I’ve decided to award this week’s free cookbook to frequent blog reader Henry.
Henry offered up several fine ideas for jazzing up dishes with products that most cooks keep on hand on a regular basis.
For that, he gets a copy of “Mealtime Magic” by Joey Green.
Henry’s comment was:

Boullion.

You can jazz up gravy with a shot of Cream of Chicken soup. Of course, these are casserole standbys.

I especially like the suggestion that boullion cubes can be substituted for salt in various recipes. I can see myself adding boullion to all kinds of steamed veggies to add flavor without fat.

Henry, shoot me an e-mail at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com to claim your book. Don’t forget to include your address!

Ten years ago, I would never have considered rolling a lime on the counter before cutting and juicing it.
I never would have thought to serve pasta on warm plates or bring eggs to room temperature before adding them to a cake batter.

These are the little tips we pick up along the way, from the moment we decide to roast our first whole chicken in our tiny apartment to the day we present a table of 10 with a gorgeous standing rib roast and a fine red wine.

Since I began to cook seriously, I’ve had dozens of “Aha!” moments as I pored over recipes, cookbooks and chef’s memoirs. I’ll venture to say that some of us will go to our graves not knowing several simple tips that would have made cooking and entertaining so much easier.
In my mind, that’s one of the best things about writing a food blog. Almost every day, someone has kitchen advice to share with the rest of us.

I’ve come across a book that is packed with such tips. It’s called “Kitchen Wisdom” by Anne Sheasby, and I would recommend it to anyone who strives constantly to improve their productivity and safety in the kitchen.

A few gems from the book:

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