dinner? or dessert?

I found this while roaming aimlessly on the internet today, and fell in love:

made of rice krispy cookie, marzipan, dried fruit, and other non-sushi substances, but really looks sushi-like. cute, huh?

Polenta Bruschetta with Rotisserie Chicken

what to make when it is 104 degrees in the shade?

dice some non-salmonella tainted tomatoes, marinate in balsamic vinegar and olive oil, with a little sea salt and basil, then spoon over pan griddled polenta. add some sliced rotisserie chicken breast, a sprinkle of parmesan on top, and dinner is served.

Thit Kho To

(vietnamese for "caramelized pork in clay pot")

made with pork belly.

the best, well, easiest and most accessible, being 3 minutes from my house, source for pork belly is H Mart, the Korean superstore of all superstores in Carrollton. too many types of kimchi to count, fresh fish, and pork belly for the taking.

the produce department rocks, low prices, fantastic variety, as evidenced by the extremely inexpensive bok choy-type cabbage i stir-fried up with the pork.

and just to add some gratuitous cuteness to this blog as there has been none for quite some time...

This stoup rocks!

Chicken, Chorizo and Hominy Stoup

from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals

This soup ("stoup" in RR speak) has kale leaves in it...What a treat! I've never had kale before, and I've found a new leafy green for variety. This is a great combination, slightly spicy-hot. I served it with cheese-strewn garlic toast. (yes, I know, messy bowl sides--not a pretty presentation, but tough, it is my kitchen.)

Yum.

Melody's creation du jour--Sea Bass Putanesca with Mediterranean Couscous

After a long day of clearing the yard, I made a light dinner from my imagination and pantry stock:

Sea Bass Putanesca (that's what I'm calling it)

2 sea bass filets

Mix basil, minced garlic, salt, oregano and olive oil into a paste, then add chopped olives and capers (I would have added an anchovy but didn't have any, sadly). Place each sea bass filet in the center of a foil square, then spoon a portion of the mixture on top. Now, place 2-3 spoonfuls of diced tomatoes (from a can is fine) and their juices on top of that, and seal up the packets. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, and voila! Makes a really nice brothy base--I served it in a bowl. You could use crusty french bread to mop up the liquids--maybe next time.

In the meantime, prepare 1 cup dry couscous, then raid your fridge. I added: garbanzo beans, feta cheese, pine nuts, basil, pimientos, olive oil--stir, refrigerate until the fish is done cooking. There's your side dish! You could add diced cucumbers, bell peppers, olives, whatever you have around. Yum!

Okay, took all of 10 minutes of actual hands-on time, and David's response? "I hope you're writing all your creations down--"

Sadly, I don't think I'm the next Rachael Ray, but this clicks in at right around 30 minutes total.

April is Grilled Cheese Month

..or so says Monkey...

and just for kicks, Monkey has instructions for making grilled cheese with your iron and ironing board at http://www.himonkey.net/cooking/IronGrilledCheese/index.html

I'm working on my ode to cheese haiku even as we speak...er...type...

(Yes, I realize this website is rapidly turning into a repository of very weird cooking stunts, but I find them to be very CHEESY!....HAHAHAHAH)

Meatcake is the new Cheesecake?

http://www.blackwidowbakery.com/demo/meatcake/



I don't know...really...I don't even know how I came across this monstrosity...it is really bothering me, thinking of the hunks o'meat that people are decorating all over the world (if you look at the submitted photos on this site)...what was that movie with Richard Dreyfuss & the Devil's tower sculpted out of mashed potatoes...Close Encounters of the Meatcake Kind?

Chili Basil Chicken

A take-off on Thai take-out from Rachel Ray's magazine. Good, unusual Easter dinner. I used Udon noodles, as that is what I had on hand. Warning--thin sauce, and I could have used alot more heat, but that is my personal lack of sensitivity, as there was a significant amount of crushed red pepper in this to begin with.

The best cake ever

I made this recipe for the first time this weekend. It looked like a tea cake I had in England last month, that was to die for...the "Chatsworth Estate" caramel cake (that is my name for it--it was from the farm market on the Chatsworth Estate).

This cake elicited rave reviews from hubby. This recipe is a keeper, for sure. I just need to be sure I don't make it too often or I'm going to really become large!! These are the types of things I hide in the freezer so I forget about them.

Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Glaze

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
1 1/2 t. vanilla

1. Arrange the rack at the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with baking spray.

2. Beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer for 5 minutes at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl and ensure everything is mixed.

3. Stir the flour with the baking powder and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add 1/4 of the flour mixture to the butter-egg mixture, then add vanilla and 1/3 of the buttermilk. Mix. Repeat, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping well after each addition.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread to edges with a spatula. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack.

Caramel Glaze

3/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 T. unsalted butter
pinch salt

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon, bring to a simmer--reduce heat and simmer for 7 minutes, stirring frequently until glaze thickens. Cool until barely warm. Pour on cake.

Tips: Really let the glaze cool completely before putting on cake. This cake is even better the second day. Microwave for 30 seconds or so then eat with a mug o'tea. Make sure it is stored in the refrigerator!

panda-licious

we're just monkeying around...

...are these the cutest cupcakes EVER?

this monkey doesn't monkey around (too much) when it comes to cooking up some fun. check him out!

the panda experience can be yours by following the directions at: http://www.himonkey.net/cooking/pandacupcakes/index.html