned beef with potatoes, we still ate rice! Carb overload! Breakfast meant fried rice (yesterday's batch) was lurking somewhere. My brother and uncle would often crack raw egg over a GIANT plate of steaming white rice. Rice was EVERYWHERE.

When I moved out on my own, white rice became nearly nonexistent when cooking at home...brown rice, quinoa, and all those other lovely complex carbs are my go-tos now. The only time I made it was when I'd occasionally make adobo or sinigang. I've tried brown rice with the filipino dishes, which is just "ok". It's just not the same!

Love the green! My kitchen is about the same size so this really helps and gives me ideas for organization. Never thought about hanging the baskets on the outside of the cabinet.

I've been big on IPAs this past year, but this is consistently one of my favorite non-IPAs. Love that I can get it on tap at a few of my favorites places in Midtown/Downtown Sacramento!