tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52287653688798696752012-04-27T07:58:53.954-07:00A foodie's survival guide to living--and eating--well in lean times. Log on for simple, inexpensive recipes, leftover remixes, pantry-stocking tips, and budget wine pairings. Learn to love the difference between cheap recipes and frugal feasting!Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125TheRecessionCookbookhttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-53639760175157438952011-09-05T16:37:00.000-07:002011-09-05T19:52:00.231-07:00

You may have noticed that The Recession Cookbook has been lying dormant for awhile. That’s for two reasons: One, we’re not really in a recession anymore. When I started the blog in the spring of 2009, the economy was in shambles–the stock market had crashed, many people (myself included) had lost jobs, and everyone was trying to spend less. Even New Yorkers were staying in and cooking rather

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-75757008919463389212011-02-23T07:57:00.000-08:002011-02-23T08:25:04.547-08:00

New Yorkers, cancel your Friday night plans: you won't want to miss this.This Friday night (Feb. 25th), my friend Kym Apotas of Blue Angel Wines is partnering with Jessica Faith Hertle, chef de partie of Mas, to host a fabulous evening of French food and organic wine. For just $50 you'll get to sample Chef Jessica's country French cocktail menu (check out her blog) paired with four of Kym's

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-60171838699231443222010-12-14T08:33:00.000-08:002011-02-01T14:34:01.361-08:00

On this cold (27 degrees F, to be exact) February day, nothing sounds quite as good as a warm slice of pumpkin bread and a steaming cup of tea. And the sweet smells of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg wafting from the oven make my apartment feel that much cozier. But wait--I hear you skeptics asking--isn't it a tad too late for pumpkin goodies? October harkens the arrival of pumpkin lattes

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-13656937509049485872010-12-09T09:30:00.001-08:002010-12-09T12:06:07.055-08:00

Being a Southern gal, NYC winters always come as a shock to me. Even after four years here, I am never ready for that first dip below 40 degrees F. (Yes anything under 40 degrees is freezing to me!) Walking home from the grocery store this morning in 26 degree weather was a bone-chilling experience despite ample layers: thermal leggings, wool sweater dress, wool thermal socks, boots, winter coat,

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-84874081044085586942010-12-07T11:25:00.000-08:002010-12-08T05:18:45.554-08:00

Dear neglected Recession Cookbook readers,Yes, it's been awhile. 2010 was perhaps the busiest year of my life with lots of travel (7 international trips and multiple domestic), a proposal (I said yes!), a wedding, a new apartment, and a job change. Phew! Somehow when I did manage to cook in the midst of all that craziness, the picture-taking and blog-writing didn't quite happen.My apologies for

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-30319004093071044592009-10-25T10:44:00.001-07:002009-10-25T11:08:45.126-07:00

Though there is talk of the recession coming to an end, great wines at bargain prices are always a plus. My friend Liz Caskey, a passionate food- and wine-lover (and the founder of Santiago-based Liz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences), is in New York this week and will be hosting a special Chilean Wine Tasting Event at ICE (Institute of Culinary Arts) this Tuesday night, October 27, from 6-8

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-29044503195235384092009-10-04T12:37:00.000-07:002009-10-05T07:59:07.202-07:00

Dear Readers,I have been on a bit of a cooking hiatus the past few weeks, but not by choice: I've MOVED! With the change of apartments (and some late nights working), I've been in an unfortunate state of kitchen-limbo--packing, cleaning, moving, and now...unpacking.The good news: I love my new kitchen (it's super cozy and actually has boxes of herbs growing in the window) and I forsee a fall of

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-29168864022577595622009-09-06T14:06:00.000-07:002009-09-06T15:45:02.991-07:00

I apologize for the lack of pictures, but I had to share with you two simple (and super tasty) dishes my friend Katie and I whipped up for a potluck party last night. A last-minute invite to a friend's rooftop had us scrambling to throw together some fresh, easy, share-able dishes, and this is what we came up with...Inspired by the amazingly delicious avocado toasts at Cafe Gitane--lightly

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-89856591696101408152009-08-30T12:42:00.000-07:002009-08-31T08:52:31.465-07:00

A few weeks ago I shared with you all my love for Caprese salad. It's hard to find a more delicious combination on a hot August day than ripe heirloom tomatoes, tangy discs of fresh buffalo mozzarella, and torn basil, and drizzled with good balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.But, since the tomatoes are oh-so-beautiful right now, I wanted to share with you my other favorite tomato salad

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-22259626225858807172009-08-21T10:14:00.000-07:002009-08-21T15:58:30.691-07:00

As you can tell by my lack of posts, August has proven to be a busy month. Between work and travel, I’ve had far less time to cook (and write) than I’d like. An ideal August for me would consist of daily market trips, nightly dinner parties, a few beach trips, and a good novel or two. Though I have managed a few beach trips and have nearly made it through a novel, my cooking lately has consisted

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-20601397169483054632009-08-06T10:10:00.000-07:002009-08-10T01:55:39.136-07:00

I love August, when the days are long and markets are bursting with fresh produce. As a kid, I looked forward to late summer when we could eat from my grandparents' garden: candy-sweet corn on the cob, steaming hot and dripping with butter, served with steamed squash, green beans, and a plate of ruby red sliced tomatoes. With vegetables this fresh, you don't even miss the meat.Corn on the cob

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-52690014136233691732009-07-27T15:14:00.001-07:002009-07-27T17:56:35.408-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I was recently in Antibes Juan-les-Pins (in the South of France) and was completely inspired not only by the beauty of my surroundings, but by the incredible food! I don't know what it is about the Mediterranean, but everything there just tastes so much fresher, brighter, and more...real. Every meal (except breakfast) consisted of grilled fish and roasted

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-35434711903925842732009-07-24T20:19:00.000-07:002009-07-24T21:00:00.176-07:00

Hi everyone! I just wanted to write a quick post to let you know that I have not fallen off the face of the earth–and to share a few exciting updates.Last week, The Recession Cookbook was featured on CNBC.com in Recession Special: Steak for $5, as part of a series on recession-friendly eats. When asked for my secret to great steaks, I gave them my recipe for Grilled Hanger Steak with

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-39107463793749913982009-07-15T23:06:00.000-07:002009-07-16T06:04:07.099-07:00

I'm a firm believer that the simple pleasures in life are the most satisfying, and a warm chocolate chip cookie has to be one of life's greatest simple pleasures.As a great lover of chocolate chip cookies, I am always amazed by the lack of good cookies, even in New York City. I've sampled many a bakery cookie and have been sorely disappointed. Generally speaking, it's because they are stale or

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-72324388755471326252009-07-11T10:03:00.001-07:002009-07-12T15:48:01.649-07:00

Anyone following my blog has probably figured out by now that I love seafood. Especially during the summertime, paired with a crisp, minerally white wine. It's amazing, though, how many people shy away from preparing seafood at home because they think it's a) too difficult or b) too expensive. Au contraire!Linguine with clams, a summer standby, is so simple to prepare, and surprisingly

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-39692754769214836522009-07-06T20:34:00.000-07:002009-07-06T21:21:41.697-07:00

Summer's finally here in New York City (i.e. we actually got three days of sunshine in a row!) and juicy heirloom tomatoes are just beginning to appear in the markets. I know we're still a few weeks off from the real tomato peak, but I try to stretch the season as long as possible for the sake of a dish I crave year-round: Insalate Caprese. This classic combination of tomatoes, basil, and

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-18011008068034105462009-07-02T18:45:00.001-07:002009-07-03T15:21:06.261-07:00

Nothing says 4th of July quite like a juicy, grilled hamburger. (And some fireworks, of course!) My favorite burger in NYC is Spotted Pig's, and yes, it IS worth the 2-hour wait. The meat is juicy and charred just right, covered with melted Roquefort, and sandwiched between a buttery grilled bun. All that, with a pile of crisp shoestring potatoes on the side, fried with rosemary and garlic.

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-33175735450122570402009-06-18T06:24:00.000-07:002009-06-19T06:21:04.727-07:00

ALMOND-STUFFED BACON-WRAPPED DATESThese salty-sweet snacks are absolute musts for any party. 1) Because they're delicious. 2) Because they're quite possibly the easiest appetizer in the world to make. Roasted salted almonds are stuffed into sticky-sweet dates, wrapped in bacon, and baked until crisp and brown. What's not to love??Approx. 30 almondsApprox. 30 seedless dates1 pound bacon, each

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-29892554230626775942009-06-16T17:15:00.000-07:002009-06-16T20:41:57.935-07:00

This potato salad was inspired by some fried potatoes I once tried at a miniscule tapas bar in the Bari Gotic district of Barcelona. I've eaten a lot of potatoes in my life, but these were particularly vibrant with the unexpected splash of sherry vinegar and briny capers. When I recreated this at home, I roasted some red, yellow, and orange peppers, which added a hint of sweetness to this

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-35779302187220058752009-06-14T08:37:00.000-07:002009-06-16T20:18:49.855-07:00

Nothing says summertime like tapas and sangria! I recently house-sat for a friend who has a beautiful rooftop apartment and I couldn't resist kicking off the summer with a little tapas party. In honor of the season, I'm spending this week putting together a three-part series on recession-friendly tapas parties...Now you may be wondering, how does one throw a fab party without spending a fortune

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-67974717375690735572009-06-10T18:25:00.000-07:002009-06-10T21:22:17.714-07:00

Hello friends! Sorry for my week-long hiatus from the blog. Though I've missed you all terribly, I have a good excuse: I started a new job!! A very full-time one at that, so my cooking time is now a bit more limited. BUT I see this as a good thing on many levels: a) income! and b) my new office schedule (8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.) makes me more in tune to the needs of my busy readers. Now that I'm

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-58589183890750953412009-06-02T13:46:00.000-07:002009-06-06T08:37:11.739-07:00

My photographer (a.k.a. boyfriend!) is out of town this week, so apologies for the picture-less post. However, now that rosé season is upon us, I couldn't wait any longer to share these fabulous bargain rosés with you all (see below).As you can probably tell from the grilled calamari post, I love rosés. Not to be confused with the sickly sweet White Zinfandels made popular in California years

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-33975111868521933072009-05-31T14:30:00.000-07:002009-05-31T19:54:10.790-07:00

Now that the weather is warm, I've been craving Mediterranean flavors--grilled meats and fish, salads, and veggies, all with lots of herbs, garlic, and olive oil. Though I don't have an actual grill, my grill pan fills in remarkably well when I want a quick, healthy meal--or want to host an indoor cookout!I had a couple of friends over for dinner the other night--Jill Donenfeld, food writer

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-20816416296270521722009-05-25T14:30:00.000-07:002009-05-26T07:48:39.475-07:00

It may be rosé season, but a good red wine is season-less. Again, thanks to Kym at Blue Angel Wines, I've found three fantastic bargain reds for your sipping pleasure--all for $10 or under. Full-bodied with nice acidity, these are food-friendly reds that would be great with a grilled burger or steak. Take one of these bottles to your next barbecue and pour yourself a glass immediately--it

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228765368879869675.post-54176988490686262302009-05-24T10:51:00.000-07:002009-06-16T20:14:36.924-07:00

For me, a perfect summertime meal would be some sort of grilled seafood with a lemony vinaigrette, a simple arugula salad, some crusty bread, and a bottle of chilled rosé. Ideally sitting outside on a terrace overlooking the ocean. Sounds lovely, but not likely inside my cramped NYC apartment! Dinner more likely consists of clearing the hairdryer and a pile of mail off my kitchen table and

Anna Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15674280306778306301noreply@blogger.com3