Every Thing On It…

{Image via Pinterest}

It’s Friday and the end of “Eat Week” is upon us!  It’s been great posting about food, eating & cooking all week long.  Let’s wrap it up with some fun food poetry.

Shel Siverstein’s poetry, story-telling & lovely illustrations were first introduced to me over twenty-five years ago…and my infatuation with them hasn’t ceased since.  Silverstein’s poetry is once again ours to read & enjoy in the newly published Every Thing On It, which has just been released by Silverstein’s family.  Here is the poem which gives the collection its name:

{Shel Silverstein Poetry via NPR}

And here is another poem in the collection which is just right for “Eat Week:”

 Italian Food by Shel Silverstein

Oh, how I love Italian food.
I eat it all the time,
Not just ’cause how good it tastes
But ’cause how good it rhymes.
Minestrone, cannelloni,
Macaroni, rigatoni,
Spaghettini, scallopini,
Escarole, braciole,
Insalata, cremolata, manicotti,
Marinara, carbonara,
Shrimp francese, Bolognese,
Ravioli, mostaccioli,
Mozzarella, tagliatelle,
Fried zucchini, rollatini,
Fettuccine, green linguine,
Tortellini, Tetrazzini,
Oops—I think I split my jeani.

Hmmm, I think I’ll have to make some pasta tonight…hope you all have a fantastic weekend!!

{Click photos for their source}

Brown-Bag Challenge: The Final Days

{Click photo to learn more @ Food Network's Healthy Eats Blog}

Here are my final three Brown-Bag lunches of the challenge:

Day 19:  Leftovers from the night before (potatoes, sausage, carrots, bacon, onions, broccoli) and an apple.

Day 20:  Leftover Tuna Pasta Salad , an apple & granola bar.

Day 21:  Bagel (peanut butter & banana slices) yogurt & carrots.

…That’s all folks!  The brown-bag challenge is officially over…but hopefully I’ll continue to pack meals from home more often than not.  And those meals when I dine out can be a welcome (but seldom) change every now & then!

Hope everyone enjoys their lunch on this lovely Friday!

We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Sites to Drool Over…

{Print by blimpcat via Etsy}

…Well ain’t that the truth! Do you love to eat?  I clearly love, love, love to eat!  So I hope you will agree with Ms. Child…we are the best people!  While I’ve got this eating thing down pat, I sometimes need a little encouragement in the cooking department.  So I tend to hit up the internet for some much needed inspiration about all of the great things to whip up in the kitchen.

Here are some of my favorite foodie sites to browse through…

Foodgawker:

A mouth watering photo gallery by food bloggers…plenty of amazing recipes to discover every day!

{Click to visit Foodgawker}

Punchfork:

You can browse for the best new recipes from top food sites in one place…and I’m digging how you can search by
ingredient to find dishes that include it.

{Click to visit Punchfork}

Pinterest:

I’m in love with this site, not only can I search for recipes & food ideas on it…but I can “pin” them from any site on the web to my board! That way you have a collection of all your recipe inspirations in one place.

{Click to visit Pinterest}

Williams-Sonoma’s Recipes:

They have the best collections of recipes based on events & holidays!  You can find autumn soups, Christmas brunch, cocktail appetizers and more.

{Click to visit Williams-Sonoma's Recipes}

And here are some of my favorite foodie blogs to browse through…

Bella Eats:

Andrea fills her blog with delectable recipes & gorgeous photographs of the cooking process & final product.  Her recipe choices always seem doable and she has a knack for supporting local food & products.

{Click to visit Bella Eats}

Spoon Fork Bacon:

Teri & Jenny serve up such cute, fun & unique recipes on their beautiful blog…seriously it’s beautiful, these girls have a ton of style & flare!

{Click to visit Spoon Fork Bacon}

Joy the Baker:

Don’t be deceived by the title…while Joy is known for her desserts & baked goods, her blog is full of other delicious recipes.

{Click to visit Joy the Baker}

 …What sites/blogs do you peruse for cooking inspiration?

{Click photos for their source}

Brighten Up Your Walls…

Etsy has so much to choose from, once I start browsing an hour or two tends to fly right by!  Here are some cute, fun and affordable artwork from Etsy to brighten up your kitchen walls…

Uplifting Art from uUPp:

{Whip It Good print by uUPp via Etsy, click to buy}

{Julie Child set of prints by uUPp via Etsy, click to buy}

Retro Inspired Art from ReStyle Design Prints:

{Print by ReStyle Design Prints via Etsy, click to buy}

{Print by ReStyle Design Prints via Etsy, click to buy}

Lovely Illustration from Anek:

{Herb prints by Anek via Etsy, click to buy}

{Illustrations by Anek via Etsy, click to buy}

Food Photographs from Marianne LoMonaco:

{Print by Marianne LoMonaco via Etsy, click to buy}

{Print by Marianne LoMonaco via Etsy, click to buy}

The Little Details…

I’m a renter and not a home-owner…therefore when it comes to major home decor changes I’m pretty limited.  I’m not able to buy & install shiny, new appliances or update the counters & cabinets in my kitchen.  So what can I do to brighten up the space?

Sometimes it’s the little details that can make or break a room.  Here is a little inspiration for small changes to make the kitchen more inviting.

Get Creative & Repurpose Items:

{Image via Pinterest, click for source}

Use Fun Pops of Color:

{Image via Pinterest, click for source}

Chalkboard Wall & Unique Storage:

{Image via Pinterest, click for source}

Unexpected Utensil Holders:

{Image via Pinterest, click for source}

 

Bring Some Green Inside:

{Image via Pinterest, click for source}

 

Artfully Display Pieces:

{Image via Pinterest, click for source}

 

Keep it Organized:

{Image via Pinterest, click for source}

 

Mix & Match Fabrics and Textures:

{Image via Pinterest, click for source}

…Can you think of any good ideas to update a renter’s kitchen?

Fun with Food…

Do you ever play with your food…moving things around carelessly on your plate?  If you find me doing it, that usually means I’m trying to slow down eating so that I’m not finished way before everyone else.  However my plate never looks as beautiful as these:

{Photograph by Andrea Bricco via Oh Joy!}

{Photograph by Andrea Bricco via Oh Joy!}

{Photograph by Andrea Bricco via Oh Joy!}

{Photograph by Andrea Bricco via Oh Joy!}

{Photograph by Andrea Bricco via Oh Joy!}

 To see more lovely food photographs by Andrea Bricco, click here.

{Click photos for their source}

Dinner & a Movie…

I so love to watch movies & I so love to eat food…combine the two and its perfection in my mind.  Whether it’s for date night, girl’s night or just a comfy night in…could there possibly be a better combination than dinner & a movie?  Earlier today I posted some of my favorite Foodie Films…where food takes center stage in the movie.  Now I thought I would post films & their food counterparts.  Here are three of my favorite movies & corresponding recipes to make for their viewing from Food52.  Click on any of the photos for the full article and menu! 

Movie One–

“There’s no crying in baseball…” A League of Their Own:

{Image via Food52, click for the article}

 

Recipe One–

 

…The Yum Dog:

{Image via Food52, click for the full menu}

 

Movie Two–

 

“I tend to think of myself as a one-man wolf pack…” The Hangover:

{Image via Food52, click for the article}

 

Recipe Two–

 

…Aretha Frankenstein’s Waffles of Insane Greatness:

{Image via Food52, click for the full menu}

 

Movie Three–

 

“A woman without love wilts like a flower without sun…” Amélie:

{Image via Food52, click for the article}

 

Recipe Three–

 

…Grilled Bread with Thyme Pesto and Preserved Lemon Cream:

{Image via Food52, click for the full menu}

…Happy cooking, watching & eating!!!

Foodie Films…

Some of the best films to watch involve one of life’s greatest pleasures…food!  There’s something magical in watching someone prepare a meal with love, passion & painstaking attention to detail.   Here are a few of my favorite films where food is an important character.  Not just a scene here or there…but central to the theme of the movie, impacting the emotions of the characters, and vital to the storyline & plot.  Not only are these six great food movies…they’re just plain ‘ole amazing films in my mind!

Waitress:

{Image via Fox Searchlight, click for Waitress site}

While this charming film isn’t Oscar-worthy…it does manage to pull at my heartstrings while making my mouth water.  The story follows Jenna, a pregnant and unhappily married waitress played by the lovely Keri Russell.  Jenna isn’t just an ordinary waitress; she has a special talent—making the most incredible pies based on her hopes, dreams, fears & desperation.  These delicious desserts have unique names such as “Kick In The Pants Pie” & “Falling in Love Chocolate Mousse Pie.”  It’s hard not to root for the sweet Jenna as she tries to better her and her unborn child’s life.

Ratatouille:

{Image via Disney Pixar, click for Ratatouille site}

I’m a sucker for almost any Pixar film…and Ratatouille is no exception.  The movie documents the unlikely partnership between an aspiring chef and the gastronomic genius rat that helps him cook.  Pixar manages to make a fabulous film documenting the beauty of cooking, the charm of Paris and the task of finding your true calling that can be enjoyed by just about anybody…kids and adults alike.  The icing on the cake is the message that anybody can cook!

Chocolat:

{Image via IMDb, click for source}

Well how could I not like a movie devoted to the fascinating craft of chocolate making?  Add in the beautiful French countryside, gorgeous 1960s costumes, the lovely Juliette Binoche and dreamy Johnny Depp to gawk at…and I’m sold!  Beyond the appealing scenery is a sweet tale of how a chocolatier’s treats start to open the minds & improve the lives of those who eat the delicacies.

Big Night:

{Image via IMDb, click for source}

Possibly one of the best films to capture the effort and painstaking detail involved in creating a special feast.  This movie, thick with emotion, follows two squabbling brothers.  One brother, played by Stanley Tucci, desperately seeks to run a successful restaurant in America and the other, played by Tony Shalhoub, wishes his authentic Italian meals would be appreciated by their customers.  In a last ditch effort to save their failing restaurant the brothers prepare a meal for the ages for one, big night.

Mostly Martha:

{Image via IMDb, click for source}

This charming German film is a gem.  The movie focuses on Martha, a headstrong chef who rules her kitchen with an iron fist and cooks by the book…exactly…precisely.  But her world is turned upside down when she takes charge of her young niece…there is no recipe to follow.  To top it off Martha believes her new Italian sous-chef is trying to take over her hard-earned position at the restaurant.  This is a lovely film with wonderful acting filled with as much emotion as cooking.

Julie & Julia:

{Image via Sony Pictures, click for Julie & Julia site}

This film drives home the fact that dreams can come true with hard-work and perseverance.  The incredibly talented Meryl Streep plays the legendary Julia Child during her years in France that awakened not only her love of food, but her passion to cook and teach others (specifically Americans) about the joys of French food.  Child’s eternal optimism, cheerful attitude and humor are infectious.  A simultaneous storyline follows a young Julie Powell, played by Amy Adams, who attempts to cook every recipe out of Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  I love, love, love this film.  If this doesn’t get you wanting to cook…I don’t know what will!

Here are some more foodie films:

• Babette’s Feast
• Fried Green Tomatoes
• Like Water For Chocolate
• The Ramen Girl
• Kings of Pastry (documentary)

And a few I’ve heard are good but I’ve never seen:

• Tampopo
• Dinner Rush
• Eat Drink Man Woman
• Soul Food
• My Dinner with Andre

…What are some of your favorite films that feature food?

Happy watching & be weary of drooling while you do!

Literature Snippet…

{Painting by Svetlana Gencheva via Public Republic}

Tita knew through her own flesh

how fire transforms a tortilla,

how a soul that hasn’t been warmed

by the fire of love is lifeless,

like a useless ball of corn flour.

~Laura Esquivel, Like Water for Chocolate

{Click photos for their source}

Food’s Foot Soldiers…

{Image via National Service}

My brother has been harping on me to start growing my own food & buying local whenever possible for years.  Of course it’s hard to break bad habits.  I’m set in my ways and to get out of the rut takes a lot of willpower and commitment.  What if I had learned the importance of gardening at an early age…perhaps in school?  Would it be easier to incorporate it into my adult life?

FoodCorps, an extension of AmeriCorps is aiming to do just that…help kids understand the importance of growing & eating healthy foods in a sustainable manner.  Right now it is a relatively small venture with 50 dedicated individuals setting out to work at 41 sites in 10 states, concentrating on communities with high rates of childhood obesity or limited access to healthy food.

The piece that I found most interesting about these volunteers was that:

“FoodCorps members will be paid $15,000 for the year. On this they must find places to live and pay for food, though those without other sources of income are being encouraged to apply for help from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (usually called SNAP, and formerly known as food stamps), so they’ll live like many of those they’re serving.”

Via NY Times

{Image via Time Magazine}

I find FoodCorps to be an admirable venture that will benefit the health of our citizens and country.  Hopefully, in time, it will expand to all 50 states.  Do you know of other programs that are doing a good job of fighting childhood obesity?

To find out more about FoodCorps, click here.

{Image via National Service}

{Click photos for their source}