Episode 178: Faux Meat, A Soup-Making Session, and author Stephanie Weaver

Our guest’s new book about healing headaches

This week, the news we discuss is about our podcast. Local Mouthful is now also an FM radio show. In Philadelphia and Camden, you can hear us every Wednesday at 6:30 pm on WPPM 106.5 FM. It’s Philly CAM’s radio station. Philly CAM is a wonderful community access media center with a radio studio, a TV studio and tons of affordable classes to learn how to make your own media. (Joy learned a lot about radio making and audio editing in a class there last winter.) Check it out!

We talked about “plant based burgers” including one hot new product that Joy and Marisa taste-tested.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to cook without a recipe? We’re teaching an improvisation Soup Class at the Philadelphia Free Library’s Center for Culinary Literacy on February 22 at 6 pm. In this hands-on session, we’ll teach you a few adaptable formulas so you can make soup with whatever you have on hand. And we’ll enjoy the fruits our labor together! Tickets are $15 and you can get them here.

We have an interview with Stephanie Weaver, author of The Migraine Relief Plan: An 8-Week Transition to Better Eating, Fewer Headaches, and Optimal Health

And finally, at the market, we are stocking up on apples.

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Follow us on twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Episode 177: Carrot Ginger Dressing, Make Good Baked Goods, and Cooking Secrets of Adulthood

We need to get our hands on this book …

In food news this week, we really enjoyed the New York Time’s profile of Ruby Tandoh “Ruby Tandoh Just Wants You to Eat What You Love” (Ruby was the GBBO 2013 runner up.) We especially liked her views around “clean eating.”

What’s for dinner this week? All kinds of stuff slathered in carrot ginger dressing.

The latest in Joy’s renovation saga involves neighbors complaining about the noise. Joy made them a “make good baked good.” Joy made her neighbors her mom’s nut bread, recipe below. Marisa favors this applesauce loaf for such occasions. What quick goodies do you all make to say “thank you” or “I’m sorry”?

Friend-of-the show Kristin Donnelly blog a list of her top “Cooking Secrets of Adulthood.” Naturally we wanted to weigh in with our own. (What are yours?)

And finally, at the market, we are buying raw nuts. (Use them in nut bread!)

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Follow us on twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Nut Bread

Makes five 3-by-5 inch mini-loaves

1¼ cups whole milk

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2½ cups all-purpose flour

3½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat five 3-by-5 inch loaf pans with oil or nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, sugar, egg, and vegetable oil. Stir well to blend. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk well.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the nuts, and then divide evenly among the prepared baking pans.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the loaves are light golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Episode 176: White Beans, The Great American Bake Off, and Cooking without a Kitchen

We heart the baking show, both the British and American versions!

In the food news, an op-ed in the New York Times urges us to go cold turkey on sugar for a month. Would you do it?

What’s for dinner this week? We’re thinking white beans. In soups, spreads, salads, etc.

Have you guys been watching the Great American Baking Show? We have (and we love it.)

Joy is a bit stressed about the coming weeks because she will need to cook without a kitchen in her new house for a while. (Any tips for her, gang?)

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Follow us on twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Episode 175: Nigella’s Noodles, Avocado Oil, and Costco

Blood oranges photo from Marisa’s blog, Food in Jars

In food news this week–Did Taco Bell become a health food spot when we weren’t paying attention? Business Insider thinks so.

Marisa has a recipe recommendation for us–Nigella Lawson’s Cold Soba Noodle Salad.

We present the next segment in our ongoing series of cooking fats: Avocado oil.

Have you ever wondered if a Costco membership is worth it? So has Joy. She asks Marisa to give her some pointers before she goes to the store to find out for herself.

Finally, at the market this week, we are buying oranges.

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Follow us on twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Episode 174: Cooking Resolutions and Challenges for 2017

Two loves of Marisa’s life: Her husband, Scott, and kale.

In food news this week, we talked about the potential bursting of America’s restaurant bubble.

Since it’s January we also talked challenges.

Marisa is running the Master Challenge over at Food in Jars. (Check it out.) And epicurious.com doing a month-long home cooking challenge they are calling #Cook90.

We shared our 2017 cooking goals with you in this episode. (Please let us yours!)

And finally we went to the market for the ultimate January ingredient: Kale.

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Follow us on twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

173: Home Cooking Highlights: 2016 edition

The first order of business in this last episode of the year: The big Cuisinart food processor blade recall. Check if you are affected here and find out how to get a replacement.

Our last episode of the year is one more big ol’ special episode before the year comes to an end. We made our lists and checked them twice–our “Everything I Cooked for Dinner in 2016” lists, that is–and then compared notes. We talk about the stuff we made again and again, the places we looked for recipes, and what we were making when weren’t using recipes.

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Follow us on twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

172: All Things Instant Pot

You guys asked, and we answered. In this episode we do a deep dive into the appliance of the moment: The Instant Pot.

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Follow us on twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

171: Pierogi, Gifts for the Kitchen, and Dessert

parsnipcake
Parsnip cake!

A recent segment on NPR discussed an interesting statistical correlation between the days of the month when food stamps/EBT were distributed and the reduction of drunk driving accidents. Read or listen here

What’s for dinner this week? Homemade Pierogi! Marisa made the terrific recipe from the cookbook Good and Cheap.

The season of gift giving is upon us. We talked about some of our favorite homemade edible gifts last year (episode 117), but wanted to hit on some of our favorite gifts for the kitchen. (Here’s a link to that wooden tool write up in Bon Appetit Joy couldn’t remember in the moment.)

We also talked about our dessert eating habits, and wrapped things up by going to market for persimmons.

Speaking of dessert: Last week, a lot of you asked for Joy’s parsnip cake recipe.

Here it is:

Parsnip Cake with Maple and Toasted Pecans

makes one 8-inch cake

Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup, grade B
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups peeled and shredded parsnips (about 3 medium parsnips)

Frosting:
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons maple syrup, grade B
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch cake pan.

2. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, and maple syrup and beat on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds more.

3. Add about one-third of the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined, about 10 seconds. Add half of the sour cream and mix until just blended, about 5 seconds. Alternate adding half of the remaining flour mixture, the remaining sour cream, and the remaining flour, mixing just long enough to combine after each addition. Using a spatula, gently fold in the parsnips. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan, and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Make the frosting: In bowl of a stand mixer outfitted with the whisk attachment, combine the confectioners sugar, butter and salt. Beat on medium until the butter is incorporated into the sugar with no large lumps remaining, about one minute. With the mixer running on low, slowly stream in the maple syrup one tablespoon at a time. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is fluffy, about 2 more minutes.

5. When the cake has cooled completely, frost just the top, leaving a half-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle the frosting with the pecans.

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Episode 170: Whole Grain Combos, Vegan Eats in Philly, and Niche Food magazines

coverephilwin1617

This week Joy has highlight’s from the brand new issue of Edible Philly.

In our “What’s for Dinner” segment, we talk about Whole Grain combos. (Two grains are better than one.)

Joy reviews the vegan and vegetarian highlights from her vegetarian sister’s recent visit.

We talk about a couple of highly niche food magazines we’re loving lately. Name, Sift and Cure.

We wrap up with a couple of festive topics: holiday drinks and persimmons.

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Follow us on twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Episode 169: Choosing Sides, Dish Drainers, and Holiday Food Traditions

choosing-sides

We just didn’t feel like talking about the news this time, so we talked about one of our favorite cookbooks by Tara Mataraza Desmond, Choosing Sides.

Then we discussed those ever-more-frequent times when we eat dinner for breakfast.

We talked about the role of a dish drainer in the kitchen. (Or not, Joy doesn’t have one; Marisa is devoted to hers.)

We did a segment on holiday food traditions, including Joy’s mom’s intergenerational nut bread. (Recipe follows)

At the market, we are buying celery.

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Follow us on twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

 

Nut Bread

Recipe courtesy of Joy’s mom, Judy Manning

Makes five 3-by-5 inch mini-loaves

1¼ cups whole milk

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2½ cups all-purpose flour

3½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat five 3-by-5 inch loaf pans with oil or nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, sugar, egg, and vegetable oil. Stir well to blend. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk well.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the nuts, and then divide evenly among the prepared baking pans.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the loaves are light golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center, about 20 to 30 minutes.