hopeless foodie

Zesty Sunflower Seed Dip/Dressing

2015-06-02T15:30:00.000-04:00

I'm a person that usually gravitates toward creamy dressings for salads. While I don't think I'll ever become a full-time vegan, there are days that I just want to avoid meat or dairy products. I have been playing with this particular recipe for the past couple of weeks, tweaking it here and there until finally nailing down a version I'm happy with. I initially found the first version I'd made to be too tart (I thought I'd put a little too much lemon juice) so I put it in the fridge and started over with a new batch. Upon tasting it again later, I found that it wasn't so bad after all. In fact, the more I tasted it the more I liked it. It was great for dipping veggies but still a little too thick to pour over a salad (easily fixed with a bit more liquid to produce a creamy, dairy-free dressing). If you give this recipe a try feel free to tweak it to suit your taste buds. Ancho chile powder adds some kick; occasionally I will also add a couple of splashes of Tabasco chipotle sauce for a bit more heat. Recipe follows next...

Zesty Sunflower Seed Dip/Dressing

1/3 cup salted sunflower seeds (roasted)*
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic (if the cloves are small use 3)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. fresh oregano (I prefer fresh but if you only have dried oregano on hand that should be fine)
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. Ancho chile powder (add more or less to taste, I sometimes add 2 tsp)
1/4 tsp. paprika (optional)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil*
About 1/4 cup lemon juice (add more or less to taste)
About 1/4 cup water (I use slightly less than 1/4 cup to make the dip, add the full 1/4 cup for a creamy dressing)

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. For the dip I use slightly less than 1/4 cup of water. For a creamy dressing I add the full 1/4 cup; if the mixture is still too thick for you add a bit more water until you reach desired consistency. Makes about 8 ounces of dip/dressing

*I've only used roasted sunflower seeds for this recipe so far. I have yet to try it with raw sunflower seeds but plan to do so soon. For those on a gluten-free diet, avoid using dry roasted sunflower seeds as the seasonings used may contain wheat.

*I use extra virgin olive oil in this recipe (I love the stuff and always have a bottle on hand in the pantry) but you may want to substitute grapeseed or sunflower oil.

Weekend Splurge: Crispy Roast Pork Belly (Thịt Heo Quay)

2015-05-30T13:53:00.000-04:00

When you've been a good girl all week, I think you're entitled to a bit of a weekend 'splurge' don't you? If you love roasted pork and crispy crackling like I do, you have to try this (trust me)! Backstory: I happened to find this recipe out of frustration. Every now and then I'd treat myself to a bit of crispy roast pork on the weekends. About a year ago I had a (rare) bad experience at a local Chinese BBQ establishment that I won't name. I ended up throwing the roast pork I'd purchased away-it was that bad. Feeling completely unsatisfied I decided to try my luck making it at home. After searching online I finally found what I feel is the perfect recipe. All credit to the wonderful Helen Le of danangcuisine.com for her version of Vietnamese Crispy Roast Pork Belly (Thịt Heo Quay). When I find something this good I have to share. More info on Helen and this great recipe follows after the jump...

Helen was born and raised in Da Nang, Vietnam. As a co-admin of danangcuisine.com (along with her sister Summer) she shares authentic Vietnamese recipes (with easy step-by-step instructions) through the website as well as her Helen's Recipes YouTube channel. If you're a fan of Vietnamese cuisine you must visit the site and subscribe to her channel! Check out her recipe for Thịt Heo Quay here. If you follow her instructions I promise you will be rewarded with delicious, flavorful roast pork belly with crunchy crackling. It's so good that I will no longer bother with the local BBQ establishments for my fix!

Tips from Tina:

Follow Helen's instructions (and watch the video).
Be easy when applying mix #1 to the pork belly. Don't apply too much of the mix or the pork will be salty.
Per Helen you can allow the pork to 'marinate' for as little as three hours but I prefer to prep the pork the day before roasting and leave it in the fridge overnight.
I usually purchase fresh pork belly at Super H Mart (if you don't have one in your area you should be able to find fresh pork belly at your local Asian supermarket). I purchased this package of three pieces (with skin attached) pictured below. I cut those pieces in half. I also use a Vietnamese 5-Spice Powder (also purchased from Super H Mart and pictured below); it comes in an 8 oz. jar so you'll have plenty on hand to use for other recipes.

I used rice wine vinegar for mix #2 but any white vinegar is fine.
For delicious, crispy crackling make sure the skin is as dry as possible and apply mix #2 following Helen's instructions. Per Helen: you can scrape some of the salt off the finished product if you find the crackling too salty.
If the skin hasn't 'crackled' enough after the one hour cooking time is completed put the pork belly under the broiler for about a minute or so. WATCH CAREFULLY-don't take your eyes off of the pork belly so that you won't burn the crackling.

Foodie Events: Atlanta Food & Wine Festival 2015

2015-05-28T18:03:00.001-04:00

It's back! The 5th annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival kicks off today and runs through the weekend. Taking place in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, the festival boasts a variety of interactive events and dining experiences featuring some of the top chefs, sommeliers and restaurants in the South. You can opt for a 1 day or 3 day pass (or special Connoisseur passes for the serious 'foodie'). Participate in one of several classes throughout the weekend, enjoy the tasting tents or take in a fine dining experience during special evening dinners featuring award winning chefs such as the Rathbun Brothers, Shaun Doty (Bantam + Biddy) and more. Festival attendees can even download a handy 2015 mobile app to view schedules, maps, purchase tickets and more. There are several ticket and event options available to customize your festival experience. While some events have already sold out there are still other great festival events to choose from so hurry to secure your spot! For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the event website at atlfoodandwinefestival.com.

Meatless Mondays: Cannellini Bean Salad With Lemon-Thyme Dressing

2015-05-11T18:53:00.000-04:00

As I make an effort to adopt 'cleaner' eating habits I'm really trying to stay faithful to Meatless Mondays. So far so good: I've lost about seven pounds over the past four weeks. Needless to say I'm very happy and pleasantly surprised! Today I was in the mood for something quick, easy and fitting for the warmer weather we're experiencing. This is my variation of a simple cannellini bean salad with roasted red bell pepper and a zesty lemon-thyme dressing. The leftovers ought to taste even better for lunch tomorrow. Recipe follows after the jump...

Cannellini Bean Salad With Lemon-Thyme Dressing

2 (15 ounce) cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 of a roasted red bell pepper (peeled, seeded and diced)

Lemon-Thyme Dressing

2 cloves garlic (if the cloves are rather large just use 1 clove)

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a large bowl add the drained cannellini beans. Add the diced red bell pepper then season with a couple of pinches of sea salt (more or less to taste). Set aside while you whip up the dressing.

I add all of the dressing ingredients listed above to a blender and blend until smooth (about 30 seconds to a minute). Pour the dressing over the bean/pepper mixture and gently stir to coat evenly. I like to add just a touch more lemon juice, fresh thyme leaves and chopped fresh parsley before serving. Please feel free to tweak the recipe or adjust the seasoning to suit your tastes.

Quick Bites: Mississippi Gulf Coast & NOLA

2015-04-23T13:30:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I took a (very) brief weekend trip down to the Mississippi Gulf Coast area. One of my planned stops was a side trip to New Orleans (my first visit in well over seven years). I had originally planned a trip down to N.O. back in January but I decided to postpone it. At the time I was going 'meatless' for the month of January (something I do at the beginning of every new year). There was no way I was going to New Orleans under any dietary restrictions! My plan was to eat whatever I wanted without a care about sugar, carbs, fat, or calories before buckling down and staying focused on my diet.

I decided not to venture to the French Quarter this time (I didn't have much time and to be honest I wasn't in the mood to go). I wanted to check out a couple of spots outside of the downtown area. After checking into my hotel in Biloxi I made the one hour drive to Metairie to visit Deanie's Seafood. Because I arrived later than I'd planned I didn't stay for a meal in the restaurant (it was Sunday evening and the place was packed). One of my missions on this trip was to load up on fresh shrimp to take home so I picked up a couple of pounds at the adjacent seafood market along with some remoulade sauce, crawfish etoufee, crab stuffing and a pound of boiled shrimp. My first regret: I didn't try the boiled shrimp until after I had arrived back home. If I had known how good these shrimp were I would have loaded up! These shrimp were perfectly cooked and the seasoning was spot on; the best boiled shrimp I've had in a while and certainly worth the drive. The other items were just as good and the service was friendly.

The following morning I headed to New Orleans East to visit Dong Phuong Bakery before making the drive back to Atlanta. This place had been on my 'to-do' list not only for the banh mi but for the assorted baked goods as well. The Vietnamese sausage banh mi I tried did not disappoint. Even though they have several banh mi options I have yet to sample I'm confident that this particular sandwich will be the one I always order on subsequent visits. Regret #2: I didn't load up on Banh Mi/Po Boy rolls to take home with me. The bread was crusty on the outside with a light, airy interior; the homemade sausage, aioli and pickled veggies combined to make a great banh mi. I also sampled the grilled pork (which was pretty good) and the toasted shrimp patty banh mi (just 'OK'). I couldn't help but compare them to the banh mi at my favorite local spot here in Atlanta (Quoc Huong). I think I prefer Dong Phuong's rolls and prefer Quoc Huong's veggies and aioli (they put just the right amount of both on each sandwich). You really can't go wrong at either place.

Vietnamese Sausage Banh Mi lunch in the car before hitting the highway

I couldn't leave without picking up some baked goodies to take home. I had to try the Pate Chaud (Pate So); I opted for the char-siu pork and pork & onion. They were quite rich but very tasty and a bargain at $1.50 each. I also picked up a package of sweet little pandan flavored rice cakes and a pineapple cake bar which I loved. I wish I had time to have lunch in the adjacent restaurant but I was behind schedule and had to head home to Georgia. I will definitely make time to dine in on my next visit.

Pork & Onion (top) and Char Siu Pork Pate Chaud. So good!

Before I sign off I have to give a quick plug to Desportes & Sons Seafood Market & Deli in Biloxi, MS. I stopped by to load up my cooler with more shrimp before heading to Dong Phuong. I picked up about three pounds of fresh large head-on shrimp for around $25. The nice young man behind the counter was even kind enough to give me a nice large bag of extra ice for my cooler. If you're ever in the Biloxi area and looking for reasonably priced fresh seafood to take home this is the place to go. They also serve lunch in their restaurant Tuesday-Saturday. I polished off the last of my shrimp haul during my birthday weekend and they were such a treat.

Deanie's Seafood (Bucktown)
1713 Lake Avenue
Metairie, LA 70005
(504)831-4141

Dong Phuong Bakery & Restaurant
14207 Chef Menteur Hwy
New Orleans, LA 70129
(504)254-0214

Desportes & Sons Seafood Market & Deli
1075 Division St
Biloxi, MS 39530
(228)432-1018

Work In Progress...

2015-04-12T13:50:00.002-04:00

I suppose it is fitting that I chose my birthday to submit my first blog post in over four years. I promise I never intended to stay away that long! Back when I last blogged (around the holiday season of 2010) I had reached the point where writing and updating the blog became a chore that I know longer looked forward to. Perhaps it was 'writer's block', I'm not sure. The 'job that pays the bills' was keeping me very busy. I really couldn't think of any topics that I wanted to cover and at the time there wasn't anything new to excite me. Part of my reason for starting this blog was as an outlet for two of my passions: cooking and writing. I suppose with everything that was going on in my life I just got 'burned out' and that 'passion' and excitement was gone. I even took a longer than expected break from Twitter (something I regret now).

Quite a bit has happened during this four year hiatus. I was involved in a major system migration project at work that consumed all my time, energy and focus. In late 2012 I had a bit of a health scare (featuring my first trip to the emergency room as a patient). Last year at this time I celebrated my 40^th birthday. I'm still single but my household has increased by one feline (much to the chagrin of resident feline #1). During this time I would always renew my domain name just in case the urge to blog hit me again.

Feline #2 (Perdita) with her favorite flying squirrel Rocky

As I entered my fourth decade of existence I have had to make changes to my diet. I am facing a new reality that I can't continue to eat whatever I want. Well, I could continue if I wanted to but the end result would be feeling like absolute crap. At the end of the day, is it really worth it? My 3^rd decade wasn't the greatest; I experienced some personal losses and challenges that threw me for a loop. I really let myself go and as a result I was in poor health and horrible shape. I'm determined that my 40s will be much better for me in terms of my health. I plan to share some of the changes I'm making to my diet, my lifestyle and perhaps a few recipes and other goodies/occasional 'splurges' along the way. It won't always be sugar-free and granola, I promise. I'm going to try my best to update the blog more regularly. You can always follow me on Twitter (apologies in advance for straying 'off-topic'; I happen to be a big sports fan). I also have an Instagram account; I just haven't gotten around to uploading any pics yet! Updates are coming soon.

Even though I'm turning 41 today I still like to think of myself as a 'work in progress' with plenty of room for improvement. This blog will hopefully reflect that. Thanks for hanging in there with me.

-Tina

Project Lumpia: The Post-Thankgiving Edition

2010-12-14T09:00:00.009-05:00

While trying to come up with different ideas for utilizing Turkey Day leftovers, my mind kept going back to lumpia. Maybe it's because I hadn't had any in a while, but I was thinking it might be another way to use up the remaining turkey and spare veggies not used for the holiday stock or stuffing/dressing.

I had my first taste of the crispy fried spring rolls as a child when my Filipina stepmom made a huge batch for a family get-together. I've loved them ever since but only recently have I attempted to make my own (I would normally depend on the kindness of a good friend for my local lumpia fix). As you'll soon see, my lumpia rolling technique needs a lot of work, but I plan to get more practice in over the next few weeks.

As a reference point, I turned to a recipe for Lumpiang Shanghai from one of my favorite food blogs, Burnt Lumpia. I made a few changes for this Turkey/Shrimp version (I decided not to add ginger and opted for slightly less garlic). For this recipe, I used roasted turkey thigh meat. I'm usually more of a "white meat" gal, but for this recipe the higher fat content of the thigh meat makes it more ideal. I also decided to throw some shrimp into the mix as well-just because. In retrospect, I think I should have followed Marvin's instructions and made them a bit smaller (he suggests cutting each lumpia wrapper in half-I think I'll do that next time). The lumpia I'm used to are usually the size of cigars-don't ask me why I decided to make them larger! This recipe yielded 10 large lumpia and should yield about 20-25 smaller ones. Recipe follows after the jump...

Turkey & Shrimp Lumpia
(adapted from this recipe from Burnt Lumpia as featured on Rasa Malaysia.com)

Two roasted turkey thighs (skin removed)
1 lb shrimp (30-40 ct per pound), peeled, deveined and chopped
1 large carrot, finely diced (about 1 cup)
2 tbsp minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp chicken stock
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 pkg lumpia or spring roll wrappers (available at Asian supermarkets)

Remove the meat from two roasted turkey thighs and chop finely. Stir in two tablespoons of chicken stock (if you have turkey stock, that's even better). Set aside.

In a large skillet, saute the carrot, onion and garlic in two tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat.

Stir in shrimp and 2 tbsp of the soy sauce. Cook over medium low heat just until shrimp begins to turn pink.

Stir in the reserved turkey thigh meat and remaining 1 tbsp of soy sauce. Cook for an additional minute. Transfer filling to a bowl and allow to cool completely before preparing the lumpia.

Rolling the lumpia:

Carefully remove each lumpia wrapper sheets from the package. They are delicate and can tear easily. Have a dish of warm water on hand to moisten the edges of the wrapper as you roll your lumpia. As you will see below, my rolling technique was pretty crummy but it will improve...

Raggedy lumpia...

...and slightly better looking lumpia. Next time, I'm making them smaller!

Fry the lumpia in a large frying pan with about ½ inch of vegetable oil. Fry until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Frying the raggedy lumpia

My dipping sauce of choice is sweet chili (just like my friend), but rather than use the bottled variety I decided to make my own (with a little bit of a twist). It's a very simple recipe and once you try it you might not want to go back to the bottled stuff again.

Sweet Lime-Chili Sauce
(adapted from this recipe from taste.com.au)

2 cloves garlic
¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup of white or rice wine vinegar
3 long red chilies (this added just the right amount of "oomph" for my tastes, but as always adjust to your liking)
½ red bell pepper
2½ cups sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce (I use a Vietnamese-style fish sauce for this recipe)

Halve each of the long red chilies (you can de-seed some of them if you want to reduce the heat level but I don't think you'll need to). Roughly chop the chilies and bell pepper and place in a blender or food processor. Add the garlic cloves and vinegar. Process until finely chopped.

Add the chili mixture, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce to a large saucepan. Cook (stirring) over low heat for about five minutes, or until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes (or until sauce thickens). Allow sauce to cool before storing. This recipe should yield one 12 oz jar of sweet lime chili sauce.

Sweet Potato & Cranberry Nut Bread

2010-11-30T18:19:00.002-05:00

Have a few extra sweet potatoes left over from last week's holiday feast? Here's one way to put them to use! This quick and tasty sweet potato and cranberry nut bread is great for breakfast, brunch or anytime snacking. If fresh cranberries are a bit too tart for you, use sweetened dried cranberries instead.

Sweet Potato & Cranberry Nut Bread

(yields one 9x5 inch loaf)

2 cups cake flour (or all purpose flour, sifted)

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground cinammon

1 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

1 stick of unsalted butter, melted

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup mashed sweet potato (about 1 medium sized tater)

1 cup fresh cranberries or ¾ cup dried sweetened cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt and spices. Add the beaten eggs, melted butter and milk and mix with an electric mixer on medium speed (scraping the sides of the bowl) for about 1 minute.

Fold in mashed sweet potato, chopped pecans and cranberries.

Pour batter into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Indulging My Sweet Tooth

2010-11-27T18:07:00.001-05:00

I normally don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I recently indulged a bit while attending The Broke Socialite Does...Sugar Coma Festival. The event brought some of Atlanta's best bakeries, caterers, ice cream shops and restaurants together under one roof (Le Fais do-do on Atlanta's westside). Since I'd missed previous tours, I figured that I needed to have the full Sugar Coma experience at least once. This was the perfect venue and opportunity to do so!

Talk about sensory overload-I didn't know where to start sampling! The venue was jam packed with everything from cakes and pastries to truffles and tarts. Cotton candy, petit fours, little marshmallows, brownies, and cupcakes. Tons and tons of cupcakes. Cupcakes as far as the eye could see...

Somehow I made my way to the Peacecake table, which is where I began my sampling. I was really impressed with the Vegan & Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes and their Gluten Free Brownies. Delicious stuff! You can order their Organic, Vegan & Gluten free brownie, muffin, cupcake and cookie mixes online at their website, www.mypeacecake.com.

There were so many treats to sample and after a few I'd had my limit (I tihnk I may have suffered from Red Velvet Overload). Among my favorites: a mini pear frangipane tart from Konfections by Kristina, the Whoopie Pies from West Egg Café, and a wonderfully refreshing Meyer Lemon Sorbet from High Road Craft Ice Cream and Sorbet (love!). I'm kind of kicking myself for not sampling their Citrus Ginger sorbet (which received raves from several Sugar Coma Fest attendees). A delicious Patrón Margarita cupcake from CEO Custom Cakes (purchased at the Sugar Coma Marketplace) was the perfect ending to a sweet afternoon.

Super Pan Latino Sandwich Shop

2010-11-01T10:00:00.029-04:00

I recently had a chance to visit the sandwich shop so many seem to be raving about, Super Pan in Poncey-Highland. In a little space just behind his popular tapas restaurant Pura Vida, chef Hector Santiago and his staff have been whipping up specialty sandwiches for the intown lunch crowd since earlier this summer. After reading various reports from fellow food bloggers, critics and general Atlanta food fanatics, I had been dying to see what all the fuss was about. One problem: Super Pan is only open for weekday lunch service (Tuesday through Friday) and my half-hour lunch break and (former) Alpharetta work locale made it virtually impossible for me to stop by and sample the goods. When I was fortunate enough to have a rare week off before beginning a new job in Buckhead, I was determined to pay a visit to Super Pan to check it out.

I was immediately impressed by the prompt and friendly service. I arrived towards the latter part of lunch service and fortunately did not have to deal with the long lines and wait times others have experienced. On this visit, I ordered Super Pan's version of the Cuban media noche sandwich, the Medio Dia.

The Medio Dia

I loved everything about this sandwich: the toasted pineapple "submarino" roll, the gooey melted Swiss cheese covering the slightly sweet Niman Ranch ham, juicy roasted Berkshire pork and crispy pork skin. Habanero mustard and chayote pickle round out the sandwich and give it a nice little kick. Of the Super Pan sandwiches I've tried so far, the Medio Dia is my hands down favorite and the one that I'll order on every return visit.

Because I wasn't sure when I'd be able to visit again, I ordered two more sandwiches "for the road": the BBQ Rib Bolillo and the Coca de Jamón y Queso. The bolillo is quite substantial, loaded (and I mean loaded) with tender adobo beef rib and topped with fresh grated carrot, onions and cilantro. A deliciously sweet and spicy orange chipotle BBQ sauce was served on the side; I was able to add just enough to suit my tastes. Even upon re-heating a few hours later for my evening meal, this sandwich was still fantastic.

The Jamón (with Serrano ham, manchego cheese, arugula, date marcona almond butter and piquillo pepper agridulce) was also quite tasty. However, it ranks third among the sandwiches I've tried so far and I don't see myself ordering it again on a future visit.

Yes, these sandwiches are far from "cheap eats". The least expensive sandwich, the Smoked Tofu Buns (a veggie version of their smoked Pork Belly Buns) comes in at six dollars and their most expensive sandwiches are twelve bucks. However, when you consider the quality of ingredients that go into these sandwiches, you really do get what you pay for. Not only are the ingredients top notch, the folks at Super Pan don't skimp on them either! Speaking for myself, I felt like I got more than my money's worth and will have no problem forking over another eleven bucks for a Medio Dia or twelve for the BBQ bolillo (I'm looking forward to trying those pork belly buns as well). Obviously it's not something I would eat every day or even every other day (for various reasons), but I can see Super Pan becoming my off day "splurge". A Medio Dia washed down with a ice cold bottle of Mexican Coke is my idea of a perfect little lunchtime treat.

My lone complaint: I really wish Super Pan was open for Saturday lunch service. Even though I now work a lot closer to Poncey-Highland, it's still not close enough for me to swing by for an occasional weekday lunch (pouts). But if you're fortunate enough to work close to the neighborhood and haven't made it to Super Pan yet, do give them a try and see what you think.

Super Pan Latino Sandwich Shop

1057 Blue Ridge Avenue NE (just behind Pura Vida)

Atlanta, GA 30306

(404) 477-0379

http://superpanlatinosandwichshop.com

Open Tuesday-Friday, 11:30 AM-2:30 PM

Taste of Atlanta 2010

2010-10-27T23:46:00.001-04:00

Blessed with a rare Saturday off, I was one of many who flocked to Tech Square for the annual Taste of Atlanta festival this weekend. This was my first time experiencing the food fest since it moved to its current location and I had a great time. I've never been much for huge crowds, but I was able to maneuver through the sea of festival attendees fairly easily.

I decided at the last minute to "splurge" on a VIP ticket. Although I missed out on the VIP swag bags (that's what I get for running late), I did enjoy some of the other perks. Always up for a tasty cocktail, I sampled a mojito made with VeeV Acai Spirit that was absolutely fantastic. Also under the VIP tent was one of my favorite "tastes" at the event: a coconut panna cotta with Malibu rum, mango gelee and caramelized pineapple salsa served by Paces 88 American Bistro (so good that I have to admit to having a second "helping").

I also attended one of the Inside The Food Studio sessions, a new addition to this year's Taste of Atlanta fest. My session (Southern Food Traditions: A New Take On The Old South) featured Chef Marie Nygren of The Farmhouse At Serenbe and Chef Hugh Acheson of Empire State South.

It was a lively discussion and Q&A session in which the chefs offered tips on obtaining the best seasonal produce as well as pointers on cooking light and tasty versions of Southern specialties. We sampled Chef Marie's tasty collards along with the most perfect Italian flat beans with gremolata. I fell in love Chef Acheson's offering: a chiffonade of turnip greens and thinly sliced baby turnips lightly tossed in a wonderful vinaigrette. I had never had turnip greens prepared in that way, and they were so good. My only complaint is that I wish I could have had more of them! I doubt I'll be able to duplicate Chef Acheson's recipe, but I'm going to attempt to make a reasonable facsimile.

After the session, I made my way to the festival main stage to watch top chef Kevin Gillespie's cooking demo. Kevin was the main reason I decided to attend on Saturday, and he did not disappoint. A man after my own heart, Chef Kevin prepared a pork schnitzel dish which involved lots of pork fat and butter. Oh, how I wish I could have been one of the lucky tasters! I must get to Woodfire Grill soon.

I really don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I surprised myself by how many desserts and treats I sampled on Saturday. Among my faves: the red velvet and pumpkin mini cupcakes from Highland Bakery, the ridiculously good Black Bottom Cupcake from West Egg Cafe, and a delicious Brazilian passion fruit mousse from Mina's Emporium. The sweet treat I loved most was the organic pumpkin ice cream from Five Seasons Westside, so refreshing on a warm Saturday afternoon.

Kudos to everyone involved with this year's Taste of Atlanta event. I'm already looking forward to next year!

New Addition: The Foodie Event Calendar

2010-10-21T22:35:00.001-04:00

What's up? I'm finally getting over a pretty bad cold (my explanation for the lack of blog updates lately). I'm ready to see what I can get into this weekend!

I've added something new to the blog. If you look above this post you'll notice an additional tab, the Foodie Event Calendar. Every so often, I like to post about upcoming events in and around the city. Now you can just click on the Foodie Event Calendar tab to find a list of upcoming events along with a description and additional information. To view more information on a specific event, just click the event name in the calendar list for a detailed description. You can also add the events to your own Google calendar by clicking the "copy to calendar" link just below the event description.

I'll try to keep the calendar updated with new events as I learn of them. As always, if you have an upcoming event you'd like me to add to the list, please drop me a line using the contact tab above.

Scenes From Atlanta Greek Festival 2010

2010-10-07T17:38:00.004-04:00


The baklava sundae, one of the popular treats at the Atlanta Greek Festival

We were blessed with picture perfect weather along with some fun "foodie" events around town this past weekend. There was the first ever Battle of the Burgers on Saturday and the Field of Greens festival (a celebration of locally grown organic and sustainable produce) at Whippoorwill Hollow Farm in Walnut Grove (Savory Exposure has some great shots from the event here). Being the cheeseburger fanatic that I am, I had planned to attend Battle of the Burgers but my work schedule forced me to miss out. I'd forgotten that Field of Greens was scheduled for this past Sunday (I hate that I missed it!), but I was not going to let this weekend go by without getting into something. With that in mind, I headed out to attend the final day of the Atlanta Greek Festival.

It was a fun afternoon full of great music, great live entertainment and (of course) great food. I enjoyed hanging out with fellow festival goers at the "sports taverna" set-up, where we were able to catch up with the Falcons and Braves games simultaneously. But let's get back to the grub-I mean, that was the main attraction as far as I'm concerned. A friendly lady at the concession ticket booth urged me to try the Greek potatoes and the lamb sandwich. Since I'd had lamb earlier in the week (more on that in an upcoming post), I decided to pass on the sandwich but I did heed her advice and tried the potatoes: deep fried wedges tossed in lemon juice, herbs and spices and served with tzatziki sauce. I'm glad I listened to her because these were very good! However, by the time I polished them off I was too full to partake in any more festival treats. I wound up taking home the rest of my Greek goodies: souvlaki (juicy grilled marinated pork) and a mezze sampler which included loukaniko (sausage), tiropita (cheese pie), spanakopita (spinach & cheese pie), kalamata olives and feta cheese. I couldn't leave a Greek fest without taking home some sweets, so I picked up baklava and melomacarona (a delicious crumbly spiced cookie soaked in honey syrup).

Melomacarona

All in all, it was a great way to spend a beautiful fall afternoon. I don't know why it took me so long to check this festival out, but I'm already looking forward to next year.

Foodie Events: Atlanta Greek Festival, Battle of the Burgers

2010-09-30T18:09:00.012-04:00

It's that time of year again! The annual Atlanta Greek Festival returns this weekend to the Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Clairmont Rd. Stop by and enjoy plenty of great shopping, entertainment and (of course) great Greek cuisine! Just to show that they've thought of everything, they've even set up a "drive-thru" where you could swing by and grab a plate of moussaka or a sampler of delicious Greek pastries to go. Local Greek chefs will also be on hand performing live cooking demos. The festival begins today and runs through Sunday, so you have plenty of time to sample the best of Greek culture here Atlanta. Adult admission is only $5 per person; children 12 and under only $3. Free parking and shuttle buses will be available at the Century Center office park on Clairmont Rd (just off of I-85). Take advantage of a great deal by pre-purchasing tickets and shave $1 off the admission price. To purchase tickets and for more information, click here to visit the Atlanta Greek Festival official site. I'm looking forward to stopping by this weekend!

Saturday, October 2 (12-4 PM): There's no shortage of great burger joints in this city, but whose burger is the best? This Saturday, 17 Atlanta restaurants will compete for bragging rights in the first ever Battle of the Burgers at John Howell Park in Virginia Highland. The participating restaurants (which include Farm Burger, The Nook and Manuel's Tavern) will all be competing for the title of Best Burger. A select panel (including Fox 5 Good Day Atlanta anchor/foodie Suchita Vadlamani, Chef Hugh Acheson (Five & Ten, Empire State South), The Next Food Network Star finalist Herb Mesa and a certain Krystal lovin' Buddha) will decide the Judge's Choice title while you'll get to decide the People's champ. The cost is $20 per person and includes 20 taste tickets for sampling burger bites, fries or milkshakes. Don't forget your mobile devices 'cause you'll need them to text your choice for Best Burger among the participants. The best part: Battle of the Burgers will benefit Embraced Atlanta, a non-profit organization which collects gently used orthopedic equipment (such as wheelchairs, braces or crutches) to distribute to those in need. To purchase tickets and for all the details regarding what is sure to be a fun event, click here to visit the Battle of the Burgers site.

Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese "Sizzling" Crepes with Pork and Shrimp)

2010-09-23T20:02:00.016-04:00

My second attempt. Not perfect but still delicious!

I guess you could say that I've fallen head over heels for Vietnamese cuisine lately. I'm beginning the process of exploring some of the Vietnamese eateries around town and I've recently dabbled in a bit of Vietnamese cooking at home. Here's one of the first dishes I attempted: Bánh Xèo.

These "sizzling" crepes are a popular street food in Vietnam. The crepes are cooked in a wok or large skillet and then filled with slices of pork, shrimp, fresh bean sprouts, and onion. Full disclosure: I have to admit that my first attempt at bánh xeo was a big fat failure. I didn't use the right pan, didn't use enough oil (and it wasn't quite hot enough) and the resulting crepe stuck to the bottom of the pan. My second attempt was a little bit better-far from perfect, but still quite tasty. You can opt to use a packaged bánh xeo mix if you'd like (found at most Asian supermarkets), but I like to make the batter from scratch. Recipe follows next...

Báhn Xèo (serves four)
(adapted from this recipe from Gourmet)

For the crepe batter:

¼ cup dried peeled yellow split mung beans (soak the beans in water for at least 30 minutes before using)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
6 tbsp water
1 cup rice flour (not sweet or glutinous rice flour)
1/2 tsp sugar
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon salt

Yellow split mung beans

Rice flour (don't use the sweet stuff!)

For the filling:

¼ pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed or skinless fresh pork belly, sliced
¾ pound medium or large shrimp, peeled
2 tbsp fish sauce (see below)
1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
1 fresh lemongrass stalk, root end trimmed and one or two outer leaves discarded
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
___________

4 teaspoons vegetable oil (for cooking the crepes)
¼ cup chopped green onion
2 cups fresh soybean or mung bean sprouts, trimmed
reserved steamed split yellow mung beans (optional)

Nuoc Cham dipping sauce (see below)

Green leaf lettuce and fresh herbs: mint, cilantro, basil, perilla (you'll find it packaged as tía tô in the fresh herb section of Super H Mart) for "wrapping".

Before going further with the Bánh Xèo recipe, a word about nuoc cham (or nuoc mam cham). You'll come across plenty of recipes on the web for this Vietnamese staple but the ingredients are basically the same: fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, sugar and fresh chillies. Personally, I like author Andrea Nguyen's (Into the Vietnamese Kitchen) method for making nuoc cham. You can find her recipe here at her blog Viet World Kitchen. I love her blog-it's a great resource for recipes and information on Vietnamese and Asian cooking. She also has a handy fish sauce buying guide here, where she advises on how to choose the right sauce for preparing Vietnamese dishes. My preferred fish sauce is Three Crabs brand (you can occasionally find it on sale at Super H Mart for about $3 a bottle). Whatever brand you choose, be sure to use a Vietnamese fish sauce (look for nuoc mam on the label).

Preparing the crepe batter:

Drain the pre-soaked mung beans in a sieve and rinse with cold water until water runs clear. Transfer beans to a blender along with 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk and 6 tbsp of water. Puree mung beans, coconut milk and water. Add rice flour, sugar, turmeric and salt to the mixture and puree until smooth. Set aside.

For the filling, cut pork or pork belly slices into 2-inch strips. In a bowl, stir together the pork, shrimp, fish sauce and brown sugar. Set aside.

Mince enough of the lower portion of lemongrass for two tablespoons.

Heat oil in a wok or 12 inch nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Stir fry onion, lemongrass and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add pork and shrimp and stir fry just until shrimp turns pink (about 3 minutes). You don't want to cook the pork and shrimp completely-they'll finish cooking in the crepe. Transfer the filling to a bowl, then clean skillet in preparation for making the "sizzling" crepes.

Preparing the crepes:

Heat two teaspoons of oil in the nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Give the batter a quick stir before pouring 1/2 cup into the skillet. Quickly rotate the skillet so that the bottom of the pan is covered. Sprinkle 1/4 of the fresh bean sprouts over half of the crepe (as if you were making an omelette), then spoon 1/4 of the filling evenly over the sprouts. Sprinkle 1/4 of the green onions over the top. You could also sprinkle some steamed yellow split mung beans over the top, but this is completely optional (I chose not to). Reduce heat to moderately low, cover skillet and cook for about three minutes (or until edge of crepe begins to pull away from the sides of skillet). Reduce heat to low and finish cooking the crepe (uncovered) for an additional 2-3 minutes or until underside and edges of crepe are crisp and golden. Fold the other half of the crepe over and carefully transfer to a large rack or large baking pan. The crepes can be kept warm in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.

Eating bánh xèo:

Cut a portion of the bánh xèo, then wrap in a lettuce leaf along with the fresh herbs. Dip the "lettuce wrap" in nuoc cham and enjoy!

Quick Bites: What The Pho?

2010-09-14T22:19:00.002-04:00

For the life of me, I don't know why it took me so long to check out What The Pho? in Duluth. I have driven past this restaurant on Pleasant Hill too many times to count, but it wasn't until recently that I stopped by for a first visit. I wouldn't normally order a steaming bowl of Vietnamese beef noodle soup during the dog days of summer, but on this visit I decided to order a small bowl to sample. If this is considered "small", the "large" bowl must be humongous! Needless to say I wasn't able to finish the entire bowl, but I certainly enjoyed what I had. The broth was rich, tasty and satisfying. Now that I know what to expect in terms of portion size, I can see myself ordering just a small bowl of pho and making a meal out of it on a future winter evening.

I loved my Cha Gio (egg rolls): perfectly crispy, not greasy and very delicious. They were so good that I almost bought an extra order "for the road", but I didn't want to be greedy.

Heeding Chloe's (Chow Down Atlanta) recommendation, I ordered the crispy noodles and was not disappointed. This was so good: delicious stir-fried meats and veggies on a bed of fried egg noodles. I'm looking forward to making a return visit to What The Pho? to sample some of the other dishes on their menu. Great food, prompt service, and very affordable-no complaints here!

What The Pho?
2442 Pleasant Hill Rd Suite #3A
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 814-9396

Foodie Events: Midtown Restaurant Week & More...

2010-09-04T09:00:00.012-04:00

The Labor Day weekend is upon us, and there's no shortage of places to go and good food to eat! Here are some of the events on tap for the week of Sept 4-12, 2010. I think I'll probably stop by the Carribean Jerk Festival this Sunday-what will you be getting into this weekend? Whatever you decide, have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!

Midtown Restaurant Week (Sept 4-12): Starting this Saturday, the 5th annual event is your chance to sample some of the city's best restaurants at a great price. Participating restaurants will offer a three course menu for only $25. 4th & Swift, Pacci Ristorante, One Midtown Kitchen and Spice Market are just a few of the restaurants taking part. For a complete list of participating restaurants and for more information, click here to visit the official site.
Street Food Soiree (Sept. 9): The Atlanta Street Food Coalition (the folks behind the monthly Urban Picnic events) presents a Street Food Soiree next Thursday from 5-9 PM at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market. If you're like me and have been unable to attend their monthly lunchtime events, here's your chance to sample goodies from popular street food vendors such as Yumbii and The Good Food Truck. Free parking will be available under the I-85 bridge.
Hands On Creative Sushi Workshop with Chinese Southern Belle (Sept. 9): Join CSB's Natalie Keng as she presents a Creative Sushi Workshop next Thursday from 7-9 PM at the Buford Highway Farmers Market. She'll give you tips on making sushi rice, rolls and the proper cookware needed to prepare your own sushi creations. The cost is only $15 and upon completion of the workshop you'll receive a BHFM gift card! Natalie's classes fill up quickly so register now by contacting Bill at the BHFM by phone (678)873-7447 or click here to register via email. For a complete rundown of Chinese Southern Belle's upcoming workshops and events, visit their site at http://www.chinesesouthernbelle.com/
Low Country Boil (Sept. 11): The folks at Black Tie Barbecue are having an end of the summer Low Country Boil next Saturday between 7-10 PM. Join them as they serve up a big spread of tasty jumbo shrimp, potatoes, sausage, and corn. The cost is $35 and includes alcoholic beverages. Much like their "secret suppers", the location will be revealed to attendees prior to the event. Tickets on sale now-buy yours before the event sells out! Purchase Tickets

Strawberry Lime & Basil Sorbet

2010-08-31T19:43:00.004-04:00

Not long ago, I posted a little recap of The Broke Socialite's Graze tour and raved about a refreshing strawberry cocktail served up at our last stop, Noon Midtown. I managed to get the "recipe" from Reggie the mixologist, but because I'm old I don't remember everything he put in the cocktail. What I do remember is strawberry, rum(?), lime, lemon and a basil simple syrup. This is my attempt to recreate it in (non-alcoholic) sorbet form. Since I gave my ice cream maker away, I had to use the old "stainless steel pan in the freezer" method which worked pretty well. I also used agave nectar as a sweetener. Recipe follows next...

Strawberry Lime Basil Sorbet

For the basil syrup:

1 cup water
1 cup light agave nectar
1/4 cup chopped basil
The juice of 2 limes
1 tbsp lemon juice

1 lb fresh (or frozen) strawberries

In a saucepan, combine water, lemon juice, lime juice, agave syrup and basil. Stir over a low heat until agave nectar dissolves (about 1-2 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for a bit, then place in the refridgerator to chill and allow basil to steep (about 1 hour). After an hour, strain the mixture and set aside.

In the meantime, puree strawberries in a blender or food processor. Strain the pureed strawberries before combining with the basil/lime syrup.

If you have a ice cream maker, follow the normal procedure. If you don't have one (like yours truly), pour the stawberry mixture into a stainless steel pan and freeze for three to four hours. Remove pan from freezer and allow to partially thaw at room temperature. Give the partially thawed sorbet another whirl in the blender to break up any large ice crystals. Transfer the sorbet to a container and allow to freeze again for at least three hours (stirring the sorbet at half-hour intervals). Enjoy!

Foodie Events: Celebrating Ice Cream and Carribean Jerk, plus The Atlanta Food Rave

2010-08-23T14:49:00.005-04:00

Chef Keira Moritz of Pacci Ristorante, one of the featured chefs at The Atlanta Food Rave

Here are a few upcoming food events you may want to add to your calendar!

Friday, August 27, 2010 The Atlanta Food Rave, a fun evening featuring delicous food samples from some of Atlanta's hottest chefs. Cocktails will be served at a premium open bar featuring Three Olives Vodka, Leblon Chachaca, Tapena Spanish Wines, and live entertainment will round out the evening. The featured chefs for the evening are Chef Keira Moritz (Pacci Ristorante and AltoRex Rooftop Lounge), Chef Lance Gummere (The Shed at Glenwood), Chef Alex Friedman (P'cheen International Bistro & Pub), Chef Delroy Bowen (GA International Convention Center) and Chef LaToya Starks (Norrish Personal Chef and Catering Services). Not only will you get to sample each featured chef's tasty offerings, you will also be judging as they compete to win the title of best chef of the evening, The Rave Review. The event will be held this Friday from 7-11 PM at the Mason Murer Fine Art Gallery in Midtown. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit The Atlanta Community Food Bank. Tickets are $55 per person, but quantities are limited and they will not be sold at the door. Purchase your tickets now before the event sells out! For more information, visit http://www.atlantafoodrave.com/. Purchase Tickets
Saturday, August 28, 2010 Here's a fun way to beat the heat this weekend: The Atlanta Ice Cream Festival, coming to Piedmont Park this Saturday from 1-7 PM. The event will feature live music, multiple vendors serving up delicious ice cream, food and beverages, and a Kids Zone with fun activities for the young ones. Leaving no stone unturned, the festival also will feature health and fitness activies (no doubt to burn off all the ice cream and treats you'll consume). For more information, visit the event site at http://www.atlantaicecreamfestival.com/.
Saturday, August 28, 2010 The first ever Morningside Summer Block Party happens this Saturday between 12:30-9PM in the parking lot between DBA Barbecue and The Original El Taco (1190 N. Highland Avenue at Amsterdam Ave). DBA, Vali Thai and El Taco will be serving up food, Abita beer and cocktails for purchase. There will also be a designated kids area for the young ones, and live music all day Advance tickets are only $5 ($10 at the door) and kids 14 and under are admitted free. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Firehouse #19 in Virginia-Highland. Purchase Tickets
Sunday, September 5, 2010 Ohh...I think I'll be including this in my Labor Day weekend plans-The 5th annual Atlanta Carribean Jerk Festival at Panthersville Stadium in Decatur from 12 PM-11 PM. Live reggae, soca and calypso music, a jerk cook-off to crown Atlanta's next Top Jerk Chef, plus a new addition for this year's festival-a celebrity jerk cook-off! There will be tons of family friendly activities and of course plenty of delicious Carribean fare-everything from curried goat to roti! The event will also feauture a variety of fruit and craft vendors. I love Carribean cuisine, so this event is right up my alley! Admission to the event is only $10, and kids under 12 get in free. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Atlanta/Montego Bay Sister Cities Foundation and other charities. Free parking will be available at the event. For more information, visit the event site at http://www.atlantajerkfestival.com/

Bits And Pieces And Odds And Ends...

2010-08-17T22:51:00.002-04:00

This is a sort of long overdue "catch all" post. The job that barely pays the bills has been kickin' my butt lately, so I haven't been devoting as much time to blogging as I would like. I definitely haven't been devoting as much time to cooking as I would like, but I plan to remedy that now that I have my first Saturday off in weeks! I did have a couple of fun "foodie" outings before I was knee-deep in mandatory overtime, so I thought I'd do a bit of a "rewind".

Let's "rewind" back to late June, when I finally had the opportunity to attend one of The Broke Socialite's popular foodie events. The overwhelming success of her Sugar Coma tours spawned two offshoots, Freeze (a tour of ice cream, froyo and other frozen treats) and Graze (a tour featuring small bites). I opted for the Graze tour. While I do love a good cupcake or two, the whole idea of Graze was more my speed.

The Graze tour was loads of fun. We were chauffeured to each tour stop in nice rides provided by Zipcar. The car I was riding in was chauffeured by none other than the hubby of our tour hostess, Mr. TBS himself (who was fantastic-great guy)! I also had the pleasure of hangin' with "Auntie" TBS for most of the tour. Our first stop was the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, where we visited Grindhouse Killer Burgers and sampled a variety of tasty sliders and chocolate peanut butter shakes.

We also visited a new little Italian restaurant in the market that's right around the corner from Grindhouse, Ciao Bocca. Ciao Bocca set out a great spread of light, delicious Italian fare (including a delicious hearts of palm salad that was to die for).

Next we visited Woody's Cheesesteaks, Sheik Burritos and Kabobs, the beautiful Mansion on Peachtree and Noon Midtown. At Noon, Reggie the mixologist whipped up the most delicious strawberry, basil, lemon and lime cocktail-so good that I was thinking about it days later. I haven't had a chance to yet, but I plan to attempt a reasonable facsimile at home.

There were a couple of faves on the tour that I plan to pay a second visit to, but I'll keep those under wraps for now and will have more to add in a future post. If you haven't done so before, I highly recommend that you take part in one of The Broke Socialite's future tours. It's definitely a fun way to spend a Saturday morning or afternoon. Check out her page here for upcoming events.

In late July, I had the pleasure of attending an "Eat Up" organized by one of my favorite local food bloggers Eat Buford Highway. On this occasion we visited La Casona, a Colombian restaurant just off of Buford Hwy near I-285 in Doraville. I finally had a chance to meet another blogger fave (Food Near Snellville) and it was also great to meet up with Emily from Ultra Foodie and the Poodle Revolution again. The food was quite good, the prices very reasonable, and the portions were humongous!

The Bandeja Paisa @ La Casona

I didn't think I could handle the Bandeja Paisa so I decided on a steak dish with creole sauce thinking that the portion wouldn't be so massive. Wrong! One thing is for sure, you won't leave hungry after a visit to La Casona.

It's always fun to share a meal and chat with fellow "foodies". Due to my work schedule it's something that I don't do as often as I would like, but I'm hoping that will be changing in the not too distant future. Fingers (and toes) crossed!

Here's a slideshow of pics from The Broke Socialite's Graze Tour:

MasterChef Goes Stateside

2010-07-25T15:54:00.004-04:00

MasterChef makes its FOX debut this Tuesday night and I have to admit that I'm actually looking forward to it.

Co-produced and hosted by chef and FOX staple Gordon Ramsay, U.S. MasterChef will be based on the popular Australian version of the culinary competition series. The basic setup: 50 amateur cooks (selected following a nationwide casting call) compete in various challenges week to week until a new "MasterChef" is crowned. Gordon will be joined on the judging panel by restaurateur/winemaker Joe Bastianich and Chicago chef/restaurateur Graham Elliot Bowles (who competed in both seasons of Top Chef Masters).

Now, I haven't been that crazy about the Foxification of Ramsay's other shows (Kitchen Nightmares comes to mind, and I thought that Cookalong special was lame), but I'm feeling a bit optimistic about U.S. MasterChef (call me crazy). While I've watched some of the UK variations of MasterChef (I'm a fan of The Professionals series and was pleasantly surprised by what I've seen of the Celebrity version), I've never watched the Aussie version which Fox's show will be based on. I'll be tuning in on Tuesday night-don't disappoint me Fox. MasterChef premieres Tuesday July 27 at 9 PM EDT on FOX.

A preview clip from FOX TV:

Quick Bites: Quinoa Tabouli

2010-07-01T22:11:00.016-04:00

Needing a quick, light veggie dish that I could throw together after a long workday, I made this easy tabouli recipe using quinoa instead of bulghur. Refreshing and full of flavor, this gluten-free version tastes even better the following day. I didn't use quite as much parsley as most recipes call for, but that's just my personal preference.

Quinoa Tabouli
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup cucumber, seeded and diced
1 cup tomato, seeded and diced (about 2 small or 1 ½ medium)
½ large red onion, diced (about ½ cup)
½ cup fresh mint, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup diced roasted red pepper (optional)
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)

3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

In a large heavy saucepan, combine 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of vegetable stock. I like to "toast" my quinoa first by adding it to a medium-hot pan with about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Stir the quinoa to coat in the olive oil and cook just until light brown before adding the veggie stock. Bring quinoa/stock to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes (or until quinoa has fluffed up and all the stock has been absorbed). Set aside (while the quinoa cooks, dice the veggies and chop your herbs).

In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa and stir in the veggies and herbs. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. Pour dressing over quinoa/veggie/herb mixture and stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning before serving. I prefer to allow the tabouli to chill in the fridge overnight before serving the next day.

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta With Amaretto Cherry Compote

2010-06-20T16:37:00.002-04:00

One of the things I love about summer is cherry season. I get downright giddy when the Rainier variety start showing up in supermarkets! Here's what I made with part of my cherry stash (managed to pick up a couple of pounds on sale). It had been a while since I'd made panna cotta for dessert, so I decided to try this easy recipe from Food & Wine's website. I love the creamy consistency, plus you don't have to fuss around with unmolding them. My grandmother (who'd never even heard of panna cotta, much less tried the dessert) gave them her stamp of approval, so that's good enough for me! I made a simple amaretto-flavored cherry compote to spoon over the panna cotta. Recipes to follow next...

Amaretto Cherry Compote

1 cup cherry juice

1 tsp lemon juice

½ cup sugar

1 tbsp of amaretto liqueur (or 1/2 tsp of almond extract)

1 ½ pounds fresh cherries, pitted & halved (or 20 ounces of frozen cherries)

2 tsp corn starch

In a heavy saucepan, bring cherry juice to a simmer. Add cherries, sugar and lemon juice and simmer until cherries soften. Make a "slurry" by blending the corn starch with the amaretto liqueur. Slowly stir the amaretto/corn starch mixture into the cherry mixture. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Allow mixture to cool a bit before transferring to a container. Cover and chill in the refridgerator until cold.

And now for the panna cotta...

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta (serves four)

(a scaled down version of this recipe by E. Michael Reidt at Food & Wine.com)

1 pint heavy whipping cream

¼ cup sugar

½ of a vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped (if you don't have a vanilla bean, you can substitute 2 tsp pure vanilla extract)

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

2 tbsp water

In a medium saucepan, combine cream, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds. Bring mixture just to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover and allow cream to steep for about 15 minutes.

While the vanilla cream mixture steeps, sprinkle one teaspoon of unflavored gelatin over a small bowl containing two tablespoons of water. Let stand until evenly moistened (five minutes).

Uncover the vanilla cream mixture and bring back to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, add geletin and stir until dissolved. Remove vanilla bean and pour cream mixture into 4 four ounce ramekins and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate for about three hours until the panna cotta is set. No need to unmold-just spoon a bit of the cherry compote over the panna cotta before serving.

Foodie Events: Meet Chef Marcus Samuelsson @ Macy's North Point Mall This Thursday

2010-06-13T22:33:00.005-04:00

The latest winner of Bravo's Top Chef Masters will be making an appearance in the Atlanta area this Thursday, June 17th at 6:30 PM. Award winning chef/restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson will be presenting a free cooking demo at Macy's North Point Mall (Alpharetta) location as part of Macy's Culinary Council The cooking demo will be based on recipes from his most recent cookbook New American Table, which explores regional dishes and the cultural influences and traditions that have inspired American cuisine. After the demonstration, Marcus will meet fans and sign copies of New American Table (which will be available for purchase). Seating is limited so call 1-888-MacysNY (1-888-622-9769) to reserve your spot at this special free event.
www.chefmarcussamuelsson.com
Macy's Culinary Council

My Thursday Night Veggie Meal: Sweet Potato & Plantain Curry

2010-06-12T12:24:00.004-04:00

As I've may have mentioned in a previous post, I decided to go "meatless" for most of the month of May. Even though I'm back to my usual omnivorous ways, I am trying to incorporate more vegetarian and vegan meals into my diet. Here's a recipe that I plan to keep in my back pocket when I want to whip up a quick meal after a long work day. I'd originally planned to make a simple sweet potato curry, but I decided to add some nearly ripe plantains as well ('cause I love em). This is a tasty and satisfying veggie meal that even a "meat and potatoes" gal like me can enjoy! I tweaked the originial recipe a little because it was a bit too "mild" for my liking. If you're like me and enjoy curries with more of a kick, you might want to add some chopped chilies or a bit of cayenne pepper. Recipe follows next...

Sweet Potato & Plantain Curry
(adapted from this recipe from BBC Good Food.com-serves four)

3 tsp mild curry paste
1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 ripe plantain, diced
1 can coconut milk
3 tbsp red split lentils
1 ¼ cup vegetable stock
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup frozen green peas (optional)
Juice of one lime (optional)
Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

In a large frying pan, saute the diced plantain in 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil until golden. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the curry paste to the pan and fry for one minute. Stir in cubed sweet potatoes, lentils and plantain to coat in curry paste. Pour in vegetable stock and coconut milk. Bring mixture to a boil then allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in one cup of frozen green peas, bring to a boil and then simmer for an additional 4-5 minutes. If desired, add the juice of one lime. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.