Briefly, Cook the Books 2013: Mile End Cookbook

I put my library request in early, I swear. But it was Passover and it seemed like I wasn't ever going to get my hands on a loaner copy of The Mile End Cookbook for April's Cook the Books due to the number of holds ahead of me... But then a librarian friend introduced me to the brilliance that is Link+, and thanks to inter-library coordination it was ready for me to pick up at my local branch within a few days. I was over the moon pleased with myself, and I settled in to flipping through the recipes and hungry thoughts of making cinnamon buns and challah, lotsa pickles, and a bunch of different kinds of latkes, to start.

But with taxes due and a barely planned vacation to take, it turned out that for most of April I was swimming with fishes in Mexico instead of cooking at home.

So this month is short and sweet, with just two simple dishes cooked but (as usual) many more savored with my eyeballs. I was also proud because not only did I use up a lot of things in the fridge before leaving the country (greens and herbs from the swap, bacon, salami, eggs, etc.), I also did not need to buy anything specifically for these recipes, except the beans!

Mish-Mash - This recipe caught my eye immediately. Salami with eggs? Yes please. With just a few ingredients, this is great and easy-to-prepare meal which will be on the menu at our joint going forward for sure.

As I sought ways to cook anything amid the pre-trip crunch, it turned out the Maple Baked Beans were just the thing to take to a friend's BBQ. They were very tasty on grilled sausages, and we ate the leftovers as beans on toast with eggs as our last dinner at home. Breakfast for dinner, always a winner.

Next up for May is Tender by Nigel Slater. And I can sure do with some veggies in my diet after all those tacos and beer!