Aunt Judy's yummy Lemony French Yogurt Cake

I had this wonderful cake (defrosted from a freezer) on a visit to Boston.  Aunth Judy made it.  The amazing part is that the recipe does not have much fat.  I really enjoyed this visit and this cake was just perfect with a nice summer meal.  The cake goes well with fruit and would make a great base for a strawberry shortcake dessert. The recipe is adapted from Orangette and Sweet Spoonful.  I plan to make Aunt Judy's version which is undoubtedly the best this summer to share with friends and family. 


Lemony French Yogurt Cake—for Bundt pan

2 cups white all purpose flour + more for dusting pan

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or three cups of white flour)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cup turbinado sugar or natural cane sugar

2 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest—I use micro-plane; 1 lemon =1TBSP lemon zest

1 1⁄2 cups whole milk (or low fat) Greek yogurt

1 cup mild olive oil

4 large eggs

1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze: (optional)

Juice from 2 lemons

1⁄4 cup powdered sugar 

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a bundt pan (or pretty much any shape pan you like) and dust with flour; 

tap out excess.

Whisk the flours, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, rub the sugar 

with the lemon zest in a large bowl until the sugar becomes moist and fragrant. Add the yogurt, oil, eggs 

and vanilla and whisk until combined.

Fold in dry ingredients just to blend. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 

45-55 minutes or until fragrant and the top of the cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center 

comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes before unmolding. Poke a few holes in the cake top with a toothpick 

and pour the glaze over the cake. When it is completely cool, sift a little confectioner’s sugar on top.

Awilda's Amazing Flan Recipe

Awilda is an opera singer and she makes amazing food.  Her signature dessert dish is a flan recipe that will wow you with its texture and taste.   She describes this flan as "not too eggy".  She spent a lot of time with trial and error to balance the flavor and texture created by the egg.  I think this is an amazing recipe and I will be making it next week for our dinner club.

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 ounces cream cheese 
1/3 cup Bakers sweetened Coconut

Hot water for the bain de marie (baño de maria)

In an 8 ounce cake pan (one of those you use to bake layer cakes pour 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water and mix well. Over medium high heat (About 10 minutes) allow the sugar to reduce and caramelize(do NOT mix once the sugar starts bubbling otherwise you will get a crystal goo). Watch it carefully once it begins to thicken, because once it starts turning golden it will do it very quickly. When it begins to turn golden, take it off the fire because since the pan is hot it will continue to caramelize until it is a rich deep brown.  Using pot holders, swirl the caramelized sugar around the sides of the pan over and over until you have used up the caramel.  (It will begin to harden as it cools)

Set the pan aside.

In the blender mix the evaporated and condensed milk, eggs, cream cheese, vanilla and coconut extracts and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar - it won't be too sweet because the cream cheese takes away some of the sweetness of the condensed milk - and puree until smooth. Pour into the caramelized cake pan.  Sprinkle the baker's coconut on the top and place in a larger pan with hot water that comes up to the pan about 1/2 - 2/3 around it.  (Have the pan with the hot water already in the oven and place the flan pan into it).  Bake at 325 for 55 - 1:00 or until the top is nicely browned.

Remove from oven and cool completely before putting in the refrigerator. Cover with tin foil and cool in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4-6 hours. 

To serve, take a knife and go around the sides completely making sure you have loosened the flan from the sides of the pan.  Put a plate on top of the pan and invert.  Gently shake loose.

Have fun.

Awilda

Roasted Cashew Sauce - perfect for chicken satay

Roasted Cashew sauce.
8 oz roasted cashews
5 oz roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
12 fl oz coconut milk
3 teaspoon thick soy sauce
2 teaspoon sweet chilli sauce
(recommend to add a bit more hot sauce of your liking here - Saracha is ok)
1 teaspoon soft brown sugar.

1. Preheat oven to warm 315oF.  Spread cashews and peanuts on baking tray and roast for 10 min and then cool.
2. Finely grind cumin coriander and fenugreek with mortar and pestle.  Put in a small pan and dry fry over low heat for 3 minutes. 
3. Put nuts and spices in food processor and finely chop.  Add remaining ingredients and salt and pepper until a soft chunky sauce.  If you prefer a thin sauce, add 2-3 tablespoons water.
4. Transfer to a small pan and heat gently for 5 minutes, until warm.

Lei's Cheesecake Recipe

Brenna's co-worker made the most amazing cheesecake recently so I just had to get the recipe.  It is amazing how good something that I usually don't crave can be once you have a bite... you just can't stop with this one :)

2.5 c graham cracker crumbs

1 stick melted butter

0.25c sugar

Handful of toasted nuts (optional)

Combine and press into 9inch springform pan)

1.5 Cup sugar

3lbs cream cheese

3 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1.5 cup sour cream

Beat Cream cheese and sugar until smooth and light. 

Beat in eggs cornstarch and vanilla just until blended.

Stir in sour cream.

Add to pan and bake @450 degrees for 10min

Reduce to 200 degrees and back for 1.5 hours

Turn oven off and open door slightly for 3 hours

Refrigerate.

This is 1.5 x the original recipe to make  taller cheesecake.  It can be scaled back.

I sift in the cornstarch so that it doesn’t clump.  I put a rack above the cheesecake and foil on the rack to keep the cake from browning

Baking time varies but just bake until it isn’t jiggly.

For the ganache I melted 10oz chocolate chips – semi sweet and added 1 cup whipping cream over a double boiler.  When this is smooth I poured it over the cheese cake and spread it around the sides.

How to plan a Sushi Party for 4 people

I enjoy putting together sushi parties with friends at my place. I have also taken a sushi class and there are some tricks and pitfalls to share. These tips and menu ideas will get you through a sushi night at home stress free. We usually have a lot of fun making sushi since our guests help out and get involved in the process. So let's get started.

What to get?

Tools: Sushi Roller (usually less than 5 dollars at your asian store)

Basic Ingredients:

Nori - Seaweed Sheets

Wasabi - (DO NOT GET THE TUBES! but the powder which is actually horseradish)

Soy Sauce (Some of the main stream brands are fine. However, you need to water them down to make them taste better 1/2 water 1/2 soy sauce. Try it, you will be pleasantly surprised.)

Ginger Pickled (I buy this ready made but some day plan to make it from the young ginger that they sell)

Cucumbers

Avocado

Fish:

Salmon is my favorite

Tilapia is ok if you have some good other flavors going on

Tuna is good

Broiled Eel (unagi) is a must for us

Short grain Rice you can make into Sushi Rice.  I usually pick up Nishiki brand.

Mirin - Rice Wine Vinegar

Amazing Crab Cakes from Lauren's Mom

The lack of measurements in this recipe can be explained by the fact that it is a family one. If you find particular quantities that work out well for you please comment to share with everyone.

Use Crab from Costco in the cooler section (not frozen)

Add the following to taste

*Small amount mayonnaise (to hold cakes together once mixed)
*Lemon Zest
*Lemon Juice
*Fresh Dill and Chives
*Sea Salt and Pepper
*Cayenne Pepper
*Add 1/2 cup approximately of Panko

Chill. Roll in small balls and press into a flat cak. Coat with more panko. Place in a hot skillet using a small amount of olive oil or butter. Cook until crisy on outside.

Serve with the following or with your own concoction:
The Ojai Cook Latin or Lemon Lemonaise
Chili Sauce

Megan's Spiced Candied Pecans

Spiced Pecans

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of cloves
2c. pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine first 4 ingredients in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly (~8 min). Add pecans and vanilla. Cook until syrup is absorbed, and pecans are coated, stirring constantly (~12 mins...the pecans will start to look dry and sugary, and become difficult to stir). Spread pecan mixture on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray (pecans will have a sugar coating). Separate pecans into halves. Cool completely. Yields 3 1/2 c.Store in an airtight container in a cool dark place for up to 1 month, in the fridge for 3 months, or in freezer for 8 months.

Brenna's Vegetarian Chili Supreme (meat optional)

This recipe can be easily modified to add most any ingredient you wish. If you like meat chili, it is easy to add meat. I made this with leftover turkey meat at Thanksgiving and it was extremely flavorful. Also consider using toppings for your chili like sour cream, green onions, more cilantro, and bacon bits.

Ingredients:
3 TB oil
1 large 24oz can diced tomatoes
1 onion chopped
1 large red bell pepper chopped
3 green chilies seeded and chopped fine (serrano peppers work well)
8 cloves garlic pressed
1 1/2 TB cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 TB coriander powder
2 1/2 TB chili powder
2 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
1 1/2 TB dried oregano
1/2 TB thyme
1 TB basil
1 TB brown sugar
3 cups canned beans (black, kidney and pinto work well) - drained and rinsed
3 cups frozen veggies (veggie medley works well or gumbo or corn or peas)
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
1 TB lime juice

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large pot on medium high. Add onions and cook for about 3 minutes until translucent. Add the red bell pepper and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic then push the ingredients to the wall to create a well. Add an extra TB of oil to the center. Then add cumin seeds to the center and cook until they start to brown (about 30 seconds). Mix together all ingredients. Add coriander powder, cayenne pepper, and chili powder. Cook for another minute or two. Add 2 cups of vegetable stock (water if you don't have stock) making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until thickened. Add oregano, thyme, basil, brown sugar, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer again and put the lid on. Simmer for at least 25 minutes. Stir occasionally, making sure to scrape to the bottom of the center of the pan. Add a cup of water if it gets too solid and starts sticking to the bottom. Add beans and frozen veggies. Mix and cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and add cilantro and lime.

Jothi's Instant Microwave Walnut Fudge - (or Pecan)

 Walnut Fudge Recipe from a good friend in Columbus, Ohio.

This recipe is pretty easy to make and tastes amazing in your mouth.  It is a perfect desert for a dinner party or for around the holidays.  I highly recommend giving it a try.  If you end up with something hard you probably microwaved it too long so just be careful with the amount of time you run the microwave.  If you really want this to come out right, don't skimp on the butter :)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups walnuts
2/3 cup butter
1/8 cup brown sugar (reduced from original recipe)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract (not imitation)
(Optional 1 TBS instant coffee powder)
(Optional 2 ounces of chocolate chips)

Directions:
1. Dry Roast Walnuts to get the essential oils to release on medium heat for a couple of minutes
2. Melt butter in microwave and mix in milk and sugar (add optional ingredients at this time)
3. Microwave for 10 minutes (stopping to stir ever 3 minutes) -
Important Note: This cook time depends greatly on the strength of the microwave. You may only need to do this for 5 minutes. When you are stirring look for a rich glossy. and stiffening fudge. When it cools it will harden more. To learn more about how water affects the dessert check out this website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy. The less water that is in your dessert, the harder it will get.
4. Add Vanilla and Nuts at the end and mix
5. Let set into fudge blocks and cut to enjoy

Allie's Amazing Brisket Recipe

From my friend, Allie, who makes some Amazing Brisket!

From Thoughts For Buffet: Brisket of Beef a la Bercy:

2 t salt

3 T brown sugar

1 cup chili sauce

1.5 cups vinegar

2 t seasoning salt (i've never used this)

5 lb brisket of beef

1 cup chopped celery leaves

2 sliced onions

Mix salt, brown sugar, chili sauce, vinegar, and seasoning salt together. Pour over meat and let stand overnight. Allow one hour per pound for roasting. Place meat in the roaster. Pour marinade over the meat to moisten. Cover with celery leaves and onions. Roast in a 325 oven, basting often with marinade for 5 hours, or until tender. Cover, if meat becomes too brown. May be prepared in advance. When ready to serve, slice and reheat in strained pan drippings from which fat has been removed. Serves 8.

A couple of things I do differently than the recipe: I add 1/3 cup asian style hot chili sauce (I didn't know what chili sauce was the first time I made it, so I used this instead and it was good, so I still use it - it makes it spicier.) I make extra marinade so that the meat is more covered. I'm lazy so I barely baste (maybe once an hour or less), but I cover it sooner so that it doesn't get too brown. And, I use a bit less sugar than recommended (because Barry is trying avoid sugar in his diet).

Sridevi's Red Beet Rice

My cousin's red beet rice is a crowd pleaser and is a nice colorful addition to any plate of food.

Start with 2 small onions chopped and saute at Med high in oil.
Cut 1 large beet roughly chopped after peeling (be careful because the red sticks to everything)
Fry for a couple of minutes.
Add 1 - 2 Bay Leaves (whole is fine), 1-2 Curry Leaves (whole is fine), 1 tablespoon crushed garlic / ginger paste, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper and fry for about a minute.
Add 2 green chilli peppers chopped, Frozen Peas (1/4 cup), 1 big dash of salt and pepper (1-2tsp), Frozen Corn (1/4 cup), 1-2 tomatoes  and heat for a minute or two to get the thaw out. Make sure to mix in the salt.  Now add 2 1/2 cups of jasmine rice (mix in the ingredients for a minute or two again).  Add 4 1/2 cups of water and cook on medium low with the lid on for 15-20 minutes or add to a rice cooker.   Add 1 handful of cilantro chopped at the end for color.

Uncle's Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer (Sag Paneer, Spinach Paneer)

This recipe is quoted and the people referenced are not my family.  However, this is a great Palak Paneer recipe.  Enjoy! 

I learned the organized approach to cooking North Indian dishes from Deviji, a kind Punjabi lady, our neighbor in Pittsburgh, when we were living there. She taught me how to cook my favorites, she insisted that I come and see how she prepares in her kitchen so that I won’t forget. She used to say if you see, you won’t forget, particularly cooking. I think that is true. My entire north Indian cooking is her recipes including the paneer post below. Hope you try them and enjoy as much as we do. Here is one…The famous palak paneer

Recipe:

One big bunch of spinach (fresh green ones)
Paneer ~10 to 15 cubes
One medium sized ripe tomato
Green chillies 5, half onion~ chopped finely into small pieces
Half tsp of garlic-ginger-cilantro paste
One tsp of dhania-jeera (coriander-cumin) powder
Quarter cup cashews
Half tsp of salt

Preparation:

Spinach and Green Chillies - Wash the spinach, cut or tear them into big pieces. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a wide skillet. First add green chillies to hot oil, then spinach. Saute until the leaves are wilted. Turn off the heat. Wait few minutes to cool. Add them to a blender and also a pinch of salt - blend to smooth paste. Adding green chillies to spinach puree is very important step; it gives punch to bland spinach.

Tomato- Boil tomato in hot water till the skin break down, remove the skin, mash the tomato to a pulp.

Cashews- Roast cashews lightly, make fine powder of them.

Paneer- Lightly saute paneer cubes in one teaspoon of ghee till they are golden brown. (This is optional, you can add paneer cubes just as they are.)

Now with the curry:

Add one teaspoon of ghee or oil to a wide skillet. When it is hot, fry the onions till translucent. Add ginger-garlic-cilantro paste and dhania-jeera powder, mix them and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Now add pureed spinach, tomato and cashew powder along with a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly and add water if needed. Do not dilute the curry too much. It should not spread like flooding river when served on a plate.

Cook it covered on low flame for about 5 to 10 minutes. Just before turning off the heat, add the paneer cubes. Mix them with the spinach (palak). Let simmer for 2 or 3 minutes and then turn off the heat.

Serve the curry hot with chapatis (rotis) or with rice. Also for novelty, you can make a Palak Panner Naanini (Split naan into two layers, apply generous potions of palak paneer in-between. Grill or Oven-broil for few minutes and serve with yogurt raita.) Anyway you prefer, palak paneer is truly a guilt free, satisfying, well balanced delicious dish.

Chiles Rellenos De Queso

Chiles Rellenos De Queso-> serves 12
Ingredients:
12 poblono chillies
4 tsp white vinegar
1/2 small onion
2 T oil
1 1/2 tsp ground pepper
6 C grated Jack or Cheddar Cheese
oil for deep frying
kosher salt to taste
4 large ripe tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
4 bay leaves
6 eggs, separated
1 C flour

Prepare the chilies: Roast and peel the chiles. Make a slit in each one careful not to break it much and remove the seeds and membranes. Soak chilies in water (enough to cover) with 1 T salt and vinegar for 20 minutes. Rinse, drain, and set aside.

Make Sauce (this is the best part): In a blender, combine tomatoes, onion, and garlic; puree and strain. Heat 1T oil in a skillet; add tomato puree and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add 1 tsp salt, bay leaves, pepper, and cook, covered, 10 minutes, thinning with water if needed to maintain a saucy consistency.

Stuffing: Fill each chili with 1/2 C grated cheese and set aside.

Make Batter: Beat egg whites to stiff peaks, and then add egg yolks one at a time. Spread flour on a plate, coat each stuffed chili in it lightly then dip chilies into beaten eggs to coat completely.

Fry (this will pull the chili together in case it is coming apart): Heat 1/2inch oil in a skillet. When hot, add chilies one or two at a time and fry on each side until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels, then add to tomato sauce and simmer 5 minutes. Serve.

Kiran - from a Mexican Cooking Class :)

Mayuri's Russian Tea Cakes

My cousin Mayuri made this recipe for us one Christmas and it was excellent.  I highly recommend trying it for the next time you are looking for a nice dessert that can be in small portions.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (I put them in the grinder until they are partly ground)
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time.

Mayuri - Kiran's Cousin :)

Stacy's Tasty Summer Bean Salad

Tasty Summer Bean Salad
INGREDIENTS:
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.
Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

Madhavi's Cilantro Rice Recipe

Ingredients:
2 Cups Basmathi rice
1 bunch of Coriander (stems and leaves)
4 or 5 greenc hilies
Fresh grated Coconut
Salt to taste
Thalimpu samanulu (a mix of black mustard seeds, dried red chili peppers, followed by a fry of urad dhal and cumin seeds, and finally curry leaves - this is also know as Tarka in the north I believe)
1/2 cup of cashews or mixed nuts
1 lime

Directions: Cook the rice and let it cool. Meanwhile grind together Coriander,Chilies, Salt and Coconut with a little water. In a pan pour 4 tablespoons of oil and after it is heated add all the thalimpu samanulu to it.Then addthe ground paste and fry it till it becomes dry (Podi podi gaavaali which means it should look like a powder). Now mix this with the rice and finally add some lime juice.

Armin's Persian Lentil Soup

I had this Persian Lentil Soup at one of my best friend's cousin's home. She is an amazing cook. I am not sure the recipe is specific enough to make it as good as she does though.

Here is the recipe for something so tasty that you will be smiling:
1/2 cup parsley (dried I think)
1/2 cup basil (dried I think)
3/4 cup ground walnuts (roast a little if you like)
chicken broth
rice
persian lentils brown
red chilli powder
turmeric powder
onion

It's soup so just cook the onion and spices first. Rinse lentils for a while and then just dump everything in and cook it down.

Hard Liquor Secrets from an Eccentric Bar Guy

So, I met this really interesting older guy at Nectar a couple of months ago. He really new his spirits. He was big and had a personality that just projected across the room. We ended up talking at the bar for a while. His knowledge of liquor was impressive. This are some of the secrets shared:

Cascade Gin - Made from real juniper berries from Washington or Oregon. This is probably some of the best Gin you can find. It beats all the commercially popular brands.

Crater Lake Vodka - Another Northwest spirit with a kick

Gosling’s Black Seal Bermuda rum- A very special Rum.

I really would like to try the Gin and the Rum. They both sound like a nice change from the norm.



Adding to this post:
Recently I had a great grain vodka at my friend's wedding.
Also on a camping trip we had some Buffalo Trace Bourbon and it was amazingly smooth.

Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake

From Vijaye, Ashley, and Ashley's mom: I think it comes out better with Ashley's mistake personally.

Crust: Combine 1 package ( 8 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies, crushed, with 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Press into a 9 inch spring form pan. Chill.

Filling: Beat 2/3 cups sugar and 2 eggs until fluffy. Gradually add 1/2-3/4 lb. cream cheese, softened, until lumps are gone.
Melt 8 ounces semi sweet chocolate, cool slightly, and add to sugar mixture.
Add 2 ounces amaretto liqueur and 1 cup sour cream, beating constantly.
Stir in 4 tbls. melted butter. Mix well and pour into crust.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, cool 15 minutes. Spread with topping and bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Chill overnight.

Topping: Combine 1 cup sour cream, 1/4 tsp. cocoa, 2 tbls. sugar, and 1 tbls. amaretto liqueur. Mix well.

I just realized that I only used 1/2 lb. of cream cheese (remember: I was making it at midnight and my math isn't good even when I'm wide awake).
That explains the light creamy consistency of the filling. The extra 8 oz. makes it a little denser. I think my mistake turned out ok!

Understanding the kitchen

Guido:
"Things (about cooking) I wish I had known years ago. I wrote this up for my younger brother and sister so they wouldn't have to learn it on their own like I did. Neither of them cook much right now. Y'all probably know all of this stuff, but it might be useful.----
Things I wish I had known years ago. My cooking abilities have improved dramatically in the last year or so. There are certain things that have been a major influence on my improvement and other things that have just made my cooking life a lot better. I wish someone had pointed these things out to me years ago. Maybe I wouldn't have eaten so much crap if I had known about them.

1. Good Eats - Holy s***! Good Eats, I know I'm not alone saying that Alton Brown kicks ass. If you don't already know this, Good Eats is a cooking show on the food network hosted by Alton Brown. It's kind of a mix between Mr. Wizard, Bill Nye, MacGyver, and Julia Child. Wow, what a combo. What's important about this show is: A. He teaches you about why you need to do certain things and B. It's not boring.
2. Cooks Illustrated - A cooking magazine that doesn't suck. I've always hated cooking magazines (along with cooking shows) because they are always showing beautiful photos of dishes and long-ass recipes that assume you already know everything about cooking and require odd ingredients that not everyone can find (or cares to look for). Cook's Illustrated is great because they test many different recipes for the same dish and tell you exactly how to make it, and they tell you what you can substitute if you can't find every ingredient.
3. Cast Iron Skillets - I used to think that Calphalon cast-aluminum pans were the best but I recently got a Lodge Cast-Iron Skillet and I'm totally blown away. It really is much better than what I was using. It's extremely heavy and takes a long time to heat up, but once it's hot it stays hot. I can add cold water to the mixture and it continues to stay hot. And it's non-stick. It's not that crappy non-stick coating that eventually starts sticking, it's that extremely thin layer of oil that you've baked onto it when you season it. Oh yeah, that brings up care and maintenance. You have to take better care of this than your $100 copper skillet. You have to keep it seasoned, you can't use soap to clean it, and you have to keep it dry so it doesn't rust. But I guess since it's only $15 from Amazon you don't really have to worry if you screw up.
4. World Spice Merchants - I used to pay for $5 for each spice or herb at the supermarket, and they were usually small and old, and many times I couldn't find what I needed. At World Spice Merchants I get fresh spices and herbs for 5 to 10 times cheaper and I can find whatever I need. I've even bought some tins to keep them in.
5. Honing steels - It took me a long to realize that my knives were getting dull. I never realized that I could keep them very sharp with a small piece of metal. Probe Thermometers mean I stop cooking exactly when I'm supposed to."

Credits to Guido Bartolucci for contributing this piece. Another useful resource is the following book. What Einstein Told his Cook. http://www.amazon.com/What-Einstein-Told-His-Cook/dp/0393011836/