April Cooking Light Project [Archive] - CookingLight.com Community

Gwendolyn

04-09-2003, 02:10 PM

I have been diligently following the Julie/Julia project (a woman in NY who is making every recipe from Julia Child's Art of French Cookery in a year). Julie writes about each day's cooking escapades on a web site, and her writings are really funny. There are threads on Julie's project here, so I won't say more than that about the project.

In honor of Julie's project, I've decided to take up my own, less ambitious project: I'm going to cook every recipe in the April issue of Cooking Light by the end of May. That is, every recipe except the soft shell crab recipes because I just can't get within two feet of a soft shell crab.

Anyone care to join me? Come on, it'll be fun! :)

So, if anyone needs a review of anything, I'm likely to have one. And if anyone has any words of wisdom or encouragement, I'll need those as well.

So far I've made these recipes (I may have the names wrong):
Rustic grilled pizza
Roasted onion soup
Slow cooker red beans and rice
Chicken stuffed with artichokes and goat cheese (and bulgur side dish)
Wine braised chicken
Ivory Coast chicken
Chicken scallopini (and orzo side dish)

DH and I are a little tired of chicken, so we're having Pepper steak tonight and Black bean salsa soup tomorrow.

I can't wait to get started on desserts (which have to wait until after Easter since I gave up desserts for Lent). That means I'll have to average close to two desserts a week after Easter. Whoopeee!!

BeachBum

04-09-2003, 02:26 PM

OH MY! What an ambitious project! I'll definately want to follow your progress, but there is no way I could ever commit to doing it myself. Are you just going to keep this thread going with daily reports? I think that would be a fun way to keep track. Well good luck and I'll be checking in. :D

Peggy C.

04-09-2003, 02:28 PM

I'll cheer you on! I love that site also!

Good luck!

Terrytx

04-09-2003, 02:29 PM

I wish you luck! I cook sometimes 2, 3 or even 4 new recipes a day (on average) and I have never gotten all the recipes in a months issue done. The closest I have come is last months issue (March) and I might get to doing them all yet. Happy cooking!!

Kayla

04-09-2003, 02:51 PM

First off - WOW! Kudos to you, and best of luck. I can't wait to read more of what you have to write and review.

Secondly, does anyone know the website for the Julie / Julia Project?

Thanks so much :)
Kayla

Kuvy

04-09-2003, 02:56 PM

Gwendolyn
You are an inspiration! But no, I wasn't excited by enough April recipes to join you. Sorry! :o
However, I am wondering what your review was for Ivory Chicken? I'm trying to decide between it and the Senegalese Chicken in the previous page. (The Senegalese one looks more interesting but of course that usually means more time consuming!!)
:)
Editing to say - OH! I just read your review on my Ivory Chicken thread. Thank you! :D :D

d_ferrero

04-09-2003, 02:57 PM

Less ambitious?!?!?!?1 70-some recipes in 6 weeks? Count me in as a spectator. I'd LOVE to join you, but there's no way I could achieve that -- my current goal is 2-3 "new" recipes (primarily CL or Eating Well) in a week.

greysangel

04-09-2003, 03:10 PM

That is ambitious for the timeframe! I also wasn't inspired enough by April's CL to do all the recipes...plus there are too many desserts for me to ever do in that time!

I always thought it would be a cool thing to get through an entire CL annual in a year :D But I would hate to limit myself :D

Good luck!
JeAnne

Wendy w

04-09-2003, 03:10 PM

Kayla, here's the thread where Canice 1st mentioned it.
http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35836&highlight=Julie

Kayla

04-09-2003, 05:50 PM

Thanks Wendy!! :D

Peggy

04-09-2003, 07:39 PM

Good luck to you! I will watch for news on your progress as the weeks go by. However, I'm with Kuvy... The April issue just doesn't "float my boat". Perhaps I will give it a try when I find an issue that really does it for me!:)

Peggy

sally/oh

04-09-2003, 08:03 PM

What an undertaking. I've tried 10 new recipes in the past week which is a LOT for me in that time frame. I wish you good luck!

valchemist

04-10-2003, 05:52 AM

that is an ambitious project, Gwendolyn (as you can see by the fact that no one has joined you :p ). good luck and keep us posted!!

Val

p.s. if I were ever to do this type of a challenge, the april '03 issue wouldn't be the issue for me. I haven't found much of anything that sounds appealing in it. but everyone's tastes are different!

Gwendolyn

04-10-2003, 07:54 AM

Thanks for all the support! It really is motivating.

I agree with those of you who said the April issue didn't really jump out at you as a great one to use for this project. It didn't really jump out at me either. However, one of my main goals for this project is to broaden my cooking horizons and try new techniques and recipes I wouldn't otherwise try. For example, I'm not a big braiser -- that technique just doesn't generally appeal to me. There's a lot of good braising recipes in this issue, though, and I'm getting a new-found respect for the technique (see, Ivory Coast Chicken, for example). I think the whole thing is making me a better cook. It's fun to try new things.

Last night I made the Salsa bean soup. This is a recipe I would have tried even without the Project, so it wasn't a real risk. DH and I loved the soup and gave it a solid 9/10. It was really easy to throw together, and we love anything with chipotle powder in it. The flavor was pretty spicy and smoky...mmmmm.

I also made the lemon-blueberry muffins. Weird combination with the soup, but the muffins were great. Very moist, and I used wonderful blueberries, so that flavor really came through. One tip: let the muffins completely cool before trying to top with glaze. I got a little impatient, and my glaze melted and ran off the muffins into big pools on the plate. (Editing to say we gave the muffins 8/10.)

Tonight we're having Pepper Steak. On Saturday morning I'm making the Strawberry Cream tart from the cover to take to my parents house for a family lunch. Since DH and I gave up desserts for Lent, we won't be trying it, but I'll let you know what the family thinks. I figure I need to get in a few dessert recipes now even though we can't eat them, or we'll be swimming in desserts in May.

Thanks again for all your support, and I'd love a cooking partner. Anyone willing to try the challenge. Terrytx, at your rate of completing new recipes you could finish April in no time. :)

Kuvy

04-10-2003, 12:23 PM

LOVE your reviews, please keep 'em coming.

Good point on trying new techniques. In spite of all the cooking I do, there's still an incredible amount of foods and techniques that I automatically skip over when I'm searching for "next week's recipes" - and I often wonder how much I'm limiting myself by not forcing myself to make them in spite of my prejudices.

Here's a sample of the thoughts that prompted these April items to be "no's"for example-:
Salads - much easier to buy the kind in a bag
Desserts - can't afford the calories (and I can never have just one teeny piece after all the efort of making it)
Frittata - boring, too much like an omlette
Striped Bass - WAY too expensive
Pan-fried fish balls - trying not to fry too much these days
Grilled Onion, Beef and Sweet Potato Salad - don't like sweet potatoes much
Shallot-rubbed Steak w/ Picked Onions - onions look icky
Marinated Duck Breasts - don't like duck that much
Fish in Paper Parcels with Veggies - looks complicated
Chicken Stroganoff - burnt out on creamy pasta sauces from Mac'n' Cheese and Chicken Tetrazzini from March CL
Root Veg Soup - not that appealing sounding
etc, etc

In my defense, there are SO MANY good recipes out there - I have more than I can keep up with just cooking from CL and the to-die-for recipe suggestions on this BB. Y'know?

:)

Gwendolyn

04-11-2003, 07:41 AM

Kuvy -- I know what you mean about your initial impressions of some of the recipes. I had some of the same impressions. For example, when I saw the leg of lamb recipe for 20, my first thought was "Yeah right...who makes those kinds of things." But, thanks to the April CL Project, I will be making those kinds of things. I want to be able to say that I've cooked at least one leg of lamb in my life, and this is the month I'll do it in. DH and I will have lamb leftovers forever. He requested that I try to find "a smallish leg of lamb so I don't have to eat it for the next week." He has a good point.

Last night we had Pepper Steak. It was good and quick. Nothing spectacular. The garlic/ginger sauce was pleasant and homey, pretty thick because of the flour, and also pretty mild. We think it would be better with water chestnuts or carrots or something else thrown in to add interest. Also, my beef was a little tough after cooking for ten minutes. Maybe next time (if there is a next time) I'll add the bell peppers and beef at the same time and cut down on the overall cooking time a bit.

This weekend I'll be making the strawberry cream tart (for family) and probably the leg of lamb for Sunday night. It's definitely a weekend dish since it looks like it takes about 3 1/2 hours from start to finish. I'll post those reviews on Monday.

Thanks for all the support!

Kayla

04-11-2003, 10:25 AM

Thanks for the review, Gwendolyn :) I'm sure you're going to love the strawberry tart - I haven't really heard of anyone who hasn't! Have a great weekend!

Kayla

claire797

04-11-2003, 11:13 AM

Gwendolyn,

Thanks for posting all of the reviews. This is such a cool thread! Thanks for all the recipe testing.

Peggy C.

04-11-2003, 12:41 PM

Gwendolyn another thanks for your reviews and comments on the "why", just know I'll be reading along the whole way, but I may not comment after every post. But I am here in spirit!

Wendy w

04-11-2003, 01:08 PM

I'm just here to wish you luck. I am going through a cooking slump right now and although many of the dishes in April look great, I have yet to make any. :o

Good luck to you and will be watching the reviews.

Molli526

04-11-2003, 02:54 PM

Go Gwendolyn Go!

Props to you, for taking on the April issue :)

kristalsnow7

04-11-2003, 04:16 PM

I'm so excited about this project, and look forward to all of your reviews! I'm not that jazzed about the April issue, either, but I've liked everything I've made so far. Since you're not attempting the soft-shell crab recipes, I wonder if there is anyone out there who would like to make all of those? I'd definitely be curious to hear some reviews from that section.

:)
Kristal

SallyCC

04-11-2003, 06:49 PM

Gwendolyn,
Just wanted to give you a cheer for taking on such a project and giving us feedback. It is a huge task and it sounds like you are having lots of fun with it. Thank you for sharing your fun with us!!
Sally

ErinM

04-12-2003, 09:32 AM

Gwendolyn:

I, too, applaud you for taking on such an endeavor! You're right, it's a great way to expand your culinary horizons. Just recently, I thought about doing the same thing with the CL Complete cookbook, but would never be able to do it since I don't eat meat, and I'm not that great at coming up with vegetaria subsitutes. I may still do something similar one day, just don't know what the cookbook will be!

Good luck! I also look forward to your reviews!

Gwendolyn

04-14-2003, 08:07 AM

Thanks for all the support! You guys are the best!

Well, I'm back to let you know how the Project went this weekend. Because I didn't have to work this weekend (a rare occassion for me), I loaded up on complicated cooking projects. I wanted to get some of the time intensive recipes out of the way. Over the course of the weekend, I made De-lish Oatmeal, Strawberry Cream Tart, Leg of Lamb, Crunchy Vegetable Salad, and the Polenta part of the Polenta Lasagna recipe. Here are the reviews:

De-lish oatmeal: Yummy! This was not very sweet, and that's how I like my oatmeal, so I really liked this recipe. It's amazing how much the flavor of the apple cider the oatmeal is cooked in comes through. Also, the crunchy nuts and dried cranberries were great in this--each bite was exciting. Suprisingly, the pear didn't add much to the recipe, so I won't hesitate to make this again, even if I don't have a pear on hand. I gave this a 8/10 -- a very good score for something so simple. DH doesn't like oatmeal, but I managed to get him to try a bite, and his response was "I could see how you might like this if you like oatmeal." :rolleyes:

Strawberry Cream Tart: I made this for a family event. DH and I didn't try it because we gave up dessert for Lent, but this was the most beautiful dessert I've ever made (and I've made TONS of desserts). This tart looked like it was made by a professional, and it was so easy to put together. The family loved the flavor, and gave the tart an 8/10. It would have been a higher score, I think, it my family wasn't such a fan of layer cakes. They would give the Cooking Light Italian Cream Cake or the Died-and-Went-to-Heaven cake (with frosting) a 10, but even the best tart in the world will not rise above an 8. I highly recommend this dessert for sharing with company because it is so impressive looking. As others on this BB recommended, I strained the glaze, and I think that's a very important step if you want the tart to look like the cover photo.

Leg of Lamb: A solid 8/10. I've never cooked lamb before, so I was really looking forward to making this. The crust was fabulous -- all that roasted garlic mixed with tart mustard -- mmmmmm. All in all, it was much easier to cook lamb than I ever thought it would be. I'm not sure I would do this again, though, because it did take a long time, and we have tons of leftovers. Also, I'm not sure I would risk serving lamb to a big group because so many people don't like it.

Crunchy Vegetable Salad: 5/10. Not a great score. This was a lot of effort for a salad that just ended up being various boiled vegetables with a weird sauce. DH and I are adventurous eaters, but cocktail sauce on vegetables just didn't taste right to us. We kept looking for the boiled shrimp. The recipe wasn't a total loss, however, because I did get to cook a beet for the very first time. Also, DH learned that he likes boiled (as opposed to pickled) beets, and he has always insisted otherwise.

I can't wait to put the Polenta Lasagna together for dinner tonight. I made the polenta last night while the lamb was cooking, and it tasted fabulous all by itself. I'll post that review tomorrow.

And the Project goes on...

Kayla

04-14-2003, 12:41 PM

Originally posted by Gwendolyn
Thanks for all the support! You guys are the best!

...De-lish oatmeal: Yummy! This was not very sweet, and that's how I like my oatmeal, so I really liked this recipe. It's amazing how much the flavor of the apple cider the oatmeal is cooked in comes through. Also, the crunchy nuts and dried cranberries were great in this--each bite was exciting. Suprisingly, the pear didn't add much to the recipe, so I won't hesitate to make this again, even if I don't have a pear on hand. I gave this a 8/10 -- a very good score for something so simple. DH doesn't like oatmeal, but I managed to get him to try a bite, and his response was "I could see how you might like this if you like oatmeal." :rolleyes: ...

...Leg of Lamb: A solid 8/10. I've never cooked lamb before, so I was really looking forward to making this. The crust was fabulous -- all that roasted garlic mixed with tart mustard -- mmmmmm. All in all, it was much easier to cook lamb than I ever thought it would be. I'm not sure I would do this again, though, because it did take a long time, and we have tons of leftovers. Also, I'm not sure I would risk serving lamb to a big group because so many people don't like it...

...Crunchy Vegetable Salad: 5/10. Not a great score. This was a lot of effort for a salad that just ended up being various boiled vegetables with a weird sauce. DH and I are adventurous eaters, but cocktail sauce on vegetables just didn't taste right to us. We kept looking for the boiled shrimp. The recipe wasn't a total loss, however, because I did get to cook a beet for the very first time. Also, DH learned that he likes boiled (as opposed to pickled) beets, and he has always insisted otherwise...

I can't wait to put the Polenta Lasagna together for dinner tonight. I made the polenta last night while the lamb was cooking, and it tasted fabulous all by itself. I'll post that review tomorrow.

And the Project goes on...

Hi Gwendolyn!

Thanks again for the reviews - I'm glad to hear you like the de-lish oatmeal. I went out and got most of the ingredients (except for the pears - so I'm glad to see they weren't a huge part of it) for it when I went shopping late Sunday night. I'm a big warm cereal in the morning person, so I can't wait to try it! (Your DH's remark is just priceless ;))

And kudos for following through with the lamb though you've never made it before. It's great it worked out for you and you liked it enough, too :)

I'm always trying new veggie salads of the summer, so I'll keep it in mind that you said this wasn't too impressive.

I look forward to reading about the Polenta Lasagna as well... keep up the good work!

:D Kayla

bluestocking

04-14-2003, 07:42 PM

Hi Gwendolyn- You go girl!!
What a terrific project. I'm so enjoying reading your experiences and reviews. I have to enjoy the recipes vicariously however, because right now DH, my cat, and I are in the middle of a new kitchen project and I don't have a stove or anything! We're camping in the middle of an empty dining room, knowing that the end result in a few weeks will be worth the hassles. So, keep up the good work- you're reminding me why I'm doing a kitchen in the first place!:p

cherylopal

04-15-2003, 07:42 AM

Good Luck Gewndolyn!!

This is too busy of a time of year for me (end of year teaching rush) but i wanted to wish you luck. sounds like fun and thanks for all the reviews!

cheryl

Gwendolyn

04-15-2003, 07:50 AM

I made the polenta lasagna last night. I had the polenta all ready to go from this weekend, so it wasn't hard to throw the lasagna together when I got home from work. DH and I loved this recipe. It was so cheesy and good -- definitely comfort food. Also, the idea of using sheets of polenta in place of traditional lasagna noodles is really clever. And the serving size is very generous for so few calories. I actually couldn't even finish one serving. We rated this an 8/10. I was pushing for a 9/10, but DH didn't like the dish as much as he likes lasagna with noodles, so we compromised on an 8. This is definitely a repeater for us.

On another note, the Project has been tough on our freezer space. Since it's just DH and I, and since I have to cook at least one new recipe a night in order to finish the Project by the end of May, our leftovers are really piling up. For example, we now have 6 servings of polenta lasagna in our freezer with no chance to eat them on the horizon. I do eat leftovers for lunch when I don't have lunch meetings, but that accounts for only 3 or so meals a week. Maybe I should start halving the big recipes. I should have halved the polenta lasagna and made it in an 8x8 pan. DH and I are also planning to do more dinner parties so we can feed some of this stuff to our friends. Any other suggestions for leftovers?

Tonight it's lamb burgers. I only got about 1/2 lb of ground lamb, so I'll be halving the recipe. Thank goodness we won't have any leftovers!!

Molli526

04-15-2003, 08:16 AM

Gwendolyn,

I also diligently read the Julie/ Julia project. She has made reference to halving recipes. Really, it is the recipe, not the *amount* per se. It is just DH and me and there is no way we could house all those leftovers either if I made the full servings of everything.

What about giving the leftovers to friends, neighbors, family, co-workers etc? Just tell them to come over and clean your fridge for dinner tonight :)

Gwendolyn

04-16-2003, 08:09 AM

Last night, we had lamb burgers. Ahhhh -- perfection. I halved the recipe (I agree with Molli that it's making the recipe that counts rather than the amount), so we didn't have any leftovers. For once, I'm sorry about the lack of leftovers. These were perfect. So juicy and flavorful. DH and I love lamb, and these burgers had a slight taste of lamb. Just enough to make them much more interesting than regular burgers. (If you're not into the taste of lamb, however, you probably won't love these as much as we did.) Also, the burgers were so juicy -- like they'd been cooked in butter. Can they be healthy? They tasted absolutely sinful.

I was really fighting for a 10/10, but we settled on a solid 9/10 or 9.5/10. DH says the only thing that's a 10/10 is the churrasco recipe with chimicurri sauce that was in Cooking Light about two years ago. He says, "A 10/10 is the holy grail, and the only recipe that lives up to that is the Churrasco." As you can probably tell, DH is a big fan of steak.

Well, last night I did a little review of the Project and was happy to see that I'm right on track. I have a full 6 weeks left until the end of May, so I should have no trouble finishing all the recipes. Whew! What a relief! I was worried that I'd need to start making two dinners per day to complete the project on time. I'm planning a Mother's Day brunch for DH and my families, so I've strategically saved several recipes for that occasion. For example, I think we'll be having several different kinds of drinks -- raspberry sparklers or pineapple punch anyone? How am I going to make it through all these drinks?! Maybe it will be an all-liquid Mother's Day brunch.

Tonight is Italian Potato Torta.

And the Project goes on...

Kayla

04-16-2003, 08:59 AM

Thanks again for the review, Gwendolyn!! Sounds like your husband has great faith in Cooking Light, too ;) Glad you're both enjoying your trials!

:) Kayla

RebeccaT

04-16-2003, 10:29 AM

I just noticed this thread... Go Gwendolyn Go!! I really am enjoying your reviews! I haven't made anything from April yet, I am still wading through March! :o Thanks so much for reviewing as you go... wow, you are working hard! Keep it up, so that we can reap the benfits! :D ;)

Hoodone

04-16-2003, 12:56 PM

Gwendolyn,

There are several of us here in Houston, you should just give all the leftovers to us! Actually, what I think you should do is call your church or other such organization and ask them who might need food delivery due to illness, new baby, etc.

This is an excellent project and I will look forward to further reviews.

Terrytx

04-16-2003, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by Hoodone
Gwendolyn,

There are several of us here in Houston, you should just give all the leftovers to us!

I agree :D

Actually, what I think you should do is call your church or other such organization and ask them who might need food delivery due to illness, new baby, etc.

This is an excellent project and I will look forward to further reviews.

I agree again :D

Gwendolyn

04-17-2003, 12:09 PM

Hoodone -- great idea on giving the leftovers to people my church identifies as people in need!! I'm going to call my church today. Then I'm going to get some Gladware and start putting the leftovers into nice, single-sized servings so they're ready for delivery. It will be like getting a bunch of convenient, frozen dinners, only they'll be homemade. That seems perfect for a new mother or an elderly person who isn't able to cook.

Last night I made the Italian Potato Torta. It was good but nothing spectacular. The dish tasted like something out of the 50s, and it was good comfort food. However, it didn't wow us, especially considering the hour and fifteen minutes it took from start to finish (We sat down to dinner at 9:45pm -- and we missed the Bachelor!). DH and I gave it a 7/10. I may make it again, but I'll try shortcuts like frozen mashed potatoes.

Tonight I'm doing the chicken with red pepper sauce. That recipe looks good and fast. Hopefully, we'll be eating by 8pm.

And the Project goes on...

Peggy C.

04-17-2003, 12:17 PM

Originally posted by Gwendolyn

However, it didn't wow us, especially considering the hour and fifteen minutes it took from start to finish (We sat down to dinner at 9:45pm -- and we missed the Bachelor!).

And the Project goes on...

Ok, now it's starting to sound like the J/J Project!

What a great idea for the leftovers! Very generous!

Gwendolyn

04-18-2003, 08:59 AM

Last night we had Chicken with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce. It was great! My sauce was pretty chunky, and it didn't look like the picture, but it tasted fabulous, and it was so easy to throw together. I used Buddy's chicken (from Central Market) which is so much better than the rubbery chicken breasts I usually get from my normal grocery store. The chicken was moist and perfectly cooked. We gave the recipe an 8.5/10. DH was really pushing for a 9/10, but I didn't think this recipe was quite as fabulous as the lamb burgers, so I wouldn't agree to a 9/10.

We're travelling for the weekend, so I'm taking a few days off from the Project. Next week will be exciting, though. DH is going out of town for a conference, so I'm making all the dishes that don't really appeal to him. I'm really looking forward to most of them. These are the recipes on the menu for next week (sorry if I have some of the names wrong): Root Vegetable Soup with White Bean Salad Nicoise; Green Onion Pancakes with Roasted Tomato Salsa; Stuffed Zucchini with Potatoes; Pan Fried Fish Balls with Sweet and Sour Slaw; Warm Shrimp and Potato Salad; Cafe au Lait Angel Food Cake; Angel Food Cupcakes wiht Fluffy Frosting; and Snickerdoodles. Hmmmm....looking back at the list, I'm noticing a trend -- no meat (except for seafood). That explains why these recipes didn't appeal to DH. :p

Have a Happy Easter everyone!!

And the Project goes on...

claire797

04-18-2003, 10:56 AM

Originally posted by Peggy C.

Ok, now it's starting to sound like the J/J Project!

What a great idea for the leftovers! Very generous!

It sure is. We have our own little "Gwendolyn Project".

Kayla

04-18-2003, 09:18 PM

Wahoo, Gwendolyn... sorry I missed your last two posts - but awesome! Thanks for the reviews :D

I can't wait to read what you have to say about the Root Vegetable Soup with White Bean Salad Nicoise (I really like salads a la Nicoise ;) ... not to mention good, hearty veggie soups) and the Shrimp and Potato Salad!

Keep on chuggin' along to the beat of "you can do it, you can do it"...

;) Kayla

granolagirl

04-21-2003, 01:59 PM

WOW! You rock! :) Can't wait to read more.

Gwendolyn

04-22-2003, 08:05 AM

Well, last night was the first truly disappointing day of the Project. I cooked Root Vegetable Soup and White Bean Salad Nicoise. We gave the soup a 2/10. That's a really low score for us, and it means barely edible. The flavor was okay, but the soup had a really strange texture. It was like runny pudding only it tasted like root vegetables. Weird. I ate just a few spoonfuls. DH said it would be a good soup to give to a baby in lieu of jarred baby food, and I think that's a great idea. I hope this review doesn't offend anyone out there (particuarly the reader who submitted the recipe). It just wasn't our kind of soup. I'm sure others will love it.

We gave the salad a 6/10. I love the idea of the salad (especially the haricot vert), and it was very pretty. However, some of the flavors were off. I guess the arugula and the very-mustardy dressing were just too many strong flavors. I won't be making this one again, at least not exactly as written.

All in all, it was a disappointing dinner. Good thing I had a Reese's Peanut Butter Egg from my Easter basket lying around for dessert.

Tonight I'm making the Warm Shrimp and Potato Salad, and I have high hopes for that one. I'm also making the Snickerdoodles to give to my secretary and file clerk for Administrative Assistants' Day. It's the least I can do after all the hard work they've done for me! :D

And the Project goes on ...

Kuvy

04-22-2003, 08:37 AM

YEAY GWENDOLYN!

This is awesome. I feel like I'm right there with you, without any of the work and dishes!! :D

Thank you so much for doing this and for such useful and interesting reviews.

Kayla

04-22-2003, 10:17 AM

Originally posted by Gwendolyn
Well, last night was the first truly disappointing day of the Project. I cooked Root Vegetable Soup and White Bean Salad Nicoise....

...We gave the salad a 6/10. I love the idea of the salad (especially the haricot vert), and it was very pretty. However, some of the flavors were off. I guess the arugula and the very-mustardy dressing were just too many strong flavors...

...Tonight I'm making the Warm Shrimp and Potato Salad, and I have high hopes for that one. I'm also making the Snickerdoodles ...

:( Sorry to hear that the night wasn't particularly a hit... I guess that's expected when you're making all the recipes for a month, eh?

Do you think the salad would be better with a more neutral tasting lettuce, like bibb or romaine or something?

And I can't wait to hear your reviews (as always) about the shrimp and potato salad... I hope it works out for you :)

Also, the snickerdoodles have gotten lots of great reviews, so I bet your 'administrative assistant' will be very delighted (even just by the fact that you made her cookies alone ;))

Yay, Gwendolyn!

Kayla

greysangel

04-22-2003, 10:21 AM

When is admin's day? Being a secretary I have no idea :D

JeAnne

JanetJ

04-22-2003, 10:24 AM

It's tomorrow, I believe.

greysangel

04-22-2003, 10:26 AM

ahhh... thanks :)

now back to the regularly schedule thread!

j

Gwendolyn

04-23-2003, 11:06 AM

Kayla, to answer your question, I think the White Bean Salad Nicoise would be better without all that arugula. I would prefer it with all spinach, I think. The arugula, mustard, and lemon juice were too much together.

Last night I made the Warm Shrimp and Potato Salad. Since I'm only cooking for one (i.e., me) this week, I cut the recipe in quarters. It wasn't too hard to do that, and all the proportions turned out fine. I really liked this salad and gave it a 7/10. The warm shrimp and potatoes were a nice contrast to the cool, crisp salad greens. Also, the dressing was very flavorful and a nice complement to the shrimp and potatoes. Lastly, this recipe was very fast to throw together, so I'll probably repeat it. I decided to award the salad a 7/10 instead of a higher score because, although is was simple and comforting and good, it wasn't excellent or REALLY good. In other words, it's not a salad that I'll crave or dream about.

I also made the Snickerdoodles. Because others were getting lower yields than the recipe stated and because I needed to give gifts to three administrative assistants today, I doubled the recipe. I ended up making 86 cookies! That's a lot of cookies to form into balls and roll in cinnamon-sugar and flatten with a glass! Needless to say, I finished the project two hours after I started. All the effort was certainly worth it since I am giving these away as gifts. Also, the cookies turned out very well -- soft and chewy with a devine buttery flavor. Very addictive. I gave them an 8/10 and had only 80 to wrap up for my administrative assistants. (You do the math :D ) I hope they will love them.

Tonight it's fish balls and sweet and sour slaw.

claire797

04-23-2003, 11:55 AM

Originally posted by Gwendolyn

Tonight it's fish balls and sweet and sour slaw.

This is why I could never tackle a whole issue of CL. There are just too many foods (all seafood, for instance), that I can't stomach. I suppose if I ever undertake a "bake everything in the book" project, I'd have to choose either a baking book or a dessert cookbook.

Kayla

04-23-2003, 05:57 PM

Originally posted by claire797

This is why I could never tackle a whole issue of CL. There are just too many foods (all seafood, for instance), that I can't stomach. I suppose if I ever undertake a "bake everything in the book" project, I'd have to choose either a baking book or a dessert cookbook.

LOL... I hear you on that one - fish balls wasn't all that appetizing to me either :rolleyes:

...now baking, though, that's something I could stomach ;)

Kayla

Gwendolyn

04-23-2003, 10:27 PM

I agree with you all. "Pan-fried Fish Balls" doesn't sound all that appetizing. The name of this recipe should have been something like Fish Fritters. Anyway, I had these for dinner, and I was pleasantly surprised. Because I'm eating alone this week, I halved the recipe and made just eight fish balls. That's considered an appetizer serving for two, but I figured it was a good-sized main course serving for one. These were really good. The texture is hard to explain. They're pillowy. Not heavy at all and not very fishy (I used a very mild piece of cod). I gave these a 7/10. These would be a great replacement for those frozen fish sticks some people like to eat -- much tastier and lighter too. I think kids would like these (not that I know that much about kids). Also, even as a main course, 8 fish balls was too many. These were pretty good sized balls, and 5 or 6 would've been plenty.

I made the Sweet and Sour Slaw as a side dish, and I really liked that as well. It was so easy to throw together and had a nice, fresh, crisp taste. I used Central Market's slaw mixture, so that was probably an improvement over the commercial bagged variety. The slaw went perfectly with the Fish Balls which entirely surprised me because I chose to do the slaw merely because I needed to get in another recipe this week and not because I thought it would go well with the Fish Balls. Who knew! I gave the slaw an 8/10 -- a definite repeater. What a great way to eat more cabbage (often regarded as one of the healthiest vegetables).

BTW, Kayla, thanks for your consistent support. I always look forward to your comments. I also appreciate everyone else's great support. I couldn't do this without you guys.

And the Project goes on...

Kayla

04-23-2003, 11:24 PM

Hi Gwendolyn :)

Thanks for clarifying all of that about the fish balls :rolleyes: ;) Maybe we should write to CL and tell them to rethink that name!

Anyway, I admit that as a little kid, fish sticks (along with the tIred but true hot dogs, and peanut butter & banana sandwiches) were a staple meal for my brother and me... so a jazzed-up, more gourmet version is very welcomed by me...

Also... now that my dad is living by himself, he's a frozen dinner fiend... I hope to break that habit this summer by showing him how to cook some of his favorite things - one of which is fish sticks! So, I'll definitely be trying these now! Thanks :)

When I saw the sweet and sour slaw recipe, I wasn't too enthused about trying it - it seemed to simple / good to be true? But cole slaw is just too much of a hallmark for summer get-togethers to not try this easy recipe. Thanks for the opinions... I love how you're rating these recipes consistently as a certain number out of 10, too!

I'm glad you're still keeping up with this, but I hope that my constantly posting isn't making you feel obliged - even if you stopped now, you've provided everyone with so much great info, that we're ALL indebted to you ;)

Take care,
Kayla

KristinK

04-24-2003, 09:08 AM

Originally posted by Gwendolyn
"Pan-fried Fish Balls" ... These would be a great replacement for those frozen fish sticks some people like to eat -- much tastier and lighter too. I think kids would like these (not that I know that much about kids).
When I saw this recipe, I actually thought that I'd have to keep it in mind for when I have kids ;)

Anything on the menu for tonight? Or are you just getting ready for your trip this weekend?

RebeccaT

04-24-2003, 10:37 AM

Originally posted by Gwendolyn
I used Central Market's slaw mixture, so that was probably an improvement over the commercial bagged variety.

Gwendolyn, you are doing great! I have been in a cooking lull lately, just recently finishing up all of my "to try" recipes for March! I haven't even started on April yet, and May just got here yesterday! :o I will absolutely be using your project as a reference for April, thank you so much for doing this!

Regarding CM's slaw mix... did you get that at the salad bar? Or in produce? I live about a mile from CM, and I go there at LEAST once a week :o :P ... but I have never tried their slaw mix! I will certainly be trying the Sweet and Sour slaw after your review... I don't like mayonaisse-y slaws but DH and I really enjoy vinaigrette based slaws. Thanks!

Mareli

04-24-2003, 10:57 AM

Gwendolyn--
I just tuned in to this thread and all I have to say is WOW!!!!!! I also really appreciate all the reviews. I am just starting to try the recipes in the April issue (running late, as usual). There are a few recipes that I had thought about but wasn't sure, so you helped alot, thank you!

jm1717

04-24-2003, 12:50 PM

Gwendolyn,

Just curious...Isn't this project costing you a fortune? And how often are you in the grocery store to get everything you need for all these recipes? I was very impressed after reading this thread, but I could never do anything like this. I like to try new recipes, but often I find that I don't have a certain ingredient or something is too expensive so then I won't make it. My husband would have a fit if I bought everything at the store that I would like to buy to try new recipes!!! :)

Hoodone

04-24-2003, 01:11 PM

I just wanted to say that DH and I liked that slaw, too. I was too embarrassed to post about it, though, because it was such a simple recipe. I've made it twice. The first time I added apples, as suggested, and also threw in some toasted sesame seeds. The second time I made it "as is". I liked it with the add-ins better. This is recipe is a definite improvement over mayonnaise (spelling?) slaw dressings.

KLynn

04-26-2003, 09:19 AM

Just want to jump in here to say Kudos to you, Gwendolyn!

I admire your desire to learn new tricks, try new flavors...and not to mention your willingness to share all you are learning with us! I am following this thread regularly...can't wait to hear what's for dinner next! :D

Kayla

04-27-2003, 12:25 AM

Originally posted by Gwendolyn
Kayla, to answer your question, I think the White Bean Salad Nicoise would be better without all that arugula. I would prefer it with all spinach, I think. The arugula, mustard, and lemon juice were too much together.

...

Hi Gwendolyn (et al ;))

Just wanted to say I missed that comment the first go-around ... I'll keep using all spinach in mind when I make it.

Thanks again!

Gwendolyn

04-28-2003, 12:20 PM

I have been so discouraged about the Project over the last three days that I was considering not even posting an update today. Boy am I glad that I checked in because you guys have provided just the encouragement I need to KEEP GOING! Thanks so much!!

First, I'll tell you about the discouragement part. As loyal followers know, DH was out of town last week for a conference, so I was cooking for myself. By the end of the week, it just wasn't fun to cook for myself anymore, so I didn't make the planned recipes for Thursday-Sunday. I completely fell off the wagon, and that's a lot of time off!

But, after all your encouragement, I'm back on the wagon and ready to keep forging ahead. I haven't made many recipes in the past four days, but I did make the Cafe au Lait Angel Food Cake, and it was fabulous. The cake itself is a beautiful, toasted brown color with a pronounced coffee flavor (I used good-quality instant espresso), and the texture is a softer, less-rubbery texture than box mixes or store bought angel food cake. The sauce is custard-like in flavor and pretty runny. I used Khalua rather than Frangelico because I had Khalua on hand. I poured the sauce all over the cake and let it soak in. The overall effect is a little like coffee-flavored tres leches. Mmmmm. I had a piece for breakfast. DH was horrified, but I justified it as just a different form of my morning coffee. That makes sense, right? ;) I will definitely be making this again. A solid 8/10.

Tonight we're having green onion pancakes with roasted tomato salsa and stuffed zuchinni (sp?). I was originally planning to make those recipes last week but didn't get around to them. I'm particularly intrigued by the pancakes. I'll let you all know how they turn out.

To answer a few questions:
RebeccaT: I got the slaw mix in the produce section of Central Market, very close to the big bins of salad greens. The CM slaw mix is very fresh and good (and cheap). I highly recommend it.

jm1717: Actually, certain recipes do cost a lot (leg of lamb, for example). Other recipes are surprisingly inexpensive (stuffed zuchinni). All in all, I probably spend a little more than normal for this Project, maybe an average of $10 per week, so that's not too bad. To answer your other question, I only go grocery shopping one day a week. My job requires a lot of hours, so I have to plan my menus one week in advance, and I go shopping on Saturday or Sunday. I plan fish recipes early in the week and save the recipes with less perisable ingredients for later in the week. The system works well.

Thanks again for all the great support. You guys really convinced me to get back on track.

And the Project goes on!

Gwendolyn

04-29-2003, 08:11 AM

I made the green onion pancakes with tomatoes and avocado salsa for dinner last night. They were really good. Very different. The pancakes had a lot of flavor, and the salsa was a great accompaniment. I gave these a solid 8/10, and I would definitely make them again. DH had the leftovers for breakfast this morning. These pancakes were a great vegetarian entree or would be a nice side dish for grilled meat or fish. I think they would be a little strange as an appetizer, however.

I was also planning to make the stuffed zuchinni, but I ran out of steam after the pancakes. So, stuffed zuchinni is pushed back until tonight.

And the Project goes on ...

RebeccaT

04-29-2003, 09:02 AM

Gwendolyn,

How do you think the salsa would be on its own, or with chips? Was it like a chunky guacamole (which is how I like my guac!), or was it more like a relish?

thanks, and you're doing great! :)

SuzyQue

04-29-2003, 09:06 AM

Gwendolyn, I just wanted to say that I've been following this thread since its inception and that I admire the challenge that you have created for yourself.

Best of luck to you!:)

Peggy C.

04-29-2003, 10:16 AM

Originally posted by Gwendolyn
I made the green onion pancakes with tomatoes and avocado salsa for dinner last night. They were really good. Very different. The pancakes had a lot of flavor, and the salsa was a great accompaniment. I gave these a solid 8/10, and I would definitely make them again. DH had the leftovers for breakfast this morning. These pancakes were a great vegetarian entree or would be a nice side dish for grilled meat or fish. I think they would be a little strange as an appetizer, however.

I was also planning to make the stuffed zuchinni, but I ran out of steam after the pancakes. So, stuffed zuchinni is pushed back until tonight.

And the Project goes on ...

Gwendolyn I was waiting for this review. As far as I know you and I are the only ones who tried this recipe. I did serve it as an appetizer and agree it is kind of weird that way. However we had different opinions of it over all. I didn't think the pancakes had a lot of flavor, I didn't dislike them I just didn't *love* them. However I really enjoyed the salsa and will make it again to serve with chips.

Rebecca I thought it was more relishy, but if you had a very ripe avocado it could cross the line to guac. very fast. Really calling it a salsa is pretty accurate.

Gwendolyn keep up the good work.:D

Gwendolyn

04-30-2003, 07:42 AM

Last night I made the stuffed zuchinni, and it was really good. I served three zuchinni halves to DH and me, and we ate this as a vegetarian entree. We gave it a 7/10. This wasn't a very difficult recipe, but it did manage to use quite a few pots and pans. The results were very pretty. This would be a nice side dish for a dinner party (although pairing wine with the bold spices would definitely be a challenge).

We're also still eating the Cafe au Lait Angel Food Cake from a few days ago, and it still tastes great. The texture on this cake is just divine, especially now that all the sauce has soaked into the cake. I will be sad when we're done with this one, but I'll be ready to try some of the other great-looking angel food cake recipes.

Tonight DH and I are going to an Astros game with some friends, so no cooking for me. My next cooking project will be Thursday night, and I'll be sure to post the reviews.

RebeccaT -- to answer your previous question, the salsa that goes with the green onion pancakes turned out very chunky and dry for me. That was perfect for the pancakes because a runny salsa would've made the pancakes soggy, but I think it would be a little dry for chips.

And the Project goes on...

claire797

04-30-2003, 07:46 AM

Originally posted by Gwendolyn

We're also still eating the Cafe au Lait Angel Food Cake from a few days ago, and it still tastes great. The texture on this cake is just divine, especially now that all the sauce has soaked into the cake. I will be sad when we're done with this one, but I'll be ready to try some of the other great-looking angel food cake recipes.

Isn't that the way it goes with angel food cakes . They keep so well, they seem to become part of the family ;).

I am still too attached with plain old vanilla/almond angel food with seven minute frosting. I need to branch out too.

KristinK

05-16-2003, 09:11 AM

Bumping this up to check on your progress, Gwendolyn :)

Gwendolyn

05-16-2003, 09:29 AM

Yes, the Project is on-going. Unfortunately, I haven't been doing well with posting all my reviews. So, here are the recent reviews. Because I don't have the magazine in front of me, I may get the recipe names slightly wrong. Sorry for that.

Potato and Leek Frittata: I love that portions of the recipe can be made ahead and that the frittata cooks in the oven. It's a very easy dish to throw together. However, this dish was a little bland. We gave it a 5-6/10. It's similar to the Ham and Cheese Bread Pudding (reviewed below) but not nearly as good.

Ham and Cheese Bread Pudding: We loved this! It had great flavor, and everyone I served it to went back for seconds. The texture was a nice combination of crunchy toasted bread and gooey cheese. I couldn't find Hawaiian bread, so I used Challah instead. Challah has the same texture as Hawaiian bread but doesn't have the sweetness. I'm not sure how the sweetness would've worked in this dish. We loved it with the Challah, and gave it a 9/10.

Field Green Salad with Grapes and Feta: This was a great salad. I made it without the sugar snap peas because the peas I bought were really tough, and I was afraid that they would ruin the salad. The grapes and feta went wonderfully together, and I loved the dressing.

Tropical fruit salad: Wonderful! This salad is quite sweet and very appropriate for dessert. I served it with brunch, and it went fast. Two die-hard coconut haters loved this salad and went back for seconds. This was an 8-9/10.

Adobo Pork with Cous Cous: Fabulous! 9/10 and approaching a 10/10 in my house. We love spicy food, and this was nice and spicy. The sauce that you pour over the pork and cous cous at the end really pulls the entire dish together. Although this was in the Super Fast section, it certainly wasn't ready in 20 minutes for me. It took around 40 minutes to pull together.

Crab Panzanilla: I never would've made this salad without the Project, however, I'm glad that I did. We gave it a solid 7/10. The wonderful thing about this dish is that it's filling enough to be a dinner entree, but it doesn't require any cooking and only requires one bowl. It was super easy to throw together, and I will definitely make this throughout the summer. Fresh tomatoes and good, coarse wheat bread are really important in this dish. Also, I used canned crab, and it tasted great (I was a little wary at first).

Pasta Pomodoro: Boring! DH said he'd rather have pasta with jarred marinara sauce, so we won't be making this one again. 4-5/10.

That's it for now. I'll try to be better about posting reviews as I go. Also, it has become abundantly clear that I'm not going to finish this project by the end of May. So, I've extended the deadline to the end of June. The main problem is that my law firm's summer recruiting program has started, and I am taking summer associates to dinner at least three times a week. That makes it harder to get through a lot of recipes during the week.

Thanks for your continued support!!

And the Project goes on...