Merry Christmas!

This was the first Christmas we were all by ourselves. Usually either we go to my inlaws’ or they come to our house. That all changed when we moved to Texas since it makes it more of an ordeal to go one place or another.

Still, I made a Christmas dinner and now we are faced with mounds of turkey leftovers. I went to Sam’s about a week ago and they had 10-12 pound turkeys but I didn’t buy one since it was over a week away. Then I went this weekend and all that was left were big ones. I ended up with an 18 pound turkey for 2 people. (But it cost only $15!) I’m going to freeze most of the leftovers and make casseroles this winter: King’s Ranch, turkey pot pie, turkey enchiladas, turkey quesadillas, etc.

Besides the usual stuffing, mashed potatoes & gravy, I made Paula Deen’s Sweet Potato Balls. It’s mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, spices, orange juice & zest (I didn’t have an organic orange so I used apple cider instead), rolled into a ball around marshmallow, then the whole thing rolled in coconut cinnamon sugar. I made mine a little smaller since I had mini-marshmallows. They look really cute and festive. As far as taste, I thought they were just OK. Mine were a little dry, I’m not sure if that’s because I microwaved the sweet potato to bake it. I thought it could use a little butter, both for moisture and for flavor. When I thought of that, I was surprised that a Paula recipe like this had no butter written into it.

For veggies, I wanted something simple so I made a recipe from "Everyday Food" magazine. It’s carrots (little strips made with a vegetable peeler) sauteed in butter with peas. That recipe was definitely a keeper since it’s simple and straightforward, tastes like it looks. A lot of times when I cook it’s usually just the entree for dinner so it’s an easy dish to throw together to make the meal more balanced.

What a downer today is. I hate that "snap of the fingers Christmas is over" feeling. I’m not sure what to do with this blog. Obviously I haven’t posted much so I’m thinking of consolidating my efforts and just post everything on my other blog.

Chianti (no fava beans)

I haven’t posted lately because 1) I’ve been lazy and 2) I’ve been in a rut where it seems I can’t make anything that tastes good. It’s very discouraging. I don’t know if it’s me or as Debbie suggested, recipes aren’t as good as they used to be. There was a time when most everything I tried from a magazine or cookbook was halfway decent.

Some of the recipes I’ve tried were a ricotta pasta, black bean vegetarian burgers, pumpkin cookies and plain buttermilk pancakes. They all were lacking something or needed to be tweaked. I think I could manage to make an improvement on everything the second time around.

Since I live in a dry county, I carry around a list of wines recommended by newspapers and magazines, for when I’m in a wet area. A few months ago I was in Fort Worth and went to the Sam’s Club there. One of the wines they carried was recommended in an Every Day With Rachael Ray, the February 2007 issue. It was mentioned in a blurb about discount wines, a Sam’s Club "Find" Familia Cara Chianti Reserva 2001,described as "A tannic, food-friendly wine with a black-fruit core." $9 for 750 ml.

I’m not a big spender on anything, much less wines, I’m more of a Two Buck Chuck girl, or Sea Ridge or Forestville (usually 2 for $5-7 range).

Anyway, I like chianti and this one wasn’t bad. A nice change from merlot and cabernet. I hate it when I try a wine that’s over $10 a bottle and it’s disappointing. This one wasn’t like that. It was nice having a recommendation because I never know what to buy.

Smores Brulee (sort of)

On the "Fire and Ice" episode of "Paula’s Party," Paula made Smores Brulee. It was a chocolate creme brulee with toasted marshmallows on top, instead of burnt sugar. I cheated a little by using instant pudding. I toasted the marshmallows by using the halogen light in my microwave, instead of one of those torches (which I don’t have). The photo doesn’t have graham crackers because I went to grab my camera in a rush to take a picture before the marshmallows deflated. I’m not good at mise en place. The toastiness of the marshmallows was yummy, and the presentation is fun. It seems like the kind of dessert that would please adults and children alike.

Paula Does Dallas

Here's an article from the Dallas Morning News about Paula Deen's recent visit to Dallas. I didn't get to go, we were in Northern California escaping the Texas summer heat wave. It was the first time I've gone back to California and not felt as nostalgic or homesick as earlier trips. More about that later...I'm still catching up on things that need to be done offline.


Paula Deen entertains fans, shares recipes at Dallas taping of her television show

By JOYCE SAENZ HARRIS / The Dallas Morning News

If you missed the recent "Paula Deen Live" show at Fair Park, rest assured it was pretty much one big love fest. The cavernous Music Hall was packed with fans who hooted and hollered not just for the Food Network star, but also for her husband, Michael Groover; her bachelor son, Bobby Deen; her niece, Corrie Hiers; her agent; her magazine publisher; and her personal assistant, all of whom accompanied her. She also introduced Weezie Chesney, a fan who looks enough like Paula to be her sister.

The 11 a.m. show (another followed at 4 p.m.) was what you might call interactive and mostly unrehearsed. When Paula told the audience, "I have a surprise for one of you," one woman called out: "Is it Bobby?"

Raucous laughter ensued, of course. Mama took the opportunity to boast about how Bobby was one of People magazine's 50 Most Eligible Bachelors in 2006, and Bobby was an awfully good sport about the whole thing.

"I think it's so important that we laugh," Paula said, in a rare serious moment. "Laughter is like one of the best medicines. My God has a sense of humor; I know that."

Her fans obviously didn't mind Paula's occasional, mild ribaldries. They ate them up, even if they weren't among the eight lucky audience members who got to eat the meal she prepared onstage in a kitchen.

Actually, Paula didn't so much cook the meal as supervise it. Her chef de cuisine: Fort Worth restaurateur Tim Love (Lonesome Dove, Duce, Love Shack), who recently appeared on Paula's Party and showed up to surprise her.

"It's the Drinking Chef!" Paula squealed, referring to Tim's custom of starting his dinner shifts with a 5 p.m. shot of Tuaca.

Tim amazed Paula with his skill at juggling raw eggs ("You got three kids, you got to entertain them somehow"). He brought along wife Emilie, son Tannahill (a.k.a. "T"), and twin daughters Anna and Ella, all of whom came onstage to meet Paula.

The presence of the Love kids gave Paula the opening to announce that she had begun working two weeks ago on a children's cookbook, no doubt inspired by her adored year-old grandson, Jack.

She's also doing a cookware line in stainless steel and copper. "And it comes pre-buttered!" gibed Jim "Jimbo" Bohannon, the Westwood One radio host who served as Paula's master of ceremonies.

Along with Paula's kitchen assistant, Rebecca, Tim cooked the onstage meal of Smithfield pork chops ? Smithfield Foods being the primary sponsor of Paula's tour. Sides were fresh collard greens, which Tim and Paula cut in a chiffonade before cooking (she had an earthy description for the sulfurous smell), plus a butter-rich dish of macaroni and cheese.

"I find it hard to believe you're adding butter," Tim told Paula, deadpan.

"Oh, it's Saturday," Paula said. "Throw on the butter!" And the evaporated milk, and the cheese, and the sour cream.

Paula's surprise turned out to be her version of the old TV show Queen for a Day. She gave audience member Mary Wester more than $1,000 worth of goodies, plus "a diamond crown necklace from my jeweler, Michael Ross."

So a good time was had by all. And, in case you missed seeing Paula this time around, she hinted that she expects to be back on tour next year.

PAULA DEEN'S CHOCOLATE CHEWY COOKIES
2 cups powered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons cocoa, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
3 egg whites
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir together sugar, cocoa, salt and flour. Add egg whites 1 at a time. Beat well, then stir in pecans. Batter will be very thin.

Drop by tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until cookies have begun to brown on bottom and appear set. Allow to sit for about 2 minutes undisturbed, then remove cookies to wire racks to cool. Store in airtight containers.

Makes 18 large cookies.

PER SERVING: Calories 110 (38% fat) Fat 5 g (Trace sat) No cholesterol Sodium 42 mg Fiber 1 g Carbohydrates 16 g Protein 2 g

SOURCE: Paula Deen's 2008 Calendar (Random House, $13)

Before the Food Network

...people learned to cook from the generations before them. My mother-in-law was making a cobbler this morning, and said that when she got married, she didn't really know how to cook, and she learned most everything from her mother-in-law. So the way she makes cobbler is the way her husband's mother made it.

Instead of lining the dish with a crust, she rolls out the pastry and cuts it into strips. Then lays three strips on the bottom, adds the fruit filling, and covers it with three more strips. Recently she started using pre-made crusts, frozen Mrs. Smith's, thawing it out and rolling it out, instead of starting from scratch. Anyway, this method makes for a thinner amount of crust on top and bottom, and makes the whole process a lot easier.

This is her finished product. When I went to get my camera, I heard her say to my husband, "What's she doing?" I had to laugh to myself. I know I told them about this blog but it's not something anybody in the family looks at regularly.

Fig & Feta Salad

My co-worker Jennifer studied nutrition in college and made this wonderful salad that I want to share. Check out her blog sometime www.virtually21.blogspot.com

1 head of Romain lettuce
1/2 a medium Avocado
1 large fresh fig (or 3 dried)
1/4 C feta cheese
1/4 C toasted, sliced almonds
1/4 C dried cranberries
1 slice of prosciutto (sliced)

*optionalDressing-
2 Tbs Raspberry Vinaigrette (TJ's)
1/2 of a Lime's juice
1 Tsp. x-virgin olive oil
pinch of fresh ground pepper/salt

Feasting on Asphalt 2

MMy favorite way of learning about food is tied in with travel, especially when it’s someplace local or easily accessible (as opposed to a place like Dubai that I’m not likely to ever visit). I enjoyed the first season of "Feasting on Asphalt," it gave us fans a glimpse of Alton Brown out in the field. Maybe it’s because I’ve been to New Orleans (I took the photo above when we drove down Bourbon Street), or maybe the crew of the show got into the groove of things, or maybe because it was just a darn good show, that I was blown away by the first episode of "Feasting on Asphalt 2." I found myself constantly smiling and intrigued by the places they went. I liked the celebrity aspect, when they went out to dinner and had to abandon their plan and set up tables on the street, because there were so many tourists and autograph hounds there. Since I was born and raised on the Left Coast, I’m intrigued by the South and its traditions. I still don’t like sweet tea, but like the fact that it’s such a regional thing. Anyway, I’m looking forward to the rest of the episodes. My ideal travel trip is having the opportunity to try local foods while travelling, but that often isn’t the case, either because we’re too tired to explore or we’re afraid of getting sick, etc.

Speaking of new episodes, I like the new episodes of "30 Minute Meals" that I’ve seen. I’m not that keen on the new kitchen, but like that there is even a change. I wonder how they film the show so it looks different, it’s "glossier" than previous seasons. And Rachael seems to have toned down a little. I missed her giggling and she seems to be more relaxed again.

Other new things…I’ve started a new blog. It’s called "Everyday Texan" and focused more on Texas chow and the things I encounter here.

Congratulations Amy!

I thought it would be fun to try Amy’s "Eggs en Cocotte" since she was the big winner. I scaled it down to one egg, even though I like eggs, I’m generally a one egg person. I cross-referenced Joy of Cooking’s recipe and baked it at 350° F for 15 minutes. It was kind of hard to tell if it was done. I learned that the cream stays liquid, which is sort of deceptive (when trying to figure out if the white is cooked). Anyway, the final consistency was sort of that of a soft-boiled egg. I didn’t make the piperade, just ate it with homemade sourdough toast. Very tasty for something so simple. The only thing I didn’t like, which is a personal preference, is that the white stays sort of slimy. This would be a great dish when you have to cook eggs for a group of people. Everyone can eat at the same time, instead of trying to cook a few eggs at a time at the stove and serving in shifts.

One of the variations in "Joy" that sounded decadent was to line the ramekin with a lightly cooked piece of bacon.

I enjoyed seeing both Amy’s and Rory’s home lives last night. I was a little disappointed that there was no mention of Amy’s French husband. She reminded me of how I grew up, living in the same place all her life, and having lots of family around. Rory’s small town in Texas looks even smaller than where I live. I thought her restaurant looked cute and the food definitely looked great, but couldn’t help but wonder how it will do in the long run. Maybe her fame will help and out-of-towners will make an effort to stop there. It seems like new restaurants come and go very quickly, specially in a place where there’s a small population. Where I live, people are willing to spend $5 on a burger combo meal at the fast-food joint yet are hesitant to pay $10+ for an entree at a sit-down restaurant.

Less Than An Hour To Go!

I’m sitting here with an hour to go before the big finale of the "Next Food Network Star." I watched some of the reruns today and found them interesting now that we know more about the people. I’m especially intrigued by everyday things like what do chefs eat when they have to cook for themselves. I’ve seen a lot of cereal. Amy made lattes at least twice, and cleaned up after herself. On Top Chef, one of the chefs (I think it’s the one from Dallas) eats a lot of sandwiches, but they look like they’re from a deli.

The whole chef thing is intriguing. Do they make blue box macaroni & cheese for their kids? Or is it from scratch? What is it with the knives? Where do they get them and what makes them different than the Wustof’s I have in my kitchen. Why do so many of them claim to have sophisticated palates, yet they are smokers? Can people with sophisticated palates enjoy a meal at McDonalds? (By the way, the "Top Chef" episode on Bravo where they prepared a tasting dinner for a "club" of people with "sophisticated palates" made me think, give me a break…but I guess that’s why I’m not a chef.)

Anyway…this past week I’ve been going through my pantry and using some items I originally bought to have on hand as emergency dinner staples. One was a can of Rotel that had a use by date of June. I had forgotten I had it. So that made me look through what else I had and I found a can of sweetened condensed milk. I ended up making Spanish Rice and a pudding pie with those ingredients. My latest project is to try to use up some of the staples so that I can rotate and buy new items. I have a short attention span when it comes to planning meals. Sometimes I’ll think of something and buy the ingredients, then forget about it and move on to something else. This week’s project will be cooking up green beans (which can’t be put off since they’re fresh, unless I can them). Hubby likes them Southern-style, cooked to death with bacon and onions. I also have a surplus of tomatoes and basil. With that, I want to make either a panzanella or the Orzo Salad I saw on a recent "Everyday Italian" episode.

I’m kicking myself that I didn’t go out yesterday and buy the Harry Potter book. I went online and saw that my local library is getting it so I put a hold on it, but who knows how long that will take. I could be reading it right now!

Next Food Network Star - Vote Now!

We have until Tuesday 7/17, 9am/8c, to vote for the Next Food Network Star. Go to www.foodnetwork.com/star to vote.

I'm thrilled that the winner will be a woman. I'm rooting for Amy, she seems like a classy person and down-to-earth. I love Paris, and hope that she is somehow able to bring that in without coming off as too pretentious.

Really, it's hard to choose, I like Rory too. No matter who wins, I'll be thrilled for the winner and disappointed for the other person. I like Rory's personality, plus she's transplanted to Texas like me. I looked up Vega on the map and it's just west of Amarillo. I wonder how she came to live there. That part of the state seems to have the extreme weather, when it's hot, it's HOT and when it's cold, it's freezing.

I received a Food Network newsletter today that mentions an "Open House" show on Saturday 8 central, that shows Rachael's new kitchen. I watched a new episode of "30 Minute Meals" this weekend and saw it. I like the colors but not how much of it there is. It looks too institutional for my taste. I like a more homey feel.

Cupcakes

I finally got around to making Nigella’s cupcakes. They’re very simple, flour, sugar, butter, leavening, egg, vanilla and milk all mixed together in a food processor. When I took the top off, the batter smelled divine (tasted good too). On TV she said it would probably look like you don’t have enough batter but not to worry. You can see from the photo that it only fills the cups about half full. When they bake, though, they puffed up in the center.

Instead of the Royal Icing from the recipe, which uses raw egg whites, I made a 7-Minute frosting. That’s egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, a smidge of corn syrup and water. It’s mixed in a double boiler for 5 minutes, then 2 minutes off heat to cool. I added some coconut, inspired by an episode of "Good Eats" earlier this week about coconut cake.

The cake had an angel food taste but denser texture. It’s simple yet not lacking in flavor one bit. One of those recipes that make you swear off using boxed cake mix, it's so simple.

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

Last week Rachael made baked jalapeno poppers on her show. Jalapenos are one of the few produce items here that are very inexpensive. I liked the idea that they are baked and not fried, and have spices to flavor them up. Most of the pre-fab ones I’ve tried are pretty much just plain cream cheese inside, with the pepper providing the kick & flavor.

These have cream cheese with manchego (no way I can find that here so I used a Mexican cheese blend), the chopped up tops, green olives, and some spices. They were great, the flavor of the peppers really came through. This was a good example of what a difference fresh ingredients makes. The only thing I’d do differently is cut off less of the top so that the filling is more contained, to prevent it from oozing out the sides. I had a few leftover and I put them on a black bean veggie burger. Delish!!!

Root Beer Floats

Sometimes the shows on the Food Network have something look so good that you have to have it. That’s what happened to me with the Wisconsin episode of "Road Tasted," when Bobby & Jamie went to the Sprecher Brewery. The root beer floats they had looked scrumptious.

I looked at root beer when I was grocery shopping that weekend. I didn’t want to buy a 12-pack (it was 4th of July weekend and it was on sale for about $3) just for a couple root beer floats. I ended up going to another store (since the Walmart I went to does not carry the Dallas paper...that's another story in itself), and they had Sprecher’s! It was a splurge, 4 16-ounce bottles cost over $4. In the scheme of things, though, it wasn’t that expensive.

Anyway, yesterday we ran some errands and came home hot and tired. A root beer float sounded like the perfect refreshment. It sure hit the spot. The root beer was OK, I can’t say that I’m a connoisseur. I did like the fact that it has honey in it and natural flavors. It was an easy and fun "recipe" to try.

Peanut Butter Cheese Cake Mini's

The other day I watched "Best Places to Pig Out" on the Travel Channel, and of course ever since then, I’ve wanted no-list foods like greasy burgers, fries and milkshakes. I’m one of those people that if you saw me, you’d laugh that I was even watching that show. I was intrigued not so much by the pig-out factor, but wanted to hear what places are considered local legends. One of the places on the show was a diner that has pancakes, in Seiad Valley, CA. Hubby has a friend that lives nearby and he said it is a small town, it’s surprising that it made it on the show. Small world.

Today I made Peanut Butter Cheese Cake Mini’s that was on "Paula’s Party" recently. They’re beyond cute. The reviews on Foodnetwork.com predominantly say that the recipe makes way too much crust and filling. I made half a batch and ended up with 6 regular (cupcake) size cheesecakes and 12 mini-muffin ones, with a little crust left over. I used more candy in mine so that was probably a factor. I didn’t want to buy a whole bag of Reese’s mini’s for only 6, and got a regular candy bar package instead. I was going to cut the two cups into six pieces, but hubby suggested using a whole candy in each one. I split fun-size Snickers up for the rest of them.

I took some to my sis-in-law’s and they thought they’d be good at a party. Cheesecake has a reputation for being too rich, and I think the fact that they’re cupcake-sized makes the mini’s more tempting than a regular slice. The "I’ll just have one" kind of psychology. They’re tasty, though, and it would be easy to say "I’ll just have one more."

I liked the taste of the Snicker’s ones. The caramel oozed into the crust and got kind of chewy, though, and the texture of the Reese’s ones were better.

Fusilli (Penne) with Spinach and Asiago Cheese

Earlier this week Debbie had told me about a dish she saw on Giada’s "Everyday Italian" show, that had fusilli and spinach. This was one of those recipes that I could tell I would like it just by looking at the ingredients. Garlic is sauteed in olive oil and then spinach and tomatoes are added, then cheese, pasta, and some of the cooking water. I didn’t have fusilli so I substituted penne. I also didn’t have enough tomatoes but used what I had. If I had sun-dried tomatoes in the pantry, I would have thrown some in too. Adding the spinach to the garlic kind of kept the flavor subtle, although next time I’d use even more since I LOVE garlic. One of the restaurants Debbie & I went to when we lived in the same area, was called "Magic Garlic." Next time I make plain old spinach I'm going to add garlic and asiago cheese, instead of butter. Anyway, I didn’t read the instructions completely and didn’t chop my spinach - you can tell by the clump in the picture. In the end it all tasted good, though. Hubby didn’t say anything - which in some ways is a compliment since it wasn’t a complaint. I didn’t tell him it is a Giada recipe. Maybe I should have, since he watches "Weekend Getaways" with me now.

For dessert I made spice cupcakes from a Better Homes & Gardens baking cookbook that my Mom had given me. I frosted them with 7 minute frosting (basically egg white & sugar, with a smidge of water, corn syrup and cream of tartar), using brown sugar instead of white. Homemade is so much better than a box. Nigella made cupcakes recently, but hers were plain and I wanted something with more of a flavor to them. These had cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and the cake was light, not like gingerbread. Yum. I still want to try Nigella’s recipe. Will let you know how that turns out.

Mashed Potatoes With Spinach

The mashed potatoes Rachael made on Monday’s "30 Minute Meals" looked interesting so I tried them tonight, minus the cod croquettes. They’re basically mashed potatoes with spinach added at the end. The heat of the potatoes wilts the spinach. They were delicious, I could easily eat just them for dinner and forget any meat. It’s makes regular mashed potatoes even more of an indulgence. Since the spinach is only slightly wilted, it adds body to the potatoes and makes it more of a side dish along the lines of an au gratin, as opposed to a starch like rice.

Frito Pie

This doesn't have anything to do with the Foodnetwork but since it has to do with food, I thought I'd share it here. Today's "Taste" section of the Dallas Morning News has a big feature on Frito Pie. It's one of those classic dishes that says "Texas." I love the showcasing of regional foods, which is why I enjoy Paula Deen/Southern cooking, Giada DiLaurentiis/Italian, and even Rachael's ties with upstate New York.

I enjoyed learning the particulars from the article. Basically, it's Fritos, Wolf brand chili, and optional garnishes of cheese, onion, sour cream, etc. I had tried Wolf brand chili before and really liked it, but it has so much more fat than my other favorite brand (Hormel). Maybe that's what makes it tastier.

Of course, I was going to pick up a bag of Fritos while I was at the store, but forgot, since I didn't WRITE IT DOWN on my list. I've gotten really bad...if it's not written down or on my list of places to stop, I'll completely forget about it.

Rice Pudding, Part II

I had been so disappointed with the rice pudding I made last week, since it seemed to have potential and the problem I had was due to my own error of overcooking it. I tried it again, still using the crockpot, but watching it carefully towards the end. It came out better, although it doesn’t look like Paula’s from TV (hers looked more custardy). It looks completely different from the last batch I made, though! I think I’ll try it one more time, and only stir it once, after the first hour, then let the custard set during the second hour.

When I was at the grocery store this weekend, I got a sample of Kozy Shack no-sugar rice pudding. YUM. I’d love to be able to make a homemade pudding that tastes like that. The store-bought kind seems more like rice mixed into vanilla pudding.

To completely change the subject, have you been watching "The Next Foodnetwork Star"? The first week, I was rooting for Paul. I liked his wedding cake the best, especially his personal touch of the two grooms to top it off. I thought that showed an expression of his personality and individuality. Maybe it’s too early, that nobody really seems to exude a sense of who they are and what they want to express with their food. This week, Adrien started to grow on me. He did a good job with his on camera stint.

What I’d love to see is someone who has a concept that is new. Not something that reminds me of an existing Foodnetwork Star. I made "ants on a log" for lunch yesterday (celery stuffed with peanut butter and raisins scattered on top)…and I got to thinking that I’d love to see a show dedicated to kid-friendly food. The "Cook With Your Kids" week on the network is fun to watch. It’s too bad it’s only a week. I’d like to see a high school student from a technical school as a contestant, or a senior citizen preparing healthy meals on a budget (confronting issues older people face, like reducing sodium and sugar), or a vegetarian who comes up with entrees that aren’t side dishes, like the bride wanted at her wedding. It’ll be interesting to see the contestants’ personalities and styles emerge as the series continues.

Paula Deen in Bossier City

Paula Deen was in my neck of the woods on June 2nd. I found an article about the show at FoodNetwork Addict’s blog, from the Shreveport Times. The photo above is from the Shreveport paper as well. I love the "Madonna" look with the headset microphone.

The article said, "The men and women in the audience in the Bossier City arena roared their approval throughout the impromptu show. Her country charm was only part of the appeal for the legions of local fans who lined up to see the restaurateur and Food Network star at the first Paula Deen Live 2007 Tour."

And here's what she cooked..."During the cooking portion of the show, Deen made pork chops, macaroni and cheese and collard greens. She was aided in the cooking by an assistant."

It sounded like some people were a little disappointed in the show, for the price. From reading the article, though, to me it sounded like Paula did what would be expected, chat and cook a little.

Anyway, I'm really enjoying her new show, "Paula's Party." At first I thought the raunchy jokes kind of went overboard but now that the show has been on for awhile, she's kind of hit her stride. I especially like how she incorporates her family into the show, and how they all interact with each other.

Rice Pudding

I’m completely frustrated and disappointed

Today I had the Food Network on while doing some ironing. Paula’s Home Cooking had inexpensive meals, including a mouthwatering rice pudding. It looked so good! I had all the ingredients and it was early enough to make it, so I did. The only difference was that I put it in a crock pot instead of baking it in the oven.

I mixed it all up and put it in the crockpot. I stirred it after an hour, it was still watery and I was wondering if it would take 2-3 hours like the most of the recipes in the Fix It and Forget It cookbook said (I used that for a guideline). After another hour, I stirred again, the edges were set and the middle was watery. Another 45 minutes went by, and all the liquid was absorbed. My heart sank. It was now overdone. I should have turned off the heat after 2 hours and let the remaining heat carry over and finish it off. Then it would have been perfect. At that point it looked almost like Paula’s, yellow and creamy. What I ended up with was disintegrated rice.

Hubby wanted more raisins too, so what I made has way more raisins than I care for. And of course, he doesn’t like it. Inevitably that’s what happens. I configure a recipe to his tastes, he doesn’t like it, and then I’m stuck with a bunch of whatever, not how I would like it. And guess who ends up eating it. Arrrgh. I’m tempted to try it again tomorrow. It was one of those things that I had within my grasp and it slipped away.

Fried Green Tomatoes

I heard a commercial on the radio the other day about a new store in town called "Sweet Gourmet." It said something about "if you’re a foodie" and that they featured Paula Deen salad dressings, Rachael Ray EVOO and Barefoot Contessa Outrageous Brownie Mix. I stopped by there today to see what’s up. There was huge banner out front promoting the Paula Deen products. The store itself was very much like the food section of Williams Sonoma, more "gourmet" oriented than Food Network. They also had Godiva chocolate and even Scharffenberger bars. Even though we have the usual strip mall stores here, we don’t have a lot of what’s in the Big Cities, so that’s a big step forward. The Texas-themed items included spicy microwave popcorn ($2.99 a bag), BBQ sauces, and assorted grilling paraphernalia. I was surprised to see candy cigarettes among the "joke" items for kids. I thought those were banned or deemed socially inappropriate ages ago. There are a lot of smokers around here so I guess it fits, although it was sad for me to see something like that.

At the grocery stores, there were quite a few vendors with samples to promote for the Memorial Day weekend. Wal-mart had boudin samples. Even though this is Texas, we’re close to Louisiana so a lot of the cajun & creole foods trickle over. While I was tempted, I declined, because the sausages were an ugly grey, which made my brain immediately start to wonder what is in them. And when you think about what goes into sausages …yuck. Oh, the other Food Network tie-in at Walmart is the overhead TV's in the produce section. They play a loop of tips from Rachael, Paula, Emeril and Tyler. It's almost disconcerting to be pushing the shopping cart along and suddenly hearing their voices. Brookshire's and Super 1 have overhead announcements promoting Paula's association with Smithfield Foods, and her tour. Anyway, I also went to Super 1 and they had a crawfish boil going on outside. Inside a lady had fried green tomatoes! I’ve always wanted to try them, of course, because of the movie. They tasted like what you would expect. It must be something you get to liking because you grew up with it. I didn’t think they were anything special, but it was fun trying them.

These foods were almost like they were from another part of the world. Even though I grew up in an area of California with a lot of diversity, it was diverse in more of an international way. I really miss California and often just going grocery shopping makes me homesick. I miss the freshness and variety of produce. I miss having more options for affordable shopping than Walmart, especially Trader Joe's. I miss running into my sister at the store. But sometimes little things like the "taste of the south," such as fried green tomatoes, make living here more tolerable.

Peanut Butter Balls

Hi, Debbie here. I haven't posted in awhile as I have been taking an extended break from family food prep, but I felt prompted to share this recipe.

In Paula Deen's new book, “Paula Deen: It Ain’t All About the Cookin’,” she reminisces with great fondness about the peanut butter balls her school cafeteria used to serve, along with vegetable soup, on Fridays. Then she proceeds to brag about finally getting the recipe but doesn't include it in the book!

I found it online though at foodnetwork.com and made it last night. Here it is, in it's entirety:

1 cup of honey
1 cup of peanut butter
2 cups of dried powdered milk

Stir together, form into walnut-sized balls and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. I left mine plain but you can roll them in all manner of things. PD suggests corn flakes, powdered sugar or crushed nuts. How about coconut, mini carob chips or choc. chips, bran cereal, etc.?

I was afraid that the honey would make it too sweet but it was perfect. Perfect golden balls of rolled up peanut butter that hold their shape and are an excellent accompaniment to soup, salads, chili, whatever.

Can you guess that I'm a peanut butter aficionado? You know that question - if you had to choose one food to take on a deserted island, what would it be? Guess what my answer is. An Italian friend once told me that the only correct answer to that question would be pasta. Pasta? A food product that is basically flour and water mixed together? No way. But one could live (and thrive!) on peanut butter.

Lemon Cookies

This recipe has been mentioned on several blogs, and it’s a hit on all of them. It’s from the April 2007 issue of "Every Day With Rachael Ray" magazine. The cookies are really good! The lemon adds a touch of "sophistication" and takes them from plain to extra special. They remind me of sugar cookies and snickerdoodles, only with lemon. The recipe calls for the zest of 2 lemons but I only used 1 since they are over 30 cents apiece here. If I had a lemon tree in backyard I’d definitely use 2.

I was wondering why my cookies lately have been sort of flat. The cookies in pictures on other blogs looked puffier. At one point I replaced the baking powder and cream of tartar in my cupboard with new jars. I must have overlooked the baking soda because the box had a date of 1995! It still had some oomph but not as much as a fresh box. I bake a lot and wasn’t even close to using up the box of soda, so I’ll have to remember to replace it every so often, and use the old box to clean the sink, etc.

To completely change the subject, one of the tips on Rachael’s talk show awhile back was for uses for salt. She took some coarse salt and put it down the sink, followed by hot water, to keep the drain clear. I tried it on my bathroom sink, without the salt, to dissolve the gunk (toothpaste, face cream, etc., that accumulates in there). It seems to help, and without any chemicals!

LEMON COOKIES

Makes 3 dozen (I made mine about 1" balls and got 28)

1 stick butter (the recipe says chilled but mine was softened)
1 1/4 cups sugar
Grated peel of 2 lemons, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line 3 large cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside. (I used silicon baking sheets, like a Silpat knockoff.) Using an electric mixer, combine the butter, 1 cup sugar, the lemon peel and juice until fluffy. Mix in the egg. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and combine.

2. Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll heaping teaspoons of dough into balls, then roll in the sugar. Place on the prepared cookie sheets a few inches apart. Bake until golden around the edges, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookie sheets to racks to cool completely.

Giada'sVisit to Dallas

I was hoping there would be a report in the newspaper about Giada's visit to Dallas last week. Here it is. I'm really enjoying her "Weekend Getaways" show, she always looks like she has a good time and I love how she takes such a big bite of food that she can barely talk. It's so (for lack of a better word) human.

From yesterday's Dallas Morning News:

Food Network's Giada: Not your everyday Italian
Wednesday, April 25, 2007

By JOYCE SÁENZ HARRIS / The Dallas Morning News

There were probably 700 people in line at the Preston-Royal Borders last week, waiting for the Food Network's telegenic Everyday Italian star, Giada De Laurentiis.

Cookbook author Giada De Laurentiis greeted several hundred fans during a book signing at Borders on April 16.

Judging from the buzz, the question apparently on many minds was: Will she look as great as she does on TV?
As a matter of fact, she did. Giada is one of those enviable people who, like Angie Harmon and Rob Lowe, apparently never have a bad-hair day.

Many of the fans bought multiple copies of Giada cookbooks, old and new, for her to inscribe. One buyer, presumably checking names off her Christmas list, left with 10 signed copies of the new Giada hardcover, Everyday Pasta (Clarkson Potter, $32.50).

In the space of eight hours the sprightly 36-year-old chef had signed literally thousands of books with the practiced flourish: "To (whoever) – xo Giada." In addition to signing, she also made small talk and answered hundreds of her fans' questions.

Are you a chocoholic?

"Not a day goes by that I don't have a piece of chocolate."

Where are you going to eat while you're here?

Giada wasn't sure, but she is told she has "got to go to Javier's or Abacus."

Are you going to do a "Weekend Getaways" in Dallas?

"Every single person has asked me that!" Giada exclaimed. She's already done one "Getaways" show in Houston, but she made no promises yet about Big D.

Almost every fan had a comment. His dad's one of your biggest fans. Ever! Or: You turned me on to Nutella! Or: Love your prosciutto – it's really good stuff!

After the signing, Giada took time to answer a few more questions.

What are you finding out about your fans on this trip?

How diverse they are. They range from 2-year-olds to 80-year-olds. And there are more men this time. A lot of college students; a lot of moms coming to buy books for their sons, girls for their boyfriends, wives for their husbands. The Food Network demographic certainly seems to have changed!

OK, what's the deal with Nutella?

Dallas loves Nutella! It's so addictive; one of the mothers said, "It's like crack." I think it's the combination of the chocolate and the hazelnut. In Italy, it's like our peanut butter. My mom would bring Nutella back from our trips to Italy and make us sandwiches to take to school when I was growing up in L.A. The other kids would look at me like: "You've got a chocolate sandwich?!?"

You really seem to respond to your youngest fans, and there were a lot of them here.

It's fascinating to me that the kids love to watch the show. Maybe it's because we talk directly to the camera ... like Mister Rogers. Kids brighten up events like this because they're so honest and real and fun. It's fun for me to know I can affect the next generation, and maybe they will eat more healthily as a result.

You come from a big family of Italian cooks. You're the most famous one, but where do you really rank? Who is your family's best cook?

(Laughing) Everyone will tell you they're the best! But I think my Aunt Raffaela is great, and my grandfather is the best of us all. My mom was not the best, as she'll admit, but then she was usually just trying to get food on the table fast enough to feed four kids.

My grandfather taught me to cook with passion; my aunt taught me to cook creatively. And Mom taught me how to get the food on the table quickly and easily. So I'm a combination of those three people.

This is your third cookbook. What are your favorite dishes from this one?

The Tagliatelle With Short Rib Ragu; the Penne With Beef and Arugula; the Fusilli With Walnut Sauce; and the Rigatoni With Sausage, Peppers and Onions.

Catching up

This week’s grocery circular for Brookshires has an ad for "Paula Deen Live" in Bossier City, LA. It’s on June 2nd, at 11AM and 4PM. I looked on Ticketmaster and tickets top out at $65 but there were none available on the floor. There were other dates booked for Dallas (August) and I think Tennessee. While I was at Super 1 today, the overhead announcement had a commercial for it. I wonder what she will be doing? It kind of sounded like cooking (duh)…but for $65? Or maybe she will talk about her new autobiography. Bossier City is just a little closer to me than Dallas, I kind of doubt I will go but I’m going to keep my ears open to find out more info.

I’ve tried a few new recipes but nothing that seems worth blogging about. I tried the Boston Cream Mini-cupcakes in the Kraft magazine. They turned out really cute (photo above) and were a hit when I brought them over for dessert at an impromptu lunch. They look more glamorous than regular cupcakes. I tried baking egg rolls from Everyday Food (vs. frying) but they turned out really chewy. The article said that frying vs. baking has about the same calories. Anyway, now I have a bunch of egg roll wrappers left. Today’s Dallas Morning News has a whole section with 20 recipes using Stouffers Spinach Souffle, including one for manicotti. I’m going to use some of the wrappers to make that.

Mostly I’m on magazine overload. I get too many. Being a cookbook junkie doesn’t help. I almost feel like I need to come up with a schedule, cook from Magazine A one week, Cookbook B the next, etc. That would probably take a lot of the fun out of it. I guess my solution will be to cut down my subscriptions, when renewal time comes around. I renewed to Gourmet but tend to let those pile up. Rachael’s magazine comes so fast & furious. I got the April issue one week, and then the May issue just one week later.

Last night I made Rachael’s Ravioli Lasagna for the second time. I had a bunch of bits & pieces of ingredients to use up (turkey Italian sausage, cheese, celery, mushrooms, etc.). I had thought about just making marinara sauce and serving it over the ravioli, but I think the casserole is actually better, even though it’s the same ingredients.

(I just finished reading the rest of the Dallas paper. Big news. Saturday, Cat Cora is signing copies of her new book, Cooking From the Hip: Fast, Easy, Phenomenal Meals, at Sur La Table. On Monday, Giada DeLaurentiis signs her book, Everyday Pasta, at Borders at the corner of Preston Road and Royal Lane. Then Tuesday, Robin Miller is teaching a class at Central Market. I would LOVE to meet Giada but the snippet suggests arriving before the store even opens at 9AM, for the 6PM signing...I don't think I'm enough of a groupie to do that.)

Sister Act II

I have no doubt that my sister is a better cook than I am. Besides having a cook's intuition, she has a lot more experience by virtue of having to cook out of necessity (i.e. feed her family). She had another cookbook review published in her local paper. My Dad made the best ribs ever, it looks like the crown has been passed on to my sister. I'm so proud of her.

A reader's beef: Great ribs, but where's the recipe?

By Denise

The following review is by a reader who was given a cookbook from the Times. The included recipes were selected and prepared by the reader.

I may not be a big meat-and-potatoes eater, but I'll never say no to a plate of tender, succulent ribs, slathered in sweet, sticky barbecue sauce. The mound of scrunched napkins piled atop my plate at the end of the meal says it all.

According to "Killer Ribs" author Nancy Davidson, I'm not alone. In fact, her quest to find the best ribs has taken her to the most famous rib joints across America and into Canada.

While barbecue may have its roots in the South, regional differences abound. Texans prefer beef. North Caroliners favor vinegar-based sauces, while South Caroliners favor mustard-based sauces. Kansas City is famous for its pork ribs served with sweet-and-sticky sauce. Memphis-style ribs are prepared with a paprika-based dry rub.

I was initially drawn to this cookbook by mouthwatering pictures showcasing slabs of ribs from 50 of Davidson's favorite establishments. I also enjoyed the profiles of the pit masters. Most recipes are for pork, but there are a couple for beef, as well as one for mutton, and even one for alligator.

While most ingredients are familiar, others were foreign. I could not find Saskatoon berries, Everglades Seasonings, or chile caribe. The other challenge I faced was not having a professional smoker. Instead, I improvised with my oven and a Camerons stovetop smoker.

My excitement began to wane, however, when it was time to pick recipes. I realized that the majority of the recipes (43 of 50) were incomplete, if not downright misleading.

But I guess I should have known better. Who wouldn't protect the secrets to their award-winning ribs? I was hoping to create the delicious-looking food I saw in the pictures, only to read "Use your favorite rub" or "Serve with your favorite sauce." To my disappointment, these words echoed throughout most of the book.

My biggest point of contention with this book is the author's advice to purchase sauce through the restaurants' Web sites (not provided) when there is no recipe provided. I'd prefer to have the recipe.

So, using Steve Raichlen's "The Barbecue Bible" to fill in the gaps, I seasoned baby back ribs with Kansas City Bar.B.Q. Shack dry rub and cooked them in the oven at 250 degrees for 3 hours. I also rubbed pork spare ribs and used a Camerons Stovetop Smoker along with hickory woodchips to smoke the pork spareribs for one hour before finishing in the oven for another four.

I made Jones Honey-Barbeque Sauce (omitting liquid smoke) to serve with the baby back ribs and Memphis Blues BBQ Sauce to go with the spareribs. On their own, both were delicious.

Feeling a bit gutsy, I tried Robb's Ribbs BBQ Sauce. I had my suspicions about adding lemon rind and pith into the sauce, but followed the recipe anyway, omitting 1/4 teaspoon chile caribe I couldn't find at the market and substituting jalapeno instead. The sauce was too bitter, probably from the lemon pith, and nobody wanted to try it on meat.

After a final grilling and basting with sauce, the three sets of ribs were ready for tasting. My family of four, along with my brother and his family, held our own rib cook-off. The unanimous winner was the smoked spareribs with Memphis Blues Sauce. With a subtle hickory undertone, the meat was tender, moist, and literally fell off the bone. The savory sauce went well with the background flavors of the rub and hickory wood.

Second place went to the baby backs with Jones Honey-Barbecue Sauce, and third place was awarded to the unsmoked spareribs with Memphis Blues Sauce. All four of the children enjoyed the ribs, one of my biggest criteria for whether a recipe stays or goes.

Although I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in visiting some of America's best rib joints, if it's secret recipes you're looking for, skip this one. "Killer Ribs" is a better travel guide than a cookbook. It seems a bit disingenuous on the author's part to package it as a cookbook when her real motive appears to be exposure for the establishments.

KANSAS CITY BAR.B.Q. SHACK DRY RUB
Makes about 3 cups, enough for 3-4 racks pork ribs
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons chile powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder

• Combine dry rub ingredients and mix to taste.
Per 1/2 cup: 35 calories, 0 protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 0 fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1,750 mg sodium, 0 fiber. Calories from fat: 0 percent.
-- Times analysis

MEMPHIS BLUES BBQ SAUCE
Makes about 4 cups
1 10-ounce can tomato paste
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup French's mustard
3 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons Durkey's hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water

• Add sauce ingredients to a pot and cook over low heat, whisking thoroughly until smooth.
Simmer for 30 minutes, but be careful not to burn it.

Per 1/2 cup: 190 calories, 4 g protein, 44 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g total fat, 0 saturated fat, 0 cholesterol, 1,630 mg sodium, 4 g fiber. Calories from fat: 5 percent.
-- Times analysis

JONES HONEY-BARBECUE SAUCE
Makes enough sauce to cover 12 racks of ribs

2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chile powder
1/2 cup onion powder
1 teaspoon pepper
3 teaspoons salt
1 cup vinegar
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
6 cups ketchup
1 cup molasses
1 cup honey
1/4 cup liquid smoke, optional
1/2 cup water

1. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and stir thoroughly. Next, add vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup, mixing well after each addition. Carefully stir in the molasses, honey and liquid smoke (if using), until thoroughly combined.

2. Pour mixture into medium saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until all ingredients have been well-dissolved, adding water to the mixture as needed. Make sure sauce is consistent -- not too thick and not too thin.

Enough sauce for 1/2 rack: 260 calories, 1 g protein, 67 g carbohydrates, .5 g total fat, 0 saturated fat, 0 cholesterol, 1,170 mg sodium, 2 g fiber. Calories from fat: 2 percent.
-- Times analysis

• BOOK: "Killer Ribs: Mouthwatering Recipes from North America's Best Rib Joints" ($ 16.95, Chronicle Books, 112 pages).
• AUTHOR: Nancy Davidson, a New York-based food and travel writer and restaurant reviewer, has written for Time Out New York, New York Sun, and contributed to Gastronomica, Gourmet, Cooking Light and Saveur.
• REVIEWER: Denise is a dedicated foodie who loves all aspects of cooking -- especially the eating part.

Tea

One of my weaknesses is that I am easily enticed by things I see in magazines. Without even knowing what it tastes like, after I saw Lisa Edelstein’s "B,L,D" in the November 2006 issue of "Everyday With Rachael Ray," I’ve wanted to try Guayaki Yerba Mate organic tea. Often if I wait long enough, the impulse will pass...but then I saw it offered in the Vitamin Shoppe catalog, with free shipping. I had a cup this morning. It’s supposed to have caffeine in it but I didn’t get that jittery feeling like from coffee. It has an earthy taste to it. I added some vanilla soy milk to the last few sips, and that was yummy. The package had a recipe for a "latte" with strong-brewed yerba mate and vanilla soy milk. See what I mean…I’m a pushover for anything in print.

Anyway, it was fun to try it. One of my resolutions for 2007 is to drink more tea. I don’t like to drink the same kind of tea each day so I’ll add this to my rotation of teas and see if it has any effect on my sense of well-being. At the very least it’ll help balance out the other things I eat everyday, like cookies! We just watched "Stranger Than Fiction" with Will Ferrell and Emma Thompson today. Maggie Gyllenhaal’s character is a baker who wants to make the world a better place with homemade cookies. I like her thinking!

Mystery Pecan Pie

This recipe is from Paula’s Home Cooking, although the same recipe is all over the internet. They vary in using light or dark corn syrup, and the baking time & temperature. It’s also called "Alligator Pecan Pie" because the top is lumpy like an alligator. As for the "Mystery," the bottom layer is a cream cheese mixture, then pecans are sprinkled over, and a pecan pie filling is poured over the whole thing. When it bakes, the cream cheese rises to the top.

Paula’s recipe says to bake at 350 for 45 minutes. My pie was still very liquid (although brown) at that time, so I ended up keeping it in for 55 minutes total. It could have gone longer (still jiggly) but it was getting pretty brown. I guess I should have covered it with foil and baked it even more.
My pie was "alligator" was that the custard part was still runny and the pie looked like a swamp after it was cut. Everyone seemed to like it, though.

Two of my all-time favorites are cheesecake and pecan pie, but I think I would rather have one or the other instead of the two combined into one pie like this was. One comment I got was that it wasn’t as sweet as pecan pie, which was a good thing. I thought this would fulfill my cheesecake craving but I guess I’ll have to break down and make the real thing. I went all the way to Florida and didn’t have key lime pie…so I’ll have to search out a key lime cheesecake recipe.

The Celebrity Pasta Lovers Cookbook

This week on Rachael’s show, guests Mario Batali and Kristin Davis promoted the "The Celebrity Pasta Lovers Cookbook" from Barilla. Barilla teamed up with 10 celebrities and asked Giada DeLaurentiis and Mario Batali to take the celebrities’ recipes and transform them into Italian creations. The best part is that the cookbook is a free download! And Barilla donates $1 to America’s Second Harvest (the nation’s food bank network), up to $100,000 for each person that downloads it. The response has been so overwhelming that they have already reached that goal. The cookbook will be available online through the end of February.

I love projects like this that are fun, and it doesn’t cost you anything but a few minutes to download (1 or 3 MB, your choice), plus you give a little back in the process. If you are a Food Network junkie like me, it’s a must have. Check it out at www.celebritypastalovers.com.

Recipe #2 - Smoky Turkey Shepherd's Pie

This one has a bunch of good ingredients in it, yet they didn’t come together in a good way, at least for me. I made this last night in order to use up some leftovers (chicken broth, mashed potatoes, turkey burgers). As I was putting it together, I tasted it and thought "yuck." I added some worcestershire sauce in hopes it would brighten it up a little. (I also forgot to add peppers and had no sour cream.)

The casserole looked tempting in the oven, with the gravy bubbling around the mashed potatoes. I was hoping the spices & flavors would come together as it cooked. In the meantime I threw together a salad in case it was inedible.

It wasn’t much better than I thought, although some sour cream might have helped. I was surprised that Don thought it was OK and might even be better the next day. I doubt I will make it again, definitely won’t make it from scratch. I should have remembered what Debbie had said about it when she made this awhile back.

One of the aspects, of being the cook, that worked against me is that I knew what spices were in the dish so they were very prominent (especially the thyme and paprika, and I used less than the recipe for both). After it cooked, the paprika toned down a little but the thyme was still overpowering. I didn’t sprinkle paprika on top since I don’t much care for the taste.

I was itching to make something from "365" since there is someone else out there who is attempting to cook their way through the book. They are almost up to Recipe #50. I like how they’re cooking recipes in the order of the cookbook, anyone that follows their blog will know what’s next on the menu. They also have photos that look "real" vs. the staged ones you see in magazines (I mean that in a good way).

I really enjoy the honesty in what they write. I feel comforted in knowing I am not the only one put off by the kitchen messes that some of the recipes create. They’ve also mentioned that some recipes are rather expensive, for the kind of (mediocre) meal they produce. I don't mean to sound overly negative! It's just that these sorts of details are often passed over.

Mini Meatball and Broken Spaghetti Tomato Stoup

It must be that time of year where people want something comforting, as I’ve read a few other bloggers posts about this same recipe. It was featured on the Rachael Ray Show, as well as in the November issue of the magazine.

I did a "kitchen sink" approach to the recipe, aka clean out the refrigerator, so I added some chopped celery to the vegetables, used ground turkey instead of ground beef, and fresh chopped spinach instead of parsley. For Don I threw in some chopped green and black olives and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.

Otherwise, I pretty much followed the recipe. It took a little longer than 12 minutes for the spaghetti to cook, and in the process, some of the liquid evaporated (even though I had a lid on the pot). In fact, it was almost like risotto, in that I’d add a splash of water, and when I checked on it, the liquid had absorbed so I had to add more. In the end, it wasn’t like a soup or a stew or a stoup even, just more like plain spaghetti. The main thing was that it tasted good!

What I’d do differently next time…even though I used thin spaghetti, I’d use something thinner like angel hair or Mexican fideo pasta. Or just boil the pasta separately.

I have a few meatballs leftover so I’m going to see if I can use them in Chicken Parm Subs. I’m anxious to try something from the 2,4,6,8 cookbook.

Keeping up with Rachael Ray

There was an article in yesterday’s Dallas Morning News, about someone’s attempt at cooking a Rachael meal in 30 minutes. It took her an hour, or an hour & forty minutes, including prep time. I always enjoy reading these stories because it makes me feel like less of a klutz in the kitchen. Even though Rachael says if she can do it, anyone can, I still feel inept when I try to put together a full-fledged 30 minute meal. I’m not good at multitasking. I’ve gotten better at getting things ready beforehand, including washing produce when I get it home from the store.

Anyway, the story from the paper comes across as honest, and although it takes the person longer than 30 minutes to prepare the meal, it’s not in the context of putting Rachael down for unrealistic time frames, like some other articles have done.

Baked French Toast Casserole

I’m one of those people that has a hard time throwing things away. I had a coupon for a free loaf of French bread from Albertson’s, and I actually remembered to use it. It was the worst French bread I’ve ever had. But I couldn’t throw it away (even though it was free). I put it in the freezer thinking I could make bread pudding with it. Just before Thanksgiving, there was a Paula show that featured "Baked French Toast Casserole," and I’d printed out the recipe since the holidays were coming up and it looked like something that would be perfect for a brunch. Then I remembered I had the bread in the freezer. I know it’s such an obvious thing, but often times my brain is not coordinated enough to put 2 and 2 together and remember what ingredients I have plus what recipes I set aside.

Anyway, it’s one of those "overnight" casseroles where you slice the bread, mix up a custard sauce and pour it over, and let it sit in the refrigerator. Then the next morning, you mix up a praline topping, spread it on top, and bake it. There’s also a raspberry sauce that comes with the recipe, but we thought the french toast would be sweet enough without it. I ended up putting some syrup on mine anyway, for the gooey factor.

This was really good, very simple, and looked nice. I was afraid it would be dry but surprisingly it was moist in the center, crunchy on the edges. I’m going to use the same topping and put it on cinnamon rolls, and see what happens.

Tony Moment

Some of the books on my reading list have been available at the local library. I just finished "Heat" by Bill Buford. I enjoyed the "inside view" of things but found it quite disillusioning to read of his impressions of Mario Batali. I guess some of it is the "celebrity image" we have in our minds vs. the "real person."

I had reserved Anthony Bourdain's "The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Usable Trim, Scraps, and Bones" online from the library. Shortly after I placed the hold, I got a call from them, saying "The Nasty Bits" was in. I could literally hear the person on the other end, struggling to stifle a giggle, and the tone in her voice implied "what the heck kind of book is this." Because of the holiday and national day of mourning, I didn't get to the library until today. I checked at the front desk and they didn't have it. I went upstairs to the racks and it wasn't in the 641's. So I went to the other information desk where I was referred to, and inquired there. The librarian didn't have it but asked my name and the title of the book. I must lisp and she started writing down..."The Nasty..." and then asked me to spell...B...I...T...C...!!! Hold on! I quickly corrected her, it's "Bits." Eventually we found the book in the "new releases" section.

How embarrassing. Keep in mind that this is the South. And I live in a dry county. Lots of things I took for granted from my Berkeley upbringing, are frowned upon or not understood here. I thought it was such a "Tony" moment.