I have a confession to make. Even though I write about food for a living and spend the bulk of my days sitting no more than five feet from my kitchen, I still regularly struggle when dinnertime rolls around.
You see, I try to keep our evening meals relatively inexpensive, healthy and not too time consuming to make. What this ends up meaning for me is that I cook the same seven things over and over again. While Scott is perfectly willing to eat chili, turkey burgers, giant salads and chicken soup on repeat, I find that I need new meals on my plate.
I’m constantly searching for genius to strike. I flip through Everyday Food each month when it arrives and I try to sit down in front of my shelves of cookbooks on a regular basis to see if something will resonate.
Recently, I fell hard for a new cookbook that I think will be motivating my meals for many months to come. Part of the reason I love it so is that it fits my mealtime criteria and cooking style (cheap and easy). Called Cornerstone Cooking and written by Nick Evans (he’s the blogger behind Macheesmo), it’s designed to help you build meals around one of eight central ingredients.
Each chapter starts with a recipe for the central (or cornerstone) ingredient and then offers a number of different ways to transform that item into a full meal. While I realize that this isn’t a crazy-new concept, it’s so helpful to have all these different recipes in one place and to be reminded that I can do more with a roast chicken than just make my standard soup (I’ve got Nick’s tortilla soup high on my to-make list).
One section that I think will particularly appeal to the preservers in the crowd is the one in which Nick details all the things you can do with Marinara Sauce. Many of us make up a dozen or more jars of homemade sauce each August and while serving it over pasta is always an acceptable course of action, it’s always nice to have alternatives.
Next brunch potluck I’m invited to, I’m making his Eggs in Purgatory Casserole. I’ve done a quick, skillet version of that dish for years, but I like the idea of lining the casserole dish with crusty bread so that it becomes akin to a savory, tomato-y, French toast. With a salad, I wouldn’t think twice about serving something for dinner, either.
Last week, Nick took the time to answer a few of my questions about his new book and his plans for future canning projects.
I love the title of the book. How long have you been working with that phrase and this idea?
I came up with the idea for the book long before I had a name for it. I knew I wanted to write about repurposing leftovers and try to show people how it can sexy to take something old and turn it into something new. Chefs do it all the time, but most home cooks haven’t quite caught onto the idea.
Anyway, about the name, I was walking down the street one day listening to a podcast (I don’t even remember which one) and they described something as the “cornerstone” idea. It worked perfectly with the method of cooking I was trying to describe — using one large meal as the backbone for other smaller meals. I’ve always liked alliterative titles so Cornerstone Cooking just flowed from there.
What was your very first cornerstone recipe?
The first one that I wrote for the book was the Nick Nugget recipe. I knew I wanted roasted chicken to be the first chapter since it is easy and accessible to a lot of people. Plus there are tons of meals you can make with leftover chicken. I could’ve written a whole book on that!
The first cornerstone recipe that I ever made without knowing it was probably my Fridge Cleaner Chili. I kind of just toss all of the veggies I have in my fridge with some stock, spices, tomatoes, and beans and let it simmer for awhile. It’s always a hit.
I see that you did some canning in 2011. Any plans for more in 2012?
Oh yes! I was lucky that both of my canning attempts last year turned out to be successful even though I was a complete novice. You honestly inspired me to try it out. I was shocked by how easy it was to do.
I plan to do a lot more pickled veggies this year just because they are my favorite. I might try one or two experimental jams to give out as gifts also. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I made a jalapeno peach jam last year that was better than expected.
Here’s the other thing that makes this book so impressive. Nick did the whole darn thing himself. He wrote every word, did the all photography, prepared the design and indexed every recipe (he even indicated which recipes are his wife’s favorites, a touch that I love). Truly, every ounce of it is all his work.
Holy smokes is that a book I need. I have roast chicken carcasses in the freezer with the thighs and legs cuz there’s just two of us. I was going to just make stock with them, but since they’re organic, I’d like to do more.
Carmelized onions!
My cornerstone is definitely boneless, skinless chicken breasts. My family will eat chicken every day as long as I prepare it differently every day.
Roast chicken, hands down! Thanks for introducing me to this fabulous book. Happy Spring!
I would have to say any kind of red sauce. We love all kinds of pasta dishes!
Onions!!!
Either chicken or chickpeas.
I really want this book! I don’t even have any cornerstones! My kids and I are so busy meals have fallen by the way side. A book liek this seems like a great little kick to get me back on track.
My cornerstone is leftover meat. I can quickly turn it into stew, stir-fries, pasta topping, small casseroles, burritos, and because there is meat in there, my husband thinks I actually planned the dinner!
my cornerstone ingredient is brown rice, always have some ready for whatever.
Lately, eggs. I’ve been using them all over! But I do love a good roast chicken, too.
Roast chicken, hands down! I make one every few weeks, and nobody grumbles about a few days of “leftovers.”
Love this! A book after my own heart. I’ve been doing this for years. I live by myself, so I’ve turned cooking one main ingredient into a week of meals an art-form…so to speak. But it’s always good to find new ideas to expend my ever-expanding repertoire.
That said, my main go-to ingredient is tomato sauce. With a good batch I can make pastas, chili, sloppy sandwiches, meatloaf, various snacks, brunch eggs, burritos/tacos… So many options. That’s more winter/fall/spring type meals. In summer, a good tuna salad (oil & vinegar based) will take me through sandwiches, salads, pastas, also snacks and others.
Thank you for bringing this book to my attention.
This book looks really interesting. It may sound strange, but bacon is a cornerstone ingredient for me!
My favorite “cornerstone” ingredient is ground beef. I can use it anything from hamburgers, to burritos, to meatloaf, to spaghetti sauce. I by grass fed ground beef in bulk when I find it on craigslist so it’s pretty affordable too.
Black beans are my favorite cornerstone. They are so versatile and are really filling!
Bread for sure. What a wonderful book!
We have a large variety of meals so I would have to go with onions being the common factor with most.
Not an ingredient, but I can’t cook, make a salad, chop, etc., without my handheld mandolin – just watch the blade or you’ll be wearing band-aids!
My cornerstone ingredient is oil. Whether it be canola, olive, grape seed or an infused oil, there are just so many different kinds that its hard to imagine cooking with out it.
I love understanding the simple base ingredients. From there you can create anything. I do love this cookbook though, a little inspiration never hurt anyone. 🙂
rice is a big cornerstone here. I always make 2-3 times more than we need. Fried rice and rice pudding are a couple of the best ways to use it up, but its also good in soups and casseroles.
Great idea. Tomato sauce is my all-time favorite.
I love the format of Nick’s book! This kind of interconnected cooking is the best way for my kitchen to function. I have a two way tie between our home canned crushed tomatoes and whole chickens for our household cornerstone ingredients. The majority of our favorite dishes require some part of at least one of these. My husband is always amazed at how far I can stretch one chicken between meat and broth for meals. And our girls love it when we clean the fridge and make “garbage” soup with all the odd bits left over in the fridge. One girl opens the jar of broth, one girl opens the jar of tomatoes, and then they get to pull everything out of the fridge they want to put in the soup.
My favorite cornerstone ingredient is cooked pasta. I like to make a pound of pasta and then use it through the week. It’s a great base for casseroles, frittatas, soup, noodle bowls, and salads. And there’s something about knowing I can have buttered noodles whenever I need something a bit more comforting.
I guess I would have to say my cornerstone ingredient would have to be potatoes and onions. I come almost to a complete standstill if I don’t have one or both of those ingredients
would love this cookbook . I am very much a one pot cook.
In terms of “planned-overs” chicken would have to win. The other night I grilled a whole chicken and we (2 of us) had that with potato salad and a carrot and cilantro salad. Last night I made a big green salad with bacon, chicken, avocado and a ranch-style dressing. The rest may become our favorite sandwich spread or King Ranch chicken, my daughter’s favorite.
Rice…. I just freeze the leftovers then defrost for throw together fried rice. We love it!
I’m with Nick. Roast chicken is the best. We usually eat that on night 1; pasta, risotto, fajitas, or stir fry on night 2; then the rest turns into soup or pot pie.
My cornerstone ingredient is kale (though chard is a close second).
I love the idea of this cookbook! I too often struggle with dinner ideas, and repurposing leftovers is such a great skill to hone.
My cornerstone ingredient is most likely tomatoes. — This week it’s Romesco sauce in particular!
Chicken.
Cilantro!
I love cooking with beans. I have found so many way to use them as the base of a dish, from soups to chilis to sandwiches to salads. They are just the best!
I think this is a wonderful idea! My husband is really picky and if I can reuse more food into different dishes it would greatly help out our grocery budget. My cornerstone ingredient is cheese.
This sounds like a great book to have in any collection.
I have to agree with some other commenters….onions and garlic in.everything!
My Cornerstone ingredient would be roast chicken. We process our own chickens and I love slow roasting or cutting the backbone out and grilling it. Love that he wrote this all himself, a lot of work.
Leftover pasta! My favorite thing is last night’s spaghetti stir-fried in olive oil/butter with some minced garlic. So good.
I grew up on a chicken farm so my cornerstone ingredient is…eggs!
It seems like onions and garlic make it into everything in our house.
I would positively love to own this book! I love to cook and love the idea of being able to breathe new life into leftovers (because, let’s face it, by Day 3, nobody wants them). Unfortunately, I lack a certain degree of creativity in this area. Hmm, pick a favorite Cornerstone ingredient… … I supposed I will go with Chicken. I’d like to have a bigger menu selection with this meat. My chicken recipe collection is pretty limited, and I’d love to expand that, for sure.
Thank you (and Nick!) for giving us a chance to win one of these little treasures!
I think I’d like to have more dinner egg recipes. I have a flock of chickens and tons of eggs and would love some dinner ideas that aren’t quiche or frittata’s.
White rice …rice pudding, friend rice and crackers!
Canned whole tomatoes. My grandmother gifted me with a box the last two years and I used them in everything. This year, I’ll try canning my own!
Yes, Yes, Yes – I, too, need cheap, easy and healthy. Probably my most “go to” is my canned tomatoes – which end up as marinara sauce quite frequently. Thanks for letting us know about the book!
Tomatoes are probably a cornerstone for me. I just want to throw some nice chopped tomatoes into/onto everything!
Chicken and chicken stock for me!
I am glad to hear I am not the only cook who gets stuck in a 7 meal rut. 🙂 My cornerstone ingredient is probably rice. I know, it’s terribly boring.
With two bust teenagers and random schedules, I end up repurposing leftovers all the time and would love some new ideas for roast beef and chicken.
Black beans, or any beans really, are a cornerstone ingredient in my kitchen. I love this book’s concept!