Poor Girl Gourmet Cookbook Review, Peach Crostata & Giveaway!
This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to our winners: John, Kim and Ella!
This post could very well be titled My New Favorite Cookbook, but I wanted to lure you in with promises of a summery dessert recipe and a (yes, another!) giveaway.
Hang on, because I’m about to wax lyrical on another cookbook.
This on comes to me from the amazing Amy McCoy of Poor Girl Gourmet, one of my daily reads in the food blogosphere. She’s such a cool gal, and I was super excited to be asked to review her brand new cookbook, Poor Girl Gourmet: Eat in Style on a Bare-Bones Budget
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For the record– I LOVE it!
Before I could even flip through the book, I had to beat back my little sister, who happened to be here when the cookbook arrived and attempted to make away with it
“But. But. It’s perfect for me!!” she protested when I removed it from her bag.
Indeed, it’s perfect for everyone, because who doesn’t want to eat like a gourmet, but still stay within their monthly food allowance?
Amy kick-starts the cookbook with some highly practical pointers on how to save money. Head over to Simple Bites to read 10 Tips to Help You Conserve Some Coin, an article inspired by Poor Girl Gourmet, plus get another fabulous recipe!
With the tagline ‘Eating in style on a bare-bones budget’, the Poor Girl Gourmet cookbook takes us on a low-budget, high-quality food adventure. Every recipe is gorgeous, gorgeous, and makes you want to jump up and COOK.
Like this one, for example. Oh, and stick with me until the bottom for your chance to win Amy’s cookbook!!
Cornmeal Crust Peach Crostata
—Poor Girl Gourmet: Eat in Style on a Bare-Bones Budget
by Amy McCoy/Andrews McMeel Publishing
Cornmeal Crust:
- 2¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup finely ground cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (½ cup) very cold vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ to ¾ cup ice-cold water
Peach Filling:
- 6 medium peaches (approximately 2 pounds), halved, pitted, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch slices
- ¼ cup honey
For Finishing:
- 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk (any kind)
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (sold as Sugar in the Raw), for dusting the crust
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt, mixing well to distribute all of these dry ingredients. Add the shortening and butter to the flour mixture, and blend until the fats are incorporated into the flour yet remain the size of peas.
2. Using a fork or pastry blender if not using a food processor, add the ice-cold water a tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together, meaning that no loose flour remains in your bowl. Form the dough into a ball. Place a piece of plastic wrap approximately 9 by 12 inches long on your work surface. Turn the dough out onto the plastic wrap, and flatten it into a thick round. Cover all parts of the dough round with the plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the peaches and honey, allowing the peaches to release their juices, or macerate, for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F and get out your 10 by 15-inch rimmed baking sheet.
5. On a lightly floured surface, working from the center of the dough round, roll out the dough to a misshapen rectangle approximately 10 by 15 inches. I like to do this on a piece of reusable silicone parchment, which makes the transfer of the dough to the baking sheet infinitely easier, as I also bake the crostata on this piece of parchment. You can do the same by rolling the dough out on regular parchment paper and then sliding the dough and parchment paper onto the baking sheet before filling it with the peaches.
6. Place the honeyed peaches and their accumulated juices in the middle of the misshapen dough rectangle, spreading the peaches around so that there is a 2-inch peach-free border of dough. Working from the long sides first, fold that 2-inch dough border back over the peaches, then fold the short sides’ 2-inch dough border over the peaches, tucking the corners up and over the dough to be sure all peaches at the edges are sealed in and leaving a center of exposed peaches, like a window of golden summer fruit.
7. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk and milk, and then brush the egg wash over the crust. Sprinkle the crust with the turbinado sugar, then bake until the crust is golden brown and the peaches are bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving it forth.
Estimated cost for four: $3.17.
Hungry yet?
GIVEAWAY!
John, Kim and Ella!
John, Kim and Ella said:
“My favorite is to buy local and in season! I’ve been trying to do this for the past year, and have loved it!
Thanks for the great post, can’t wait to get the cookbook and make the tart! “
John, please contact me with your address and you will be receiving your cookbook shortly!
Thank you to ALL who entered!
* * *
OK, Amy McCoy is generously offering you a chance to WIN the Poor Girl Gourmet cookbook. I strongly suggest you do not miss this chance to get your hands on this book.
Here’s what you need to do to enter this Giveaway:
1. Read 10 Ways to Conserve Some Coin over at Simple Bites.
2. Jump back here and leave a comment on this post.
3. In your comment, tell me ONE of Amy’s money-saving tips you will implement into your lives, OR one thing you already do.
4. Optional: For an extra entry, you can TWEET this giveaway. Leave a second comment, letting me know you have tweeted. Thanks!
That’s it! This giveaway is open until midnight on Friday, June 18.
Winner will be selected by random.org and announced sometime on Saturday, June 19.
Good luck!!
Amy, thank you so much for the opportunity to get to know you a bit better and for your inspiring cookbook. You better believe that the next time I am coming through RI, I am stopping in for a cup of tea and your very own honey.
Buy local and seasonal and "shake the hand that feeds you" are both great tips on how to save money at the till. Ant's book seems like it would be an excellent guide for all of us.
I always make a meal plan. I honestly don't know what people do every night when they don't!
I need to learn more about butchering and start buying meat in its whole state or on the bone.
We eat way less meat than most. I try to cook with beans, eggs & grains to cut down on the high cost of meat.
I love the "Don't Forsake your Freezer" tip. I use my freezer a lot for catching all my "about to go bad" fruits and veggies. I toss them in the freezer and dig them out later for soup or fruit crisps.
I think the book looks gorgeous too! I'm a sucker for food collages 🙂
"Don't waste food." I work hard at this most of the time, but sometimes I still need practice.
We eat many, MANY meatless meals, or if they do have meat, often it's just a little for flavoring (a bit of bacon, a quarter cup of browned sausage, a cup of cooked chicken thrown into the toss salad)…
It's hard to be creative and frugal on the fly, when my four little sons are pressing around my legs and talking all at once, so the meal plan is essential(thanks Mom for teaching that one!) Plus it's easier to incorporate the anticipated leftovers and therefore waste less food. Truly, truly this works.
Thanks for the blog…a feast for eyes, heart, and tummy!
Wow, I do a lot of these already! We buy meat and produce at farmers' markets from local producers all season long, and put up or freeze as much as we can for the winter. We always buy whole fruits and veggies, and usually buy meats on the bone. We really only eat meat a couple of times a week, too. Amy's book sounds great!
I already do several of those recommendations including "buying in bulk" large packages of items such as sugar and flour and then also "buying in bulk" by using the bulk section of the store to buy my spices and specialty flours, soba noodles, grains, dried beans etc.
-Robin
Buy Meat on the Bone. And don’t overlook the inexpensive cuts of meat, either. They are often even tastier than the fancy cuts, as demonstrated in the recipe below.
Aimée thank you so much, great giveaway!
Barbara
ricettebarbare at gmail dot com
I already had that article open to read. 🙂 I actually already do most of those things, but I do want to eat more meatless meals and I've been working on meal planning more.
My favorite is to buy local and in season! I've been trying to do this for the past year, and have loved it!
Thanks for the great post, can't wait to get the cookbook and make the tart!
I am surprised at how many of these I do now, at least occasionally. I almost always make a meal plan. I would love to buy local, but our town has no farmers market or anything similar.
I just tweeted about the giveaway.
-Robin
I use a weekly menu and love it!!
i worry that my husband will object to my meat-less meals but I am enjoying finding new dishes that don't include meat. We aren't vegetarians but we are on a fixed budget and not having meat at every meal saves us a bundle. Thanks for the rest of the tips, the cookbook looks amazing!
I tweeted this using #UndertheHighChair. Good luck to all!
Which of these tips do I *not* do?
My favorite is "do not waste food" – but for me that actually kind of conflicts with "make a detailed meal plan." I am totally an improviser and not a planner.
I look at what needs using, or what leftovers can be repurposed into a different meal, what's in the freezer, and cook based on that. Even half a sausage my daughter didn't finish can become part of a mix of pasta, leftover vegetables, fresh vegetables, anda bit of meat for flavor!
I already do a lot of the great suggestions in the article, but I need to shake the hand that feeds me more. Take more time at the farmers market, say hi to the farmers and the like.
I definitely shop in bulk and compare costs. I also buy at the local farmer's market when I can…
I need to get on the meal plan plan though! I tried it for a few weeks at one point and it worked really well…
"Don't waste food" – I really need to work on this one … I throw out too much food.
I practice #3: buy local and in season. I plan my meals around what's at the market each week. Sounds like a great book.
We just moved to an area that seems to have a bit more local agriculture, and I can't wait to buy more local, seasonal stuff and check out the farmers' markets around here! I have small kids, so I'm really pysched to introduce them to this way of eating and shopping to.
I tweeted your giveaway
I have been planning my meals every week for over a year. It's not only money-saving, but saves me time since I really only got to the grocery store once a week (plus a trip to the farmer's market/CSA basket).
the weekly food plan and shopping super smart are what work best for me. amazing how such simple steps can sometimes literally cut the grocery bill by half or more!
We have been planning a weekly menu for years now so that we only have to make one trip to the store and one trip to the farmer's market each week. It saves money and, just as important, time since we aren't trying to figure out what to eat at the last minute!
I've recently been trying to buy as much as we can locally and buy 100% of our eggs, milk, and meat locally. We eat a lot of meatless meals, too. I just started to make my own yogurt this weekend, too, since we eat a LOT of that.
This book looks great!
We've been using coupons and our freezer regularly so we buy meat when it's on sale.
Definitely going to try making a meal plan for the week. That will help too I think.
I buy local and in season – the Farmer's Market is such a gold mine of wonderful produce, and such a money saver. Plus, I (and my family) are so excited about the excellent stuff we get at our favorite Saturday market that it helps us to not waste food…
I'm trying to eat more meatless meals.
I love making a meal plan – it is so much fun to try new recipes.
I do 3, 4, 5 and I think 10. I always buy meat on the bone and with skin on (tastes so much better), I work in a grocery store so I know them pretty good. Love going to farmers markets! Buy in season!
i try to buy local and in season!
and i'd love to win your giveaway 🙂
We do much of what the article suggests, I need to learn more about sauces (for which the cookbook would be a great help!) Making a meal plan is definitely my favorite. I've even made a form with the meal plan on the top and the grocery list (in aisle order) on the bottom. I swear it's taken 15 minutes off our shopping time (with two kids) and cut our grocery bills since we don't wander down the aisle thinking, "do I need this…?"
I do buy meat on the bone such a beef shank and pork shoulder. I also do things like pit cherries that were borderline and freeze them to add to muffins. What I need to re-instate is a meatless dinner night. It seems easier to do in summer. I should be able to happily do more than once a week. I grew up in a meat and potaoes household, and it's hard to break old habits.
We have a little deep freeze now so I need to make use of it more…it's probably only about 1/15th full right now!
I already do many of those things (eat less meat, buy seasonally, etc), but I've been meaning to learn more about the odd/cheap cuts of meat (and how to use them). I also need to get better about meal planning
My favorites are hard to choose, but I do very much appreciate my freezer. We have a hard time finishing up seasonal fruit, so I pop it into the freezer and save for smoothies or summer fruit crisps in the winter. Oh, and saving frozen stock that I make from leftover bones from my bone-in meat cuts.
I love that this new cookbook and the resulting contests to win one are turning me on to all these other great family food blogs! I'll be visiting here again.
Thanks!
I have done most of those things my whole life! I used to think making a weekly menu was super lame, but now that I have lots of kids and little time, I plan my meals.
I already eat very little meat, both because it sorta weirds me out, and also because it's too darn expensive!! We usually only eat meat about 3 times a week. One thing I really want to try is to eat more seasonally, because even though I already do it I could be much more strict with it.
This cookbook looks lovely – I always like browsing new recipes. We already make meal plans as we're so busy, otherwise we eat all sorts but not a meal! I'm not confident cooking meat on the bone but I should try to branch out.
I've really been trying to make meal plans regularly, but I love the idea of buying meat on the bone – it's so easy to pick up a pretty NY steak when deliciousness lurks within some stunning short ribs or a pork shoudler for a quarter of the price! I may also try the meatless meal – though it feels a bit daunting beyond a salad!
And I tweeted ya – took me forver to figure out how! Not my forte 🙂
meal plan/grocery list (as much as possible)
eating less meat (especially since I saw food inc.)
I want this book! 😉
"Don't waste food" is a mantra of mine – I make some amazing, creative dishes with leftovers and what's left in the fridge! Thanks for a great blog! Have a great week!
I think the best tip we follow that makes the biggest difference is the planning. While I don't always feel like eating whatever I marked down on Sunday for Friday, I do so love the fact that everything is stocked and ready to go when I arrive home at 5pm and supper needs to be on the table in less than an hour. Bring on the summer and the local market as well!! WOOOOOOOOT!
Have already started to plan out weekly meals…..big savings for us because every meal was costing 30-50$….now when we shop for the week…its only 100-120…20$ per meal…btw great blog Aimee…
Awesome giveaway. Esp. since I just checked and my library does not have her book/s.
Had not thought about meat on the bone being cheaper. Good one!
Cheers – in Utah
After years of "boneless skinless tasteless" chicken breasts, I am giving them up to purchase real, bone-in chicken. And, thanks to the upcoming opening of a local market closer to my home, I plan to get to know the hand that feeds me.
I already do numbers 1,2,6,7,and 8. I'm working on 3 and 10. I'll have to look into the others!
i make a meal plan, too and i try to buy everything as fresh as possible at the local market.also we don`t eat a lot of meat.wpuld love to have that book, am all excited about it:) best from berlin,anja