Top Ten Links of the Week: 2/18/11 - 2/24/11

Much like this season of American Idol, this week’s link roundup could be our strongest ever. Unlike this season of American Idol, J-Lo had very little to do with it. Well, she did do the html, so, y’know – credit where credit is due. (P.S. Have you ever seen someone who looks that good in high def? If that's what being from the block does to your skin, I'm moving to the Bronx.)

1) stonesoup: The Simplest Method for Menu Planning
Whoa. Ten ingredients. Four pantry items. Five days of dinners. Winner: Jules.

2) Money Saving Mom: Can You Buy Natural and Organic Foods on a Budget?
You know, I feel like we’ve seen this question a bazillion times before, but these clearly written, simple-to-employ strategies make this post worth a visit or ten. Seriously. Not kidding. It is awesome and for winners, much like the ocean. (30 Rock, holla!)

3) Huffington Post: The Politics of Food – How U.S. Farm Policy Impacts People Worldwide
A wonderful primer on U.S. farming subsidies, and how they affect agriculture and hunger on a global scale, from super chef and fellow Swede Marcus Samuelsson. Simply explained, urgently worded, very effective. Read and learn.

4) Food Politics: Why the White House is soft on Wal-Mart - afterthoughts
This is some hardcore lefty hippie reasoning with strong parental undertones (I don’t know what that means, either), and I love every minute of it. Corporate profits and the Let’s Move! agenda are at odds with each other, so MObama has to make some concessions for the greater good. How will it be moving forward? Only we can decide.

5) Money Saving Mom: How Living Abroad Taught Me to Simplify Life
Love this quick, insightful guest post on the profound and frequently lifelong benefits of travel. Perhaps the best part of getting out of your comfort zone is how it changes your behavior in your comfort zone.

6) The Epi-Log: Host a Baby Food Swap
I’ve heard of soup and dinner swaps, but baby food is a new one, and maybe the best idea of them all. You get variety, no preservatives, freshness, and friendship all in one. The interview with author Karen Solomon reveals even more.

7) New York Times: Cooking with Dexter – Busy Signal
In his last Cooking with Dexter column, Pete Wells has a message: Lay off working parents. They’re trying, and if they can’t cook every night, it’s not the end of the world. Also, eat spaghetti.

8) Serious Eats: Why We’re Paying More for Coffee
Erin Meister explains the many reasons you’re seeing Folgers prices shoot up at the grocery store, including: More people worldwide are drinking java, which raises demand without necessarily increasing production. But wait, there’s more!

9) The Kitchn: What Are Your Recipe Deal Breakers?
Whoa! Good question. 57 comments later, the big ones are: hated ingredients (big winner), long ingredient lists, recipe takes more than a day, unfamiliar with cooking technique, and time. How about you guys?

10) The Guardian UK: Is Homemade Always Better?
Whoa! You guys! So much more about our Ask the Internet from last week.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Chow: 7 Easy, Healthy Risotto Recipes
Commence drooling.

Moneycrashers: Festival of Frugality – Back to School Edition
We’re in this! Sweet.

Nation’s Restaurant News: Consumers Craving More Ethnic Cuisine
Caribbean, Thai, and Japanese. They’re so hot right now.

New York Post: Soaring cost of food forces you to eat out
Fellow Noo Yawkuhs, check it: “The cost of eating at home in the New York area [soared] in January at an annual rate of 18 percent -- eight times faster than escalating menu prices here.” Woo hoo! Put it on my bill.

Ohdeedoh: Meet Debbie Koenig of Words to Eat By
Yay, Deb!

Serious Eats: Should Food Blogs Cater to the Foodie? (Pun Intended)
Well, should they? Or should they be more populist? (We try to strike a balance here.)

AND ALSO

YouTube: Casey
Speaking of American Idol, I’m pulling for Naima (the pretty rasta lady) or this guy, Casey Abrams. Listen to that voice and tell me he’s only 19. Nuts.



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