Knapsacks and Breadcrumbs

Written Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 by Theresa H Hall

As a child, whenever I heard about something exciting, I would act out the drama and become involved in the moment. Whether it was playing a character from Zorro, swimming fast like Tarzan, solving a mystery with Nancy Drew or running away with The Boxcar Children, everything was an adventure to me and my fertile imagination always led me right inside Robin Hood's forest or to sit at King Arthur's round table. At one time, I thought I might  join the circus. And when we lived in Miami, Florida I was always tempted to look for Flipper, every time I was on the seashore. I explored creeks and the woods without fear and swung from the limbs of trees and rode my bicycle as if it were a trusty steed. I had an exciting and full childhood.

Tonight I watched a DVD produced by Richard Bertinet, a French Chef, who is also a celebrated author and who now runs his own cooking school in Bath, England. This is the reason I went into detail on my enthusiastic abandon I felt as a child, because I wanted you to understand some of the excitement, the way I felt as I viewed this master working with fermented doughs. Watching the way he took sticky flour, yeast, salt, sugar and eggs and begin to mold them, shape them into a creation unfolding right before my eyes. During this particular demonstration that I watched he made Brioche.

I learned to prepare this recipe at LAC a prestigious culinary school, using a Kitchen Aide mixer. I was taught to allow the gluten to form and not to add in the butter until the dough was strong enough to accept it. Chef Bertinet worked and folded and slapped this concoction for a good ten minutes or more before he added in the softened room temperature butter. He continued, in his quiet and self assured manner to work the rich dough of this breakfast bread, which is more akin to a cake bread. He blended the butter repetitively and rhythmically, until the perfect consistency was met. It rested for two hours, was manipulated again and covered to rise for fourteen more hours. With this recipe you must take your time. It's probably the reason it is enjoyed in the morning. Just the aroma of this dough before it is shaped, when he gently separates the risen dough from the sides of the stainless steel bowl with the scraper, just is heady, this smell which fills the air. He says much the same.

He then proceeded to prepare the dough to be cut into portions that he weighed on a scale. Shaping these portions into soft balls he added seven to a bread pan for the Nanterre loaf, and then shaped a tete, smaller brioche with a little knob on the top. These he placed carefully into a muffin-like pan. Next they were allowed to proof for another two hours. The tops were brushed with eggs white and baked to a deep golden perfection. I dare anyone to try to resist this bread just taken from the oven. Sorry, you have to wait while they lie cooling on their sides, before you are permitted to tear them into mouth sized bites. Waiting is worth it for it is like a delicious bite of heaven.

Chef Bertinet presents his methods for baking a variety of breads, baguettes, sourdoughs, Poolish, Flamiche, bagels and pretzels, in such a way that you want to gather these few ingredients together and turn your own kitchen into a little bakery. He makes me want to pack my knapsack and  run away to his school in Bath, England. He makes me want to bake his breads.

As a  graduate of French Pastry Arts, I love this book and the enchanting way it is written. It is one of the twenty cookbooks in my kitchen's library because it is a valuable addition to my small repertoire of culinary literature. You will most assuredly be pleased with Chef Bertinet and his cookbook, CRUST.

To read more about this culinary award winner, please visit him here. I'm going to bake some bread and fill my knapsack, or I will as soon as I save up for my next vacation. That I intend to add in some quality schooling that coincides with my overseas visit, seems like a very good idea.

Member Recipe Review: Chuck Roast Dinner

Written Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 by Penny Hawkins

Fall is slowly making an appearance in North Carolina and this past Saturday was quite cool and drizzly. As you may have read on my blog recently, this is the time of year when we start craving comfort foods again at my house,  and since the weather was making me inclined to stay indoors, I started looking around for a member recipe to prepare and review. Anne Coleman's (AnniePooh) Chuck Roast Dinner  recipe seemed like just the ticket!

In the introduction to her Chuck Roast Dinner recipe, Anne writes that she believes Chuck Roast is one of the finest foods known to man. I enthusiastically second that opinion, and would like to add that it is also one of the finest comfort foods known to man! The addition of sweet, tender carrots and perfectly-seasoned potatoes, makes this a meal fit to chase away even the gloomiest Fall day!

Anne's recipe is super-easy to prepare for even a novice cook, and her well-written instructions guarantee perfectly delicious results! I took her advice and added a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste to the beef stock for a richer taste, and also added 1/2 of a small onion, sliced. The roast came out fork-tender and flavorful, and the vegetables were an excellent compliment. This incredibly easy meal was a big hit at our Sunday dinner! Give it a try for the next Sunday dinner at your house, you'll be glad you did! Anne's recipe can be found here: http://www.halfhourmeals.com/recipe/chuck-roast-dinner

Featured Community Member: Domcondo

Written Monday, September 28th, 2009 by Anne Coleman

In South Philly there is a no-nonsense approach to life: you love the Eagles and you know how to order a Philly Cheesesteak. If you're from an Italian-Amerocan family in South Philly, food reigns supreme and if you don't know how to cook, you might not really belong there.

Half Hour Meals member Domcondo is one guy who definitely belonged there. He is no-nonsense about cooking, but fun at the same time. His blog is redolent with family stories and memories and great Italian-American recipes. You don't want to miss the chance to read about him, but first here's a little more about Dom and his food blogging life.

Cucina Domenico is just shy of a year old, do you expect a 'second season' from it? What is the driving force behind it?

Yes! Actually, I just put together a list of recipes that will allow me to do weekly updates throughout the rest of the year. I look forward to experimenting with many more recipes and sharing them.

Has food blogging changed the way you look at food?

It's taught me to be more aware of my ingredient measurements. I've always gone with 'a little of this' and 'some of that.' Now that I'm sharing recipes, I want to make sure that they're somewhat accurate.
It's also amazing how many people are interested in talking about food and cooking. I've made a lot of new friends and have gotten lots of great feedback from posting weekly blog updates on Facebook.

You are an Italian living in Philadelphia, how is this different, from a culinary standpoint, than Italians living anywere else in the U.S.?

When you're raised in an Italian/American household in South Philadelphia, you're brought up on the best: the best breads, the highest quality meats, the freshest produce, the sweetest desserts, all while at the same time supporting our neighborhood shops and stores. We take pride in serving the best foods to our family and
friends. I still make sure to search out the freshest, top-quality ingredients, whether it be where I live now or when we go back to South Philly to visit family.

Is Cucina Domenico your first blog? If not, what else have you written?

This is my first blog. Many of my friends enjoy cooking, so we are always talking food. I had gotten a Myspace page, but didn't really know what to do with it. One of my co-workers suggested that I post recipes on the page. That eventually led to the idea of starting a blog.

Are you married? Do you have a family? If so, in what ways does that change the way you blog?

Yes, my wife Daria and I have two beautiful little girls, Julianna (age 5) and Ava (age 1). Being that we are both full-time working parents and enjoy spending whatever free time we have available with our kids, there's obviously not much time in the day for yourself. And that's fine, that's what being a parent is all about. I like to consider my food blog to be a practical hobby. We have to eat! Plus, cooking has always been therapeutic to me. Now that Julianna likes to mess around in the kitchen with me, it's fun to write about and take pictures of what we're doing.

Your recipe for Pesto-Stuffed Salmon is so simple, but obviously full of flavor - what inspires the creation of recipes like this one?

I like the challenge of taking a simple, basic recipe and making it a bit more interesting without going over the top. Just a few tweaks here and there. I'm a graphic designer my trade. One of my teachers in art school always stressed the KIS method (Keep It Simple!). I try to keep that in mind, it helps me focus on not going overboard with ingredients if I don't have to.

Name a handful of ingredients that you couldn't live without.

Definitely garlic and olive oil. They're the basis to most of my dishes. I'm also a big fan of fresh herbs and spices. I also like to keep on hand a bottle of Italian dressing, a bottle of soy sauce and a jar of salsa. You can doctor up just about any dish in a pinch using one of those three ingredients.

Where does inspiration in your home kitchen come from?

Being from an Italian/American family definitely inspired me to want to cook. My mom, my grandmother, my aunts, my brother and his wife...they're all great cooks. And my wife bakes like nobody's business. Whenever we all get together, food and desserts are always involved and we always congregate around the kitchen/dining room table. I'm also inspired by the seasons of the year. I'm a big fan of the fall season and the fall spices, so I'm looking forward to soon trying a few new dishes with pumpkin, squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.

When and Why did you join Half Hour Meals?

I joined this past summer. I really loved the whole concept of the site and also saw it as an opportunity to share my blog with others who have an interest in cooking and blogging about it.

What's your favorite thing about the site?

The variety on the site is endless! There are so many great recipes and different types of blogs...you can find just about any type of recipe that you want. It's also great to see the different interests.
It's very inspiring!

Have you tried others' recipes from Half Hour Meals?

I haven't tried anything yet, but I do have a bunch of recipes
bookmarked and plan on trying them out ASAP.

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them?

It's a fantastic resource to check out different recipes and different ideas. It is incredibly user-friendly, and the options of searching by either course or ingredient is a big plus!

My Fave Five

Written Saturday, September 26th, 2009 by TrishB

Book stores are struggling. Walk into my home and you wouldn't believe that. I am a cookbook addict. They line my bookshelves, are piled high next to my bed, and I once even lost my son as a baby amidst the stacks. I have read them all, but use only a few regularly.

So, if I was stranded on a desert island, which 5 would I choose? The answer is obvious. They're the ones with splattered food stains, dog eared pages, and shredded book jackets.

What do they have in common (aside from the wear and tear): 1. They are books suited for both the novice and more experienced. 2. All use fresh and seasonal ingredients in their recipes. 3. Their recipes will help make your meals and gatherings tastier, original and most enjoyable.

So here they are, my “SURVIVOR: Kitchen Island 5”...

1. The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten.

Garten is the real deal. She is self taught with absolutely no formal training. In fact, she was a White House Nuclear Policy Analyst in her "former" life. I have all 6 of her books but this one is essential. Its home is my kitchen. Garten uses simple, fresh ingredients and her recipes are extremely easy to follow. She understands the needs of a novice cook and her recipes reflect that. Her books are also beautiful with breathtaking images. I'm a sucker for a good photo (and a novice photographer). I like to see what the food I make might look like and how to present it. Garten also includes simple entertaining tips that are very stylistic.

These are a few of my tried and true recipes from her book:

Guacamole
Pan Fried Onion Dip
Sun Dried Tomato Dip
Curried Couscous
Outrageous Brownies (outrageous is an understatement!)

2. Bobby Flay - All of his cookbooks - pick one, any one.

Okay, I have to cheat here, I don't have a favorite, I love them all. Flay is known for bold flavors. His recipes are a staple in my cooking collection. Nobody makes sauces, relishes, and vinaigrettes like he does. Don't be frightened by such ingredients as Chipotle in Adobe. While the dishes come out perfect as he prescribes you can always elect to use half the suggested amount if you are spice-phobic.

Tried and true recipes from the following Flay cookbooks:

Grilling For Life:

Grilled Tuna Burgers with Green Onion Mayonnaise & Watercress (These are one of the most requested things I make. My friends and family love them)

Mesa Grill Cookbook

Sophie's Chopped Salad
Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks with Chipotle-Honey Glaze
Sweet Potato & Plantain Puree with Maple Syrup & Cinnamon

Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes

California Burger
Toasted Marshmallow Shake (out of this world...but don't count the calories)
Condiments & Seasonings - you must give all a try like chipotle ketchup
Sweet Potato Fries
Buttermilk Onion Rings

3. Seriously Simple Holidays by Diane Rossen Worthington

I cannot live without this cookbook. (I can't live without any of her books). It may be a "holiday" book but the recipes can made any day of the week, and anytime of year. “Simple” does not mean boring. Her recipes are cutting edge and absolutely heavenly. She even has a section in her book for the busy cook (ingredients you must have in your pantry), and gives you menu ideas for different holidays. This is a must have book in every kitchen. Easy, delicious, and healthy. She understands that people want things that are simple to make, but are imaginative and delicious. They are truly restaurant quality for the home setting.

Baked Brie with Toasted Almonds and Cranberry Glaze
Winter Chopped Salad
Citrus-Glazed Chicken with Artichoke Hears and Thyme

Seriously Simple: Easy Recipes for Creative Cooks (also by Worthington, and one I really love)

Butternut Squash Soup
Crispy Orange Chicken
Halibut with Balsamic Garlic Glaze
Grilled Lamb Chops with Cilantro-Mint Sauce
Hoisin Honeyed Baby Back Ribs
Lemon-Lime Pound Cake

4. At Blanchard's Table: A Trip to the Beach Cookbook by Melinda Blanchard and Robert Blanchard

I usually stay away from Restaurant Cookbooks. But not this one. The Blanchard's gave up the cold winters of Vermont and moved to the island of Anguilla where they opened their restaurant. Belinda Blanchard is self taught. Her recipes are easy to adopt by the home cook and they all taste homemade. They are not the complicated recipes that plague many restaurant books.

Blanchard's Corn Chowder
Parmesan-Pepper Dressing
Grilled Mahimahi with Mild Red Thai Curry Sauce
White Chocolate and Apricot Bread Pudding with Apricot Sauce

5. The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook by Jennifer Appel and Allysa Torey

I would be remiss if I left out one of my favorite baking books. This is the ultimate in easy baking. Many of my friends are frightened by the concept of baking. If you are like them, then this is the book to get. If you are cupcake obsessed then you've definitely heard of the Magnolia Bakery in NYC. Their first location was and still is on Bleeker Street. People line up outside the bakery just to get their homestyle baked goods. I couldn't believe they had a cookbook and I was hesitant at first wondering if they really would reveal their cupcake recipe. Well, they did. Their stand out recipes turn out perfectly every time. Even the most inexperienced baker will learn to frost a cake! The book may not transform you into a baker but you will certainly bake more than you do now, and without fear.

Tried and True:

Raspberry Crumb Squares (Sinfully rich and absolutely delicious)
Traditional Vanilla Birthday Cake (also the recipe for out of this world cupcakes)
German Chocolate Cake
Cream Cheese Icing

Featured Community Member: LadyGourmet

Written Saturday, September 26th, 2009 by Theresa H Hall

Living The Gourmet is such a lovely spot for us food lovers to spend time poring over the pages of your site, in order to view and get a feel for your Italian cuisine. I simply love your flavor-filled approach to this style of food and found it universally appealing, authentic and charming.

Take your Apple Cake for instance. The simple way you presented a small portion served on a dainty plate only made me want to taste it all the more! In fact it seems to beg me to reach through my computer screen and pinch off small bits, which are not precisely cut. It is beautiful.

Many of your recipes Peach Cobbler, Turkey Breast with Basil Lemon, Spaghetti with Baby Spinach sun-dried Tomatoes and Figs, Lemon Curry and Brown Sugar Marinated Chicken Strips with Grilled Romaine, to your Garden Potato Salad, (which looks dressed up for a party) to your Orange Vanilla Almond Biscotti, have me really excited about how you prepare these dishes.

Your blog is headlined as Living The Gourmet. Traditional exotic cuisine made simple with Catherine and The Crew. Who other than yourself makes up this crew?

My crew is made up of myself, my son and my daughter. My son thought up the name for this blog and it was fine with me.   It is a blessing to have my son and daughter give me inspiration, ideas and motivation. They teach me so much and give me the energy and enthusiasm, which make this blog work.

I see you have had Living The Gourmet up since last summer, 2008. What is the inspiration for your blog, and is this the only one you write?  Do you see yourself still blogging a year from now?

The inspiration for this blog began with the question, “What can I do?” The answer that immediately came to me is cook, since this is something I do each day.  The idea of blogging seemed a bit foreign to me since I am not computer savvy.  But, both my son and daughter were very patient in helping me with all that there is to do and learn to get this blog going.  I am very grateful to them.  They gave me the encouragement that I needed, since they both truly believed in me.  I could never have made this happen without them.

This is the only blog I have and it is enough for me right now.

I definitely hope and pray that I will be blessed to be blogging a year from now.  It really is a lot of fun.

I know you are on Twitter, because I told you how much I enjoy your backdrop. Do you tweet about food or just about every day matters? Would you care to provide our readers with your Twitter address?

I tweet about food.  I would be happy to provide my Twitter address is Lady Gourmet.

You mentioned your family. Are you married or have children?  Does this change the way you blog? Do you have family support? I ask this because a few years ago not many of us knew what a blog was and now it is quite a respectable thing to write one.

Yes, as I said earlier I would not be doing this were it not for my son and daughter.  Their love, support and enthusiasm have given me the strength and confidence to do this blog.

I do agree that just a few years ago many of us did not know what a blog was but now the word blog is in the dictionary!

Where does your cooking inspiration come from? When you step into your kitchen and all is quiet, tell me what makes this room a special place for you?

My parents were Italian and inspiration for the love of food does not get any better than that!  For Italians food is a symphony, a grand opera from the first course down to the dried figs and tortonis.  The shopping, the preparing, the wonderful aromas, the music, everything is just grand and it all comes together so well and lasts in your memory.  It leaves you longing for then, but also gives you the inspiration to carry those traditions on, so that they will not die.  It is not that easy though since the recipes were not written down, so you try your best.  I do love the simplicity of the Sicilian style of cooking.  I really love all food! I love to see everyone enjoy their meal.  Food is such a wonderful way to bring joy and make memories. The kitchen is the heartbeat of the home it is the place where memories are made that last a lifetime.

What led you to join The Half Hour Meals Community?

I was invited to join The Half Hour Meals Community through my shout box at Blogcatalog.

How long have you been a member here and what is your favorite thing about our site?

I am pleased to say that I have been a member of Half Hour Meals since August 2009.

I must say the most impressive aspect of this community is the friendly atmosphere.

Have you had time to try any other members’ recipes yet?

I have tried the Lemon Orzo by Anniepooh.  It was very good.

When others ask you about HHM, how do you describe our site to them?

I would describe the community of The Half Hour Meals as very welcoming, informative and uncomplicated.  I am very happy to be a part of this community.

Thank you for allowing us to take a closer look at your world and inside your kitchen. I am so pleased you have provided us with good recipes, so we may try them at our dinner tables with our families and friends. Living The Gourmet is just one more quality food lover blog that helps make Half Hour Meals the wonderful community that it has grown to be. Please visit Catherine and her crew to enjoy their fine cuisine.

Featured Community Member: Tania

Written Friday, September 25th, 2009 by Penny Hawkins

Half Hour Meals Member Tania, lives in Italy and authors an absolutely beautiful blog about her passion for cooking and her desire to share her knowledge with others. One look at Tania's blog will make your mouth water…I guarantee! Read on to learn a little more about her.

Your blog, Dulcis in Furno (Sweets in the Oven) is full of tempting recipes and beautiful food photography- what is the inspiration behind your blog? What does “Dulcis in Furno” mean? Magazines and foodblogs inspire me and allow me to learn cooking new recipes but my inspiration comes mostly from my passion for cooking. “Dulcis in Furno” is a sort of word game coming from the Latin motto Dulcis in fundo and I liked how it sounds. 

The photos in your blog are gorgeous! Do you take the photos yourself? Yes, of course..

How long have you been blogging and how has blogging changed your daily life?  My blog is 5 months old. I have to admit that now I prepare with much more attention than before the dishes that I want to show on the blog.

Do you see yourself still blogging several years from now? Yes I would like to continue blogging for the future and I would like my blog becomes more and more big.

Are you married? Do you have a family? If yes, does this (either one) change the way you blog? I am not married. I live with my parents. The blog has changed much more their daily life than mine because if I have to photograph a dish they have to wait before eating it.

 Where does your inspiration in the kitchen come from? For some recipes I am inspired by magazines but many recipes come from my family tradition and some others are invented on the  spot and they are absolutely the best.

Your Torta Meringata con Uva Fragola Bianca (Cake with meringue and white "strawberry" grapes) is so beautiful and looks so delicious! Is this your own creation? Do you create your own recipes often? Many thanks for your words of appreciation! It is for sure one of my best cakes. I have been inspired by different recipes, I modified them and mixed together according my taste. I wanted to create something special with a very particular kind of grapes as the Uva Fragola Bianca (white strawberry grapes) is and I have been very satisfied of the result. It happens often I create my own recipes and it is fun.

Will you be translating more of your recipes from Italian to English for us on Half Hour Meals? Yes, I will do it with great pleasure.

Why did you join Half Hour Meals? To find out new recipes, to let others experience mine, to visit new foodblogs and let other passionate people know my blog.

When did you join Half Hour Meals? I joined Half Hour Meals about 3 weeks ago

What's your favorite thing about the site? For sure I like at most to experience other people recipes and the possibility to exchange ideas and opinions about kitchen.

Have you tried others' recipes from Half Hour Meals? I have not yet cooked others’ recipes but I will do it very soon.

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them? Half Hour Meals is a very useful site, with many interesting recipes and visited by many interesting people which you can speak about cooking with, exchange ideas and prepare new dishes.

Thanks for sharing with us, Tania, and thanks to your friend who helped with the translations for us! Please do go and visit Tania’s page here  at Half Hour Meals, and her blog and say hello! Please note that Tania’s blog is in Italian, but Google toolbar has a translator application that does a pretty good job.

Member Recipe Review: Cucumber and Roasted Peanut Salad

Written Thursday, September 24th, 2009 by Anne Coleman

There's no doubt that summer is over here, but my cucumber vines didn't get the memo. Not only did they produce quite copiously this year, they're still flowering and wee little cucumbers are peeking out from beneath the blossoms.

After giving away all that we could without having the new neighbors whispering about the 'odd cucumber family', I soldiered on and dug deep within the recesses of my cookbook collection to find new and different ways to use up the prolific pepino production I had on my hands.

I needn't have gone so far, for there was a recipe right here at Half Hour Meals that filled the bill quite well; Jurate's Cucumber and Roasted Peanut Salad.

The bright flavors of cilantro and lime combined with cool cucumber and sweet red onion blend perfectly together to make a deliciously light salad perfect to help me use up the bounty I have on hand. Cumin seeds, black mustard seed and peanuts add a depth of flavor and crunch to the whole dish - a prime balance for the cool cuke.

Not only was it the choicest match to the soup I had for lunch today, but the kids thought rather highly of it as well. Give it a try yourself, the recipe can be found here: http://www.halfhourmeals.com/recipe/cucumber-and-roasted-peanut-salad

Thankful For Half Hour Meals

Written Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 by Theresa H Hall

When I wake up each day I thank my Maker for giving me one more day to explore my world. I try to find something valuable to contribute to any person I know, or new ones I may get to meet. This is the reason I say I am so thankful for this website.

You can travel and surf thousands of places but until you find a special niche, a place you feel comfortable, then you will continue looking for a community where you can feel at home. Half Hour Meals gives this ambiance not just to me, but to the thousand or so members already signed up. Here in this place, you are asked to add your favorite recipes and sometimes later, find out someone on the other side of the world decided to prepare your recipe for their family! How cool is that. Half Hour Meals extends a warm welcome to everyone and gives us the chance to shine, to be a part of this new and fresh world kitchen.

Take for instance the Community Tab. The discussions have increased 500% in just the past three weeks and what's more, is that you can learn from the contributing voices of fellow members. I continue to encourage interaction and daily discourse, for as more and more members decide to say hello the spectrum of our conversations will be enhanced, and even if one felt a bit shy in the beginning, it will be replaced with genuine and lasting friendships. This is fast turning into a new comfort zone for food lovers.

Cooks of all ages and sizes, from all walks of life, are finding this universal language of cuisine and ingredients is a fascinating way to open doors which might otherwise have remain closed. I value what you all have to bring to this community, and as the new fall season unfolds, I am certain more and more of us will be so happy we chose Half Hour Meals as our new place to share food, drink and great talks.

A big Woo Hoo is going out to all of BlogCatalog.com administrators, who have made their concept a reality and have provided us with yet one more place to hang our hats!

Book Review: Pit Stop in a Southern Kitchen

Written Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 by Penny Hawkins

My husband brought me this cookbook as a surprise yesterday, and the biggest surprise of all was that he had it autographed for me! What a guy!

Pit Stop in a Southern Kitchen is a newly-published book of recipes and family stories authored by Martha Earnhardt and Carol Gordon Bickford, the mothers of Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon. As a long-time Earnhardt fan, I admit I was intrigued by a book of recipes written by his mother, and the mother of one of his biggest rivals, Jeff Gordon. 

In the introduction, the ladies explain that while their sons may have been rivals, such is not the case with them. In fact, they say they have much in common, and that they have a great deal of respect for each other. Two very touching forwards, one from Jeff and one from Dale Jr., add to the feeling that this book was indeed a work of two much-loved women who formed a bond based on the respect of one mother for another.

The recipes in this book are standard home-cooking fare: simple , and honest southern cooking with (Jeff 's mom's) California twist. You will find recipes for southern delights like cornbread, red velvet cake, shrimp creole, cornbread dressing, and homemade biscuits. Yum!  However, the really special thing about this book, for racing fans as well as lovers of southern cooking, are the stories.

Both ladies share stories about their lives and their families, as well as the stories behind the recipes. In addition, there are lots of family photos throughout the pages of this cookbook. It's a lovely and nostalgic read, and well worth the time and money.

So, if you are a lover of southern cooking, a NASCAR fan, or if you love someone who is, I recommend Pit Stop in a Southern Kitchen  as both a good read and a good cookbook. Get yourself a tall glass of "sweet tea" and check it out. It's available at Amazon.com right now!

Featured Community Member: Eleonora

Written Monday, September 21st, 2009 by Anne Coleman

Recently I had the chance to chat with Half Hour Meals Community Member, Eleonora. She is a wonderfully diverse and very talented woman with a love for all things Italian. Her blog showcases this very well and captivates the reader, taking one on an armchair journey through Italy with stunning photographs and engaging commentary. We are very lucky to have Eleonora as a member here, read on and find out why.

Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino is 8 months old and doing very well. What is the inspiration behind it?

I wanted to share my love for Italian food, the wonderful fresh ingredients available that make the Italian cookery art what it is, and my desire to tell a little about authentic Italian cooking from "the inside," the history behind it and all the fun trivia and lore that come with our wonderful and diverse regional cuisine.

So many recipes across the internet are written with Americans in mind using ingredients that can often times be difficult to find in other parts of the world. Living in Italy, do you need to adapt for that? If so, how do you manage?

I cook with seasons, local produce and wholesome goods as my parameters. Whenever I share a recipe on my blog, I try to keep in mind that some of my readers may live in places where the ingredients necessary for that recipe are hard or impossible to find. I always include valid substitutes, or ask my readers to experiment with similar local products. I also sometimes mention websites and online stores where Italian products can be found overseas. Another thing I greatly encourage is cultivating fruits and vegetables in your own back yard. I can give you the address of a very good seed dealer in your area, and you can harvest your own zucchini flowers or Treviso-native radicchio!

Is Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino your first blog? If not, what else have you written?

Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino is my first blog, soon followed byForchettine, which is a restaurant review blog (written in Italian) where I showcase restaurant facilities, regional specialties, a great cheese or a favorite wine, etc. just for the fun of it, no commerical agenda in mind!
I have also written an Italian food/lifestyle manuscript, which I am editing at the moment. It contains a little bit of everything, recipes, stories about food, Italian daily life snippets; and a lot about how we forage, shop, cook, eat, praise and appreciate food here in the Boot.

Are you married? Do you have a family? If so, in what ways does that change the way you blog?

I am a single mother of a 4 year-old Roman rascal, so time management is key. I occasionally work as a script supervisor in the film industry, write as freelance contributor, manage a household and blog every other day. While I was researching/writing my book, I'd use my son's precious nap/bedtime hours to write the first draft, I'd sleep 4 hours and then get up and go to work. Now I do the same for blogging, I post at night and follow up on my blogroll, reading commenting and replying for an average of 3 hours a day, when my boy scampers off to the park with his nanny. I am presently embarking on a new feature film, shot entirely on location in Abruzzo. The need to spend more quality time with my growing child clashes with my obtrusive hours on the film set, so I'm shifting my professional interest towards intensively pursuing freelance writing, designing custom tours and cooking classes/wine tastings for Anglophone travelers visiting Italy. While of course trying to get my book published. It should be fun to re-invent myself at this point in life!

Your recipe for Zuppetta Fredda is very intriguing, is it your own, or an adaptation of one? Tell us what inspired it.

It's my own recipe, but it obviously is based on creamed summer soups. I am a huge fan of soup. I make it all year round in bulk quantities, and freeze whatever is leftover. In the hotter months I make lots of chilled bisques, veloutées and vichyssoise-type soups. They are wonderfully refreshing comfort food. Rome is fearfully hot, and a bowlful of cold vegetable cream is not only healthy, it's a very tasty alternative to salad or steamed greens. Zuppetta Fredda was a summer creation I made with what I had in the pantry/fridge that day!

Name a handful of ingredients that you couldn't live without.

Extra virgin olive oil, garlic, heirloom tomatoes, basil, pasta, bread...

Where does inspiration in your home kitchen come from?

The stalls in the farmer's market. I allow the colorful gifts of Mother Nature to inspire my palate! I learned to cook from my mother who hardly ever planned menus, she and I would stroll to the market and buy whatever intrigued us, the recipes came later.

When and why did you join Half Hour Meals?

I wished to share my recipes and connect with other food-lovers. I believe the Internet is the new frontier of community-oriented interaction. The modern-day hub where folks can meet and discuss everything, from the day's events to the contents of their shopping basket.

What's your favorite thing about the site?

The (loose) requirement of quick preparation dishes. This does not mean escape routes for the lazy cook, rather a compendium of delectable solutions for people who have full lives and don't want to give up on quality cuisine. The directory is one of my favorite places, where I see what people are preparing, their progress, their taste. I love to observe how blogs reflect their author's personalities, how the inner chef expresses his/her creativity.

Have you tried others' recipes from Half Hour Meals?

Yes, I made Banana Nut Muffins, they are warming on a rack as I write this. They look (and smell) delicious. I have a hard tome discarding overripe fruit, so these were perfect for the blemished bananas I had sitting in my fruit bowl. I am an advocate of frugality and I hate to see food go to waste.

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them?

A busy piazza, one different from other recipe websites, where friendly fellow-food lovers and cooks can hook up and share stories, recipes and enjoy the rest of the day too. Cuisine is not all about toiling away at the stove!

Thank you, Eleonora, for sharing a bit about your life with us!