Reason for Not Eating Out #16: Great Leaps Forward

Many people have asked me over time how I manage to "not eat out" around the clock. Just what am I eating when it's not one of the recipes published on this blog? (Much of the time, the plain answer is noodles -- spaghetti, noodle soup, fried noodles; noodles.) It's true that I don't broadcast my every cooking failure or success here, which therefore makes it hard to grasp the extent to which my cooking ceases to be fun, experimental and imaginative, and instead becomes necessary motions performed in order to live. This coming year, I plan to work harder on this. But looking back on this year -- an entire year, in fact -- of not eating out, what does seem clear is how much my cooking has improved.

Garlic and Asparagus Soup with Oregano Pesto

This Christmas dinner, I was preparing a meal for nine people including myself. At least one of them was lactose-intolerant; at least one was kosher. And the main course for the evening was unquestionably rich -- a prime rib of beef, to be exact. But I still wanted to make a soup that was heady and savory. The kind of soup that makes people want to finish a whole bowl of and call it a meal. I suppose I should have bothered to ask if anyone disliked garlic, because what they got as a result equaled nearly one head of garlic per person.

Honey-Cashew Fruit Crisps

My favorite nut (besides, perhaps, my mother) is the buttery cashew. For a long time I thought there was no better way to enjoy them than alone, roasted, straight out of the can and without the pesky accompaniment of lesser nuts mixed in. A little coat of salt, maybe. But that was all. This may or may not still be the ultimate cashew experience, but recently I've discovered this nut to be a little more versatile to add.

Last Chance for Menu 4 Hope

What could be a better fetch this holiday season than this fetching kitchen apron? At $10 a raffle ticket, no less? You got me there. Tomorrow, December 21st is the last day to try your luck at winning this and other prizes through Chez Pim’s Menu 4 Hope charity event. Check out Serious Eats’ list of less-raffled-on items that you stand a good chance of winning (as of now). As mentioned earlier, I sewed this apron with the help of some friends out of rescued cotton fabric. It has a darling red, white and navy floral pattern and classic features like an adjustable button neck strap and a front patch pocket. With it, you can cook assured that no one will be wearing the same frock as you at your next dinner soirée. If you’re clever with gardening, this same apron will rise to the task. Also, I’ve found from my experience with aprons that they are not only handy for protecting your clothes or looking adorable, but their pockets are good for keeping your cellphone. It’s always a scramble to find the phone when it rings and you’re busy cooking, and I’ve been known to leave it inside the refrigerator on occasion. And, if your phone looks anything like mine, it has grease, flour and sauces stuck into its grooves. It doesn’t have to be that way anymore. So, for your cellphone’s sake – but most importantly, for your heart’s sake – join in the fund-raising fun this year by participating in Menu 4 Hope. Each raffle ticket costs just $10, and all proceeds will be donated to the UN World Food Program. Good luck! Go here to buy a ticket: ttp://www.firstgiving.com/menuforhope4

The 2007 Chili Takedown that I did not

It's all over, those of you -- and there are many of you out there -- who missed the third installment of the Manhattan Chili Takedown. Fifteen chilis, two judges, one unpredictable host, a swank club called The Plumm, a motley crew of both carnivorous and vegetarian chili-making characters, their friends, one small child, and it all came down to two champions: one, for the judged contest, and another for the audience's choice. No, my chicken, pumpkin and hominy chili didn't win either honor. And this time, neither did the entries from anyone I know. But such is life, and not eating out.

Chicken, Pumpkin and Hominy Chili

Inspired by the classic Mexican dish pozole, this chili combines dried chipotles and anchos for a deep, earthy tomato-based sauce complemented by the sweetness of pumpkin. The smokiness of the chipotles is increased here by adding ground chorizo sausages; browned at the beginning of the cooking process, they meld invisibly into the sauce, adding a bit of density and lots of flavor.

Winter Squash Bruschetta

Last year marked one of the least snowy winters that New York City has ever not enjoyed. This year is shaping up to be a little better, but let's face it, we haven't had reason to call the whole day off in more than two years, and that's a shame. The absence of the pure, white fluffy stuff is dire enough as to make people look elsewhere for alternatives. I have a hare-brained theory that this is what's been fueling all the brouhaha over home dairy-making as of late.

Imbibed at Lenell’s

If it's the season for cuddling up with hot toddies and passing family reunions by in a drunken haze, then I've just sampled two very merry ways to embrace the holiday "spirit." Local author and cocktail expert David Wondrich paid a visit to Lenell's liquor store last Saturday, and I was not alone in imbibing. The quaint, small store was transformed into a a lively cocktail hour as David offered drinks featured in his latest book, Imbibed: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar. As its title suggests, it pays tribute to the modern father of making sousing look swank.

Fast food races to the junk food aisle

My co-worker proudly marched down the hall yesterday with a bag of Burger King “Ketchup & Fries” Flavored Potato Snacks (for lack of any more specific word such as “chips” or even “crisps”). “Look what I got from the vending machine!” Look we all did. Two whole aisles of us emerged from our pod-like cubicles to take a look at the fast food-inspired snack. Though from the minute we heard his announcement, we could already faintly smell it.

Jalapeno Popper Stockings

Ding-aling... Ring-aling... it's Christmastime in the city. And what do city girls do to get into the spirit? Well, if you're like half of the informal poll I've taken of my favorite ladies, you actually go out and buy a medium to large-sized tree to drag back to your apartment. That's right, a suburban family-oriented phenomenon no more. (Interestingly, most of these tree-buyers have roommates, while the others live alone or with a significant other. I guess it's not much fun having a tree with only one person to enjoy it.) And if you're one-third of that population, namely my friend Erin, you hold a tree-trimming party filled with colorful arts and crafts supplies for make-it-yourself ornaments.

Win this Apron and Be Tidy for a Cause

Prize UE17 When Serious Eats wrote me an email requesting my participation in Chez Pim's honorable Menu for Hope 4 charity raffle, there was not a doubt in my mind that I was in. But there was some trepidation. As a holiday-themed fundraising event, Menu for Hope asks food bloggers from around the world to become a sort of merchant for the day -- only all proceeds would be donated to The World Food Programme, expenses and labor spent pro-bono, and the merchandise on each site could be anything from a box of artisanal chocolates to dinner for two at a prestigious locale to a one-on-one cooking class. Essentially, 'tis the season for giving, and here are the goods that we've got. But what can a food blog about not eating out in New York possibly offer to entice potential raffle ticket-buyers? A messy autographed dishtowel? Then I got thinking.

Chicken, Kale & Pureed Spaghetti Squash with Sage

I first made this meal a few weeks ago when I came home from running errands to a living room filled with three friends (including my boyfriend). I was starving. But I tried to play it cool, pouring myself a whiskey on ice like they were all drinking, and calmly bringing out a tray of toasted squash seeds to munch on -- a side project from an earlier experiment I had been doing with a roasted spaghetti squash. Of course, those infuriatingly little bits of seed wedged inside their salty shell only made my hunger worse. Soon after, I attempted to casually interject the subject of dinner into our conversation. It came out more or less like, “Who wants to eat dinner?”

Chunky Turtle Monkey Love Bars

"Was that banana?" Went the first question from everyone who'd tried these, once they unglued their mouths enough to ask. Next: "I'm getting caramel... nuttiness... chocolate..." Sounds almost like we were tasting vintage wines. To their credit, it was dark in the bar where we sat. Half turtle bar, partly inspired by the chocolate monkey drink, these lovable turtle monkey bars have the best of both animal kingdoms, in my opinion. Like a well-aged wine, the flavors also seemed to mingle after having been squashed together in plastic wrap for an hour beforehand. Cold, gooey banana indeed pervaded every bite. The mealy texture of graham cracker could be felt throughout. Chocolate chunks prominently lodged in the teeth. The combined sensation is positively that of a kindergarten recess (minus the raisins).