tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29272050522286334042024-03-05T13:33:00.004-05:00Inexpensive EatingAn economically frustrated foodie finds ways to eat the good life on a budgetScott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-63529230784770172552013-08-06T16:36:00.000-04:002013-08-06T16:36:41.729-04:00We Have Moved To A New Home On The Internet<span style="font-size: large;">Come see what's happening at our new cooking blog location:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> We're still cooking - we've just got a little better budget</span></span></span></span></div>
Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-83958041843335168952011-08-13T11:40:00.004-04:002013-08-13T09:25:54.166-04:00Geocache This: Grilled Eggplant Sandwich with Creamy Mushroom Spread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I’ve mentioned before that I am the resident caterer for my group of friends. I’ve done birthday parties, anniversary parties, surprise birthday parties, more birthday parties, but this one was a first – my friend, Robin, called up and asked me to cater her geocache party.</div>
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If you knew Robin, you’d know that this is not a normal request. I didn’t even know what geocaching was (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and after a trip to Wikipedia, I’m still not sure I understand it</i>). As far as I can tell, you run around pretending to be a cyber-era Jack Sparrow looking for buried treasure, using your smart phone to find specific coordinates. (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I know, sounds like oodles of fun, huh?</i>) I still haven’t gone beyond making calls with my cell phone, and now I find out that you can hunt for the wreck of the Queen Anne’s Revenge while playing Angry Birds at the same time. <a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/grilled-eggplant-sandwich-with-creamy-mushroom-spread/"><b>READ MORE</b></a></div>
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/grilled-eggplant-sandwich-with-creamy-mushroom-spread/">Grilled Eggplant Sandwich with Creamy Mushroom Spread</a></div>
Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-68849572772666685792011-08-07T13:49:00.001-04:002017-09-15T16:07:57.921-04:00Wing and a Prayer: Lemon Ginger Wings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pxiXhs20kzw/Tj7Pf5bJCwI/AAAAAAAAAak/56V5zWZ6bfk/s1600/Lemon+Ginger+Wings.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pxiXhs20kzw/Tj7Pf5bJCwI/AAAAAAAAAak/56V5zWZ6bfk/s400/Lemon+Ginger+Wings.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Three months ago, things were looking pretty rosy: the kitchen remodeling business was on a consistent upswing, and I was able to ditch the nightmarish, weekend gig. It was so nice to be able to work one job. The free-time even made me a little lazy – I haven’t posted a single recipe since. </div>
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Cut to present-day: Congress is acting like a bunch of babies, S&P has downgraded the U.S. credit rating, and the phone isn’t ringing quite a much as it was. So what do I do? I start cooking<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=gettogegour-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0684800012" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />, of course. (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What can I say? It’s one thing to have free time; it’s another thing to not have enough to do</i>.)</div>
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I actually played with this recipe over the summer, and Don has been harping at me to get it up on the site ever since (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he really just wants me to make it again</i>). He’s a hot wings freak. I’m not a big fan of the hot sauce based kind, but I enjoy these because they have a more complex flavor.</div>
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<a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/lemon-ginger-wings/"><b>READ MORE</b></a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-78984514476494757152011-05-31T15:16:00.000-04:002015-05-04T09:13:38.291-04:00Stolen Inspiration: Chipotle Poached Shrimp Tacos<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chipotle Poached Shrimp Tacos</td></tr>
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I find that inspiration for new dishes comes from a multitude of sources: childhood memories, fantastic restaurant meals, conversation with friends, bizarre dreams (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yes, it’s true – I do dream about cooking from time to time</i>), etc. But I think the most often used source of inspiration comes from the plethora of cooking and travel shows with which I seem to fill my television-viewing time. </div>
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The local PBS station has added an additional HD channel to its line-up called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Create</i>. It’s full of familiar PBS programs that show you how to build, garden, paint, sew, travel, and cook. The travel hosts are these intrepid globe trekkers hopping from country to country, showing us not only the history, art, and architecture of each place, but also the unique cuisine of the region (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always makes me alternate from cringing to salivating as I see what they eat</i>). One recent afternoon, sandwiched between trips to London and Paris, was a repeat of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">America’s Test Kitchen</i>, which was tackling Mexican food. Don and I both stopped in our tracks as we watched them work their magic on chicken tacos. They came up with a preparation that I knew I needed to <s>steal</s> pay homage to in a recipe.<br />
<a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/chipotle-poached-shrimp-tacos"><b>READ MORE</b></a></div>
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Recipe:</div>
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Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-73236344402737312162011-05-25T05:00:00.006-04:002011-05-25T09:04:09.384-04:00Egg-cellent Perk: Perfect Scrambled Eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xNrvZcfQoSM/TdvwcXZPV6I/AAAAAAAAAaU/Tgz5iMrVWys/s1600/Perfect+Scrambled+Eggs.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xNrvZcfQoSM/TdvwcXZPV6I/AAAAAAAAAaU/Tgz5iMrVWys/s400/Perfect+Scrambled+Eggs.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">I started blogging because it seemed like a fun way to keep track of the recipes I created. Once I got into it, I found out that there are some unexpected perks that can come with it as well – I’ve had some fun competing in (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and losing</i>) contests; I’ve been given money to throw a party, and every now & then, I get some free stuff to play with. Most of these perks have come because I am part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program. It’s because of them that I recently received a supply of <a href="http://www.egglandsbest.com/home.aspx">Eggland’s Best</a> eggs as my latest bonus. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes, premium eggs do cost just a little more, but I think eggs are one of the places where you get what you pay for. It really makes a difference in the final taste of dishes like my <a href="http://inexpensiveeating.blogspot.com/2010/08/bothersome-baby-brunch-ham-and-tomato.html">Ham and Tomato Mini-Frittatas</a>, <a href="http://inexpensiveeating.blogspot.com/2010/04/last-minute-appetizer-panic.html">Gorgonzola EggSpread with Pita Sticks</a>, or even <a href="http://inexpensiveeating.blogspot.com/2010/06/call-it-whatever-you-want-just-eat-it.html">Three Cheese Grits Soufflé</a>. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.egglandsbest.com/home.aspx">Eggland’s Best</a> have less saturated fat and more nutrition than other eggs (<i>if you’re into the healthy eating thing</i>). In addition to that, I love the fact that they don’t have that super-strength inner shell membrane that always drives me insane when I try to crack less expensive eggs (<i>do they breed chickens to produce that Spiderman-like lining?</i>). And let’s be real here: at about 20 cents apiece, even quality eggs are plenty cheap. When you are trying to eat inexpensively, eggs are one of the best values you can find, so it makes sense to buy the ones that taste better. Don’t believe me? Pick up a dozen premium eggs and see for yourself.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One dish I seldom order at a restaurant is scrambled eggs. They are always too dry and chewy. There are several things that go into a really good scrambled egg dish. It sounds a little fussy, but the extra effort is completely worth it. It really doesn’t take much time either – ask Don. He has a variation on this dish once or twice during the workweek for breakfast. I’ve already touched on the quality of the eggs, but there are a few more things that go into perfect scrambled eggs:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I do not like severe flavors first thing in the morning, so you won’t see me adding onions, peppers, garlic or anything like that, but I do add a little hot sauce anytime I make an egg dish. It’s not for the heat (I don’t add enough for that), but the combination of pepper and vinegar really enhances the flavor of eggs, making it brighter and deeper at the same time. I notice it when it’s not there.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I also think eggs need a little richness, so I add a touch of half & half to the scrambled eggs and just a small amount of butter to the pan. Again, it is noticeable when it’s absent. You don’t have to go overboard – you can get too much liquid in the eggs, and too much butter can just make the eggs greasy (which isn’t good either). I figure about a teaspoon of liquid per egg and a half teaspoon of butter per egg for the pan.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Scrambled eggs are just fine with nothing else but a little salt & pepper, but to make them perfect, they need some additional ingredients. Fresh herbs (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">or dried in a pinch</i>) and a little cheese are usually my minimum requirements. A combination of parsley, dill, and Colby cheese are my default settings. Any type of pork product in an egg is always an excellent combination too. You can certainly vary the ingredients in this step to suit your individual taste.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Of course, the cooking method of scrambled eggs is just as important as the ingredients you add to them (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perhaps more so</i>). You have to cook them low and slow to get that creamy texture I love so much. If you are cooking scrambled eggs in less than 6 or 8 minutes, you’re doing it way too fast! A nonstick pan is essential in my book, otherwise the pan ends up eating too many of the eggs. And I never set the cooktop above medium low (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that’s between 3 and 4 on my electric range – out of 10</i>). You also need to babysit it (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">oh come on, it’s only for a few minutes</i>). By stirring the eggs most of the time, you eliminate the possibility of browning, which for me is never good on scrambled eggs. Then you turn the pan off just before the eggs are completely cooked (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the residual heat from the pan will finish it off without overcooking them</i>).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you follow these simple rules, you too can have perfect scrambled eggs each and every time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Perfect_Scrambled_Eggs.pdf">Perfect Scrambled Eggs</a></div>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-79909747614567680162011-05-19T15:29:00.000-04:002011-05-19T15:29:28.304-04:00Bleu-Lite Special: Chicken Cordon Bleu Roulade<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Free at last! Free at last! I have been banished from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Land of the Eternal Bluelight</i>. That’s right; I have <b>FINALLY</b> been able to punt my weekend gig! (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I never knew that freedom could be so satisfying</i>) </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What I thought was going to be a 5 or 6 month stopgap measure turned into 2 ½ years of multiple nights per week. Talk about exhausting – this is the first week in that amount of time that I get to work <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">under</i> 60 hours. One thing the experience has taught me – I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> enjoy being my own boss. There is no way I could work in corporate America – common sense is something I value too much and (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">evidently</i>) large corporations don’t value at all. Enough said.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I celebrated my first evening of freedom by hitting happy hour on the waterfront. Honestly, to empty your head of the nightmares of discount retail, there’s nothing like a nice glass of Malbec at your favorite restaurant as you watch the water traffic. Ahhh, peace and serenity…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Of course, I also had to play a little in the kitchen as part of my ongoing festivities. And since I’ve now ditched my second job, I still have to keep an eye on the grocery budget – so <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Inexpensive Eating</i> must go on. I’ve saved this recipe for just this occasion – the play on words was just too childishly easy to pass up.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Chicken cordon bleu is one of my all-time favorite dishes. It just seems so decadent to shove a ham & cheese sandwich in the middle of chicken doesn’t it? (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">People love shoving ham & cheese in a variety of things – can you imagine the guy who came up with a Monte Cristo?</i>) But we’ve also been trying to eat a little healthier lately, so I wanted to lighten it up a little. And I was still celebrating; I thought a little unnecessary fanciness was in order too. The result was this little ham & cheese roll-up.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I pounded the chicken out pretty thin between two sheets of plastic wrap (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the poor dog always runs and hides when I start beating the countertop with a frying pan</i>). It’s a little satisfying to release all of that aggression too (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">maybe I should have made this </i>before<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> I ditched the part-time gig</i>). Once I added the ham, cheese, and other things, I rolled it up tight and secured them with toothpicks. I then proceeded to sear them off right away, but I think 20 or 30 minutes in the fridge would have helped them hold their shape a little better.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You could easily run these through a breading station before you throw them in the pan, but in an attempt to be virtuous, I skipped it. Instead, I made a pan sauce at the end that was mostly butter. (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What can I say? Virtue is in the eye of the beholder</i>.) It was still definitely decadent enough to celebrate with. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So make this dish and hold your own little celebration on my behalf. And remember – never take a job that requires you to utter the phrase, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Attention Kmart shoppers</i>…”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Chicken_Cordon_Bleu_Roulade.pdf">Chicken Cordon Bleu Roulade</a> </div>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-11868936682045878662011-04-20T04:30:00.001-04:002015-03-27T09:24:03.440-04:00Easter Embarrassment: 3 Easy Candy Recipes<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Chocolate Cherries</td></tr>
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Isn’t it funny how the most mortifying moments of your life are some of the most vivid images your memory conjures? I haven’t been able to pick up Easter candy for the last 40 years without recalling one of the earliest times I embarrassed the heck out of myself (<i>I wish I could say it was the last time I did it. Unfortunately, there have been many opportunities since then to top myself</i>). I was young (<i>really young</i>) – and it was the first time I got to go into a store by myself. <a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/3-easy-candy-recipes/"><b>READ MORE</b></a><br />
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/3-easy-candy-recipes/">3 Easy Easter Candies</a><b><a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/3-easy-candy-recipes/"> </a></b></div>
Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-64935966991265567382011-04-14T05:05:00.003-04:002017-03-21T16:42:59.408-04:00Bo Peep’s Revenge: Braised Lamb Shank Minestra<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I hate coffee (<i>I know, it’s me and three other people over the age of 12 in the United States</i>). I don’t have anything against coffee; I just don’t care for it. I also don’t like licorice or bell peppers. I’ve learned to work around all three when I am eating someone else’s cooking. I don’t make a big deal out of it, but I pass on coffee with dessert, and I always leave the green pepper chunks discreetly on my plate.</div>
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Everyone has something that they don’t care to eat. I use to ask people coming over for dinner “what do you like?” They invariably said, “Oh, I’ll eat anything,” and I end up making the one thing they absolutely detest. So now I ask, “What do you hate?” - and they tell me. It makes preparing a menu much easier, believe me.</div>
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We used to have a friend (<i>who is no longer in the picture</i>) that had this absolutely childish aversion to seafood. Wouldn’t eat it; wouldn’t consider eating it; and made unnecessary comments if someone else was eating it. In fact, his wife told me she had to throw out the Worcestershire sauce after he found out it contained anchovies. Like I said, a completely immature attitude about it. <a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/braised-lamb-shank-minestra/"><b>READ MORE</b></a></div>
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/braised-lamb-shank-minestra/">Braised Lamb Shank Minestra</a></div>
Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-18467650935585712862011-04-09T14:09:00.000-04:002011-04-09T14:09:10.692-04:00Karmic Celebration: Strawberry Almond Ice Cream<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dVDKyxyaTK8/TaCgeeQIBlI/AAAAAAAAAZg/TrJJunHc1dg/s1600/Strawberry+Almond+Ice+Cream.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dVDKyxyaTK8/TaCgeeQIBlI/AAAAAAAAAZg/TrJJunHc1dg/s400/Strawberry+Almond+Ice+Cream.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Don’t you hate it when life gets in the way of the things you really want to do? It has been six months since I was last able to play with my food and tell you about it. That’s far too long, but three jobs and writing regular blog entries just became a little too much to do all at the same time. Something had to be postponed for a little while. Unfortunately, the blog lost out. Sigh.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Well, now Job #3 is gone and it looks like Job #2 could be a fond memory in the near future. I said I wouldn’t pick the blog back up until I escaped from <i>The Land of the Eternal Blue Light</i>, but sometimes Karma hands you something that makes you want to celebrate. I won’t bore you with all the details, but here is the quick, self-indulgent rundown:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt;"><i>I belong to a volunteer organization. About a year ago, we were on the hunt for a paid staffer to run the show. The headhunter committee brought us their final candidate, who proceeded to set off every warning bell and siren I have installed in my body: self-importance, duplicity, passive-aggressiveness (</i>in short, I thought he was a creep and a jerk<i>). Being the person that I am, I forcefully voiced those concerns. I was in the extreme minority. In the end, the person was hired by a vote of 64-2 (</i>yes, I was one of the two<i>). The two dissenters were then ostracized, vilified, and our emotional stability was even questioned. I didn’t quit, but I faded away from the organization.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt;"><i>Fast forward 11 ½ months. The staffer ended up being let go and escorted out of the building for doing exactly what we said he would. Oh yeah, he then lobbed a grenade to try and inflict as much damage on the volunteer organization as he could while he was being let go.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal">I know it’s childish and petty, but I laughed out loud when the news reached me. It was that hearty, superior kind of laugh that comes when you know you’ve been vindicated. Actually, I think I did a little “I told you so” dance too (<i>OK, maybe they were right to question my emotional stability afterall</i>). Even though I feel bad for the organization, I couldn’t help it. Now the people who were doing the vilifying are dumbfounded as to how it could have turned out this way. All I can say is that Karma can be a real bitch – unless it works in your favor, then it’s kind of cool.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Being in such a festive mood, I decided it was time to break the seal and get back to blogging. If you are a food blogger, you know that there is no such thing as just running to the kitchen and whipping something up. Nope. Plans have to be laid out; notes must be made; stages must be set; and photos must be taken. It’s an undertaking requiring precision and planning. This entry didn’t go that way. Once you get out of the habit, it’s amazing what you forget. It may take an entry or two before I get my sea legs again, so forgive the errors and omissions.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
So what does all of this have to do with Ice Cream? Why, what else would you celebrate with? I mean, one part-time job was shed, the other is quickly fading, I have time to blog again, and (<i>best of all</i>) Karma really is the great equalizer…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Strawberry_Almond_Ice_Cream.pdf">Strawberry Almond Ice Cream</a></div>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-3742605749255776652010-09-27T10:14:00.000-04:002010-09-27T10:14:10.274-04:00Project Food Blog Round 2: Vote Early and Vote Often!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/images/project_food_blog/logo-mark-pfb-nameplate.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://www.foodbuzz.com/images/project_food_blog/logo-mark-pfb-nameplate.gif" /></a></div><br />
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The voting for Round 2 of Project Food Blog is underway! You can vote between now and Thursday, September 30 at 9pm (EDT).<br />
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Just make sure you v<a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/2/view/671">ote for my entry, <em>Extras Credit: Lomi Lomi Pupu</em></a>. Unfortunately, Foodbuzz is in San Francisco - not Chicago - so you’re really only allowed to vote once.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/2/view/671" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TJkMjWU7iLI/AAAAAAAAAYY/O_YlGIUP1xI/s400/Lomi+Lomi+Pupu.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extras Credit: Lomi Lomi Pupu</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Thanks for all of the support!<br />
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<em>Scott @ Inexpensive Eating</em>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-40760775343324274812010-09-23T05:30:00.001-04:002010-09-23T05:30:01.193-04:00Extras Credit: Lomi Lomi Pupu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TJkMjWU7iLI/AAAAAAAAAYY/O_YlGIUP1xI/s1600/Lomi+Lomi+Pupu.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TJkMjWU7iLI/AAAAAAAAAYY/O_YlGIUP1xI/s400/Lomi+Lomi+Pupu.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>My friend, Jennifer, is a great big thespian. That’s right, she’s a stage actress – educated and professionally trained. Jennifer is also married to Phillip, a naval officer, so they have hop scotched around the globe, landing at various naval bases. Because of that, she hasn’t had the opportunity to run to New York or LA and be ‘discovered’. Instead, she’s landed in Jacksonville, Dallas, and now Hawaii (<em>and I don’t see the Navy building major installations in either LA or New York anytime soon</em>).<br />
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Hawaii is the first place she’s landed that hasn’t had a large theater community, so Jennifer has branched out – she’s auditioned for the circus and for some television shows that film in Hawaii, including <em>Lost</em>, which is one of my all-time favorites – except for the finale (<em>oh, don’t get me started</em>). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TJkMqns69fI/AAAAAAAAAYg/1esSyUAgmwA/s1600/hawaii+50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TJkMqns69fI/AAAAAAAAAYg/1esSyUAgmwA/s320/hawaii+50.jpg" /></a></div>Now there’s a second television show filming in Hawaii, the CBS remake of <em>Hawaii 5-0</em>. And guess what – Jennifer was cast in a major role! OK, maybe ‘major’ is overstating it a little. But the part has lines and everything!<br />
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Since <em>Hawaii 5-0</em> is a crime drama, it has to set-up the murder to be investigated – that’s Jennifer’s part. She plays a mom with a pre-teen son who discovers the body of the murder victim. Alright, it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it part, but it happens on a submarine! <br />
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Jennifer’s mother is one of my best friends, so I knew I had to organize a viewing party to watch her big <em>Hawaii 5-0</em> debut, but I don’t know anything about Hawaiian food (<em>because I don’t think ordering ham and pineapple on my pizza counts</em>). I’ve never been to Hawaii, so I hit the interwebs to do a little research. Of course, I focused in on some classic luau dishes, and found one that really spoke to me: lomi lomi salmon. (<em>Lomi</em> means massage in Hawaiian, so it’s twice-massaged salmon.)<br />
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It’s a salt-cured salmon dish that is served with tomatoes and onions. Think gravlax meets ceviche meets salsa. I’m a sucker for all three, so I thought that this would be perfect. Then, when I found out the Hawaiian word for appetizer, the adolescent in me decided that I had to put my own spin on it and turn this into an hors d’oeuvres, just so I could call it <em>Lomi Lomi Pupu</em>. <br />
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Turns out that it’s an incredibly easy dish to make, Curing the salmon takes about 5 minutes to set up, but it has to set for 6 or 8 hours, so you need to plan ahead. Most of the recipes I looked at also called for peeling the tomatoes, which is no big deal if you first dunk them in boiling water for 30 seconds. I also thought the dish was in desperate need of some color, so I swapped out the sweet onions for scallions and used a yellow tomato as well as a red one. Some recipes called for some heat, while some others didn’t – I chose to add a little jalapeño to give it some background flavor.<br />
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One other tip – do not fall victim to the desire to season the vegetation before you add the salmon. Even after washing off the excess, the salmon is quite salty. Once you add the tomatoes et al, it balances out – but it certainly does not need any more salt.<br />
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To make it finger food, chopping it into smaller chunks turned out to be the best thing (<em>the small-chop made it easier to get the filling in</em>). I hollowed out some cherry tomatoes, used a melon baller to create some cucumber cups, and perched some of the salmon mixture on top of thick-cut pineapple. The pineapple turned out to be the favorite in the test run – the salty Lomi Lomi needs that sweet counterpoint for the best balance. In fact, the next time I make this, I think I’ll add a little pineapple to the mixture.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTq2wdCatODF5u7F8zl_KZyUC6i_xoXz3_i7yfaQMnyvv6fd5FI20nS39PK6L5AZVRde8gMVdPghEG76vq4lpcfjF4oooraWptrMSVOXhVZQzJyog7iBYRq0HO7Zprj33qazz9mrVywM/s1600/Extras+Credit.lo+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTq2wdCatODF5u7F8zl_KZyUC6i_xoXz3_i7yfaQMnyvv6fd5FI20nS39PK6L5AZVRde8gMVdPghEG76vq4lpcfjF4oooraWptrMSVOXhVZQzJyog7iBYRq0HO7Zprj33qazz9mrVywM/s400/Extras+Credit.lo+res.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jennifer and her "son" hanging out in her on-set trailer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So Jennifer is scheduled to kick off Episode 4 of <em>Hawaii 5-0</em>, which means that her episode should appear October 11 (<em>Hawaii 5-0 airs Mondays at 9pm EST on CBS</em>). Make sure you watch the beginning – look for the woman who is trying to make a cell phone call on a submarine while she ignores her son (<em>yeah, I really don’t understand this set-up either</em>). Then, all it will take is for the producers to see what potential her character has – they could bring her back. Oh! I know! She could have a torrid affair with Daniel Dae Kim’s character. OK, maybe that’s just a little projection on my part – but it could happen! Hey, at the very least, Jennifer ought to finally get a page on IMDB out of it – they <em>always</em> credit the extras.<br />
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Lomi_Lomi_Pupu.pdf">Lomi Lomi Pupu</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-33584309562546317182010-09-20T09:04:00.000-04:002010-09-20T09:04:10.466-04:00Game On!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Project Food Blog</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This is it, folks – voting for <strong>Project Food Blog</strong> has begun! Between now and 9pm (EST) on Thursday, September 23, <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/1/view/189">your vote can send me to the next round of the competition</a>. So what are you waiting for?!<br />
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<a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/1/view/189">Check out my entry for <strong>Project #1: Ready, Set, Blog</strong>, entitled <em>Pilgrim Food</em></a>. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Bread</td></tr>
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If you don’t, then I won’t win the $10,000 grand prize, and I’ll be hitting you up for a loan. <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/1/view/189">So isn’t voting for me really the easier choice to make</a>? (Oh, don’t worry - I <em>know</em> who you are…)<br />
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Thanks a Million (which is way more than ten thousand),<br />
<em>-Scott @ Inexpensive Eating</em>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-83494094241395679952010-09-16T05:30:00.001-04:002010-09-16T05:30:00.873-04:00Pilgrim Food: Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TJGJtGFDMwI/AAAAAAAAAYA/KqIszGjupSQ/s1600/Chocolate+Chip+Peanut+Butter+Banana+Bread.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TJGJtGFDMwI/AAAAAAAAAYA/KqIszGjupSQ/s400/Chocolate+Chip+Peanut+Butter+Banana+Bread.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>We all have that inner voice that drives us. Whether you are led by your faith in a higher being, your political and philosophical ideals, or the almighty dollar, we are all pulled somewhere. Sometimes that pull leads you on a physical journey to find more understanding about the thing that compels you. I have been on such a physical journey to find enlightenment – <em>to Graceland</em>. Of course, it wasn’t <em>my</em> journey. I was eleven, and I was forced to go on a family vacation.<br />
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Yes, I can admit it now – my family was one of the original blue-suede-shoes-set that traveled to the hallowed city of Memphis for the first anniversary of the death of its most famous son, Elvis Presley. I understand that now you can tour the inside of the mansion – see the Jungle Room, the pool, everything. Not then. We waited for over three hours in the hot August sun just to walk around gravestones of the Presley family and then walk back down the driveway. <br />
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People were fainting left and right (<em>I’m not sure if it was the heat or they were overcome with grief – I always hoped it was the heat</em>). At eleven years old, I can remember thinking that if this many people were falling over, then why were we still standing in line? But stood in line, we did. I think this was probably my mother’s favorite family vacation of all time. <br />
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While we were there, you would think that we could have tried some of the great cuisine of the city, but, no. It was nothing but fast food, although we did get some barbeque – from a chain restaurant. That’s the family I grew up with – not a culinary adventurer in the bunch. Except me.<br />
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I’m not sure where I got it, but I have become quite the foodie. I even started a <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/">gourmet cooking club</a> a few years ago. I don’t have any formal training, but that hasn’t stopped me from exploring the food that excites me. Of course, all of that is easier when you have a disposable income.<br />
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We’ve been hit pretty hard by the economic downturn. It has meant giving up our favorite foodie haunts: cutting edge restaurants, the gourmet food store. Shoot, even a trip to the regular market gets a little hairy from time to time. But I try to live by the old adage: When life hand you lemons, make limoncello. (<em>You can make lemonade if you want - but if things are that bad, I’d rather be liquored up</em>.) That’s where <em>Inexpensive Eating</em> was born.<br />
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I really began my blog as a way to fill the hours while my kitchen and bath design business was in the dumps (<em>there are only so many revisions you can make to the same bathroom drawing before you start to go insane</em>). Having no money for exotic (<em>or even non-seasonal</em>) ingredients means that getting creative is the only way I have to cook. Turns out, that it’s a blast! My creativity (<em>and my foodie soul</em>) is re-energized by coming up with original recipes. The fact that other people seem to like them too is just icing on the cake.<br />
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In honor of this new pilgrimage that I have begun, I thought I should come up with something that connects the memories of my youth with the path I’m on now. As ashamed as I am to admit it, one of the things I adored from my childhood (<em>and still eat occasionally</em>) is a peanut butter and banana sandwich. And can there be another food that more embodies the Elvis Presley experience? Personally, I can’t think of peanut butter without thinking of chocolate. And chocolate goes great with bananas too! <br />
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So as a means of making this flavor combination more appealing to a wider set (<em>at least those who live outside of the rural south</em>), I decided to roll them all together into a dessert. It hits every comfort food button that is installed in my body. It really has become one of my new favorites. I hope it is yours as well.<br />
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I also hope that you find the thing that sets you on the path to begin your pilgrimage – even if it <em>does</em> lead you to Graceland (<em>or Dollywood, or the Liberace museum</em>…)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYov4Q67nLaHGNfDhinf1jyEES9JtL9N5gYdrHjY7GQbzay72dxcbkY7jPaemfenlQb2SgXq4QbEjdhEA7IsylX8PeELxMmKobajMhFR9p0ToMf-oFyjkzm7YDTdjRvX8d4fH45cC2MiY/s1600/Beck+at+Graceland+(Small).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYov4Q67nLaHGNfDhinf1jyEES9JtL9N5gYdrHjY7GQbzay72dxcbkY7jPaemfenlQb2SgXq4QbEjdhEA7IsylX8PeELxMmKobajMhFR9p0ToMf-oFyjkzm7YDTdjRvX8d4fH45cC2MiY/s400/Beck+at+Graceland+(Small).jpg" width="372" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>This isn't our pilgrimage, but it sure looks familiar. Thanks to Mona over at </em><a href="http://itawambaconnections.blogspot.com/2009/05/summer-vacation.html"><em>Itawamba Connections</em></a><em> - it's her traveling grandmother, Beck, standing at the gates of Graceland in the late 70's..</em> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Chocolate_Chip_Peanut_Butter_Banana_Bread.pdf">Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Bread</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-10056523020745369582010-09-02T05:30:00.001-04:002010-09-02T05:30:00.396-04:00Curse of the Black Thumb: Rosemary Focaccia Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TH8Uli9OIrI/AAAAAAAAAXw/3rda6BSGGOM/s1600/Rosemary+Foccacia.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TH8Uli9OIrI/AAAAAAAAAXw/3rda6BSGGOM/s400/Rosemary+Foccacia.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><em>Sigh</em>. I look through all of these wonderful food blogs with pictures of people in their immaculate vegetable gardens. These people look so happy as they grow their heirloom tomatoes, beautiful squash, and complain about what to do with the bushels of basil they produce. I hate them.<br />
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Why? Because I can’t even grow dirt. I’m serious. Our yard looks post-apocalyptic: nothing but bare sand and weeds. The citrus trees have withered away, and the Live Oak is becoming ironic. When I go to the plant store, I look like a cartoon villain – the plants all wither and die as I walk by. It’s just sad. <br />
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I've always told Don that his OGT (<em>obviously gay trait</em>) was supposed to be gardening. Mine is cooking (<em>OK, and I’m an interior designer too</em>). But instead of HGTV, he got hooked on <em>Project Runway</em> and picked up a sewing machine – just no cooperation at all. In the meantime, our yard suffers and I’m reduced to buying dried herbs because neither of us can grow fresh ones.<br />
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I’ve come to grudgingly accept dried herbs. Given the choice, I will always prefer fresh, but I was spending $10-$15 per week on fresh herbs at the grocery store. It was either cut out fresh herbs or cut out half of the weekly wine budget. When you put it that way, there’s really no contest. <br />
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The one exception I make is parsley. It’s relatively cheap - I can spend a buck, make it last for 2 weeks, and add a lot of life to dishes with just one fresh herb at the end. Unfortunately, everything else was jettisoned. <br />
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I’ve tried the dried versions of most herbs. Some are OK (<em>like thyme and bay leaves</em>), while there is no point in even using others (<em>like basil or mint</em>). One of the herbs that I think works well dried is rosemary. Of course, I love rosemary anyway. I mean, what’s not to love? Earthy, piney, lemony, bold – it’s wonderful.<br />
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The one thing rosemary doesn’t do is play second fiddle. Because it’s so strong, it ends up being the dominant flavor most of the time (<em>at least the way I use it</em>). So I figured, why not let it stand out in front?<br />
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I was throwing together a pretty easy weekend dinner, so I thought I should spend some time and make some bread. Because we were having pasta, I thought a focaccia would go nicely. Like I said before, rosemary is always high on my list – besides, I figured it would work well with the chicken and tomato sauce on the pasta. I was right.<br />
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The thing I love about focaccia is the crispy, crunchy outer layer. It’s baked with so much oil, that it almost deep fries. Can there be anything better than deep fried bread? OK, maybe deep fried dessert – but we’re talking dinner here, not sweets. I’ve never tried it, but a friend told me that she just picks up refrigerated pizza dough and makes focaccia out of it. Personally, I don’t like the pizza dough you buy in a whomp tube (<em>you know, you peel the label and whomp it on the edge of the counter</em>), but if you do, try it. It will save you a little time.<br />
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So until they come up with a cure for Black Thumb, I guess I’m resigned to using dried herbs a little while longer. Maybe the CDC should look into this. Or maybe I should take a trip to the witch doctor and see if she can lift the curse.<br />
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Rosemary_Focaccia_Bread.pdf">Rosemary Focaccia Bread</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-66512448878137559532010-08-30T05:30:00.001-04:002010-08-30T05:30:01.749-04:00Half Coq’ed: Chicken and Mushrooms in Red Wine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/THriUs2xVVI/AAAAAAAAAXg/hlcVxhJxadw/s1600/Chicken+and+Mushroom+in+Red+Wine.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/THriUs2xVVI/AAAAAAAAAXg/hlcVxhJxadw/s400/Chicken+and+Mushroom+in+Red+Wine.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I, like most foodies, speak of Julia Child only in hushed, reverent tones. I would venture to guess that most American food bloggers would list her as one of the culinary influences in their lives. (<em>Do you think it’s mere coincidence that her initials are also J.C.</em>?) Let’s face it, the woman is an icon. And I certainly appreciate her dedication to gastronomy – she was a consummate researcher. But be honest (<em>and I swear, I’m whispering as I say this</em>) – a couple of the recipes are a little overblown, don’t you think? <br />
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I have made her Coq au Vin recipe from start to finish a couple of times. It is absolutely out of this world! It also dirties almost every cooking vessel I own, takes hours, and completely tries my patience (<em>seriously – blanching bacon and peeling pearl onions are some of the most tedious things I’ve ever done</em>). <br />
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Now it’s confession time (<em>Don doesn’t even know this one</em>): I had avoided eating coq au vin since I was a child. If I saw it on a menu, I wouldn’t consider ordering it. I couldn’t believe someone would want to eat that concoction. Want to know why? Because I had no idea what I was talking about. <br />
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I guess I’d never seen an episode of <em>The French Chef</em> where she made the dish. I had never seen the name written down. The only thing I was able to pick up was that it was a chicken dish. Also, I don’t speak French. When someone says, “Coq au Vin,” it sounds exactly like “Cocoa Van. “ Putting together the little tidbits that I had gleaned, I couldn’t understand how anyone would want to eat chocolate covered chicken (<em>that I assumed was somehow prepared in a moving car</em>)! I won’t tell you how old I was, but you can not imagine how stupid I felt when I found out the truth (<em>and never let on to anyone that I was so off-base</em>.)<br />
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This is all by way of telling you about the dinner party I threw this weekend. My friend, Catherine, is great - a southern belle, through and through. She has this phenomenal home that looks like a French chalet from the outside. Inside, it’s decorated with wonderful French Provencal influences. The kitchen is a complete masterpiece (<em>shameless self-promotion, since I’m the one who designed it</em>). She is a Master Gardener, and has this weakness for all things chocolate. When I say that she’s a serious chocoholic, I’m not kidding. She once brought back cocoa hulls from Hershey, PA to use as mulch around her garden.<br />
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So when we decided to have an intimate birthday dinner for Catherine, what else could I make but French chocolate chicken? (<em>OK, I’ve obviously figured it out by now, but this is still what I call it in my head</em>). There was no way I was tackling the Julia Child method - I wanted to simplify it and make it a little less expensive to prepare. I got it all down to a single pot and about an hour’s worth of active cooking time. If you can taste the difference, more power to you – I certainly can’t.<br />
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I gave up on cooking with expensive wine long ago, but I still avoid anything labeled ‘cooking wine’ (<em>yuk</em>). I keep a $4 bottle of white wine on the fridge door that I cook with, and I picked up a $5 bottle of Zinfandel to make this dish this weekend. Honestly, you cook the bejeezus out of the wine for this dish, so I just can’t see spending $15 or $20 for something that isn’t recognizable in the end anyway. If you want to, have at it. I also dirtied only one pot for the whole meal, and skipped the stinking pearl onions. <br />
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The payoff was completely worth it. Catherine loved the meal, and I found a <a href="http://www.foodalution.com/2010/08/chocolate-orange-cappuccino-wedding.html">Chocolate Orange Cappuccino Cake</a> from my buddy, Megan, over at <a href="http://www.foodalution.com/">Foodalution</a> that is over the top stupendous! It doesn’t exactly fit into the category if Inexpensive Eating, but you have to splurge once in a while, right?<br />
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So I was able to cut out half the steps, ¾ of the pans, and about an hour’s worth of work. Not bad for going off half coq’ed. <br />
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Chicken_and_Mushrooms_in_Red_Wine.pdf">Chicken and Mushrooms in Red Wine</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-20900357302767210672010-08-26T05:30:00.006-04:002010-08-26T05:30:00.357-04:00Brain Dead Weekend: Breakfast Bread Pudding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXY39mwFPD7ZZcPyX5xT_JzG-XU99bFOETRUMuHrK2XBd-Gmfvq6muL22FO-BHf0WbtRyZEuVI-VxssjHKj8HZgWK4-x-cH-DCoWQNgLWvHl9XQBbv8GW8qnEjj0MCO0DH3te0wD7H7g/s1600/Breakfast+Bread+Pudding.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXY39mwFPD7ZZcPyX5xT_JzG-XU99bFOETRUMuHrK2XBd-Gmfvq6muL22FO-BHf0WbtRyZEuVI-VxssjHKj8HZgWK4-x-cH-DCoWQNgLWvHl9XQBbv8GW8qnEjj0MCO0DH3te0wD7H7g/s400/Breakfast+Bread+Pudding.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I love entertaining, but I <em>hate</em> the morning after. It never fails: once the guests leave, we either stay up until the wee hours to clean the kitchen – or worse yet, we leave it until the morning and the kitchen looks like a Williams-Sonoma delivery truck exploded all over the countertops when we wake up. It’s just a no-win situation. (<em>Of course, I’m glossing over the occasional wine-induced deteriorations that add to the troubles</em>). <br />
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When I’m faced with these morning-aftermaths, this is one of the dishes I love to make. Partly because is let’s me use up the inevitable leftover bread; partly because it doesn’t take high-level brain function to accomplish; but mostly because it takes an hour to bake, so I can go back to bed. (<em>OK, I actually end up cleaning the kitchen instead of sleeping – but it’s a nice thought</em>).<br />
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This is nothing but simple comfort food, all the tastes of French toast without the standing around and babysitting it. It’s not going to win any awards for creative cooking, but when I’m faced with hand washing 637 pieces of crystal stemware, creativity is not high on my list (<em>by the way, how do 8 people dirty that many dishes to start with</em>?) I guess someone more organized than I am could even prep it the night before and stash it in the fridge (<em>I don't see that happening at my house anytime soon though</em>).<br />
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I so dearly love really good, crusty, rustic bread. But being on a budget, we usually reserve a trip to the ‘<em>good bakery</em>’ for company. I think that’s the reason I end up with so much bread left over – it’s some subconscious hoarder mentality because I know I won’t get the chance until we entertain the next time. And I think this is the only kind of bread to use when you’re making bread pudding or French toast. When I bite into it, I want it to bite back.<br />
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The other thing about this recipe is that it’s not overly-sweet. I’ve had some bread puddings that need to be topped with ice cream to cut the sweetness. Like I said, this one has a little sugary substance, but still plenty of room to douse it with maple syrup.<br />
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I have also eschewed the whole water bath approach for this recipe too (<em>too much manual dexterity required for this type of morning</em>). Besides, it would be just one more dish to deal with after already going through 3 bottles of Palmolive soap. Who needs it?<br />
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So next time you need to make breakfast without engaging your brain, try this one. It makes tackling that delivery truck’s worth of dirty dishes totally worth it.<br />
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Breakfast_Bread_Pudding.pdf">Breakfast Bread Pudding</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-60821132889516108152010-08-23T13:36:00.000-04:002010-08-23T13:36:45.510-04:00Summer Squeeze: Roasted Corn and Tomato Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8voITTwSgYi0-dlvK03lDKYhq-JnIi9TjU5U1lhZdY71MGP6mks8ZlWM695YWiSXuDsHBtYdTWxSQJVVWb3jeqaO3HApeUhrBhtQ_AQLHT2Vl2plifnbzPQc1C4-RsaW5gCguAslgyBg/s1600/Roasted+Tomato+and+Corn+Salad.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8voITTwSgYi0-dlvK03lDKYhq-JnIi9TjU5U1lhZdY71MGP6mks8ZlWM695YWiSXuDsHBtYdTWxSQJVVWb3jeqaO3HApeUhrBhtQ_AQLHT2Vl2plifnbzPQc1C4-RsaW5gCguAslgyBg/s400/Roasted+Tomato+and+Corn+Salad.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
When I was coming up with side dish ideas for the <a href="http://inexpensiveeating.blogspot.com/2010/07/buitoni-homework-and-wine-what-could-be.html">pasta tasting</a> I did a few weeks ago, I knew I wanted to use tomatoes and fresh corn for one dish because they were in such abundance, and both crops have tasted better than average this year. When I showed the idea to a friend, she said “<em>but it’s so everyday and boring</em>.” Well, of course she’s right, but I would not be daunted. I set out to come up with a couple of twists that might look a little less <em>everyday</em>. <br />
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I love to squeeze every bit of flavor out of the ingredients I have, so instead of a raw salad, I thought I would roast the vegetable. Besides, I thought a roasted salad would pair better with a raw pasta sauce (pesto). <br />
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To try and make it a little more elegant, I decided to serve the salad in tomato boats – just hollowed out the tomato halves and roasted them along with the corn. It makes portioning much easier (<em>don’t you sometimes hate trying to figure out how much is enough</em>?), and I used the tomato flesh for another dish later on.<br />
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The salad dressing couldn’t be simpler – just oil and vinegar with a couple of dried herbs thrown in. And I used one of my favorite inexpensive flavor weapons: roasted garlic. <br />
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Roasted garlic is such a breeze – I just throw a halved-head of garlic and some olive oil into foil and toss it in the oven for 30 or 45 minutes. It comes out so fragrant and rich. I mash it down, combine it with a touch more olive oil, and stash it in the fridge for weeks. I’m not sure how long you can realistically expect to keep it in the fridge, but I’ve worked off of the same head of roasted garlic for a month or more. The trick is to make sure the oil covers the garlic – it acts as a great preservative. You’ve got roasted garlic add at a moment’s notice, and it costs about 45 cents to make.<br />
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Roasted garlic can make all the difference in a simple dish like this. Raw garlic could easily overpower the other flavors, but roasted boosts the overall flavor without drowning out the corn and tomatoes.<br />
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This dish was part of the winning combination for the pasta tasting party. You could say that it squeezed out a win.<br />
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Roasted_Corn_and_Tomato_Salad.pdf">Roasted Corn and Tomato Salad</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-15224278755825220262010-08-12T05:30:00.002-04:002013-08-09T18:17:32.833-04:00Change of Seasons: Grilled Tilapia Packets with Tomato Arugula Cous Cous<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TF8RcIMpvfI/AAAAAAAAAWE/RijTQMFbjZs/s1600/Grilled+Tilapia+Packets+with+Tomato+Arugula+Cous+Cous.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TF8RcIMpvfI/AAAAAAAAAWE/RijTQMFbjZs/s400/Grilled+Tilapia+Packets+with+Tomato+Arugula+Cous+Cous.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
I always tell people that there are two seasons in Florida: 1) summer; and 2) Oh, My God, It’s Hot! We have definitely transitioned into the second season around here. I mean, when the overnight low only gets to 85 degrees, it’s definitely time to find a way to make dinner without turning on the oven. <a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/grilled-tilapia-packets-with-tomato-arugula-cous-cous/"><b>READ MORE</b></a><br />
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Recipes: <a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/grilled-tilapia-packets-with-tomato-arugula-cous-cous/">Grilled Tilapia Packets </a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-25453012433737070852010-08-09T05:30:00.002-04:002010-08-09T05:30:00.307-04:00Lick the Salt: Corn and Pesto Ravioli with Parmesan Butter Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TF22mcrq-AI/AAAAAAAAAV8/bE9qVwLai80/s1600/Corn+and+Pesto+Ravioli.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TF22mcrq-AI/AAAAAAAAAV8/bE9qVwLai80/s400/Corn+and+Pesto+Ravioli.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I get teased all the time by friends because I don’t shop and cook like they do. What can I say, I’m just weird. I know that most people utilize processed foods for convenience sake, I just don’t happen to be one of them. Seriously, I think the only processed foods I buy on a regular basis are peanut butter and dry pasta (<em>do dried cranberries count? If so, add them to the list</em>). I know there is a cadre of passionate healthy-eaters who bemoan the evils of processed food. I couldn’t give a flip about that, I just don’t think it tastes all that good.<br />
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I recently picked up some prepackaged fresh pasta and sauce for the first time in ages. It wasn’t until then that I realized exactly how spoiled I have become. While the mass-produced stuff was OK, I just couldn’t get past the amount of salt that was in it. It didn’t taste salty when I ate it, but I bet I drank 3 gallons of water the rest of the night and still woke up the next morning with cotton mouth. I bet if you had tapped my vein, you could have used it to brine pickles. No offense, but I’m not sure how anyone can eat that kind of processed stuff all the time and not suffer some consequences.<br />
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My recent experience sent me back to homemade. There’s really no big trick to making fresh pasta – and it impresses the heck out of people when you tell them it’s homemade. If you’ve got the right equipment, you might have 15 or 20 minutes of active working time in it. And if you don’t have the right equipment, then you might spend twice that much time. I still think it’s pretty easy – and foolproof. <br />
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I don’t know where I picked up this basic pasta dough recipe – it isn’t mine, but I use it all the time. I also substitute some whole wheat flour on occasion (<em>about 40% of the total</em>) to give it a little more bite. I happen to like the texture of whole wheat pasta. I know some people don’t. Because this recipe is ravioli, I didn’t use any whole wheat flour – I figured the ravioli was chewy enough without it.<br />
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And it seems like the local corn season has hit its peak, so I want to get a little more out of it before it completely fizzles out. I figured some fresh corn inside the ravioli might be fun, so in it went. And whenever I’m doing Italian food and corn, I automatically think of pesto. But just throwing pesto sauce on the ravioli is too easy, so I decided to put it on the inside instead. (<em>Besides, I treat fresh pesto like gold – if it goes inside, I’ll use less. That way, it will last longer</em>.)<br />
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Since the pesto went inside, I wanted something that would be both good with the corn and simple as well. How much simpler (<em>and better with corn</em>) can you get than butter and parmesan cheese? (<em>Remember how I was complaining about too much salt? You would think I’d have some issues with too much fat too, but I don’t. Go figure</em>.)<br />
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The nice part of this is that you can make the ravioli ahead of time and just stash them in the fridge. Then at dinnertime, the whole dish comes together in just a few minutes. It’s great to entertain with – you can actually spend some time with your friends when they come over.<br />
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So throw together your own fresh pasta and leave the excess salt where it ought to be – on the rim of a margarita glass.<br />
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Corn_and_Pesto_Ravioli_with_Parmesan_Butter_Sauce.pdf">Corn and Pesto Ravioli with Parmesan Butter Sauce</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-6429459295108985382010-08-05T05:30:00.000-04:002013-08-09T18:00:10.873-04:00The Never-Ending Propane Tank: Asian Marinated Pork<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TFSGWtQz3WI/AAAAAAAAAVk/wscjBo5ZyQs/s1600/Asian+Marinated+Pork.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TFSGWtQz3WI/AAAAAAAAAVk/wscjBo5ZyQs/s400/Asian+Marinated+Pork.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Do you remember Willie Wonka and his Everlasting Gobstoppers? Well, I’ve got the propane tank equivalent. We last traded out the propane tank in September – nearly 11 months ago. Granted, we didn’t use it prodigiously throughout the winter (<i>it was freaking cold this year – even if you did live in Florida</i>), but the thing has been near-empty for the last two months. Every time I use it, I assume I’ll have to finish the dinner in the oven when the tank fizzles. But it just keeps going and going (<i>Maybe the Blue Rhino is somehow related to the Energizer Bunny</i>). <a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/asian-marinated-pork/"><b>READ MORE</b></a><br />
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/asian-marinated-pork/">Asian Marinated Pork</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-81223715896767360232010-08-02T05:30:00.004-04:002010-08-02T05:30:00.873-04:00Bothersome Baby Brunch: Ham and Tomato Mini Frittatas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TFXeFIAdDGI/AAAAAAAAAVs/cKrQZbRlf4E/s1600/Ham+and+Tomato+Mini+Frittatas.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TFXeFIAdDGI/AAAAAAAAAVs/cKrQZbRlf4E/s400/Ham+and+Tomato+Mini+Frittatas.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>My good friend, Carol, is on her way to Hawaii as we speak (<em>I know – we hate her</em>). She’s headed there for her first grandchild’s christening. OK, it’s not a ‘christening’. It’s a New Age, hippy-dippy, nondenominational, waterside, baby-blessing (<em>but ‘christening’ is so much easier to write</em>). Either way, she’s thrilled. Of course, she’s been there two weeks out of every month since the baby was born (<em>and she wonders why she’s always tired</em>), so you would think the ‘new’ would wear off after a while, wouldn’t you?<br />
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Anyway, a couple of nights before she left, she casually said, “I meant to ask you: could you come up with a recipe for me? We’re doing a brunch for 30 people after the waterside baby blessing. Oh, and I leave day after tomorrow, so there’s not much time.” (<em>Some days I really don’t care to be the food and entertaining expert of the group, you know?</em>) <br />
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Luckily, the day in between was Sunday, so I had some free time to kill (<em>yeah, right</em>). She wanted something egg-y that could be done ahead of time and could be used as finger food. On top of all that, it also had to be fairly easy to make because everyone’s hands would be a little full, what with a newborn to look after and thirty guests and all. (<em>Anything else? Want me to solve world hunger for you too while I’m at it?</em>)<br />
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So that’s what I set out to do: easy, egg-y, finger food. What I came up with was a ham and tomato mini frittata. I think it fills the bill pretty nicely. <br />
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I tried desperately to figure out a way to crisp up the ham and use it as the shell, but I didn’t have any luck. When I used just the ham, the egg bled through and you couldn’t get it out of the muffin tin. I tried baking the ham first, then setting it inside a paper liner, but that didn’t get anywhere either. I finally gave up on crispy ham and settled on a paper liner, then lined the liner with ham as well (<em>maybe if I’d had more time</em>). <br />
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And evidently the grocery stores in Hawaii don’t stock quite as wide a variety of items as stores here on the mainland do, so I kept to a pretty simple set of ingredients. (<em>Carol loves to tell the story of trying to find smoked salmon while in Hawaii. The clerk said, “You mean, for Jewish?” Turns out, they didn’t have it</em>.) The tomato slice on top helps keep the eggs from being too dry, and the cheese, both in the eggs and on the top, give the whole thing quite a bit of richness. <br />
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Personally, I like to eat them warm, but they’d be perfectly fine at room temperature too. And it’s stable enough to make a day or two ahead, stash in the fridge, and just bring back to room temperature on the morning of the brunch. Should be a snap (<em>these are all subliminal directions for the party throwers</em>).<br />
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Like I said, being the resident party authority can be bothersome – then again, how could anything be too much trouble for a face like this?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TFXeL2BZDKI/AAAAAAAAAV0/a74o2T542HA/s1600/Macy.+Baby+Brunch.lo+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TFXeL2BZDKI/AAAAAAAAAV0/a74o2T542HA/s400/Macy.+Baby+Brunch.lo+res.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macy, the Party Girl</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Ham_and_Tomato_Mini_Frittatas.pdf">Ham and Tomato Mini Frittatas</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-70570124647634415242010-07-26T05:30:00.009-04:002010-07-26T05:30:00.670-04:00Buitoni, Homework, and Wine: What Could Be Better?<em>I hope you will indulge me while I take an editorial detour for the day...</em><br />
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As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a boatload of Buitoni Riserva Pasta and a few bucks to host a party. (<em>Who is going to turn down money to throw a party</em>?) The idea was to come up with a vegetable side dish pairing to go with one of the Riserva Pasta flavors. Always the overachiever, I decided to come up with four side dishes – one for each of the four Riserva flavors (<em>What can I say? I use to do the extra credit assignments in school too</em>). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcDJgi7HfA7qPSXhtPrbKRF88DGUagwFyLXTt07FXXbk_JsTbKP87k-hsKWv1i_dhhSXWGmwA12ZTZfJI8HY79b7q7hMqgwPxVke9xwq62A5TzAzMxxXRFCT32AM4Ft7yd7agk9v7sNw/s1600/buitoni_logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcDJgi7HfA7qPSXhtPrbKRF88DGUagwFyLXTt07FXXbk_JsTbKP87k-hsKWv1i_dhhSXWGmwA12ZTZfJI8HY79b7q7hMqgwPxVke9xwq62A5TzAzMxxXRFCT32AM4Ft7yd7agk9v7sNw/s320/buitoni_logo.gif" /></a></div>Then, if that wasn’t bad enough, I decided to structure the party as a tasting. I mean, if I’m going to cook all day for people, they are darned well going to have to participate somehow. Everyone received a sheet that listed the pasta, Buitoni sauce, vegetable side dish, and a wine that was paired for that course. They then had to rate each individual dish and the whole course as a pairing (<em>Of course, this probably explains why all the pictures look like the people are taking their SAT's</em>). <br />
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Many thanks to Jonathan at the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Palmetto-FL/Wine-Warehouse-of-Palmetto/125740988218">Wine Warehouse in Palmetto</a> for coming up with great wine options that averaged $10 per bottle. And thanks to <em>the Baroness</em> for the use of her home for the evening.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF87RxRfZVsEahgRp0Z4ZO81pGDIC5TVlC02KjG8M3HZwHYDA84PD7JqiGzGgpq3vDPz9liwccGPgcSVcEvPiclDl_N23TTul_CS3mG_VhhWj1j6C-t1KjSLoeGIcQNZvDTKUEjR-ak3c/s1600/Pan+Frying+the+Pub+Course.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF87RxRfZVsEahgRp0Z4ZO81pGDIC5TVlC02KjG8M3HZwHYDA84PD7JqiGzGgpq3vDPz9liwccGPgcSVcEvPiclDl_N23TTul_CS3mG_VhhWj1j6C-t1KjSLoeGIcQNZvDTKUEjR-ak3c/s320/Pan+Frying+the+Pub+Course.lo+res.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pan frying the Pub Course</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TEzxVsiAeUI/AAAAAAAAAUs/jXM0AE7G2Cw/s1600/Bonni+is+Taking+it+so+Seriously.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" hw="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TEzxVsiAeUI/AAAAAAAAAUs/jXM0AE7G2Cw/s200/Bonni+is+Taking+it+so+Seriously.lo+res.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Serious Work</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Since I cooked all day, I decided to let my friends from the party write this blog. Below you will find each paired course, its overall score, and comments (<em>positive and negative; useful and not</em>) from the judges The names have been changed to protect the innocent<em> (come to think of it, the names have actually been changed to protect the guilty</em>). <br />
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The original side dishes will get some spotlight time over the next few weeks, and I’ll be back to my regular format next time. In the meantime, enjoy the party…<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOiXIE7xNcEs_rC6Y_ugKH1771I4N7l-jWCZNYv-WBT1Y4ZHIRV2jMu4jOM3sRaFFkxpvTOS__xsousiMkH9c6zpTFvrA01TkBIqr96LwFjIjRZb5HKzuze0pAQouUcNSyZL3caKIFEU/s1600/Pairing+Number+1.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOiXIE7xNcEs_rC6Y_ugKH1771I4N7l-jWCZNYv-WBT1Y4ZHIRV2jMu4jOM3sRaFFkxpvTOS__xsousiMkH9c6zpTFvrA01TkBIqr96LwFjIjRZb5HKzuze0pAQouUcNSyZL3caKIFEU/s200/Pairing+Number+1.lo+res.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><strong>Pairing #1</strong> – <em>the Pub</em> <br />
<strong>AVERAGE SCORE 9.25/10</strong><br />
<em>Pasta</em>: Buitoni Riserva Quattro Fromaggi Agnolotti (<em>breaded and pan fried</em>)<br />
<em>Sauce</em>: Buitoni Tomato Herb Parmesan<br />
<em>Side</em>: Baked Zucchini Fries<br />
<em>Wine</em>: 2008 Ruffino <em>Orvieto Classico</em><br />
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<ul><li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">“Breading on ravioli makes it a great appetizer. I would consider taking this to a party.”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[side] “fun appetizer. Healthy too. I think I could do this.”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">“how clever”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[pasta] “very fresh tasting, nice crunch”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[sauce] “I like the chunky texture”</span></em></li>
</ul><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrbwSiQ85GHbjNWGn6fha6N65B01o8N2A52rwIuGyFMf2SWE5RM-KY_olj_NUvrBABqO5xCyWzbEHMSvcwYajtygjdD4-Od_-bHPhADxP31xTFJP2mQ6pespozijRcb813lli8g5X544/s1600/Everyone+Waiting+for+Food.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrbwSiQ85GHbjNWGn6fha6N65B01o8N2A52rwIuGyFMf2SWE5RM-KY_olj_NUvrBABqO5xCyWzbEHMSvcwYajtygjdD4-Od_-bHPhADxP31xTFJP2mQ6pespozijRcb813lli8g5X544/s320/Everyone+Waiting+for+Food.lo+res.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone Waiting for Dinner</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TEzvRgZgscI/AAAAAAAAAUM/r8LLG9qEtjg/s1600/Pairing+Number+2.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" hw="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TEzvRgZgscI/AAAAAAAAAUM/r8LLG9qEtjg/s200/Pairing+Number+2.lo+res.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><strong>Pairing #2</strong> – <em>Raw and Roasted</em> <br />
<strong>AVERAGE SCORE 9.6/10</strong> (<em>the winner</em>)<br />
<em>Pasta</em>: Buitoni Riserva Chicken and Four Cheese Ravioli<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Sauce</em>: Buitoni Pesto with Basil</div><em>Side</em>: Roasted Corn and Tomato Salad<br />
<em>Wine</em>: 2007 Teruzzi & Puthod <em>Terre di tufi</em><br />
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<ul><li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">“favorite pairing of all”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">“the server is getting a bit snippy now…”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[pasta] “taste is somewhat lacking – would have liked chunks of chicken”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">“pesto was a little mild”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">“pesto was nice addition to the 4 cheeses”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[side] way cute. The color is a welcome addition to the plate”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[pasta] “moist and delicious”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">“great combination; loved it!”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">“they didn’t come together for me, seemed too different rather than complimentary”</span></em></li>
</ul><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9AWAICoCk2Hj8jU_QhKmSUKriT2ojNxCog9xa6m4YqVSJFV8KZPXKfDPlyM0HZYdIxrQclJ_xAzp7Hx6U6wRaWmKPsEijX8Ti2Ze9BwYExUvcE0b63cRfbVNJ8boqZyxBH6GJ-Oz-_o/s1600/Prepping+the+Next+Tasting+Round.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9AWAICoCk2Hj8jU_QhKmSUKriT2ojNxCog9xa6m4YqVSJFV8KZPXKfDPlyM0HZYdIxrQclJ_xAzp7Hx6U6wRaWmKPsEijX8Ti2Ze9BwYExUvcE0b63cRfbVNJ8boqZyxBH6GJ-Oz-_o/s320/Prepping+the+Next+Tasting+Round.lo+res.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prepping the Next Tasting Round</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TEzvqmsR4FI/AAAAAAAAAUU/nIY4bZ1WR-c/s1600/Pairing+Number+3.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" hw="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TEzvqmsR4FI/AAAAAAAAAUU/nIY4bZ1WR-c/s200/Pairing+Number+3.lo+res.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><strong>Pairing #3</strong> – <em>Hearty and Traditional</em> <br />
<strong>AVERAGE SCORE 9.0/10</strong><br />
<em>Pasta</em>: Buitoni Riserva Spicy Beef and Sausage Ravioli<br />
<em>Sauce</em>: Buitoni Marinara<br />
<em>Side</em>: Kale & Cannellini Beans<br />
<em>Wine</em>: 2008 LeSalette <em>Valpolicella</em><br />
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<ul><li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">“didn’t taste beef & sausage too well”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">“I’m getting in trouble for looking at Jane’s paper”</span></em></li>
<li><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[wine] “brings out the earthiness of the vegs; interesting spiciness”</span></em></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[side] “eating this, then following it with the wine brings out a very earthy flavor w/the kale mixture; nice pairing”</span></em></div></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYZi91ZIQfFC5EK__5-BCkRZHynBU6aoWAp9oh-h-6bh_P4hLfaGFcEWvobdavv7gXRtaTCEOnCURWUZz-Njt0DPTPEohYmOO0BY9TlRYw12NL2cx3W8U803OSczlTQMyYyhsnkWsmC8/s1600/Two+Tables+One+Party.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYZi91ZIQfFC5EK__5-BCkRZHynBU6aoWAp9oh-h-6bh_P4hLfaGFcEWvobdavv7gXRtaTCEOnCURWUZz-Njt0DPTPEohYmOO0BY9TlRYw12NL2cx3W8U803OSczlTQMyYyhsnkWsmC8/s320/Two+Tables+One+Party.lo+res.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Tables, One Party</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNQFz547cS3e2IwtS1i8bQ26We1SzDQvCpweKwcrv3yS3CW9L3Cgaez3SE9UpRCBe5pS_M5CfVBnfyVSoyw8z-bSriZ6lG-n6chs2AYkVY3vmPOSF2uCD1ww71h8Y-BZkqoJ1M73i1LI/s1600/Pairing+Number+4.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNQFz547cS3e2IwtS1i8bQ26We1SzDQvCpweKwcrv3yS3CW9L3Cgaez3SE9UpRCBe5pS_M5CfVBnfyVSoyw8z-bSriZ6lG-n6chs2AYkVY3vmPOSF2uCD1ww71h8Y-BZkqoJ1M73i1LI/s200/Pairing+Number+4.lo+res.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><strong>Pairing #4</strong> – <em>Fast Forward to Fall</em> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>AVERAGE SCORE 9.1/10</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Pasta</em>: Buitoni Riserva Wild Mushroom Angolotti</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Sauce</em>: Buitoni Alfredo Sauce</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Side</em>: Sweet Potato & Fennel Gratin</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Wine</em>: 2007 Donna Marzia <em>Primitivo del Salento</em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><ul><li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[pasta] “the best – delicious combo – pasta is light, filling good flavor & texture”</span></em></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[sauce] “rich yet not cloying” </span><span style="color: black;">(I don’t even know what this means, but it sounded good)</span></em></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[pasta] “delicious – mushrooms tasted wonderful – not overpowered by pasta”</span></em></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">“good PMS dinner”</span></em></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[pasta] “sharp mushroom flavor; not bland”</span></em></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[side] “best part of meal – wonderful flavors”</span></em></div></li>
<li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">[side] “best dish – want this often”</span></em></div></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaXa0fHIviDiU9LtKr5Y7RM3XOD6YxSycHRREmqp3RyQ3R2bSeQJuNDfeW_IWfgJ0SIzugCVh8btRAYAlYjdpQGQO4Vvj7SB2ay0Y09l8-TUtnc6nt3FSZ323RFHmzHVG0F23WDtf_Ho/s1600/This+Table+was+Well+Behaved.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaXa0fHIviDiU9LtKr5Y7RM3XOD6YxSycHRREmqp3RyQ3R2bSeQJuNDfeW_IWfgJ0SIzugCVh8btRAYAlYjdpQGQO4Vvj7SB2ay0Y09l8-TUtnc6nt3FSZ323RFHmzHVG0F23WDtf_Ho/s320/This+Table+was+Well+Behaved.lo+res.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Table Was Well-Behaved</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuOufprwhduuwiKxMZpgEiaATZ4sEBehto03mMy3r4ICdci9MvvD-Wp19MBTsM4JwTRLvxQ0HiAfLx3LSumXOLCqZiB4KBebl-fzTvdI97Mh8KlyP8_C8Z96Oy4hq3BBxm8ZMoRnJ1q0/s1600/The+Disruptive+Table.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuOufprwhduuwiKxMZpgEiaATZ4sEBehto03mMy3r4ICdci9MvvD-Wp19MBTsM4JwTRLvxQ0HiAfLx3LSumXOLCqZiB4KBebl-fzTvdI97Mh8KlyP8_C8Z96Oy4hq3BBxm8ZMoRnJ1q0/s320/The+Disruptive+Table.lo+res.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Was the Disruptive Table</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And the best comment of the night: </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">“The people at this table confuse me. Or maybe the wine did.”</span></em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TEzzFwdU8sI/AAAAAAAAAVM/a_86O0CginY/s1600/Wine.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" hw="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3BCtiuGH5oA/TEzzFwdU8sI/AAAAAAAAAVM/a_86O0CginY/s320/Wine.lo+res.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to the Wine Warehouse for the Great Selections</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-47493062276380201922010-07-23T10:59:00.000-04:002010-07-23T10:59:17.908-04:00You Are Pudding Me On: Blueberry Barley Pudding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEini1saSZkJ0fUY89ZSJEHd6GFILnEuWY5cDTJPNsM5fg8aNrdLjV2O7bOprcwAd3Xe5tPIP_KnBRIKiTV74Z2runuPkTDhKLUB01NUVBEfcB8XquL7Xu_3sdAzP0eeST14ZRsHwq8QN4Q/s1600/Blueberry+Barley+Pudding.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEini1saSZkJ0fUY89ZSJEHd6GFILnEuWY5cDTJPNsM5fg8aNrdLjV2O7bOprcwAd3Xe5tPIP_KnBRIKiTV74Z2runuPkTDhKLUB01NUVBEfcB8XquL7Xu_3sdAzP0eeST14ZRsHwq8QN4Q/s400/Blueberry+Barley+Pudding.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>One of the things that I find appealing in dishes is a combination of textures. You know, crispy fried chicken with creamy mashed potatoes; smooth yogurt with crunchy granola; you get the idea. It just hits more of your senses when you eat.<br />
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On these incredibly hot evenings (<em>even for Florida standards</em>), I have not wanted to bake anything for dessert (<em>even though I am about to die for a cookie</em>) - I mean, it was still 91 degrees at 9:30 Tuesday night! But my sweet tooth must be satisfied, nonetheless. To substitute, I’ve been turning to cooler options: gelato, sorbet, and pudding.<br />
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Even though you have to fire up a burner on the stove to make a pudding, it doesn’t heat things up like turning on the oven. Besides, serving it chilled adds a little relief to this oppressive heat. And anything that beats this heat gets an automatic ‘thumbs up’ in my book right now.<br />
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If you’ve read anything earlier, you might know that I have this newfound love affair with barley. It’s just one of those things that I never had occasion to cook with until recently. I’ve been substituting barley for rice here and there, but hadn’t thought about dessert until the other night.<br />
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On a whim, I decided to make a barley pudding. I had some blueberries that were about to outstay their welcome, so I thought I’d throw them into the mix as well. <br />
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What came out was this incredible textural concoction in lavender. The barley stays so chewy compared to the minor bite left in rice pudding that it surprised me. I was prepared to throw in a handful of toasted nuts to give me that syncopated texture combination that I crave, but didn’t see the need. Even after sitting around for a couple of days, the barley still holds that bite. I just wasn’t expecting that. It’s like a tapioca texture on steroids. <br />
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I have a friend who is the exact opposite of me when it comes to food texture – she won’t eat anything on the plate if there’s a combination of creamy and crunchy. I don’t get it. She doesn’t know what she’s missing, so barley pudding probably wouldn’t be for her. But if you dig that mix of sensations on your tongue, then try this one.<br />
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Blueberry_Barley_Pudding.pdf">Blueberry Barley Pudding</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-74487325601736206642010-07-21T05:30:00.001-04:002010-07-21T05:30:00.401-04:00Stupidly Simple: Grilled Cabbage Slaw<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismM59rYbzb6LmMHN7D7hKUknIy8zooQuPh3yOC72yQT_BbmKZgpZ6gi6MR0S8nppQTtG1cz8QtVov-bnFMye9OEr_2fx1qeAaftuPqcVhtbDxwjASGSxA17AbUTXcub_AXgWDRKbWUb8/s1600/Grilled+Cabbage+Slaw.lo+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismM59rYbzb6LmMHN7D7hKUknIy8zooQuPh3yOC72yQT_BbmKZgpZ6gi6MR0S8nppQTtG1cz8QtVov-bnFMye9OEr_2fx1qeAaftuPqcVhtbDxwjASGSxA17AbUTXcub_AXgWDRKbWUb8/s400/Grilled+Cabbage+Slaw.lo+res.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Don’t you hate it when life gets in the way of the things you want to do - like cook? Me too. We recently attended the monthly Gathering of the gourmet club we belong to (<a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/">Get Together Gourmets</a>), and time was not on my side. The theme for the month was BBQ – not only did I need to make a BBQ dish, but I also had to come up with a side dish to accompany it as well. <br />
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I have this self-inflicted rule about the dishes I take to these things: I have to make an original recipe for the Gathering. I’ve fallen short of that a few times (<em>Chinese New Year being a prime example</em>), but by-and-large I keep to my rule. <br />
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It turned out to be a particularly busy week – multiple jobs, a fussy client, and a minor emergency all piled on one another until it became the morning of the Gathering, and I still really didn’t know what I was going to make. I decided to fall back on my <a href="http://inexpensiveeating.blogspot.com/2010/06/balsamic-rosemary-bbq-chicken-grilled.html">Balsamic Rosemary Glazed Chicken</a> that I blogged about a couple of months ago, but I still couldn’t figure out the side dish.<br />
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At the eleventh hour (<em>and out of desperation</em>), I decided to throw all of the ingredients for cole slaw on the grill and see what happened. The results turned out to be fantastic. The grill brought out all of the amazing natural sugars of the cabbage, carrots, celery, and scallions. It was absolutely surprising. Mingled with the smoky flavors that the grill infuses, I was well on my way to a pretty decent dish.<br />
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Don and I held an impromptu tasting to decide on a dressing. I didn’t want to do a mayonnaise-based dressing after I tasted the sugary-grilled marvel of the vegetables, so I switched gears and we tried to figure out which vinegar would compliment the slaw best. We went through cider (<em>too sharp</em>), rice wine (<em>too delicate</em>), white wine (<em>too blah</em>), and balsamic (<em>too overpowering</em>) before finally settling on simple, everyday red wine vinegar. <br />
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I had drizzled so much olive oil over the veggies before I slapped them on the grill that it wasn’t even necessary to add any more for the vinaigrette. Just some salt, pepper, and an extra tablespoon of sugar (<em>I like my slaw on the sweet side</em>) was all it took to give this salad the perfect flavor balance it needed. (<em>Of course, the fact that we were doing this about 30 minutes before we had to walk out the door had absolutely nothing to do with the nakedly simple dressing either</em>). <br />
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I think we ended up sampling 9 different types of barbeque and almost as many side dishes that night, and not a clunker in the bunch. Of course, I don’t think anyone else was trying to finish creating their dish as they ran out the door. It just goes to show you – sometimes it pays to keep it stupidly simple.<br />
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.gettogethergourmets.com/uploads/Grilled_Cabbage_Slaw.pdf">Grilled Cabbage Slaw</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2927205052228633404.post-74471502245578353852010-07-19T05:30:00.002-04:002014-04-04T12:44:18.885-04:00Torta Reform: Mushroom and Rosemary Potato Torta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Do you have one of those pieces of kitchen equipment that you only use when you have to? For me, it’s a mandolin. It’s difficult to clean, it’s awkward to use, and every time I touch it, I think I’m going to end up with one less finger by the time I’m finished. Of course, the fact that I have a cheap (<i>in the negative sense of the word</i>) mandolin probably has more than a little to do with it. Regardless, I seldom get it out – unless I absolutely have to.<br />
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We went to a party this weekend. One of us (<i>not me</i>) ended up having a little too much fun and was paying for it the next day. I hate days like that. I can certainly empathize with anyone who wakes up because they hear the ants crawling outside the bedroom window (<i>I’ve been there once or twice myself</i>). In an effort to combat the remnants of an exciting evening, Don had requested something starchy but light for dinner (<i>yes, he was still not himself by dinner time – he thought it was a really good party</i>). Starchy but light? <b><a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/mushroom-and-rosemary-potato-torta/">READ MORE</a></b><br />
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Recipe: <a href="http://www.duncanscreativekitchens.com/cooking/mushroom-and-rosemary-potato-torta/">Mushroom and Rosemary Potato Torta</a>Scott Duncanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12020808983958824441noreply@blogger.com18