Cookish - Throw It Together

Cookish is my new favorite cookbook! I have loved America's Test Kitchen for so long. I even applied to work there! Christopher Kimball, the author of this book, founded America's Test Kitchen, but then he created Milk Street.

Watching Milk Street cooking shows is the only thing that gets me on the treadmill every day after school. I am a recipe/cookbook junkie, and I somehow still learn something new every time I watch an episode. 

I love the places they visit and all of the unique spices they use. If you're in a cooking rut, tune in to this show or buy this cookbook!

Last night I made Za'atar Chicken and Eggplant Traybake. I've had a bag of Za'atar in the back of my spice drawer for a while (too long?), and I was so thrilled to be able to use it. I have been missing out not using this spice! The spice has this very cool lemony, sesame seedy taste that is so unique. 

I learned about this spice from Sam's Bakery, in Fall River, MA. They sell delicious meat pies using this spice. 

This spice can be difficult to find in your local grocery store. I highly recommend buying yours from The Spice House. Their prices are unbeatable, and they are the freshest you'll find anywhere. Tip: Always buy flatpacks so you don't have to pay for shipping. 

I'd show a photo of my dinner, but we ate it all before I remembered to snap a photo. This is the spice you need in your life! Za'atar also tastes great sprinkled on hummus (homemade or store bought). 

Cowboy Caviar

 

Cowboy Caviar with Tortilla Chips

Why wait for a party? Here's a great snack for when you want to eat some beans and veggies. You'll get so much protein from the beans. 

I used chickpeas, black beans, and black-eyed peas. 
Using this chopper makes quick work of the chopping! 

There's even a $5 coupon on Amazon available now. The chopper works so well!

Place in a large bowl:

1 can rinsed black beans

1 can rinsed black-eyed peas

1 can rinsed chickpeas

1 orange pepper, diced small

1 small can white shoepeg corn, rinsed

1 jalapeño (diced very small, ribs and seeds removed)

1/2 small red onion, diced small

1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped fine

For the dressing, in a small jar combine:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 T sugar

2 small cloves garlic, grated

Salt & Pepper to taste (needs a lot of salt!)

Dress the salad and stir to combine. Tastes even better the next day. Serve with warm tortilla chips.

Zojirushi Rice Cooker

 

Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer, 3-Cups 

I finally invested in a really good rice cooker, this Zojirushi. It works so well! It is hard to believe how often I use it. It frees up time in the kitchen to work on the other parts of your meal. The rice comes out delicious! It's the perfect size for two or three people.

I had been using my Instant Pot to cook rice, but I was never thrilled with the cleanup after. Although I am trying to limit my use of non-stick pans, I feel fine that the inner pan will not become scratched as we always use the plastic spoon that comes with the rice cooker.

                                                    

I usually make long grain white rice, but I have also made GABA brown rice. GABA brown rice has a lot of health benefits. GABA is a type of amino acid that is supposed to lower your blood pressure and relieve stress. We can all use that! Just be sure to plan ahead as it takes a long time to cook, at least two hours.

If you are on the fence about buying one, don't hesitate! I feel that it will last me a long time. It is so easy to clean and makes delicious rice.