There were several great books in food this year, these are the ones that I read that stood out above the rest.

Favorite Everyday Cookbook

Kitchen Simple By James Peterson

Favorite Technique Cookbook

Ruhlman’s Twenty By Michael Ruhlman

Favorite Dessert Cookbook

Vegan Pie in the Sky By Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero

Favorite Heirloom Cookbook

The Beekman Heirloom Cookbook By Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge

Favorite Food Collection Book

40 Years of Chez Panisse By Alice Waters

Favorite Book on the Food System

Tomatoland By Barry Estabrook

 Four Fish By Paul Greenberg

Favorite Illustrated Food Book

Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan

Favorite Overall Book of 2011

The Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler

*Special Note to acknowledge:

“See You in A Hundred Years” by Logan Ward, published a few years ago, but I read it this year and loved it

“The Hundred Foot Journey” By Richard Morais that was my ’I can’t put this book down till it’s done’ book of the year.

I am sure there are several more that I haven’t read yet. I would love to hear what you came across this year.

Landreth Seed Company ”Since 1784, the D. Landreth Seed Company
has been providing its customers with one of the most extensive selections of
fine lawn and garden seeds in the world. Our founders introduced into the United
States some of the most beloved flowers and vegetables known today including the
Zinnia, the white potato, various tomatoes, and our own Bloomsdale Spinach. We
have become the oldest seed house in America because we are passionate in our
quest for excellence in quality, service and innovation.” -from website

Now you can have your own copy of this stunning, informative, heirloom catalog and a package ofheirloom vegetable seeds too! You need to clear off a little room on the bookshelf because this catalog is a keeper for years to come. I have 3 catalogs with 3 packages of seeds to giveaway! Take these long winter months to plan your spring gardens or makes for a great gift during the holidays.

To enter: Comment below on what you would most like to grow.

For additional entries: Get a friend to “like” Lettuce Eat Together on facebook; tweet about the contest, linking back to this post. Come back and comment below that you did these.

Winner will be chosen Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 10:00 am EST.

There are items in your kitchen that cost pennies that the grocery stores have for a much larger mark up. Here are Five that come to my mind.

1) Bread Crumbs, Croutons If you have bread in the house you have these items. If bread is going stale DON’T THROW IT OUT, put it in a freezer bag in the freezer and pull out when you need bread crumbs or croutons. A quick spin in a food processor or grater gives you bread crumbs and a few chops with the knife makes croutons. Easily jazz these up by toasting with olive oil for crunch and herbs for seasoning.

2) Stock, Broth Every time you make a roast and have leftover bones, every time you peel an onion and have the skins, cut carrots and have the tips, stems from herbs after the leaves have been pulled off, etc KEEP THEM. Any tails keep in the freezer or fridge depending on when you will make your stock. When ready throw in a pot, top with water, bring to a boil, then simmer those flavors in. When finished cool and put in an ice cube tray, freeze, then empty into a freezer safe container and date. You will have portioned out stock always.

3) Fancy Frozen Vegetables Buy plain frozen vegetables, or before fresh vegetables turn, throw them in a freezer safe bag, date, but the fancy herb butters are an unnecessary mark up. Make your own butter by taking fresh herbs (keep the stems for stock), finely chop and mix with butter (this goes for jazzing up mayonnaise also) and cook the vegetables with the butter mixture.

4) Brown Sugar, Confectioners Sugar Keeping a stocked pantry is all you need without buying the extra stuff. Brown sugar add molasses to granulated sugar. 1 cup sugar: 1 Tablespoon Molasses and mix. For confectioners sugar add 1 Tablespoon corn starch to 1 cup granulated sugar to blender or food processor and blend on a high speed until sugar turns to powder.

5) Bottled Water It is a waste of money. Get a reusable water bottle and fill up at the tap. It is not healthier/cleaner and in fact those plastics are leaching into the bottled water.

What are some foods you can think of you shouldn’t buy?

Very rare is the full family meal in our house. Every night my son and I sit down to a table of placemats, wine glasses, linen napkins- a table he has sat, thanking for our food, a clinking of our glasses, and a conversation on what we each did special today and what is in store for the next. The dog and cat sit at our feet hoping someone will be a little messy or generous while eating. I cook for my child as my equal, not as a kid. I humor his fight to not having his food touch by separating out the dish, but his plate holds the same as mine. I treat him like this and he eats like this, no fighting over “eat your vegetables” he loves broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach, etc. He’ll order green beans with his hamburger at a restaurant instead of french fries if he wants to without thinking twice that he’s missing out on the fry.

My husband works in a restaurant so he is never home for this family meal. Today was not the case. For the first time in, well, I can’t even say when, we had 3 meals together! The first was bringing Dad breakfast in bed, then we ate lunch together, and had a real family dinner together. It was nice. Earlier in the day I had cleaned the house to be “guest ready” and had a sparkling kitchen starring at me. I decided I needed to make an apple pie. I made the crust while my husband peeled and cut apples, our son playing with his blocks on the kitchen floor snagging a slice of apple here and there.

As soon as our pie was done baking it was time to put in our chicken to roast with potatoes and carrots. We hadn’t had a roast chicken, something I usually make weekly for it’s multi-meal benefits, since August when we moved. Finally, after long search, I found a poultry farmer on Sunday and stocked up on some chicken. I was going to make the first that day, but waited till today so we could enjoy the meal as a family.

leftover biscuits from when my son made them this morning

making a wish on the wishbone

apple pie and french bean vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon on top

And a stock simmers to make sure there is no waste, preparing for our next meal

Such a wonderful day of family and feast. To this I give Thanks.