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The Ten Most Recent Comments By sarahbeam

From Slice

In Videos: John Travolta's Double-Decking Slice-Struttin' Action in 'Saturday Night Fever'

Ah, yeah. Now THAT, my friends, makes me hungry.

sarahbeam at 8:37AM on 05/06/08

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: Cowgirl Cuisine

Oh, dear. By far, the most memorable meal was when I had a girlfriend spending the night when I was in middle school, and my mother had the bright idea to make a potato soup with tofu cubes thrown in and boiled with it. I have never, and I mean NEVER, been so disgusted by food.

sarahbeam at 8:36AM on 05/06/08

From Eating Out

Houston Pupusa Truck: 'Just Look for the Funky Chicken'

Pupusas are by far my favorite food. Actually, it may be the slaw that is my favorite part. I would give my left nut (if I had nuts) to live near a pupusa truck.

sarahbeam at 8:28AM on 04/30/08

From Required Eating

Cooking with Kids: Baby Food Blender

Ah, yes. Perfect for the parent who cares enough to make their own baby food, but isn't quite smart enough to realize that they would be steaming the food in PLASTIC. Gotta love that one.

sarahbeam at 3:20PM on 04/28/08

From Required Eating

Paper or Canvas? (Adios, Plastic)

It seems obvious and easy that we can do away with plastic bags altogether. Most people come home and then just throw the bags away. If you're not going to even bother to re-use them for, say, trashcan liners, then try to come up with a solution. I bought 5 reusable mesh bags from Publix for $0.99 apiece and they have turned out to be a blessing. Each bag holds the equivalent of 4 plastic bags, and the handy shoulder straps make carrying everything in a breeze. I wish I had switched sooner.

sarahbeam at 4:21PM on 04/22/08

From Recipes

Sack Lunch: Mark Bittman's Red Beans and Rice

Argh. I adore Bittman to the point of having a crush on him, yet I've gotten enormously frustrated with the blandness of some of the recipes. I recently tried his Jamaican Rice & Beans from the NY Times and was spectacularly dismayed. The dish had so little flavor that it was a little like eating, well, nothing. A big spoonful of nothing. A plate of air. Who ever heard of tasteless Jamaican food?

sarahbeam at 3:25PM on 04/07/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 11: Less Really Is More

It has always bugged me when people I dine out with complain about small portions. I mean, really, right? We have gotten so used to gorging ourselves on 17-inch plates of food (sure, I'm exaggerating slightly) that we now moan mightily when restaurants serve sensible portions.

I prefer to eat just enough that I walk away satisfied and still exclaiming about how wonderful the meal was. Anytime I stuff myself, all I do is waddle away hoping I can unbutton the top of my pants without anyone noticing. It is at those times that I forget how masterful the meal really was as I turn all thoughts to how to go belly up.

sarahbeam at 8:42AM on 03/27/08

From Required Eating

Eat This, Not That: The Worst Foods in America

For goodness sake. This book needs a new subtitle: How Morons Can Make Slightly Less Stupid Eating Decisions

sarahbeam at 11:19AM on 03/26/08

From Required Eating

Are Rising Food Prices Affecting What You Eat?

The health of my family and the health of the environment is too important for rising food prices to cause changes in the way we eat. I mean, sure, money is an issue for us, so we will clearly have to cut our budget in some ways, but it won't be in the line item for our groceries. We will still buy organic, shop at the Farmer's Market this summer, and continue our CSA subscription.

I might have to buy all of our clothes at Goodwill (instead of just some of them), but we'll be eating good.

sarahbeam at 8:42AM on 03/24/08

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 10: The Zen of Eating Half

Nine pounds is great! Eat in moderation; lose weight in moderation. Steady as he goes, you know?

As further encouragement for those times when you're beating yourself up for not exercising enough: I'm always amazed by how much difference is made by even the smallest amount of exercise. I do 15 minutes of simple strength-training three times a week (lunges, squats, and a couple of Pilates core-strengthening exercises) and it helps immensely. I mean, sure, it'd be great if we all did cardio for 45 minutes 5 times a week and 30 minutes of strengh-training 3 times a week, but there's nothing wrong with just doing what you can.

sarahbeam at 9:35AM on 03/21/08

Responses to Comments by sarahbeam

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: Cowgirl Cuisine

I love my mom's fried chicken and mashed potatoes meal.

carissaad at 11:26AM on 05/12/08

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: Cowgirl Cuisine

Mom's blueberry buckle fresh out of the oven. There is no better weekend treat!

apisoni at 11:16AM on 05/12/08

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: Cowgirl Cuisine

One of my most favorite memories was a recurring one where we would meet for an occassional 'midnight snack'.

Mind you, this was before microwaves were as commonplace as refrigerators, we would periodically get up in the dark of night for a good old fashioned BLT. We worked in the kitchen as though we were spys...quietly getting the old, heavy, skillet out of the pantry...tearing lettuce under gently running water hoping the pipes wouldn't clank...and slicing up some fresh tomatoes while keeping an eye on the toaster to catch it before it 'popped' so it wouldn't wake up anyone else in the house.

This was my first Mother's Day without her. She is certainly missed, but the magnificent memories will remain forever.

BanditBBQ at 11:05AM on 05/12/08

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: Cowgirl Cuisine

Mom makes the chocolate fudge icing that you can literaly peel off of the cake and eat it like candy!

creamypeach at 10:24AM on 05/12/08

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: Cowgirl Cuisine

turnip cakes

lilyk at 9:28AM on 05/12/08

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: Cowgirl Cuisine

My mother prepared a lot of memorable meals, as she is a great cook. The comfort foods - brisket, chicken soup, stuffed grape leaves, vats of hummous - definitely stand out. But the most memorable were the ones she DIDN'T cook, when she thought we latchkey kids (the oldest in junior high at the time) could handle some simple cooking on our own and left a half-ound of hamburder or a few pieces of chicken to our devices. Mom had shown us the basics of cooking, how to read a cookbook, and so forth. While we could have done basic stuff, I remember Spanish rice, mini-cheeseburgers on homemade buns from a bisquit recipe, and stir-fried beef with cucumbers and some of our tested recipes. It gave us the skills and confidence to cook once we left home - and the knowledge of important steps like "clean as you go" and dealing with greasy pans.

morgancain at 9:27AM on 05/12/08

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: Cowgirl Cuisine

my mother made great grilled cheese sandwiches.

theolotto at 9:14AM on 05/12/08

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: Cowgirl Cuisine

My favorite foods on my birthday when I was little: fried chicken (for once I got the wishbone!), yellow squash & onions, green beans, mashed potatoes with cream gravy, yellow cake with chocolate fudge icing and pecans on top, and sweet tea, of course. Sigh.

whoizzit at 9:12AM on 05/12/08

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: Cowgirl Cuisine

I loved it most and have super fond memories of salmon cakes over pasta with marinara. YUMMY!

lotswife at 8:57AM on 05/12/08

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: Cowgirl Cuisine

When I was little my mom would make me grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. It was the best!

atreau at 8:56AM on 05/12/08