| 4/24/2008 |
BEHOLD... THE POWER OF CHEESE
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 There is something unholy, unsettling, yet delicious about an untouched block of Velveeta. I love cooking with it. I love making grilled cheese sammiches with it. It's the meltiest. It's the cheesiest. It's it's raw, untouched form, it is... how can I put this? Do you remember the opening scene from 2001 where the monkeys around all banging and jumping around the monolith? Yeah... it's like that. But tastier and not full of stars.Labels: cooking, food |
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I posted this @ 4/24/2008 10:05:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
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| 3/26/2008 |
WRAPPED UP IN YOU
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C'mere... SHHH!!! I've got a secret for you. I've got a knock-off recipe of PF Chang's lettuce wraps. Ok ok... so maybe it's not a HUGE secret, but there are a lot of versions of lettuce wraps out there. This one is pretty damn spot on.
Here's the scoop:
1 head of lettuce
1lb pkg of boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg of button mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic
1 small onion
1 small can of water chestnuts
1 pkg of crispy rice noodles
1/2 cup soy sauce
chili paste
Chinese hot mustard
Take the chicken breasts and put them in a pot of water. Bring the water and chicken to a boil. This will cook it, keep it moist and tender. Check to make sure the chicken is done by taking one of the breasts and cutting it open. If it's still pink, let it boil for a little while longer. You can't overboil the chicken so don't worry. Once the chicken is no longer pink inside, remove the chicken from the water and let it cool. You can either food process the chicken or hand chop it into pieces. We're looking for rather small pieces. A fine dice on the chicken is the technical term, I think.
While the chicken is poaching, finely dice the onion, garlic and mushrooms. Add a few table spoons of olive oil to a skillet and brown the mixture. When the mushrooms have browned and the onions have softened add the diced chicken to the mixture and turn the heat on low to keep everything warm.
Put your soy sauce in a small bowl. I like to use two healthy spoonfuls of both the hot mustard and the chili paste. But I like it spicy. If you like it mild, just add one. You can always add more to your individual wrap.
Put the chicken mixture into a serving bowl. Dice the water chestnuts into the same size pieces as the chicken and mixture. Add to the bowl. It doesn't have to be perfect, but we're looking for everything to be generally the same size. Top with a couple handfuls of the crispy rice noodles. Toss to combine.
Remove the lettuce core. Chop the head of lettuce in half and gently peel away the first couple of layers. Separate the rest of the lettuce leaves for easy use.
You can either have the sauce on the side for everyone to add their own. (Much like PF Chang's does) or you can just pour the sauce over the chicken mixture if everyone likes it the same heat level.
Now... I feel like Rachael Ray, but... you can find chili paste and Chinese hot mustard in most major super markets anymore. If you can't you might have to find an Asian food market. I found the crispy rice noodle in the same area of the store as the French fried onions. But most likely it's in the Asian food aisle as well.Labels: cooking, food |
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I posted this @ 3/26/2008 02:24:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
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| 2/22/2008 |
I AM... I AM... I AM SUPER MAN
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I'm not really a healthy person. I know this. I accept this. Most times I really don't care. Am I in the best shape? No. I've tried... i wouldn't even call the diets because it wasn't an attempt to lose weight or be healthier. It was more just to see if I could do it. I'm stubborn like that. Someone says I can't do something I have a hard time not wanting to try, just to prove them wrong.
I tried doing the no carb thing. I last a week. That's rough.
I gave up all soda for a month. That was easier than I thought. I didn't miss the soda so much as I did the carbonation. I missed the fizz.
But I've got something that I feel ok about giving up and not really worried about missing. I'm giving up super sizing.
When I worked at McDonald's, during college, there were still such a thing as a 16 oz small drink. In fact, most places had a standard set of sizes; 16, 21, and 32 ounces. If a fast food menu even still offers three sizes the smallest is hardly small. BK and McDonald's being the biggest offenders of it. Taco Bell isn't much better. All combos come with a 32 oz drink.
Now this isn't to say that I don't drink soda other than when I go out for fast food. Because I do. But I've typically subscribed to the theory that for some people, it's how much more than what you eat. I know this isn't across the board. I feel it is true for me. So I'm giving up super sizing.
Big deal? Well maybe... if you figure that extra patty or handful of fries or few ounces of soda add up to at least 100 calories and I'm not eating them. Well that's some quick math to show how many calories dropping.
Baby steps. And maybe once the weather gets warmer I'll start going out for walks/jogs again.Labels: food, health |
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I posted this @ 2/22/2008 02:48:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
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| 1/27/2008 |
THAT'S THE IMPRESSION THAT I GET
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My favorite Italian restaurant has been Carrabba's, for a while now. I go at least once a month if not more. Our favorite waitress at Carrabba's is Amy. Typically I'm one to look sideways at someone who is very overly friendly. Not in a bad way, but part of my questions it, like... "What're they selling?"
This is one example where that wasn't the case at all. The first time we had Amy as a waitress she was perky, friendly, and attentive as a waitress. In explaining why their steak was good, she acknowledged that it might not be typical to get good steak and a pasta place. But her dad 'knows' steak (I don't know...), and this was good steak. Also she was a bit worn out from playing tennis earlier that day. And blah blah blah... even tho she was oversharing a little bit, no one seemed to mind. She also was more than willing to spill the secret recipe for the herb dipping mixture that Carrabba's uses. I make it at home now and use it all the time.
So after that night we always looked for Amy when we went there. Asking for her, hoping to get her table. But no luck. Until last night.
Now, here is what is impressive to me. She left a great impression on us. She was fun, friendly, attentive, a great waitress and seemed like a really cool person. This was MONTHS ago, maybe summertime? So here last night, she came up to us. Totally recognized us. We told her about hoping to get her again as a our waitress. She told us it was her last night. Sad. Because you rarely find servers that are friendly without seeming fake.
I just find it pretty darned cool that she left that much of an impression on us and we on her that she remembered us. Like I said... that doesn't happen very often.
Best of luck as a nurse, Amy! Come have dinner with us at Carrabba's sometime.Labels: food, friends |
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I posted this @ 1/27/2008 01:11:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
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| 11/16/2007 |
HOW DIP IS YOUR LOVE
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Thanks Paolo for the title suggestion... "How deep is your love?"
I like to cook. This is my latest creation. I turned out quite tasty if I do say so myself.
Romesco Dip
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I posted this @ 11/16/2007 11:13:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
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| 8/23/2007 |
EAT IT. JUST EAT IT.
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I meant to blog this a while ago, but I was just thinning about it again.
Mark & I had a bad string of luck when it comes to restaurants. It just wasn't our week.
We started out at Red Robin one night. It was late dinner hour so the rush was fading. We were seated promptly and had drinks decently quick. After that.. it was like no man's land for our server. In the 10-15 minutes that we waited for him to come around again we'd already decided on an appetizer and our meal. Now this is a big deal. By his own admission Mark is not a quick decider. So for us to already know what we want... Quick! Get the server here before we change our minds!
In the meantime our server was flirting/clearing up a table of 15 college-aged girls. Finally he came by and took our order. A runner brought out our appetizer. Another runner brought out our food (almost too soon). Our server did a 'drive-by' and mumbled something about refills. But that never happened. He's getting shots for half the table of Debbie's.
When the check arrived, finally... I paid him promptly rather than wait even more for him to come back for it. He was tipped 'appropriately' as well as a comment card filled out on his behalf.
It's unfortunate because even tho we've had good (if not somewhat smothering) service in the past. It's typically the most recent visit you remember first.
The luck continued when we ended up at Old Chicago later in the weekend. After a couple of other dining options were shot down (not open yet, not in the mood, etc.) we showed up at OC about 10 minutes after they opened. We were one of three tables. Our waitress was very prompt about drinks and taking our order. It was there after that she got a large table and we never saw her again. We had to ask the hostess for our check. Again... she was tipped appropriately. This server was at least apologetic about her neglect, but it was really more like an excuse... "I had a big table." You also had two people helping you with that table. And we were your only other table...
I get that being a server is rough at time. I couldn't do it, because I'd end up telling someone off. So I appreciate when a server does a good job. Hell, I appreciate when a server does a mediocre job. What I don't get is why it takes 5 people to take care of a table and the service can still be lousy.
I can see the 'logic' of having someone runs the food out to you, thus freeing up the server to handle other tables. I can understand someone coming around and filling drinks. Most restaurants seem to do this. But when you've got multiple people, wouldn't the server technically be 'in charge' of the table. If he or she notes you need refills... send the refill person around. Come by and check to see how the food is or if we need something. I'd rather be smothered by our server than ignored or forgotten about.
So in the end, when the check arrives, who are you tipping? Say Refill Guy was attentive, but the server was incompetent. Someone else brought out your food and got you ranch on the side, but the server barely acknowledged you. It seems unfair that the server would end up getting a tip for something that basically amounts to taking your order and bringing the check.
If you're going to have that many people waiting on one table... wouldn't it be just as viable of an option to have those runners and refillers trained as servers who do more per table, but then are earning their tip more as well?Labels: food, rant |
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I posted this @ 8/23/2007 09:28:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
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| 8/01/2007 |
SOMEONE'S IN THE KITCHEN WITH DINAH
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So perhaps I've mentioned before that I can't bake. Even given the fact that I did create a Jell-O cake... I still profess to not be able to bake.
Exhibit A:
I wanted something sweet and figured cake was good. It'd give Mark and I something to have for dessert. Cake mix was procured.
I add the eggs. I add the oil. I start mixing away. I notice that the batter is like frosting, but stickier. It's glue like.
I should point out that the bowl I was using was WAY to small to mix in. But it was the biggest one that was clean. But it ws NOT going to do. So I washed a larger bowl and transferred the mix to it.
Well I didn't know any better. Maybe this is what Super Moist looks like going into the pan. The batter was not spreading out. There was no way this was going to fill up a cake pan and actually produce cake.
Looking at the box, this is when I realize I forgot to add water. The simplest ingredient and I overlook it. So I here I am questioning... could I just add the water to the pan and mix it in the pan itself. I should add here, that I have one of those silicone baking pans. So while it rocks for heat distribution and clean-up it is horrible on the stability side of things when moving non-solidified masses.
I decided to move the unbaked mess back to the bowl, added water, and remix things. It took a while for the glob to take the water and break down into a more liquid state. Once it did, then back to the pan and on with the baking and eventual frosting.
Besides it being a more precise science, culinarily speaking, I am often oblivious to obvious directions like "add 1 3/4 cups water". This is why I don't bake.Labels: food, funny |
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I posted this @ 8/01/2007 11:39:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
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| 6/18/2007 |
HIGH & DRY
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Sometimes I'm a dork. I know. I know. Try and contain your astonishment.
I have a couple herb pots growing basil and oregano. The basil will get a lot of usage being picked fresh from the plant. The oregano I don't have a lot of recipes calling for it used fresh. So this requires drying.
If you are a fan of Good Eats you might recall an episode where Alton Brown dried his own herbs MacGuyver style but placing them in between a couple of air filter and strapping them to a box fan. Maybe it was just TV magic, but I believe he said in 24 hours the herbs were dried. Employing a similar method I snipped a few sprigs of my oregano, bundled them together and strapped them to the front of my floor fan. I presumed the reason for the air filters in AB's method was to stopped the soon-to-be dried leaves from being wind blown around the room. I took the chance without one.
Let the 24 hours begin!
I did notice a slightly herby scent in the apartment which was fine with me. Occasionally I'd put the fan on oscillate and watch the herbs dance around. (See above: Dork) I would check the dryness of the herbs every so often to find that they weren't dry at all. They were just as supple as when I first snipped them. Hrm...
Twenty-four hours goes by and the only leaves that dried were two very small ones that were right next to the fan itself. Clearly this would take forever using my method.
Retreating to the Internet and all it's wisdom I found a site that said you could microwave your herbs for minute intervals to dry them. Seemed reasonable. But be warned... this might result in the herbs catching fire which the Internet cautions is bad for your microwave.
Home-dried herbs... Appliance combustion... Hrm...
I tried it. I put a few sprigs in the between two paper towels and let them 'dry cook' for a minute. There was quite a bit of sizzling and crackling, but no flames. I checked them. They were certainly hot, but not what I would call 'dry'. Another minute... More sizzling and crackling. It definitely smelled like oregano in my apartment now. A little smoke after the second go around. Figuring this was a sign of bad things to come I would forego a third minute. I like my microwaves not on fire.
So I went back to the 'old fashioned method' of binding and hanging the herbs to dry. I'm sure I'll get a raised eyebrows from Mark when he sees my handiwork in the pantry.Labels: food, funny |
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I posted this @ 6/18/2007 09:10:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
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| 5/22/2007 |
FASHION NUGGET*
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*Because it's written by Cake. Get it? Huh. HUH!?
Now for most people, taking a store bought box of cake mix and producing a dessert with it is nothing major. For me, it's fucking magic. I don't bake. I've always subscirbed to the Rachel Ray school of baking. Baking is too precise. Cooking is more free spirited. Baking is a haiku. Cooking is free verse.
Mark's birthday was about a month ago, but I'm just now uploading this photo. His cake of choice? A Jell-o Cake. So not only did I have to make a cake. I had to make Jell-o. I'm serious. Have me make Chicken Cordon Bleu I can do. A Jell-o cake? Shit... But it turned out perfect according to him. I'm glad he liked it. I'm perfectly ok with him lying to me about my baking skills. It's a fair trade.
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I posted this @ 5/22/2007 04:28:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
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| 5/07/2007 |
FEELIN' HOT HOT HOT
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I have to share this recipe. Because I love to cook and this recipe rocks! It couldn't be easier, unless it came in a can. But this is SO much better than canned soup. It's made from stuff that most people have if you do a fair amount of cooking at home. I only had to buy the cannellini beans. It makes a great sandwich dippin' 'sauce' too.
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the jar of marinara sauce, chicken broth, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.Labels: food, recipes |
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I posted this @ 5/07/2007 04:47:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
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| 5/01/2007 |
'CAUSE IT'S A THRILLER, THRILLER NIGHT
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While I think it is pretty typical to do a weekend recap... I'm going to do a weekend recap. SURPRISE!!
A lot of this centered around the BF's BD.
Hot Fuzz!! Go see this movie!! Did you see Shaun of the Dead? Go see that movie!!
I wasn't expecting the turn the movie took at all. Having come off Shaun of the Dead I expected the quirky British humor and oddball characters. I won't spoil the movie, but I will say that surprised by the climax. I know police partners are close, but there were a couple moments where Mark and I both wondered why Nicholas (Simon Pegg) and Danny (Nick Frost) just didn't kiss and get it over with. The movie starts off kind of slow before the main plot really kicks in. Clocking in at a hair over two hours, once shit hits the fan it's all action from then on. Good times kids. Definitely a movie I will buy.
The birthday dinner was celebrated at Carraba's with one of the nicest, perky, quirky waitresses I've ever had. She was fun without being obnoxious. She was friendly in a very sincere way. Amy rocked! We love you, Amy!! And we told her so. It was amusing at first as she explained the specials to us. It was a steak, and lest you think that Italians aren't known for steaks, "...they are. My Dad is a butcher so I know about steaks." Later she told us about how she had been playing tennis earlier and her arms were tired. But her legs were more tired because she isn't very good at tennis. So there was a lot of chasing/fetching the ball. Which might sound like whining, but it was in a total fun conversational way. Our drinks were never empty. Hell, she even gave us the recipe for their dipping herbage.
If you're curious... Fresh garlic, granulated garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, rosemary, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, and parsley. Then add fruity evoo.
Ok... Have you seen Flava Of Love: Charm School. Don Imus would love these girls. It's a train wreck.
A good time was had by all.Labels: cute teacher, food, movies, weekend |
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I posted this @ 5/01/2007 11:31:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
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