Charlie! Charlie! Charlie! Book Review and Giveaway

Way back in 1999,Google, in its infinite wisdom, decided they didn't want their employees falling asleep halfway through the day because of poor choices at lunchtime. They wanted fresh, energy producing foods to be prepared for their workers and they hired Charlie Ayers, former caterer for The Grateful Dead, to do it. He did that and more, and when he left in 2005, he was serving up meals to 1,500 people a day and overseeing 10 cafés and 150 employees.

Now on the verge of opening his own restaurant, Calafia Café and Market a Go Go, in Palo Alto, California, Charlie Ayers has also released a new cookbook, Food 2.0 - Secrets From the Chef Who Fed Google.

This book is perfect for a Deadhead, food lovin', organic eatin', Internet junkie like me. I totally relate to everything written and feel much more relaxed about my food choices. I always feel like there's a hard line there between vegetarian and omnivore, organic and non-organic, but Charlie has set down a brand new line somewhere in-between it all that just makes SENSE. He urges everyone to "go organic" without beating us over the head with dos and don'ts. There's just common sense and Charlie's own preference, followed up with the reminder that we all need to do what is right for ourselves.

Charlie has a real-life no-nonsense "parent" approach to many things, especially about frozen food - stuff I've been doing for years, but was afraid to share for fear that the hardcore "only from fresh" crowd would shun me. From his feelings on olive oil and his "4 best herbs to grow at home" (the very four I have growing right now) to the section on pasta and his thoughts on why we should eat organic, we are very like-minded. This was almost like reading about myself, except that the recipes are so superior to anything I've created thus far and there were several things I didn't know about food.

I can't think of one person who shouldn't own this book. It's 250 pages jam-packed with all you really need to know about feeding yourself and your family very well.



Now is your chance to own a copy of Food 2.0 for yourself, along with a great-looking insulated lunch-bag. Drop a comment for me here, (including your email so I can contact you if you've won) and let me know what organic foods you've tried and what you love or don't love about organics. Don't forget that last part - a simple, "Hey, how are ya?" won't cut it this time around! I'll give everyone until Friday, May 9th and post a winner on Saturday, May 10th.

Iron Chef Japan is BACK!

If you're like me, you've never been able to get used to the American version of Iron Chef. Not that the show doesn't have its merits - it's very entertaining. I always found something very cool about all the dubbing that went into Iron Chef Japan. I LOVED that show. I was heartbroken when The Food Network took it off the air.

Well, cry no more, it's BACK. Starting today, May 5th, Iron Chef Japan will be aired on Fine Living Network, weeknights at 11 P.M.!

Check out this video, among many others from Fine Living Network and Iron Chef Japan!

Winning Cookies

Betty Crocker® recently held a Cookie Recipe Contest and the First-Prize winner was “Cinna-spin” Cookies. When I first saw the recipe, I thought it looked too easy and there was no way they could possibly be so good with so few ingredients. I was very wrong. I made up a batch of these and they were gone so fast I never even got a photo. Then my kids started begging for more. So, I'll be hitting the grocery again soon for several more pouches of Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix.


Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix provided by Charlie Kondek of MS&L. This is not a paid product endorsement.

Grow Your Own - II

I've already brought this subject up, but each year I feel like it needs to be reprised, and now more than ever it's important to grow your own food. The less we depend on food grown elsewhere and trucked or flown in, the better for us all.

I have a mere 48 square feet for vegetable gardening and I make the most out of it. The sense of accomplishment when harvesting something I've grown myself is awesome.

These are week-old green bean plants.



I love the little "dance" that chives do before continuing on their upward path.

Plants amaze me. I love watching them grow from seed. I grow nearly everything in my vegetable garden from seed and the flowers are a combination of plants, perennials and seeds. This year we're growing nasturtiums from seed and they are very different. Most seeds turn into the very first leaves of the plant. Nasturtiums grow roots from one point, and the plant itself comes from another point. The seed is simply the seed and never turns into leaves. It's very neat to see and if you get a chance to sprout a nasturtium you'll see what I mean.

So far we have about 80 plants ready to go into the ground as soon as the danger of frost has passed, which is May 15th here in PA. I'm excited to get out there and get my hands in the dirt; to make my morning rounds of the garden and see how the plants have grown overnight; to harvest the fruits of each. We have zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, basil, mint, chives, parsley, lavender and flowers, flowers, flowers!

How's your own garden coming along?

A Little Extra Time

The Cooking with Anne and Lots of Kids cooking challenge has been extended! Have your recipe in by May 5th and the entries will be posted on May 6th. Check it out HERE and join in!

***Addendum***
Since this first challenge was not up until halfway through the month, you do NOT need to have a photo for your entry!