January 2012 | Simple, Good and Tasty, page 2

The Latin Tongue: El Bravo

Posted in Mexican Restaurant Reviews, Out & About on Mon, 01/16/2012 - 8:00am by Lawrence -

This is a part of an ongoing adventure in Latin food eateries. Read our intro article to find out why.

Part of the adventure involved in trying new restaurants is the air of wonder. I love the mystery of an unknown menu, not to mention the particular take one chef may have over another. El Bravo was an adventure of all sorts. We had absolutely no idea of what to expect. As a matter of fact, the only thing I knew about El Bravo was a picture of the front of the building that I has seen online when searching for directions. It was one of those entrances that make me drool. Old flashing neon sign, stucco painted in bright colors and that's about it. Looking back on this, I suppose it doesn't take much to make me hungry.

Resolutions From A Food Lover In Fargo

Posted in Family & Home on Fri, 01/13/2012 - 8:00am by Jeni Hill -

As a grade-schooler, emerging as a type-A adult, I carefully crafted New Years resolutions of all types and crossed them out when attained. I thought I had all but given up on New Years resolutions--until I moved to Fargo. For the first time in 15 years, I compiled a list of 2012 New Years resolutions, all of which revolve around food.

In 2012, I will learn how to create the following in my humble apartment kitchen:

A working list

The Urban Cellar: Storing Veggies in Your Home with a recipe for Root Veggie Cakes.

Posted in Family & Home, Recipes on Thu, 01/12/2012 - 8:00am by Amy Sippl -

Last January I was ogling my co-worker’s lunchboxes as they enjoyed citrus, bananas, and vegetables from places I could only dream about living. Gone were the red ripe watermelons and fresh salads that made local eating easy in June, July and August. Just after the New Year, we had to start rationing our 10 remaining bags of frozen broccoli, what we thought was enough to last us through a Minnesota winter. Last January I was completely unprepared for the wintertime locavore life.

Four Fish: January SGT Book Club

Posted in Book Club on Tue, 01/10/2012 - 8:00am by Lawrence -

With all of our midwestern talk about sustainably raised land animals, thinking about the fishing industry can often draw a big fat blank. Perhaps the answer is to just eat fewer fish, don't eat those fish which are endangered, look for sustainably caught fish or possibly assume that the ocean is so vast that we could never really deplete it.

Take one look into Four Fish by Paul Greenberg and the issue becomes much more complicated and fascinating. It is one thing to think about trying to control how a herd of cows or a flock of chickens is managed. Consider the vast seas, international borders, politicians, scientists and of course, global demand. Its complicated.

The Latin Tongue: Mi Sinaloa

Posted in Mexican Restaurant Reviews, Out & About on Mon, 01/09/2012 - 8:00am by Lawrence -

This is a part of an ongoing adventure in Latin food eateries. Read our intro article to find out why.

I drive down 38th St. quite often and have constantly wondered about the establishment called Mi Sinaloa. It sounded exotic. As a matter of fact, I spent a good deal of time wondering what in the world this place was. It sounds tropical, but I failed to even guess at the hemisphere, not to mention the correct country. Then I figured it out. Sinaloa is a state in Mexico on the Pacific coast of the country.

Cooking up a Resolution

Posted in Books & Media, Family & Home on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 8:00am by Merie Kirby -

Last year I decided to approach New Year’s Resolutions in a different way: I would make a list of things to accomplish and to learn. I focused on just a few things that I enjoy, but seldom approach in a dedicated way: crafting, writing and cooking. My list included things I knew I could easily skate through the entire year without actually doing, unless I had something prodding me…like my pride. I printed out my list – in a big colored font nonetheless – and posted it around the house. That list lived above the sewing machine, by my desk and inside a kitchen cabinet door.

My list looked something like this:

Dye sock yarn with Kool-Aid. Cook one new recipe a week. 52 recipes. Write more. Read more.Finish four unfinished projects.

"Make the Bread, Buy the Butter" by Jennifer Reese

Posted in Books & Media, Recipes on Thu, 01/05/2012 - 8:00am by Kristin Boldon -

When Jennifer Reese lost her job, she decided to economize in the kitchen, something she'd been writing about already on her popular food blog, Tipsy Baker. She started the blog to test and review the many cookbooks in her home. Along the way, though, that testing made her curious about what can be made better and less expensively at home.

The Latin Tongue: Restaurants in the Twin Cities

Posted in Mexican Restaurant Reviews on Tue, 01/03/2012 - 8:00am by Lawrence -

It is obvious to anyone paying attention that Americans have an obsession with Mexican food. Simply take a look at our fast food chains, food courts, strip malls and everywhere in between. You cannot say the same about any other ethnic cuisine. Sure, Italian is right up there, but besides pizza (which is mostly Americanized anyway), Italian cuisine has not quite taken over like the rampant spread of tacos, burritos and other notions borrowed from Latin culture. What is less obvious to me is, why?

Baked Apples For a Better Breakfast

Posted in Recipes on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 8:00am by Sarah Schwie -

This morning I woke up in the mood to cook. It was a cold morning and I wanted something warm and filling, so I decided to try out a twist on my usual bowl of yogurt or oatmeal. Who says breakfast has to be boring? I had decided last night that I wanted to make something seasonal, and I thought of cinnamon and apples. I know those are usually ingredients found in seasonal desserts - pies, tarts, etc., but I also love to bake, so whenever I see recipes that combine breakfast with baking, I am temped to try them out.