Good cooking makes the winter less cold

I have been using my new cookbook by Giada de Laurentiis, Everyday Italian, lately without sharing the results on here. The first thing I made, a couple of weeks ago now, were the turkey meatballs with homemade tomato sauce and linguini. I couldn't even remember the last time I had eaten meatballs, since they are almost always made with beef. This was such a great winter meal- it makes you want to curl up and watch a good movie or maybe Masterpiece Theater's Bleakhouse...or maybe that's just me. (Last episode this Sunday night- I can't wait to see what happens!)

Last night I made two recipes from EI. Chicken Cacciatore and Parmesan Smashed Potatoes. The potatoes are sooooooooo good. Rather than add butter and milk, you add parmesan and a good EVOO (Extra virgen oilve oil). This makes them less heavy and more flavorful. The chicken came out way better than I thought-I was dubious that I would like the sauce, but it was really good. I think next time I will do the same recipe in the slow cooker, though. Mostly because it takes a good hour and a half total with all the simmering of the veggies and chicken and I had to listen to Juan Carlos complaining about dinner not being ready yet, and when will it be ready, and why can't we eat it yet if it smells so good. With the slow cooker, I just have to worry about him opening the lid when I'm not looking and letting all the steam out, but at least by then, it's been cooking most of the day.

Now, allow me to share some of my new-found cooking knowledge with you: the difference between braising and stewing. Stewing involves slow cooking with usually a meat and veggies in a good amount of liquid. Braising is also slow cooking, but with only an inch or two of water. It is then covered, so the liquid makes a steam that cooks the meat and veggies. In classic French cooking, you would not serve the braised veggies with the meat, but rather use them only to impart more flavor to the dish, serving some other veggie as a side.
And lastly, I present my favorite way to prepare a meal: a good glass of wine, NPR or some good dance music on the radio, and an empty kitchen (i.e. no dog underfoot or someone lifting the lids every so often to see what's going on). Maybe someday I can add the use of quality cooking utensils and cookware, but for now I have to settle for Ikea-brand pots and knives that don't cut so well anymore.

It's my own small battle with winter, keeping the cold at bay and waiting for spring to come, and in the meantime we get something good on the table, too.