Giveaways
Work with me. I know we are all in need of delicious, nutritious meals we can prepare quickly. That's a given. Whether you're cooking for a large crew or just yourself, many days there's not enough time in the day to cook. So, enter the quick and easy recipe. We love them.
But for me, I also long for time to spend on a recipe, and that usually happens on a weekend when we're not double and triple booked at every kids' birthday party in the metro area. The ideal would be to head to the farmer's market, find something inspiring (sometimes it's the fresh-baked breads from a baker's stand or a seasonal gem from the back of a truck), and go home and dive in. For me, this is relaxing, rewarding, and, well, sublime.
In the spirit of those weekend chefs out there, we're giving away a copy of our biggest and best how-to book, Cooking Light Way to Cook. It teaches and inspires for those just learning and those always wanting to learn more. Here's how it works:
Step 2: Describe for us here in 50 words or less your favorite weekend cooking project. Entries should be typed into the comments field of this blog post. Entries are due by Monday, October 4 at 11:59 a.m. EST.
Editors will select their favorite based on originality, creativity, and how well you address our question. Winner will be notified via email by October 8, 2010. For full contest rules, click here.
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I LOVE this book. I use it all the time. It is so useful and informative.
My weekend cooking projects is making meals for my dad (he's a long distance truck driver) to take to work! I usually make 3-4 different meals so that way while he is away for the week he can and enjoy nice home cooked meals! He evens now requests my baked spaghetti which has become his favorite meal!
Two of my favorite weekend cooking projects for this time of year are stuffed peppers with mashed potatoes, and a nice pot of chili. Both take a little time to prepare, but yield excellent leftovers for the work week.
My favorite cooking project is breakfast on sunday morning, cooking with my husband ! I love getting up whenever I feel like it, then making pancakes or french toast, with eggs, hashbrowns, biscuits, and sausage or bacon together. Yummy!
Favorite is to open up a few websites, find something new for Breakfast lunch & dinner and have one new meal for Fri/Sat/Sun each! My Father lives w/me and I love cooking for him!
We love to make weekend breakfast with the kids. Pancakes or waffles, bacon or sausage, etc. The kids love to help. Also, we do a longer project like smoked salmon or ribs on the BBQ. Love your magazine and your annual cookbooks!
I taught myself how to can this summer, so my weekends have been spent experimenting with different jams and butters to make for friends and family. I have loved being able to spend time at the farmer's market, then taking the fresh foods and creating something healthy to share!
Homemade pizza - pepperoni, basil and caramelized onion is my best concoction so far.
My favorite weekend cooking projects are the ones when my two young girls help. This time of year we like to bake lots of goodies with pumpkin and apples. I also like to take the weekends to prepare some dishes ahead and stock our freezer for busy weeknights.
My favorite time of the year is fall! Headed to pick up pumpkin, and am teaching the kids today how to make homemade pumpkin ravioli with browned butter sauce.. topped with toasted pumpkin seeds, and a fall salad.
Weekends are for fun and we like to travel, but our economic constraints don't allow it.... so... we bring ethnic dishes to our table on the weekend. We usually keep it simple and my husband and I switch off or combine our efforts. One of my favorite dishes is "GreeK Haddock": I make it; haddock, fresh lemon, fire roasted tomatoes, Greek olives, Feta and sometimes roasted pine nuts or roasted red peppers. Yummy, simple and delicious. Follow it up with a movie "My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding"!
On the weekends I like to cook a roast chicken or pot roast. This gives us lunches and something to build dinners on during the week when we come home from work tired and not wanting to cook a big meal.
On Friday night, my daughter and I go through our cookbooks, decide what recipes we want for the coming week and then grocery shop. Saturdays and Sundays are spent cooking and freezing for the week. It's a fun family time, too!
One of the things I am excited about doing is taking a Saturday to make a lot of home made tamales and then having some for dinner on Saturday night and freezing a whole bunch more for later meals. This is such a homey and delicious meal that I know my family already loves!
I love to have my husband make a big pot of chili or vegetable beef soup! I do contribute with chicken enchiladas and pot roast. Mmmmmm! Pot roast!
I really enjoy spending time in the kitchen on the weekend. Weekdays are such a rush with kids and activities, so I really enjoy making something special and gourmet!
My favorite weekend cooking project: COOKIES! I almost never make a single batch. What to do with the plethora? I take a few to the neighbors, just to say hi. And my co-workers are only too happy to take a few [dozen] off my hands. Making many means that a few can be left at home, too, for those weeknight moments that call out for a sweet snack. Favorite CL cookie recipes: Double Chocolate Cookies, Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies, and Lemon-Honey Drop Cookies. During the holidays I make gifts of cut-out cookies, using pictures saved from past CL magazines as inspiration for the decoration and packaging.
I love cooking dinners with my husband, my "sioux chef." We crank up great music, pour wine & dance under the disco ball in our kitchen. It's the hottest disco in town! So much fun, our guests love joining in & shaking their booties while whipping up a fiesty feast.
I love making a big pot of lentil soup, a lasagna or homemade mac and cheese...Meals my kids will remember me cooking for them when they grow up! My 8 year old son has already asked me for the recipes so he can make them for his kids someday! :))
I love cooking dinner with my husband, my sioux chef. We crank up great music, pour wine and shake our booties under the disco ball in our kitchen. It's the hottest disco in town! The dance floor really gets going when our guests join in to create our feisty feasts!
For my fiance and I, weekends projects are always about "new." New ingredients and/or new techniques. Two weeks ago: Boeuf a la mode. Last week: Neapolitan-style pizza with figs, rosemary and chevre. Next up, braised oxtail.
Motorcycle cruise to the farmers market to choose the freshest breads, vegetables, flowers, and fruits...simmer up a big pot of soup, a warm apple cobbler, a fire in the pit...invite over some friends, keep it simple, fresh,good; recharge and savor the subtle changes and blessings in life.
Marinading a pork loin (with one of several Cooking Light recipes I love) and grilling it on my Weber charcoal grill; grilling red potatoes with oil and thyme along side some asparagas. Serve with a choice of red or white wine. Finish with a Key Lime pie (also a CL recipe fave.)
My favorite weekend cooking project is making a big pot of stew or chili, playing with new spices to see what's interesting and what makes me gag, and then eating half of it one sitting.
My favorite weekend projects most always involve baking. Cookies, breads, pies, you name it--my weekend doesn't feel complete until I've donned my pink baking apron. And there's no better way to end the weekend than with my "comfort food" Sundays. I tend to get terrible cases of the Mondays :)
