Tuesday Megalinks: Besuboru Edition

Ladies and gentlemen, dust off your caps, yank that jersey out of winter storage, and turn up John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” – it’s baseball season. (Um, it’s also Cupcake Week on Martha Stewart Living, but we’ll try to repress that thought for the time being.) Thanks to Johan Santana and the prospect of a new ballpark for next year, it’s a good time to be a Met fan. In fact, I’ve almost successfully blocked memories out of last September. (Almost.) Anyway...

Building Nutrition: Eggs can be Healthy
Ahhh, the incredible, edible, something-else-that-ends-in-“dible” egg. Even though prices are rocketing up, those ivory ovals of glee still make for an economic meal. (For now, anyway.) Pick up a dozen today. Thanks to CFO for the link.

Casual Kitchen: The Dinner Party – 10 Tips to Make Cooking for Company Fun and Easy
Extensively stellar post on the art of the frugal, relaxing home-based shindig. My favorite rule: “never cook a dish for the first time for company.” Remember, always experiment on your family first; they’re the control group for the massive science project that is your life.

Chowhound: Tipping – Decent Food, Terrible Service
Given the reverse situation, I would mos def tip the waitress handsomely. But how do you let the chef know everything was aces when your server makes you ever-so-slightly homicidal? Is leaving a lousy tip enough, or does everyone lose? Decisions, decisions...

Consumerist: Surviving on 99-Cent-Store Food for a Week in NYC
This one’s been all over the news lately: intrepid reporter Henry Alford made seven days of dinners entirely from the items found in 22 local $0.99 stores. The verdict: it’s possible to do it, and to do it well.

Cookthink: 10 Ways to Use Up Leftover Fresh Herbs
Woot! This problem plagues my kitchen day in and day out, much like unwashed dishes and that weird black dust that emanates from our century-old radiator. These tips are solid, darlings. Thanks to Slashfood for the link.

Culinate: Cholesterol and Food
Neat little primer on the good, the bad, and the ugly of cholesterol, including how food can/will affect your numbers. And there's more on eggs (!): “eggs are not only an excellent source of protein containing important nutrients, they’re also very low in saturated fats.” To paraphrase something I read this week, but can't remember where, "Eggs: the best things to ever come out of a chicken's butt."

New York Times: Putting Your Kitchen on a Diet
In the olden days, clutter meant you had stuff, and you liked it, and you wanted to keep it. Now, it’s apparently indicative of a deep-seated psychological problem that can malevolently barrel into all aspects of your life, including weight and mental health. Free your kitchen and your mind will follow.

Serious Eats: Help Me with My Weekday Dinners
This constantly growing thread is packed with neato ideas for quick and comparatively simple Monday-Friday meals. Soup and Mexican food seem to dominate, but there are some neat suggestions for cross-cultural fare.

The Simple Dollar: Cosmetic Surgery as Investment
I’ve never seen this topic covered before on any pf blog, and it’s super interesting. Denise here just dropped 80 pounds and wants to boot her sagging skin via surgery. Problem is, it’s $17,000. What will she do? (I vote go for it, as long as her body’s stopped changing and she’s maintained the weight loss for awhile.)

The Simple Dollar: An Ode to the Inexpensive Bean
With apologies to Keats:
THOU still unravish'd can of beany-ness,
Thou foster-child of Goya and the time,
Brooklyn grocery guy, who canst thus stock up
A legume-y meal more fiber-y than our rhyme:

(Photos courtesy of nj.com and Flickr members Grumbler %-, and Reincarnated Poet.)

Asparagus, Mushroom and Parmesan Frittata: Basements and Breakfast

Up until recently, our 109-year-old basement (a.k.a. the Ninth Circle of Hell) was the scariest place in all of Brooklyn. It was the kind of dusty, brick-lined dungeon where stairs threatened to splinter at every step and light bulbs blew for no reason at all. Only dirt, mold, and ghosts would have dared to call it Home, and in retrospect, I’m pretty sure it inspired The Blair Witch Project.

Yesterday, as part of the Most Productive Weekend in History, The Boyfriend, our two roommates and I decided to take a whack at it. We had already turned our backyard from Depression-era scrap heap into brick-lined paradise, and were dusty and daring (and dumb?) enough to keep the ball rolling. Four dust masks and a pack of contractor-caliber garbage bags later, we were hauling up armfuls of the former tenant’s decades-old detritus, which included, but was not limited to:

• Eight plastic boomerangs
• 300 pounds of free weights
• Two-dozen tiles of rock-hard linoleum
• Two car jacks
• Two broken fans
• Two broken chairs
• A hand-operated drill
• A rusty hatchet
• Four open bags of kitty litter
• Eight human heads

(Just kidding about that last one … maybe.)

All told, it took two or three hours to clean, organize, and attempt to sweep. Nobody died, and any spectre who sets up house down there will now be much more comfortable. Plus, everything we put outside on our stoop was snatched up by this morning, 300 pounds of free weights included. I love this neighborhood.

This was all a very roundabout way of saying this: to psyche ourselves up for Cellarfest ’08, we made a large, semi-opulent brunch of bacon, strawberries, Bloody Marys, toast, and Asparagus, Mushroom and Parmesan Frittatas. I wrote up another frittata recipe on the blog a few weeks ago, which was delicious but contained canned instead of cooked produce. This one uses fresh vegetables and a few more eggs to adequately hold the bulk. It is also delicious, and will most definitely tide you over for and terrible, terrible tasks that may lie ahead.

Oo – and I should mention: the asparagus is so inexpensive because I bought a bunch for $0.50 on the street in Chinatown. It was one of those, “La-di-da, I’m walking … I’m walking … have to get somewhere … oo, look a vegetable stand … enh, I’m late … still walking … wait, did that say asparagus for $0.50/bunch? … still walking, only backwards now … yes, they are $0.50/bunch … uh, ma’am, can I have 12 of these?” purchases. Thank you, Canal Street!

Asparagus, Mushroom, and Parmesan Frittata
Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
8 small stalks asparagus (4 or 5 medium), cut into 1” pieces
1/3 lb white button mushrooms, cut into sixths
2 tablespoons chicken stock
1 cup minced onion
6 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

1) In a large oven-proof skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add stock. Add mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms have released their liquid, and then that evaporates. Put mixture in a bowl to the side.

2) Whisk eggs, parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste together in a small bowl.

3) Preheat broiler.

4) In the same skillet, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook about 3 minutes, until translucent. While this is happening, pat down the asparagus and mushrooms to remove some of the moisture.

5) Turn heat down to medium and add eggs. Without stirring, let eggs set for about 3 or 4 minutes.

6) When sides of frittata start to set (they’ll begin pulling away from the pan), sprinkle asparagus and mushrooms evenly on top. Cook for about 3 minutes more, until the top just starts to set.

7) Transfer pan to broiler and cook until top becomes light golden brown. This should take about 3 minutes, but check after 2 since broilers are different the world over. (Mine only took 2.)

8) Using a potholder, remove pan from broiler and set on top of stove. Loosen frittata with plastic spatula immediately (otherwise it will continue to cook), being careful not to tear the eggs. Plate and eat.

Approximate Calories, Fat and Price per Serving
212 calories, 13.7 g fat, $0.85

Calculations
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil: 60 calories, 7 g fat, $0.05
8 small stalks asparagus (4 or 5 medium), cut into 1” pieces: 16 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.15
1/3 lb white button mushrooms, cut into sixths: 33 calories, 0.5 g fat, $1.00
2 tablespoons chicken stock: 11 calories, 0.4 g fat, $0.03
6 large eggs: 441 calories, 29.8 g fat, $0.90
2 large egg whites: 34 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.30
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese: 144 calories, 9.5 g fat, $0.75
salt and pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil: 60 calories, 7 g fat, $0.05
1 cup minced onion: 48 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.15
TOTAL: 847 calories, 54.6 g fat, $3.40
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 212 calories, 13.7 g fat, $0.85

Comments of the Week: The WAM Edition

Gigantic apologies for neglecting this last week. See, there were eggs and ham and a bunny and … never mind. I have no excuses. In contrition, this week’s Comment section has been super-sized. Keep reading for thoughts on the Pope, confrontation, food TV, and of course, Women Against Moist.

On Tuesday Megalinks (re: ruminating on the pope)

• Jen: does he watch his daytime pope operas? rinse out his mouth with spope? use his can popener?

On Touchy Subjects: Confronting Loved Ones about Weight and Money

• English Major: I am firmly in the camp that there is never a good reason to "intervene" in someone's weight stuff other than concern that the person in question has an undiagnosed eating disorder. Otherwise? They know already, and their choices are theirs. Money is a little different, though, I think, because I think many money troubles are genuinely related to a lack of information.


• Anonymous: All of your ideas sound spot on except for the part where in the end you cannot fix anyone. They have to fix themselves. Just make sure they know that if they ever decide to work on that area of themselves, you will be there to help. (Some people are better motivated to work on themselves alone, and then to surprise their friends with their results.)


• Stacking Pennies: People generally do know when they are overweight/unhealthy. I don't think a conversation would help. (the same thought applies to smokers. They know it is unhealthy and expensive, they know I wish they would quit because I love them... what does me telling them do?)


• Milena: I would add Do Seek Professional Help if problems get out of hand. It might give you the perspective you need to stay out of the situation, or the support to intervene appropriately. Also Do Create and Stick To Boundaries, if someone else's life choices interfere with yours, you can find the ways to keep your sanity and the relationship by maintaining boundaries.


• Anonymous #2: I think the biggest piece of advice I can give is to continue taking care of yourself and in the end recognize that adults make their own choices and must live with the consequences of those choices. It is good to express concerns, but in the end, you have to be strong enough to tell the truth and set your limits. Don't let a loved one's problems suck all the life and joy out of your own marriage/job/daily life. This is a hard balance to achieve with people you love.

On Free Cooking Lessons Part II: A Beginner’s Guide to TV Chefs

• Jaime: Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller (Food Network) - This show annoys me to no end. The recipes and menu planning is actually decent, but I think it's godawful TV, and it's just not worth it. (I know, this isn't about watchability as much as learnability, but I have trouble learning when I'm trying to poke her eyes out with a fork.)


• Paid Twice: If you think Rachael Ray is annoying, Neely woman is way worse. Food to get yourself a man! This is food to get your man! And the husband just simpers. The food might have been good but I spent most of the show wanting to punch her so I didn't notice.


• Auntcy1: Sara Moulton … has a new show on, I think the Discovery Channel, you can find the info on her website.


• Liz: Mark Bittman's PBS show is more of a travelogue; fun and somewhat educational to watch but not much instruction going on. I love his How to Cook Everything book, though.


• Julia: I've seen PartyLine with the Hearty boys, and while they make some good food, they tend to bicker which I find annoying. If that doesn't bother you, you might like it.


• Cindee: I find Simply Delicioso simply hateful. She is more annoying than Rachael Ray and her cooking is very semi-homemade. Bittman is terrific. Nigella's foodgasm style is just over the top now. Her old show was much better.I like Robin Miller too. She's soothing. Her theme song, however is like a bad sitcom opener.


• Arkay: Nigella Lawson of Nigella Feasts and other various shows: when given an opportunity to watch an attractive, self deprecating British woman with a lovely round bottom cook while wearing a silk robe, I TAKE IT. Her food is easy, and my go to food for those nights we are trying to make a quick or simple, but delicious, meal for friends.


• Chocoholic: On the shows you haven't seen, Jamie at Home is great! I love it. I've made two things from the show so far. It's good if you enjoy looking for fresh ingredients but sometimes you may need to look up what he says on a British slang glossery.


• Marcia: I like the Take Home Chef (Curtis Stone). He's cute, fun to watch, but I've never been tempted to make his recipes.


• Anonymous: PBS has a show called New Scandinavian Cooking with Andreas Viestad that I love. He's is like a younger, clumsier, but no less enthusiastic Alton Brown. As for Paula Dean, I love her show. The loopier she is, the better she is. I always assumed she had a bottomless Mint Julep just off camera.

On It's Moist: Alex’s Slightly Altered Light Chicken and Mushroom Marsala

• Jody: Eew, I hate the word "moist" more than the words "blouse" and "panties". Who knows why.


• Jody #2: I HATE the word moist … my whole family mocks me for it and make jokes that include all the gross words I hate strung together - one of their favorites being "moist panties" - could you just gag all over the place???

Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg & Parmesan: It's Springtime for Vegetables (and Germany)

Two quick things before today’s recipe:

1) Last December, I posted a recipe for Wacky Cake, a vegan chocolate delight guaranteed to caress your taste buds like a gentle, fudgy lover. As I’m dumb, there was a typo in the calculations and I listed a single teaspoon of vinegar at $0.93. It should have been $0.03, which makes the final per-piece total a staggering $0.09 (instead of $0.17). Just another reason to go home and bake 12 of the dang thing.

2) I’m reading A Cook’s Tour by Anthony Bourdain right now. I loved Kitchen Confidential SO HARD, and I think I’m liking this even more. The guy can flat-out write, and his cultural observations are as riveting and funny as his culinary insights. I want to make out with his brain. Has anyone read his fiction stuff? Is it as good? Do tell.

Anyway, business. We’re edging slowly into Spring up here in NYC, which means between the tri-weekly monsoons, it’s possible to steal out and gaze in anticipatory wonder at the first green vegetables of the season. Salad greens are making an appearance, as are artichokes and baby garlic. But even better are the asparagus. They’re going at local supermarkets for under $2, and in Chinatown for $0.50 a bunch. ('Round here, this is the grocery equivalent of buying a Lexus for a twenty you found on the street.)

Inspired by this inexpensive onslaught of emerald stalky things and this post from The Kitchn, I decided to try Roasted Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Parmesan.

AND I LOVED IT.

Loved it loved it loved it loved it loved it loved it.

The Boyfriend did, too. I’ll be serving it to his parents when they come to visit in May, because I want them to think nothing but wonderful things about me. (I’m an excellent housekeeper, Nobel Laureate, fart rainbows, etc.) The parmesan and breadcrumbs give it a light, crunchy crust, while the egg, poached to perfection via the whirlpool method, drowns everything in a yolky, creamy pool of magic. Gah. I want more right now, but alas, am stuck at work. Thanks a lot JOB, a.k.a. You Which Allows Me to Survive but Deprives Me of Time I Could be Making Asparagussy Wonderment.

Oh, and hey - a tip, should you try it yourself: if there’s a Trader Joe’s nearby, get thee hence. Their large eggs are only $1.79/dozen, and that beats any of BK’s local competition by at least 60 cents. (“BK” is Brooklyn, not Burger King in this case.) I think it might be comparable ‘round the country.

Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg & Parmesan
Serves 4
Adapted from The Kitchn.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
20 asparagus spears, trimmed (or tough ends snapped off)
2 Tbsp. breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon unflavored vinegar
4 large eggs
2 ounces grated parmesan
 (optional: 4 strips thinly sliced prosciutto)

1) Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2) In a small bowl, toss asparagus with oil to coat. Salt and pepper to taste. Place on baking sheet. Roast around 10 or 11 minutes, until asparagus is tender. Sprinkle veggies with bread crumbs and then stick it back in the oven for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven, split among 4 plates, and keep warm.

3) While asparagus is roasting, "bring 2 quarts of water to a boil with vinegar and salt." Drop heat to low. When it becomes a simmer, make a brisk, gentle whirlpool in the water with your spoon. "Crack an egg into a cup." Slowly add egg to whirlpool. (It should migrate towards the middle.) Do the same thing for egg #2, stirring every so often to keep the whirlpool going.

4) Cook between 3 1/2 and 4 minutes. When finished, with a slotted spoon, lightly place one on each plate of asparagus. Sprinkle parm on top, and prosciutto if using. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

5) Starting from Step 2, repeat process for eggs #3 and #4.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
201.5 calories, 13 g fat, $0.94

Calculations
1 Tbsp. olive oil: 119 calories, 13.5 g fat, $0.08
20 asparagus spears: 90 calories, 0.5 g fat, $1.99
2 Tbsp. breadcrumbs: 55 calories, 0.8 g fat, $0.03
1 tablespoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1 teaspoon unflavored vinegar: 3 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
4 large very fresh eggs: 294 calories, 19.9 g fat, $0.60
1 2-ounce piece Parmesan cheese: 245 calories, 16.3 g fat, $1.00
TOTAL: 806 calories, 51 g fat, $3.75
PER SERVING: 201.5 calories, 13 g fat, $0.94

CHG Favorites of the Week

Blog of the Week
101 Cookbooks
Along with Chocolate & Zucchini and Orangette, Heidi’s journey through her own culinary library is probably one of the three best-regarded foodie blogs on the ‘net. Naturally, the pics are beautiful, but the recipe archive goes back to 2003, making it one of the most extensive comps around. So nice.

Comedy of the Week
Cabbage Head from Kids in the Hall
Oh, sweet Canadian comedy, how I love thee. Bruce McCulloch’s repellant recurring character is part of what made KITH so great: he’s odd, but still slightly alluring. Just like Mark McKinney in that dress. Hawt.

Organization of the Week
The Girl Scouts
I was a member of GSoA from age eight through my senior year of high school, and I loved every single second of it. Girls Scouts exposed me to cultures, people, and experiences I never would have met or seen otherwise. 12 years later, I’m still friends with half the women in my troop, many of whom have kids of their own. There might be brownies or juniors combing your ‘hood slinging Samoas right about now, and while they’re not exactly the healthiest foods in the world, the money goes to one of the best organizations on the planet. Indulge.

Quote of the Week
“I don’t return fruit. Fruit’s a gamble. I know that going in.” – Jerry Seinfeld

Tip of the Week
Keep a black Sharpie in the kitchen for quick labeling of freezer bags and plastic containers. It’s neat! It’s convenient! (And you can doodle on the refrigerator.)

Untried Cheap, Healthy Recipe of the Week
Chicken with Shallot Apricot Sauce at The Kitchn
Oh boy, I can not WAIT to try this. Doesn’t the purpleness of the shallot just complement the chicken so well? Who took this picture? Must … learn … from them.

Video of the Week
The Runaways – “Cherry Bomb”
Watch and rejoice as a gang of early ‘80s teen punk chicks absolutely rawk the sawks off their male counterparts. Featuring a very young Joan Jett, who looks almost exactly the same like, 30 years later. I covet her genes/jeans.

Touchy Subjects: Confronting Loved Ones about Weight and Money Problems

Even in 2008, there are certain issues Not Discussed – problems we don’t bring up, lest they cause discomfort or even worse, hurt feelings. Two of the biggest, that affect most of us in our day-to-day existence, remain weight and money. All too often, we’re reluctant to talk about our own health and fiscal situations, never mind voicing concerns about a loved one’s. Yet, despite our reluctance to broach the subjects, none of us want a brother who dies at 45 of a heart attack or a grandma who has to panhandle for tea.

So, what do we do when a friend or family member’s financial or weight predicament threatens to spiral out of control? What do you say to your 65-year-old father who puts on 100 pounds in five years? How do you tell your mom you can’t support her if she has no savings when she retires? Simply, how do we confront a loved one about a problem that could seriously affect his or her well-being?

The short answer: be honest.

The long answer: well, read below.

See, I feel that dire, near-emergency health and money circumstances necessitate action, and that confrontation is vital when the stakes are that high. We waste so much time pussy-footing around out of propriety and politeness when open, caring communication might actually solve the dilemmas at hand. You absolutely don’t have to agree, though, and I’d love to hear from readers with differing opinions. (Er … and similar opinions, too. I like being agreed with.)

But before we kick off the DOs and DON’Ts of confrontation, know I’m not a psychologist, nutritionist, or financial planner. In other words, I’m not qualified IN THE LEAST to give this kind of advice. It comes from a combination of personal experience, total speculation, and a few hours of research. Use at your own risk, and holy moly, please don’t sue.

DO come from a place of concern. Why are you raising the issue? Is it out of personal gain or of genuine love and caring? The answer to these questions will dictate much about how you proceed.

DO make absolutely sure you want to go ahead with this. Serious weight and finance conversations are not the kind you want to have off the cuff. Self-worth, vanity, addiction, personal responsibility, stress levels, history, habit, family, and peer pressure are just a few of the exciting issues that can play into the discussion. If you’re willing to deal with them – aces. If not, perhaps there’s another solution.

DO consider approaching as a group (or at least taking a consensus). When multiple friends or family members raise an issue with a loved one, it can emphasize the urgency of a message and make it clear that more than one person sees the problem. (Strength in numbers and all.) However, before you sit down and talk, ensure that the group is all on the same page, with the same concerns and same positive solutions. You never want to dogpile on someone who’s probably already pretty down about herself.

DON’T cry wolf. A ten-pound gain and/or $200 debt aren’t tragedies. It’s when someone’s health or well-being are in serious danger you might want to raise a red flag. Calling out a minor bump in the road can cause resentment and make you seem like a busybody.

DON’T wait until the last minute. If you are truly concerned about someone’s weight or fiscal situation, the time to make your point isn’t during her foreclosure or his third bypass surgery. Voicing worries early can help prevent obstacles down the road.

DO time it right. Holidays and major life events cause enough stress as it is. Piling on, “Bro, I’m concerned about your six-figure credit card balance” won’t help. Pick a low-key afternoon or quiet lunch to start the conversation.

DON’T assume they don’t know already. Odds are that someone deep in debt or seriously overweight is 100% aware of his situation. What’s more, realizing that others are conscious of the predicament can be severely embarrassing. That’s why delicacy, sensitivity, and caring are the names of the game.

DO consider consulting a professional. If you’re feeling nervous or lost about where to begin, a therapist, doctor, or clergyperson can guide the way.

DO rehearse the conversation. Rushing into important talks without a clear idea of what to say can leave all participants confused and angry. Think about your message. Frame it honestly and positively. Practice delivering it in the kindest tone possible. Anticipate responses. This isn’t a debate, but going in with all your ducks in a row can only facilitate dialogue.

DON’T be judgey. You are not the moral authority here. Casting aspersions or telling someone her behavior is a result of personality failure can make her defensive, angry, and/or sad. Justifiably so. It also makes you a jackass.

DO be honest. Voice your concerns openly and kindly. Listen. Ask questions. Answer questions. If the situation affects you – like if your parents are flat broke and on the verge of retirement – say it.

DO speak wisely. Your choice of words could dictate everything about how the talk is going to go. “You’re an idiot with money!”/”Your behind is bigger than the sun!” will not get the discussion anywhere. Avoid insulting language.

DO use lots of “I” sentences. Relying on your own experiences is a great segue into talking about a loved one’s. Try it: “Ma and Pa, I recently became super-interested in my 401K. It’s really neat. How do you guys do yours?” or “Sis, I have a really hard time maintaining my weight. Can I talk to you about it?”

DO expect resistance, but take it in stride. “It’s none of your business,” “I’ll never lose 100 pounds,” or “Don’t you have your own money problems, Miss Unemployed Since Christmas?” are just a smattering of the exciting defensive responses you can anticipate when confronting a loved one about a major issue like this. Don’t take it as a personal attack. Accept it, make your points gently, and keep moving.

DO understand extenuating circumstances. Did this person just have a baby? Did someone close to her pass away? Did he have a car accident? Major life changes can have a profound impact on financial and physical health. Sometimes, they’ll take a lower priority to just getting through the day alive.

DON’T harp on it. Nagging gets no one anywhere, ever. I think my sister still smokes purely because I yell at her every time she does. Make your point and move on.

DON’T expect instant results. Understand that people change when they want to, not when you want them to. It’s one thing to express concern, it’s another to demand immediate satisfaction.

DO take baby steps. If your loved one is on the same page, offer assistance, and help them make incremental changes. Rome wasn’t built in a day, or even 40 days. It probably took decades, and even then, it wasn’t perfect. Weight and finance problems can take entire lifetimes to build up, and need additional days, months, and years to get better. Any progress is good progress.

And that’s it. But I’d love, Love, LOVE to hear readers’ opinions on this. Have you had to speak to a loved one about their weight or money? What did you do? How did it go? Have you tried any of these strategies? Did they work? What would you change for next time?

Tuesday Megalinks

Bitten: The Best Cookbooks
Mark Bittman is looking to update his master list of the 50 all-time greatest culinary tomes. At last glance, comments numbered 372. Go have your say!

Chief Family Officer: April Fools Ideas for Parents
Muahahahahaha … wonderfully crafty, semi-evil pranks to play on those tiny humans who hang around the kitchen begging for food. Green eggs, blue milk, and mashed potato sundaes abound.

Cooking Light: Greatest Hits – 2008
Staff picks so far this year. Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Dip looks like a delicious, delicious winner, so you'll excuse me while I mop up this drool.

Consumerist: Readers Write in With Examples of More Shrinking Products
Brawny’s not looking so Brawny these days. And Skippy ain’t dang skippy no more, either. And as for Quilted Northern … um, I have no joke here.

Consumerist: Use a Price Book to Save Money on Groceries
Yay! Consumerist caught on! Alas, the comment section is having their way with my beloved price books. Read! And tell the peanut gallery how wrong they are!

Culinate: Chickpea Central
Doesn’t “Chickpea Central” sound like a delightful train station? Like, “Welcome to Chickpea Central, I have your hummus right here Mrs. Clooney.” (How you know it’s a fantasy: not because it’s a railway hub made of garbanzo beans, but because George took me as his beloved. Sigh. We will BE TOGETHER, George. Oh yes … WE WILL BE.)

Culinate: Pasta Parade – Which shape for which sauce?
Oo! Neat little guide to starch/sauce pairings in which farfalle is dubbed “the most fanciful of pasta shapes.” Also: curious and whimsical.

Eater: Bastianich to Serve the Pope
Lidia’s feeding Benedict! Crazy! Apropos of nothing, on New Year’s Eve 2006, my friend M and I came up with a list of what the Pope does on a day-to-day basis: he eats Pope Tarts, watches Pope-rah, and washes with Pope on a Rope. (We were drinking, see.)

Festival of Frugality #118: My Dollar Plan
This week's theme: the alphabet. Specifically, those letters that spell "frugal." Clevah.

Get Fit Slowly: Amazing Rapid Weight Loss Stories
I go back and forth on TBL. Dropping 10 pounds a week isn’t healthy by any measure. On the other hand, they do it through diet and exercise, it’s inspiring for a lot of people, and there is something delightfully wicked about posting contestant names on vending machines.

The Kitchn: Eggs, Eggs, and More Eggs – Best Egg Recipes and Products
Oh WOW that Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Parmesan looks mighty tasty. Also? When you stare at the word “egg” too long, it starts to look like an alien.

Make it From Scratch Festival #57: Applehead
MiFS founder Stephanie’s husband Tim hosts this week’s edition in beautiful black and white. (P.S. Describing Tim’s identity reminded me of the following exchange from Spaceballs, a.k.a. My Favorite Movie in Third Grade:
Dark Helmet: I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate.
Lone Starr: What's that make us?
Dark Helmet: Absolutely nothing!)

SF Gate: How to be a foodie without breaking the bank
Link of the week! Superb article about a hardcore gourmand who’s dealing with a salary cut through frugality and resourcefulness. My favorite sentence: “Given her budget, she could just subsist on peanut butter sandwiches and ramen, but for her, food goes deeper than merely filling her belly.” Yes! That’s it! Thanks to Slashfood for the link.

Simply Stated: Healthy Eating – What’s it to You?
Wow. Good question. The Real Simple blog asks readers to define their ideas of what constitutes a happy-happy nutritionally sound diet. There’s even a poll!

Wall Street Journal: Cutback Cuisine
This just in: food costs are up, and restaurants have to make do the best they can. Expect a lot of gourmet spaghetti in the near future.

(Photos courtesy of Flickr member Sakurako Kitsa, whyy.org, and manolomen.)