Chic Simple.....Sew Simple!

Tulips are in full bloom inside and out so that must mean it's Spring! If you were to look outside the window here you might never guess the season has changed, but indeed it has and for the first time in my life I can't wait for the temperature to warm up. Did I really just type that? It's still in the high 40's and low 50's and really wet outside (shocking, I know!) so I've spent these first days of Spring indoors sewing and testing out another one of my beloved cookbooks with surprising results.....

I can recall when and how I acquired all of the books in my cookbook collection and as I look at the spines and read each of the titles I can see in my mind's eye just where I was in my cooking life or otherwise. I'm ashamed to say that when I pulled Chic Simple: Cooking off my shelf last week it was for the first time. The book, published in 1995, was a cookbook under the Chic Simple series popular in the late 1990's and early 2000's. I purchased it in 2001 at Books and Books on Lincoln Road, one of my favorite spots on Miami Beach, as a single woman just learning to cook. Flipping through the book 10 years later I can hardly tell by looking at the pictures that the book is 15 years old. The font and layout are timeless and simple just as the title states and, thankfully, so are the recipes. The chapters are organized by food type (soup, poultry, pasta, and so on) and interspersed with quotes, artwork, food information, and selections from the likes of Marion Cunningham and Alice Waters.

I made the Black Bean Chili, Jalapeño Corn Bread and Curried Chicken with Raisins and Cashews. All of the recipes were basics with a little twist which made the recipes fun and interesting. The chili was chock full of black beans with both Spanish and red onion, red pepper, oregano, garlic, tomatoes and surprisingly, chicken stock which lent a salty richness. While the flavor was delicious JSM and I realized we prefer a chili with beef since the fat rendered during browning adds body and flavor to the finished product. The Jalapeño Corn Bread (minus the jalapeños) was a different story. Growing up, my family of 6 was split on the type of cornbread we liked. Half of us liked it salty and savory while the other half liked it sweet. Chic Simple's recipe would make lovers of sweet AND salty happy! It's cake-like texture and slightly sweet (sugar), slightly tangy (buttermilk) flavor is the perfect combination and a wonderful foil to spicy chili. The Curried Chicken with Raisins and Cashews was......simple! A marinade of buttermilk, curry, ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper was easy to assemble and after it simmered with the chicken, resulted in a creamy sauce with warm North African flavors and a hint of heat. Served with rice it is a wonderful weeknight meal.

Sadly, this book is now out of print. The Chic Simple series ran it's course, but it reminds me that good food never goes out of style. This book is staying and I can't wait to try more recipes!

Jalapeno Corn Bread (minus the jalapenos)
Chic Simple Cooking (1995)
1 c. yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
3 T. sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
11/2 c. buttermilk
1 c. creamed corn (canned)
1/4 c. vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch pan.

2. Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, buttermilk, creamed corn, and vegetable oil. Add the egg mixture, to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.

3. Spoon the batter into prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until just golden. Do not let it brown.

Enjoy!

As I mentioned above I finished my second sewing project (without the help of Little Grandma!) It was sew simple! A pillow cover for the chair in our bedroom. I was drawn to the Amy Butler fabric because I love the contrast of warm orange and cool blue and the design was fun. The pillow turned out beautifully if I do say so myself and JSM loved it (I think he was more excited that I am finally putting that sewing machine he bought me last year to good use!)