 For Spring Break this year I found myself in sunny Toronto. While immersing myself in all things Canadian, I discovered my favourite new comfort food. Start with a plate of french fries, add a liberal scattering of fresh cheese curds, and top the whole thing with hot gravy. The Canadians call it poutine, If it sounds a little messy, well that’s acknowledged; it’s name comes from the French (it originated in Quebec) for “it will make a damn mess.” Warm and hearty, it makes a delicious appetizer or side dish; especially on a chilly or dreary day. After doing some kitchen experimentation, I’ve found it’s also very easy to prepare at home. The classic poutine preparation consists of three things: French fried potatoes, fresh cheddar cheese curds, and turkey gravy. That being said, there are dozens of ways to tweak the ingredients and create your own “house” variant on the basic recipe. I would suggest giving the standard formula a try before branching outside Advantages Of Asparagus by Rachel Phillips 04/05/2010
 photo by Rachel Phillips As the first day of spring approaches, many farmer’s market regulars anticipate the arrival of asparagus season. Well aware of the nutritional benefits this vegetable delivers, foodies embrace asparagus for the ease of preparing this figure-friendly dish. For those who don’t understand this excitement over asparagus, let me explain my love affair with this versatile green. Nutritionally, asparagus is high in vitamins A and C for good vision and radiant skin. It also contains vitamin B6, which many nutritionists boast as the heart saving vitamin. Outwardly, its stick-like shape is telling of its effect on your body. Because this vegetable is low in fat and calories, you can fill up on the stalks without gaining anything around the mid-section. The plant is also high in fiber, which contributes to weight loss because it keeps you fuller longer so you don’t need to snack as much. If these facts haven’t enticed you, maybe when you learn that Michigan is one of the top producers of asparagus may. Not only does this mean easy accessibility at super markets, but it also makes for fresh stalks and less strain on college students’ budgets. Sachet d'Épices by Sara Kosuth 03/30/2010
 photo by Sara Kosuth In other words "A bag of spice," this is a common way to add flavor using fresh or dried spices and herbs to soups, broths, and other dishes. I used one for making homemade chicken broth and another for homemade tomato soup. I simply used a piece of cheese cloth and placed a bay leaf, fresh sage, rosemary, basil stems, one clove of garlic, and thyme and tied it up.  photo by Sara Kosuth Want to learn how to make Sara's Raspberry Torte? Check out the recipe in four simple steps!  photo by Cathy Fan Oxtail, the tail of cattle, has recently surged in popularity for culinary enthusiasts. It’s a bony, gelatinous cut of meat and is best braised or slowly stewed. I made this dish up one night in which I which I was bored and lazy. Boredom made me want to cook, but laziness made me not want to make a huge mess in the kitchen with various strainers, utensils, colanders, pans, etc that I would have to clean up. Therefore, this is what I would consider a “one pot meal”. Naturally, there are more refined ways to make this dish, but since I was really only feeding myself and my roommate, who cares? When I made this dish, I kept the onions and carrots used in braising the tails in the finished dish. Some people may find these too mushy and so feel free to strain the sauce and discard the veggies if preferred. Because of the somewhat tricky bone structure of the tail which would make it rather awkward to eat with a fork and knife, if you’re serving this dish to other people it might be best to braise the oxtails, take the meat off the bones, and shred/return to dish (don’t forget to get the marrow out of the bones for yourself…it’s the most delicious part!!) .  Do you find yourself throwing away the ends of the bread that you buy? For some reason, people seem to have this idea that the ends of bread are useless. In reality, however, they’re just as good as every other slice of bread with just a bit more crust. Rather than throwing them away, put those butts to good use and make homemade croutons! Here’s what you do:
Coffee Glazed Ribs by Tabia Chui 02/15/2010
 Coffee is nearly a number one necessity for college students. This is probably pretty obvious from the numerous Expresso Royale and Starbucks cafes on campus. But did you ever think of not drinking it, but eating it? As strange as it sounds, coffee goes very well with spare ribs. And (if you need any more pros), it’s a super easy recipe to boot.  Note from the Editor: This is a recipe from the cookbook we are currently reviewing, Freshman in the Kitchen. The recipes being reviewed is for Toasted Coconut and Lime Biscotti and Angel Hair Pasta with Bacon Cream Sauce with Peas made from scratch. Click the link above to read more about the book and let us know what you think! Not Your Typical BiscottiWhen deciding which recipes to review for the cookbook, Freshman in the Kitchen, the “Toasted Coconut and Lime Biscotti” recipe immediately appealed to me. Spending a summer in Italy among avid biscotti connoisseurs left me impressed with this sidekick to espresso. I was hungry for more, so to speak, and grabbed hold of this recipe review as the perfect way to learn the art of creating uno biscotto. At first, I was apprehensive at the thought of working with biscotti dough because I had always assumed it to be totally different from American cookie dough. In reality, biscotti and cookie dough basically look and work the same. The only trouble I had when forming the dough was using the little moisture provided by the eggs and vanilla extract to meld all of the dry ingredients together. Eventually, I learned that working with a spoon was a bad idea so I tossed it into the sink and set about working the dough into two logs with my hands. The results were tremendously better. After that minor dough issue, the baking times were right on and the biscotti themselves turned out with the perfect consistency and texture. I was incredibly impressed with my results!  Note from the Editor: This is a recipe from the cookbook we are currently reviewing, Freshman in the Kitchen. The recipe being reviewed is for Chicken Breasts with Rosemary, White Wine, and Lemon Juice made from scratch. Click the link above to read more about the book and let us know what you think! If you’re looking for a couple of easy and delicious snacks or appetizers, look no further than these recipes from Freshmen in the Kitchen. Although the title of the cookbook suggests otherwise, a kitchen is not even really necessary with these recipes. For dorm-dwellers like me, this is especially important. Impossible to serve homemade hors d'oeuvres if you live in a dorm, you say? Read on. First, the smoked salmon dip. This recipe has three ingredients, so it is vital to buy the highest quality ingredients possible. Although the recipe doesn’t specify which kind of salmon to use, I much prefer the flavor and texture of hot smoked salmon to cold (hot smoked is cooked thoroughly and has a smoky flavor, while cold smoked is perhaps more widely used, sometimes referred to as “Lox”…perhaps a comparison to elaborate further on in another blog post). Luckily, Ann Arbor residents have a fabulous smoked fish source right in their own backyard: Durham’s Tracklements and Smokery in Kerrytown. It is located on E. Kingsley, just a little ways down from Zingerman’s. They offer hot and cold smoked salmon. I recommend trying a sample of both if you’re not sure which you prefer, because the dip will only be as delicious as your salmon.  Note from the Editor: This is a recipe from the cookbook we are currently reviewing, Freshman in the Kitchen. There are three recipes being reviewed in this case, all made from scratch. Click the link above to read more about the book and let us know what you think! I reviewed 3 recipes from the new cookbook, Freshman in the Kitchen. A Potato Leek Soup, Spicy Rainbow Trout, and the Salmon and Goat Cheese Napoleon with Wild Rice Pilaf. Using these 3 recipes as a representative sample of the cookbook in general, this is a decent cook book, especially for college students (maybe not freshmen because of the dorms). It was also great that the recipe gave quantities of ingredients to serve 2, as this is more likely the case during college than standard recipes that are designed to serve 4. I made these recipes over 2 meals, serving the soup as an appetizer before the Salmon and Goat Cheese Napoleon, and the Rainbow Trout for lunch the next day. Overall the cost of the ingredients may make these not the most ideal “college cooking” recipes, as eve frozen salmon fillets cost 7 dollars for 12 oz. I’ll review each recipe separately: Potato Leek Soup:  This is a soup that I have made for dinners many times before, albeit with a different recipe. After trying this recipe I would say that it is really not the best Potato Leek Soup recipe around. The first flaw is that the soup is not blended. In my opinion, Potato Leek Soup is the best when creamy and smooth, with occasional chunks of potato speckled throughout. Although you can add heavy cream to get the “creamy” texture, I’ve made many other Potato Leek Soups that did not contain cream, but because the potato was blended, the starch made the soup thick and creamy. The soup was nicely flavored, although I would have preferred a specified quantity of salt, as it requires quite a bit to season “to taste”. In addition... | Recipes to chew on:
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