First Things First

Hello everyone, my name is Alise Lawrence. For those of you unfamiliar with me, I have known Sarah for...oh man, 18 years. For reasons I won't go into (sheer unadulterated laziness), I have been the silent / missing collaborator of this blog... until now. I have always enjoyed cooking, and so in October of 2006, I decided to enroll in and attend a culinary school named Kitchen Academy in Hollywood Ca. When I finished, I realized that the cooking repertoire of the home chef might potentially benefit from my own ideas and personal experiences gained from school and being a home chef myself. It is the sincere intent of myself, Sarah, and this blog to do exactly that, to give home chefs a leg up in the kitchen through techniques and inspiration.

Now that the introductions are out of the way, first things first: Aside from imagination, a chef can only be as creative as their tools and ingredients allow them to be. Not having all the necessary ( I say necessary because certain things like colanders or strainers, while nice to have, aren't detrimental to most cooking processes) tools can stop you from accomplishing even the most basic of tasks in the kitchen. That said, here is a list of things personal experience has taught me are handy to have in a kitchen. Most of them are probably already in your kitchen. Anything in parenthesis are good to have, but ultimately up to your discretion.

Tools

• Kitchen / Chef's knife


• Paring knife


• Bread knife


• (Filet / Boning knife)

• Whisk


• Mixing spoons


• Spatula


• Measuring spoons


• Measuring cups, wet and dry, there is a difference


• (Rubber spatula)


• (Colander or a strainer)

Ingredients

• Onions


• Garlic


• Rice


• Potatoes


• Pasta


• Flour


• Butter


• Chicken, beef or vegetable bullion


• (Carrots, celery...even I don't have these all the time)


• (Canned or frozen vegetables)


• Any spices of your choice (i.e. rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley, sage, bay leaves, pepper flakes.....)

Sorry this post was so long, but I felt that I had to make up for lost time...J/k. I'll be back soon with another couple of posts discussing basic stock making, and general ingredient substitutions in recipies. Always, Alise.

How to bake a Pie Pumpkin

First things first, did you buy a Pie Pumpkin?

They are usually small, about 2 pounds. Around the size of your hand.

Usually these pumpkins are labeled "Pie Pumpkin"

if not, then it will cook the same way (so long as its a similar size) the only difference will be the taste!

Cut the pumpkin in half, remove the stem if desired.

Scoop out seeds and flesh.

Save seeds if you wish to make my delicious Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.

Place pumpkin halves down on foil lined baking sheet

Cover each half with foil. (this makes sure the pumpkin stays moist!)

Bake at 450 F for 1 hour

(time may vary depending on size of pumpkin)

Remove from oven. skin should peel away easily, if not then cook for longer.

Place pumpkin in bowl and mix with egg beater/ kitchen mixer/ food processor.

a regular sized pie pumpkin should have made 2 cups of puree, which is exactly enough for one 9 inch pumpkin pie! (or two 8 inch)

Welcome!

In this blog we will be posting recipes and tips that will save you a ton of MONEY and still taste absolutely delicious!!!

Here are a few quick tips until we really get started;

1. Leftovers are a big deal. invest in tupperware! (or similar inexpensive containers that have no BPAs)

2. Always have your spice rack stocked and ready with your favorite flavors. Some of mine are, basil, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and curry. you usually cant go wrong with a good Italian blend! Even though fresh herbs are best, you can get the same fresh flavor with freeze dried or frozen. Regular dried can last for YEARS, but lose their flavor after just a few.

3. Pasta may be cheap but it doesnt have to be boring! stock up and save in a dry air tight container. Ikea has really good glass jars that I like to use, and at a great price!

4. Every time you go to the store, pick up a few extra non perishable food items if you see them on sale, boxed, bagged or canned. That way you can build up your food storage for when your month lasts longer than your money! Some good food storage items to have include but are not limited to, pasta sauce, canned soups in any variety but especially "cream of" soups because they are perfect for casseroles and for other great dishes, canned meats, fruit, and veggies, applesauce is a great one especially if you have kids, and Mac 'n Cheese!!!

Please visit often for more deliciously inexpensive food ideas!