HHM Approaches 10,000th Member!

Written Friday, May 20th, 2011 by Theresa H Hall

Most people have a great love of food and if you feel the same, or just want a place to find tried-and-true recipes from members (real everyday people) not famous celebrities, then join Half Hour Meals. We have signed up almost 10,000 members (I’m wondering who will be member number 10,000!), and we'll show you lots of tidbits, techniques, facts and new recipes when you read this "Food For Thought" blog.

When I signed up there were about 800 members, and since the site was sold and the new owners have begun implementing their changes, making tweaks, and reshaping the site, we have seen fast results from our efforts, by the marked increase in membership. Since February we have over doubled our membership, and the amount of traffic to Half Hour Meals is excellent. Designs are being sketched, cool ads have shown up, and recipes are being spotlighted. We are using the social networking sites, and technology is connecting visitors to The Meal Of The Day by emails, widgets updates, and smart phone notifications. The busy cook and busy executive are coming to our site to figure out which of YOUR RECIPES they want to prepare and eat. It is a big deal. Getting to share your food ideas with so many people around the world is profound. Most people only think about the recipes they are trying and the full impact that the guy sitting on the Metro is looking at your recipe, doesn't dawn on you, but is way cool! Don't you want to end up in our spotlight? I do and I am. You can, too!

We want you to upload your favorite recipes and photos of what you're cooking in your kitchen. Visuals are important and fun. We don't care if you're wearing flour on your apron, or your kids have been tasting the batter and it's smudged on their cheek. Snap a picture of you and your family cooking your dish. That would be a cool upload, along with the recipe. Every cook has his or her added twists to preparing any recipe ... that's what makes it a food memory captured in time.

Adding those recipes is special because whenever traditional recipes are shared, they help keep alive the memories of our loved ones. Just think, tonight I could prepare your Great Grandmother’s fabulous recipe and be tasting that goodness at my dinner table, with family and friends. While we dined, I would tell them that I cooked Catherine’s family recipe and her Grandmother was born in Italy, or England, or Kenya, or India, or even Indiana. Or that Sarah's Grandma made meatballs like this by hand, fifty years ago, and we were eating authentic cuisine, from a bygone era. The thing is, our ancestors' memories can live on through the simple act of our members cooking their food. It’s a lovely concept and just like a hug passes on affection and love, a recipe shared has a similar effect.

Sign up today, and join in the discussion threads under the Community Tab. We love having you and your family here. Be a part of our family of food lovers and cooks. At Half Hour Meals everyone is a star!

May 20th is National Pick Your Own Strawberry Day and National Quiche Lorraine Day. Here is our member Delishhh's quiche recipe.

Cranberry Tea Bread

Written Sunday, May 30th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

This is one of the recipes we prepared in culinary school. Quick and easy it is, to combine the ingredients and put it into to bake. By the time your dinner is on the table, the bread will be ready to eat, hot out of the oven, as dessert. Add some ice cream on the side or top it with freshly whipped cream. Either way, it will be a huge and delicious hit.

Quick Breads/ Cranberry Tea Bread

Batter:

6 1/2 oz butter

5 oz sugar

2 large eggs

2 T orange zest

1 t almond extract

1 T orange juice

7 oz A. P. flour

1/2 t baking soda

3 oz buttermilk

1/2 c dried cranberries

1/2 c raw almonds chopped

10 X glaze with flavoring if desired

Instructions:

1) Cream butter and sugar.

2) Add eggs one at a time.

3) Add the juice and then the zest and almond extract.  Blend together.

4) in a separate bowl sift the flour and baking soda.  Add 1/3 to the batter.

5) Add 1/3 buttermilk, mix. More flour, more milk, until blended.

6) Fold in fruit and nuts.

Pour into greased loaf pans; 1 large or 3 small pans.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes for large and 25 minutes for smaller loaves. Make sure cake tester comes out clean. You may glaze if you wish.  Cool on rack.

Freeze a couple of weeks wrapped in plastic wrap.  Shelf life is only a few days.

Featured Community Member: Delishhh

Written Tuesday, April 6th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

When food lovers and cooks alike find Half Hour Meals, we also find them. The other day I discovered a brand new member and her web site, Delishhh. She hails all the way from the west coast, in Seattle Washington and she is passionate about blogging and food. As I looked about her blog I noticed the nice way she had it sectioned off for her food, recipe index and restaurant reviews. She claims the blog was started as an experiment but she has mixed together the correct ingredients and delivered an excellent blog. Her name is Ewa pronounced Eva and here she is right now.

Please share with us how you developed your writing style. Did you have a difficult time creating your site or did everything fall into place as soon as you started posting your recipes?

I had so much information I wanted to share at the same time, but I know a food blog is a work in progress. I started with the recipes that I was cooking for the week.  Then I began digging into my unorganized cookbook with lots of handwritten notes, newspaper clippings and old printouts.  I wondered how I was going to organize this mess and just thought if I get through the binder one recipe at time it will all fall into place.

Your quiche looks marvelous, do you make any variations of this recipe and if so, what else do you add in the mix?

This is my Quiche at its best.  I have tried all kinds of Quiche recipes over the years and everyone seems to rave about this one. I think I found the secret ingredient--Dyson mustard, which you bake on top of your crust before you put in the egg mixture.  I always have meat and a vegetable; so those could vary from bacon, to sausage and the vegetable could really be anything you want.  This recipe is my favorite.

How long have you been cooking and who was the person who encouraged you to come into the kitchen and learn about food?

My parents have been my inspiration.  Their hobby has always been cooking and hosting dinner parties.  Growing up, they would wake up early in the morning and stand in the kitchen all day long and they loved it.  So I have been in the kitchen with them ever since I could remember.

Name some of the key ingredients you must always have in your pantry or fridge.

Here are few of those items: Garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, vanilla sugar, Korean hot pepper paste (kochujang), Dijon mustard, and butter.

Has blogging affected your family life? Are you married? Any Children? If so, do they help you when you are preparing meals?

I am married but no kids. I have a full time day job that is pretty stressful so this is my outlet. I usually cook during the weekends for the week and have already prepared or marinated meals for the week.  Most of my blogging is during the weekend and then I just tweak or post them during the evenings.  I think I am more organized and prepared now that I am writing a blog about it.  My husband is an excellent cook but I think I just enjoy feeding him good food and he enjoys eating it.

Are you a dessert person, or a baker, as well as cooking savory meals? Please name a few of your favorite dishes or baked goods you most enjoy making.

I am probably a savory meals person first and then second a dessert and baker.  My parents never made desserts so that is something that I had to learn on my own.  Some of my favorite dishes are soups, which I love and enjoy making. Not only do they taste good, but they make you feel good.  I also enjoy baking breakfast items such as quiches and strata.  Some of the desserts I enjoy making are cinnamon rolls and brownies.  I like simple desserts.  It is funny but the things I enjoy making I never order at a restaurant.  At restaurants I like to order complex dishes that I would not make at home, or which are too time-consuming to make.

How did you end up reviewing the restaurants where you have dined? Do you foresee writing for your local newspaper, or perhaps some magazines, down the road?

Since I consider myself a foodie I love to try out new restaurants and know the good places to go in a city.  Folks always come to me for recommendations and I usually have a list for them depending on what they want.  This was another reason I started writing a blog.  I kept being asked for my restaurant reviews and I just thought why not add them to my food blog so I can send people there instead.

I saw the posts you have written about traditions and foods for the religious holidays. How are you going to celebrate? Which foods have you chosen for your big meal?

I like traditions and have lived in Asia, Sweden and the US. Since I have experienced several different traditions I like to pick and choose my favorites and make my own traditions.  Easter to me involves great memories of my childhood in Sweden, of dressing up as a witch, and now I am making new traditions living in the US. For Easter we usually attend or host a brunch and for Passover we also usually attend or host a big family dinner.   Food is always the main centerpiece of any tradition.

Are you originally from Seattle, Washington? Do you like the rainy weather they have?

No I am originally from Sweden and was born and raised there.  From there, I moved to South Korea and then to the US. First I lived in Boston, MA and then I moved to Seattle, WA.  I would rather have rain than cold and snow.

If you could sit down and have a dinner with a celebrity chef, who would it be, why and where would you take them to eat? Which restaurant would really measure up?

A: Wow that is a really hard question because there are so many.  But after thinking about it I would love to meet the chef that runs the best restaurant in the world, Chef Ferran Adia, and have a meal at his restaurant, El Bulli.  Wouldn’t you after reading this description?

“El Bulli is a Michelin 3-star Spanish restaurant run by Chef Ferran Adrià.

The small restaurant overlooks the Cala Montjoi bay, in Roses on the Costa Brava in Catalonia, Spain, and has been described as "the most imaginative generator of haute cuisine on the planet" and does a great deal of work on molecular gastronomy.

Restaurant has judged El Bulli as Number One on Restaurant (magazine) Top 50 list of the world's best restaurants a record five times — in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The restaurant has a limited season: the 2010 season, for example, will run from June 15 to December 20. Bookings for the next year are taken on a single day after the closing of the current season. It accommodates only 8,000 diners a season, but gets more than two million requests. The average cost of a meal is €250; the restaurant itself has operated at a loss since 2000, with operating profit coming from El Bulli-related books, and lectures from Adrià. As of April 2008 the restaurant employed 42 chefs.”

Do you see yourself blogging two years from now?

Yes definitely, I feel as though I have so much to share, and I would like to have my blog as my cooking archive as well; it helps me organize my recipes and put them on paper. On top of that it is very relaxing to me.

How did you learn about Half Hour Meals and what made you decide to signup?

I saw a link on another blog and the name stood out to me.  When I came on to the site I just thought it was a great idea.  I have a full time job and the last thing I want to do some nights is stand in my kitchen for hours, but I still want something good to eat and don’t want it to take longer than 30 minutes to make.  I am always looking to make quick great recipes and wanted to be part of learning new ones as well as sharing my own.

What would you tell your friends about our site?

If you have a busy life and still want time to cook a great meal, Half Hour Meals is an excellent resource.

Ewa I want to thank you for sharing with our members because you really have a lovely food site. I expect you will be wowing us with your food for a long time. Please visit Ewa’s profile page here at HHM.

Featured Community Member: Rich

Written Saturday, November 7th, 2009 by Theresa H Hall

It is my pleasure to introduce one of my very favorite bloggers and social media professionals, who is an expert in marketing, writing, and public relations. He is also an experienced and seasoned professional blogger who owns his own business and manages multiple blogs. His name is Richard Becker and he hails from one of the food capitals of the world, Las Vegas, NV. As many of you know, BlogWorld was held there last month.

You told me today you were teaching until 4 p.m. is this at a school or in your business?

I teach several communication classes for students and professionals at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, including writing, editing, and social media.

I have been wanting to interview you for Half Hour Meals since the beginning of September, and I am glad things have settled down enough so you can drop in now and again. You are so lucky to be situated in the city so many chefs are now calling home. Do you enjoy the extensive availability of top-notch restaurants from which to choose?

For many years, I worked as a dining reviewer for area travel and hospitality magazines and Frommer's Travel Guides, which really opened some doors and allowed me to enjoy some of the best restaurants in Las Vegas, those of chefs Kerry Simon, Charlie Palmer, and Emeril Lagasse among them. Once you work as a reviewer, it’s hard not to save up and go out once in awhile.

Which five are your favorites and which cuisines do you like best?

The Las Vegas restaurant scene is changing all the time so some of my favorites have since closed. If I had to choose five, I might pick The Stirling Room at the Stirling Club (Charlie Palmers), Picasso at Bellagio (Julian Serrano), Mon Ami Gabi (chef Gabino Sotelino) on/or near the Strip. Local favorites include Garfield's and La Madonna. (I'd include Simon's Kitchen at the Hard Rock if it were still open).

I don't know if I can pin down a favorite cuisine because I like to mix it up. Based on my choices, it seems I lean toward Mediterranean when I go out. But when I cook, I love preparing Asian food. There is something magical about the importance of when you add ingredients, as much as what those ingredients are, that fascinates me about that cuisine.

You are always involved in community outreach and helping others. There is a upcoming event at BloggersUnite.org, which concerns food bloggers. Can you share with our readers what this is all about? How can we get involved?

There are several great events that are imminent for all bloggers, including Veterans Day and “Who Will Stand and Fight For Preemies.” But one of the newest events added, which concerns food bloggers is the Brown Bag Project, which helps people give the gift of food for Thanksgiving. This  event is being organized by Jason Teitelman. One of the best aspects about the event is that it encourages bloggers to help in their community and then blog about it so others can do the same. I love that it encourages giving. Anyone can join by visiting BloggersUnite.org!

Please tell us a little about yourself, your cooking abilities and describe a few favorite dishes that you cook.

Sure, I cook three or four times a week, with my intent to make restaurant caliber meals. I tend to start with specific recipes and alter them based on area ingredients, as well as some tips I learned from chefs as a dining reviewer. I already mentioned Asian food, but I cook a variety of dishes covering all cuisines. The only complaint I receive is that I rarely make the same thing twice, even if it is a favorite.

You have told me before that you get into the kitchen to cook for family some nights of the week. Are you the only one who cooks in your family?

My wife cooks well, but it just makes sense that I pick up three or four nights so we can eat by 6:30 p.m. or 7 p.m. instead of waiting for her to come home and cook. Besides, I enjoy it. Cooking is a great way to unwind after work because you can focus on a single task and enjoy an immediate result with family and friends.

How long have you been blogging? What drew a man of your caliber to this realm, and knowing you are on BlogCatalog, Half Hour Meals, Twitter, and most recently, BrooWaHa, how have these social media helped you in your professional life?

I originally started blogging in 2003-2004 (not counting an internal public company newswire I wrote, which was like a blog, in 1993). In 2003 my wife and partner first introduced me to today's definition of blogging. My early blogs were written under pseudonyms, but I closed those down when I started the Copywrite, Ink. Blog. Some of the social media ventures and networks I participate in are mostly related to the fact that I enjoy making contributions when I have time. However, part of our service includes helping companies integrate social media into their communications plan. Participation is a great way to understand the networks and meet creative people. (I also work for and/or partner with BlogCatalog from time to time and have for a couple years).

When you open a cookbook, which sections do you look at first, main dishes or desserts? What is your specialty? Which herbs or spices do you use most often?

I almost always look at main dishes first and build the rest of the meals around that. Lately, it seems I've been using a lot of garlic and cilantro, but it really depends on what the dish calls for. Asian cuisine is always a hit. I mix it into rotation about once a week or every two weeks. But really, I have an eclectic palate. So, every night is very different based on the meat and style of cooking. I only cook desserts once every couple weeks.

If you didn’t do what you do professionally, what type of work would you switch to that interests you?

If I weren't a commercial writer, I would move toward writing fiction. But if writing weren't an option, I would gravitate toward art or photography. Then again, I held many jobs throughout high school and college, and really enjoyed them all. The trick is to find new ways to make any job more creative and do your best with it.

How did you hear about Half Hour Meals and why did you join?

I heard about Half Hour Meals from Tony Berkman after he asked for help on the initial media release, which announced that BlogCatalog purchased it. I signed up right after to get a feel for the site, made some suggestions, and forgot about it until its relaunch was complete and you started reminding me to visit again. I'm still in the early phases of becoming engaged with this great group of people.

Have you tried any of our member recipes yet?

Not yet. But I have been reading some of the comments to see what people are doing with substitutions. Sometimes I see some dishes that remind me of one my recipes so it influences me in that way as well. I'm planning to make one of the scone recipes first, but mostly because I know the story behind it.

What features do you like about Half Hour Meals?

I love people first because they always add the flavor of any network. I think you can learn a lot about them based on what dishes they like the most. I also recently had the rare privilege of cooking with Clive Berkman in my kitchen during BlogWorld. Now that is one feature, if you can call it a feature, that I will never forget. He left his knife behind too; it saves me a lot of prep time when I cook.

If asked, what would you tell others about Half Hour Meals?

I would tell them it's like a community cookbook. Really, it's not all that different from sharing recipes with friends and neighbors like my grandmother used to do, except it's online and this community includes the whole world. I love it.

I saw on your bio that you are a Scorpio. I do hope you haven’t celebrated your birthday yet, but in the event you have, I want to wish you a most Happy Birthday and to thank you wholeheartedly for sharing your valuable time with us.

Thank you. And yes, I am a Scorpio, but I'm on the cusp of Sagittarius. So, technically, I'm still one year younger. Heh. But please do let me add how privileged and grateful I am that you asked to interview me. We've known each other for such a long time and while I might be a professional communicator, you taught me a great deal about the social networks along the way, too. It's exactly why I love what I do. I get to meet people who touch my life in ways I never expected. Thank you for that. All my very best to you Theresa! You can visit Rich here.

Recipes Gone Bad

Written Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 by Theresa H Hall

When things don't turn out the way you had hoped what then?  This is exactly what happened to me yesterday, when at 4:15PM I entered my kitchen to put together a recipe which I had been looking forward to baking. "Um," I thought "Apple Cake, yes!"

This recipe belongs to Catherine, who I featured about ten days ago. Her food looks scrumptious and on Saturday night I made an adaptation of her pasta dish with spinach and figs. I didn't have shrimp but I fried salmon instead. I threw in a few different colored bell peppers and a few red pepper flakes. Then I added in some steamed baby carrots drizzled with butter and dill weed. Ooh, it was so delicious. But I digress. I tend to do this when sharing tidbits of my life. It must be one of my personality traits.

Well here I was standing in my kitchen, expectant, because I had been going to make the cake last night, but got involved in working later than I had planned. I had printed out the recipe twice, because on one there was the juice from the lemon but it wasn't on the other recipe. I double-checked the recipe again, and then commenced to put the components together. There were three sections to this recipe and it was going to take me ten minutes prep time and 35 minutes bake time. By the time I had finished assembling it and putting two 8 X 8 pans into the oven I had twelve muffins and one bread loaf pan, too! How did this happen?  

There were seven apples to peel, core and slice. It took me ten minutes to unearth the apple-corer-peeler. Then I had to go slowly because this baby can deduct one of your fingers, if you do not pay close attention. Once going, however, I did manage to twirl the apples, using a bit of arm muscle, until they ended up and then I found another dilemma. Try as I would I had to twist the apple core in order to remove it from the long sharp prongs. Destroyed is more the description. By the time I tore up the core, only two came off the prongs of the peeler correctly. Now it was after 5PM.

There was another reason for this. I have the placement of my moon sign under the sign of Libra. At times, it has been my undoing because I see both sides and I have to weigh out what to do or make a decision between two items.

Catherine's recipe called for brown sugar. As it happens, I had light brown sugar and I had dark brown sugar. Decisions, decisions. The other night I watched Alton Brown's show, Good Eats, and he said the difference between the two brown sugars is the maple content. Dark has more. It was obvious Catherine had used light brown, so perhaps I should use dark. This thinking won me over so in went the dark brown sugar. Plus, my cinnamon was past the date suggested for freshness. Oh boy, here I had bought fresh ingredients, so I added more of the spice since it had lost some of its potency. Then I noticed, no matter how hard I searched, that I had no cloves. What to do? I did have ginger and coriander so I threw some of these into the mix. I even mentally patted myself on the back. Big mistake.

Combination of the ingredients came next and since I was measuring out the entire recipe in groups, I was using the 1/2 cup for the flour; 1/2 cup for the topping and 1 cup for the cake mixture. I had been using the 1/2 cup, yes, I said this already, but I do not recall if I used it two times for the cake mixture or only once. Looking back, I still am unsure. All of the other measurements were right, of this I am certain.

Now for all of you I will direct you to the recipe so you can see the light beautiful photograph of Apple Cake by Catherine and just how it is supposed to look. I must have had brain freeze because by the time I was ready to fill the two 8" cake pans I noticed there was twice the amount of batter. Oh no! I pulled out the muffin pan, the little paper cups and my stoneware for bread loafs. They were promptly filled, "I knew seven apples was way too much!"  I almost stomped my foot. The baking containers were placed into the hot oven on the wire racks. Timer(s) set (I always use two) I strolled out of the kitchen for a well-deserved ten-minute break. The time was 5:15 PM. "So much for ten minutes preparation time." I already knew my dark brown sugar choice was not a correct one, but in the past, I rescued many a recipe from disaster. I intended to keep the faith.

Twenty minutes later I was checking the muffins because their cooking time is much less than it is for the larger pans, however they were not ready. This oven needs to be calibrated again as it cooks hot. 350º was 340º in order to be as accurate as I could be. I began pulling apple cakes out of the oven and placing them onto the cooling racks. They did not look light, or delicate, nor did they appear fluffy. Oh Catherine was going to be disappointed in my attempt to make her recipe shine.

When I cut into the cakes they were a bit gummy, perhaps it was because of all the apples. They were wet and so I stuck one of the muffins into the microwave. Now they were gummy, hot and chewy. Right now I am trying not to cry, I am laughing so hard. My eyes close when I laugh this hard so it is hard to type.  Executive decision, I put the muffins back into the hot oven. These couldn't be finished yet. Oh, woe is me!" I wailed to myself.

Eventually all the pans were removed from the oven and placed on wire racks to cool. My middle sister had called earlier to see what I was doing and after I confided I had twice the amount I had planned to bake she said she would drop by on her way home to take some with her. She loves my cooking and I did warn her that she might not like this one. She cheerfully said she would see me in a little while and I just kept looking woefully at the results on a variation of a recipe.

By the time she arrived I had eaten two muffins, cut into one of the cakes and kept looking over the rectangular loaf cake. They were all very heavy and dense. This was the point where I started going over and over every step I had made, and I do know certainly I did put at least one ½ cup of flour into the cake mixture. The 1 cup measuring cup was clean, with no trace of flour. I learned in culinary school 'mise en place,' which means everything in its place. I sure was glad Chef didn’t see this mess I had made. Catherine, please forgive me. I promise to make it over until it comes out like yours.

My sister hugged me good-bye happy with her half loaf of Apple Cake tucked under her arm, assuring me that it wouldn’t last long. My sister had eaten a couple of bites and hadn’t keeled over. In the meantime, I have eaten half of the other half of the loaf. It is more like a bread pudding coffee cake. My husband is on his way home and intends to heat his portion up and then pour half-and-half on top of it.

Even if you have been cooking and baking for decades, things and recipes do sometimes go awry. Keep trying out recipes. More photos here.