tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43523878554003235722024-03-05T19:02:21.883-06:00The Culinary StudentI'm no professional chef. The closest I've gotten to it is culinary school, and I've never set foot inside a restaurant kitchen. So why does that make me an expert? It doesn't. I'm just an extreme foodie who loves to learn and loves to enjoy simple, delicious food. If it sounds like something you can enjoy, come along for the ride. We can learn together and make it an experience none of us will ever forget!KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-20509602429582476182012-03-31T17:01:00.000-05:002012-03-31T17:01:56.837-05:00Hello, Sunshine!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Spring is in the air. Can you feel it? <b><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">The explosion of blooming color, the emerald hues of bright, lush grass, the musical symphony of returning birds as they construct their nested homes for the upcoming summer. The way your skin feels warm and renewed by the sun. Magical.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I love this time of year. One of the things I love about living in Illinois is the seasons. Winter is a bit of a bummer for most Chicagoans, but we take full advantage of warm weather the second it comes around. We're all dusting off our gardening tools, starting up our tractors and pulling out old recipes that contain fresh fruits and vegetables to ring in the season.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When winter finally surrenders to the sun's renewing glow, it's time to celebrate all things sunny. To me, there is no better way to celebrate the season than by using lemons. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We are all aware that I am a fan of lemons (see my attempt at trying to grow a <a href="http://the-culinarystudent.blogspot.com/2011/01/adventures-of-lemony-snicket.html">lemon tree</a>), and they are usually one of the first things I pull out when I feel like it's time to enjoy something fresh and bright.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Today I decided to pull out a recipe that I used as part of my final exam for Mediterranean Cuisine class when I was in culinary school. It's a bright, clean and satisfyingly crunchy salad with lemon zest and juice as a tangy supporting role. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Shaved Fennel Salad</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 medium to large bulb of fennel (with fronds)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 lemon (try to pick one that is heavy for it's size, there's more juice that way)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (the real stuff whenever possible please)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 tsp olive oil<br />
Salt and pepper to taste</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGCMpIGYr8qhyphenhyphenPDb6T_ImC0vN8ZT9vDHTKtz_kSNxW1uraNtev7YhjQRSZZ6m4Mj3EfJ9LmBUIgl3kRzeL62aFH5VKjsxU4kyD33olreCqQhZYs7FKQ0yE8EpF8BiBLFVxscHZzPZuc-V/s1600/fennel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGCMpIGYr8qhyphenhyphenPDb6T_ImC0vN8ZT9vDHTKtz_kSNxW1uraNtev7YhjQRSZZ6m4Mj3EfJ9LmBUIgl3kRzeL62aFH5VKjsxU4kyD33olreCqQhZYs7FKQ0yE8EpF8BiBLFVxscHZzPZuc-V/s200/fennel.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Rinse the fennel in cold water and pat dry. Cut the top fronds off just above the bulb and set aside (we'll use the fronds later).<span style="color: #8e7cc3;"> <b>Cut the bulb in half from top to bottom. Inside, you'll see a core right at the base. Use your knife to essentially cut an "A" to remove the core (see image on the left). </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here's where you need some specialized equipment. I like my fennel to be nice and thin, so I use my mandolin slicer. You can also use a cutting disk from your food processor, or you can do it by hand if you are particularly good. If you're nervous about using a knife to cut super thin slices, don't worry about it. Just cut them as thin as you can. Once the fennel is shaved, add some ice to a bowl and add water. Then toss in the shaved fennel. <b><span style="color: #76a5af;">The idea behind this is first to help remove that really intense fennel flavor (which tastes a lot like anise, or licorice), and second to make this fennel super duper crunchy.</span></b> Let this sit for about five minutes, or as long as it takes you to do the next steps.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Use your lemon-zester and zest the entire lemon. Don't have one? Use a veggie peeler to remove </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">just</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the outside zest and then chop super fine with your knife. Be patient, you want it pretty small. Or just go to the freakin' hardware store and get a zester, sheesh. Once the lemon is zested, cut the lemon in half and squeeze into a bowl over your other hand to be sure you catch any seeds. Take the fennel out of the water (discarding any ice that may linger) and give it a spin in a salad spinner. Don't have one (</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">jeeze, what DO you have</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">)? Set the fennel on some paper towels and let drain. Or put it on a kitchen towel, close it up and give it a spin. It's fun! It's not fun, though, really. Just get a salad spinner. Once the fennel is relatively dry, add it to a bowl. Then add the rest of your ingredients. Mix together, sprinkle in some torn fennel fronds and shave on that 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b style="color: #e69138;">Bright, clean, refreshing, crunchy. This salad has it all. It's definitely a winner winner chicken dinner.</b> Some people like to add parsley to the salad, just to add a different layer of green. Your choice. It's a great side dish or salad for a picnic. It stays crunchy even for long events (no longer than 3-4 hours please, sanitation is important!) as long as you keep the serving bowl over some ice.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Celebrate the season, and enjoy this delicious taste of Spring!</b></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(Thanks to greenlemonade.com for the fennel picture and sallypasleyvargas.com for the lemon bowl picture. Nice job! Grazie grazie!)</span></div></div></div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-46582307136047256822012-02-18T13:54:00.003-06:002017-06-01T10:52:06.689-05:00Going Green<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Everyone knows the phrase "Going Green", and I only mean it here in a half "Going Green" way. More on that in a second.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today, I decided I wanted something bright, light and, well, green! I have been holding onto Alton's Edamame Dip for quite some time now without ever really trying it before. Most of the time when I post about something, I usually give it multiple goes before I actually commit to blogging about it. In this case, I made an exception because it was so simple, and in most cases you already have what you need if you are an edamame fan.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88A1qQyd_M2xMTOr7JYP5Tq67I2dAa8piFJsth8O_d__kaBKc_FcsQE9BU8aJLsEnBuquCw2I0-yYDgKIIPuhjm8Q9oqVhieCeN6HvF3265HKtAdaGnlMgg8oE9QSELehe4_arBgvjYtb/s1600/Soy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Soy beans" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="660" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88A1qQyd_M2xMTOr7JYP5Tq67I2dAa8piFJsth8O_d__kaBKc_FcsQE9BU8aJLsEnBuquCw2I0-yYDgKIIPuhjm8Q9oqVhieCeN6HvF3265HKtAdaGnlMgg8oE9QSELehe4_arBgvjYtb/s320/Soy.jpg" title="Edamame" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First, a brief interlude about the importance of soy protein. I am lactose intolerant, and I swear by soy milk. If you haven't tried it (even if you're not lactose intolerant) give it a go. It's so good for your body. <b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">It's one of life's few complete plant proteins with all the essential amino acids your body needs.</span></b> Amino acids have oxygen, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen, all of which are super important building blocks for maintaining your body. <span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><b>Soy also contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential to your diet because your body can't make them!</b></span> I won't bore you with more detail than that, but bottom line is that you need amino acids and omegas in your diet, and soy has it! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Alton (and Kristin's) Edamame Dip</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">14 oz (two </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">16oz bags</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> in-the-shell) of edamame</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/4 cup roughly diced onion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro or parsley leaves</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 large sliced garlic clove</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 tablespoon of brown miso (optional, really, I don't even taste it in mine)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon (minimum) of kosher salt or to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon red chili paste (this just brings heat, so feel free to use red pepper flake if you don't have this)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Freshly ground pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A couple drops of sesame oil (optional, don't go overboard! It's strong stuff!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5 tablespoons (minimum) of olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our journey begins with two frozen 16 oz (1lb) bags of in-the-shell edamame, which ends up being just over 14 oz of shelled soy beans (we'll get to why we're using in the shell in a minute). Start by following the instructions on the bag for thawing. I put two bags in the microwave for 6 minutes on high, or until they were warm enough to handle without being too hot. Some parts of the bag were still frozen, this is not a big deal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Put a pot of water on to boil (enough to handle all the deshelled edamame you've got, I used a 2.5 quart saucepan filled 2/3 of the way up with water) and add about a tablespoon or so of salt. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">De-shell your edamame, and do not discard the shells! (I'm getting to it, I swear!) Once they're de-shelled, drop them into the boiling water and bring back to a boil. Allow to boil for 2-3 minutes, then drain and dump the green gems into a food processor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Add the rest of the ingredients, except the olive oil, and pulse for several seconds. Scrape down the sides. Then, turn the food processor on and drizzle in the olive oil. Let it go until it's thick and just slightly chunky (but not big chunks). Give it a taste. I added more lime juice and salt to mine, but your's may be good as it is. Its a great recipe for this time of year because I am starting to desperately miss warm weather, and this is a nice, bright reminder that it's not too far off. Plus, it's like, ridiculously healthy for you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">As for those shells...well, you got a compost pile don'tcha? Don't throw them out, they are gardening gold! Same goes for the papery stuff that came off the onion you just chopped, and those limes!</span></b> Get them into your compost pile for the upcoming planting season. You'll be rewarded with wormy, composty goodness for your little plants. Its just the nutritional boost they need to get started, and you'll feel better because you're not contributing so much waste to your local landfill, right? Go green! =)<br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For more information on the nutritional benefits, and warnings (because some people may be allergic to soy products), visit the following websites:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://nccam.nih.gov/health/soy/ataglance.htm" target="blank">National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/soy/NS_patient-soy" target="blank">Mayo Clinic</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.foodallergy.org/page/soy-allergy" target="blank">Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">Also, here's Alton's original recipe in case you're interested in seeing the difference (there's also a video for how to make the recipe):</span> <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/edamame-dip-recipe/index.html" target="blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Edamame Dip</span></a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Thanks to clinuvel.com for the lovely picture of the soybeans in a bowl! Grazie!</span></div>
KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-49275929863059760962011-09-24T16:38:00.001-05:002011-09-26T10:30:24.182-05:00Apple Picking - Edward's Orchard<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Ahh fall...what a perfect season.</span></b> Crisp air, bright beautiful leaves, pumpkins, hayrides, and perfect red orbs of culinary deliciousness known as apples.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">Yesterday was the first day of fall, and I thought it would only be right to ring in the season with some apple picking.</span></b> My close buddies and I drove out to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/edwards-apple-orchard-poplar-grove">Edward's Orchard</a> in Poplar Grove, Illinois. It was my first time apple picking as every year something else got in the way. This year I was determined, and despite a rather large fire drill from work that forced me to spend some time checking my e-mails and making phone calls, I was able to enjoy myself and the beautiful weather we had yesterday.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The way this orchard works is by driving your car around the orchard following the signs until you get to where you see the bushel baskets. This is where you can pick apples.<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;">For those of you who love apples, you will be in apple heaven because they only sell apples by the bushel (unless you buy them in the store, but they are much more expensive).</span></b> There is a $30.00 minimum (sounds like a lot, but you wouldn't believe how many apples you get for that price), and they make great gifts for family and friends. There were a couple friends of ours who couldn't make it, so I set some apples aside for them to have.</span><br />
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</span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMYDzvYNjnndCiruMXbphG5Mjj0BrnHQ4N5dW8_IEc4rPaAbcIfEClh1tGw536R8C3M8aqCcJaU1tPjH8PbqxK7hDzh1oCLEnMcazzJ4Z_IrFHoR96Hktqi_D0cvJesCyuo2EjuZSzCEs/s1600/DSCF0650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMYDzvYNjnndCiruMXbphG5Mjj0BrnHQ4N5dW8_IEc4rPaAbcIfEClh1tGw536R8C3M8aqCcJaU1tPjH8PbqxK7hDzh1oCLEnMcazzJ4Z_IrFHoR96Hktqi_D0cvJesCyuo2EjuZSzCEs/s320/DSCF0650.JPG" width="240" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's sort of a magical place there. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Everything feels like it moves a lot slower, the area is just so beautiful, and the air is so fragrant with the smell of perfect fruit. It's amazing. </span></b>The store is very country and they carry some pretty unique items. I found organic chili spiced pumpkin seeds which were total heaven (sprinkle them on your salad sometime), delicious squeaky cheese curds, pumpkin fudge (oh yes I did) and pure, unfiltered honey. Oh. Em. Gee. You could spend hours looking around that shop and you still wouldn't see everything in it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now, I am pretty sure that you don't need any culinary suggestions from me as far as what to make with apples (<a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/dutch-apple-pie-with-oatmeal-streusel/detail.aspx">Dutch Apple Pie with Oatmeal Streusel</a>, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/10-minute-apple-sauce-recipe/index.html">10 Minute Apple Sauce</a>, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/apple-cider-doughnuts-recipe/index.html">Apple Cider Doughnuts</a>, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/warren-brown/apple-cobbler-recipe/index.html">Apple Cobbler</a>...), however, I am going to suggest one snacky-style dish that I can't get enough of:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsi59oO1N7QNbp5OaOB4JvRbUo04sXODZLxw4ZeVvfI1ew-oBOy2n9VzOwbYxeeDDRq1FN1dNQaDUws0m7aZxi8Oi6x6QTsenpNBNrytBkNd_TZJHiangaaZm3Y3ZNCnmiH3yTVOLtJGY/s1600/DSCF0639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsi59oO1N7QNbp5OaOB4JvRbUo04sXODZLxw4ZeVvfI1ew-oBOy2n9VzOwbYxeeDDRq1FN1dNQaDUws0m7aZxi8Oi6x6QTsenpNBNrytBkNd_TZJHiangaaZm3Y3ZNCnmiH3yTVOLtJGY/s320/DSCF0639.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cut up apple into slices, removing the core. Cut thin slices of brie cheese. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">Lay the brie on top of the sliced apple and drizzle with <a href="http://the-culinarystudent.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-heart-bees.html">honey</a>. At this point you can bake it (or nuke it, but I'd nuke it before putting on the honey) if you'd like it to be slightly warm and the cheese to be gorgeously runny, or you can eat it as is, nice and cold and crisp.</span></b> Your call, but my only suggestion is that you should slice the brie when it's cold, you'll find the going is much easier. Also, if you're planning on making this for a party, squeeze a little lemon juice on the apple slices to keep them from turning brown. Oooh, you could also pile the goodness on top of some pre-toasted crostini for a little bit more crunch. Either way, it's a big hit, and I honestly can't imagine a better snack. So freakin' good.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As they have particular seasons, not every apple at Edward's Orchard is available for picking at the same time. So, if you're looking to pick a certain variety give the nice folks at the orchard a call (815.765.2234) to find out the pick of the day. They also have blackberry and raspberry bushes you can pick yourself too. YUM!!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>P.S. I planned to take a picture of the snack I made, but I ate it too fast...sorry...</b></span></div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-90860000162929809852011-07-06T21:57:00.000-05:002017-06-01T10:54:26.263-05:00Sneaky Sneaky<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I didn't see it coming.<br />
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It snuck up on me, creeping in with ninja-esque skill. Last time I checked I hadn't quite decided, but now I am sure. This jedi-mind trick quietly changed my subconscious before leaking slowly into regular consciousness.<br />
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<b>I don't think I can tell you exactly when it happened. One minute I have my night all planned out, and the next...I'm autotuning Bitchin' Kitchen.</b></div>
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Yeah. I know. If you are a fan of this blog, you will remember that I had touched on this subject before (<a href="http://the-culinarystudent.blogspot.com/2011/02/not-sure-how-i-feel-about-that.html">Not Sure How I Feel About That...</a>). Tonight, I actually scoured the program guide specifically for Bitchin' Kitchen.<br />
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Yes, it totally weirded me out at first, and I still think that sometimes it sounds like Nadia is trying to talk around a brick in her throat. But for some reason, this has become one of the most entertaining food shows on TV today.<br />
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<b>While I am terrified of putting this in writing because I fear this will come back to haunt me someday...I will say that I am currently enjoying this show more than Good Eats.</b></div>
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Wait, do you hear that? Must be the sound of hell freezing over.<br />
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We all know of my ridiculous crush on Alton Brown, but the trouble is...he's not as entertaining as he was when he was still, you know...fluffy.<br />
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Anyway, I said currently, because CURRENTLY, I am enjoying B.K. more. AB's shows just don't have that Monty Pythonish humor that I so adored when I first began watching him. If you look at my favorite tv chef personalities, they are mostly people who haven't changed styles over the years. Take Jamie Oliver. His show has been earthy and rustic from the get go. Something I absolutely loved about him. No fussing around, just great simple stuff. But Alton...I'm beginning to fear that all the weight you lost was in that brilliant brain of yours...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiea5kS7wtGLbhOsKS7GvkZCzAYYNkAaZziTG03N27Q86C2ss7ZdHXKHy0rZLWAopRsmN0ys0rKVShRW65hoiIBv8XG3-qjLFoQQBdz_UhP4TGXPPgGA16uM2buRqBCGMGh_rDFOlVBdOqP/s1600/BK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nadia G" border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiea5kS7wtGLbhOsKS7GvkZCzAYYNkAaZziTG03N27Q86C2ss7ZdHXKHy0rZLWAopRsmN0ys0rKVShRW65hoiIBv8XG3-qjLFoQQBdz_UhP4TGXPPgGA16uM2buRqBCGMGh_rDFOlVBdOqP/s200/BK.jpg" title="Bitchin Kitchen" width="200" /></a>So, Nadia is sorta filling in that need for now. <b style="color: #3d85c6;">Her ridiculous sets, psychotic cast of characters, questionable wardrobe choices (like some of her shoes...o.m.g), and her break-the-mold approach to a cooking show, she's got something going on. Not sure that I can put my finger on what it is, but I like it.</b> Don't get me wrong, I am still holding out hope that Alton will pack on a few pounds and return to being that lovable dork complete with puppets, quick dry humor and visual aids that made me swoon my swooners off. He better get off this tangent he's on quickly, because Nadia is a chick, and frankly, this is weirding me out.<br />
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If you haven't watched her show yet, give her a gander. She's on most nights at 9:00 central. I haven't tried her recipes yet, but dadgummit, sometimes I just want to be entertained! Sheesh!<br />
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(Side story, I love my blog's spellcheck. I went with "dadgummit" because I wanted to tone down the swearing, but it doesn't like the spelling. So I right click to check how it wanted me to spell it, and it came up with "dammit". So, I laughed to my literary self, knowing that truthfully there is no escape from swearing, as in the effort to not swear, I found it important enough to tell this little anecdote which involved me putting the swear in anyway. Insert heavy sigh.)<br />
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Check out Bitchin' Kitchen on Cooking Channel!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Thanks to i2.squidoocdn.com for the picture of Nadia and the voodoo doll. I think this sums her up, don't you?</span></div>
KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-66650474840530610622011-07-02T16:55:00.012-05:002014-10-01T08:20:59.894-05:00I Heart Bees<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yep. Bees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That's all. What? Yes, bees! <b style="color: #6fa8dc;">It's not enough to just love bees because they're awesome? </b>There has to be some reason I'm writing this blog other than the fact that I just love them? Oh, you want an explanation? Ok, fine, I'll give you an explanation:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Let's start with facts, shall we?</span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcabZr967n6HJOQdOSxWPVJuLdrYwLQx7DHrhYJNapg3cu2P-z9BLNm1pLjNpHue_sZ7iguEriPVRApNUGy46iwMtr01ywyU5KhANZHGq6IAjVRcREpYbZQvUNL_veoERbhj5yxTjMvSxc/s1600/walnut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcabZr967n6HJOQdOSxWPVJuLdrYwLQx7DHrhYJNapg3cu2P-z9BLNm1pLjNpHue_sZ7iguEriPVRApNUGy46iwMtr01ywyU5KhANZHGq6IAjVRcREpYbZQvUNL_veoERbhj5yxTjMvSxc/s200/walnut.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1.</span> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The U.S Forest Service Website </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(<a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/insectbasics.shtml">fs.fed.us</a>) states that "bees, beetles, and butterflies POLLINATE our gardens and crops, making possible such foods as chocolate, nuts, and most fruits."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2.</span> "Almost 80% of the 1,400 crop plants grown around the world that produce all of our food and plant-based industrial products require pollination by animals." (<a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/factsheets.shtml">fs.fed.us</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">3.</span> Flowering plants provide oxygen, and help to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (<a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/environmental.shtml">fs.fed.us</a>). No pollination, no flowering plants, no oxygen. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsGIA7wYZ_qLXlFXb8ZpUo-IUO-EGxaLJRjRh1iW3WWmj2Cro9qbfoIKadjWPNKWqEAzQJHpHIJX14x0VfRVcy8MRfohryQoMO0VZol2igd4lFwmZLONyAD9CnzR9TTrdn2AwVISkul8T/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsGIA7wYZ_qLXlFXb8ZpUo-IUO-EGxaLJRjRh1iW3WWmj2Cro9qbfoIKadjWPNKWqEAzQJHpHIJX14x0VfRVcy8MRfohryQoMO0VZol2igd4lFwmZLONyAD9CnzR9TTrdn2AwVISkul8T/s1600/2.jpg" height="109" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">4.</span> "Today 1,000 of the 1,330 plants grown for food, beverages, fibers, condiments, [spices], and medicines depend on pollinators to help them reproduce and develop healthy, viable seeds and fruits" (<a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/cultural.shtml">fs.fed.us</a>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">5.</span> More than 150 food crops in the U.S. depend on pollinators, including almost all fruit and grain crops (<a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/cultural.shtml">fs.fed.us</a>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Should I keep going? Fine!</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">6.</span> "The abundance of four common species of bumblebee in the US has dropped by 96% in just the past few decades, according to the most comprehensive national census of the insects." (<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/03/bumblebees-study-us-decline">guardian.co.uk</a>)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6YAr_zVgTck4f8AXCQcHML4dzgyveAJk0584bcIdNMXTfp1jDRDBslwcj5rk9HkbHtAHtbIqj-nbfal2hHRCfVIIP1Gd58eRxAcFrE4JLFjVdCS5-bsjWB7iZCyAlJGJwlJe4Kvfmz9n/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6YAr_zVgTck4f8AXCQcHML4dzgyveAJk0584bcIdNMXTfp1jDRDBslwcj5rk9HkbHtAHtbIqj-nbfal2hHRCfVIIP1Gd58eRxAcFrE4JLFjVdCS5-bsjWB7iZCyAlJGJwlJe4Kvfmz9n/s1600/1.jpg" height="137" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">7.</span> "Factors which could contribute to declines include: improper use of pesticides and herbicides; habitat fragmentation, loss, and degradation causing a reduction of food sources and sites for mating, nesting, roosting, and migration; aggressive competition from non-native species; disease, predators, and parasites; <b style="color: #6aa84f;">climate change</b>; and lack of floral diversity." (<a href="http://pollinator.org/nappc/pollinators.htm">pollinator.org</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">8.</span> "The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that about one-third of the human diet is derived from insect-pollinated plants and that the honey bee is responsible for 80 percent of this pollination." (<a href="http://www.ebeehoney.com/Pollination.html">ebeehoney.com</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">9.</span> When two different species coexist in a mutually beneficial way (such as plants providing fruits that give animals vitamins in exchange for an animal brushing up against it, gathering pollen, and transferring it to another plant to fertilize), this is called mutualism. This harmonized relationship has existed for centuries, and is one we should be nurturing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZuVVBApEJfoOlvzAPdDyCcGr-ogm7Y_qrZNYxiY3uDXClOrY8p8oOBbfUt60dyM3Y8Nzv8FzOpLlhFxbcBcIKan32ifgLSB0FBJwq_jWU2_p3PpdV4cBTBWwN5gn8uoXzjMCm57-agIm/s1600/comb+honey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZuVVBApEJfoOlvzAPdDyCcGr-ogm7Y_qrZNYxiY3uDXClOrY8p8oOBbfUt60dyM3Y8Nzv8FzOpLlhFxbcBcIKan32ifgLSB0FBJwq_jWU2_p3PpdV4cBTBWwN5gn8uoXzjMCm57-agIm/s200/comb+honey.jpg" height="200" width="170" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">10.</span> Honey helps burns heal faster, helps suppress a cough from that cold that just won't go away, local honey has been proven to help with local allergies, and "Manuka honey is surprisingly adept at killing the [Methicillin-resistant Staph aureus] bug." (<a href="http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/articles/2008/10/08/5-health-benefits-from-bees-and-5-that-call-for-caution">health.usnews.com</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So why am I pointing them out? Because they aren't doing so hot. Several of the factors listed in 7. are causing bees to die out in rapid fashion. This is bad news Bears. Can you imaging what would happen to the U.S. food crops without a strong pollinator like bees? What about the Staph bug running amok in major cities? Not. Cool.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I love them. And you should too if you know what's good for ya. Whether it's related to our food supply, fighting disease, or just plain enjoying the honey they produce, bees are as important to our ecosystem as oxygen.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX4jpqAYWnVyQtNORf7LmyPJJ40QNgUmGVRKac_nke-16lZPtKjY6oxmlNKWnKNKlMAfiofcTJ0Ro7TQmGwAI5kIASwQdCfFkfmttNsON8rGTY29lHiUsWmIy5BXvAmnhyLC5LUU6uVLI/s1600/honey-bee.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX4jpqAYWnVyQtNORf7LmyPJJ40QNgUmGVRKac_nke-16lZPtKjY6oxmlNKWnKNKlMAfiofcTJ0Ro7TQmGwAI5kIASwQdCfFkfmttNsON8rGTY29lHiUsWmIy5BXvAmnhyLC5LUU6uVLI/s320/honey-bee.png" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So the next time you decide to spray Raid into the nearest hive or call a pest control specialist, contact your local beekeeper and ask whether or not these bees are essential to our ecosystem.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Charlie Wenk and Clyde Eggett are local beekeepers in the Chicago suburbs. Charlie harvests honey from his back yard and from several locations in the suburbs, and knows a thing or two about the benefits of bees. He is friends with my parents and has told them whenever they need help with bees he'd come out and give it a gander. Get yourself a Charlie or a Clyde to help you figure out whether or not your little buzzer buddies are friends or foes before you decide to run them out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For more about Charlie and Clyde, check out this article from <a href="http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/batavia/archive/x1729992335/How-sweet-it-is-Festival-of-the-Vine-features-fresh-honey-libations-from-around-world">mysuburbanlife.com</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Check out this list of beekeepers in Illinois: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Illinois beekeepers</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="color: #f1c232;">Or if you REALLY want to make a difference:</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHTT2vDJ_wQQKA_e84lBNx6a-d3BuxTzZBu04bV0XoNfTFyIUFUPso4ADY-zGDVlcaJ_nlmpFKG44vl2GDm2gnEmQzVMfILld3_zjDWKK4sKQhkFGSDt7jGCGOan8Urc7tZrX7lRF-5eP/s1600/2letitbee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHTT2vDJ_wQQKA_e84lBNx6a-d3BuxTzZBu04bV0XoNfTFyIUFUPso4ADY-zGDVlcaJ_nlmpFKG44vl2GDm2gnEmQzVMfILld3_zjDWKK4sKQhkFGSDt7jGCGOan8Urc7tZrX7lRF-5eP/s200/2letitbee.jpg" height="170" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Get acquainted with the folks over at <a href="http://www.2letitbee.com/?referrer=uscity.net">2 Let It Bee</a>, the Honey Bee Revitalization Project. This has got to be one of the coolest things I've ever seen. If you have extra land that you're not doing much with, contact these guys. They will use your land to play host to some honey bees. It's a small way to help do your part in revitalizing the worrisome drop of the bee population.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">SAVE THE BEES!!</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">"Sensitive to Bees" - Marzipan </span></b></span><b style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Thanks to townipproject09.wikispaces.com and </span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">thesleuthjournal.com for the bee pictures! Thanks to acreagelife.com for the walnut photo. Thanks to jayanti.com for the spice shot. And thanks to honeylocator.com for the gorgeous honey shot! Grazie mille!</span></div>
KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-15671815699130092962011-05-23T20:19:00.004-05:002011-05-23T20:27:46.442-05:00one fish, two fish. red fish, Big Fish<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b style="color: #e69138;">SURPRISE! I'm not dead!</b> Yeah yeah I know. It's been a while. I just started a new job a couple months ago, plus I've been swamped by holidays and family things and birthdays, my best friend just got married (congrats Booty Doo!) so, yeah. A little nuts.<br />
<div style="color: #8e7cc3;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;"><b>I have LOTS of things I want to talk about this summer, and I promise to be more proactive about posting them! For reals!</b></div><br />
First I want to start with one of the most unique, fresh, and flavorful restaurants I have had the pleasure of eating at. It's called <b style="color: #6aa84f;">Big Fish Grille</b>, and it's located in the Geneva Commons (1602 Commons Drive, Geneva, IL). We were there for my parent's birthdays last week (they were born 4 days apart...awww).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHaQtwLur8L6tf0C21yISon2-Y2r5Y4Ux7K7QllosUkrlZE83f1n6iiioRETegwW4Eb2lncxSYXVjDUhy22n2GPLqBgr-hMqvC7rAL4sVyPQzvbsodokFNOms4SjznB-MLPDHuztxUWH9d/s1600/DSCF0631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHaQtwLur8L6tf0C21yISon2-Y2r5Y4Ux7K7QllosUkrlZE83f1n6iiioRETegwW4Eb2lncxSYXVjDUhy22n2GPLqBgr-hMqvC7rAL4sVyPQzvbsodokFNOms4SjznB-MLPDHuztxUWH9d/s200/DSCF0631.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><b style="color: #45818e;">What's so great about it? How about the fact that they print their menus...DAILY.</b> I know! Isn't that awesome!? It's awesome because it means that whatever is freshest is what goes on the menu. Notice the date located at the top of the page. Our waiter told us that most of the seafood on their menu has been out of the water for a maximum period of 32 hours, which for us Illinoisians is about as fresh as we're likely to get without driving 1,000 miles in either direction with hopes of hitting a beach. Giggidy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbNksBilIlw1rE7lhCQppt9GeAh_milJs_nEBV6c2KoIk9rVj4rEnVy5XdkSTD3Qy95sXteuttE__WAQ_HDydXfgHOS8z_8wycJ9JD8TQKN7g0FRfyZD1EDcmvTq0i1TmrKsOLe00ENb5/s1600/DSCF0632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbNksBilIlw1rE7lhCQppt9GeAh_milJs_nEBV6c2KoIk9rVj4rEnVy5XdkSTD3Qy95sXteuttE__WAQ_HDydXfgHOS8z_8wycJ9JD8TQKN7g0FRfyZD1EDcmvTq0i1TmrKsOLe00ENb5/s320/DSCF0632.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Our family went a little nuts with the menu. We ordered a couple maki rolls which were really great, but my dad and I opted to try the Large Oyster Sampler which offered us two of each of the four oysters they offer at this bar. Yeah, four!! These tasty morsels were nestled on a plate of ice with cocktail sauce and vinegar sauce in the center. The four choices were Blue Point (Connecticut, by far my favorite), Kumamoto (British Columbia), Malpeque (Prince Edward Island), and Wellfleet (Cape Cod). Dad and I each tried one and they were all pretty spectacular. Clean and briny, plump and juicy. Perfectly oysterly delicious.<b style="color: #e69138;"> Unfortunately, we scarfed them down so fast I didn't get a chance to snap the photo before they were gone. Trust me when I say they were flippin' good.</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQR-IKXLhnsYb3P90OCwyNilPcpCTUiXjSm9iI0m-RiykGgdtR_8HIhE1_xknCRBv2KNQfd7gQlyXjWNeE8uJJ2Gb-d1mYgxJbN5F8k4jgGJTAMqAxFzW-EKUGM3dz-xsvhZRtYgY33k_/s1600/DSCF0636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQR-IKXLhnsYb3P90OCwyNilPcpCTUiXjSm9iI0m-RiykGgdtR_8HIhE1_xknCRBv2KNQfd7gQlyXjWNeE8uJJ2Gb-d1mYgxJbN5F8k4jgGJTAMqAxFzW-EKUGM3dz-xsvhZRtYgY33k_/s200/DSCF0636.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDG_ko6wxnmYhmRIqJUIfWO3wzTwgkaWo7OphV7rxjTmZEytgWJYU_8wS-dJitnSM_WWdUt871yyo9BB9oRvW9aI80XiUOZ05rJzR5vA0nQn1Y_QWs1FQaNGcr6vqbqrfI14WugllF8qf/s1600/DSCF0639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDG_ko6wxnmYhmRIqJUIfWO3wzTwgkaWo7OphV7rxjTmZEytgWJYU_8wS-dJitnSM_WWdUt871yyo9BB9oRvW9aI80XiUOZ05rJzR5vA0nQn1Y_QWs1FQaNGcr6vqbqrfI14WugllF8qf/s200/DSCF0639.JPG" width="200" /></a>Now...don't go judging me for choosing the dinner I picked. I realize I was at a fish place, but honestly, this sounded so good I seriously couldn't help myself. <b style="color: #6aa84f;">I love going to restaurants that have more options than just what they specialize in. You know that they aren't just a one trick dog, knowwhatImean?</b> So, I had the New Zealand Lamb Shank, which was the most incredible, fall-off-the-bone, pot roast style heaven on a plate. Seriously. So. Good. It had a real wine-y flavor and a super amount of sweetness. There were also bright sparks of lemon explosions that helped lighten this super rich dish. Complete with a bed of garlic smashed potatoes. Notice the photo on the left. That bone is cleaner than a bar of soap!! <b style="color: #f1c232;">Oh, and there was a little bit of marrow peaking out from the end of that bone which was almost better than the meat itself, so if you get this don't you go throwing it out or I'ma have to come teach you a lesson. </b><br />
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We also noticed that before the dinner rush hit, we saw the head chef peeking out from time to time to check on how all the tables were doing. We were right by the kitchen door, so he was watching us. My dad mentioned that he saw us sharing our dinners with each other and commenting on how amazing everything was. We ordered desserts (try the key lime pie, but only if you're a fan of the super tart because it is TARTY!) and the Chef stopped by to talk to our table. My parents informed him that I graduated culinary school last year and spent two weeks in Italy, so of course I was completely shy and awkward talking to the man who successfully created a restaurant I am sure to have as a favorite for a very long time.<br />
<div style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>OH! I almost forgot!!! Check out these amazing bar specials and deals straight from their menu:</b></div>Brewers Night Monday's - Enjoy any of our craft beers, bottles or 16oz. draft, for only $3<br />
Tropical Tuesday's - Sail into any specialty Rum drink for $4<br />
Wine down Wednesday's - Enjoy any bottle of wine from our list at 1/2 price!<br />
Martini Madness Thursday's - Any of our specialty martinis for only $5.<br />
Sunday Bloody Sunday (um, ok, any restaurant that references U2 is officially phantasmagorical) - Enjoy our signature Big Fish Bloody Mary's made with Absolute Peppar, our spicy mix and a jumbo shrimp $6<br />
AND<br />
Oysters, Oysters and MORE OYSTERS! $.50 oysters or 1/2 dozen oysters rockefeller $6 (in the bar only)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Big Fish Grille </a></span><br />
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SO yeah, go. GO NOW!! It's monday night, so get a beer! Go tomorrow and get some rum! OMG GO ON SUNDAY AND GET A BLOODY MARY AND SOME RAW OYSTERS!<br />
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Seriously. Get there. Immediately.</div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-22749865521563818782011-03-11T18:02:00.001-06:002011-03-13T14:22:04.166-05:00Best Mistake I Ever Made<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Normally when I go to the grocery store, I buy plain canned diced tomatoes for use in various applications (as you can see from my <a href="http://the-culinarystudent.blogspot.com/2010/06/pasta-party_25.html" target="blank">Pasta Party</a> blog). I usually have several stand-by recipes in my noggin of things I can do with them, from draining and using on bruschetta (yeah, that's right. I do it) to heating up with celery, carrots and onions as the beginning of my pasta sauce.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b style="color: #e69138;">However, a couple months back, I came home with garlic and onion canned diced tomatoes and went "SON OF A..."</b> No big deal you say? Well come on! It's not what I normally use! The onions and the garlic in it will totally throw off my recipe! I had everything down to exactly what I use, and I didn't even bother to check before I yanked it off the shelf! Dang it!!! So, I stuck it in a dark corner of my pantry, hoping if I forgot about it long enough it would disappear, or better, turn into the thing I actually meant to buy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was feeling sort of spontaneous today, which is a rare event for me -- I mostly stick to recipes that I know and can do well. I very rarely stray from that mode of thinking. Today, however, I looked at some old bread I had on the counter and went "Now what the hell am I going to do with this?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Those of you fans of Italians automatically raised your hands and shouted "PANZANELLA SALAD!" Oh yes, that had crossed my mind as well, and I even looked up some ideas, namely <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/panzanella-recipe/index.html" target="blank">Ina Garten's Panzanella</a> recipe. Looks good right? Definitely a potential, but I didn't have much on hand of what the recipe required.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">No, instead, I started thinking in terms of croutons...but not for use in a salad. One thing I absolutely love is that crunchy bread with melted cheese you get on top of french onion soup, but I didn't have beef stock which is needed for a really robust F.O.S. I had homemade chicken stock (which I'm going to walk you through soon, I promise! I have to do another test run to make sure that I didn't just get lucky the first time around).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So, I started shuffling around my kitchen, thinking about what else I had on hand that I could use in a soup-type application that would bring about a really tasty result.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What did I find?:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">french green beans</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">chicken stock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">romaine lettuce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">that ridiculous can of garlic, onion and diced tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">and some leftover bread.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yep, I threw it all in a pot. Well, I started out heating up my chicken stock. I think I probably had two cups worth. This recipe will make about twoish servings, depending on how hungry you are. I added the can of tomatoes, let that bubble away for a bit (it's always important to bring homemade chicken stock up to a boil and let it go for a couple minutes...just to kill off any lurking beasties). Then I cubed up my bread to nice big 1 inch cubes, tossed them in olive oil, sprinkled on some rosemary, oregano, sage, thyme <b style="color: #3d85c6;">(don't get huffy, this recipe will have NO MEASUREMENTS and you're just gonna have to deal!)</b> and tossed them into a 375-400 degree oven. Keep your eyes peeled on that bread, because golden brown and delicious goes to blackened sawdust quickly. Then I added the green beans and romaine lettuce to the bubbling soup.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yes, romaine lettuce to a soup. Yep. You heard right. When lettuces are cooked, they almost take on a cabbage-like consistency and flavor that is totally delicious. Betcha didn't know you could cook lettuce! Thanks for the tip, Jamie Oliver <b style="color: #6aa84f;">(can we get married now?)</b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sprinkle in some dried parsley and red pepper flake right at the end, and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper based on what you feel it needs. Then, take a handful of croutons and sprinkle on top of the soup. <b style="color: #e69138;">If you want to be AWESOME, grate some REAL parmesan cheese (you know, the kind that says "parmigiano-reggiano" on the rind. If it ain't got it, it ain't real!) at the end and drizzle with some really nice extra virgin olive oil to finish.</b> Bellissima!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Oh man, so good. When my creative juices aren't completely dry, I can really come up with some good stuff. The Italians have a name for this dish. Based on the research that I've done, they call it "Pappa al Pomodoro" (please correct if my research was misleading!), us Americans tend to think of it as "Tuscan Bread Soup". Whatever you call it, it's yum.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This recipe is mostly about taste. So, when you're making it, try it every once in a while as it's cooking to see how you like it. You may want less green beans, or more tomato, or more lettuce...whatever. Make it your own. I just threw it together, and I don't think I'll be able to make it as good as I did the first time, but you never know. So play around!</span></div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-91648140739307965202011-02-11T13:19:00.001-06:002011-02-11T13:38:50.593-06:00facebook Shoutout!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hey everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For those of you living in the Chicagoland area, like myself, I hope you're keeping warm despite the ridiculous amounts of snow we've gotten in the last several weeks. And, it's snowing again today! Sheesh! Enough with the white stuff already...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADG9O7z-SjMMsDIyj9DiQJvmZ6IUKKhiUUpnkGIuc3p0QnQS2Vhkr2e0jvmhbLlszCKGUbf4KnNs-lZDg-vMHLdg2bQuaL8ux1_2ARRpnaho-TmRKQusfX0LYP8J-HdO6sVmMn9QMYOQF/s1600/DSCF5826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADG9O7z-SjMMsDIyj9DiQJvmZ6IUKKhiUUpnkGIuc3p0QnQS2Vhkr2e0jvmhbLlszCKGUbf4KnNs-lZDg-vMHLdg2bQuaL8ux1_2ARRpnaho-TmRKQusfX0LYP8J-HdO6sVmMn9QMYOQF/s200/DSCF5826.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Anyway, <b style="color: #6aa84f;">I wanted to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! to my fans on facebook!</b> You guys are wonderful for being fans, and it's been awesome chatting with you on there. <b style="color: #3d85c6;">I especially want to say thanks to Jesse for his advice on growing my little Lemony Snicket </b>(who, unfortunately, isn't doing terribly much at this point...I may have to start over...sad...). I'll be in touch with you soon, Jesse, so you can help me from scratch! <b style="color: #e69138;">I also want to thank Gabe, because he definitely offers some very comedic responses to my blogs which definitely makes it fun for me to interact with.</b> Gotta love that guy! And <b style="color: #a64d79;">Lillian! You're so great with the responses!</b> Seriously, all of the culinary stuff I sometimes forget from school you help me remember! So thanks for the reminders! You're the best!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b style="color: #45818e;">And also, I want to thank YOU for checking me out!</b> If you haven't already, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Culinary-Student/137148149639083">become a fan on facebook</a> and continue the conversation about food with me there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Please please continue to support this blog for me by being a fan! I love your comments and I check for them daily so I hope you continue to get a hold of me with any questions or comments you may have. I love hearing from you guys!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I'm going to be totally cheesy for a second, but <b style="color: #674ea7;">I'm going to thank my mom and my aunt because they are both the ones who encouraged me from the start to get a blog going.</b> Now look! I have over 100 fans on facebook, and several followers which is super rad! THANK YOU!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">You guys rock! </span><br />
</div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-20364114689093337062011-02-02T20:42:00.000-06:002011-02-02T20:42:31.476-06:00Not Sure How I Feel About That...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Well, ya gotta have respect for Food Network/Cooking Channel for taking some risks. They have some interesting programming that's now available on their channels. When Cooking Channel started, it was really exciting to see where they were going to take us. They had us in Florence with "David Rocco's Dolce Vita" (which I loved because I was in Florence in May of 2010 and it was awesome to see the nooks and crannies I explored again), exploring Caribbean and exotic flavors with Roger Mooking's "Everyday Exotic," and cuddling up in brisk England with wonderfully perfect Jamie Oliver's show "Jamie at Home" (lovelovelovelovelove). <br />
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Now...gosh I dunno. Bitchin Kitchen? I'm just...I'm not sure how I feel about that.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youjustmademylist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/bitchin_kitchen_Nadia-Giosia_nude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://www.youjustmademylist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/bitchin_kitchen_Nadia-Giosia_nude.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I watched one episode, because I don't think it's fair to judge something before I've actually given it a shot. When she speaks it sounds like she's trying to talk around a brick that's shoved in her mouth. Ya know? I mean, it sounds like her mouth is full of something. Ha. I dunno. It's strange.<br />
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But...and I'm being honest here...strange and strangely captivating. I can't tell you if it's a train wreck type thing, ya know -- where you can't look away -- or, if it's because she's actually got a point. <br />
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I just, I don't know. Maybe when I figure it out I will blog again, but for now I'm gonna have to leave you hanging. If you've watched this show, I wanna know what you think. Good? Bad? Wanna see her publicly punched in the face? Or do you really like her and want her show to be bumped up to an earlier time (right now they show at like 9:30pm CT)?<br />
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She's brave, I guess. I mean, look at the hair and the makeup and the outfits and the SET...sheesh. If I wore any of that in the kitchen I would be a mess in five minutes. I gotta give her props there! Her set is eye insanity candy. Seriously.<br />
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Anyway, help me out. What do you think?<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Thanks to youjustmademylist.com for the image!</span></div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-10221320424947473472011-01-22T18:56:00.000-06:002011-01-22T18:56:54.608-06:00Spinach Salad (with a Hard Boiled Egg FAIL)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Well, I was thinking about it the other day, and I realized that my blogs make it sound like my kitchen is perfect. That everything is easy, everything I need is on hand, and everything always comes out exactly the way it should.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This, my friends, is false. Oh so very false.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lucky for me, today was a semi-grocery day. So I already had everything on the list that I needed to make this particular dish. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Today's meal came in the form of a classic spinach salad with a warm bacon vinaigrette. Mmmm...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yes, I know what you're thinking: <b style="color: #8e7cc3;">"Bacon vinaigrette? Hello! It's still January which means it's STILL resolution season jerkface. How dare you tempt me with delicious pack-the-fat-on-my-thighs bacon. You are such a jerk. Ya jerk."</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Relax. It's a spinach salad. Besides, you're putting maybe two tablespoons of the bacon vinaigrette on the salad (depending on the size you eat). And not only that, but you certainly won't be eating this every day thank you very much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I also realize that this is not a seasonal dish, because spinach really isn't in season right now, but sometimes in the winter I need to break up my warm and cozy meals with something a little bit fresher. This definitely hit the spot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So I'm going to type the recipe I used to make this vinaigrette, which comes from my Garde Manger textbook from culinary school (</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Garde-Manger-Kitchen-Culinary-Institute/dp/0470055901?ie=UTF8&tag=thecul05-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Garde Manger: The Art and Craft of the Cold Kitchen (Culinary Institute of America)</a></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">. It's not scary I promise. And I'm making a few adjustments because either I didn't have exactly what I needed, or I just didn't feel like using what I needed to use. I am also going to do my best to alter the amounts because, like most culinary textbooks, a lot of these recipes are done by weight and I realize that not a lot of us have scales for culinary use at home. No worries. I'm gonna do my best to make it easy on you.</span><br />
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<hr /><div style="color: #38761d;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Classic Spinach Salad with a Warm Bacon Vinaigrette</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTL8vMILFCwRdJg2lX1fgTy-nMldgkbfDd9LF_VFd37KrHyE7gvF1NHO7vc4GHC_Mj6cuzpRQ1RxcogMl2T1hu9JPcKSE4_OkwvSxZ_s_xoxX43YIuLliULLbn6kh6Oy5ic9BldXfrRCal/s1600/DSCF5786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTL8vMILFCwRdJg2lX1fgTy-nMldgkbfDd9LF_VFd37KrHyE7gvF1NHO7vc4GHC_Mj6cuzpRQ1RxcogMl2T1hu9JPcKSE4_OkwvSxZ_s_xoxX43YIuLliULLbn6kh6Oy5ic9BldXfrRCal/s200/DSCF5786.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Makes approximately 4 servings </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The first ingredient is bacon. What we do at my house is we lay a piece of tinfoil on a baking sheet (enough to cover up around the edges) and roast the entire package of bacon in the oven at 375. How long? Until it's done. My mom likes floppy bacon. I like my bacon crispy and crackly. It's up to you. Pull it out when it's done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1/4 cup minced shallots (I used a white onion...whatevs. It's what I had)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1/2 tsp of minced garlic<br />
3 tbsp brown sugar (light or dark, whatevs)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1/3 cup cider vinegar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1/3 cup red onion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">4 hard boiled eggs, 1 per person (more on that later)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">salt and pepper to taste</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Start by roasting the bacon in the oven. When that's done, pour (or scoop with a spoon) the bacon fat into a medium saute pan and reserve the roasted bacon on paper towels. Add the minced shallot (or onion) and garlic and sweat until soft. Don't put too high of heat on this because you'll burn the garlic. Turn off the heat and add the brown sugar (I did a pinch at a time until I got what I thought was 3 tbsp of brown sugar, this is really to taste). With a whisk, mix in the vinegar. Now is a good time to taste it by the way. It'll be hot, it's a warm vinaigrette, but give it a try and ask yourself if you like the balance. Is it too rich? Add more vinegar. Too sour? Add some more brown sugar. Needs something? Add some salt and pepper. Vinaigrettes are all about balance, and it's important not to have too much of something or it will be weird.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Toss the mushrooms, red onions and hard boiled eggs with the spinach (I added my eggs last on top, looks prettier, aww) and then spoon some of the vinaigrette on top of the salad. You can take the bacon you roasted and cut it up with scissors on top of the salad, or just use the same cutting board you used to cut up your onions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Now. I know you all want to hear about the hard boiled egg FAIL. Here's the truth...I am incompetent at making hard boiled eggs. <b style="color: #e69138;">Yep. I can make a warm bacon vinaigrette, but I can not, for the life of me, make a freakin' hard boiled egg!</b> My mom makes perfect hard boiled eggs, as you can see in the photo above. When I make them there's either the middle of the yokes is not done, or there's a hideous green ring around the edge of the yoke. BLEGH! I just, I dunno. I can't do it. And it literally KILLS ME that I can't figure it out. I'll give you my mom's recipe for them, because she swears by it but for some reason her recipe hates me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Add cold water to the eggs, and heat them to just under boiling. Then set a timer for 10 minutes. Now, this is important, you have to cool down the eggs quickly to keep that ring from forming, so either fish the eggs out with a slotted spoon and dunk them into ice water to immediately stop the cooking (what is this method called? Comment please!!). Or, you can do what my mom does and dump the water out, add cold water and dump ice into the pot and wait for them to cool. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It works for her. Not for me. HARD BOILED EGG <span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>FAIL</b></span>.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I hope it works for you! </span></div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-67401696289715385582011-01-06T12:26:00.000-06:002011-01-06T12:26:44.789-06:00The Adventures of Lemony Snicket!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I have decided that is the perfect name for my soon to be blossoming LEMON TREE!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yes, I am going to grow one from seed. FROM SEED!!!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMFVazkapNs_clYSpX5LuiCzWX_qKGdqsKdq7pvnWVIgk3wBYQZpCajeiBzA19Bq_UPrrjeR_6mxoZ5MQY82mQ3Dky3gGCBifCYu07k9tCIa-zg_euod7bo4s_NdvJnsuaDwhTAUFyCM0/s1600/DSCF5728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMFVazkapNs_clYSpX5LuiCzWX_qKGdqsKdq7pvnWVIgk3wBYQZpCajeiBzA19Bq_UPrrjeR_6mxoZ5MQY82mQ3Dky3gGCBifCYu07k9tCIa-zg_euod7bo4s_NdvJnsuaDwhTAUFyCM0/s320/DSCF5728.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I've done a bit of research to figure out the best way to go about it. I appreciate suggestions too, however. Any bit of help would be grand!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you aren't already, become a fan on facebook to see how my progress is going. I will be posting photos every now and again to track it's progress. Wish me luck! I've only grown something from seed once before, and I think I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, so I don't have the best experience. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Our veggie garden? Oh, yeah, we always buy semi-mature plants and just transplant them into our gardens. We get them before they have any fruit but we like to try to find ones that have flowers on them, because that means we'll have fruit, like tomatoes, sooner! Yum!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Anyway, wish me luck! I'm super nervous and scared!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JXj1ryosr4_G1VaCKm3oHoApDIaFFERg7ExJE_4DVQeQTFPaKGSxKXdKHSxG_d-OLfLL6TWAR-XP0aozitfg05udrvmuaRDdYL01HCGC6l9WbLOPvDi0J2DSslKNjdymi6M9ETJ2H0qo/s1600/DSCF5722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JXj1ryosr4_G1VaCKm3oHoApDIaFFERg7ExJE_4DVQeQTFPaKGSxKXdKHSxG_d-OLfLL6TWAR-XP0aozitfg05udrvmuaRDdYL01HCGC6l9WbLOPvDi0J2DSslKNjdymi6M9ETJ2H0qo/s320/DSCF5722.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Look for me on facebook to see updates on how little Lemony Snicket is doing!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">BTW, if you want to grow your own little guy, check out this link <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_2083536_grow-lemon-tree-from-seed.html">How to Grow a Lemon Tree from Seed</a> to see what method I am using to grow my little guy. Hee this is so exciting!!</span><br />
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</span>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-12282540984650939772010-12-28T22:07:00.003-06:002011-01-09T12:14:51.165-06:00Overnight Eggs<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Trust me when I say: <b style="color: #3d85c6;">You have found a new holiday favorite</b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Those of you who know me (and even those of you who don't, because I sorta feel like you should know me because I write the way I talk) know that I don't waste time writing about food that doesn't matter. I write about food that I would stuff my face with until my spleen burst (spleen? Hmm, that was an interesting choice of organ...).</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So, here it is. The no-fail, no-fuss, super tasty, melt your face off delicious recipe we make every year for Christmas Day gift opening:</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Overnight Eggs</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqll421Qb1DN_8HRMsW-iGL3_wiE8WPM1sCxnnIogYbr73AFMaeVa96WCxNIMGQVvuWIIPh8J8Cd7LhHiD47conjXtCRhew8R8RiQocp9qca6GUZ51VSNY4rj3P_2Hy_XE3AFWSf-hCR3/s1600/DSCF5687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqll421Qb1DN_8HRMsW-iGL3_wiE8WPM1sCxnnIogYbr73AFMaeVa96WCxNIMGQVvuWIIPh8J8Cd7LhHiD47conjXtCRhew8R8RiQocp9qca6GUZ51VSNY4rj3P_2Hy_XE3AFWSf-hCR3/s200/DSCF5687.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 Recipe fills a 9x9 pan. Double for a 13x9 pan.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 lb mild breakfast sausage (we use Jimmy Dean)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">6 eggs</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2 cups milk</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2 slices white bread - 1" cubes</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 1/2 tsp dry mustard</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 tsp salt</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 cup grated cheddar cheese (mild is best, we even use the Mexican cheese blend, shredded, of course) reserve about 1/4 cup for the top if desired (you don't have to, we don't usually)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB_G3nDmyeyycdvXp7ynT_5AVAuUzas96RxST59Lq81A9Y48MXLL9DCgYWbfxiXTr-fyOXRvSbUxokwCkFx0atxEQz_HoZ_tbAF2k2I17iXlDJ0RIJh6qO0hGl172XHwLaz5Stgg-393c/s1600/DSCF5678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB_G3nDmyeyycdvXp7ynT_5AVAuUzas96RxST59Lq81A9Y48MXLL9DCgYWbfxiXTr-fyOXRvSbUxokwCkFx0atxEQz_HoZ_tbAF2k2I17iXlDJ0RIJh6qO0hGl172XHwLaz5Stgg-393c/s200/DSCF5678.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEf6maZHeiHcAn_r-TvX6wqka4wZEdqJ7s1xR3XErJYDDM_nAwPG9-RNo97OO034jNCVgRpqhvAPndTDSfn2spoeFzvIFkkRAbkvopZ5T_yRtTeXOQRitDByOVA00FV_8rgwz6RUqryNPY/s1600/DSCF5654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEf6maZHeiHcAn_r-TvX6wqka4wZEdqJ7s1xR3XErJYDDM_nAwPG9-RNo97OO034jNCVgRpqhvAPndTDSfn2spoeFzvIFkkRAbkvopZ5T_yRtTeXOQRitDByOVA00FV_8rgwz6RUqryNPY/s200/DSCF5654.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Brown and drain sausage well. Beat eggs and milk together. Add the mustard, salt and cheese. Gently fold in the bread cubes so you don't break them up. Pour mixture into a casserole pan and refrigerate, covered in plastic wrap, over night.<br />
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(Yes overnight! Oh come on! The recipe is called "Overnight Eggs"! Don't get all huffy on me. I even titled this post Overnight Eggs. Overnight eggs means that they take one full night. It won't kill ya! You're basically making a custard. What's a custard? Let's consult the culinary book! Yay!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #6aa84f; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">"A simple baked custard calls for blending eggs, a liquid such as milk or cream, and sugar and baking until set." -The Professional Chef [The Culinary Institute of America]</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Now, minus the sugar, we basically have ingredients that will make this a very soft and fluffy product. This is important, because you are going to freak out at me when I say this thing is done and you look at it and go, "Um, it's still wobbly! With eggs, that means it's not done! Merrrr!" Just, trust me on this one. A friend of mine from work tried out one of my recipes and she was happy. I'm just saying, I won't lead you astray, so just trust me! Ok?! Ok.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slide dish (straight from fridge) into the oven. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until it is "GBD" (Golden, Brown and Delicious!!!). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Now, we just talked about this, but I know what you're thinking:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #990000; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #45818e;">"It's wobbly. I'm scared.</span> <span style="color: #cc0000;">What's gonna happen? Will my family think I am trying to poison them?! </span></span></b><b style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">AM I GOING TO GET THE PLAGUE?!?!</span></b><b style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">"</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Trust me, it is cooked. Any longer and you're going to have blackened Overnight Eggs, which just isn't right. If you are elderly, sick or pregnant, you are considered a higher risk for undercooked foods, but you don't have to worry, because this food WILL BE COOKED. Now, whether or not you trust your oven is another question. In order to be sure you're hitting 350, you should have an oven thermometer, yes? That's right. If you don't have one, get one, or stop complaining to me about your food not being cooked properly, CAPISCE?!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Check on your dish after about 50 minutes if your oven runs hot. Golden edges are fine (and unavoidable, even with a pan without corners). It'll puff up nice in the oven like a beautiful souffle, but it will deflate when you take it out because there's not enough structure there to hold that puff up.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Trust me, even if you already have a Christmas tradition, this will TAKE OVER. That is all.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Oh, one last thing. I cracked myself up because the photo of the unbaked pan of O.E. was named DSCF5678 on my camera. I read the last four numbers and got all hilarious because I couldn't stop myself from thinking, "5-6-7-8!!! AND KICK THOSE LEGS!!"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ok, I'm done now. ENJOY!!!<br />
</span></div><br />
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.foodista.com/food/2PVT278D/egg" style="display: block; width: 200px; border: 5px solid #C4DE87; -moz-border-radius: 2px; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; background-color: #C3D694; text-align: left; overflow: hidden; color: white; font-family: arial,helvetica,clean,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; padding: 4px; text-indent: 0;" title="Egg on Foodista"><img src="http://cf.foodista.com/static/images/widget_logo.png" alt="Egg on Foodista" style="float: right; border: none; width: 70px; height: 25px; padding: 0; margin: 0;" />Egg<img src="http://dyn.foodista.com/content/embed/z1.png?foodista_widget_2PVT278D_AAAAAAAA" style="display: none;" /></a></div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-19255176055737709422010-12-24T12:39:00.002-06:002010-12-24T12:59:35.271-06:00Happy Holidays!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hello food fans!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I know I've been M.I.A. for a few weeks. You know how things get during the holidays. I just wanted to jump on here quickly and say:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> <b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 50px;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">H</span><span style="color: #38761d;">a</span><span style="color: #990000;">p</span><span style="color: #38761d;">p</span><span style="color: #990000;">y</span> <span style="color: #38761d;">H</span><span style="color: #990000;">o</span><span style="color: #38761d;">l</span><span style="color: #990000;">i</span><span style="color: #38761d;">d</span><span style="color: #990000;">a</span><span style="color: #38761d;">y</span><span style="color: #990000;">s</span><span style="color: #38761d;">!</span></b></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Also, please feel free to share your holiday dishes with me. I'm planning on typing up my favorite Christmas dish in the next couple of days. My mom makes it for us every year, and she calls it "Overnight Eggs". It's sort of an egg casserole with bread and breakfast sausage, and it really says Christmas to me because we have it every year in the morning while we open our gifts together. It wouldn't be Christmas without "Overnight Eggs".</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://hauteapplepie.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/golden_wreath.jpg?w=280&h=351" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://hauteapplepie.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/golden_wreath.jpg?w=280&h=351" width="255" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://0.tqn.com/d/interiordec/1/0/J/y/1/Christmas-Wreath-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So, Merry Christmas to all! I hope your holiday season is everything you want and more!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<b style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ho <span style="color: #990000;">ho</span> ho!</span></b><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">-TCS</span></i></b><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">*photo courtesy of hauteapplepie.files.wordpress.com. Thank you thank you much!</span></span></i><b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></i></b>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-50651526544514063052010-11-05T12:45:00.003-05:002010-11-10T10:39:50.020-06:00Apple Pie: As American As...Plagiarism?<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What started out as a fairly routine morning ended up lighting a fire under my proverbial rear end.</span><br />
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<div style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As a journalism graduate, there are few things that really anger me more than plagiarism. Someone taking something you worked like crazy on is the ultimate wrong in the writing world, and there are people out there who will try to make you believe that you shouldn't have made it available for the world to see if you didn't want it stolen.</span></b></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Case in point: <b style="color: #cc0000;">Judith Griggs</b><span style="color: #cc0000;">.</span> For those of you that don't know the story, <b style="color: #b45f06;">Judith, the editor of Cooks Source magazine, published an apple pie recipe by Monica Gaudio in their magazine without Monica's permission</b></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b style="color: #b45f06;">.</b> Monica didn't know about it until a friend e-mailed her to tell her about it. Monica contacted the magazine and asked that they print and publish an apology on the web and in the magazine and donate $130 to the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKrGf6sbviT7AtcZJ6N8q8b2kWlMZtkO6g64q7AE-VIwxiXfPMHi2rKL6YdLk7znkzaV5jN0F1vA6FHRbpLKczN7kXsIbT_nrJLUaDoURNdWbmH__YExpMy4B2lifPaDZea3nIPlyp1CH/s400/Crustless+Apple+Pie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKrGf6sbviT7AtcZJ6N8q8b2kWlMZtkO6g64q7AE-VIwxiXfPMHi2rKL6YdLk7znkzaV5jN0F1vA6FHRbpLKczN7kXsIbT_nrJLUaDoURNdWbmH__YExpMy4B2lifPaDZea3nIPlyp1CH/s400/Crustless+Apple+Pie.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">The gist of Judith's reply is this: "Honestly, Monica, the web is considered 'public domain' and you should be happy we didn't 'lift' your whole article and put someone else's name on it...We put some time into rewrites, you should compensate me!"</b> (The full e-mail from Judith can be found <a href="http://techland.com/2010/11/04/is-the-internet-public-domain-for-print-publications/">here</a>.)</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The magazine requires a subscription, and they are making money off of subscriptions and advertisements, which also means they are making money off of Monica's hard work. Now they are telling her that she basically deserved to have the article stolen because she posted it on a "public domain." While I agree that the internet is considered a "public domain," I do not agree that Judith thinks she can steal whatever she wants for whenever she wants it. Then to add insult to injury, Judith had the balls to tell Monica she should be paid for the time she spent editing her recipe! Un-freaking-believable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If someone had told me that my blog posts were published without my knowledge in a magazine that is making money, I would be livid. The first person I would contact would be my lawyer - I wouldn't even wait for an explanation, or for some Judith-esque idiot to tell me I deserve it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What makes me smile about this whole situation is the glorious Food Network. <b style="color: #bf9000;">Apparently, several of the recipes seen in Cooks Source are also available for viewing on FoodNetwork.com. FN is now doing extensive research into the source of these recipes. If FN sniffs out anything that isn't kosher, I can't wait for their legal team to kick the proverbial apple pie right out of Judith Griggs and her crappy magazine.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On their Facebook page, Judith wrote the following:</span><br />
<span id="profile_status">"Hi Folks!</span><br />
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<span id="profile_status">Well, here I am with egg on my face! I did apologise to Monica via email, but aparently it wasnt enough for her. To all of you, thank you for your interest in Cooks Source and Again, to Monica, I am sorry -- my bad!<br />
You did find a way to get your "pound of flesh..." we used to have 110 "friends," we now have 1,870... wow!</span><br />
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<span id="profile_status">Best to all, Judith"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My response to that:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">"Dear Judith,</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Please write more on here, so we can edit it and you can pay us all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Much appreciation."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For those of you who aren't familiar with how Facebook pages work, you have to "like" or "become a fan" of a page you want to write on. It's just like friending someone else, you can't write on their wall until you become their friend. So, for Judith to say their fan base went up by that much, it really only means that people were pissed off enough to like them so they could say something hateful about her antics. I had to like the magazine in order to comment, and I can tell you, I will be unliking it when I am finished with this post.</span><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
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<div style="color: #45818e;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As for you, Judith Griggs, your name is now in history. I have a Bachelors of Science degree from Illinois State University, and I wouldn't even need it to know that what you did is wrong. Good luck finding a job from here on out.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Image courtesy of all-pie-recipes.blogspot.com. THANK YOU!</b></span></div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-88383391782320120912010-10-22T16:26:00.000-05:002010-10-22T16:26:50.963-05:00Two Words: Pot. Roast.<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Well, I promised. So here it is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">I already touted off the fact that cold weather makes us crave warm, comforting foods and yaddi yaddi yaddah, so I won't bore you with flowery details and romanticized crap like I normally do.</span></b> Here, I'm just giving you a straight up, super good, shut your face easy recipe that will have anyone you make it for worship the very ground you stand on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ok, so maybe it's not quite that drastic, but you get the point. This recipe is ridiculous it's so easy. Ready for it? Here it comes...</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Aunt Beth's Pot Roast</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXpFbOjRxvAAXwuG9zy5JGGj9kvJb-7cLHjJvD0I5EDR40HcOGjnHTWqa5qS16-DLmmtPK66jzEWe8Nq-l95ozQZr3mA2keDXA6vtd4nwcndDs_Va7VNr4TGY1qUwTJy55SAZDS5drmnZ/s1600/DSCF5385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXpFbOjRxvAAXwuG9zy5JGGj9kvJb-7cLHjJvD0I5EDR40HcOGjnHTWqa5qS16-DLmmtPK66jzEWe8Nq-l95ozQZr3mA2keDXA6vtd4nwcndDs_Va7VNr4TGY1qUwTJy55SAZDS5drmnZ/s200/DSCF5385.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3 lb boneless beef chuck pot roast</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 10.75 oz can of cream of mushroom soup</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 envelope of onion soup mix (it comes 2 to a box, so just use 1)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 tbspish of olive oil (extra virgin or not, whatever)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Carrots</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Potatoes</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Oh, and as far as amounts for the carrots/potatoes go, I don't have any. Just deal with it, because frankly, I don't know how many family members you have, and I don't know how much they eat. In my case, I'm usually the one who eats all this amazing goodness, so I just buy a big chuck roast -- something in the 3 lb range -- and how much carrots and potatoes to use depends on the size of the vessel you're going to cook it in. The picture above is how it should fit into whatever you're using. You want to fill it about 2/3 of the way full. Mine looks a little higher than that, you can go a bit higher, but not so much that it's level with the rim of the vessel. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTqlxBUxc6mVfIxyIT_zqzM06VUxnIlxfwqjT3dX81PHJEk8sF9Pk642i-Hv-RPNn7mCVix7yrYIqAhrCLu_rd1GDZZPZ3pn2G5kxU3-6RDVatolH03x7MPm3xgGoUbaIlJMNcolWG0uT/s1600/DSCF5373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTqlxBUxc6mVfIxyIT_zqzM06VUxnIlxfwqjT3dX81PHJEk8sF9Pk642i-Hv-RPNn7mCVix7yrYIqAhrCLu_rd1GDZZPZ3pn2G5kxU3-6RDVatolH03x7MPm3xgGoUbaIlJMNcolWG0uT/s200/DSCF5373.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Preheat your oven to 325 and start by mixing the cream of mushroom soup with the onion soup mix until thoroughly combined and set aside. Then add oil to a pan and heat until the oil shimmers. Add the roast and sear on both sides (just sear, don't try to cook it in the pan). When one side is nicely browned, flip. <b style="color: #3d85c6;">While that is working, cut up your carrots and potatoes. Don't bother to peel. All the nutrients are in the skin, so just give 'em a good wash.</b> What I do is cut the carrots into thirds. The smaller bottom portion can stay whole, then I cut the middle portion in half and the top portion in quarters to keep the sizes relatively consistent. As for potatoes, if they are small, cut them in half, large ones can either be quartered or, if they're extremely large, cut into 6ths.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmFiZWIDODaz2J91IUJsfccphqGWsa7ExlvvCY1qaTNjVRSnkKEYazRP6uQ_sz32LQal3Dg8o25MRfEhMjjU0DYu-iXSB1oqsOgO1WNwIxdyUQvI6NTmiwg6FEJTNaAk6mL7vIVOjE3H4/s1600/DSCF5387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmFiZWIDODaz2J91IUJsfccphqGWsa7ExlvvCY1qaTNjVRSnkKEYazRP6uQ_sz32LQal3Dg8o25MRfEhMjjU0DYu-iXSB1oqsOgO1WNwIxdyUQvI6NTmiwg6FEJTNaAk6mL7vIVOjE3H4/s200/DSCF5387.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCho1ZM_D8XrbRsjQexAGEcTKZGd0f-V1-wYEufXAvWGF19tmf-N83Z84ceKde0fT9AM9_7FXAJsGuWMKmtqCzTt0DAZ-oRBP6RWAvpf2uC7JZvCuEFfCBAsWRSFdz_SgSfhYx4xKwwdz4/s1600/DSCF5386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCho1ZM_D8XrbRsjQexAGEcTKZGd0f-V1-wYEufXAvWGF19tmf-N83Z84ceKde0fT9AM9_7FXAJsGuWMKmtqCzTt0DAZ-oRBP6RWAvpf2uC7JZvCuEFfCBAsWRSFdz_SgSfhYx4xKwwdz4/s200/DSCF5386.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Once the meat is seared, move it to your cooking vessel (you can use a dutch oven, my mom always used this particular thing so I just go with it). <b style="color: #bf9000;">Arrange the carrots and potatoes around the perimeter of the roast. Then slather on the mushroom/onion soup goodness over top of the meat.</b> If you don't have a tight fitting lid for whatever you're using, take a piece of foil and crimp around the top to help achieve an airtight seal. Don't get all crazy about this, just make sure it is closed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lid up, put in the oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours. <b style="color: #b45f06;">At that point, use a fork and wiggle around in the meat -- if it falls apart like perfect, delicious pot roast should then you are good to go.</b> If not, give it another 10ish minutes and check again. Repeat until it is done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Trust me. There is no possibility for disappointment in this recipe. Honestly.</span>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-12176741879610825422010-10-06T14:14:00.005-05:002010-10-12T12:34:51.543-05:00Black and Gold...<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #bf9000; color: black; font-size: large;">Black</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">gold</span><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><span style="background-color: #bf9000; color: black; font-size: large;">black</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">gold</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nothing in between-</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the world turns </span><span style="background-color: #bf9000; color: black; font-size: large;">black</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="background-color: black; color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">gold</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then it's </span><span style="background-color: #bf9000; color: black; font-size: large;">H</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">a</span><span style="background-color: #bf9000; color: black; font-size: large;">l</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">l</span><span style="background-color: #bf9000; color: black; font-size: large;">o</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">w</span><span style="background-color: #bf9000; color: black; font-size: large;">e</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">e</span><span style="background-color: #bf9000; color: black; font-size: large;">n</span><span style="font-size: large;">!</span><br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">-Nancy Byrd Turner, <i>Black and Gold</i></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">So, I know; I've been gone a while. I'm sorry. Lots of things have happened, but I am making up for it now. C'mon, I recited poetry for you...that's gotta count for something, right?<br />
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I remember this poem from when I was in grade school. I can't remember if it was 1st, 2nd or 3rd grade, but in any case, this was what I remembered about Halloween the most. <span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Everything is changing. The weather gets cooler, you start wanting to go apple or pumpkin picking.</b> </span>You buy apple cider and caramel apples. Let your kids run crazy and jump in piles of brightly colored leaves. This is a magical season, and it better be, because us Chicagoans have one HELL of a winter to deal with every year. <br />
<div style="color: #bf9000;"><br />
</div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">What I love about this season is that I crave warm, slow cooked, and hearty meals.</span> </b>I made a pot roast on Sunday (super easy recipe, remind me to post that for you guys) and it literally warmed my soul to have that as a lunch. It's magical. But what I want to talk about today is another one of those recipes that you will bring with you to literally every fall party you attend from now until Christmas (and I've even been known to make this recipe during Christmas).</div><div style="color: #45818e; text-align: center;"><br />
<b>It's what I call: "KK's Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Whatever"</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
The reason I named it "whatever" is because it can either be made into a bread, a cake, or muffins. It's a quick bread recipe, which is what muffins are all about. Guh my house smells amazing right now. Like cinnamon deliciousness. Its really hard to focus with the house smelling this good.<br />
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Ok, so I'll paste the recipe in here, but what I want to talk about is the method. When you're making quick breads, <b style="color: #6aa84f;">it's important not to over-mix the batter.</b> Who can tell me why this is important?:</div><div style="color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;"><br />
<b>You don't want to develop gluten, which can make the final product tough.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
I know, this is confusing. When you're making yeast breads, like french bread or pizza dough, gluten formation is important. That chewiness is something that we all love about those kinds of doughs. For quick breads, however...that's a whole different animal. Think of it more like a cake than a bread, if that helps? You don't want a cake to be chewy like bread do ya? I mean, if you do, mix away. Me, I'll stick with deliciously tender, which is what you'll get when you don't over-mix.<br />
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So here's the recipe. As always, I have photos to walk you through it. You're gonna love this recipe. Honestly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkmDCvgpWPreth-5e2fV_3oflC_hIQ07YYeNmkwixny2dd-0SL7z6nKQBlqmtpoU8SzJwIi6efi4Qgo5JeWGVOTKIPiB6iTYKAoDqEkIdASYxp24jb08MtvpQ3XVnD1FZOijPeaEOFCWT/s1600/Muffins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkmDCvgpWPreth-5e2fV_3oflC_hIQ07YYeNmkwixny2dd-0SL7z6nKQBlqmtpoU8SzJwIi6efi4Qgo5JeWGVOTKIPiB6iTYKAoDqEkIdASYxp24jb08MtvpQ3XVnD1FZOijPeaEOFCWT/s320/Muffins.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="color: #b45f06; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">KK’s Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Whatever</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Prep Time: 30 minutes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bake Time: 1 hourish for bread, 20 minutesish for muffins</div><div style="text-align: center;">Makes: one loaf or about 21 muffins </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiwMzbN24fWu3IqzJvSXxm7EykdoNQTvTJo3dOPp-WPaTwD6XgBB_rde6od2K6A9KwbvHvT7aKihsPatVJiEIdep53_P1_rnB7s46Zhb4-aAWYfGhAIR4HIuIfpc6vvom9KQGqqF5_Gep/s1600/Dry+Team.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiwMzbN24fWu3IqzJvSXxm7EykdoNQTvTJo3dOPp-WPaTwD6XgBB_rde6od2K6A9KwbvHvT7aKihsPatVJiEIdep53_P1_rnB7s46Zhb4-aAWYfGhAIR4HIuIfpc6vvom9KQGqqF5_Gep/s200/Dry+Team.JPG" width="200" /></a><b>Dry Team:</b><br />
2 cups flour<br />
3 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
½ tsp baking soda<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUup_YSaJOI_tzTJkKRuzXjPTxwZLkjFwvdmXLoFy0Zv8i_lVzpE7U4yYl3a72m3GrkmYNtWhyphenhyphenT5xaE8pXZ_t5S1knIiiye39fUp4UZTkrBelDCqRxRRB1di3PnVEShMdh68eyMZ7IlX7/s1600/Wet+Team.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUup_YSaJOI_tzTJkKRuzXjPTxwZLkjFwvdmXLoFy0Zv8i_lVzpE7U4yYl3a72m3GrkmYNtWhyphenhyphenT5xaE8pXZ_t5S1knIiiye39fUp4UZTkrBelDCqRxRRB1di3PnVEShMdh68eyMZ7IlX7/s200/Wet+Team.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><b>Wet Team:</b><br />
2 large eggs<br />
1-15 oz can of pumpkin puree<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar<br />
½ cup milk<br />
¼ cup oil<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
6 ounces or half of a 12 oz bag of either semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips (depending on how sweet you want it)<br />
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<b>PREHEAT</b> oven to 350 degrees. Prep the loaf pan with cooking spray and lay the parchment paper in the bottom of the pan. Leave an edge over the side of the pan to use as a sling to get the bread out after it's baked (or, if you're making muffins, lay out 21 muffin cups in 2 muffin tins, or, if you're making the cake, spray the bottom with non-stick spray, don't worry about a sling).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwgSB-36AIAt9sEo7EzK2xVl_ZiLEx4ml5FOsr-wO-lH1nvDFjpbhO75_0vaUkFRIkrF9x55ZCMQNXBca_Xtop-g69fTCe-A3LyrqXEbrR4CYa7gEdQMNEqjxxQcCGKu0_GUDp5LfWNMr/s1600/Mix.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwgSB-36AIAt9sEo7EzK2xVl_ZiLEx4ml5FOsr-wO-lH1nvDFjpbhO75_0vaUkFRIkrF9x55ZCMQNXBca_Xtop-g69fTCe-A3LyrqXEbrR4CYa7gEdQMNEqjxxQcCGKu0_GUDp5LfWNMr/s200/Mix.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32vTic1ElXMemsbiYpCGpjIEzNDAkgUpyvNtvNmrvqGDxpkbsI99Vz7ekoHiHzpKbK0Vx-RmDX4LJPXaDUjjnsCeFKDp5q5i8HWQsSpXmW2ruLm7MJ7kgosGcl-rlRQMtpoUS8MO8EbqM/s1600/Mix+Chocolate.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32vTic1ElXMemsbiYpCGpjIEzNDAkgUpyvNtvNmrvqGDxpkbsI99Vz7ekoHiHzpKbK0Vx-RmDX4LJPXaDUjjnsCeFKDp5q5i8HWQsSpXmW2ruLm7MJ7kgosGcl-rlRQMtpoUS8MO8EbqM/s200/Mix+Chocolate.JPG" width="200" /></a><b>MIX</b> the dry team together and whisk to combine. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the wet team together without the chocolate chips and whisk until blended. Pour dry ingredients into the wet and stir with spatula just until they come together. Add chocolate chips and stir until evenly dispersed. If there are lumps, it's no big deal. They'll cook out in the oven.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkQTznuCDbKpr5S-8NHHF3fLsHrWOR0MWyad51EBKuR99gD1o3xExgqfA3EMxf2D2Wtyg52EUiWYFXcpuGp9K11TCBkZB4PYc9xhcQ8S3Ny2tt0T7MUSl_EoIxgyuqT2VYbYXRrGW00NW/s1600/%2340+Scoop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkQTznuCDbKpr5S-8NHHF3fLsHrWOR0MWyad51EBKuR99gD1o3xExgqfA3EMxf2D2Wtyg52EUiWYFXcpuGp9K11TCBkZB4PYc9xhcQ8S3Ny2tt0T7MUSl_EoIxgyuqT2VYbYXRrGW00NW/s200/%2340+Scoop.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyH8SIanwlnuzivDQr-6bMT6eUU0lTyXVt65A6wHG8zxW-MsUc6r8x5HwkrIQLDLJA7mv-ojRF7fNiaDo5uk2yWQCwzX4bA8vUKA_76TjnlmdI8TU29sreMsZTR79j52PukVxp6seAK7_3/s1600/toothpick+test.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyH8SIanwlnuzivDQr-6bMT6eUU0lTyXVt65A6wHG8zxW-MsUc6r8x5HwkrIQLDLJA7mv-ojRF7fNiaDo5uk2yWQCwzX4bA8vUKA_76TjnlmdI8TU29sreMsZTR79j52PukVxp6seAK7_3/s200/toothpick+test.JPG" width="200" /></a><b>POUR</b> the batter into the loaf/cake pan and bake for 1 hour (if you're making muffins, use a #40 scoop to dish out two even scoops of batter into each cup, bake for 20 minutes). When the hour is up, pull the loaf/cake out of the oven and test with a toothpick (do the same after 20 minutes for muffins). If it comes out with batter on it, slide it back in the oven for 10 minutes (2 minutes for muffins) and test again. Repeat every 10 minutes (2 minutes) until there is no batter remaining on the toothpick. Crumbs are ok as you can see in the picture on the right.<br />
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<b>COOL</b> loaf pan on a wire rack until it's cool enough to handle, then use the parchment paper sling to get the bread out of the pan and allow to cool completely on the rack. For the cake, use your hand on the top, flip it out and then place it on a cooling rack. Cut into slices and serve. For muffins, just allow to cool completely in the pan.<br />
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For the muffin/cake versions, what I like to do to add a little..."bam?" is make chocolate ganache (pronounced: gah-nosh) to drizzle over the top. I use Ina Garten's recipe, which uses instant coffee granules to "kick it up a notch."<br />
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Here's her recipe for <b>ganache</b>:<br />
1/2 cup heavy cream<br />
8 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips<br />
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules<br />
Heat the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.<br />
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Then I just hold each muffin by the bottom and dip the top in the ganache and sort of twist it as I come out so the top looks neater. For the cake I would just pour it over the top and let it drizzle seductively over the sides of the cake. It's an added oomph, and it's so yum. Plus, it's a very beautiful and seasonally appropriate dessert for Thanksgiving.<br />
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<div style="color: #b45f06; text-align: center;"><b>Hope you like it! Happy Fall everyone!</b></div></div></div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-79474228954412009062010-08-06T14:29:00.003-05:002010-08-06T15:09:14.569-05:00A Food Lover's Plea<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b style="color: #3d85c6;">I pride myself on the fact that I like to try new and unique things.</b> While this adventurous side of me has been mostly positive, it is not without its disasters. For instance, my first run-in with uni (sea urchin roe) was HORRIFIC to say the least. I have yet to encourage myself to have another go with it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">But I digress, my real intent with this particular blog is to address a culinary foe of mine since childhood. <b><span style="color: #e69138;">There are few things in this incredible food world that I will not allow myself to try again, and one particular arch nemesis is the infamous </span><i style="color: #e69138;">Phaseolus lunatus.</i> <span style="color: #e69138;">The lima bean.</span></b><span style="color: #e69138;"> </span>I could tell you horror stories from my childhood of encountering these kryptonite-colored pods of Satan nestled in what otherwise would have been a wonderful soup made by my grandma. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcOlnnr3ydqaYgXLDhWZnzZpYu8hPha091kkPPK-kBY8MGBT2_N6xnLlz70Dp4OVwT0r7w9LXF3eDJoF1DfOOz8VVaHL-c0e6mGDIz-YvrsyMciAZXsBDma_p-HAPwsRZqBbIuqcKh5N3/s1600/Lima+Bean.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcOlnnr3ydqaYgXLDhWZnzZpYu8hPha091kkPPK-kBY8MGBT2_N6xnLlz70Dp4OVwT0r7w9LXF3eDJoF1DfOOz8VVaHL-c0e6mGDIz-YvrsyMciAZXsBDma_p-HAPwsRZqBbIuqcKh5N3/s200/Lima+Bean.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was never a child that didn't like vegetables. I admit: I was an anomaly. But the one green beast that stood in my way of my championing vegetation was the lima bean, and to this very day it is one that I simply can't get over. For the sake of explaining my hatred, I will publicize a chain restaurant: PotBelly Sandwich Shop. They have this wonderful spicy vegetable soup that I always get whenever I go there, but they have the audacity to add lima beans! <b style="color: #6aa84f;">Et tu, Potbelly?</b> The soup is fantastic, but I always eat around the lima beans in the soup because, gosh darnit, I love the soup!!!</span><br />
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This prejudice is causing me to not eat one of my favorite dishes the way it's meant to be eaten, and that, dear food friends, is <b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">culinary blasphemy</span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
So, I will put my faith in you to help me throw my hatred aside. Believe me, I want to like them! I want to be able to taste one with incredible enjoyment, but I can't without your help. <b style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="color: #e69138;">Send me your lima bean recipes and I will try them to help put aside my prejudice.</span></b></span><br />
<ol><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> <b style="color: #6aa84f;"><u>I only ask that you keep in mind a few things while looking for recipes:</u></b>
<li>I would not like to try any more soups with lima beans in it. My disappointment in this particular method is already present.</li>
<li>I would like the recipe to be easy. You know my policy about futzing around.</li>
<li>I would not like the recipe to hide the lima beans. Remember, the point of this exercise is to help me enjoy their flavor. What's the point if you mask them up?</li>
</span></ol><br />
<div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> I definitely appreciate it, because I can't call myself The Culinary Student and loathe food at the same time.</span><br />
</div></ br><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Watch this hilarious video of White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen talking to a fan's son about the nutritional benefits of lima beans! You don't have to be a south-sider to like this video. A friend put a link to this in a comment below and I thought it was too hysterical to not add to my blog. Enjoy!</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/m-ebWyWQuUU&hl=en_US&fs=1?rel=0&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/m-ebWyWQuUU&hl=en_US&fs=1?rel=0&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">*lima bean photo courtesy of http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com. thank you!</span>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-40001629008628346312010-07-26T11:05:00.001-05:002010-08-04T16:19:10.694-05:00Throwdown<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A few weeks ago, I was invited to a friend's house to participate in a "Throwdown". I was totally hesitant at first because those of you who know me know that unless I either invent the recipe, or have done it so many times it is borderline OCD, that I really don't belong in a kitchen, especially when it's considered a competition. Instead, I offered to be the unofficial photographer for the evening. (WHEW!!! Dodged that bullet!)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I arrived late, and cooking was well underway. <b style="color: #f6b26b;">I noticed relatively soon that as the cooking progressed the smell in Mellanie's kitchen was like walking into the best restaurant on cloud nine.</b> All of the food was brightly colored, and while I was thinking we were going to vote on whose meal was the best, I wasn't disappointed to find out that it wasn't about challenging each other. Mellanie stated that the point of these friendly competitions is to "challenge yourself" and as we all know, we are our own worst critics (myself included). I thought this was a clever idea, as there are a lot of students from the culinary school we attended that would LOVE to go nuts based on one theme (which, for this particular Throwdown, was Caribbean themed).</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYMUulVo5gvCSVnHmMgMiOVQb11mmzr6e-GMHzCTD-lWeNeh8Xeo7iKDZI8o-Vc-wmSQHjFYaAacAU8mqt1my2kyV-oPo6mstNUJQli1BWtDFaylil01TjJ5Kf9_4hXkoO4THZ4Z0rkj7/s1600/DSCF5192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYMUulVo5gvCSVnHmMgMiOVQb11mmzr6e-GMHzCTD-lWeNeh8Xeo7iKDZI8o-Vc-wmSQHjFYaAacAU8mqt1my2kyV-oPo6mstNUJQli1BWtDFaylil01TjJ5Kf9_4hXkoO4THZ4Z0rkj7/s200/DSCF5192.JPG" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everyone seemed to have their own nook in her kitchen where they could create their ultimate dish. <b style="color: #3d85c6;">Mellanie's brilliance emerged when she opted to use tempura batter to fry her coconut shrimp in</b> (which I prefer over nearly every kind of batter). They were crisp and light, and full of huge flavor from the pineapple marmalade dip she made to accompany the shrimpy beauties. A definite hit, and one that I would say would totally be the centerpiece at a party. The amazing thing about these shrimp were that they were still crispy well into our tasting of everyone's dishes. There was a point where they had been out for about 45 minutes, and these babies were still totally crisp. Seriously. Amazing.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4exZkN32qPB66wI36WKhriMA4bKlUr6aFXM11pxLAwyttMIxzrCHMZwAfPSj_A0fWFfpszoroTHNk9m7hkTOUE3_5QGNJSIZcUD4MxDGqSNKlMN9lak7hQaYZvU7rU5ZphmEPhH084vS/s1600/DSCF5199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4exZkN32qPB66wI36WKhriMA4bKlUr6aFXM11pxLAwyttMIxzrCHMZwAfPSj_A0fWFfpszoroTHNk9m7hkTOUE3_5QGNJSIZcUD4MxDGqSNKlMN9lak7hQaYZvU7rU5ZphmEPhH084vS/s200/DSCF5199.JPG" width="150" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSRrhceqoAvK417wMdDGp8BYoT0XJjSUt0qAVdiso5jp8KbKfOEbLh49_2qfOqiDT7zv__B_YtEJGjFNMOc6zMJGYeir-dreYoBRK2-gaUqLjxRO8hhaGxMQLArMS-xPLsT1ZK-PCBQDj/s1600/DSCF5167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSRrhceqoAvK417wMdDGp8BYoT0XJjSUt0qAVdiso5jp8KbKfOEbLh49_2qfOqiDT7zv__B_YtEJGjFNMOc6zMJGYeir-dreYoBRK2-gaUqLjxRO8hhaGxMQLArMS-xPLsT1ZK-PCBQDj/s200/DSCF5167.JPG" width="150" /></a>Bryan's menu was totally extravagant (as he tends to be prone to extravagance when it comes to cooking). <b style="color: #6aa84f;">Cajun roasted sweet potatoes, grilled plantains (my first), and a pineapple-mango salsa accompanied his jerk crusted grilled chicken.</b> Absolutely mouthwatering in every sense of the word. Look at yourself. You know you're drooling. He also created this totally beautiful mint-cherry julep which was colorful and super bright in flavor. I could see myself donning a pair of flip flops and heading to the beach with that drink, garnished with one of those cute little umbrellas that always come with beachy drinks. Lovely.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittlV62gZOQN9O_cVxjUi6YxqYbArBj2ORMAvHP59gYJOFY5YYtv_M9VVYHXdUffCrsO6p1fYILFzlR-3vaxpQeoYRN8a8zPG6uiZ1a2VGDnJaZUDwGVwawTvBCLN6htT5fM5K6NyBqBye/s1600/DSCF5163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittlV62gZOQN9O_cVxjUi6YxqYbArBj2ORMAvHP59gYJOFY5YYtv_M9VVYHXdUffCrsO6p1fYILFzlR-3vaxpQeoYRN8a8zPG6uiZ1a2VGDnJaZUDwGVwawTvBCLN6htT5fM5K6NyBqBye/s200/DSCF5163.JPG" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVYrU4qo0lWu_90g5SiGd06H_FvAzKBkoifeYKB6v7xPRsACwDm9-bSwuBdBLfzevTU8hl45aZS04xXtu6erE5Ul1iPANhfZs1JW-ApsyEkJcOFpL5vDv7lZrawa1mtOQPCmbPFgXvBFs/s1600/DSCF5156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVYrU4qo0lWu_90g5SiGd06H_FvAzKBkoifeYKB6v7xPRsACwDm9-bSwuBdBLfzevTU8hl45aZS04xXtu6erE5Ul1iPANhfZs1JW-ApsyEkJcOFpL5vDv7lZrawa1mtOQPCmbPFgXvBFs/s200/DSCF5156.JPG" width="200" /></a>Another fun dish in the appetizer category was Candace's little coconut cream cheese butterfly. Balls of cream cheese rolled in coconut and served with sliced apple "wings" and graham crackers. <b style="color: #45818e;">I swear, she is the master of appetizers, because she had two home runs come out of the event yesterday</b>. The second was bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with bleu cheese. Um, can you say "I'm running away with the plate and I'm not coming back?" Yes, yes you can. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYityTqDSpadstftXf8UIFTuIYn-NQwdHTU3av_Ommx9wwAvRklkk4V4H59CXkIaTNGpFhQ6NZ2rtgrZj5a2EG7pxrmmwoLSRb4oV39enJfd76NgQzfvEVH7ZhCsb249Nel2a-NyJkkU99/s1600/DSCF5180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYityTqDSpadstftXf8UIFTuIYn-NQwdHTU3av_Ommx9wwAvRklkk4V4H59CXkIaTNGpFhQ6NZ2rtgrZj5a2EG7pxrmmwoLSRb4oV39enJfd76NgQzfvEVH7ZhCsb249Nel2a-NyJkkU99/s200/DSCF5180.JPG" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #e69138;">The final surprise came in the form of a really brilliantly simple dish, created by Art, called Caribbean Hearts of Palm (my first) in Tomato Sauce.</b> Yes, honestly, it was very good. Hearts of palm have a sort of artichoke flavor, but not as pronounced. They are soft and delicate and just fade blissfully away in your mouth. Seriously. Probably one of the simplest things we had that night, but it didn't have any shortcomings that can sometimes accompany a simple dish.</span> Even though it wasn't warm by the time everyone was finished cooking (because someone took forever, you know who you are!!!) it was absolutely delicious, which is surprising because as food gets colder the flavor tends to be a bit muted. This didn't happen here. Very tasty. I had seconds...</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
While washing the dishes, I told Mellie that I was surprised that absolutely everything we tried was delicious. I was sort of expecting a couple things to stand out as either the best or the worst, and it turned out that everything was highlighted as its own particular uphoria. It was a very nicely done Throwdown at Mellanie's place, and I'm looking forward to the next adventure.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
While I may not participate as a cook in the future, I offered to bring a dessert that has been at hit at my family parties (but I'm not telling you what it is because, in the words of Alton Brown: "That's another show", and I'm saving it for fall). I want to offer her something, even if I don't feel that I would be useful in the kitchen. I was just glad to have been invited to this unique, friendly culinary competition and to watch all the creative minds at work as they established their menus. Thanks everyone!</span></div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-10613686635228088922010-07-22T12:02:00.002-05:002010-07-22T12:19:30.721-05:00Interview with Iron Chef Michael Symon<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hey there food fans! Just wanted to quickly share something exciting with you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I am currently a contributing food writer for Starpulse.com. <b><span style="color: #e69138;">I love writing for this website because they really let me be who I am and write the way I want.</span></b> And the very best part about it is that I get to write about my favorite thing in the world: food.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">My editor contacted me last week and asked if I'd be willing to view a screener (first episode) of Michael Symon's new show "Cook Like an Iron Chef" and do an interview with him on the subject.</span></b> Of course, the answer was an obvious YES. Initially, it was scheduled to be an e-mail interview, but as the days went on and I didn't receive an e-mail, it became apparent that Michael was super busy. Which, let's face it, how could he not be? So, I was getting discouraged, thinking maybe it was going to get canceled.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I received an e-mail earlier this week from his contact about setting up a time to do a phone interview instead. Again, obviously, yes! <b style="color: #3d85c6;">So, this morning, about 8:30 CT, I spoke with Michael Symon, on my house phone, and recorded the interview to transcribe onto Starpulse.com.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Let me just say, I definitely had reservations about the show. The screener was a little strange. He had two helpers in the show with their backs to the camera mostly. I realize they aren't supposed to be the focus, but it was weird seeing mostly their backs. But Mike has a great sense of humor and was a total everyman on the phone. The phone rang and I literally jumped out of my chair because I knew it was him, but when I answered and got to talking with him, it was really very chill and we were just having a chat. It was awesome.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.cleveland.com/ent_impact_tv/2008/11/large_michael-symon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://blog.cleveland.com/ent_impact_tv/2008/11/large_michael-symon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So, here's a link to the story. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed talking with him. It was definitely an experience I will never forget. Now to find a way to get this interview off my recorder and onto my computer...</span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1142321000"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.starpulse.com/news/Kristin_Koltz/2010/07/22/michael_symon_talks_about_being_an_iro">Interview with Iron Chef Michael Symon.</a></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Also, just so you can see how big of a total nerd I am, I wanted to post this picture of my dry erase board in my room. I write little notes to myself so I can sort of coach myself through big things that I have to do. This is what I wrote for my interview today:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbhjaSZwlQpMj3_ZSE7LBNZMLlnQ7f-VXg6IIKUu4Om7tQrS6kJ5ptdasR7zhzHtD8ebP2Z9y5LjrBxvLXBly3hSpvA4nCbdIsiZvFVJTi4oD-Olo85WGbqX82zGrBWCh8oRozOrlnS_0/s1600/DSCF5149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbhjaSZwlQpMj3_ZSE7LBNZMLlnQ7f-VXg6IIKUu4Om7tQrS6kJ5ptdasR7zhzHtD8ebP2Z9y5LjrBxvLXBly3hSpvA4nCbdIsiZvFVJTi4oD-Olo85WGbqX82zGrBWCh8oRozOrlnS_0/s320/DSCF5149.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">You can also see in this photo future Starpulse topics I'll be writing on, so look for those in weeks to come! Thanks everyone! I hope you can have a laugh at my expense! =)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(photo courtest of blog.cleveland.com)</span></span>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-64453313613049039872010-07-16T18:31:00.002-05:002010-07-16T23:34:10.879-05:00Soapbox<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://wvbr.com/images/uploads/soapbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://wvbr.com/images/uploads/soapbox.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">In my opinion every good, well-known writer has had one or two soapbox speeches in their lives. One such food writer, Mr. Anthony Bourdain, has on several occasions made his sentiments known (as this is what he is particularly known for). I feel the time has come (especially after my lunch experience today) that I take my first two steps onto a soapbox of my own to let out my one particular pet peeve. You ready for it? Here it comes.</span><br />
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<div style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tail. On. Shrimp.</span></div><br />
<a href="http://branchesandbeads.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/shrimp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://branchesandbeads.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/shrimp.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">What the heck is that all about, anyway? <span style="color: #e69138;">I am sick to </span><b style="color: #e69138;"><i>DEATH</i></b><span style="color: #e69138;"> of going to a restaurant and ordering up a plate of succulent and delicious little shrimps, only to have the plate arrive with the tails still on.</span> Should this bother me? Yes! Yes it should! I am a diner at a restaurant, and I am PAYING MONEY to have to put my fingers into my food in order to take the tails off! I'm sorry, but that, quite frankly, is COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS. Consider a delicious plate of angel hair pasta, tossed in a lemon-garlic-butter sauce with a lovely crown of pink shrimpy jewels. Good enough to eat, right? Until you realize you have to stick your hands into your food TO TAKE THE TAILS OFF. Then you're left with a greasy buttery slop on your fingers that ends up almost everywhere you touch as the meal progresses. Silverware, drink, rim of your glasses, the BILL, napkin, birthday card, tablecloth, hair, clothing, BABY...THE LIST GOES ON.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's. <i>Obnoxious</i>. And it has GOT to stop. Would it kill the kitchen staff to pull the tails off? Honestly, no. <span style="color: #3d85c6;">When they get there in the morning, they should add that to the list of prep work because it just simply should not end up on my dinner plate if it is considered </span><b style="color: #3d85c6;"><u>inedible</u></b>. The <i>only</i> case where I want a tail on my shrimp is in a perfect shrimp-rimmed cocktail glass we Americans like to call: The Shrimp Cocktail. Then -- AND ONLY THEN -- do I want to deal with a shrimp tail in my food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Should a person get this animated about something like this? Yes. I think so. <span style="color: #6aa84f;">The second we lose our expectations for a meal is the same moment the restaurant industry can throw buckets of </span><b style="color: #6aa84f;"><i>week old SLOP</i></b><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> on our plates without a peep of a question coming from our dribbling and senseless mouths, and </span><i style="color: #6aa84f;">that</i><span style="color: #6aa84f;">, ladies and gentleman, </span><b style="color: #6aa84f;">simply can <i>not</i> happen</b>. I invite you all to make that request the next time you plan to order anything with shrimp in it. If you end up with it, I encourage you to REFUSE to eat any meal that contains something inedible. Maybe, just maybe, if enough of us make this request we can stop the hideous atrocity that is the tail-on shrimp and finally live in a world where pastas can be eaten with only a fork!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/american-flag-2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/american-flag-2a.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">It can happen. I believe it's possible. And gosh darnit, we're good enough to deserve the right kind of treatment. The kind that doesn't force us to use our digits instead of our utensils. After all, haven't we evolved? Aren't we the top of the foodchain? We aren't uncivilized animals. And we shouldn't have to make a mess with food that we are paying our hard-earned American Benjamins for! God Bless America!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">That is all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(soapbox photo courtesy of wvbr.com. shrimp photo courtesy of branchesandbeads.files.wordpress.com. american flag photo courtesy of babble.com. THANK YOU!!)</span>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-82799462732128347702010-06-25T19:27:00.002-05:002010-06-25T20:07:57.248-05:00Pasta Party!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">For today, I invited two of my best friends over to my house so we could go crazy and make pasta. When I got home from Italy, my Aunt and Uncle gave me the best gift any pasta nut would love...three pasta maker attachments for a kitchen-aid stand mixer. The first rolls out flat sheets of pasta, and the other two cut sheets of pasta into fettuccine and spaghetti noodles. So. Cool.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JlNNu6CLPlP19EPZ1JBbHd7ocPbeA4jP_kKO2SlW1AdC1Wqr211LLCYXzRfVq7CJwtnzBKBhnmWUsPPDgb3wHsy5YzkKdSReeOp_87MpD6sj5rRZgUGxnYpe44xlX_rhKyCOTZFE9r5F/s1600/DSCF4937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JlNNu6CLPlP19EPZ1JBbHd7ocPbeA4jP_kKO2SlW1AdC1Wqr211LLCYXzRfVq7CJwtnzBKBhnmWUsPPDgb3wHsy5YzkKdSReeOp_87MpD6sj5rRZgUGxnYpe44xlX_rhKyCOTZFE9r5F/s200/DSCF4937.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">So, I figured, what would be better than to invite some buddies over to break them in? Before the two got there, I started some <b style="color: #6aa84f;">red sauce</b>. I took about a 1/4 cup each of chopped carrot, celery and onion and started to sweat them in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. I literally used some shredded carrots that you get in the bag to sprinkle on top of a salad. Seriously. Shape just doesn't matter, because once you've reached the consistency you want, you're going to use an immersion blender to blend it to your liking. Then, I added two cloves of sliced (not chopped) garlic when the onions were translucent, and added a teaspoon each of dried rosemary and thyme. Drop in a 1/3 cup of red wine (something you wouldn't mind drinking, don't use crap here) then add two 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Yes, canned tomatoes are ok. Look, I don't have good ripe tomatoes right now. My garden just "ain't got no". So, the next best thing is to used canned, which were picked when they were in season, and flash steamed to preserve that flavor. The next best thing. Besides, fresh tomatoes are better eaten when you are sitting on your deck in the shade with some cracked black pepper and coarse salt sprinkled on top. Ok? Ok.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sorry, I took a side route...I'm back now. So, while the sauce was working, we started on the pasta. Deanna* didn't want to do the cooking, so she volunteered to take some photos while Isabell and I worked. The next few photos you see are her handy work. She's pretty good!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04_uKtcI1DGnFqW6girIh_enNq0h5eXaCD45TbLsXZ7KrT-j4VVsnyF-lQM7VpmAwZYsquPzPjU6rh73ebaW5JbYY17yNFsbWHeOPf98LrhpFeoxOy42pYWIYiBwpMI49AffCb8MU3eba/s1600/DSCF4953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04_uKtcI1DGnFqW6girIh_enNq0h5eXaCD45TbLsXZ7KrT-j4VVsnyF-lQM7VpmAwZYsquPzPjU6rh73ebaW5JbYY17yNFsbWHeOPf98LrhpFeoxOy42pYWIYiBwpMI49AffCb8MU3eba/s200/DSCF4953.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">My Mediterranean Cuisine class at school taught me the easiest and most effective way to make <b style="color: #3d85c6;">pasta</b>...and it literally couldn't be easier. Three large eggs in a food processor with two cups of flour and a glug of olive oil (yes, a glug is a technical term). Process until it forms into a ball, then lay out on a surface and start to knead until the dough looks nice and smooth. You can also tell by pushing your finger into the dough (as far in as you see mine) and if your finger indent pushes out right away you're good to go. You could let it rest in the fridge for an hour...but that's just more time to screw around. Me, I wanna get my hands dirty right away.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zPV_4KvJWT1mo4rFNUO7li_JQaag0jIMYTUlJuMUdgl5CJSXkOF324_5JVp_w8k9YpDnuW-l6WXtgyXxepXDRkEQYIK80KElSV1hcpGDBdjOjUDdpGgI8SSw7pCUn6MJ8JPUPdhnC_iW/s1600/DSCF4962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zPV_4KvJWT1mo4rFNUO7li_JQaag0jIMYTUlJuMUdgl5CJSXkOF324_5JVp_w8k9YpDnuW-l6WXtgyXxepXDRkEQYIK80KElSV1hcpGDBdjOjUDdpGgI8SSw7pCUn6MJ8JPUPdhnC_iW/s200/DSCF4962.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #e69138;">Cut your pasta dough into quarters and run through the rollers</span></b>. The largest size on mine is a number 1, so I start there, then fold it in thirds, press it together, and roll it through 1 again. You can repeat this step up to three times or more, if you want...but again, it's just fiddling around and I want to get down to business. From there, I move to 2 and 4 and stop there. Once you get to 4, you might want to cut the pieces in half so they don't get so long that rolling them through becomes a problem. Now go to 6 and finally 7, rolling the dough through each step once. Lay the sheets on a sheet pan, covered with enough flour that the other sheets stacked on top don't stick, and cover the pan with a damp (NOT WET) tea towel to keep everything from drying out while you finish rolling.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6QU3uYzFf-JyRCWl254gpg850CyFQmhoMnoX_Apzr3yYG0NF8jvkxcSbjZPjCZMSQKlAnCIvX65klIC1J2Ot7Bi2Ep7SeA00ZSyqKylpkIv0d_emsmfbFBdpLkhh4sImOwc6JhDLByfz7/s1600/DSCF4984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6QU3uYzFf-JyRCWl254gpg850CyFQmhoMnoX_Apzr3yYG0NF8jvkxcSbjZPjCZMSQKlAnCIvX65klIC1J2Ot7Bi2Ep7SeA00ZSyqKylpkIv0d_emsmfbFBdpLkhh4sImOwc6JhDLByfz7/s200/DSCF4984.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iZgLaWOCezzF5Njv5DBK3hyMhEoEsLp4oXoUvdfHNYTWbCZUJYtosrX4g8T-BqNCqG99FbjJwK6BQ29CItOU_YpCqAM2h__Vb7QxEuRbbFXsYP3T9iX8NIHzsk3sZCZpd_p0WuboDgea/s1600/DSCF4986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iZgLaWOCezzF5Njv5DBK3hyMhEoEsLp4oXoUvdfHNYTWbCZUJYtosrX4g8T-BqNCqG99FbjJwK6BQ29CItOU_YpCqAM2h__Vb7QxEuRbbFXsYP3T9iX8NIHzsk3sZCZpd_p0WuboDgea/s200/DSCF4986.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxWlp0fdo4hsfmMnvTgbOawzfV4O2MSQvCfQBbFefnUAqYVoOzC6OOb9U6VAu8aDGk4rGsDkVUTPt0XiKhmKjkMJfELlVlOZ3S0T46DN3A5haAdQmdoPBY0hYQxCnxdmx6-pFkqLNblUh/s1600/DSCF4991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxWlp0fdo4hsfmMnvTgbOawzfV4O2MSQvCfQBbFefnUAqYVoOzC6OOb9U6VAu8aDGk4rGsDkVUTPt0XiKhmKjkMJfELlVlOZ3S0T46DN3A5haAdQmdoPBY0hYQxCnxdmx6-pFkqLNblUh/s200/DSCF4991.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Now comes the fun part. Take one sheet of dough, and lay it out in front of you. (Yes, I'm wearing an apron...yes, I'm ok with that.) Take whatever filling you want (I used chopped roasted button mushrooms with rosemary and thyme and ricotta cheese) and <b style="color: #6aa84f;">dollop about a teaspoon of filling onto the sheet</b>. Don't do more, it doesn't seem like much but it's plenty. Space each dollop about an inch apart. If you're new at this, do it an inch and a half apart to make it easier on yourself. Make an egg wash (one egg beaten with a teaspoonish of water) and use your finger to make a small square outline around each filling. Then, take the other half of the dough and flip it over to cover the filling. Use your hands and push the air out from around the filling while you close each ravioli. You want to get as much air out as possible so that when you cook them they don't blow up as the heat expands the air inside each ravioli. Don't be meticulous about this, but get as much as you can out. They don't take long to cook because they are fresh, so they shouldn't blow up too much. When they're all nice and snug inside their pasta blankets, use a pizza cutter to cut between each filling. If you want to get fancy, you can use a fork to gently press a design on the outside. Me, I skip it. There really isn't a need to get all fancy. It's just another step, and I kinda like the rough edges. It's homemade, and it should look homemade.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Now you have to worry about making sure your ravioli aren't going to dry out while you finish rolling out and sealing the rest of them. Tricky...but again, if you employ your tea towel sheet pan rig, you should be a.o.k. When you're finished with all of them (and yes, it makes a LOT), you can lay them out on a sheet pan, not overlapping, and freeze. When they're hard, bag and date them and leave in the freezer until you want to use them (for up to 3 months). To use, toss in boiling, salted water when still frozen and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they float to the top. I usually go about a minute beyond after they float, just to make sure they're heated all the way through.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Want to cook them fresh? Now you're talking! Place them one at a time in the pot and work in batches of no more than 10. <b><span style="color: #45818e;">When they're finished cooking, toss them straight into that lovely red sauce</span></b> you made (after blending, of course).</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw679Zmpm_WLptFlPeUqg0YsbPXI74i38oiJUSV-p4UIiDBmHNiQVrQirM0AaGC9xxcrdz9JkRBE-hhQXtORB3rT-s3SEjGx0dDYEjW_rAYubO6TNO3iUVcadKaKUp3pkjgQc5FHHiMISY/s1600/Roasted+Mushroom+Ravioli.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw679Zmpm_WLptFlPeUqg0YsbPXI74i38oiJUSV-p4UIiDBmHNiQVrQirM0AaGC9xxcrdz9JkRBE-hhQXtORB3rT-s3SEjGx0dDYEjW_rAYubO6TNO3iUVcadKaKUp3pkjgQc5FHHiMISY/s200/Roasted+Mushroom+Ravioli.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Isabell* and Deanna were really excited about everything we made, and it all came out really well. I even surprised myself, because you know how I feel about futzing around. This process wasn't hard, and I actually found I enjoyed it a lot. Even if you don't have the machinery, ask someone who does if you can borrow it and make it for them. They'd love it, and you wouldn't be stuck trying to eat an entire batch of fresh pasta by yourself. Not that that's a bad thing...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrB65EPJy468ycovY-OE0ekvbupHsHRZcgpqAJ71ejERR8vxveHhCYwup0VSXH5YDmoU0cQaXLdY2vKGn1bQLihcIMjHkl9Z0TjLPjvUqTEdTqTmuVmhYL3nYyG0Um08n8K7Eny_d02rx/s1600/D+with+Fettuccini.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrB65EPJy468ycovY-OE0ekvbupHsHRZcgpqAJ71ejERR8vxveHhCYwup0VSXH5YDmoU0cQaXLdY2vKGn1bQLihcIMjHkl9Z0TjLPjvUqTEdTqTmuVmhYL3nYyG0Um08n8K7Eny_d02rx/s200/D+with+Fettuccini.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Give some pasta a try. We made two batches. One for ravioli, and one for fettuccine. They were both delicious, and both totally worth it. I feel like the girls learned a lot, and that we had a blast doing it!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNls6aHAY24hLVBKDDpPRsx8chN5oC3JmYq2lh3wbtQwXDlS5si1AxiVG2cCv5zCPD2RAqm84UJYHLsyClckR97lYMkqcGa4saipXoygUoKksOktiji4I62VaN8x_sg0oeaPylrzknPUJ1/s1600/DSCF4980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNls6aHAY24hLVBKDDpPRsx8chN5oC3JmYq2lh3wbtQwXDlS5si1AxiVG2cCv5zCPD2RAqm84UJYHLsyClckR97lYMkqcGa4saipXoygUoKksOktiji4I62VaN8x_sg0oeaPylrzknPUJ1/s200/DSCF4980.JPG" width="200" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Enjoy your pasta! Ciao!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">*Names were changed to protect the innocent! =)</span>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-32659447249691203872010-06-06T07:43:00.009-05:002020-09-08T15:58:44.803-05:00Italy Weekend - The Flavors of Florence<span face="">The best part about Florence is the scenery, but if there was a second, I would have to say it is their food. Besides basking in the reputation of having the best gelato in the world, Florence boasts some other delicious dishes too.</span><br />
<hr /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpg0Y01QTZI-uCuoXH9mASVgHRPpUDBK94UiLwyogj7ZfU56EkoiyV_U8XbtlBPp4g7Yn4yM6UR6bSdaV_yo2OPCktoHbnGFJo5ITkzvH81WXnNrI6F05aIvrr4mKt1xjKAu40zyc39YZN/s1600/DSCF4220.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpg0Y01QTZI-uCuoXH9mASVgHRPpUDBK94UiLwyogj7ZfU56EkoiyV_U8XbtlBPp4g7Yn4yM6UR6bSdaV_yo2OPCktoHbnGFJo5ITkzvH81WXnNrI6F05aIvrr4mKt1xjKAu40zyc39YZN/s200/DSCF4220.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><span face="">Since my first day in Italy, I have refused to eat gelato in any place other than Florence, simply because if that's where the best is, that's where I want to try it. My friend D* and I asked Chef to recommend a place for us to try our first bites of gelato, and we set off to search for it. After about an hour of searching down the wrong streets and checking the map, D and I got tired of looking like blatant tourists and decided to stop at the next <b style="color: #e69138;">gelato</b> place we found, which happened to be the one pictured above. Not very imposing, and the outside simply says "ice cream", so we decided to give it a shot. Once inside, the little bar offered about eight different options, and I decided to go for a combination of mixed berry gelato and lemon. Now, I know what you're thinking: do they have cream in them? Can they technically be considered gelato? I couldn't tell based on what I had, but the texture seemed to be creamy and rich, even if it didn't have any milk in it (which is probably better for me anyway since I'm lactose intolerant).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1qHbUaVs4NsQxX1yAsMug9Mt4ShffjwhqMWfjKzc2N4KbLYpzpu_oAB5R2FuBBMgZgvTzsBSuXItEMzEX6ett8TRYZDMOQQX232ij51aqCZt2SSt6gHCZpgk30iqN5ZXd1jIXo192Tk5/s1600/DSCF4216.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1qHbUaVs4NsQxX1yAsMug9Mt4ShffjwhqMWfjKzc2N4KbLYpzpu_oAB5R2FuBBMgZgvTzsBSuXItEMzEX6ett8TRYZDMOQQX232ij51aqCZt2SSt6gHCZpgk30iqN5ZXd1jIXo192Tk5/s200/DSCF4216.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><hr /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrmVeaIFY1ksqW7EwO33JMeCAnp6T228d_GBbnCAeu9MX_cUf0ZSfVmitHXO5ujkAe9JSTz5EWVuG2kJgsfsxk09-my6elpH5lYcU9e5Q67WJ9j30yIp62K2GQaxYbW485gYybMGDMqLq/s1600/DSCF4242.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrmVeaIFY1ksqW7EwO33JMeCAnp6T228d_GBbnCAeu9MX_cUf0ZSfVmitHXO5ujkAe9JSTz5EWVuG2kJgsfsxk09-my6elpH5lYcU9e5Q67WJ9j30yIp62K2GQaxYbW485gYybMGDMqLq/s200/DSCF4242.JPG" width="200" /></a><span face="">For dinner, after D and I found our hotel, the concierge desk recommended a restaurant called <b style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="https://www.trattoriaenzoepiero.it/" target="_blank">Enzo Piero Trattoria</a></b>. I don't know which was more impressive, the food, or the fact that we had a waitress named Crysta from Texas who moved here to marry the chef at the restaurant! Pictured on the left is a simple presentation of pasta noodles cooked in olive oil, with tomatoes and white wine. There are also some rather beautiful shrimp in this pasta. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to eat the shrimp whole, shell and all, but she brought a small plate out on the side with my dish, so I assume I was supposed to take them apart. It was a little messy, but the end result was delicious. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ44UfMBchOLtH8Wgj0dq-5KYw_AoGanGs6jUTKdFbKcmb4PgY1gsWe8HW810v9Vnnz1j5QHb9RRWDTtJqzq2IO4fKd3YQvsUBcIi8k0I3UQHCuhP3sB7VRNrwzB2GBkzo2nustUFpcK_o/s1600/DSCF4245.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ44UfMBchOLtH8Wgj0dq-5KYw_AoGanGs6jUTKdFbKcmb4PgY1gsWe8HW810v9Vnnz1j5QHb9RRWDTtJqzq2IO4fKd3YQvsUBcIi8k0I3UQHCuhP3sB7VRNrwzB2GBkzo2nustUFpcK_o/s200/DSCF4245.JPG" width="200" /></a><span face="">On the side I opted to have a vegetable because, much as I'd like to, I can't allow myself to have too much starch without some sort of vegetable. I had sauteed spinach with olive oil and garlic, which was a little soggy, but still good. It took me some time to finish getting the photos I needed from my meal, so by the time I got to them they were cold. Moral of the story: dig in! Don't wait!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMcDlUR0lW2E0zGqhSDJX3wwiV-sbWeXnB0NsLZAyb7lIXqmAh6h3UxsiZWGTf5ht64PgxhF4sJWO4Ipawpo0hYjlVnFHY_VfvnXMxRtK-_gchofF40e4zgl5nLAqkuC7EFL4EPapkndE/s1600/DSCF4252.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMcDlUR0lW2E0zGqhSDJX3wwiV-sbWeXnB0NsLZAyb7lIXqmAh6h3UxsiZWGTf5ht64PgxhF4sJWO4Ipawpo0hYjlVnFHY_VfvnXMxRtK-_gchofF40e4zgl5nLAqkuC7EFL4EPapkndE/s200/DSCF4252.JPG" width="200" /></a><span face="">The following day, we went for the other suggestion, <b style="color: #3d85c6;"><a href="https://www.trattoriazaza.it/" target="_blank">Za-Za's</a></b>, to have lunch and this place was quite a bit more expensive than the other place. A recommendation is a recommendation, however, so we went for it. I ordered a Greek salad (with olives, feta cheese, tomatoes, onions and oregano sprinkled on top) and on the side I had bruschetta. What made this bruschetta different from others I had was the sheer size. They took an entire slice of bread, not just little baguette-size slices, and topped it all with tomatoes, basil and olive oil. It was good, but hard to cut and eat. I like the smaller size; easier to tackle. What really stood out from our meal was D's risotto. It was a mushroom risotto that was super creamy and totally delicious. I expect that the mushrooms were dried to begin with because they had that dried and rehydrated mushroom texture to them, but the flavor was unbelievable. I was jealous. I wish I had ordered that instead of my ridiculous greek salad.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face=""><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face="">Florence was fun, but I was glad I was only there for two days. It gets loud and very busy and it can be just too much to take in. The churches there were ridiculously gorgeous, and the <b><span style="color: #674ea7;"><a href="http://www.accademia.org/" target="_blank">Accademia Museum</a></span></b> with Michelangelo's David is as impressive as it sounds like it would be. The Accademia is an unimposing structure, and you wouldn't even know it was there without a map because the sign is sort of hidden and small.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face=""><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face="">Tonight is our pizza party, and unless it's something mind-boggling that I've never seen before, I'm not planning on blogging about it (and I think its safe to assume that if I did write about it, you probably wouldn't be interested in reading about pizza).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face=""><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face="">Ciao ciao!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face=""><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face="">KK</span></div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com0Florence, Italy43.7687324 11.256901343.6447699 11.0234418 43.892694899999995 11.490360800000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-28626345208276887652010-06-02T15:22:00.003-05:002010-07-19T14:02:51.255-05:00Day Three - Bruschetta<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For today's class we focused on the widely recognized bruschetta (which, by the way, is pronounced "brew-sket-ah"). What most of us think of is watery tomatoes with droopy basil sitting on top of soggy bread. What was great about this lesson is that there were several ways chef chose to prepare them, and the combination of options became the beginning of the meal (though alone it would've been more than substantial).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivu6NlfNpjVDNY_njgUTGEvqbloI84RDd1ozUNi_GFSmafPco56MXHDhxU_it4h9Y-j8Z6vPhol8n1URvIKHkZ-oPU8JvUVq0v_6r_SHEEFxIOVdfOansbjGxORZKzC23RSK2GF-AzbLIv/s1600/DSCF3818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivu6NlfNpjVDNY_njgUTGEvqbloI84RDd1ozUNi_GFSmafPco56MXHDhxU_it4h9Y-j8Z6vPhol8n1URvIKHkZ-oPU8JvUVq0v_6r_SHEEFxIOVdfOansbjGxORZKzC23RSK2GF-AzbLIv/s320/DSCF3818.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
I helped work on most of the brushetta, but I took more of a backseat approach today. There were a lot of vegetables to prep, but I wanted the other students to get a chance to hone their knife skills, and the only way to do it is by backing off and letting them practice. We started off with the tuna brushetta (which you can see on the top left of the photo). This had canned tuna, in olive oil, which was gently broken up and served with basil, green tomatoes and pickled onions (this was done with the same process as yesterday). Very simple, and very good.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Rotating clockwise, at the top you can just barely see the black kale bruschetta. This had black kale, which was boiled first, and then sauteed in olive oil. The final touch added uncooked finely minced garlic.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The next, the most recognizable, is the traditional bruschetta. This was done simply, again, olive oil, basil, and a pinch of finely minced garlic. Classic.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>From there is a roasted vegetable bruschetta. The idea here is to cut the vegetables so they are easy to eat with the bread. Mine was a little overloaded, so I made a mess trying to eat this. Keep that in mind when you are planning on serving bruschetta for a party. On it were roasted fresh tomatoes, zucchini, swiss chard (including the stems) and a type of bean that I'm not sure we can get in the states. White cannellini beans would be a good substitute.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
Finally, on the left side of the photo is the most interesting combination I've had yet. Here we have whole roasted eggplant, which we chopped up in a rough dice, and added mint, garlic, and olive oil. Mint and eggplant...wow! Do this at home! I mean it!<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGKgHsM3LrhDiDS6gYSJ6tRe9yLzD1w93WUgvO4-_usXkvrvpiwe2J9XxaJThBLd8SEajvEbCMbgxZgLINiyh91Dm63v4DDO_Eq1KaPodL4YDtL96T4N0c_Nrui-uN-eZFpBz5Sv9m7ov/s1600/DSCF3828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGKgHsM3LrhDiDS6gYSJ6tRe9yLzD1w93WUgvO4-_usXkvrvpiwe2J9XxaJThBLd8SEajvEbCMbgxZgLINiyh91Dm63v4DDO_Eq1KaPodL4YDtL96T4N0c_Nrui-uN-eZFpBz5Sv9m7ov/s200/DSCF3828.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span id="goog_1032539935"></span><span id="goog_1032539936"></span>Our main protein today was the roasted rack of pork. Chef Pardini removed the ribs, but the tied them back on with butchers twine. Sound weird? I'll explain: by doing this, he can remove the meat from the bones before it goes into the oven so that none of it is wasted, and also so that the roast cooks with the bones because it imparts so much more flavor. He then laid several strips of pancetta over the top, covered it with parchment paper, tied it again, and set it in the oven. About halfway through the cooking time, he poured wine into the pan and let it finish cooking. The meat was tender, and delicious, and was served with a side of roasted vegetables.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZ03mYIXzG9_LpwHSmct0rwigqN62f2uAVjFNxf4JDNyYR1XqN9cQN8qVvPZfcEO3Bor1cjUATFXMGyienOUUBtUuLWKXCM2Fhy1WX1IHPkNTaL2LS3kyIM3ZWABBDrSWlwPBDx_trAJf/s1600/DSCF3913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZ03mYIXzG9_LpwHSmct0rwigqN62f2uAVjFNxf4JDNyYR1XqN9cQN8qVvPZfcEO3Bor1cjUATFXMGyienOUUBtUuLWKXCM2Fhy1WX1IHPkNTaL2LS3kyIM3ZWABBDrSWlwPBDx_trAJf/s200/DSCF3913.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>For dinner we had several platters of antipasti including some Genoa style salami and prosciutto as a first course. Our main course was a bean soup which included a wonderfully chewy grain called farro. It never really gets tender, but that's sort of the beauty of this grain. You want that bit of texture, especially in this soup where most of it is a pureed texture.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX_yRFXFxXgul8oE_Z9iAoWgm8ajAhxTITOoF5A8O9remQvuVws22kP3ZobaD5Sai43kzEp0_lU6rPMOgKWND7pF5wSQIjM_ykrkBnaNL5WlgnpLMzGKm9yA3FZqec8ohr0Uhy-0u6lWf/s1600/DSCF3918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX_yRFXFxXgul8oE_Z9iAoWgm8ajAhxTITOoF5A8O9remQvuVws22kP3ZobaD5Sai43kzEp0_lU6rPMOgKWND7pF5wSQIjM_ykrkBnaNL5WlgnpLMzGKm9yA3FZqec8ohr0Uhy-0u6lWf/s200/DSCF3918.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Chef Pardini also surprised us with a bonus dinner item. On the fly, he created (and no, this isn't a joke) eggs cooked in red sauce. Basically, you add canned tomatoes to a pot and add whole garlic, olive oil and red pepper flake. Then, take whole eggs and crack them into a bowl. Slowly pour them in (keeping the yokes whole). Do not stir the mixture! Turn down the heat and cover until the eggs are cooked. Oddly enough, I watched a program on Channel 11 the day I left for the trip and the chef prepared this exact dish. You wouldn't believe the look on my face when I saw what he was making. Amazing!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
Until tomorrow, buona sera!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
KK</div>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com0Lucca, Italy43.8430139 10.50799443.719205900000006 10.2745345 43.9668219 10.7414535tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-65697527084300655882010-06-01T16:19:00.002-05:002017-06-01T10:48:17.755-05:00Day Two - Viareggio<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Tonight was absolutely wonderful. I was just so happy to be where I was and so grateful for the opportunity to see this beautiful country. It simply was not possible for this day to go wrong.<br />
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First we went to the school (which, by the way, is called the International Academy of Italian Cuisine in Lucca). There, we began creating our seafood feast which was made up of several, very fresh, items caught in the same day or within one day. The first item was a panzanella salad, or "bread salad". You take day old bread, and toss it in with tomatoes, cucumber, celery and various items of seafood. We used squid, octopus, and shrimp in ours. Dressed with olive oil and a touch of vinegar. The red onions in this salad were marinated in red wine vinegar during the prep work to soften some of the bite that onions tend to have. A very interesting technique, and one that I will be taking home with me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0oLJCr14-usDXtKN4eJ1qTAiXmx0CJDh6QatH2IT8CJVbpkSNSTdep2Ed64N2P3WM8M15FfaqS4ZmzTJeOrY2APfaawhvWD_iyi7Ey6PmhJ6noN-8H-C9xBwFos2MHfULuPNf0kPMYLA-/s1600/Pasta+con+le+sarde.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0oLJCr14-usDXtKN4eJ1qTAiXmx0CJDh6QatH2IT8CJVbpkSNSTdep2Ed64N2P3WM8M15FfaqS4ZmzTJeOrY2APfaawhvWD_iyi7Ey6PmhJ6noN-8H-C9xBwFos2MHfULuPNf0kPMYLA-/s200/Pasta+con+le+sarde.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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We then moved on to creating the pasta dish. We used rigatoni for this preparation, and we boiled just the fronds of fennel in a huge salted pot of boiling water. After it was softened, we chopped it fine and added it to the pasta with olive oil, and fried sardines. There was quite a bit of fennel in this dish, so if it sounds like an inspirational item to you, my suggestion would be to cut back on some of the fennel because it just overwhelmed everything.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQniyvXFi2eAtiN-fztZ73ivNvLbPtoaOOBYiVZTUtIHqN3jAfn30TBIokAz7Z2RIc6Nu-O45bnZcUgQfr9oYR08C3BxZb0Kmd9zSYul29VH5vLjY0txA_Zxmc6cmbAkx_w6AdvPcDZvv/s1600/Filetto+di+merluzzo+in+crosticina+di+nepitella.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQniyvXFi2eAtiN-fztZ73ivNvLbPtoaOOBYiVZTUtIHqN3jAfn30TBIokAz7Z2RIc6Nu-O45bnZcUgQfr9oYR08C3BxZb0Kmd9zSYul29VH5vLjY0txA_Zxmc6cmbAkx_w6AdvPcDZvv/s200/Filetto+di+merluzzo+in+crosticina+di+nepitella.JPG" width="200" /></a>From there we had cod, which was quickly dredged in flour and pan seared until it was just before completely cooked, and then we baked it with a breadcrumb topping. It was served over a red onion marmalade, which basically means we sweat the onions until they were perfectly caramelized. By far, my favorite dish of the day.</div>
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Our final dish was a perfectly light and airy yellow cake, brushed with limoncello (a type of Italian lemon liquer), and a lemon pastry cream was dolloped in the center and sandwiched with another layer of the yellow cake. Powdered sugar and fried lemon zest completed the dish.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUfQxt-yKlBYKbfe7rpl7klrdTQSSIxjWlnKq7UVhyphenhyphen-nO23mf35rYm6qjqYgXdp-M5RL5U_-Rta1gGOyl8jx20a8wGptg3KT6GS58LZWJaXjPF0BZNrQAbozDkf3qnEHQsn3h7JzdxZuk/s1600/Limoncello+ricotta+semifreddo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUfQxt-yKlBYKbfe7rpl7klrdTQSSIxjWlnKq7UVhyphenhyphen-nO23mf35rYm6qjqYgXdp-M5RL5U_-Rta1gGOyl8jx20a8wGptg3KT6GS58LZWJaXjPF0BZNrQAbozDkf3qnEHQsn3h7JzdxZuk/s200/Limoncello+ricotta+semifreddo.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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For dinner, our group headed to Viareggio, which is on the west coast of Italy, where I got to stick my feet in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time. We also did a bit of shopping, and enjoyed a seafood tasting dinner, with several small plates of different preparations of seafood. There, we had several glasses of wine, a shot of straight limoncello, and wonderful friendly banter between the group. Its nice to know we are all getting closer. The whole ride home I was just grinning like an idiot, because I know these people are becoming my friends, and I was glad to know I wasn't alone in this beautiful place.<br />
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Buona Sera! (Good night, my new favorite word!)<br />
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KK</div>
KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com055049 Viareggio Lucca, Italy43.874537 10.256888843.812665499999994 10.1401593 43.9364085 10.3736183tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4352387855400323572.post-8140056470320767722010-05-31T15:25:00.003-05:002010-07-19T14:03:25.630-05:00Day Two - First Cooking Lesson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR51cjtolllu06Aqf1tcc909zBEb9XFMxh-B1C0PcGsseUK280YcXQw8KMxPsFe56wnZy-gInx55WNb_mC5pjAlkmJCr7iqCeRdiB15CJTKeYEUBfvWUV_Fx45IqRUtM4aeNzg9lJUudRM/s1600/Savory+Puff+Pastry+with+Zucchini+and+Grueyier+filling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR51cjtolllu06Aqf1tcc909zBEb9XFMxh-B1C0PcGsseUK280YcXQw8KMxPsFe56wnZy-gInx55WNb_mC5pjAlkmJCr7iqCeRdiB15CJTKeYEUBfvWUV_Fx45IqRUtM4aeNzg9lJUudRM/s200/Savory+Puff+Pastry+with+Zucchini+and+Grueyier+filling.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Today was our first lesson in the kitchen, and we were split into groups to get the magic working. My group was assigned the zucchini and Gruyere cheese tart in puff pastry for our lunch so we had some prep work to get done. The tart came out very nice. It was served with a simple olive oil and vinegar side salad, which I was thankful for because the tart was very rich.</div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUOKbnapRv_nEXhT4t_XZbnoSlikCHtWLOBUeD9-Kia0GdrZ2J9PWuDUrajvG01eMsZ0c3JI8isXE1xooOyTmX2NHRoG4JSGgQOEEDRT9lB6GSZvJy71BPOVK1vunIAD9QglWjoENT2i3/s1600/DSCF3533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUOKbnapRv_nEXhT4t_XZbnoSlikCHtWLOBUeD9-Kia0GdrZ2J9PWuDUrajvG01eMsZ0c3JI8isXE1xooOyTmX2NHRoG4JSGgQOEEDRT9lB6GSZvJy71BPOVK1vunIAD9QglWjoENT2i3/s200/DSCF3533.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QKULiIszH_AayaQrFx0NN__oUYgr_CRTvQFiYUk2RFj_LcJwH__dlh1z8ColaB-zbwKXInLr6-qeC2a0ZrP4tcifFNg_1rgZfqnulN0wQ1f1-fmIKKtdVYkd_XDwMs9OII3mKCUo_Kl4/s1600/Spring+Pasta+with+zucchini,+peas,+carrots,+onion,+and+asparagus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QKULiIszH_AayaQrFx0NN__oUYgr_CRTvQFiYUk2RFj_LcJwH__dlh1z8ColaB-zbwKXInLr6-qeC2a0ZrP4tcifFNg_1rgZfqnulN0wQ1f1-fmIKKtdVYkd_XDwMs9OII3mKCUo_Kl4/s200/Spring+Pasta+with+zucchini,+peas,+carrots,+onion,+and+asparagus.JPG" width="200" /></a>The remaining dish for lunch was the pasta, and that was something spectacular. Chef Pardini showed us how to use a guitar, and no, we weren't using it to serenade any cute Italian boys. Basically, it was a block of wood with several strings strapped across the top. You'd take a sheet of pasta dough (which we made fresh) and using a rolling pin, <b><span style="color: #e69138;">the pasta would be pressed through the strings to cut even strips of pasta.</span></b> If you didn't have this particular item, another way to do it would be to roll the sheet of pasta into a log (don't mush it together) and cut the roll into strips that way. It pinches it a bit and the edges aren't perfectly straight, but it gets the job done (and I was told those guitars aren't cheap). The pasta was served simply with sauteed julienne vegetables (asparagus, carrot, onion) and an herb olive oil sauce. The fresh herbs were placed in the olive oil to quickly "marinate" before being added to the hot pasta. Very delizioso.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EbtI7q2IvQsZIhHHJyOnf35VB56eRu7TpsoRUDbGY-FLsiueYzMHzkdDUijZ5aFpz3oFTeH_XcGelyxpNDuF29F8zvSMIAphJouzcnBQW0K1Id-P1Kw6heoxlSC7CIiuWHcbisCsEadp/s1600/DSCF3588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EbtI7q2IvQsZIhHHJyOnf35VB56eRu7TpsoRUDbGY-FLsiueYzMHzkdDUijZ5aFpz3oFTeH_XcGelyxpNDuF29F8zvSMIAphJouzcnBQW0K1Id-P1Kw6heoxlSC7CIiuWHcbisCsEadp/s200/DSCF3588.JPG" width="200" /></a> The afternoon was spent in the <b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">city centre of Lucca</span></b>. The coolest part about it is that the actual city is walled off on all sides, and you can rent a bike and bike on top of the wall to see the whole city. We'll be going to Lucca again soon, so I will most likely do that the next time around. Too cool to miss!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Today was busier than yesterday, so I'm fairly certain I will sleep well again tonight. So far no jet lag to speak of, which is wonderful since I've been hearing horror stories from people about how long it takes to recover. I learned today that, like the Hawaiian's "aloha", the famous Italian farewell "<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">ciao</span></b>" is also a greeting. Several of our drivers have answered their cell phones this way, so I may start to say this to Chef Pardini. I think he would appreciate it.<br />
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Dinner tonight was also very good, but I definitely feel that lunch was more worthy of praise. We had a vegetable soup with ground beef, fava beans, artichokes, and asparagus, and chicken cacciatore.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Until tomorrow food fans!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ciao!</span>KKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11171441595688268057noreply@blogger.com0Lucca, Italy43.8430139 10.50799443.719205900000006 10.2745345 43.9668219 10.7414535