I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! (or if you are not a celebrator...a nice weekend)
We had a wonderful holiday, including a full contact Easter Egg hunt, the worlds grossest Polish soup and an egg cake with a cheesecake hidden inside. So this post will deal mostly with some of the highlights of our holiday:
First I have to mention that despite our respective 25 and almost 21 years of age, my sister and I still have an easter egg hunt. (out and proud). FUN! The rules are simple: my aunt hides 18million eggs in the most unbeleivable places possible (inside chicken cavities, frozen into blocks of ice and in a toilet bowls are not off limits) and Lauren and I compete to find the most eggs (or till first blood). We are then awarded 1st and 2nd place prizes...it is awesome! Lauren's boyfriend joined us for the first time and competed....he's ok. We expect him out of the hospital any day now. This battle royal is followed by our Martini Olive Hunt, where 6 olives (in other words green easter eggs with red dots on them) are hidden with clues inside which my mother and aunt have to find in order to get a martini. This year we wanted to mix it up a little and made it into a race. Both my aunt and mother had three eggs hidden and had to be the first to find all of theirs to receive a first prize martini. (the second place person got a "tiny" tini in a miniature martini glass). We made both Absolute Brooklyn Martinis and Sake Tinis and they were sooooo good
I should mention that the full-contact Easter Egg hunt we made Laurens poor boyfirned participate in was of course after we subjected him to Polish Easter Soup. If you have never heard of it, please follow the link. You really should know what we are dealing with to appreciate how mean it is to serve this to anyone. But we love it...especially with horseradish in it to turn in Pepto-Bismol Pink and kill the taste.
And speaking of Polish food, I also have a funny story about our heritages many quirks...Food blessing. See we take our food to a Polish Catholic Church in New Britain every year, and part of this comes from my mothers feelings about a certain church member who shall remain nameless at our local church and some potentially offensive comments about the practice he may or may not have made to her. Well my sister and I had the job on our own this year and unfortunately were both quite bogged down with work so we decided, in the interest of saving time, that we would go to this aforementioned church to get the blessing, while subsequently deciding to not tell our mother about this change of plans so that we would not have to incur her wrath (I'm not saying she's mean but her and the deity whose sons resurrection we celebrated yesterday may have similar feelings about wrath (see Exodus 15:1-7)). So we kept this a secret, and vowed to instead say we made the 40 min trip to New Britain in record time. Well it didn't work, the food burned my mother from the inside. We'll all miss you mom.
Lastly, I want to mention the fabulous dessert I made: Red Velvet Cheesecake.
I'll admit I cheated a little and used boxed Red Velvet cake mix. THEN...I followed this recipe from Paula Dean for the cheese cake center (I needed a recipe without a crust)
The frosting was a cream cheese frosting from The Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.
Ok: so I am too ambitious sometimes and decided I wanted to use the easter egg cake pans Marilou has. I made the cakes in them, then made a regular cheese cake in a spring-form pan. The next day I used one of the tiers to cut out a similarly shaped cheesecake layer, and cut it out....Well here is the problem: this cheese cake has no crust (why would it..it's filling) and when I attempted to pick it up with a spatula a sizable piece of it fell off and my cheesecake layer ended up looking like aborted fetus. Ohhh I was mad...so mad I snapped at Marilou (Soooooory) in a totally un-easter spirit. But thankfully frosting covered a multitude of sins and the cake came out looking ok.
Potential fix: If I attempt to do this again I will put parchment paper (pre cut) into the bottom of the pan so this can more easily be moved.
That being said I will NEVER try this again because while my cake looked adorable, it quickly turned to hotmess when it was cut. We got in a few good slices but then it feel apart completely. My family thought it was very good though so it will likely be made again only this time in normal cake form (ie round and easy to assemble)
I hope everyones holiday was a good as mine and I hope you at least kindof enjoyed Dark Stories From the Niezabitowski Holiday!!!!
Good Night and Good Luck
Monday, April 25, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Shameless Ploys and Veggie Mexican
Another Quick recipe post:
Portabello Black Bean Quesadilla's
slice two portabello mushrooms into 1/2" slices.
saute in two tablespoons of olive oil over medium for 3 mins. Add diced bell pepper (i used Red)and half a can of rinsed black beans. Season, and add cayenne pepper (how ever much you want really). Saute for a minute more. Remove from heat.
Heat pan over med and add a tablespoon of oil. Assemble Quesadilla: tortilla, the bean-mushroom mix, and about 1/4-1/2 cup of shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack. Cook until lightly browned (1-3 mins), flip, repeat.
These came out fabulous!! I was very pleased with myself, though I should mention that I had no intention of ever making them. I bought the mushrooms (in a word...they were sexy) and planned to use them to make a portabella burger but saw a similar recipe in a book my mom had (which I browsed as we chatted about the important things in life like office gossip) and decided to make something similar.
I also have been thinking about something very important. I know like four people read my blog, but in a shameless attempt to get more readers, I am trying to brainstorm ideas to whore myself for readership (just short of actually whoreing myself). I did think that maybe I could celebrate my (20 post away) 100th post by making a cookie or something for everyone that reads and posts a comment. But if any of my dedicated readers (either of the two of you) feel like you have a better suggestion please comment and let me know)
Also, I felt the need to share this: I am so happy that Chow is doing a weekly Top Chef Recap. Their review is a nice Digestif to the show. I should mention that I disagree with their disdain for Savir. I think he is fantastic, but I suppose this goes back to my somewhat unpopular thought process that it's ok to be an arrogant ass-bag if you actually have talent. But that's just me.
And the Myke Hawke jokes were funnier on The Soup Chow: and I agree with Joel McHale: Myke Hawke is a dick
Portabello Black Bean Quesadilla's
slice two portabello mushrooms into 1/2" slices.
saute in two tablespoons of olive oil over medium for 3 mins. Add diced bell pepper (i used Red)and half a can of rinsed black beans. Season, and add cayenne pepper (how ever much you want really). Saute for a minute more. Remove from heat.
Heat pan over med and add a tablespoon of oil. Assemble Quesadilla: tortilla, the bean-mushroom mix, and about 1/4-1/2 cup of shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack. Cook until lightly browned (1-3 mins), flip, repeat.
These came out fabulous!! I was very pleased with myself, though I should mention that I had no intention of ever making them. I bought the mushrooms (in a word...they were sexy) and planned to use them to make a portabella burger but saw a similar recipe in a book my mom had (which I browsed as we chatted about the important things in life like office gossip) and decided to make something similar.
I also have been thinking about something very important. I know like four people read my blog, but in a shameless attempt to get more readers, I am trying to brainstorm ideas to whore myself for readership (just short of actually whoreing myself). I did think that maybe I could celebrate my (20 post away) 100th post by making a cookie or something for everyone that reads and posts a comment. But if any of my dedicated readers (either of the two of you) feel like you have a better suggestion please comment and let me know)
Also, I felt the need to share this: I am so happy that Chow is doing a weekly Top Chef Recap. Their review is a nice Digestif to the show. I should mention that I disagree with their disdain for Savir. I think he is fantastic, but I suppose this goes back to my somewhat unpopular thought process that it's ok to be an arrogant ass-bag if you actually have talent. But that's just me.
And the Myke Hawke jokes were funnier on The Soup Chow: and I agree with Joel McHale: Myke Hawke is a dick
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Modern Stone Age Dinner
So last night Marilou and I decided to indulge in a little steak. And when I say a little I really mean in two Flinstones sized Boneless Rib-eyes, with caramelized onion and Gorgonzola. It was sooooo good. I did them in a fry pan which is always a good idae and gets a great "crust" on the outside of the steak.
Trim fat off ends of Rib eye and season (Salt, pepper and what ever else you choose)
Heat pan to high, add about 2 tablespoons oil (veggie is what I use) and add steaks.*
cook about 3 mins each side. Remove, and top with Gorgonzola and caramelized onions. Let rest in tented foil for 10 minutes.(this will allow the juices to "settle" and it will give the cheese a chance to melt)
*note, always dry off your steaks with a paper towel before searing them.
It was fantastic. I served it with half a baked potato and peas (All I'm saying is give peas a chance)
Trim fat off ends of Rib eye and season (Salt, pepper and what ever else you choose)
Heat pan to high, add about 2 tablespoons oil (veggie is what I use) and add steaks.*
cook about 3 mins each side. Remove, and top with Gorgonzola and caramelized onions. Let rest in tented foil for 10 minutes.(this will allow the juices to "settle" and it will give the cheese a chance to melt)
*note, always dry off your steaks with a paper towel before searing them.
It was fantastic. I served it with half a baked potato and peas (All I'm saying is give peas a chance)
Monday, April 18, 2011
How Ethnic Food Can Cure Your Every Ailment
Ok so this one is a two parter:
1st: I want to talk about my stir-fry. Here is the recipe.
It was good, however, the sauce needed more flavor and the addition of the corn-starch ended up producing something that was almost gummy. So next time I’m going easy on the starch and little heavier on the flavor. I didn’t use chicken (I used shrimp, it was a Friday) first of all.
Second, I used no sesame seeds, and I added snow peas (they are quite tasty in a stir fry). Finally, my noodles ended up being bucatini because it was the only long pasta we had in the house besides angel hair. It was a little thick, and I would prefer to have spaghetti next time as this was a little too thick and heavy for the meal but it was good enough for government work. (I kid…the government would never be able to pull off a meal like this one)
Marilou liked it more then me, but I will keep you updated the next time I make it on the improvements.
2nd:
I would like to briefly tell you about our potato pancake extravaganza. Sometimes a friend needs you. He/she needs your love, support, and assistance in drinking away a bad week over a heaping plate of Polack food. And sometimes that friend resolves all of these issues before this cheer-up session begins. Let me just say, these are the best kind of cheer up parties. Unnecessary and still happening!!! Plus, like any good Polish girls, we love potato pancakes, and I was having a hell of a craving. And there is nothing this fried concoction can't sure. Sadness, anger, stress, tonsillitis, Anti-Social Personality Disorder (can't stop killing cats? have I got a cure for you!!)
So first we had to run to the store to buy chilies and MORE potatoes (oh..so we mean business do we? I should note that if you are Polish, a recipe is not complete until you have made enough to feed an underground anti-communist movement. So these recipes make about 18,000 pancakes. That's probably good for maybe an afternoon snack). Then we got a Starbucks (this step was totally necessary…you need energy to cook) and then we came home and put Mikey to work shredding potatoes. Call it an initiation. He’s a Polack like us now…I’m sure he’s so happy about this.
We decided on a variety:
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Grate 3 sweet potatoes (peeled), mix with two eggs and about a cup of flour (I’ll admit these measurements are a bit of a hard thing for me to put as I typically mix them till they are right…which if you are not Polish and therefore cannot make these by instinct is a bit annoying I know…sorry. They should hold together, still be a bit damp. The true test is when you put them in the oil. If they come out doughy and heavy you need less flour, and if they don't hold together you need more flour)
Mikey made it a point to tell me 11 times that he thought they would be good with nutmeg in them. This could be. I typically add scallions to mine. But the recipe is pretty basic so do what you heart desires.
Chili-cheddar Potato pancakes.
Grate 3-5 potatoes. Drain in a colander (ie put in colander and press with fork to remove excess moisture). Mix in two eggs (I’m pretty sure the recipe just wanted me to add flour (unless I can’t read…which is possible) but they were falling apart so we added eggs and flour and I’ll act on the assumption that I just fail at reading recipes) and again about a cup of flour (approximate), a small can of drained green chilies, half a diced onion and about a ½-1 cup of grated cheddar cheese.
Heat vegitable oil in large pan on med-high heat. Once it is warm, take two forks and “pinch” some of the pancake mixture between them (like you would with tongs) and place in pan, spreading out with fork for form a pancake about 3-4inches wide. (I realize this seems like a strange method, a lot of people just form them into actual pancakes, but I like them this way because they are chewy in the middle but you get a lot more of that crunchy outside. You’ll see when you cook them. Plus like so much Polish (or any) food this is just the way I was taught.)
Once they are cooked (2-3 mins each side) place on a plate covered with paper towel to drain and salt them. Once they are drained, place them on a separate plate. If you want to keep them warm you can turn the oven on to 250 degrees and leave them on a cookie sheet in the oven until all of them are finished. Ill mention that I turned on the oven, then never actually put them in. I think this was because we were all too busy munching on them to let them get cold.
Serve with sour cream, or apple sauce, and as we did , a lot of alcohol. Nooom
1st: I want to talk about my stir-fry. Here is the recipe.
It was good, however, the sauce needed more flavor and the addition of the corn-starch ended up producing something that was almost gummy. So next time I’m going easy on the starch and little heavier on the flavor. I didn’t use chicken (I used shrimp, it was a Friday) first of all.
Second, I used no sesame seeds, and I added snow peas (they are quite tasty in a stir fry). Finally, my noodles ended up being bucatini because it was the only long pasta we had in the house besides angel hair. It was a little thick, and I would prefer to have spaghetti next time as this was a little too thick and heavy for the meal but it was good enough for government work. (I kid…the government would never be able to pull off a meal like this one)
Marilou liked it more then me, but I will keep you updated the next time I make it on the improvements.
2nd:
I would like to briefly tell you about our potato pancake extravaganza. Sometimes a friend needs you. He/she needs your love, support, and assistance in drinking away a bad week over a heaping plate of Polack food. And sometimes that friend resolves all of these issues before this cheer-up session begins. Let me just say, these are the best kind of cheer up parties. Unnecessary and still happening!!! Plus, like any good Polish girls, we love potato pancakes, and I was having a hell of a craving. And there is nothing this fried concoction can't sure. Sadness, anger, stress, tonsillitis, Anti-Social Personality Disorder (can't stop killing cats? have I got a cure for you!!)
So first we had to run to the store to buy chilies and MORE potatoes (oh..so we mean business do we? I should note that if you are Polish, a recipe is not complete until you have made enough to feed an underground anti-communist movement. So these recipes make about 18,000 pancakes. That's probably good for maybe an afternoon snack). Then we got a Starbucks (this step was totally necessary…you need energy to cook) and then we came home and put Mikey to work shredding potatoes. Call it an initiation. He’s a Polack like us now…I’m sure he’s so happy about this.
We decided on a variety:
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Grate 3 sweet potatoes (peeled), mix with two eggs and about a cup of flour (I’ll admit these measurements are a bit of a hard thing for me to put as I typically mix them till they are right…which if you are not Polish and therefore cannot make these by instinct is a bit annoying I know…sorry. They should hold together, still be a bit damp. The true test is when you put them in the oil. If they come out doughy and heavy you need less flour, and if they don't hold together you need more flour)
Mikey made it a point to tell me 11 times that he thought they would be good with nutmeg in them. This could be. I typically add scallions to mine. But the recipe is pretty basic so do what you heart desires.
Chili-cheddar Potato pancakes.
Grate 3-5 potatoes. Drain in a colander (ie put in colander and press with fork to remove excess moisture). Mix in two eggs (I’m pretty sure the recipe just wanted me to add flour (unless I can’t read…which is possible) but they were falling apart so we added eggs and flour and I’ll act on the assumption that I just fail at reading recipes) and again about a cup of flour (approximate), a small can of drained green chilies, half a diced onion and about a ½-1 cup of grated cheddar cheese.
Heat vegitable oil in large pan on med-high heat. Once it is warm, take two forks and “pinch” some of the pancake mixture between them (like you would with tongs) and place in pan, spreading out with fork for form a pancake about 3-4inches wide. (I realize this seems like a strange method, a lot of people just form them into actual pancakes, but I like them this way because they are chewy in the middle but you get a lot more of that crunchy outside. You’ll see when you cook them. Plus like so much Polish (or any) food this is just the way I was taught.)
Once they are cooked (2-3 mins each side) place on a plate covered with paper towel to drain and salt them. Once they are drained, place them on a separate plate. If you want to keep them warm you can turn the oven on to 250 degrees and leave them on a cookie sheet in the oven until all of them are finished. Ill mention that I turned on the oven, then never actually put them in. I think this was because we were all too busy munching on them to let them get cold.
Serve with sour cream, or apple sauce, and as we did , a lot of alcohol. Nooom
Friday, April 15, 2011
A Post That Has Nothing To Do With Food
5 Best and Worst TV Characters (To Watch When You’re Eating?)
OK I add that last bit because I won’t lie….This post has nothing to do with cooking. But the Bones episode currently on Hulu is a Nigel-Murray episode which inspires this list too long for my Twitter and not really Facebook material….sorry guys.
But pretend this list will be instrumental in deciding what TV shows you will watch while eating one of the delicious recipes I have created.
Five Best TV Characters Ever
(in no particular order)
Vincent Nigel-Murray (Bones)
Lab assistant for Dr. Brennan, he is a bottomless pit of trivial knowledge, he’s British, he’s kind of cute and he randomly wins one million dollars on Jeopardy which he loses due to an issue with the hooch.
Abed Nadir (Community)
I realize this show has only had two seasons so far but he is probably one of the most well imagined characters on TV because he is a half Palestinian, half Polish, likely has Asperger’s (which is played for laughs but not at his expense…which is what I like to see), he’s obsessed with pop culture and his occasional emotional trauma can turn the whole cast into clay…nice
Daria (Daria)
Do I have to….because she’s fucking Daria
Clarissa (Clarissa Explains it All)
She was every little girls hero in the 90’s, her best friend used a latter rather then the front door to come visit and she was the single most stylish person I ever saw before the age of 10 (hello ripped jeans and neon tights?! Amazing)
Derrial Book (Shepherd) (Firefly)
Outside of being the best show ever canceled after one season (A. Dubious honor anyone? B. suck it Freaks and Geeks), here is another character who is truly inspired. The perfect picture of morality with an often eluded too dark past, he is both funny and insightful, and is likely a big part of the success on this show. Plus he might have made the list anyway for dialogue jems like (despite the fact that the bible has a lot of info on killing) “it is, however, somewhat fuzzier on the subject of kneecaps” and my all time favorite “If you take sexual advantage of her, you’re going to burn in a very special level of hell. A level they reserve for child molesters and people who talk at the theater”
Honorable mention Capt. Reynolds (but he’s already a captain…share the glory), and Boyd Crowder (Justified) another very well developed character I thoroughly enjoy watching.
And now:
The Five Worst TV Characters Ever
River (Serenity)
Sorry but by the time the movie rolls around aren’t we all a little tired of the “I’m so sad, and crazy” bit and more then kindof hoping the Alliance actually catches her this time?
Matt McNamara (Nip Tuck)
Hmmm…lets see: He attempts to circumcise himself, dates a lesbian, has a failed three way, is involved in a hit and run, dates a tranny who is sleeping with her son, beats up a transsexual he picked up at a bar, dates a white supremacist, her crazy father tries to get him to kill and bury the aforementioned transsexual, he witness a murder, takes up with his dad’s ex and becomes a Scientologist, gets her pregnant and marries her, stars in a porno, loses all his money to a meth addiction, tries to get into gay porn, blows himself up trying to make meth, turns over a new leaf only then accidentaly have sex with his sister, becomes a mime (you can’t make this up people) then robs coffee shops in full mime get up, goes to jail, becomes someone’s bitch, almost has to get breast implants, is released from prison, meets a nice girl…..and runs off with the Tranny that was sleeping with her son………yeah….worst character ever.
Jenny Schecter (The L Word)
Just plain annoying
Serena Van Der Woodson (Gossip Girl)
I won’t pretend that beyond the amazing fashion featured on the show it is even watchable but in a bevy of annoying characters she is by far the most annoying by constantly whining, eluding to a dark past constantly (which she had when she was 10? How old are these characters supposed to be?) and always commanding a level of trust and respect you should always give an ex-substance abuser…at least the clothes are cute…at least the clothes are cute.
Dawson (Dawson’s Creek)
My sympathies to James Van Der Beek. This character was so annoying that despite being the titular character of the show by the last season he wasn’t even the focus anymore…that’s sad when your on a show chalk-full of whinny characters and even your show thinks your annoying
OK I add that last bit because I won’t lie….This post has nothing to do with cooking. But the Bones episode currently on Hulu is a Nigel-Murray episode which inspires this list too long for my Twitter and not really Facebook material….sorry guys.
But pretend this list will be instrumental in deciding what TV shows you will watch while eating one of the delicious recipes I have created.
Five Best TV Characters Ever
(in no particular order)
Vincent Nigel-Murray (Bones)
Lab assistant for Dr. Brennan, he is a bottomless pit of trivial knowledge, he’s British, he’s kind of cute and he randomly wins one million dollars on Jeopardy which he loses due to an issue with the hooch.
Abed Nadir (Community)
I realize this show has only had two seasons so far but he is probably one of the most well imagined characters on TV because he is a half Palestinian, half Polish, likely has Asperger’s (which is played for laughs but not at his expense…which is what I like to see), he’s obsessed with pop culture and his occasional emotional trauma can turn the whole cast into clay…nice
Daria (Daria)
Do I have to….because she’s fucking Daria
Clarissa (Clarissa Explains it All)
She was every little girls hero in the 90’s, her best friend used a latter rather then the front door to come visit and she was the single most stylish person I ever saw before the age of 10 (hello ripped jeans and neon tights?! Amazing)
Derrial Book (Shepherd) (Firefly)
Outside of being the best show ever canceled after one season (A. Dubious honor anyone? B. suck it Freaks and Geeks), here is another character who is truly inspired. The perfect picture of morality with an often eluded too dark past, he is both funny and insightful, and is likely a big part of the success on this show. Plus he might have made the list anyway for dialogue jems like (despite the fact that the bible has a lot of info on killing) “it is, however, somewhat fuzzier on the subject of kneecaps” and my all time favorite “If you take sexual advantage of her, you’re going to burn in a very special level of hell. A level they reserve for child molesters and people who talk at the theater”
Honorable mention Capt. Reynolds (but he’s already a captain…share the glory), and Boyd Crowder (Justified) another very well developed character I thoroughly enjoy watching.
And now:
The Five Worst TV Characters Ever
River (Serenity)
Sorry but by the time the movie rolls around aren’t we all a little tired of the “I’m so sad, and crazy” bit and more then kindof hoping the Alliance actually catches her this time?
Matt McNamara (Nip Tuck)
Hmmm…lets see: He attempts to circumcise himself, dates a lesbian, has a failed three way, is involved in a hit and run, dates a tranny who is sleeping with her son, beats up a transsexual he picked up at a bar, dates a white supremacist, her crazy father tries to get him to kill and bury the aforementioned transsexual, he witness a murder, takes up with his dad’s ex and becomes a Scientologist, gets her pregnant and marries her, stars in a porno, loses all his money to a meth addiction, tries to get into gay porn, blows himself up trying to make meth, turns over a new leaf only then accidentaly have sex with his sister, becomes a mime (you can’t make this up people) then robs coffee shops in full mime get up, goes to jail, becomes someone’s bitch, almost has to get breast implants, is released from prison, meets a nice girl…..and runs off with the Tranny that was sleeping with her son………yeah….worst character ever.
Jenny Schecter (The L Word)
Just plain annoying
Serena Van Der Woodson (Gossip Girl)
I won’t pretend that beyond the amazing fashion featured on the show it is even watchable but in a bevy of annoying characters she is by far the most annoying by constantly whining, eluding to a dark past constantly (which she had when she was 10? How old are these characters supposed to be?) and always commanding a level of trust and respect you should always give an ex-substance abuser…at least the clothes are cute…at least the clothes are cute.
Dawson (Dawson’s Creek)
My sympathies to James Van Der Beek. This character was so annoying that despite being the titular character of the show by the last season he wasn’t even the focus anymore…that’s sad when your on a show chalk-full of whinny characters and even your show thinks your annoying
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Spice of Life / Hal Sparks!!!
So kids, I know you've missed me but it has been a busy week. (law school is fun!)
So let's get right to business:
here are some challenging recipes that look very fun
I'm not sure a healthy Frappochino doesn't kindof miss the point but this sounds delicious. I don't have Chocolate protien powder (nor will I likely ever invest in it) but I'm sure you can use a scope of Ovaltine.
This has nothing whatsoever to do with food but it's pretty cool anyway: American Icons Revisited
OK and there is only one recipe/story but it's a good one I promise:
So I went to Hard Rock Cafe for the first time ever this past weekend when my friend and I went to see Hal Sparks (!!!!!). She told me she had only been to Foxwoods once (I had never been) to go to HardRock for her (16th? I think) birthday (maybe it was 18th....I suck at this. It was before we were in each others acquaintance) So when we got to Foxwoods (which let me say...is the Mall of America of casinos) and we needed noms this was the obvious choice. Issue:
Chrissy and I are both good (decent) Catholic girls who could not indulge in the many carnivorous choices as it was Friday....BUMMER. I love veggie burgers though so this shouldn't be a problem. Yeah....it had zucchini and yellow squash on it....WTF?! Who even does that. So instead she and I ordered their California Burger just with a veggie patty instead. And the kind folks at HardRock were happy to cater to our religious observances. Well they were REALLY good so it inspired me to make one for myself.
Oh but before I give you the recipe I need to mention that Hal was hilarious...we love him!!.....my face hurt from laughing.
So in honor of the fabulous show I'm calling this
The Hal Sparks Burger
Burgers: I used ground sirloin (it is by far my favorite fat content) and mixed it with ranch dressing powder, salt and pepper.
Cook (skillet, med-high, about 4-5 mins per side)
Top with lettuce, guacamole (I made my own thank you very much) and cheddar cheese. Serve with Ranch Dressing on the side for dipping.
Note: next time I may skip the ranch powder. It came out good, I just think I'd rather concentrate that Ranch flavor elsewhere and keep my burger patty juicy and pepperly (the way I like it)
Also, I realize it's probably a bit strange that I like to "dip" my burgers, but I just do. Also a shout out where due. I did not start dipping my burgers until I started cutting them in half, which I would not have started doing if it was not for the influence of Ms. Chrissy...so thanks. You have expanded my burger eating horizons.
Also I should mention we had a drink called a Mojito-Rita...should have been gross but it was quite good.
OK I also want to say I feel like this post is half hearted and I apologize but I am tired OK. I'm trying a new stir fry tomorrow and a potato pancake extravaganza on Saturday so stay tuned!!!
So let's get right to business:
here are some challenging recipes that look very fun
I'm not sure a healthy Frappochino doesn't kindof miss the point but this sounds delicious. I don't have Chocolate protien powder (nor will I likely ever invest in it) but I'm sure you can use a scope of Ovaltine.
This has nothing whatsoever to do with food but it's pretty cool anyway: American Icons Revisited
OK and there is only one recipe/story but it's a good one I promise:
So I went to Hard Rock Cafe for the first time ever this past weekend when my friend and I went to see Hal Sparks (!!!!!). She told me she had only been to Foxwoods once (I had never been) to go to HardRock for her (16th? I think) birthday (maybe it was 18th....I suck at this. It was before we were in each others acquaintance) So when we got to Foxwoods (which let me say...is the Mall of America of casinos) and we needed noms this was the obvious choice. Issue:
Chrissy and I are both good (decent) Catholic girls who could not indulge in the many carnivorous choices as it was Friday....BUMMER. I love veggie burgers though so this shouldn't be a problem. Yeah....it had zucchini and yellow squash on it....WTF?! Who even does that. So instead she and I ordered their California Burger just with a veggie patty instead. And the kind folks at HardRock were happy to cater to our religious observances. Well they were REALLY good so it inspired me to make one for myself.
Oh but before I give you the recipe I need to mention that Hal was hilarious...we love him!!.....my face hurt from laughing.
So in honor of the fabulous show I'm calling this
The Hal Sparks Burger
Burgers: I used ground sirloin (it is by far my favorite fat content) and mixed it with ranch dressing powder, salt and pepper.
Cook (skillet, med-high, about 4-5 mins per side)
Top with lettuce, guacamole (I made my own thank you very much) and cheddar cheese. Serve with Ranch Dressing on the side for dipping.
Note: next time I may skip the ranch powder. It came out good, I just think I'd rather concentrate that Ranch flavor elsewhere and keep my burger patty juicy and pepperly (the way I like it)
Also, I realize it's probably a bit strange that I like to "dip" my burgers, but I just do. Also a shout out where due. I did not start dipping my burgers until I started cutting them in half, which I would not have started doing if it was not for the influence of Ms. Chrissy...so thanks. You have expanded my burger eating horizons.
Also I should mention we had a drink called a Mojito-Rita...should have been gross but it was quite good.
OK I also want to say I feel like this post is half hearted and I apologize but I am tired OK. I'm trying a new stir fry tomorrow and a potato pancake extravaganza on Saturday so stay tuned!!!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Cooking extravaganza: Tarragon Apple sauce, Campfire sauce and Pickles
…greatest pregnant meal ever
So I hope no one minds this post having a quick run through feel but I have done a lot of interesting things, none of which are interesting enough to warrant their own post. But I will break them into recipes so this doesn’t feel like Anna Karenina.
Campfire Sace (Now with Real Campfire)
As I mentioned in a previous post, when we went on our ill-fated dinner date to Red Robin (Yum), I was unhappy to find the campfire sauce tasted nothing like campfire. Well here is my remedy:
½ cup sour cream. Add ½ teaspoon each of smoked salt, smoked paprika, cayenne and ¾ tablespoon of BBQ seasoning (I used a generic brand instead of Pensey’s which I normally would because I didn’t want to accidently kill my friend Chrissy again…more on that later) Mix. Serve.
Now I should mention that I was stingy with the heat BECAUSE I may or may not have, after a brief hiatus, forgotten that I have an abnormal tolerance for heat that my friend Chrissy does not share. So when we went to Plan B (the restaurant not the birth control backstop) she asked me “is the Baja Burger spicy?” to which I replied “Nooo not really”. Well half way through the burger, as she chewed, mouth aflame, with a look in her eyes that said “we are back on hiatus you bitch” I remembered this taste difference between us and offered to switch burgers with her. The offering of half of my Pretzel Burger not only alleviated my guilt but also reminded me (as this burger seemed fine to me) that I am a freak and it appeased her enough to not bring me up on attempted murder charges. So naturally I was hesitant to make another hot dish for her lest she again vow to kill me for burning her face. But she didn’t think it was too spicy so mission accomplished. I mention it because this recipe really is “to taste” so if you are a callous-tongued heat monster like myself then go crazy with the heat.
Also an aside on this: “real” campfire sauce (like at Red Robin…..Yum) can apparently be made by mixing equal parts mayonnaise, and bbq and then adding cayenne. Good to know.
Tarragon Apple Sauce
Why? Just because. We had a fruit drawer full of macentosh apples we never ate and they were mushy. What to do? Make applesauce of course. As for the addition of tarragon I will say this: I had it. Yeah that’s all I’ve got. It came out really good. I was pleased. And the Tarragon flavor was subtle. I imagine this will be banging on some potato pancakes but everytime I turn around Marilou is having more (this is me not complaining) so I don’t know if it will make it that long.
Cut and core apples, and cut into quarters. Place in a pot with 2 tablespoons of water and the juice of a quarter of a lemon and two sprigs of fresh Tarragon. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally for about 20-30 mins. Remove Sprigs…serve.
Pickles
Ok I’m Polish. So I believe that everything is better bathed in vinegar. So naturally I had to, at some point, attempt the holy grail of sour snacks: Pickles. The recipe I followed was good, it was a Martha, and I was pleased with the outcome. HOWEVER, I may keep experimenting in this area. I feel like I could do better.
I should mention that the pickles, the applesauce and the campfire sauce were all made on the same day. This kindof makes it the end all be all of pregnancy meals. Just saying
A few Spice of Life posts for you:
Not sure if the stars are in line for a glass of wine tonight? There's an app for that.
This is interesting too. It is a "map" for Fresh Spring Ingredients This is just cool and I feel like a necessary post in light of hte nice weather we had this week.
And Lastly: I really want to make a Baked Alaska. It is very Retro and I think it's awesome. And then, Starbucks started selling mini-whoopie pies. Cute. Want to make. And WHAM! A theme party is born. I am very excited! Full skirts, cardigans, pearls, finger waves are mandatory. Maybe I'll make something retro for dinner like a brisket. Nothing like enjoying the 50's without the sexism.
I do not own this image
So I hope no one minds this post having a quick run through feel but I have done a lot of interesting things, none of which are interesting enough to warrant their own post. But I will break them into recipes so this doesn’t feel like Anna Karenina.
Campfire Sace (Now with Real Campfire)
As I mentioned in a previous post, when we went on our ill-fated dinner date to Red Robin (Yum), I was unhappy to find the campfire sauce tasted nothing like campfire. Well here is my remedy:
½ cup sour cream. Add ½ teaspoon each of smoked salt, smoked paprika, cayenne and ¾ tablespoon of BBQ seasoning (I used a generic brand instead of Pensey’s which I normally would because I didn’t want to accidently kill my friend Chrissy again…more on that later) Mix. Serve.
Now I should mention that I was stingy with the heat BECAUSE I may or may not have, after a brief hiatus, forgotten that I have an abnormal tolerance for heat that my friend Chrissy does not share. So when we went to Plan B (the restaurant not the birth control backstop) she asked me “is the Baja Burger spicy?” to which I replied “Nooo not really”. Well half way through the burger, as she chewed, mouth aflame, with a look in her eyes that said “we are back on hiatus you bitch” I remembered this taste difference between us and offered to switch burgers with her. The offering of half of my Pretzel Burger not only alleviated my guilt but also reminded me (as this burger seemed fine to me) that I am a freak and it appeased her enough to not bring me up on attempted murder charges. So naturally I was hesitant to make another hot dish for her lest she again vow to kill me for burning her face. But she didn’t think it was too spicy so mission accomplished. I mention it because this recipe really is “to taste” so if you are a callous-tongued heat monster like myself then go crazy with the heat.
Also an aside on this: “real” campfire sauce (like at Red Robin…..Yum) can apparently be made by mixing equal parts mayonnaise, and bbq and then adding cayenne. Good to know.
Tarragon Apple Sauce
Why? Just because. We had a fruit drawer full of macentosh apples we never ate and they were mushy. What to do? Make applesauce of course. As for the addition of tarragon I will say this: I had it. Yeah that’s all I’ve got. It came out really good. I was pleased. And the Tarragon flavor was subtle. I imagine this will be banging on some potato pancakes but everytime I turn around Marilou is having more (this is me not complaining) so I don’t know if it will make it that long.
Cut and core apples, and cut into quarters. Place in a pot with 2 tablespoons of water and the juice of a quarter of a lemon and two sprigs of fresh Tarragon. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally for about 20-30 mins. Remove Sprigs…serve.
Pickles
Ok I’m Polish. So I believe that everything is better bathed in vinegar. So naturally I had to, at some point, attempt the holy grail of sour snacks: Pickles. The recipe I followed was good, it was a Martha, and I was pleased with the outcome. HOWEVER, I may keep experimenting in this area. I feel like I could do better.
I should mention that the pickles, the applesauce and the campfire sauce were all made on the same day. This kindof makes it the end all be all of pregnancy meals. Just saying
A few Spice of Life posts for you:
Not sure if the stars are in line for a glass of wine tonight? There's an app for that.
This is interesting too. It is a "map" for Fresh Spring Ingredients This is just cool and I feel like a necessary post in light of hte nice weather we had this week.
And Lastly: I really want to make a Baked Alaska. It is very Retro and I think it's awesome. And then, Starbucks started selling mini-whoopie pies. Cute. Want to make. And WHAM! A theme party is born. I am very excited! Full skirts, cardigans, pearls, finger waves are mandatory. Maybe I'll make something retro for dinner like a brisket. Nothing like enjoying the 50's without the sexism. I do not own this image
Monday, April 4, 2011
We were at a party, His ear lobe fell in the deep, Someone reached in and grabbed it, It was a rock lobster!
Rock Lobster Tacos:
So kids, I finally made Rock Lobster Tacos. And by finally I mean that I made them two weeks ago and haven’t gotten around to writing about them. Sowwy. And they were amazing! First I should note that I used frozen lobster. A. it’s cheaper B. I figure since I’m going to drown it in batter and hot oil I can go ahead, save some pennies and buy frozen. I should also note that Nobu (despite having amazing sushi) sucks. Why? Because I decided to use their batter recipe via Martha Stewart and it was awful. I should have known better, and I make good batter on my own but my stupid, gotta try newer better things attitude led me to believe that this would be a worthwhile endeavor. Yeah it wasn’t.
See here is the issue: Tempura Batter typically uses sparkling water. This makes the batter light and crispy. I know this. I choose to ignore this just to say to my diners “haha…the recipe is from Nobu” like a pompous ass. Well it was no good using just cold water as the recipe called for so I salvaged the wreck with a can of seltzer I was very happy I had lying around. Moral of the Story: If it ain’t broke. (make a note that I said the exact same thing last time I made Macaroons. The second moral of the story: I clearly have an undiagnosed learning disability)
Here is the recipe:
-Heat oil. I used Veggie oil and heated it in an electric fry pan to about 375 degrees. The recipe said I should heat until it was 355 but I found this was not warm enough and my batter didn’t brown. My suggestion is to heat it to about 350-375 and adjust accordingly. It’s easier to heat something up then cool it down.
Mix tempura Batter (1 cup All-purpose Flour, 1 egg,, ¾ cup (or more as necessary) seltzer) whisk together batter, it should be the more watery then pancake batter but similar.
-Set up a shallow bowl of flour, the batter and a plate with a lining of paper towel to place your finished products.
-Start with a “tester” piece of tempura. I also made tempura vegetables (onions, broccoli and sweet potato) but even if you don’t I’d suggest maybe cutting up an onion (into 1” slices and then separate) and using that at this stage. They are tasty, plus if your set-up needs adjustment you won’t be quite as sad to waste a few slices of onion then you would wasting a piece of lobster. This way you can also make sure when you do add the fish, it comes out the best it can.
-Dredge tester onion slice in the flour, then in the batter. Lift it out with a fork or tongs and let excess drain off. Place in oil. The tempura should take maybe 3 minutes a side to lightly brown. If it does not brown, turn up the heat a little at a time until it does. Also, adjust batter if it needs it (ie too thick and the tempura is coming out “doughy” add more seltzer etc)
-Once ready, cook lobster (as you did onions) about 3 mins each side until it is golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Serve in soft tortilla with honey mustard (to make literally combine honey and mustard to taste) spring greens, mango salsa and the lobster.
Ps. Here are some tips about keeping your deep-frying more healthy by not over “oiling” your food
-Mango salsa: finely chop 1 white onion, 1 jalapeño (remove seeds if you don’t like too much heat), 1 mango, and a handful of cilantro. Toss with juice of 1 lime, salt and pepper. (note: the longer it sits the better it tastes)
This is best served warm on a warm day and pairs famously with a Landshark and a "I don't give a rat's ass about nothin" attitude. Enjoy!!
So kids, I finally made Rock Lobster Tacos. And by finally I mean that I made them two weeks ago and haven’t gotten around to writing about them. Sowwy. And they were amazing! First I should note that I used frozen lobster. A. it’s cheaper B. I figure since I’m going to drown it in batter and hot oil I can go ahead, save some pennies and buy frozen. I should also note that Nobu (despite having amazing sushi) sucks. Why? Because I decided to use their batter recipe via Martha Stewart and it was awful. I should have known better, and I make good batter on my own but my stupid, gotta try newer better things attitude led me to believe that this would be a worthwhile endeavor. Yeah it wasn’t.
See here is the issue: Tempura Batter typically uses sparkling water. This makes the batter light and crispy. I know this. I choose to ignore this just to say to my diners “haha…the recipe is from Nobu” like a pompous ass. Well it was no good using just cold water as the recipe called for so I salvaged the wreck with a can of seltzer I was very happy I had lying around. Moral of the Story: If it ain’t broke. (make a note that I said the exact same thing last time I made Macaroons. The second moral of the story: I clearly have an undiagnosed learning disability)
Here is the recipe:
-Heat oil. I used Veggie oil and heated it in an electric fry pan to about 375 degrees. The recipe said I should heat until it was 355 but I found this was not warm enough and my batter didn’t brown. My suggestion is to heat it to about 350-375 and adjust accordingly. It’s easier to heat something up then cool it down.
Mix tempura Batter (1 cup All-purpose Flour, 1 egg,, ¾ cup (or more as necessary) seltzer) whisk together batter, it should be the more watery then pancake batter but similar.
-Set up a shallow bowl of flour, the batter and a plate with a lining of paper towel to place your finished products.
-Start with a “tester” piece of tempura. I also made tempura vegetables (onions, broccoli and sweet potato) but even if you don’t I’d suggest maybe cutting up an onion (into 1” slices and then separate) and using that at this stage. They are tasty, plus if your set-up needs adjustment you won’t be quite as sad to waste a few slices of onion then you would wasting a piece of lobster. This way you can also make sure when you do add the fish, it comes out the best it can.
-Dredge tester onion slice in the flour, then in the batter. Lift it out with a fork or tongs and let excess drain off. Place in oil. The tempura should take maybe 3 minutes a side to lightly brown. If it does not brown, turn up the heat a little at a time until it does. Also, adjust batter if it needs it (ie too thick and the tempura is coming out “doughy” add more seltzer etc)
-Once ready, cook lobster (as you did onions) about 3 mins each side until it is golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Serve in soft tortilla with honey mustard (to make literally combine honey and mustard to taste) spring greens, mango salsa and the lobster.
Ps. Here are some tips about keeping your deep-frying more healthy by not over “oiling” your food
-Mango salsa: finely chop 1 white onion, 1 jalapeño (remove seeds if you don’t like too much heat), 1 mango, and a handful of cilantro. Toss with juice of 1 lime, salt and pepper. (note: the longer it sits the better it tastes)
This is best served warm on a warm day and pairs famously with a Landshark and a "I don't give a rat's ass about nothin" attitude. Enjoy!!
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