I burn popcorn

Trying not to be a fatass: Turkey Meatloaf and Cauliflower Mash

2010-08-23T16:32:00.002-04:00

It's been awhile since I've updated (and I say this every time) - I've been consumed with working out and losing weight which is pretty much the arch enemy of my life long goal to deep fry all my food. For those of you who haven't seen me in forever, I have been crutching around Manhattan in a boot and children's crutches since I fractured 5 bones about 2 months ago. I just got the boot off a few weeks ago so now I'm raring to go and have 4 upcoming races I'm training for! That being sad, shaving of the old LBs will certainly help my time so I've been exploring less fatty fat ass things to eat while not starving myself.

To date I've lost 13 lbs since I've gotten on the starvation train - I'm hoping I can maintain it with fake comfort food like this Turkey Meatloaf and Cauliflower Mash. The meatloaf is really delicious and pretty healthy (nutritional info can be found below the recipe) and the cauliflower mash is pretty good too (although not nearly as good as real mashed potatoes) - you can find many variations of the recipe that taste better but in my experience better taste means more cheese and butter. I mean, you might as well just eat real mashed potatoes at that point. My version has about 29 calories per serving and is pretty low-carb. Enjoy!

Healthy Turkey Meatloaf
Serves 6

Ingredients
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup skim milk
1 medium onion, peeled
2 pounds ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the oats and milk. Thinly slice 1/4 of the onion and set aside. Finely chop the remaining onion. In a large bowl combine the turkey, oat mixture, chopped onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix just until well combined.
3. Transfer the mixture to a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches high. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the sliced onions. Bake for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees.F.
4. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to15 minutes before slicing.

Cauliflower Mash
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs of cauliflower, cut into florets
3 Cloves Peeled Garllic
2 cans (14 oz ea) Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
2 TBS chopped Fresh Chives

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a large saucepan, combine cauliflower, garlic and broth. If cauliflower is not completely covered by broth, add water until just covered
2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium low.
3. Let simmer for 12 mintes, or until cauliflower is tender.
4. Drain; reserve 2TBS of liquid.
5. In food processore, pulse cauliflower and garlic until smooth; add 1-2 TBS of reserved liquid if mixture is dry.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving stir in chives. Serve warm
7. Optional: Serve with Cheese or other goodness to make it more tasty!

Nutritional Info:

Turkey Meatloaf:
Calories per serving: 233
Fat: 9.2g
Carbs: 15.2g
Protein: 23.4g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1g

Cauliflower Mash:
Calories per serving: 28.5
Fat: 0.2g
Carbs: 5.1g
Protein: 2.9g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1g

Helpful Hint: Mincing Garlic

2010-03-01T17:20:00.002-05:00

Saw this on the Kitchn and had to post this helpful little tidbit. Mincing garlic with a fork? Genius and wish I had thought of it!

Kiew Family Eggrolls Recipe REVEALED!

2010-03-01T13:50:00.007-05:00

Our family has been serving these eggrolls ever since I was born 27 years ago (ugh). The recipe combines pork with imitation crab meat for a deliciously flavorful and texturally interesting appetizer.

This is a Kiew Family recipe that I'm probably supposed to take to the grave but for the sake of my readers and foodies everywhere, I will post it. I'll also go over some good techniques for rolling eggrolls and eggroll-like things that will help you in the future.

Rolling Eggrolls:
First and foremost, you need to make sure to get good wrappers. I typically go to Chinatown and browse in the freezer section of the grocery stores. You want a square wrapper (it should be about 8x8, give or take) that isn't too thick or thin. The consistency of the wrapper will definitely affect how the eggroll cooks and tastes so make sure to try out a few different ones if you don't get it the first time out. If you live in the NYC or Bay Area (Cali), ask me and I can give you a few helpful hints.

Secondly, make sure to defrost the wrappers in the fridge for a few hours beforehand. Trying to separate them out if their still frozen is going to result in a bunch of tearing and unhappiness. It's also important to keep the wrappers from drying out while you're working with them. I like to dampen a paper towel with cool water and lay it on top of the them so they don't end updried out. you can also do the same for the completed pre-cooked eggrolls to keep them from hardening.

To roll, start with the filling on the a corner of the wrapper. Make sure to put about a tablespoon of filling, no more and no less, otherwise your roll may end up misshapen or worse, exploding in
the frying process. Step 1 of the rolling process should look like this:

Fold up the same corner where you just put the filling. fold in the sides towards the center of the wrapper. The roll should now look like an envelope:

The most important part of the process is to make sure you roll the filling in tightly. If it's too loose, the eggroll will probably come apart during the cooking process. Keep it airtight also helps the eggroll crisp up and cook evenly. At the end of the process, you'll end up with this:

As you'll notice, a little flap is still hanging out, waiting to be dealt with. Separate an egg white out and put it in a shallow bowl. Dip the little flap into the bowl (no need to go nuts, a little bit will do) and use it as an edible adhesive to seal off your eggroll. Tada! You're done!

Kiew Family Eggrolls

Directions:
1/2 lb lean ground pork
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, shredded
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon oil
3 cloves garlic
Imitation crab meat to taste

To Wrap:
Eggroll wrappers (30)
1 egg white

To Prepare:
Vegetable Oil (about 3 cups), for deep frying

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan, add garlic
2. Add ground pork until browned but not fully cooked through
3. Add onion, cook until translucent (about 4-5 minutes)
4. In a separate bowl, mix all sauce ingredients together (soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce) - add a tiny bit of water to loosen the mixture slightly.
5. Add sauce to the stir fry, mix well

7. Taste - add additional sauce as needed until desired level of saltiness
8. Add crab meat - cook for no longer than 1 minute
9. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool in fridge for 1/2 hour
10. Wrap eggrolls as directed
11. Heat up vegetable oil in a small sauce pan - you'll know the oil is hot enough when you stick a chopstick in and bubbles form around the stick.
12. Deep fry eggrolls until golden brown (usually around 5-7 minutes). Be sure to not crowd the saucepan and check frequently to make sure the rolls are not burning.

13. Transfer to a paper towel to drain and cool
14. EAT!!

I hope you guys get as many years of joy out of this recipe as I have. Just don't forget that deep fried food goes directly to your ass...

Separation Anxiety from my favorite childhood food - Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

2010-02-25T13:20:00.005-05:00

When I decided to move to NYC, I had no doubt in my mind that I was making the right decision. It was something I had wanted all my life and even though I had no job, I felt like I was really living the life. I never had ANY anxiety about moving there with the exception of one small thing - what about the foods I like to eat? I have to leave them? The thought of leaving behind all the flavors and tastes I had become accustomed to was similar to breaking up with someone. It was absolutely heartbreaking and I think I had to enter a 12 step program although I'm not entirely sure since I blocked out that entire time period.

If you ever had any doubt that I am addicted to food and an incredible fat ass, I hope I've been able to put your mind at ease.

I have been going to a small restaurant in San Jose, CA called "Li Hwa" since I was maybe 5 years old. It's a complete hole in the wall, next to a Radio Shack and a Hush Puppies store in a vast Target parking lot. The owners were fresh of the boat (probably less fresh now since its been like 20 years) and everything about the restaurant seemed authentic and it was nice to see these new immigrants be able to cook food they were familiar with and be able to build a better life because of it.

I am a creature of habit and enjoy eating the same foods over and over and over again. You could say that their Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup was my equivalent of comfort food. While some like Fried Chicken or Meat Loaf, I like to slurp up a big, hearty bowl of this beefy broth.

While this dish can be served in many different ways, ranging from oily to spicy to mild, I like mine hearty, rich, and a tad bit spicy. The soup is not an appetizer, but a filling main course, with tender pieces of beef floating in it. It's typically served with pickled greens, but for this particular recipe, I chose to just take on the challenge of the soup for now.

I found the recipe on Eat Drink and Be Merry and almost rejoiced. The hardest thing about finding Chinese recipes is trying to figure out what the "Americanized" name for it might be. I spent a lot of time with Google before I figured it out. Turns out, typing in the phonetic name, or Niu Ro Mian", helped tremendously. I made some minor modifications - for example, it's usually served with thick wheat Chinese noodles, but I've also liked it with bean thread noodles (or mung bean noodles) - I think it gives it a little more "oomph" and fills you up more than other noodles.

Try this recipe on a winter's day... like now? In the Snurricane?

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup (Niu Ro Mian)

Ingredients:
??? water
2 lbs. of beef shank, cubed
2 cloves of garlic
5 slices of ginger
2 green onions (smashed the white part with my knife)
Shaoxing rice wine
soy sauce (used for flavoring)
dark soy sauce (used for coloring)
star anise
five spice powder (wu xiang fen)
salt & white pepper
sugar

To Serve:
Bean Thread Noodles (Mung Bean), soaked and ready to cook
Chopped scallions to garnish

Directions:
1) Add Salt and White Pepper to cubed shank meat. Mix in a little Shaoxing rice wine, dark soy sauce, sugar, and a little bit of oil (olive oil is fine). Let it marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes.
2) Heat up a medium pot until its smoking hot. Add oil, garlic, ginger slivers, and green onions - cook until slightly browned (about 1 minute).
3) Add in marinated beef and cook until dark brown.
4) Fill up the pot with water (about 1-2 inches from the brim) and boil on high heat. Reduce to medium once it comes to a full boil. You will see impurities float to the top - skim off as needed to remove.
5) Add soy sauce, star anise, and five spice powder to taste.
6) Let simmer for at least 3-4 hours. If you have a cast iron pot (like a Le Creuset), you can usually put the soup on very low heat overnight, about 6-8 hours. Feel free to add water as needed, depending on how you like your soup (thicker, more watery, etc)

This is a hard recipe to give exact measurements for because it's really served to your liking - I've had the same dish a million different ways, but I still keep going back to Li Hwa for my favorite.

I feel like I can rest easy now that I have a lot of my favorite "home" recipes figured out. If anyone can give me the recipe for Panda Express' Orange Chicken, I will be your best friend forever.

Hainanese Chicken Rice : Give your chicken a poach

2010-02-24T16:06:00.007-05:00

I have never been a chicken fan. If I had to pick from the poultry family, I would go with a delicious and sleep inducing Turkey. I think the reason I tend to avoid chicken is because it more often than not, it comes out dry. Dry chicken reminds me of being a diet I desperately want to quit - I absolutely can't stand it.

That being said, one of my favorite recipes includes Mr. Chicken ( i guess Ms. Chicken would be more accurate). Hainanese Chicken Rice has been in our family for years and I've finally mastered it and am able to whip it up sans recipe. That's always an amazing feeling. Anyway, the reason why this chicken passes my test is because it's always moist. The poaching method that's used in this dish ensures a tender and succulent bite, every time.

Since this is a Kiew family specialty, I hope you don't tip off the paparazzi. The key to this dish is really in the rice preparation, and the sauces. You'll use a whole chicken in this, so don't be afraid to spend a little extra for an organic, young bird - this dish is so minimalistic that the quality of the meat really counts.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Chicken:
Whole Chicken (preferably Ranch or Yellow)
Ginger, coarsely chopped
1 stalk Scallions, coarsely chopped
4-5 Cloves Garlic, Peeled
Salt

Chicken Rice:
1 1/2 cups Jasmine Rice
Chicken Stock (from poached chicken)
5-6 Garlic Cloves, peeled and smashed
Rendered Chicken Fat (from chicken)

Special Dipping Sauce:
2-3 Tablespoons Sambal Olek
Cilantro (to taste)
Chicken Stock (from poached chicken)
Lemon juice (to taste)

Directions:

Chicken:
1) Remove bag with giblets, etc - trim any visible fat and set aside later for Chicken Rice
2) Stuff Chicken with Garlic, Scallions, and Ginger
3) On stove, boil a pot of salted water - make sure the pot is big enough to submerge the entire chicken (I used a stock pot)
4) When the water is boiling, submerge enter bird, breast down, into the water. Turn down the heat so chicken is being poached, not boiled (usually the low setting). Cover and cook for 40-50 minutes, depending on the size of the bird.
5) Remove from Stove - retain chicken stock for Rice and Dipping sauce.
6) Submerge Chicken into Icy Bath for approximately 10 minutes to stop cooking process and cool
7) Remove bird from Icy Bath and de-bone, slicing into serve-able pieces - serve with Rice and Dipping Sauce.

Chicken Rice:
1) Take Chicken Fat removed from bird in step 1 above and put into a very hot pan on the stove. Fat will render within a few minutes - take the fat out and set aside.
2) Wash/Rinse Jasmine Rice
3) Put Rice into Rice Cooker - add oily part of chicken stock to cover about 1 inch above the rice. Add in rendered chicken fat and whole garlic cloves. Cook until ready.

Special Chili Dipping Sauce:
1) Using a food processor, mix all ingredients for about 20 seconds to taste. Serve with chicken.

Here are the pics of the results. Did I mention this tastes amazing with an ice cold ginger ale?

Oh also if you love garlic, you can combine some minced deep fried garlic to the chili sauce. I usually make it on the side with some olive oil - just mince 4-5 cloves of garlic and fry it in a pan with about 4 tablespoons of oil. The crunchiness and kick will add some deliciousness to the dish. Just don't make out with anyone after...

I'm back because of a poached egg

2010-02-23T13:31:00.004-05:00

I've been meaning to blog but it's kind of embarrassing to have a "comeback" when no one knows that you even left. Hey to my maybe one reader!

I started having more time to read the food blogs and it reignited my passion for cooking. I know I love food because the very mention of a poached egg drives me into a tizzy.

I've also been reading a lot about Cathy Erway and her book "The Art of Eating In" and it really speaks to me. I am the queen of take out - yeah, I love food. And I love to cook. But something about the hunting and gathering of ingredients I don't have, coupled by the cramped cooking quarters, and then hindered by my emotionally crippling need to avoid thinking of myself as a "single gal" (i.e. cooking a recipe meant for 4 and having to tupperware up the rest of the meal) makes me want to throw up. I cook when I have company, on rare special occasions, and if there is something I'm craving that I can't get from a restaurant. That's pretty much the long and short of it.

Regardless, looking at this helpful step-by-step guide on The Kitchn reminded me that I love to try cooking techniques when I'm actually doing it. I just forget sometimes when I'm busy watching a Breakfast in Bed marathon on Soapnet. I never regret picking up a pan, or eating a delicious meal that I've created. I just started personal training so I'd like to be held a little more accountable for what I put in my mouth (that's what she said). Might drop some lbs and regain a long lost hobby at the same time.

To cap off my entry, here are the poached egg instructions for your reference:

What You Need

Ingredients
1 or more eggs
White vinegar
Water

Equipment
Small saucepan
Measuring cup with a handle, or a teacup
Slotted spoon
Timer
Plate lined with a paper towel or clean rag

Instructions

1. Bring a small saucepan 3/4-full of water to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to low and bring the water back down to a low simmer. There should just be a few bubbles hitting the surface.

2. Add about a tablespoon of white vinegar to the water.

3. Crack the egg into a measuring cup or a small teacup.

4. Slowly lower the cup into the barely simmering water, and tip the egg out into the water.

5. Set the timer for 4 minutes. The egg white should be immediately coagulating in the water.

6. Use the slotted spoon to carefully arrange the egg white into a more compact shape, if you desire.

7. Keep an eye on the water's heat; make sure it doesn't come back up to a rolling boil.

8. After 4 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the egg with the slotted spoon. Place it on the plate lined with a paper towel and gently blot it dry.

Additional Notes:

• The 4-minute time will give you a gently cooked poached egg, with a gooey yolk that still has a liquid center. Adjust the time if you want it more cooked.

• We find that the vinegar is really essential in helping cook the egg reliably and neatly; it helps coagulate the egg white quickly, so everything stay in place! If you have no vinegar, then the juice of about half a lemon will also do the trick, but it isn't quite as reliable as vinegar.

Cookin' for America - TC Style

2009-09-02T23:53:00.004-04:00

So episode three – sorry guys. I shit the bed on Episode two. And then I read Eater’s recap and my mind felt tainted. I didn’t want to give you guys any regurgitated jokes. I’m thinking of my fellow readers here.

Anyway, the episode starts with Jesse talking about being on the bottom every single time – she really wants to prove herself. Oh yeah? That’s really original. I don’t think I’ve heard that at least once on every single episode of Top Chef in the last 6 years.

In the quickfire challenge, Padma, Mark Peel, and a mountain of potatoes great us. Mmmm Starch…

The Challenge is to create a dish featuring the potato that is “out of this world” - hold on, where is the Vegas twist on this? Is it Potato roulette? Penn & Potato? Ringling Potatos? Also no chip for $15,000 dollars.

The cheftestants start cooking - Ron compares himself making potatoes to Bob Marley and music. I would say Ron is to potatoes as Bob Marley is to pot brownies, but that’s just me.

Preeti wants to show the judges she can “do something” by putting green asparagus next to yellow potatoes? How is this proving anything other than maybe she’s not color blind? This is Top Chef, not Top Color Coordinator. This chick/dude isn’t going to last. I’m actually starting to think she has no brain cells b/c she accidentally puts her asparagus in Ashley’s pot of boiling water. (Sidenote, Preeti pronounced Gnocchi as “No-key” – this group needs to take Food Pronunciation 101). Ashley freaks the fuck out (similar to her stance against gay marriage) and I continue hating her.

Other highlights include Mike I. making a potato risotto and getting shot down by Mark Peel for it’s excessive saltiness. Ha! Take that asshole.

Jesse keeps making retarded mistakes this time for putting a ton of cayenne in her soup. This girl does not learn. Remember her overcooked chicken?

On the bottom are Eli, Ron, and Jesse. On the top are Jennifer, Ash, and Ashley… the winner? Freaking Jennifer - aka my enemy aka cevich! I don’t know why she bothers me but she does. I feel like she’s gonna win this year, which is even more infuriating. Mike I gets bent out of shape (what else is new) and says it’s favoritism. Literally he is the worst person alive. Sexist bastard

For the Elimination Challenge the Chefs must report to an airforce base to prepare a meal for 300 airmen – working as one team. Uh-oh – this should be good. Padma alludes to the fact that they don’t know what they’re cooking with and what their ingredients are. Oh, don’t bait me Top Chef and then go to commercial break.

At home, the Cheftestant convene to discuss strategy and teams. Kevin says him and Eli bond on a fat kid level so they are going to work together. God I love those two. I’m also hoping the brothers work together but they don’t. Booo.. Bryan ends up working with Mattin and Brother Michael works with Mike Asshole.

They get to the kitchen the next morning and find a bunch of canned food like Spam, Kidney beans, etc. Mattin, being a snotty Frenchmen, is not comfortable working with cans. What kind of Chef specializes in can? Chef Boyardee?

Preeti tells a retarded story about how 9-11 was the defining moment in her career. Basically she was like “ the nation suffered a terrible tragedy and the only thing that made sense was to cook”. God, I hate him/her. I know with all these crazy anecdotes focusing on him/her that he/she is probably going to be on the bottom three. This is obviously not my first episode of Top Chef.

Ron discusses his dish though I can’t understand anything he says – I wish they had subtitles like they did for Stefan last season.

Ashley is making a chocolate brioche and custard – she says “Everyone loves custard!” Well Ashley, I don’t love custard. I am offended you make me watch you make custard when I don’t love custard and custard I can’t legally get married.. Wait.. what?

Bryan is yelling at Mattin to hurry it up is kind of hot. I think I’m in love. Xoxo.

They set up and the judges arrive – along with 300 servicemen and women.

Laurine and Preeti make a pasta salad that I could have bought at Costco. Gail thinks they did a half ass job – the dish is not creative and not inspired. I mean, I could have done that. Other than that comment, I’m not sure what the judges are thinking. They either LOVE the dishes or they are like whatever.

The Cheftestants are in the stew room – Padma calls in Mike, Michael, Eli, and Kevin – clearly these are people on the top. No duh that when Kevin’s name is called, you know this is the winning group. He really can do no wrong.

Another side note, I think Tom may have a crush on Brother Mike – he was talking very enthusiastically about his bacon/pork belly dish.

They announce that Brother Mike wins the challenge with his Lettuce Taco – xoxo. I bet Tommy C. had something to do with that decision.

They ask the winning group to send in the losing group - Preeti, Laurine, and Asshole Mike … wait what? They call him back for the elimination round since his shrimp salad was disgusting. Yikes. He is super pissed. I may or may not be enjoying this too much.

Mike said he was not 100% on serving the dish and Padma tells him shouldn’t have – it was bland, not flavored, texture was weird, etc. I’m so happy and Mike is so mad. Just as it should be.

Laurine and Preeti’s pasta salad falls flat – Preeti defends her dish saying it was better than most and she thought it tasted good. Laurine says she made the dish cause she forgot about the competition. That is possibly the worst answer ever. The judges are getting aggravated. They send them out to discuss.

When the losing Cheftestants come back in, the judges announce… “ Preeti – please pack your knives and go” - she didn’t know why her food was gross and I guess that’s worse than forgetting you were in reality competition or making bland shrimp. Look at it this way – at least now we don’t have to figure out what she/he is.

Until next time! Can’t wait to see more of Beardy Kevin and Brothers. Yessssss..!!

Top Chef ... VEGAS!!!

2009-08-19T22:39:00.002-04:00

I'm back everyone. And so is Top Chef.. and in Sin City!

I'm not going to say much in this blog - I mean, the best part of Top Chef for me is a) the food but b) the crazy ass people on the show. Right now, they are all a blob to me and I don't know anyone's name.

This season seems crazy - TC seems to have focused on some DRAMA this season (perhaps they were inspired by the Hosea/Leah fiasco from last season). James Beard nominess... sibling rivalries... Lymphoma? Good god.

So I just watched the whole episode and I'm STILL not sure if Preeti is a boy or a girl. I'm inclined to say girl lesbian but jury's still out. Does anyone have any insight?

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any hotties, minus Mattin who is wearing a sharp red neckerchief. He looks a little gay though, but I think that might just be his European side coming out to say "Bonjour!"

I already love short, fat Eli who says he cooks because he is a fat kid. He backs up his theory by wearing a shirt with the word "Bacon" on it and a t-shirt with a picture of a steak on it within the first 10 minutes of the show. That's my type of boy!

The quickfire is to do a team mise-en-place which is basically prepping everything ... in this case, cleaning 5 lobsters, getting 2 chops of prime rib, peeling 30 prawns, and shucking 15 clams. The blue team rips through everything with a vengeance, mostly I would say because Mattin is ripping through those lobsters in a savage-like manner. The blue team takes the challenge easily and THEN they are told they have to now cook a dish featuring their prepped item for a chance to win *gasp* a $15,000 chip!

Long story short, Jen wins with a ceviche and I can already tell she's going to be a front runner for the women.

The elimination challenge is announced and they have to cook a meal based on their vices. Also Wolfgang Puck is the guest judge. I actually went to his restaurant not too long ago and honestly, was not impressed. The service was sloppy and the food was eh... not my favorite steak house in the city but definitely alright. You wouldn't know it by his judging though - he was brutal!

I can already tell when the judges are tasting the dishes that Kevin will win and he is the obvious front runner. He was one of the James Beard nominees so I'm not really surprised. Turns out, I'm right, he wins the elimination challenge! woot!

Now, for the bad news - they pull in Hector and his fried steak, Piercing Chick (whatever her name is) for her dry chicken breast, Jen for her poblano chillie with *blegh* seitan, and that crazy chicks bland scallop dish. Since Jen seems really desperate, I immediately peg that she's going to be sent home. What do you know? I'm completely right and she is packing her knives before I can "Don't ever use seitan again"

I'm stoked for this season and the show always inspires me to get cooking. Stay tuned for more posts in the near future!

The Blog has been resurrected ...

2009-08-19T11:11:00.002-04:00

by Top Chef Vegas! I know it's been a long time since any entries but my digital camera broke and also, I'm sooo lazy. I actually did some cooking this weekend and I'll blog that later this week. Exciting right?

My Top Chef recaps will be posted tonight - I'll be wearing my I Heart Fabio shirt and shrieking like a little girl

Chicken Pot Pie (aka Cellulite)

2009-05-17T22:18:00.011-04:00

I have a soft spot for all things butter so naturally Chicken Pot Pie is one of my favorites. For years now I haven't let myself eat it. I saw myself in a downward spiral of fattening crust and creamy filling. Similar to that of a recovering alcoholic, I try to not put myself in the position of being around it, especially when famished.

I'm not sure what possessed me to try making it on my own (previously I have been going to th

e Smith or the less classy, Marie Calendar's to get my fill) but I researched a recipe that seemed easy to make but wasn't too easy (i.e put a can of cream chicken soup in a ready-made crust)

This recipe came out flakey and delicious. I tweaked it slightly but omitting potatoes (not sure I want so much starch in my pie) and adding a ton of crushed black pepp

ercorns to give it a little zing. Recipe below - enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped celery

6 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup half and half (I used non-fat half and half)

1 cup diced carrots, blanched

1 cup peas, blanched

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Salt and Pepper

Ready-made crust (or make your own if you have the time)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees - Grease 9-inch round baking pan.

Melt butter in a large saute pan - add celery and onions. Season with Salt and Pepper

Stir in flour slowly for about 3-4 minutes to create a blond roux (a roux is used for thickening sauces, similar to cornstarch but with better results). Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until sauce starts to thicken. Add half-and-half and continue to cook for another 4 minutes. Season with Salt and Pepper. Add Carrots, Peas, Parsley, and Chicken - stir thoroughly:

Line the baking pan with one side of the crust - pour filling in:

Place the top crush on top of the filling. Carefully tuck the overlapping crust into the pan forming a thick edge. Crimp the edges of the pan and place on a baking sheet. Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crust if golden brown.

I have to say, she's a beaut. Below are pics of both the whole pie and her insides (if you're wondering, that was intended to sound gross):

Puerto Rican Food Adventures

2009-04-01T21:46:00.010-04:00

As some of you may know, I went to Puerto Rico this last weekend for a little R&R. There were 2 things I was super excited about. The first one was tanzning by the pool. The second... food, doi! My knowledge of Puerto Rican cuisine is of course linked into Top Chef - Top Chef Chicago finished off their season in Puerto Rico where I learned a lot about Plantains. I was dying to try some authentic food, so we headed over to Old San Juan the first night.

Per the suggestion of the young taxi driver (who by the way, was playing a horror movie in his cab) - we went to Cafe Puerto Rico. Cheap, great service, great food, he said. Super! SOLD!

The restaurant was cozy and dimly lit with a small outdoor seating area. We were seated immediately and instantly ordered a mojito (the only thing I drank the entire time I was there) - I was ravenous so we ordered a Chicken Mofongo to start. Mofongo is mashed fried green plantains. You then form it into a little cup like shape and fill it with deliciousness, in our case, chunks of garlic chicken. Let me tell you, I'm completely sold on the idea. I love fried. And I love garlic. And I love plantains. All the rest is extra.

We followed with our entrees. This is where I kinda fucked up - I ordered garlic chicken with fried plantains and rice. I mean, it was too much of a good thing. I wish I had ventured a little. Nonetheless, it was really delicious - the chicken was cooked perfectly and was moist.

Although we were both stuffed, I insisted on ordering dessert. Three Milk Cake. It was essentially a fluffy cake with condensed milk pour over it. Sounds kinda gross but it was sooo good. I couldn't stop eating it. I'm going to be looking up a recipe soon to try it out. I really loved it. I also had their house coffee which helped cut through the sweetness of the cake. Yummers.

Cut to the last meal in Puerto Rico. We were grabbing lunch before the flight at a place that was too crowded the night of our first dinner. This came highly recommended by everyone we spoke to - Las Raices. We waited about 30 minutes and were seated in a cute and authentic looking restaurants. All the servers were wearing Puerto Rican garbs and we promptly ordered fruity drinks.

I couldn't get over the Mofongo from the other night, and it was one of their specialities so we ordered a mofongo with skirt steak and chimichurri sauce. Holy crap, was this ever delicious. It was my most favorite thing I put in my mouth that whole vacation (hardy har har) - the steak was cubed and cooked to PERFECTION. Totally moist and flavorful. And the mofongo? Served in a coconut cup. Love it! It was so good, I feel like I'll be hard pressed to search for that same quality in New York.

For my entree, my friend and I chose the house special (also suggested by multiple hotel employees) - the Kan-Kan Pork Chop. For those of you not familiar, it's kinda similar to the Roast Pork you can get in a Chinatown BBQ shop - really really crisp and salty skin with tender meat underneath it. We got it with a side of yellow rice with beans. This was absolutely mouth-wateringly delicious. My only complaint was it took a lot of effort to eat. I don't know about you, but I'm a lazy eater. Hence my obsession with frozen yogurt. Effortless. I really had to pick up the steak knife and go for it. Was completely worth it though - I just gave up in like 10 minutes and ate all the mofongo.

Personally I love the food in PR. I wasn't really expecting to, but I am going to do some research on similar restaurants in the city. I may have to travel to the boroughs but I would do it to taste those plantains again....

Carmen meets Fabio (XOXOXOXOXOXO)

2009-03-15T12:00:00.005-04:00

First of all I want to give hardcore (or "mad" if you will) props to my friend Michelle from work for understanding my deep-seated and inappropriate obsession with Reality TV stars and all things Top Chef.

Here is a minute by minute recap of the moments leading up to what will now be known as "The Meeting of Fabio - One of the Best Moments Ever":

10:03pm: Michelle (text): Talking to FABIO in person at Side Bar on 15th and Irving

10:04: Me (text): Tell him I'm his number 1 fan please have put him on the phone*

* Forgot to mention I took a tequila shot at 9:45pm

10:06: Michelle (text) : I did!

10:06: Me (text): What did he say

10:07: Michelle calls me and tells me to come to Side Bar. When I request to speak to Fabio, she hangs up on me.

10:08: Me (text): Call me and let me say hi please please please tell him I voted him fan fav 100 times

10:09: Me (text): Ur Killing me

10:10: Michelle (text): He is gorgeous

10:10: Me (text): U are killing me can u get a pic for me can you please put him on the phone

10:11: Michelle (text): He is openingf a restaurant here

10:13: Me (text): Omg why are you ignoring all my requests

10:15: Me (text): arghhhhhhhhh

10:16: Me (text): I'm yearning

10:51: Michelle (text): He is exactly how he is on the show

10:52: Me (text): You are dead to me

11:00: Michelle (text): Come here!!!

11:01: Me (text) Are you actually with him

11:01: Me (text): I'll come if he's not gonna be gone when I get there and I can say hi

11:02: Michelle (text): He is staying until the end of the cust game. Where r u

11:04: Me (text): 2nd and 2nd do you think I can make it

11:05: Michelle (text): Comeright now!!!

11:06: Michelle (text): Like leave now.. I told him u love him and u would die to meet him... He is the nicest human being alive

11:06: Me (text): I'm coming now

11:06: Michelle (text): Hurry!

11:07 Me (text): No seriously I just got in a cab and told the driver to step on it

11:09: Michelle (text): Come!

11:09: Me (text): Where is it exactly is the bar on 15th and Irving? Tell Him I NEED to meet him.

11:09: Michelle (text): Its called side bar on the corner

11:10: Me (text): K ten minutes max please dont let him leave

11:10 Michelle (text): Ok!

11:11: Me (text): I'm freaking out I'm so excited

it's not even funny

11:11: Michelle (text): lol contain yourself

11:12: Michelle (text): hurry

11:13: Michelle (text): He is going to prana after this

11:14: Me (text): I'm in Astor Place just tell him 5 more minutes please

11:14: Me (text): 1 min away

11:15: Me (text): I'm outside they won't let people in

11:15: Michelle (text): He's about to walk out

11:16: Me (text): Come out

11:16: Michelle (text): Just wait hes gonna come out

11:17: Michelle (text): He's walking out now

Michelle walks out

Michelle: Did you see him?

Me: WHAT ? NO! WHERE IS HE!

Michelle (points halfway down the block): He's right there! In the leather jacket!

I take off running like an insane person ... I'm literally not even thinking how I'm gonna do this without looking mentally ill. All I can think is, OMG if I don't talk to him I'm gonna go be so angry. I finally catch up to him (I'm also sweating profusely and almost in tears of happiness) and I say...

Me: (I tap him on his arm from behind) Um... Fabio?

Fabio: (turns around): yes?

Me: Omg.. sorry. My friend Michelle? You met her? She said.. I could.. meet you? Hi! Sorry to bother you, I just love you, I voted for you 100 times for fan favorite.. I just.. wanted to meet you.

Fabio: Wow - you're too kind. What's your name?

Me: Carmen.

Fabio: Thank you so much Carmen. That means a lot to me.

Me: Would you mind if we took a picture?

Fabio: Not at all.

Me: Thanks! (to one of the girls he was with) Would you mind taking a picture? (I hand her my iPhone)

Lucky Ass Girl: No problem

Me: Sorry, you must think I'm crazy

Lucky Ass Girl: No worries! He's like our brother! Okay, 1, 2, 3 ... *click*

Me: Thank you SO much.

Fabio: Thank you Carmen - so nice to meet you.

Cut to me running back to Michelle freaking the fuck out for another 30 minutes and doing crazy happy dances. Biggest. Crush. EVER.

Also, I can check something off my NY to-do list:

- Telling a Cab Driver to "Step on it"

Next, I'm going to try to incorporate: "Follow that cab" - stay tuned for that one.

In any case, as you can imagine, I'm glowing with excitement. I feel like I just got engaged or something. I love him and apparently, he's scouting restaurant space to open a joint in NYC. Maybe we will meet again. And maybe in the future, I can pretend to be a completely different person so he won't be reminded that I acted like a freak when we first met.

And the villagers rejoice..

Mary had a...

2009-03-09T00:19:00.005-04:00

Yup, I cooked lamb. Me!

Technically I don't have a problem eating animals - I mean, they are tasty cr

eatures and as long as I don't have to watch any sort of actual butchering, I'll eat anything they put in front of me (I may draw the line at any animal that goes in a litter box or needs to be walked).

Anyway, culinary school taught us how to make A Grilled Butterfly Leg of Lamb with Gratin Dauphinois and Green Beans with Shallot Gremolta. Let me tell you, it was really freaking tasty. And it's easier than you think - what a great meal to put together to impress.

Let's start with the lamb -

Ingredients (for 8-10 servings)

1 leg of lamb (trimmed and butterflied with the shank removed - butterflied just means finding the natural creases in the leg and cutting till you have a nice flat piece of meat)

* You can probably just go to the butcher and ask for a piece of lamb already butchered and butterflied

The Marinade:

185 ML Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

2 Tbsp Minced Gar

lic

Zest of Orange

Black Pepper

2 Tbsp chopped Thyme

1 Tbsp Chopped Oregano

1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary

PROCEDURE:

1. Marinade the lamb with the Marinade Recipe above - refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

2. Let the leg warm at room temp for 20-30 minutes - brush off big pieces of marinade (like the sprigs of thyme). Salt and Pepper the lamb - make sure not to salt before leaving to marinade as this has a pickling effect on the meat.

3. Tye the leg of lamb like you tie a roast ( I would explain this but it's hard to explain without seeing it - there are detailed instructions and video on Food Network)

4. Grill the lamb over medium fire for about 20 minutes - turning about halfway through the cooking to achieve a nice char. Note: This part is pretty much just to add color to the outside of the lamb. The middle should still be relatively raw. Also, make sure to turn the meat 30 degrees to achieve a nice criss-cross char.

5. Put the lamb (on a rack) in a pre-heated oven of 375 degrees. Cook to your desired temperature, as listed below:

120 degrees = rare

130 degrees = medium rare

130-135 degrees = medium

135-140 degrees = well done

* Note - pull meat out 5 degrees before your desired temp since it will cook through another 5 degrees out of the oven

6. Take the leg out of the oven and let it sit AT LEAST 10-15 minutes. If you cut into it right away the yummy juices will spill

out. What a waste!

7. Slice thinly against the grain - top with Gastrique Sauce

Gastrique/Sauce:

500 ml port or red wine

100 ml red wine vinegar

50 gm sugar

200 ml veal stock (or any stock)

Bouquet Garni with shallots (Thyme, Bay Leaf, Parsley Stems and Black Peppercorn wrapped in Cheese Cloth)

1) Add sugar and a little bit of water in saucepan

2) Add vinegar - cook down on low heat until syrupy

3) add red wine/port - continue to cook down

4) add stock and bouquet garni - cook down until sauce is nice and thick. This is a strong sauce and you'll only need a tiny bit for your lamb

GRATIN DAUPHINOIS (pretty much potato gratin)

Ingredients:

125 ml Milk

125 ml Cream

Salt and Pepper

Nutmeg

1 Clove Garlic - smashed

25 gm Gruyere Cheese, grated

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2. Using either mandolin or a knife, slice peeled potatoes thinly (about 1/8 inch thick)

3. Get a casserole dish and pour a bit of the milk and cream mixture in the bottom (just enough to thinly cover the bottom) - add salt and pepper, a pinch of nutmeg

4. Put a layer of potato lined up (slightly overlapping) to cover the bottom of the dish

5. Repeat steps 2-3 for about 4-5 layers of potatoes

6. Pour remaining Milk/Cream to just cover the potatoes when pushed down into the dish

7. Sprinkle Cheese on the top

8. Turn oven down to 375 degrees and pop the dish in the oven - cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender and top is slightly brown and crispy

GREEN BEANS W/SHALLOT GREMOLTA:

1. Clean Green Beans

2. Cook a l'anglaise (blanche the beans in boiling salt water for

about 10 seconds, then shock them in ice water. Strain)

3. Put Green Beans in a hot pan, cook with butter

Gremolta:

Crush Croutons (or Toasted Bread Crumbs) with Pinenuts, Orange Zest, Carmelized Shallots (Sweat Shallots and Butter in a pan), and Parsley - use hands to crush to create a rough texture

The Gremolta goes on top of the green beans to give it some crunch texture. It's SO easy and really gave the dish a fancy feel.

As I mentioned, this is a truly amazing

and impressive dish and SO easy. Below are two pics of the dish - one my chef instructor plated, and the other one was me - enjoy!!

Compound Butter will change your life...

2009-03-09T00:07:00.002-04:00

I'm pretty much a fan of all things dairy so when we learned about compound butter in culinary school, i knew I was in for a real treat. This fancy sounding butter is really just unsalted butter with amazing yumminess ("raw ingredients"), frozen and stored to use as a shot of flavor to different dishes. The butter and whatever ingredient is mixed together, then rolled into a log, wrapped in wax or parchment paper and then just throw it into the freezer- presto-change-o.

Compound better is typically used in restaurants as a finishing method. The compound butter log is cut into coins and used to top a hot piece of fish or meat so that melts on top on it's way to the table for service. Pretty awesome right?

Here are some popular compound butters to get your mind going:

- Shallots (used on Grilled Meat or Fish)

- Tarragon leaves (used on Fish)

- Lemon Juice, Parsley, Shallots, Red Wine, Meat Glaze (Grilled Meat)

- Strawberry (or other flavored) Jams (used on french toast, pancakes, etc)

We made a Compound Butter with Truffles (both the oil and actual truffles) and chives - we used this on top of our green beans and gremolta (next blog posting) - pic below. Just imagine her melting on top of a hot steak and you'll start to salivate:

The Fabio Show = my wet dream

2009-03-06T14:37:00.002-05:00

OMG, FABIO FROM TOP CHEF IS GETTING HIS OWN SHOW!

Everything is pretty hush-hush right now, but if I get to see this man at least once a week for the rest of my life, I'll be a happy girl. I can't imagine a husband or anything else making me any happier.

LOVE.

Jamie loves soup - SURPRISE!

2009-03-05T16:18:00.001-05:00

Eater has a few bits on Life After Top Chef (for me, there is no life after Top Chef but whatever) - Jamie wants to be on TV! And do what? Be hugely negative? Act Lesbianic?

Oh hey, she also wants to start a small soup restaurant in NY! Surprised?! Next thin you know she'll start a small scallop restaurant.

Good luck Team Rainbow!

Cocky Chef - who else? Stefan.

2009-03-05T16:15:00.002-05:00

So remember when Top Chefestant said he was opening a clothing line and we thought he was kidding? Well he's really not. According to Eater, this is not a test. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

You can visit Cocky Chef Clothing and look at all that Stefan's imagination has to offer. My favorite is this one:

Top Chef Reunites

2009-03-04T22:17:00.003-05:00

So I was so stoked to see this episode. There sure isn't a lot to "recap" per se - I just wanted to highlight a few awesome moments:

- Patrick from Team Rainbow wearing an "I Love Foie" Tshirt - makes me wish he wasn't a horrible culinary student so we could have seen more of him
- Hosea still looks like he should be wearing a diaper and shaking a rattle
- Hosea said he's using his money towards "future investments". zzzzz...don't go crazy now! You wouldn't want to piss it all away on hair growth treatment or something
- The Team Europe montage was one of the best things I ever saw - it showed Fabio kissing Stefan's head like 100 times. God, I'm like totally in love with these guys.
- Carla montage = amazing
- Danny mentioned he had a 120 degree fever one time during his bday - he's already so red all the time! How much worse could it get!
- the Leah and Hosea controversy was finally NOT cleared up. All we know is they broke up with their sig others and would maybe date? we already knew that going in! I think Hosea may move to NY and then we can watch them suck face in Times Square and other equally disgusting locales.
- Leah and Jamie getting wasted was amazing. Now I really want to be on the show -you can be on reality TV, cook, AND get shit-faced. SOLD.
- Stefan's cockiness advice was amazing "You look in the mirror and say, 'you're the best' and that's it!" Done and done.
- BEST MOMENT EVER FABIO WINNING FAN FAVORITE. I swear I'm going to stalk him in LA. Looking up flights on expedia as we speak..

Sad, TC is now over and my life is over (not). Sorry I haven't been posting - work has been out of control. So much so that I have been eating Ramen and Eggs every night. i PROMISE you're getting a few more posts this week. PROMISE.

Watching Fabio on Ellen turned me into a puddle

2009-02-27T21:49:00.002-05:00

I love him so much:

Addendum to the Recap: Hilarious GIFs

2009-02-26T16:09:00.002-05:00

Thanks Eater, for making what would be a shitty day into an amazing one with these:

Top Chef Recap : Maybe this IS Top Pussy

2009-02-25T22:09:00.005-05:00

So the very bittersweet end of Top Chef. With Fabio gone, I find writing this recaps a little harder since I don't have his nonsensical idioms to carry me. I guess this will be a true testament to my blogging, huh?

I've been through a lot of ups and downs with TC NY - I was excited for the finale but also am crapping myself thinking about not having this to watch every Wednesday. It's surprising what a pint of Ben and Jerry's and an episode of Top Chef can do for my mood.

We have all been on an emotional rollercoaster with this season - we watched Jill cook the dumbest thing possible - an ostrich egg. We watched the Foo Fighters pretend to know stuff about food. We watched Arianne jump up and down pantless at the Superbowl Challenge. We watched Fabio and Stefan fall in love but Stefan secretly have inappropriate hate homoeroticism towards Hosea. We watched Hosea and Leah play big spoon/little spoon (if spoons made out and cheated on their significant others) . AND we have been wondering for , oh about 3 weeks now, what the hell Carla modeled.

Nonetheless, the finale is something I've been stoked for for a few weeks now. The contestants are still in the big easy and the opening scene is Carla doing the upward dog yoga position directly in front of the camera. From that angle she looks like a happy, deranged, snake. I like it. Stefan mentions that Team Europe is broken up and he hates Hosea, blah blah blah. We get it! You want the camera crew to turn off the cameras so you can do him in butt. Let's move on.

Tom, Padma, and the infamous knife block are waiting for them. If you watch TC regularly, you'll know that the special sous-chefs are about to march on out. Will it be Celeb Chefs? Fabio? Nope, it's 2nd runner ups from previous season. Fuck man - there's Marcel or as I call him "Foam". Along with Foam are Casey and Richard. All likable except for Crazy "I'm not your bitch, bitch!" Marcel. Hosea gets to pick first and picks Richard. Stefan picks next and chooses Foam saying "he's a good chef - kind of a twat, but who's not?" - I think that may be the wisest thing anyone's ever said and television.

The challenge is to cook the best 3-course meal of their lives - dessert not necessary. Alright simple enough. The Cheftestants and the sous-chefs ransack the kitchen for proteins. Hosea runs in and literally grabs as much as his arms can hold to, let's face it, screw over his boyfriend Stefan. Stefan of course, gets totally pissed about the Foie Gras and Caviar. Nice steals Hosea.

Meanwhile, Carla is wanting to make a meat and potatoes dish. Casey seems to be driving this ship, telling her to sous-vide her meat. Carla has never heard of it and I'm wondering if this is gonna come to bit her in the ass later.

Tom comes back a little later with the inevitable twist - one more course! Well duh, they do this on every Bravo show.. circa Project Runway and Fashion Week. Was there any real surprise? The only big shocker is the protein they have to work with - either crab, red fish, or.. alligator? Sick... that is a real whole alligator! They have to pick pieces of a the king cake and whoever gets the baby wins. I doubt an irresponsible one-night stand guy would agree but hey, whatever.

Hosea gets the baby and takes the opportunity to stick it to Stefan - it's alligator time in Europe! Hosea gives the finger and Bravo blurs it out. Really though? You can't show the middle finger but you can let Fabio say "Top Pussy"? Sure thing.

Stefan makes the best out of his reptile and makes an alligator soup out of the tail. It's sicking me out. Seriously, it's a whole alligator. Both Stefan and Carla choose to make desserts. Carla lets Casey talk her into making a blue cheese souffle. Wow, that's bold. A souffle sounds like a risky and potentially bad choice. I wonder if Carla fanatics everywhere are making a voodoo doll of Casey and poking it repeatedly in the vagina.

The judges and guests are introduced - theres Rocco! FABIO!!! THERE's FABIO! OMGGGGGG I'VE MISSED YOU! Toby "Douchebag" Young is back. And oh hey, a random jazz musician. What's that guy doing here. What, Emeril couldn't make it? BAM!

The food is all served simultaneously - the editing makes it impossible to tell who likes what and everything appears to be neck and neck through the ceviche/carppachio dish. Josea's seasoning is blah, and Stefan's frozen/sliced carpacchio is watery. Alright. Go Carla! Might have spoke too soon though because the sous-vide beef was a mistake. The sirloin was tough and the judges saw right through the fact that Carla didn't come up with this cooking method on her own (feel free to continue to vag-poke Casey's voodoo doll). Meanwhile, the Jazz player is making awkward non-descript commentary and saying "foie gras" excessively. Not to mention, mispronouncing it. At this point I'm questioning how not autistic he is.

Stefan serves his squab and the judges so coo-coo for it. They loooove it! On the last course, Carla realizes her souffle is too hot and is bubbling - she chooses to scrap the souffle aspect and just basically serves an apple tart. This isn't going well for her. Hosea, the only person who didn't choose to do a dessert serves an apparently deliciously venison. The judges ask Fabio who they think did a better job. You can see Fabio is completely torn between how good the venison was and how much he loved team Europe. Instead of a hamster wheel inside of Fabio's head, I imagine Super Mario running back and forth frantically. He admits that the Venison is better and in my opinion, there goes Stefan's win.

At judges table, the grill the chetestants on their choices. Carla starts to tear up when they have to tell the judges why they should be the next top chef. I think she knows she fucked up by listening to Casey. Stefan obviously feels horrible and I see him actually acting like a human being and walks over to comfort her. At this point, I know Carla is not going to win and by Stefan being sweet to her, I start to silently pull for his win. Hosea has been annoying me for about half a season now and I'm over it.

The judges send them away and right away, they discount Carla. I feel bad - she pulled a Richard and just fucked the fuck up on the last challenge. RIP Carla. They discuss the pros and cons of dessert and I can tell they are leaning towards Hosea.

Padma brings the chefs back in and they are ready to announce the winner --- congratulations... HOSEA?! I yell fuck shitty fuck fuck fuck at my TV and immediately get 30 texts about how disappointing the results are. Uh, ya think? Best Season, WORST result. blah. So let me get this straight, Hosea gets to make out with Leah and win Top Chef? Someone sure drew the long straw.

Alright, next week is the tell all - I'm looking forward to Fabio winning Fan Favorite - hopefully. Cmon Bravo - redeem yourself somehow!

Top Chef at Craftsteak

2009-02-19T14:15:00.004-05:00

I missed the entire crew of TC at Craft Steak yesterday for a screening they had -Carla, Stefan, Gail, Tom - the whole nine yards!

Hey Eater - why don't you tell me BEFORE so I can stalk them?

Excerpt:
Except for one lonely stray who wandered in by accident, everyone at Craftsteak last night circa 10pm, were Top Chef viewers screening the latest episode. The place was completely packed. The first peak moment commercial break was met with groans. Carla’s challenge victory was met with whoops and applause, which she complimented with a gracious bow/wave combo.

Top Chef Recap : Frowney Face

2009-02-18T22:13:00.006-05:00

So I wake up in the morning with a huge smile on my face.. yes, it's Top Chef Wednesday! WOOHOOO! Or should I say "Hootie Hoo!"

Before it even starts, I'm thinking about Emeril and how he like to kick things up a notch constantly and then got worried that I'm the Sambal/Sriracha version of Emeril? I literally want to put it on everything. Should I come up with a catch pharse like BAM!? Maybe like.. Whomp - there it is?

Anyways, the show starts and I'm thinking, okay, Hosea may please leave. I love Carla and Fabio, and Stefan is too good even though he's an asshat, so the cheating baldie may be dismissed. They arrive at the Big Easy airport. Fabio is sporting a faux-hawk and a punchy pink scarf. This dude really likes to push the envelope of fashion. Maybe he got some tips from America's Next Top Carla.

Carla comes back with a barfalicious pink trench and straight hair - now there's the model that no one would sign! She immediately starts acting insane and dancing to crazy New Orleans music - doing a jerky chicken dance with a simultaneous "raise the roof" motion. I'm genuinely so happy to see her.

Stefan says "hi" to everyone and by "hi" I mean it looks like he is trying to makeout with Hosea. See? Here's the hate fuck shit I was talking about in the last recap. I can't wait for the porn video they make - I'm sure it'll be called something like "Baldies Gone Wild" or "Top Cum Shot"

They arrive at the QF Challenge where Padma, Tommy C., and Emeril are awaiting. Observant Carla realizes there are only 3 tables. Padma reveals there is a QF Challenge.. just not for them. Jamie, Jeff, and Leah are back! They are going to compete to get back into the competition and make it to the finale. I hate when shows do this. It's like fuck you. They left and I've made my peace - why do you have to do this? Do you know how long it took me to get over this? My husband, Fabio, clearly agrees as he says "GEEZ! Gimme a break!" I totes agree - we are perfect for each other...

Hosea is like ....awkward... Leah is back. Awkward we made out and I pretended to regret it. Awkward, she was making the bed in that last episode and everyone saw her boobs.

The QF Challenge is to create something with crawfish - Leah, surprise, has never made anything with crawfish. Remember how horrible she is with seafood? She's fucked. At this point I expect Jeff to make something with a million components and for Jamie to ask for scallops instead of crawfish. Jeff ends up making grits and says that he wishes Carla was his judge since she loves grits. Hey, we do too! That would be something I would pay to see.

The judges go around and taste the food - Jamie can't stop explaining her dish and why she did stuff. Ugh, I forgot how freakin annoying and negative she is. She was like, I felt like throwing up when I found out I had to compete again. Well duh, what the hell did you think this was? How about Thank you for bringing me back since I'm awful?

Man, I want Jeff to make it. His hair is so shiny and pretty. Also, I think he's hilariously metro.

The judges taste the food with a poker face. Let it be Jeff, Let it be Jeff, Let it be Jeff... IT's JEFF! WOO HOO! Emeril gives him a copy of "Emeril at the Grill"... um great? Are you sure you don't want to save the $19.95 and trip to Barnes and Noble? Thanks I guess?

Padma drops the bomb that for Jeff to go to the finale he most WIN the elimination challenge. Yikes. God Speed Jeffrey.

The (now) 5 chefs find out that their elimintation challenge is to cook at a Masquerade Ball - 2 dishes and a cocktail. I always get nervous about the catering shit since they have to transport their food to the event. Don't worry though - they have Glad containers. I think the advertising is working cause now I want 100.

The 5 Cheftestants go to dinner - no doy, Stefan and Hosea go at it. Stefan says it's not a butt rubbing contest. Wait, WHAAAAAAAAAAA?! Damnit. I've been watching the wrong show this whole time!? This isn't Top Butt Rub?

During the commericial break we find out that Fabio loves to cross-dress. Actually, YOU ALL knew that already due to my super informative blog and the pic I posted earlier this afternoon. He says it takes real balls to dress like a woman. How's that for an oxymoron world?

In the kitchen, the Chefs get to work. Jeff chooses to make sausage from scratch while I'm screaming at the TV, wondering why he would ever do something with so many effing steps. C'mon pretty boy! Have you learned nothing from TC? Fabio and his Mohawk are making 3 things and a cocktail - a Maque Choux, Pasta with Crayfish, and Bread. Both baldies are in a weird tete-a-tete gumbo war. While everyone is running around, Stefan is outside with a pack of Marlboros. Apparently he wants emphysema more than he wants the title of Top Chef. He's also annoying Hosea by holding up a droopy long sausage and asking him what it reminds him of. I want to tell him, a lot of things. Thanks for bringing back those memories buddy.

Tom comes in and asks his typical questions and is condescending and gives everyone negative and dubious looks. When did good ol' Tommy C get so negs? Jamie? Is that you?

Carla is shucking her face off since she doesn't know she can steam those suckers to open them up (even I know that). She also mentions that she doesn't drink and she's making a cranberry spritzer. Hang on - she doesn't drink? Why is so freaking weird then? All my theories are out the window. Maybe she's a recovering alcoholic. Or maybe Alcohol has a reverse effect on her. Like, when she drinks it, instead of blacking out and being crazy, she sits calmly and has normal conversations.

The judges arrive and as per usual, Padma's cleavage looks ready to judge. Oh! And there's Gail! I'm excited but apparently Carla is more excited -she's like giddy and saying "Girl! I love you!"

Everyone goes back to their last minute prep - Carla is just fucking giving away her equipment and still frantically shucking oysters. For the first time ever she seems semi-annoyed and asks for help. Stefan is like "Just a minute honey!" and Carla is like "That's what all men say - just a minute honey." Those are some daddy issues this IBP blogger is not going to touch.

The guest start to arrive and Fabio's crotch starts to get aroused - apparently the masquerade masks remind of him of old pornos. You know what else probably reminds him of old pornos? New pornos. That he watches. All the time.

The judges go around and taste the food - they have nothing but good things to say about everyones food. I guess that's what happens when Toby Young leaves the show. I know Fabio is fucked because Emeril thinks his food needs more heat. At this point I want to kick Emeril's face up a notch (through murder) and my palms are sweaty. They are going crazy for all the gumbo - I'm gonna need to seek out some good gumbo in the city see what all the fuss is about.

Back at Judges Table, Tom points out that Stefan seemed really cocky in the kitchen. Stefan goes "that's cause I'm a dick and whatever happens happens" (I added the "that's cause I'm a dick" part). They announce that Carla is the winner - she wins that Toyota! She's so touched that she starts to cry and for the first time acts normal. Who knew Carla had so many levels? Peel the onion girl, peel the onion.

That means Jeff hasn't won and he has to leave. I watch his golden hair leave the judge's table one last time. Bye Jeffrey...

Hosea is safe - he is in the finals. Fuck, this leaves my love Fabio and Stefan. I know Stefan won't go even though he deserves it. I silently pray to the food gods hoping for a pardon but as suspected, Fabio - please pack your knives and go.

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

If you were to tell me that my heart would be broken by a man named Fabio, I never would have believed you. But alas, it has been. Fabio.. baby - I will be wearing your tshirt on finale night and will root for you for the Fan Favorite. xoxoxo forever...

More stuff on Fabio

2009-02-18T15:32:00.003-05:00

It wouldn't be like me to find an article on Fabio and not post it out to the world.

Eater just posted an article with some fun facts about Fabio:

SPOTLIGHT ON ... FABIO VIVIANI

Age: 30.

Hometown: Florence, Italy.

Did he grow up eating good food? Yes. Lots of bread and pasta, whole milk, red meat, fish and veggies.

Favorite things to eat and drink:
Rib-eye steak; any fresh egg noodle pasta; a glass of cold whole milk
in the morning; a nice glass of red wine from the Chianti area at
night. "Everyday I drink three tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. I
haven't missed a day since I was 3 years old. My cholesterol is 137."

What he keeps in his kitchen:
Extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil (he grows it),
heirloom tomatoes, dried De Cecco (brand) pasta, arborio rice.

Favorite dishes to cook/serve at his restaurant: Roasted mushroom risotto, butternut squash ravioli, dry-aged prime beef steaks. "I feed customers the way I like to eat."

Favorite junk foods:
Nutella (by the spoonful) and homemade rich chocolate gelato. "I dare
anybody to call Nutella junk, because I grew up with it." He eats only
Nutella imported from Italy (it is made with vegetable oil, not
hydrogenated oil like the product sold in the United States, he notes,
but it tastes the same).

Favorite gadget: A pair of tongs. "They are an extension of my own arm."

Pet peeve: When a restaurant customer complains on a Saturday night that the entree is
not served within 20 minutes of ordering. "Quality needs time," he says.

Food he dislikes: Cilantro.

Favorite restaurant: Il Pallaio, Florence, Italy, a typical rustic Italian trattoria.

Favorite cookbooks: "Jamie's Italy," by Jamie Oliver.

Hobbies: Growing produce, including tomatoes and herbs; fishing; riding his Ducati motorbike on Sundays.

Favorite music: Italian rock; Christmas songs.

The worst part of being a chef/restaurateur:
"If you really cook through the day and nighttime, you smell like fry
oil." But the best part is that if the restaurant is successful, you
can hire a chef "and he smells like fry oil."

Tips for a good life: "Eat a lot, laugh a lot, and have a lot of sex."

Two quick comments -he dislikes like cilantro? I feel like I've been shot in the heart with a tetanus infected arrow. I literally feel like two lovers are pulling me in opposite directions. Also, his tips for a good life - I love it. Especially the part about having lots of sex with me (Editor's note: I added the "with me" part)

Also, hi - best picture ever:

Shake Shake and Momofuku Milk Bar - Part... God I've lost count

2009-02-17T23:24:00.005-05:00

So I had a couple of people visiting NY this weekend (Hi Embert!) and as when any tourists are in town, us NYers feel compelled to pretend we actually walk instead of taking cabs everywhere. What was supposed to be a where's where of the city, ending up being somewhat of a "Eat Your Way Downtown" or "Tourists Eat Manhattan" situation.

We started out with Shake Shack - I've eaten at Shack Shake a dozen times but never without a line. I checked the Shack Cam to make sure the line was short and we walked our way over to Madison Sq. Park. Mind you, this was supposed to be a pre-dinner "snack" which by our definition meant splitting our food instead of eating it all ourselves. I ended up with fries, a Shake Shack Burger (which is essentially just a burger with a special "Shack Sauce"), and a diet coke. I gotta say, it's as good as I remember. The patty was juicy and the pun was toasted but still soft. Yummers. It's on the smaller side which is good when you are obese and putting yourself on a diet like me. The fries are the skinny shoe string kind - since I'm a fan of the crispy fry this really works to my advantage. The only thing that sucked was it was so frigid and the heat lamps weren't working. Nuts! Here is a pic of me, Embert, and his gf Janice:

Next stop.. uhhh.. more food? I had to walk them to the east village to visit Momofuku Milk Bar again. I know. Again. Apparently I have more of a sweet tooth than I thought I did. Also, we were supposed to eat dinner in like an hour. Oh, and walking off our burgers at Shake Shack. Oops.

Anyway, we got the crack pie (which I've had before but was a little too cracktastic for me) and I tried the Chocolate Chip and Passion Fruit Cake. At first glance it reminded me of the Carrot Cake that I literally fantasize about. It was actually super delicious -it had this cream cheesey frosting that had a hint of passion fruit tanginess to it. The rest of it was a typical cake - nice and fluffy and covered in chocolate chips. Oh and it was ginormous:

On that note, apologies for being absent lately. Let's just say I haven't been doing much cooking or eating - I've been a liquid diet.

I'm getting back in the kitchen this week so stay tuned - plus, look for my Top Chef recap tomorrow evening. SO EXCITED.

Black Saturday - Slim Pickins'

2009-02-13T16:37:00.004-05:00

Black Saturday (Valentines Day) is just around the corner and although I'm bitterly alone, just for fun, I've gone on opentable to find what's available at 8:00pm tomorrow last minute (4:40pm on a Friday):

Here are a few:

Barna - unless you are a guid with chains that enjoys long rides on the GW Bridge and Fist Pumping, I would avoid this place. Barely acceptable past midnight for just drinks so I would give this one a big fat X

Big Daddy's - I think the name explains it all. This is a brightly lit diner on Park Avenue with greasy fries. I'm sure whoever you take will be dying to hook up with you after.

Bricklane Curry House - again, I'm sure nothing gets your date in the mood like a extra spicy bowl of Tikka Masala. Either that or she's gonna boot on you inter-coitus.

City Lobster - Our elevators used to smell like this joint (they were adjoined) and wow, if the food smells anything like the lobby of our office, I would say Yikes.

Dukes - both locations are available! WOW! You really scored big time on this one. Better get your ressie in fast. You would hate to miss out on the "decor" (aka signs about milking cows) and delicious vomtastic chilli.

Lucky Cheng's - Alright - this is where I'll be on Vday. No Joke. Drag Queens and horrible food spell romance.

As you can see, there really is not much going on. You are better off doing this:

Feedback please!

2009-02-12T13:24:00.003-05:00

Hey IBP Fans,

So as you may have noticed, I'm being more active with my posts and expanding to food news and updates, as well as the usual restaurant reviews and recipes. I've also included little boxes under each post to gauge how much you guys liked the blog/subject - when you're done reading, I would really appreciate it if you could check a box and let me know. Leaving comments is great too!

I'm still building this page out - unlike Carmen's Best Week Ever I'm pretty serious about keeping this blog going and building a following. That being said, your feedback is enormously important to me since I'm still tweaking IBP a lot.

Also, if you could become a fan of the blog on facebook, that would be amazing. Telling your friends, fellow foodies, whatever - anything helps.

THANKS A MILLION!

Chef Conan O'Brien

2009-02-12T13:21:00.002-05:00

Props to Eat Me Daily for posting a hilarious clip of Gordon Ramsey and Norm McDonald cooking on The Late Show with Conan O'Brien - nothing I love more than Conan O'Brien and Food. Click on the link above to watch the video.

Top Chef Episode Streamer

2009-02-12T09:34:00.002-05:00

Add Bravo - Top Chef to your page

This is Top Chef, Not Top Pussy

2009-02-11T22:15:00.004-05:00

I want to preface this recap with the fact that I am wearing an I heart Fabio T-shirt. I'm officially insane.

So, this is the last episode of Top Chef in NY before they shuttle the chefs over to New Orleans for the finale episodes. As you guys may know, I thought Jamie deserved the boot last week - this week I was rooting for Leah to get shucked since I'm still pissed she just gave the fuck up last week when filleting those fish.

First and foremost, I must discuss how Carla said she was a model. Are you kidding me Bravo? You're not gonna have her explain that shit? A model for WHAT? Those fake disguise glasses in old spy movies? On the other hand, I'm thrilled Carla is weird again - welcome back woman.

We find out the quickfire judge is Wylie Dufresne - I audibly groaned when I saw him since I'm not a fan of his work at all. I'm not big into molecular gastronomy and that whole aspect of cooking - it just reminds me of Richard from Top Chef Chicago with his smoker, asking everyone "Hey, do you like burritos?" I just don't like it.

The Challenge is to make something great with eggs - which Wylie literally said he loved so much I thought maybe he should get a room at the Hilton with a dozen of jumbo eggs. In fact, I believe he said he loved Egg Cookery - I wonder if that's something you say out loud and then think in your head "Wow I just sounded like a huge douche"

All the Chefs run around like crazy people making 2-3 components per dish. Josea makes this sick egg white sheet sushi thing that made me want to vom. I actually really liked Stefan's dish, which was like a panna cotta with an egg yolk in the middle - a play on a poched egg. It was a cool idea. Wylie goes around and tastes everyone's food - I can tell immediately that Fabio is royally fucked since they start playing that goofy music as Padma and Wylie taste his food. That music typically indicates FAIL. Sure enough, him, Josea, and Leah are on the bottom. Ultimately, Carla's crazy ass wins with her Dr. Seuss inspiration (case and point that Carla is bonkers - who gets inspired by Dr. Seuss?) - she makes a green eggs and ham play. Apparently she was shocked because Carla and Molecular Gastronomy are like oil and water - however, maybe her playful coaxing ("C'mon baby" x 100) brought the dish together. Who knows?

The Elimination Challenge starts with knife drawing - each has the name of a legendary chef on it (Marcus Samuelsson, Jaques Pepin, etc) - they have to prepare a "last supper" meal for these famous chefs. Carla's QF advantage is to trade with another chef but she's freaking out of her mind happy about the idea of cooking peas for Jacques Pepin (who is a dean at FCI) that she keeps her dish. Also, if you have this DVRed, you can watch Carla's crazy laugh over and over when she said that her and Jacques were two peas in a pod (very punny Crazy Lady).

They go to WF to do their shopping. Is it me or does it seem like Stefan and Josea want to hate fuck each other. I'm not sure but there is uncomfortable tension between the two of them thats 50% competitive hatred and 50% I want to spread your ass cheeks. Leah of course, pisses me off by asking a WF employee where the eggs and butter are. Are you fucking kidding me? Um, try the refrigerated area dumbass.

In any case, they go to Capitale (which is on the bowery and where I met Mr. Bill Clinton a few years back) - and almost immediately Fabio bends his finger all the way back and breaks it. When asked if he wanted to go to the hospital, he said he would rather cut off his finger and sear it on a flat top. MAN! That is aggressive! He's pretty down and out and I'm not gonna lie - it was pathetic watching him peel a potato with one good hand. He says something about being kicked in the ass so much that he poops shoes. Another great Fabio-ism for the books if anyone is keeping track.

Tommy C. comes into the kitchen before service and gives a horrible pep talk about how they shouldn't embarass him. The top tier panel of chefs tastes the food -it's apparent that Leah, Stefan, and Josea are on the bottom. Leah's Eggs Benedict were too watery and the hollandaise sauce was too thinned out. Josea made a tasty shrimp dish, but at the end of the day it just wasn't a proper scampi. Stefan is reamed for his over-cooked salmon - at this point I'm nervous for him - not that he's the nicest champ but he is certainly talented.

While the Cheftestants are in the stew room waiting for the judges to deliberate, Leah mentions how she can't imagine if she broke her hand. Then, out of no where, Fabio lays down his signature line with an inappropriate twist "This is Top Chef, Not Top Pussy!" --- can they say that on TV? Since when?

All the Cheftestants are called to the Judges Table and Fabio and Carla are sitting pretty on top. Fabio wins (WEEE~!) even though his salad looks like an airplane salad. I mean, that's what you get for using iceberg lettuce I guess. That said, Fabio is in the final 4.

Carla also receives a thumbs up into the Finale Four - I'm absolutely dying for Eater to write up their recap and have some animated GIF of Carla talking about how shes like the tortoise who wins the race , passing by the hare being like "SEE YA! SEE YA!" So hilarious.

At the end of the day, Leah goes home. No surprise there - she came in as one of my favorites and somehow became boring and apathetic. I'm not sure when that happened. Also, BravoTv.com posted an interview with Josea - him and his GF are no longer together cause things were not the same. Homewrecker!

Next week's previews look great - excited to see Emeril (BAM!) and also not surprised to see in the preview that he thought something needed more heat. More scenes of Josea being insecure... I wonder how this all turns out.. can't wait!

Free TEQUILA!

2009-02-11T10:04:00.003-05:00

Do I seem like the kind of person to not post about free booze? Didn't think so?

Grub Street informed me that Tanteo Chocolate Tequila is sponsoring free Vday cocktails at Centrico, Shang (you can check out my review a few blogs back), Agave, Suenos, La Esquina, Cafe Frida, Islero, and Papatzul.

Drink your hearts out... get it? Cause its valentines day? okay, I gotta go.

If you ever need to voluntarily puke...

2009-02-11T09:56:00.004-05:00

You can go to This is Why You're Fat. My friend Jon brought my attention to it yesterday and it was also in Grub Street. In case the title of the blog is not self-explanatory, allow me to give you a pictorial excerpt from the blog:

Corn Dog Pizza

Mega Double Stuff Oreo

The Nacho Burger

Okay, am I the only one who didn't realize this site existed? I don't think I can frequent it but it makes me feel better that I have eaten a whole carrot cake in one night.

Hot Chef

2009-02-11T00:27:00.001-05:00

Know you have been dying to know what my classes are like (in my head you are) and probably want to know about hot chef Justin who has been teaching my classes. Thought I'd do a quick picture post - more about the giant fish he's holding later...

Superbowl: Alsatian Potato and Bacon Tart

2009-02-10T21:51:00.003-05:00

So again, I had a semi-salt problem with this.. hey, revelation. Maybe it was the bacon? Not sure. Will have to try this again to know for sure.

This was easy enough to bake and then cut into squares to serve. I would definitely use an Idaho Potato or some starchy potato to even out the meatiness of the thick-cut bacon. We also threw some chiffonaded basil on there for color since it was a little gray-brown (yummm I know)

Here ya go:

Alsatian Potato and Bacon Tart

Ingredients:

6 ounces meaty slab or thick cut bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 medium baking potato, peeled and coarsely shredded
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons snipped chives
1 teaspoon chopped sage
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 prepared pizza or bread dough, thawed if frozen ( I used Trader Joe's brand - the one with herbs in it - they also had a whole wheat one)
1/4 cup creme fraiche
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500°. In a large, heavy skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until lightly browned around the edges, about 3 minutes; drain. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the potato and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes; add a little water to the pan if the potato begins to stick. Stir in the vinegar, chives and sage and season with salt and pepper; remove from the heat.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 10-by-13-inch rectangle. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet, stretching it back into the rectangle.
Stir the crème fraîche and nutmeg into the potato mixture and spread it over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Scatter the bacon on top. Bake the tart for 12 minutes, or until the edges are browned. Cut into squares and serve hot.

Superbowl: Warm Piquillo and Crab Dip

2009-02-10T21:39:00.002-05:00

I was pretty much sold when I heard the words "Crab" and "Dip" together - those are two of my favorite things. Piquillo? Yeah I had to look that up. I also looked up substitutions for it when the puzzled Whole Foods worker couldn't tell me where to find it. Per the suggestion of the web browser on my iPhone, I bought jarred red peppers.

This was also probably my least favorite dish - it wasn't blah but I think we took some shortcuts in order to simplify the recipe and also to cup back on some costs (lump crab costs like 15 bucks for a tiny little container... fail). I think this would have been amazing had I used the Piquillo and actual crab. I served this with the pita chips I posted below.

Warm Piquillo and Crab Dip

Ingredients:

1 lb of lump crab meat, picked over
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup creme fraiche
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons snipped chives
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup shredded Manchego Cheese (about 1 cup)
One 9-oz jar piquillo peppers, drained and cut into strips

Directions

Preheat the broiler. In a bowl, combine the crab, mayonnaise, crème fraîche, parsley, chives, mustard, lemon juice and 3/4 cup of the Manchego. Spread in an 8-by-11-inch baking dish. Top with the piquillos and sprinkle with the remaining Manchego. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the dip is heated through. Serve hot.

Superbowl : Spinach and Pepper-Jack Pizza

2009-02-10T21:20:00.002-05:00

So this pizza could not be a quicker snack/meal - this recipe makes 2 huge pizzas... it says it serves four but it really could serve like 8 (depending on how fat everyone is).

The only small complaint I have is that it was slightly salty - I'm not sure if it's cause I had a heavy hand with the salt or because the pepper-jack was super salty. Either way, you can substitute the cheese however you want. The bacon gives it a lot of flavor. I would also probably use fresh spinach but if you dont have time, frozen spinach (which is what I used) still tastes delish.

Spinach and Pepper-Jack Pizza
Ingredients:

8 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch strips
2 10 oz packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, drained, and squeezed dry
3/4 lb pepper-jack cheese, grated (about 3 cups)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 12-inch store bought Pizza Shells (I bought Trader Joe's brand and it was soooo good)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Directions:

Heat the oven to 425°. In a large nonstick frying pan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
2.In a large bowl, combine the bacon, drained spinach, pepper jack, salt, and pepper and mix well. Brush the pizza shells with the oil. Divide the spinach mixture evenly between the two pizza shells and sprinkle the Parmesan over the top.
Bake the pizzas directly on the oven rack (for a crisper crust) or on two baking sheets until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Superbowl: Crispy Pita Chips!

2009-02-06T00:10:00.005-05:00

So I wasn't expecting to make these but I had some pita on me (like in my fridge, not in my purse) and realized we need something to dip with the crab dip and guac.

These actually were just an after thought and we used leftover ingredients to make a yummy addition to our menu.

No specific recipe, just take pita, cut 'em, drizzle some olive oil on them and then top them with whatever you want your chips to be flavored with. I used garlic and Parmesan. They were so good - perfectly crisp but not dry. I heated the oven to 350 degrees and stuck 'em in there for maybe 7 minutes?

I would also like to try them with herbs like basil or maybe even with some crushed peppers for a spicy version. Possibilities = endless.

On that note, I'm going to go to bed and finish this tomorrow - I'll leave you with pictures of my beloved Pita Chips:

Superbowl: 3 Cheese Mini-Macs

2009-02-06T00:00:00.005-05:00

The mini-macs are a big crowd pleaser - it makes people go, aw, now THAT's clever! even though it's quick and easy. I got a lot of "That's smart for a superbowl party!" so I guess I did something right...

These macs were super-cheesed up: Parmesan, Cheddar, and American Cheese. Yup, that makes 3. If you're like me, you're like "The more cheese the better... CHEESE! I Love Cheese! Cheese + Me = Love Foreva!"

I didn't use mini-cupcake tins - I actually just used regular ones since, well to be honest - that's all I had. It's supposed to make 48 mini-macs but actually made about 24 regular sized ones.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb elbow mac
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk (I used skim)
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 packed cup)
4 ounces deli American cheese, chopped
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika (Spanish? Yeah, I just used the one I found at D'ags)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, shaking off the excess water.
Brush four 12-cup, nonstick mini muffin tins with butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano; tap out the excess.
In a large saucepan, melt the 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until boiling, about 5 minutes. Add the cheddar and American cheeses and whisk until melted. Off the heat, whisk in the egg yolk and paprika. Fold in the macaroni.
Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of the macaroni into the prepared muffin cups, packing them gently. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano on top.
Bake the mini macs in the upper and middle thirds of the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and sizzling. Let cool for 5 minutes. Using a small spoon, carefully loosen the mini macs, transfer to a platter and serve

Sidenote: You can prepare all the stuff ahead time up to Step 4

Superbowl : Bloody Mary Cocktail Meatballs

2009-02-05T22:19:00.006-05:00

These meatballs were a real superstar ... they were like the Tony Romo of football. Wait. Did I do that right?

Anyway, this was a surprisingly simple dish - plus who doesn't like to mix a brunch cocktail with a meatball? I tried a little bit of JUST the bloody mary... man does that sucker have a kick. But glazed on these half pork, half beef meatballs, they were so good.

I made the meatballs ahead of time - I should have refrigerated them so that when I fried them they wouldn't lose their shape but instead I left them on the counter and they ended up being some weird 3-D triangle instead. Here they are in their spherical form:

After cooking the meatballs through, I poured in some Bloody Mary and let it simmer and reduce down into the meatballs:

This recipe makes about 32 meatballs which got devoured in like 15 minutes so I would probably make a double dose:

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb lean ground pork
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 small celery rib with leaves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons horseradish
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 slice white sandwich bread, soaked in warm water, squeezed dry and crumbled into pieces
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (I used habanero)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon veggie oil
1/2 cup Three-Pepper Bloody Mary*

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl, combine the beef and pork with the celery, horseradish, egg, bread, hot sauce, salt and pepper and knead well. Roll the meat into 1-inch balls.
Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet until shimmering. Add the meatballs and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Add the Three-Pepper Bloody Mary and simmer over moderate heat until the liquid is reduced by half and the meatballs are glazed, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.

3 Pepper Bloody Mary INGREDIENTS

1 cup Vodka
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 small clove garlic, smashed
1 small jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce, preferably habanero
2 1/2 cups tomato juice
4 teaspoons horseradish
1 teaspoon celery salt (this confused me so I used regular salt)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a blender, combine the vodka with the onion, garlic, jalapeño, lemon juice and hot sauce and puree until smooth. Add the tomato juice, horseradish, celery salt and pepper and blend. Strain into tall glasses over ice and serve with lime wedges and celery ribs.

Superfat Superbowl

2009-02-05T21:52:00.003-05:00

As you guys may remember, I was asked to "cater" (air quotes indicate I didn't know what I was doing) my friend Eric's Superbowl Party. I was told about 20 people would be there. While I was super excited about the opportunity and slightly flattered that they asked me, inside I was quietly crapping my pants.

I spent about a week scouring Food and Wine, Epicurious, and Bon Appetit. Thankfully, all the websites had a list of delicious sounding finger foods I could pick from. I narrowed down my many many options to 5 dishes: Bloody Mary Cocktail Meatballs, Warm Piquillo and Crab Dip, Alsatian Potato and Bacon Tarts, Three-Cheese Mini Macs, and Spinach and Pepper Jack Pizza.

Word to the wise, when planning your menu, go for minimal ingredients and check to make sure you can prep in advance and heat up easily. I actually checked the "Make Ahead" filter in my Food and Wine search because I knew I would have to do a lot of prep work and transporting the food to another apartment. Also, this may be obvi, but DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE GO TO WHOLE FOODS AND TRADER JOES RIGHT AFTER WORK. WORST IDEA EVER. The store was so crowded and I got so overwhelmed, I just pushed my cart into people around the meat section waiting for my friend Eric to help me.

Much of the shopping included me going "What IS that?!" For example, piquillo peppers? What the eff makes a pepper Piquillo? I don't know and I never will. I just bought roasted red peppers in a jar. Yeah, that's how I roll.

In any case, my friend Jessie (from the Chinese Hot Pot situation a couple posts below) generously offered her cooking savvy to me for the day on Sunday. We had a couple of hiccups, (broken pizza crusts, where the hell are my serrano peppers?!, and oops, too much bacon!) but I think our food came out great in the end.

I'm going to follow up these post with my superbowl foods and recipes lest this post be too long. Enjoy and definitely try these for your future parties!

Carla as a Fraggle (I can't not post this)

2009-02-05T15:30:00.002-05:00

Eater.com gives a hilarious recap of Top Chef every week and this week is no exception..

Excerpt:
Jamie and Carla mangle the sardines and are eliminated in the first round. In round two, Fab leaves too much flesh on the head (that's what no one said) and Leah just plain gives up on her arctic char. Gives up? This is Top Chef, not Top My Hands Are Sleepy. (Huh?) Chin up, girl. You're still in this, barely. The baldies get ready to face off in the final round. Did you know Hosea is the only male American chef still remaining in the competition? It's amazing he's done so well with all those disadvantages. A truly inspiring story. Hosea and Stefan try to psyche each other out by winking and blowing kisses at one another. I am always trying to psyche girls out in bars.

Impossible to not LOL at that.

Also, they posted this pic ... +1,000,000 points:

To update about Top Chef Season 6, Eater has got further details for us:

"You didn't hear it from me, but Top Chef season 6 is going to be taped at the new M Resort in Las Vegas. It is a far-far off-strip resort that is practically in Henderson. I think they're freaking out that they opened this big place in the middle of a recession and it's hard to pull tourists away from the strip to this place that's like half an hour away. So they made this deal to host Top Chef as a way of buying some cred."

Can you fellate fish?

2009-02-05T14:13:00.002-05:00

Ah, thanks Grub Street for pointing out that it sounded like Eric Ripert said "“Fabio, the way you fellated the fish was not right”?

I laughed until I stopped.

Viva Las Vegas

2009-02-05T14:02:00.002-05:00

Eater leaked that Top Chef Season 6 may be set in Las Vegas - that would be awesome. I'm sure we'll end up seeing a lot of Bobby Flay's cocky ass if that happens...

Plus I'm sure the cheftestants will be put through some crazy shit. Can't WAIT!

Top Chef Goes Fishing

2009-02-04T22:26:00.003-05:00

I was excited about this episode because I kinda have a secret crush on Eric Ripert (shhhh.. I know.. I don't want to hear it) and he also knows his shit. Who wouldn't want to go to Le Bernardin and eat 6 amazing dishes with Eric Ripert (charming frenchman) and Tommy C (new nickname.. HOLLA!)?

The quickfire was actually really aptly timed since next week in Culinary School we are learning how to filet fish - I'm very excited since I'm completely intimidated by ocean creatures. Needless to say, the eel that was still halfway alive almost made me vom up my dinner.

I gotta say, every episode, I hold my breath for Fabio's sake. I mean, he was so effing cute with his wife...so much so that even though I'm picturing running her over with Monster Truck, I still find it really endearing. I wanna marry someone who calls me Amore? Is that too much to ask?

I'm gonna be completely honest -if I had been any of these chefs, I would have needed Depends and a wash cloth. I don't even like dicing onions in front of my culinary school chef.

That Hollandaise Lobster thing that Stefan recreated looked AMMMAZING. Plus, I now know from experience how freaking difficult it is to make hollandaise. Props and Hats off to German Stefan for ripping that skin of the eel and HAMMERING ITS HEAD TO A CHOPPING BLOCK AND winning the elimination challenge.

I was holding my breath as all the dishes were tasted - hoping Josea, Stefan, and Fabio would be in the clear and the other ones would go down in flames... well that's not necessarily true. I want Carla to stay but I like when she's in the bottom 3 because that's when she blurts out some crazy shit. Best comment hands down was when Eric Ripert referred to Jamie's salty-ass celery as "hardcore" - when I think of hardcore I think of bondage and low-budget porn, not a vegetable.

Also, a quick shout-out to classically trained chefs (especially French ones) - it made me feel validated for going to FCI. Maybe one day I will perfectly recreate Eric Ripert's dish as well. So bonus points to Crazy-Pants Carla. But hang on, I'm going to take away her bonus points and give her minus points since, hello, is it me or was she kinda normal this episode? I'm not settling for ehhhh food if I'm not getting googly eyes and "BADOWS!" every episode. I'm sorry but I'm just not.

In the end, I'm glad I saw Jamie go - I mean, she complains non-stop and she was being a ginormous Debbie Downer about the whole challenge. Don't let that rainbow flag hit you on the way out sir!

Next week looks insane - Fabio obviously injures himself and I hope he doesn't get sent home because of it. I want to see him go to the final four and do some amazing shiz.

Stay tuned guys and thanks for reading!

Culinary Class #2 : Duck Confit and Compound Butters

2009-02-03T23:20:00.003-05:00

This is actually a backlogged post from about a week ago - I have obviously been behind but I wanted to make sure to write about the amaaaaazing stuff we learned about in Week 2 at FCI.

Let me start out by saying that I made mayonnaise for the first time - it was actually such an arm workout. You start with Egg Yolks, a little White Wine Vinegar, Lemon Juice, a little water, Mustard, Salt, Cayenne and of course, the vegetable oil. You have to continue to whisk as you slloooowlllly add the oil... if it goes in it could break and you'll have to start over. Even more difficult is making hollandaise sauce - which is pretty much the same concept but you add butter and it has to be whisked over a double boiler and maintained a perfect temperature. Chef Will who demoed this for us had a hard time and his hollandaise broke and he had to start over. Pretty much you need to make sure it's at perfect temperature otherwise you'll end up with scrambled eggs if it's too hot. You also need to maintain it at room temp for serving otherwise it's no good. So think about that when you order this tempermental sauce at Brunch when you're hung over... it's not easy! Pic of my (SUCCESSFUL!) mayo below:

We also talked about compound butters - they are literally my new favorite thing. It's the EASIEST thing you can make the the possibilities are endless. All you need is unsalted softened butter and... well whatever you want to flavor it with. We made black truffle and chive butter which meant folding in chopped black truffle (you can get at Whole Foods in a can), finely chopped chives, and black truffle oil. You transfer this softened butter mixture onto parchment or wax paper and roll it into a log... take this, freeze, and use on anything! Most restaurants keep compound butters on hand so that waiters can cut a coin of the butter and place it on top of lobsters, steaks, etc. allowing it to melt on the protein on it's way out to the table... what an amazing party trick, yes?

You can also make sweet compounds, mixing butter with fresh strawberry jam and putting this on french toast, brown sugar and maple for pancakes.. whatever! Are you, or are you not amazed?

We also started the preservation process of our duck confit that would we use in our soup next week (coming in a blog this or next week) - you basically buy a duck legs and preserve and freeze it in it's on fat... that's what confit means. It's the french technique of preserving cooked meat without refrigeration by storing it in fat. This gives the duck a total tenderness and slightly gamey taste.. if you've ever had duck confit, you know it's the best thing ever. More on Duck Confit next week.

Our main dish that we created was a sea scallop (TOP SCALLOP)... like most unseasoned cooks, seafood scares me. Especially scallops which are considered a high-end seafood. It was surprisingly easy to sear them - just get the stainless steal pan super hot (to keep it from sticking to the pan) and give each side a few seconds for a beautiful sear. We served this on top of a tomato confit (which was herbs and olive oil pretty much) and a duet of purees: Cauliflower (which tastes like mashed potatoes) and Pea.

A Puree can be made from pretty much everything - just add cream in a blender! You cook all the veggies (or whatever) in cream over the stove and then stick it in a blender to get it smooth. Easy right? You can also toss in flavorful herbs or things like garlic or truffle oil (which is what we did because nothing beats truffle oil)... so simple! With the pea puree we cooked it in chicken stock which gave it a really wonderful flavor... got rid of some of that pea tastes and graduated it above pea baby food.

This was a great class - much more enjoyable than day 1 which was a complete clusterfuck of chopping veggies...

Picture of my beautiful results below!

New Favorite Cupcake :: Carrot Cake Cupcake with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-02-03T20:04:00.006-05:00

So sorry for the hiatus in blogging - John Mayer (cat version) has been sick and I've been a worried mother. I didn't want you think IBP was suffering a similar fate as Carmen's Best Week Ever.

In any case, I stayed home from work today to keep an eye on Mayer - I was stressing myself out so I decided to bake/cook to calm my nerves. I've been meaning to try this simple cupcake recipe and I already had all the ingredients in my apartment so it perfect.

I made a few adjustments to this recipe - I added a little extra ginger (about 1/2 teaspoon) and a tad bit less sugar (about 1/4 cup) to the frosting. I also added walnuts to the carrot cake batter - I love the extra crunch and nuttiness (PS I hate the word "nutty"). I would probably add some nutmeg in the future as well.

In any case, here are some pics of the results - they are actually really pretty and you can decorate them however you want. I kept mine simple:

I gotta hand it to Epicurious - this is a sure-fire crowd pleaser.

Here is the recipe.. .enjoy!

Carrot Cupcakes with Ginger-Cream Cheese Icing

Batter:

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups finely grated peeled carrots
1/4 cup drained canned crushed pineapple in juice

Icing:

2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twelve 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl until well blended. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture in 2 additions, beating until well blended after each addition. Mix in carrots and pineapple. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Turn cupcakes out onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)

Icing Directions:

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and ginger; beat until fluffy and smooth. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature, then beat until fluffy before using.)

Spread top of each cupcake with scant 3 tablespoons Ginger-Cream Cheese Icing.

DELICIOUS!

I never thought I'd see the day ...

2009-01-30T11:53:00.002-05:00

Where I would rather fantasize about buying a robot coupe over getting pair of Manalo's or a the new Marc Jacobs bag...

I realized I hadn't been shopping in like... a month? Instead I have been accumulating tons of kitchen stuff - in the last month or so I've gotten a new cast-iron skillet, a new non-stick skillet (I tried this out last night and if you need a reco, try Cuisinart's Green Groumet Non-Stick line), a KitchenAid Mini Prep, a Pizza Pan, a Muffin Tin, a Chinese Hot Pot, and a Hand Mixer.

When did I become this?

Top Chef almost made me crap my pants (spoiler alert)

2009-01-28T23:15:00.004-05:00

WOW. Based on the previews, I was freaking the fuck out about Fabio staying on TC. I really was praying to the Top Chef gods the entire time, and went into deep psychological mind games with the teasers before the commercials. Example: They showed Fabio saying "OH NO!" that must mean that he WON'T be sent home because they wouldn't reveal that much in a teaser.. would they? WOULD THEY?!

As you can see I'm deeply commited to my Italian Stallion staying on the show although I'm pretty sure his days are numbered.

Jeff going home was definitely the right decision - he was literally the edible equivalent of a clusterfuck. I bet he's a great chef but honestly when you're racing the clock, that's probably not the best situation for someone who is disorganized and can't focus. If I had it my way Jamie would be packing her bags since I'm not a big fan of all her soups and seafoods. I WOULD say Carla should go but I can't because she cracks me up everytime I see her.

This episode especially had me at a constant snicker - here are some observations and quotes that had me going:

- Fabio: I am 30 years old and sleep in a bunky bed
- Fabio's mention of monkey ass and a banana. Seriously, what's his obsession? Is that his go-to PG swear word?
- WHERE THE HELL WERE ARIANE'S PANTS?! GET THIS COUGAR SOME PANTS!
- Carla's eyes getting googlier by the minute
- Andrew's letter to season 5 starting with "Dear Season 5"
- The "scoreboard" in the home team's kitchen said "Top Chefs" vs. "Douches"
- Fabio: This is not cooking.. this is rushing!
- Stephen's crush on every female ever

Ah, man - also, scenes from next week? Eric Ripert? I can't wait - he's obviously the most talented french chef, probably anywhere. Also, I can't wait to see them filet up that eel.

Padma acts like a See You Next Tuesday

2009-01-28T13:33:00.003-05:00

I am as you know, obsessed with all things Top Chef. However, my friend Melissa just told me about an "incident" with Padma Lakshmi that makes my face do a frowney.

The "incident"(as told by Melissa) goes as follows:

(At Chelsea Handler show)
(Melissa watches as random girl goes up to Padma to take a picture with her *pose, smile, click*)
(Melissa approaches)
Melissa: Hi, do you mind if I take a picture with you?
Padma: No I'm sorry, I'm with all my friends
Melissa: Sorry I don't mean to be a bother but I'm just such a huge fan
Padma's disgusting bf: It IS a bother

Yikes. Makes me not like her - I mean, who do you think you are? Pack your knives and go Padma...

In other news, Melissa also saw Tom Colicchio out and about - if I ever meet him I am going to give a giant hug.

Anyway, I'm not asking anyone to change their behavior, I'm just asking everyone to secretly hate Padma in their minds for a week or two.

Disgusting BF Pic below:

Thanks!

OVER IT :: Asian-Fusion doesn't do it for me anymore (Shang NYC Restaurant Review)

2009-01-28T11:08:00.006-05:00

Last week (Inauguration Night Holler) we took some clients down to the Lower East Side to a new restaurant called Shang. That neighborhood in general has changed quite a bit - from a gritty cafe infested neighborhood to some pretty trendy-meatpacking-eque joins (i.e. Stanton Social).

Shang is no exception to the new revolution of restaurants popping up down there - it's Asian fusion (fused with what, I still don't really know) and well, I was a little let down. The food was decent but honestly, that category is overdone and quite frankly, I think is hard to get right.

Those who know me personally know that I'm not very Asian on a day-to-day basis (don't ask me what that means) but I do take dirty Chinese street food very seriously. I prefer a $5 Roast Duck and BBQ Pork dish in a semi-health-code-violated restaurant in Chinatown to an upscale Chinese place like Chinatown Brasserie. Not to mention that I don't believe in upscale Chinese.. to me that is an oxymoron.. and not a good one.

ANYWAY, we walked up a flight of stairs and one thing I can say is that the space was beautiful. It had that whole dimly lit thing that NY Restaurant-du-jours are crazy about and it was a lot bigger than I expected:

We started out with drinks which were pretty decent but the fact that I can't remember what it was I drank leads me to believe it was nothing out of the ordinary. Since we were dining in a group of 6 and the resto was family-style, we got to try a lot of stuff (schmorg style as I like to call it). The group looked to me to order a couple of things, none of which were real standouts with the exception of Shang's Signature dish - a slow cooked Berkshire Pork Belly. I'm a huge fan of Pork Belly in general but this was really delish - the meat was super tender and the glaze was perfect. I can see why they chose to tout this dish.

We also tried the Singapore Slaw which was really flavorful and the textures were pretty good. It was just the right of amount of crispy for it to be a above and beyond just a normal asian slaw.

The last dish that I thought was pretty good was the Duck Breast - it was cooked perfectly and had a really great chilli-honey glaze that gave it that sweet/sour taste. Pretty good as far as high-end duck dishes go.

Now to the bad news... everything else we ordered tasted amateur - the flavors felt like they had been done 100 times before which normally isn't a problem for me but they weren't done well. It's like on American Idol when Simon tells the contestants not to do Whitney or Mariah.. there is probably no way to sound better than them so you might as well try something new.

With Chef's like Jean-Georges, David Chang, and Anthony Bourdain, why would you even go that route?

The one dish that made me throw up in my mouth was a "Fried Rice" that was wrapped in an egg-crepe. Conceptually it's a wonderful idea. In my mouth, it was a horrible mistake.

Overall Shang is a good place to go and experience the atmosphere... maybe a good dinner spot before going out since you wont leave too full and it's conveniently located at Orchard and Stanton.

The one and only time a year I'm kinda Chinese

2009-01-26T00:02:00.002-05:00

So I've been super busy and am totally backlogged in my blogging - there are a ton of entries I still need to cover including my 2nd Culinary Class and my Craft and Shang Restaurant reviews... I promise I'll catch up this week.

I'm not sure if you know but it's Chinese New Year ... I sure didn't know. Not until my dad sent me an electronic card and the sound of the fireworks on the East River made me think we were being attacked my terrorists.

To celebrate, I had my other asian-non-asian friend Jessie over for some good old Chinese Hot Pot (or Shabu-Shabu) - this is like Fondue but instead of cheese you use broth and instead of bread and meat, you use... whatever you want in your soup (noodles, veggies, chicken, seafood).

This is one of my favorite things and usually I only eat it when I'm at home with my mom ... however I made the trek to Chinatown (big mistake) and got myself an electric hot pot in celebration of the New Year.

I made the broth from scratch... you can head down to Chinatown and get chicken bones for 1 dollar. ONE DOLLAR! Nothing costs a dollar anymore. What a bargain. Anyway, You put the chicken bones in a pot and water and 2 hours later, voila! You have a delicious and flavorful broth. You can also add some napa cabbage which is absolutely delicious in the soup.

We fired up the hot pot and had the following ingredients to cook with:
- Mei Fun noodles
- Mushrooms
- Daikon
- Chicken
- Clams
- Tofu
- Eggs
- Napa Cabbage
- Lump Crab Meat
- Fried Shallots
- Scallions

Sauces:
Ponzu
Soy Sauce
Siricha
Sambal Chilli

It was super frigid today so it was especially delicious in my belly... plus it's like going to those japanese hibachi places ... great for making your cooking a shared experience.

In any case, we were completely stuffed to gullet and since the soup was made from scratch, we didn't ingest 3 million mg of sodium. Everybody wins.

Picture of your set up below:

Another reason to love John Mayer

2009-01-23T23:27:00.002-05:00

I know... what's John Mayer doing in Carmen's food blog? I thought she left that behind with Carmen's Best Week Ever?

Well Ladies and Gents, in the spirit of the new President and all the change, I just wanted to link to John Mayer's Post:

change we can taste11/11 by JM

Election night cake making...

If you check his blog, he's been encouraging his readers to bake... and previous to that, he used to document his meals.

This man is clearly my soul mate... not only because he's hot but because we both love food and will grow old and get fat together.

(insert you thinking I'm insane here)

Egg in a Cup

2009-01-22T19:57:00.005-05:00

Just because I am fully obsessed with Food and Wine, Truffles, and Per Se, doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the simpler things in life... like cooking my meals in a cup.

This weekend in Vermont, I had an eye opening experience. You can make an egg and cheese sandwich in 30 seconds and only have to wash out a coffee mug. How? I'm glad you asked!

1)Put English Muffin in Toaster
2) Break an egg into a Mug
3) Scramble Egg in Mug
4) Tear up a slice a cheese and place on top of Egg in Mug
5) Nuke Mug for 30 seconds (40 for a more cooked egg)
6) Take English Muffin out of toaster, turn mug upside-down over a half muffin, salt n' peppa, close sandwich and enjoy a scrumptious breakfast (yummy noises optional)

Visuals below:

Steamy Egg hot from the microwave:

Delicious completed sandy (minus 1 bite):

I'm gonna need this...

2009-01-22T19:17:00.002-05:00

How this blog got it's name

2009-01-22T19:13:00.002-05:00

I mean, I'm not even gonna explain because it's pretty literal. Just know that my entire floor hated me for a month and I had to let my cat out into the hallway because he was having a feline asthma attack from all the smoke.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves... this IS a true story:

My favorite: Top Chef - Restaurant Wars

2009-01-21T22:55:00.003-05:00

So I'm about 75% through it and felt the need to pick up my Laptop and express my love and excitement for this episode of Top Chef. Restaurant Wars is like my dream - I would love to start a restaurant and plan a menu... not necessarily in 6 hours but hey, whatever.

So far my favorite parts all involved Fabio:
a) talking about serving monkey ass on an empty oyster shell
b) struggling to open the freezer
c) Wearing a shirt that says "Team Fabio"

LOVE.

Guaca-HOLY-MOLY

2009-01-21T17:40:00.003-05:00

Just in time for that big football game (PS no idea who is playing) I wanted to post my Big Bro's amazing Guacamole recipe... for whatever reason it's seriously tasty and I have absolutely no idea where it originated... ENJOY!

Serves 7-8

INGREDIENTS:
4 ripe avocados (hint: keep your Avocados in a sealed paperbag for a few days before making this - it ripens them up)
1 medium red onion, minced
1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed (very important!), minced
half a bunch of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/2 a fresh lime
fine salt to taste (I would use the salt grinder type)
freshly grated black pepper to taste
1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avacado from the peel,
put in a mixing bowl.

2. Using a fork, mash the avocado. Add the chopped onion, chili,
cilantro, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. Be sure
to taste and add quite a bit of salt and pepper.

3. Keep the tomatoes separate until ready to serve. Cover with plastic
wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation
from the air reaching it. Refrigerate until ready.

4. Just before serving, add the chopped tomato to the guacamole and mix.

Superbowl + Me = Um, when is the Superbowl again?

2009-01-21T11:45:00.001-05:00

So my friend Eric asked me to help him cater his Superbowl Party and for some reason I agreed. I'm not sure why, but I have a soft spot for Appetizers.

Food and Wine has some great recipes and I'm hoping you guys can help me out... what do you think I should prepare for the party?

Here is a link to the list, as well as the list copied and pasted below:

Savory Snacks

Make it a Meal

Prepare one or more of the following recipes to turn snack-time into supper.

Sweets

Recession Special Dining

2009-01-21T10:50:00.003-05:00

Having to entertain clients on a weekly basis, and also from being a cheap bastard, I found an amazing article in NY Mag about "Recession Special" Restaurants in the city.

Don't let the title fool you - these are some of the best restaurants in the city, just with slashed prices! What do you know, everyone wins!

Here is a link to the list - I've copied and pasted some of the highlights below:

Artisanal: $24.50 three-course dinner from 5 to 6:30 p.m; grilled-cheese bar at lunch.

Chanterelle: Three-course lunch for $42, which includes tea or coffee and a tray of chocolate truffles.

Craft: "Frugal Fridays" feature a menu of market-driven dishes for $10 or under at the bar. Categories range from meat on a stick to offal.

Del Posto Nine-course "grand tasting menu" reduced to $125 from $175.

L'Ecole at The French Culinary Institute: The nightly $42 five-course dinner features standout dishes like grilled rib steak and fluke carpaccio.

Wafels & Dinges: The price of the WMD (the Waffle of Mass Deliciousness, which includes unlimited toppings) has dropped to $6.

Also, a big WOOT WOOT! for Restaurant Week - I'm doing my 2nd Restaurant Week at Mercer Kitchen. I'm a big fan of Jean-Georges, so I can't help myself. I'll do a review when I get a minute...

Dinner Party 2 - Let's Try Again

2009-01-14T00:15:00.003-05:00

A few weeks after Baby's First Dinner Party, I threw my next soiree. I invited 7 friends which was just enough people to make me feel overwhelmed and realize that my studio apartment is NOT THAT BIG.

I tried a more ambitious menu - no more popping things in the oven. This was full-on cooking and timing courses.

I started with an appy to keep my guests happy while I scrambled around in my dirty kitchen (which is clearly not made for dinner parties with more than 4 people involved) ... I choose Warm Camembert with Wild Mushroom Fricasse from my beloved Food and Wine magazine. This recipe was made famous by Chef Daniel Boulud and was actually pretty simple. It involved walnut oil, which I didn't know existed but am happy to discover. It really gave the cheese an amazing nutty flavor and went nicely with the mushrooms I picked out at Whole Foods. For those of you who don't know, Camembert is the best cheese - a lot like brie, but with a little less creamy and more flavorful. Side note, I did not take any photos of this since I was going insane so I'll just post the F&W pics so you can get an idea of what it looked like:

Total Time : 30 minutes Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup Walnut Pieces
One 8-ounce wheel of ripe Camembert in it's wooden box, room temperature
1 teaspoon Walnut Oil
3/4 lb Wild Mushrooms, thinly sliced
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the walnut pieces on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 7 minutes, until lightly browned. Lower the oven temperature to 300°.
Remove the Camembert from the box and unwrap it. Put the cheese back in the bottom half of the box and set it on a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until soft.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the walnut oil. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 3 minutes longer. Add the shallot and cook until softened, 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and sage; season with salt and pepper.
Invert the Camembert onto a platter. Stir the walnuts into the mushrooms and spoon over the cheese. Serve with the toasts.

For the Main Entree and side dish, I decided to make an Amazon Fried Chicken. Now I know, Fried Chicken, big whoop. Also, what makes this dish Amazonian (real word? Spell Check seems to think so)? Well my friends, now is as good time as any to declare my undying love for Cilantro. This dish has an AMAZING cilantro sauce - the dinner party goers were absolutely raving about this one. The only tip I have for this recipe is definitely do not disregard the thinly sliced chicken aspect... I got regular chicken breasts and didn't have a meat mallet (later I realized I could have used a pan) - so I couldn't break up the protein to cook the chicken faster. OH! Also, I redeclared my love for my Cuisinart when it made crushing my potato chips a snap. Here we go:

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno, seeded
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 cup mayonnaise
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
One 5-ounce bag potato chips, finely crushed
Four 6-ounce boneless chicken breast halves, pounded 1/2 inch
thick
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

In a blender, combine the cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, vinegar and water and puree. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the mayonnaise. Cover and refrigerate.
In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the eggs. In another shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Spread the potato chips in a third bowl. Lightly coat the chicken with the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip in the beaten eggs. Coat the chicken with the potato chips.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Serve at once with the cilantro sauce.

Since the recipe said to pair it with a tomato salad, and since we were already being adventurous and exotic, I chose to do a tomato mango salad that was really simple and tasted like a million bucks. This recipe is compliments of Jean-George Vongerichten of Mercer Kitchen, Spice Market, and of course, Jean-Georges:

Total Time: 25 minutes Serves 10

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
3 large shallots, thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 thinly sliced basil leaves
10 medium tomatoes (3 lbs), sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 large ripe mangoes - sliced, pitted, and sliced 1/4 inch thick

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar with the olive oil; season with salt. Add the shallots and 1 cup of the basil and toss well. Arrange the tomatoes on a platter and top with the mango slices. Drizzle with the dressing, garnish with the remaining 1 cup of basil and serve.

And of course, my favorite part of any meal - the dessert! Mini-Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecakes to be specific. This was so tasty and if you like nutella, you will love these bad boys. Easy to prepare ahead and store for the next day, and super cute... especially if you are having a cocktail party and need little mini-foods for your guests. I served this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream:

Total Times: 40 minutes Serves 12

INGREDIENTS:
15 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (i.e Oreos)
2 tablespoons raw or roasted hazelnuts, skinned ( I couldn't find hazelnuts so I skipped this)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup hazelnut chocolate spread, preferably Nutella
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons mini-chocolate chips (I used Dark Chocolate)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Spray the liners with vegetable oil spray.
In a food processor, combine the cookies, hazelnuts and butter and process to very fine crumbs. Divide the crumbs among the cups and, using a flat-bottomed glass, press on the crumbs to compact them. Bake for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, wipe out the food processor bowl. Add the cream cheese, Nutella, sour cream, eggs and sugar and puree until smooth. Spoon the filling into the cups until it nearly reaches the top; there may be a few tablespoons of leftover batter. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheesecakes have risen and the surfaces are lightly cracked. Let the cheesecakes cool slightly, then transfer the muffin tin to a rack and freeze for 10 minutes, until the cheesecakes are slightly cooled. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

And there you have it my friends -dinner party edition II. I'll be having another one shortly - any suggestions? I was going to do a shabu-shabu type dinner, breakfast for dinner, or all appetizer dinner. Let me know if you have any suggestions for recipes or meals!

Happy Birthday to Me

2009-01-14T00:12:00.002-05:00

I guess my 26th birthday marks my official journey in Food - this blog, the FCI Classes, and my dad even got me an amazing SLR digital camera to enhance my Food Photography.

Let's see where I am a year from now...hopefully not here (DORKFEST 2008):

First Day at FCI

2009-01-11T22:56:00.003-05:00

So as some of you know I started my course at FCI on Saturday, bright and early at 9:30am. Everyone put on their Chefs outfits which include a Chef's jacket, these dorked out drawstring checkered pants, an apron, a neckerchief (yikes), and a skull cap which made all the girls look like 12 year old boys. I looked super dorky... it was amazing.

In any case, our instructor was Chef Justin who was tall and gorg (future husband, thanks?), and coincidentally very talented. We were given an AMAZING kit with great quality knives, tongs, thermometers, whisks.. .pretty much everything we could ever need. The best part is that these are ours to keep so it saves me the trouble from having to go out and be confused in the kitchen section at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

The class was 5 hours long and there was a TON of information to retain. Everyone got their own station and most of the class was taught at the demo station where we were shown basic knife skills on vegetables and proper cooking techniques. All the terminology was in french and since luckily I speak french, it wasn't that hard to keep up.

Our first dish was a medley of garden vegetables - not exactly an exotic recipe but was great practice for how to cook veggies properly. I was most excited about cleaning and prepping artichokes which completely intimidated me prior to the lesson. You basically strip off the leaves, cut off half the stem, use your paring knife to get rid of the dark green around the base, and split the remain choke into quarters, removing the little hairs inside of the veggie. To keep it from discoloring, we rubbed it in lemon... then TADA! It was done!

We also learned about tournage which is a french taillage and basically the bane of culinary students' existences. You basically use your paring knife to get your vegetable into a football like shape - one of my fellow students definitely cut himself while trying to master this technique. Really not easy. In the picture at the bottom of this post, the zucchinis on the side are turned so you can get an idea of what a really shitty job of tournage looks like.

Another cool skill we learned was how to make tomato concasse. Basically what that means is a peeled, seeded, and diced tomato. A trick I learned for peeling tomatoes was to place an criss-cross incision at the bottom of the tomato, toss it in boiling water for a few seconds, and then into ice cold water basically "shocking" the tomato out of it's skin. An awesome trick.

In any case, here is the result of the vegetable medley we created - be very proud of me!

My favorite food ever : Carrot Cake

2009-01-11T13:30:00.002-05:00

If I was stranded on a dessert island with only 3 things, it would probably be James Franco, my DVR, and Carrot Cake. I make this about once a year at home where my mom has a ton of great baking equipment.

I'm not sure if its the delicious cream cheese frosting, the cinnamon, or walnuts (I'm nuts about NUTS!) but Carrot Cake is my FAAAAAAVORITE thing ever. I want it to be my wedding cake and when I make this, it's usually gone in like 3 days (at the expense of my daily caloric intake). Thought I'd share the recipe and spread the love..

This recipe has no raisins cause there is nothing i find more disgusting than raisins. I've had a lot of carrot cake in my day, but this is by far the best recipe:

Carrot Cake

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded carrots (about 5 medium)
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottoms and sides of one 13x9 inch pan or two 8 or 9 inch round pans with shortening ; lightly flour. In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar, oil, and eggs with electric mixer on low speed about 30 seconds or until blended. Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the salt; beat on low speed 1 minute. Stir in carrots and nuts. Pour into pan(s).

2. Bake 13x9 inch pan for 40-45 minutes, round pans 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely (about 1 hour).

3. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, milk, and vanilla with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. Frost 13x9 inch cake or fill and frost round layers with frosting. Store in refrigerator.

Thats the recipe as is but I add more walnuts on the side of the cake for decoration and also because, well, walnuts are delicious.

Try this!

2009 Culinary Resolutions (that I probably won't keep)

2009-01-02T23:41:00.003-05:00

So instead of resolving that I will lose 10 lbs (very unlikely), I'm going to make some culinary/cooking resolutions that will probably last a few months, tops:

1) Host a dinner party at least once every month
2) Learn to not be afraid of knives
3) Order take-out less, cook new foods more
4) Pretend to not have a crush on Rocco DiSpirito anymore

I'll keep you guys posted on my unrealistic goals.

Vegan 2.0 : Angelica Kitchen Review

2008-12-30T20:54:00.005-05:00

Living in New York within close proximity of the Hipsters AND hailing from the hippy-esque Pitzer College, it was inevitable that Vegan food would inevitably find it's way into my diet at some point. Our cafeteria used to serve us inedible vegan gunk which resembled Elmer's Glue... bad experience. On the other hand, they also had the beautiful Grove House which had the tastiest, moistest (is that a word?) Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies imaginable (need to get that recipe.. will post soon).

My roommate from College came to visit - she loves things like Lentils, Trader Joe's, and legitimately enjoys eating things like brussel sprouts, so of course I took her to Angelica Kitchen to try it out.

I'm not sure if it was because it was particularly cold that day, but as soon as we walked in I felt a was transported into a cozy cabin that just happened to be super vegan. From a quick glance at the menu, Angelica's uses sustainable, plant-based, and seasonal ingredients with no dairy, eggs, animal products, preservatives, or refined-sugar. This may not sound delicious, but as a fellow carnivore, I can honestly say that if I was doing a blind test, I probably wouldn't know the difference.

Seeing as it was cold and I was in a skirt and tights, I opted for their Dashi and Noodles to warm me up. This hearty broth was filled with shiitake mushrooms, kombu (a type of seaweed), fresh ginger, and shoyu, as well as warm soba noodles. The soup was surprisingly filling even though the portion looked relatively small.

I also tried their Cranberte beverage which was cranberry juice (not cocktail... take that Ocean Spray), kukicha tea, and apple cider. It was DELICIOUS and could be served hot or cold ( I chose cold).

My roommate got one of their specials (which really are updated daily - yeah, I DO check) .. although I don't remember exactly what she got, it was a crepe filled with a bunch of delicious vegan-ness and a side of cranberry-esque sauce. I tried it and it was definitely better than my dish - here's a picture of her and her food:

Hey! You can see my Cranberte in there... doesn't that look divine?

The only super annoying thing about Angelica is that they don't accept Credit Cards, only Cash... I hate restaurants that do that. I'm always like.. what Century do you think we're living in?!

Anyway my official ratings for this restaurant are below:

Ambiance: 4/5 stars
Food: 4/5 stars - For Vegan food, this was pretty delicious
Service: 3/5 stars - Waiter was entirely too sarcastic (I really couldn't tell if he was kidding half the time) and another -1 for their lack of a credit card machine
Overall: 3.5 stars

Baby's First Dinner Party

2008-12-29T20:05:00.013-05:00

Awhile back, I hosted my first dinner party... EVER. I never anticipated ever having the desire to host anything, let alone feeding 5 of my friends so needless to say, shopping was a bitch since I had no ingredients (nope, not even sugar),

I tried to plan my menu carefully as to not overwhelm both my amateur cooking and hosting skills. Here are some tips:

- Pick an entree that can pretty much cook itself (minimal prep time and long cook time without supervision)
- Use Crowd Pleasers foods or as I like to call them, food with cheese and/or chocolate
- Distract everyone with tons of alcohol

I employed all these tactics and chose the following menu from my favorite food magazine Food and Wine:

Entree:

LEEK MACARONI AND CHEESE

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 bunch leek greens (from 1 1/2 lb leeks) - thinly sliced
Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 cups half and half or whole milk (I used non-fat half and half which tasted great)
10 ounces Manchego Cheese (shredded, about 2 1/2 cups)
1 lb elbow macaroni

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. Add the leeks and cook over high heat, stirring just until slightly wilted, 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until very tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and cook over moderately high heat, whisking, for 2 minutes. Add the half-and-half and bring to a boil, whisking until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add 2 cups of the cheese, season with salt and pepper and whisk the cheese sauce until melted.
In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the macaroni until nearly al dente. Drain well. Add the macaroni and the cheese sauce to the leek greens and stir until combined.
Transfer the macaroni to an 8-by-11-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake for about 40 minutes, until bubbling. Turn the broiler on and broil the mac and cheese until golden brown on top, about 3 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Served with:

SPINACH AND AVOCADO SALAD

3/4 lb Thick Cut Bacon
3 tablespoons honey mustard
Kosher Salt and freshly ground Pepper
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 5-ounce bags pre-washed baby spinach
1 pint Grape Tomatoes, halved
3 large Scallions. white and tender parts, thinly sliced
2 large Haas Avocados, peeled and sliced into wedges

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 500°. Arrange the bacon slices on a large, heavy, rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes or until golden brown, turning the slices halfway through. Drain the bacon on paper towels and let cool, then cut the strips crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
In a small bowl, whisk the sherry vinegar with the honey mustard and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
In a bowl, toss the spinach, tomatoes and scallions with the vinaigrette. Arrange the salad on plates, top with the sliced avocados and bacon and serve.

RESULTS:
From the "yummies" I got around the table (table = coffee table and floor), it seemed like everyone liked it. People were inquiring what was in the dressing even though it was super simple ingredients, so this salad is a lot fancier than it seems. I added a little bit more crunch and texture by topping the salad with some crispy shallots.

The mac and cheese was great and made about 8 servings overall - I brought it to work the next day to share and it heated up in the microwave, no problemo. On a difficulty rating, this duo was probably a 5... not a lot of prep work, I just stuck the mac and cheese in the oven and worked on the salad.

Onto dessert which I feel like was a real home-run with both the guests and myself ... mostly cause it was the easiest thing ever to make...

DESSERT:

Banana-Chocolate Spring Rolls

2 medium Bananas
Eight 7 1/2 inch square spring roll wrappers
1 egg white, lightly beaten
32 semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate...mmm....)
8 teaspoons shredded and sweetened coconut
Vegatable Oil (for frying)
Confectioners ' sugar and cocoa, for dusting (I skipped this part and plated using fresh raspberries and a chocolate smear)

DIRECTIONS:

Cut each banana in half lengthwise and halve each piece crosswise. Work with 1 wrapper at a time; cover the rest with a damp paper towel. Lay 1 wrapper on a work surface and lightly brush the edge with beaten egg white. Place a banana quarter 2 inches from the bottom of the wrapper and top it with 4 chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon of coconut. Fold the bottom edge over the filling and roll up 1 complete turn. Fold in the sides and continue rolling to form a tight cylinder. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
In a medium saucepan, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 350°. Add 2 spring rolls at a time and fry until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels. Dust the spring rolls with the sugar and cocoa and serve.

RESULTS:
As I mentioned, this was super popular and it made me happy cause it was cinchy. I served it with coconut sorbet (one of my favorite desserts solo). The really awesome thing about this dessert was it didn't feel too heavy or too sweet. It was the perfect way to end the meal.

All in all, the hardest part about the whole dinner party was timing. Timing out when the guests would show up, getting all the prep work done, etc - that was my biggest challenge. I still haven't mastered it, so I have no hints but I'll keep you posted on what I learn in the future.

Big THANK YOU to all my culinary guinea pigs... thanks for eating my food and maybe pretending to like it..

40 Carrots Review - Bringing back the frequent yogurt card

2008-12-26T03:36:00.003-05:00

I decided there was a need to review one of my favorite places to eat "brunch" on Sunday... 40 Carrots on the 7th floor of Bloomingdales on 59th and Lex.

Now as reported by one of my food blog favorites Grub Street, there is a cold war launching in Manhattan (links to an amazing comparison of the different shops if you're interested) - yes that's right, I am endorsing this fro-yo pun because I've noticed the trend as well.

Never one to step down from eating frozen yogurt, I've tasted several of the competitors - Pinkberry, Red Mango, Flurt, Yolato, 16 Handles - but none of them even compare to that of 40 Carrots - for a mere $5 dollars, you can order their small (small = roughly the size of my abnormally large head) and for an additional $1 you can choose from a great topping bar.

The restaurant, which used to be located on the ground floor (aka. where the "biggies" shop) has now been completely re-done and moved upstairs to the 7th floor. While the service is still shitty, the Frozen Yogurt portions have doubled and so has the seating. A helpful hint for all single males looking for both Jappy and Waspy future-wives - 40 Carrots is swimming with single seated ladies with nothing to pay attention to but their yogurts.

My favorite yogurt combo is the plain (creamy not icy, perfectly tart and smooth) and coffee (a little on the sweet side but a great contrast to the tangy plain) ... SIDE BY SIDE (no swirl for me) and a huge side of walnuts, all served with a coffee in a plain white mug to head off the shivers.

If you want the best frozen yogurt in the city and are brave enough to handle the Bloomie's shoppers, 40 carrots is DEFINTELY the way to go.

Helpful hints:

- Bloomingdale's Soho also has a frozen yogurt set up on the 2nd floor tucked away behind the purses. They usually only have 2 flavors and about 5 tables, but there usually isn't a wait here.

- Make sure to pick up their frozen yogurt card - 8 stamps gets you a free yogurt! Woohoo!

French Culinary Institute.. yikes.

2008-12-20T13:32:00.005-05:00

I'm not sure if this is part of a quarter-life crisis tied in with my love to feed my belly and/or the Top Chef NY fanatic coming out in me, but I am officially enrolled in the French Culinary Institute in SoHo NYC. Yup - I'm doing it. I'm going to have get over my fear of knives somehow in the hopes of someday replicating Hung's crazy feverish deboning of like 12 chickens. That was intense.

Since I signed up, I've been hosting dinner parties for up to 7 people - for a total non-cook like myself, I practically worked myself into a tizzy from just making the salad. I'll be posting the results and some recipes and tips in the next few blogs, so look out for those.

In the meanwhile, please note that starting January 10th, this obsession with a) being on reality TV and b) becoming a "hot" chef begins...

Are you ready?

Hello and Welcome!

2008-10-03T11:47:00.000-04:00

If you're wondering what this blog is about, and why you're wasting your precious cyberspace time here, lemme clear things up for you.

This blog is the equivalent of the first round of American Idol auditions - the William Hung's of the food world who can't help but think they are meant to shoot for the stars even though reality tells them otherwise.

I decided to start this blog because people out there? They take their food very seriously - as they should. Food is not to be joked about - it's sestenance, but also, I guarantee that not one person on this earth can go a day without thinking about it. How many days have you spent in front of your computer, bored out of your mind and hungover as all hell - and all you can think about is a juicy burger and fries from the Shake Shake? You know, watching the live webcam and planning your lunch hour around how long the line is? Um, just me then?

In any case, with amazing Food blogs such as Serious Eats, Eater.com, and Grub Street - you have a wealth of knowledge at your feet about the best food and restaurants Manhattan has to offer. Combine that with the ever fascinating Food Network and I'm pretty sure you have everything you've ever wanted to know about food.

I'm hesitant to coin it as such, but this is food from a more novice level. I'm interested in discovering food. I still google certain ingredients/foods cause I have no idea what they are. I'm inviting the readers of this blog to learn with me. I may never be the next Anthony Bourdain or Mario Batali, but at least I can learn to make myself dinner once in awhile.

Second to my dream of becoming a world-reknown chef, I would love to be a food photographer. So expect there to be many pictures of things that I like to eat....

STAY TUNED!