Cookbook Review: Cookin' with Coolio, 5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price

I can take a cow out of Compton and make it taste better than Kobe beef at your favorite steakhouse. There's only one thing I've been doing longer than rapping: cooking. People don't know this about Coolio. I was making thirty-minute meals when I was ten years old and I haven't ever looked back. I'm the ghetto Martha Stewart, the black Rachael Ray. I am the kitchen pimp who won't hesitate to fillet Bobby Flay or send my posse after Emeril Lagasse.

What? Isn't Coolio a rapper? Yes, he is. My kids can attest to that fact. What they didn't know (and neither did I) was that he is also a quite talented cook. We have a large family in common (he has 6 kids, I have 7) and we both came from a not-so-well-to-do background of family cooks who knew how to make something from nothing and do it well.

His new book, Cookin' with Coolio, 5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price, (Atria Books) can be brash and abrasive at times with some language that garners it an 'R' rating, but if you read between the lines, it becomes obvious that Coolio is not only talented behind the mic, but behind the stove, as well. His method is sound and his recipes ROCK.

There's nothing overly fancy here, just good food, prepared well and as fresh as possible. Mix in a double-dose of humor with a real passion for food and cooking and you have Cookin' with Coolio. This is a man who feels about food the way I do, there's no reason for budget to be a cause for lackluster or tasteless food.

Each recipe has notes from his Assistant Chef Jarez that help to make the most of the dish. Pay close attention to the beginning of the book - Coolio helps you set up your kitchen and pantry (ahem, 'Pimptry') in the most efficient way with everything you'll need. This book is created for the beginner with a limited budget, but the recipes aren't dumbed-down and certainly don't seem like budget food at all - 5 stars at a 1 star price is right on the money.

You need a sense of humor to read this, though - and if you do, you'll be laughing so hard you'll fall off your chair. I got started reading and couldn't stop - each page is hysterical, but so dead-on as far as cooking goes that I was honestly shocked.

I think the best part about this book is that it speaks to a whole new bunch of folks and bringing the art and love of cooking to them is just awesome. I commend Coolio for reaching out to and teaching the average guy how to cook.

Here's a recipe that's being shared freely, but if you get your hands on this book, make sure to also try the Soul Rolls, Kung Fu Chicken, Coolio's Meatless Grilla and Finger-Lickin'-Rib-Stickin'-Fall-off-the-Bone-and-into-Your-Mouth-Chicken just for starters.

Fresh Pickin' Raspberry Chicken

How long it takes: only 10 minutes to prep, and 25 minutes to cook
How much it makes: 4 people can chow down on this

What you need:

1 cup fresh raspberries
4 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 chicken breast halves (or wings, legs and thighs if you want)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 medium white onion
1 yellow chile pepper
½ cup sunflower oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Self-rising flour
Large Ziploc bag

What to do with it:

1. First, its time to make your homemade raspberry sauce. In a small pot, pour in the raspberries, sugar and salt. Put this over a low flame.

2. Add about 2 tablespoons of water just before it starts to simmer and bring it to a simmer. Let it all reduce down a bit, about 5 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to crush up some of the raspberries and bring it all together. This is the coagulation we been talking about. When this really starts to bubble, take the pot off the heat and put it to the side.

3. Take your chicken breasts (or whatever) and massage them a little a bit before tossing them into a bowl. Pour in your balsamic vinegar. Let those luscious breasts sit and soak in the vinegar like a model in a bathhouse.

4. Take that onion and chop that bitch right up.

5. That yellow chile pepper of yours? Chop that bad boy up as well.

6. In a large-ass skillet, pour in the sunflower oil over high heat, along with your minced garlic, your chopped chile pepper, and your onion.

7. Let it all sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take in that amazing scent.

8. While you’re sautéing, take a large Ziploc bag and fill it up with some self-rising flour. Take them wonderful chicken breasts out and toss them into the bag, making sure they get fully and evenly coated with the flour.

9. Now, toss the chicken breasts into your simmering pan, lower the heat to medium, and let it cook for 10 minutes on each side. Givin’ them sexy breast an even tan.

10. Once that’s all done, place your chicken on a nice clean platter. Remember that raspberry sauce you made? Hell, yeah, you better! Drizzle that all over the place and let them chickens know that its time to get saucy. Serve it up!

Get your copy of Cookin' with Coolio: 5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price at Amazon and make sure to stop by his official website: http://www.coolio.com/

Check out A Thousand Soups for another Coolio recipe.

Ann Clark Cookie Cutters

With the Holidays fast approaching cookie making is at an all-time high. If you want cookie cutters that are sturdy, cut cleanly and have more variety than any other, you want Ann Clark Cookie Cutters.

Ann Clark started small, at a Philadelphia trade show, and is now one of the most well-known cookie cutter makers in the country. In fact, I pass by one of the Ann Clark Ltd. racks when I shop at Wegmans and I have to stop, each and every time, to look at them or add to my collection. Not only are these cookie cutters still made here in the USA - in Vermont - they are some of the cutest and most varied designs I have ever seen. Each cookie cutter comes with a tag that was designed and created by Ann Clark herself.

I have 3 cookie cutters that I received to review and each cut cleanly, held shape, cleaned up easily and the kids loved helping me use them. We used the cookie recipe that came with the cutters and it was so good that my kids asked me to make a second batch - right away!



Here's the recipe:

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cup sifted flour

Directions:

Cream together: 1 cup butter 2/3 cup sugar
Beat in: 1 egg
Add: 1 Teaspoon vanilla 1/2 Teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups sifted flour
Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Chill dough 3-4 hours before rolling Preheat oven to 350. Roll out 1/4" thick and cut. Bake about 8-10 minutes or until barely colored. Remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire racks. Cookies can be frosted and decorated or eaten just plain. Enjoy!

There are traditional tin cutters, copper cutters, entire sets, contemporary designs and so much more! You can find Ann Clark cookie cutters and more at the company website, www.annclarkcookiecutters.com and you can also read Ann's blog at Make More Cookies - now run off to check it all out and tell them the 'other Anne' sent you!

Where's the Beef?

...or chicken, or cupcakes or anything for that matter? I know I'm slacking off here, but I have a valid explanation for it. I don't mean to ever leave my readers hanging high and dry, but my dear hard drive crashed a few weeks ago and I've been too busy to attempt a retrieval of any information from it.

I have a brand new shiny double-sized hard drive and double RAM, but it won't take the place of the many photos and writings I had stored on the other that hadn't been backed-up. Once all those lovely photos were gone (it happened so quickly there wasn't even time to back-up) I lost a bit of my desire to repeat any of what I had already done, and so my dear blog has been forsaken. I will attempt retrieval in the next week or so, and if I ever do get it all back, you'll be inundated with deliciousness, I promise!

I have reviews to post, and while I count on them myself when making purchases, I don't know of anyone who wants to read nothing but review after review, and as I have no new material for my personal blog, here it is ... sad and lonely.

I have a plethora of new posts at Family.com and they can all be found in my sidebar to the right along with any posts I've done at A Thousand Soups, my soup blog. In fact, there is a brand new page done for me at Family.com (http://family.go.com/food/pkg-low-cost-recipes-from-a-real-mom/#)- go check that out ASAP! Fear not, I'll be back in the swing of things shortly ... until then, grab a cup of something warm and check out the 4 years of yummy archives I have.

Natural Brew Sodas

I don't drink soft drinks as a rule, but once in a while I'll give in and have one that's off the beaten track. I'm not overly fond of cola and the lemon-lime type don't usually do it for me, either. Mostly, it's just too sweet, too fizzy and lacking in any real depth of flavor - and I can't see loading up with completely empty calories in such a lackluster way.

That being said, when it comes to fall and winter holidays, I usually concede and purchase ginger ale or root beer. I like that they aren't so sweet and the flavor is different than the standard sodas. So, when I was offered a full round of Natural Brew, I opted to check them out, knowing that our annual harvest party was in the near future.

I served them up with our fare of pumpkin-everything and pork products galore and the kids and I all really ejoyed them. This isn't your usual cola, and it isn't even the usual for root beer and ginger ale, these are robust in flavor and very different than all the other ginger ales, root beers, colas and creme sodas I've ever had.

These drinks fit in with my way of thinking - they're hand-crafted in small batches (think micro-brewing), and they're also produced with natural ingredients, using no artificial colors, flavors or additives. WOW!

These are really worth a try, I absolutely love their Draft Root Beer and the Outrageous Ginger Ale? Oh, not only does it taste like it's got the freshest just-grated ginger in it, when I wasn't feeling so good last week, it was just the ticket to settle my tummy. The kids loved it all, too and they can be picky, even when it comes to sodas.

Natural Brew comes in six delicious flavors:

Draft Root Beer – Brewed the old-fashioned way using only the finest ingredients from nature for a classic flavor. No need for anything else.

Outrageous Ginger Ale – We start with the zestiest ginger and add a splash of sweetness to create the brisk zing of our Outrageous Ginger Ale.

Vanilla Crème Soda – A soothing blend of the finest vanilla beans makes this classic a favorite for easy sipping.

Lemon Lime – Refreshing and bold, this lively mix of tart lemon and sweet lime will brighten your day.

Concord Grape – Reminiscent of childhood days, this authentic grape flavor will take you back to the soda fountain, summer time and baseball games.

Natural Brew handcrafted sodas are sold in 4-packs and available nationwide at natural food stores, the natural section of your local grocery and other select vendors for $5.49 per 4-pack.

Find a store near you that carries Natural Brew, because you will most definitely want to try it for yourself. Here in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas you can find it at the following retailers:

Queens Nutritional Products
1450 Pennsylvania Avenue
Allentown, PA
(610)691-6644

Shaffer's Health Center
Fairgrounds Market
Allentown, PA
(610)439-1013

Sign Of The Bear Natural Foods
514 N. Saint Cloud St.
Allentown, PA
(610)439-8575

Grahams Natural Health Source
750 South 25th St
Easton, PA
(610)252-7707

Nature's Way Markets
143 Northampton Street
Easton, PA
(610)253-0940

Healthy Alternatives
7150 Hamilton Blvd
Trexlertown, PA
(610)366-9866

Nature's Garden Limited
4290 Perkiomen Ave
Reading, PA
(610)779-3000

Cookbook Review: The Un-Constipated Gourmet

It's the thing nobody talks about but everyone suffers from at one time or another; constipation. You may think that topic has no business on a food blog and would be more appropriate for a health or medical blog, but try and remember, what goes in must come out, so starting with the source is one of those 'ounce of prevention' type deals. Yes, it's a funny subject, but fiber plays a very important role in our bodies, and not just for purposes of elimination. Fiber helps to keep cholesterol down, our hearts healthy and can reduce the risk of colon cancer, as well.

The Un-Constipated Gourmet by Danielle Svetcov deals with, in a very funny way, not just the subject of constipation, but the very best way to prevent it: what you're eating. Before you run away thinking this will be nothing short of a few recipes including bran muffins and prune whip, think again. Not only is there more to roughage than that, there's a lot more flavor involved, too.

Presented in a simple way, seven chapters and 125 recipes, each recipe is given a T.P. rating, the higher the score, the more likely you are to be hitting the potty in no time flat. I seem to be a number 8, having chosen recipes with that number more often than not. The recipe for Caldo Verde is shared at A Thousand Soups and the recipe for White Bean Dip with Cilantro is here. Danielle describes this as a Latino version of hummus, and my kids and I couldn't get enough of it. How did it, er ... work? Quite well - that's all I'll say here.

This isn't just a book for the colonically challenged, it's filled with just plain good recipes that you'll want to make anyway.

White Bean Dip with Cilantro

Serves 8 as an appetizer

3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup olive oil (maybe more)

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 garlic cloves

3 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

Process all ingredients in a blender except for 2 tablespoons of cilantro, which are saved for garnish. For added 'go', serve with thick tortilla chips or homemade whole-wheat croutons (essentially thinly sliced, heavily toasted bread, with olive oil and garlic rubbed in).

Get your own copy of The Un-Constipated Gourmet at Powell's Books or Amazon.com.