Say hello to these nifty sites!

Tim, Collin, Kendall, and her boyfriend Patrick (who cleaned out my microwave this morning - yes, I know, there are not words) are busy cleaning out our garage (aka, the pit of misfit household items) so that I can actually get my car into it (the motorcycle already has it's place; don't get me started). Anyway, that gives me some time to introduce some of the nifty sites that I have discovered over the last month.

Cooking

There is no end to the fantastic cooking sites on the internet! One that I have particularly enjoyed is Foodgawker, where foodies and regular schmoes publish beautiful pictures of their culinary creations, which, when clicked, will take you to the corresponding blog or food site. The homepage changes daily, but right now it includes Thin Mint muffins, Thai Chicken Sausage rolls, and Wild Mushroom Risotto, just to name a few. Very inventive and delectable recipes at your fingertips!

My grandma taught me how to cook (my mom and step-mom were partial contributors, but grandma was my main influence). So it is understandable that I would be attracted to the food blog How to Cook Like Your Grandmother. I've often thought that in this world of microwaves and fast food and saturated fat terror that people are totally losing out on the good old-fashioned meals of our childhood. Check out this recipe for Peach Cobbler and you will remember the days when food simply tasted good and you didn't have to consult your dietician and spiritual guru before eating it.


Not my grandma, but I'll bet she was a great cook!

What's Cooking America is a HUGE database of regionally based recipes, cooking articles, hints and tips, and on and on and on. I came across it because of my insatiable love of my cast-iron chicken fryer and a fortuitous Stumble. The Irreplacable Cast Iron Skillet is an excellent article on proper seasoning and care of the beloved iron pan (check out this article, too); there are innumerable other articles covering any cooking topic you can fathom. The regional recipes section is a bit sparse, but there is enough there that is it certainly worth a visit - etouffee anyone?

My mom always said that I should have been born into an Italian family because I never came across a noodle that I didn't fall in love with (Spatzel and cabbage and noodles, while yummy and filling in an German-Irish sort of way, just isn't the same). I would choose a good risotto over anything else even from an early age. Italian Home Recipes is full of more authentic Italian deliciousness than most sites I have found. Right now, the featured recipe is Risotto with Scallops (my bar none most favorite seafood which means I am drooling on my brand new keyboard). All of the recipes are rated and comments are allowed, which I have always found very helpful, not to mention that the pictures are mouthwatering. Channel your inner Italian with Italian Home Recipes.

I hope you enjoy these sites and take the opportunity to expand your cooking repertoire when you spy a new irrisistable recipe. Next post, knitting madness!