I like sandwiches and salads, especially in the summer when it’s too hot to cook and I’m too tired to spend time in the kitchen. The deli at the supermarket always has roasted chicken and cooked beef so, if you don’t want to cook, getting a meat at the deli is a fast and easy way to begin. Sandwiches and salads are other ways to lighten up in the kitchen.
We have a large selection of cookbooks that can give you ideas on fast and easy meals. Here are just two that you might like.
Sometimes a book appears in the catalog as a reference book and can’t be checked out. However, some reference books are now online as an electronic resource.
I love cooking and baking, and am always looking for new cookbooks and recipes. Anytime I bring a cookbook back to the library I'm asked, "Did you find a new recipe?," "Try anything new?", "Need us to taste test anything?" Food days are greatly enjoyed here at the Smithville Branch, as well as exchanging recipes. Here are a few staff favorites, and maybe a personal favorite or two.
One of the unpredicted by-products of the internet has been internet memes. The "RickRoll", LOLcats and their quests for cheeseburgers, "Chocolate Rain", and Diet Coke/Mentos fountains are examples of a phenomena that have catapulted to widespread fame on the Internet via email and social media sites. One of the stranger memes to develop is an
With all of the beautiful strawberries available this summer, I am reminded of the scrumptious strawberry shortcakes my mom used to make “from scratch.” Knowing the recipe by heart, Mom sifted all of the dry ingredients into a crock, hollowed out the middle for the eggs and milk, and used her fingers to gently (and lovingly) combine the mixture. Afterwards, she cut out the shortcakes using the end of a recycled can.
As we all know, college students are low on funds when it comes to food. Many students live on Ramen noodles, peanut butter, microwaveable foods, and the most popular...... POPCORN! I noticed that we have cookbooks for popcorn in the library catalog. Can you believe it? Popcorn! So, if you love popcorn, or if you are eating a lot of it out of necessity, perhaps you would like to try some new ideas.
Would you like to learn about food garnishing and presentation? Can the way food is arranged actually affect the flavor of the food? Bill Phillips, Culinary Institute of America Chef/Instructor says, “Indeed it can.” He also emphasizes that from a psychological point of view, presentation clearly affects one’s perception of flavor. He teaches a system of guidelines called BUFF. B is for balance. U is for unity. F is for focal point. F is for flow.
When the temperatures start to cool down, I venture outside to enjoy camping and campfires. There’s nothing like sharing ooey, gooey s’mores with friends while sitting in front of a warm fire on a cool autumn’s evening! Before passing around the marshmallows and graham crackers though, we usually eat another of my favorite camping foods: Dutch oven stew made with chicken, potatoes, and carrots. While waiting for bed with a full belly and campfire stories still fading from the air, I cannot help but wonder if we are not unlike the pioneers of the Old West.
