Mission: Food

Flour, Too: Mama Chang's Hot and Sour Soup

2013-05-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Joanne Chang's followup to her critically acclaimed first cookbook, Flour, is set for release June 4th (unless you swing by the bakery which has early copies for sale). I luckily got my hands on an advance review copy, thanks to the wonderful folks at Chronicle Books. Flour, too picks up where Flour left off, sharing many highly coveted savory recipes from Flour Bakery + Cafe in Boston, along with a sprinkling of a few more sweet treats for good measure.

The book starts, like many others, with an elaborate introduction discussing the history of the bakery, cooking vocabulary used throughout the book, pantry and refrigerator ingredient suggestions as well as a look at useful cooking tools. The chapters continue on from there with offerings from Breakfast (Sweets and Savories), Lunch (Soups and Sandwiches), Dinner (Salads and Mains), Party Time (Snacks and Desserts), Drinks, and finally Basics.

Although the book covers a lot of bases, it doesn't skimp at all on material. Each chapter offers a nice selection of recipes and photos. Although each recipe does not necessarily have a photo to match, the photos that are included are fantastic and drool-worthy. Some even cover two full pages to get the point across. Yes, we're hungry.

There are so many recipes to try in this book! Starting with breakfast and then heading into lunch, dinner, etc, here are some that look particularly appetizing to me: Cinnamon-Cream Brioche, Flour's Famous Egg Sandwich, Ham and Vermont Cheddar Hot Pockets (and these won't make you call in sick!), Eggplant Parmesan Soup, Autumn Vegetable Soup with Sausage and Green Lentils, Roast Beef Sandwich with Horseradish Mayo, Crispy Onions, and Tomato, Roast Lamb Sandwich with Tomato Chutney and Rosemary Goat Cheese, Heirloom Tomato Salad with Feta, Pistachios, Watermelon, and Nigella Seeds, Blood Orange and Beet Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Goat Cheese, and Blood Orange Vinaigrette, Roasted Pork Loin with Chive Spaetzle, Slow-Roasted Balsamic Onions, and Oregano Mojo, Boneless Beef Short Ribs with Parmesan Polenta, Best Boston Cream Pie, and several fruity seltzer-based drinks! Trust me, I'm holding back. There are so many more I could mention, but I will let you explore the book and see for yourselves.

I plan on making lots of recipes from this book (perhaps when I feel an overwhelming desire to cheat on my diet), but first thing's first. The recipe that required immediate action was Mama Chang's Hot and Sour Soup. I have been a big fan of hot and sour soup for years. I order it regularly at Asian restaurants and find the combination of spicy and sour flavors along with a variety of textures to be a comforting balance.

Apparently, Chinese barbecue pork is a common ingredient in hot and sour soup. I've only had pork in my soup on a couple occasions. Honestly, most of the hot and sour soups I have tried were pork-free, and that's what I've grown accustomed to.

For Chang's version of the soup, she does include pork, but a shortcut version to the traditional. She uses ground pork. If I was looking for a meatier and more filling soup, I would definitely include the pork in the future, but this time around I decided to skip the pork and just double the mushrooms for added umph.

Also, Chang's soup is not thickened with cornstarch, as is typical. I was very uncertain how I would feel about this because, once again, I'm used to hot and sour soup being a certain way, and in this case, having a certain thicker viscosity. Well, when it came down to it, I was very impressed by this soup. The flavor was so perfect and delicious that I had no regrets about the lack of cornstarch in this case. I'm completely on board with a cornstarch-free version!

I held back a bit on the tofu (not my favorite thing in the world) and cut it into smaller pieces. This was just perfect for me and my family, and I would stick with that in the future, but if you're a fan of tofu definitely follow Chang's instructions for using bigger pieces.

This soup was so comforting and easy that I actually have made it twice before publishing this review! Adding some additional crunch from thinly sliced bamboo shoots wouldn't be a bad idea either if you're into that. I'm pretty sure I will include some in my next batch.

All in all, I am very impressed with Flour, too. Whether you are from the Boston area and already familiar with the bakery or a fan of good food living on the other side of the world, this is a book I can definitely recommend.

Mama Chang's Hot and Sour Soup
Makes about 1 3/4 quarts; Serves 4
(From Flour, too)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used only 1/2 teaspoon because I omitted the pork/wanted it lighter)
1 garlic clove, smashed and minced
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
4 scallions, white and green parts, minced, plus 2 tablespoons chopped for garnish
8 ounces ground pork (I omitted this)
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 pound block soft or firm tofu (not silken or extra-firm), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I used 12 ounces and cut it into 1/4-inch cubes)
4 or 5 medium button mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced (I doubled this)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil, plus 2 teaspoons for garnish
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
2 large eggs
White pepper for garnish

In a saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic, ginger, scallions, and ground pork and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute. Break up the pork into smaller pieces but don't worry about breaking it down completely. Add the stock and bring to a simmer.

Add the tofu, mushrooms, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, sesame oil, and Sriracha sauce and bring the soup back to a simmer over medium-high heat. (Taste the soup. If you want it hotter, add more Sriracha sauce; if you want it more sour, add more vinegar.)

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. With the soup at a steady simmer, slowly whisk in the eggs so they form long strands. Bring the soup back to a simmer. Divide the soup among four bowls and garnish each with a little sesame oil, scallion, and white pepper. Serve immediately. The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema, Grape Tomato-Jicama Salsa, and Red Cabbage

2013-05-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

I know some people don't really "get" seafood tacos. I think they're just used to the tried-and-true beef or chicken ones and can't really picture seafood in a dish that is often topped with shredded cheese. I can understand why it might seem strange. The first time I had fish tacos was definitely an eye-opening experience. And then I realized that people around the world (obviously in more coastal areas like California, Hawaii, and Australia) thrive on fish taco love!

Whether the seafood is fried or grilled depends very much on personal preference, and sometimes even location. Over recent years, seafood has become much more common and accepted to taco lovers. It's a food trend that has taken off from beach-side taquerias and absorbed into the rest of the taco-loving universe.

I have previously shared the recipe for my favorite panko-crusted fried fish tacos, but recently decided to make some lighter tacos using shrimp. The plan was to either grill or quickly saute them without added fat until just cooked through and serve the shrimp on homemade corn tortillas with a variety of colorful and flavorful accoutrements.

For a nice creamy topping, I skipped the guacamole and instead turned my avocados into a luscious avocado crema. This married the guac and sour cream components into one. For some crunch and color, I included a great standby for seafood tacos: cabbage. In this case, red cabbage. I also included a bit of additional crunch and much-needed acid from a very simple grape tomato-jicama salsa. The tacos should definitely be served with wedges of lime because even with the salsa, they will crave additional acid. They are made with seafood after all.

Full disclosure, I created these tacos with ingredients that were already in my pantry and fridge (with the exception of the red cabbage which I bought for the occasion). The salsa and crema were all inspired by creative observations into my fridge. I thought the jicama added a really great crunch to the salsa, but you can omit or replace it with something else if you can't find it. Some fresh corn would actually be a great alternative to add a sweet summery layer of flavor.

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema, Grape Tomato-Jicama Salsa, and Red Cabbage
Makes 16 tacos

Chili Shrimp:
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, completely peeled and de-veined (thawed frozen EZ-peel shrimp work great)
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt

Avocado Crema:
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons sour cream (light is fine)
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
Kosher salt

Grape Tomato-Jicama Salsa:
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup finely diced jicama
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For serving:
16 warm corn tortillas, preferably homemade
1 1/2 to 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
Lime wedges

For the shrimp: In a bowl mix together the shrimp with the seasonings. Cover and refrigerate for up to a few hours until ready to cook.

For the avocado crema: Add the avocados, sour cream, and lime juice to the bowl of a small food processor and puree until smooth. Season with the coriander and salt to taste and mix again until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and press plastic wrap against the surface to help prevent oxidization (the lime juice will help too). Refrigerate until ready to assemble tacos.

For the salsa: In a bowl combine the grape tomatoes, jicama, lime juice, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

To cook the shrimp, either grill them or saute them in a non-stick pan (I sauteed them without any additional oil and they were perfect). They will only require a couple minutes of cooking on either side until they are pink throughout. Remove cooked shrimp from the heat and begin assembling tacos while the shrimp are still hot.

To assemble tacos, place a few shrimp on each corn tortilla along with a schmear of avocado crema, a spoonful or two of grape tomato-jicama salsa, and a small pile of red cabbage. Squeeze a little lime over the top of each taco right before enjoying.

Pork Lo Mein

2013-05-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

I recently swooned over a new cookbook from America's Test Kitchen entitled Comfort Food Makeovers. The chicken enchiladas I tried were delicious and a great lightened up version of the classic. As I mentioned in that review, I was very much looking forward to trying more recipes from this book (especially now that I'm trying to crack down and lose some weight).

In a game of poker, if the chicken enchiladas were a full house, this pork lo mein was a royal flush! It was probably the best lo mein I've ever had! It was so full of flavor, with incredibly tender slices of pork tenderloin. And, unlike the local take-out, I actually knew everything that went into making it! No mystery ingredients here.

Each serving is full of lean meat and vegetables, with less of a focus on the noodles (this makes it healthier than if it was completely carb-centered). There were still plenty of noodles to go around, and a single serving was definitely filling enough not to require seconds (although it was so delicious I wouldn't blame you if you did). I will never need another lo mein recipe. Ever. This was incredibly straightforward and easy to make.

Even if you don't have a local Asian market to shop at (as I do), you can easily find all of these ingredients in a well-stocked supermarket. In the case of the shiitakes I used, my Asian market was out, and the supermarket only had pre-sliced ones. This worked just fine so if you can't find whole shiitakes to work with, don't fret! I'm also sure you could swap the pork tenderloin for chicken breast if you'd like. The flavors in the sauce would work great with either protein.

Pork Lo Mein
Serves 6 (1 2/3 cups each)
(From Comfort Food Makeovers)

4 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 (1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat, halved lengthwise, and sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick pieces
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
12 ounces spaghetti
Kosher salt
4 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
6 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and halved if small or quartered if large (mine came pre-sliced)
1/2 head napa cabbage, cored and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (6 cups)
8 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, and five-spice powder together in a bowl. Measure 1/4 cup sauce mixture into separate bowl and stir in pork; cover and refrigerate, 30 to 60 minutes. Whisk broth and cornstarch into remaining sauce mixture.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain pasta and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil in Dutch oven over high heat until just smoking. Add half the pork, breaking up any clumps, and cook until lightly browned but not fulled cooked, about 3 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons wine and cook until liquid is nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Transfer to clean bowl. Repeat with 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil, remaining pork, and remaining 3 tablespoons wine.

Wipe now-empty pot clean, add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil, and place over high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in cabbage and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Whisk sauce to recombine and add to pot. Stir in cooked pork and any accumulated juices and simmer until sauce has thickened slightly and pork is heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in cooked pasta and Sriracha. Serve.

*Nutritional information per serving*

BEFORE (Based on PF Chang's Pork Lo Mein): 760 calories, 25 g fat, 5 g saturated fat

AFTER: 500 calories, 11 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 62 g carbohydrates, 35 g protein, 5 g fiber, 1050 mg sodium

Creative Cooking Crew: Armenian Grilled Vegetable Salad

2013-05-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

"We're going on a picnic and I'm bringing..." This is the theme for this month's Creative Cooking Crew challenge. It's only fitting considering the month ends with the long weekend that represents the unofficial beginning of summer: Memorial Day. There are so many ideas that come to mind when I think about going on a picnic. I see wicker picnic baskets filled with parchment-wrapped sandwiches, plastic tubs of potato salad, cookies of all different colors, perhaps even a bottle of Champagne and glasses for a truly special occasion.

I see fields of flowers, sandy beaches, and the sets of some of my favorite picnic-inspired entertainment. One of my favorites is entitled Picnic at Hanging Rock and tells the mysterious story of a group of girls in 1900 who go on a picnic to the incredible Hanging Rock rock formation in Victoria, Australia where some of them disappear without a trace. It's an amazing film that I highly recommend.

Alternatively, I also think of one of my favorite Disney cartoons entitled Tea for Two Hundred, which entails Donald Duck going on a picnic and then falling asleep. A swarm of ants attend the picnic and the rest is history...

My personal experience with picnics is far different from those tales. While I've had my fair share of picnics atop beach blankets, the ones I remember most fondly take place at Colt State Park in Bristol, RI. Ever since before I was born my family has been going there during the summer months.

My big sister and I at Colt State Park. Years later these barriers along the water would be renovated. We loved climbing down to the water at low tide and collecting snails :)

For many years we would attend the annual Armenian picnic there on Father's Day. Dozens of Armenian families would collect and take turns visiting each others' picnic tables, snacking, drinking (it wasn't allowed, but they always found a way, haha!), playing backgammon, and even organizing soccer games in the fields nearby as well as fun obstacle courses for the kids. I have very fond memories from those picnics.

A group of the men at the Armenian picnics were responsible for grilling everything. Here they are grilling tomatoes!

In addition to those large organized picnics, my family would go (and still goes) to Colt State Park occasionally throughout the summer for picnics. Armenian picnics don't exactly feature run-of-the-mill picnic fare. While I personally would love the convenience of showing up with nothing more than a few simple sandwiches, I can attest to the fact that a single sandwich has never been eaten at any of my family's picnics.

Meanwhile, a group of the women at the Armenian picnics would fill the plates of the food. I just love this old-fashioned gender separation, don't you? Haha

The menu usually goes like this. We arrive in the morning with a full cooler and plans to spend the entire day there. Breakfast is hard boiled eggs (boiled at home), herbs, and pita bread. We usually stop at Dunkin' Donuts and my grandmother (formerly my grandparents when my grandfather was still alive) will pick up a box or two of munchkins, and coffees all around. Later we would snack on sunflower seeds, cracking them between our teeth as we walk the path along the water. We've done this hundreds of times.

My sister and I playing with Barbies and My Little Ponies at one of our many picnics at Colt State Park :)

We get started early on dinner. "Khorovatz," or Armenian barbecue, is perpetually on the menu. It's usually pieces of pork loin, which have been marinated in sliced onions and seasonings. They're arranged on long metal skewers and the portable grill heats up in anticipation. Meanwhile my mom gets started on the grilled vegetable salad. It's a fixture on our picnic menus. Occasionally, this salad will get prepped in advance at home to save trouble in making it on site, but there have been many occasions where we would be wrist-deep in grilled eggplant while listening to the sounds of the ocean. It's pretty fantastic either way.

Me and my aunt! I can't believe I was once that teeny!!

This salad has not only graced our picnic table dozens of times, but it's also a popular dish when we are making "khorovatz" at home. Honestly, regardless of the main attraction on your menu, this salad is an outstanding side dish which will be loved by all. It captures the smoky flavor of a variety of grilled vegetables including eggplant and bell peppers. You can definitely use different colors for your bell peppers, but this is what we usually stick with. Also, in the long history of this salad, we used to grill the tomatoes as well, but have now found that adding them raw allows them to keep their integrity much better.

I hope you enjoy this stand-out grilled vegetable salad. It's truly one of my favorite things to eat regardless of what it shares a plate with (and it's healthy!). I have wonderful memories of family picnics ever since I was a little girl, and this salad was always part of it (even when I was too picky to actually eat it!). I hope perhaps it can become a fixture on your picnic menu, and undoubtedly become a favorite for your family as well.

Armenian Grilled Vegetable Salad
Serves about 8 to 10 as a side

2 medium eggplants
2 green bell peppers
2 red bell peppers
2 tomatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 large onion, peeled, cut into thirds lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper or other hot pepper, if desired

Grill the eggplants and bell peppers, turning occasionally and piercing the eggplants as needed to let steam escape, until all of the skin is blackened. The vegetables should be cooked through and tender.

Place the hot grilled vegetables in a large plastic bag and twist it closed. Let them sit for a few minutes in the plastic bag to steam. This will help the skin peel off much more easily. Peel the eggplants and peppers (it helps to have a small bowl of cold water nearby to rinse off your fingers as necessary).

Remove the stems from the eggplants and the stems and seeds from the peppers and chop everything into a 1/4-to-1/2-inch dice. Transfer all the chopped grilled vegetables to a large bowl.

To the bowl, add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Adjust seasoning as needed and then serve at room temperature or cold.

Biscoff-White Chocolate Bread

2013-05-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

I really love making quick breads because they combine the delicious decadence of a cake without the complication and extra indulgence of dealing with frosting. They are also perfect for gift-giving or serving with a simple cup of coffee or tea. It just makes you feel a bit less guilty for essentially eating cake first thing in the morning (or even last thing at night).

After receiving a case of jars of Biscoff spread in a giveaway, I decided to do some baking. Although I love eating Biscoff spread right out of the jar (it's basically cookie butter, or a peanut butter-like spread that tastes like cookies), I knew right away it would be a great ingredient in some sort of cake. I didn't want to make something too rich, so frosting was definitely off the table.

I also had a bar of white chocolate in my pantry looking for some attention. It seemed like the perfect fit here, although I'm sure you can replace it with semi-sweet or milk chocolate, or even omit it entirely if you'd like.

All in all, this bread was super easy to make and the result was fantastic. Incredibly moist with excellent flavor, my family compared it to halva, a Middle Eastern dessert we love. It definitely had a similar flavor, and the white chocolate was very mild but added just a bit of extra sweetness (especially once it essentially caramelized in the oven and infused the bread with its flavor).

Biscoff-White Chocolate Bread
Makes 1 (9-inch) loaf

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup Biscoff spread
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk (you can substitute regular milk, but the buttermilk adds nice tanginess)
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped into chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with pan spray and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper as well and set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment add the butter and brown sugar. Mix until fluffy and creamy. Add the Biscoff spread and continue to mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add half the dry mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Then add the buttermilk and continue to mix just until it starts to come together. Add the remaining dry mixture and mix one last time just until combined. Fold in the white chocolate chunks.

Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for about 15 minutes and then gently invert the pan to remove the bread. Peel the parchment off the bottom and turn the bread right-side-up again (be careful so it doesn't break). Cool the bread completely before serving.

Cooking with Kids: Remy's Macaroni and Cheese

2013-05-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm already having Disney withdrawals. Seriously. I relived the amazing experience of my trip as I wrote each of the previous Disney-themed posts, but it's still not enough. I can't help but extend the Disney love just a little bit more by sharing a related recipe today. It comes from one of Disney's cookbooks: a Ratatouille-inspired one for kids, which I purchased for my nephew while we were on our last Disney cruise.

The book includes an introduction and recipe from Thomas Keller, one of my favorite chefs and the one responsible for the upscale version of ratatouille featured in the film. The recipes vary in difficulty level, but are all geared toward children being able to prepare them with minimal adult help.

One of the easiest recipes that seemed most child-friendly (at least for my sometimes-picky 4 1/2-year-old nephew) was the recipe for Remy's Macaroni and Cheese.

Instead of making a traditional Bechamel, this version utilizes a much more straightforward method of layering macaroni, milk, and sliced cheese. The result when it comes out of the oven is a bit too liquidy, I'm not gonna lie.

However, once the casserole rests for a few minutes, and the macaroni is mixed around a bit, the sauce seems to thicken and clings to the macaroni pretty well. This is not a version of macaroni and cheese that I would personally make, but it's really perfect for enthusiastic kids who want to do it themselves!

Alex loved making this dish. He took pride in his work and the result was actually pretty good. The cheese flavor was quite mild (we used American cheese), but I appreciated the lightness of it all compared to a much more decadent variation I would typically make with Bechamel and much more cheese.

Scooping macaroni into the baking dish

Adding some milk

Layering cheese slices

Crushing Ritz crackers with his cute little fists :)

Spreading the crushed crackers over the top

Also, my 1-year-old nephew who until this experience didn't like pasta totally loved this macaroni and cheese and would even feed himself with a fork (something new indeed).

I think this is a really fun and easy-to-make version of macaroni and cheese that kids would love to make and eat. The only things I did were to boil and drain the macaroni, and measure out the ingredients for Alex to assemble. Oh, and also working the oven, of course :)

Remy's Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 6 to 8
(From Ratatouille - What's Cooking? A Cookbook For Kids)

1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions (I suggest just shy of al dente)
3 cups half-and-half or whole milk
12 to 18 slices American or cheddar cheese
12 Ritz crackers (We used 15)
Salt, pepper, and paprika to taste

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 13x9-inch baking pan or a large casserole dish.

Spoon 1/3 of the cooked macaroni into the pan, then pour in 1 cup of the half-and-half or milk and cover everything with 4 to 6 slices of cheese. Add two more layers of pasta, half-and-half or milk, and cheese.

Place the crackers in a ziplock bag and crush. Add the salt, pepper, and paprika, then sprinkle the crumbs on top of the pasta and cheese. Bake until bubbly, about 35 to 45 minutes.

Disney Days 5 & 6: Mostly Epcot (Les Chefs de France, Via Napoli, & Kona Cafe)

2013-05-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

We're nearing the end of My Super Magical Birthday Celebration. Our final park day was comprised of heading to Disney's Hollywood Studios for Extra Magic Hours in the morning and then heading to Epcot later. We didn't spent too much time at Hollywood Studios, but we actually experienced quite a bit while we were there.

We were able to ride Disney's most popular ride twice, Toy Story Midway Mania. We headed straight there when the park opened, grabbed a Fast Pass and then got in line. It was so much fun, and I can see why it's such a popular ride. The line gets incredibly long and Fast Passes run out pretty quickly, so this is something you would want to do as soon as the park opens in order to be most efficient.

Afterwards, we rode our favorite ride at Hollywood Studios 3 times in a row. That would be Aerosmith's Rock 'N' Rollercoaster. It is AWESOME! It shoots you from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds. The ride is in the dark with electrified street signs and such, and it goes upside down 3 times. It's a really great thrill ride and reason enough to head to Hollywood Studios.

Best picture ever! I love our facial expressions, and the guys in front of us are awesome!

We also rode Star Tours 3 times. The great thing about Star Tours is that there are 54 different ride experiences that just cycle through automatically. It means that multiple rides of Star Tours can be very very different from one another. This ride was a lot of fun, and had a short wait, so I highly recommend trying it multiple times if you can :)

And that was pretty much it. I had wanted to do the Tower of Terror but the wait was getting longer (and the Fast Pass return time was getting later) and we had planned to head to Epcot as soon as we wrapped up. So that's just what we did. We took a Friendship Boat from Hollywood Studios to Epcot. It docked right in the World Showcase, which was perfect because our plan for the day was to explore that part of Epcot.

I really love the World Showcase at Epcot. Honestly, you can easily spend a whole day there. There is a lot to explore in each country's Pavilion, lots of fun shops, restaurants, and even some great shows to check out. I'll just go in order from one end of the World Showcase to the other.

We start with Canada. As you may recall, we dined at Le Cellier in the Canada Pavilion earlier in the week. Canada features a canyon, waterfall, and totem poles intended to remind viewers of the Canadian outdoors. Canada also features a Circle-Vision 360° show called O Canada! We thought we might head back later to watch that show, but eventually ran out of time.

The next Pavilion is the United Kingdom, which features shops that sell tea and other British staples. Red telephone booths stud the pavilion, along with a fish and chips shop and a typical British pub.

Some of the topiaries featured here come straight from Peter Pan. They were some of our favorites!

The France Pavilion comes next, and it easily one of my favorites. Not only does it feature an Eiffel tower and incredibly Parisian architecture, for Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival it houses topiaries for Sleepy Beauty, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast.

We also LOVED checking out the Impressions de France show, which almost reminded us of Soarin' though France without being on an actual ride. It was so breathtaking, I could watch that show all day.

Our lunch reservations were for Les Chefs de France. We had strategically planned to dine there at a time when we knew Remy would make an appearance on his cheese cart.

He makes his rounds Monday through Saturday at 12:30, 1:40, 2:50, and 5:20 pm. This animatronic Remy is well-worth a trip to Les Chefs to France, but overall so is the food.

The ambiance at Les Chefs de France is great. It reminds me a typical bistro, and the menu supports that theme. Les Chefs de France features an a la carte menu as well as a well-priced prix fixe option for $23.99 at lunch and $39.99 at dinner.

We went with the lunch prix fixe since it was a great deal and featured items we would have normally ordered even off the a la carte menu.

First of all, guests are served fresh, warm baguettes with butter. The baguettes are excellent, with a perfectly crackly crust. The baguettes remind me of the ones I had in Paris. Two thumbs up for bread selection.

We both started out with French Onion Soup. Considering the French Onion Soup the previous night at Be Our Guest Restaurant didn't really impress us, we had hoping this version would win us over. It didn't. The broth was only slightly more flavorful than its predecessor, and the onions were incredibly undercooked. They were not caramelized whatsoever, and in fact were fairly al dente and cut into very large pieces. The cheese seemed to have more flavor. If the onions were cooked correctly, this soup could have been a winner, but it still had a pretty major drawback, in our opinion. It's a shame. French Onion Soup isn't really that hard to make properly.

French Onion Soup $7.99 a la carte

My sister chose the Quiche Lorraine as her entree and was pleased with it. The crust was tender and flaky and the custard was nicely cooked.

Quiche Lorraine $14.99 a la carte

I had heard rave reviews about the Gratin de Macaroni so I couldn't resist trying it (yes, another "macaroni and cheese," I HAVE AN ADDICTION). It was very different from a traditional macaroni and cheese, but it was AMAZING. It featured perfectly al dente ziti pasta in a Bechamel sauce, topped with a thick layer of cheese and broiled until melted and bubbly. What I loved about this dish is that the sauce itself wasn't cheesy. It was decadent and creamy and perfectly seasoned. The cheese component was a deliciously crusty layer on top that added all the cheese the dish needed, but still balanced with a rich, non-cheesy sauce. I can see why it's one of the most popular "macaroni and cheeses" at Disney. I would totally order it again. And again.

Gratin de Macaroni $14.99 a la carte

We both selected the Profiteroles for dessert, which are essentially cream puffs but with ice cream in the middle instead of cream, and topped with chocolate sauce. They arrived at our table with festive French singing and a candle in mine. The Profiteroles were nicely executed and a great ending to our meal. With the exception of the poorly executed French Onion Soup, this was a really great meal with a really special treat in meeting Remy! I would love to dine here again in the future.

Profiteroles $7.25 a la carte

We continued on with our tour of the World Showcase by visiting Morocco. A really cool fact about the Morocco Pavilion is that King Hassan II actually sent Moroccan artisans to design and create many of the mosaics.

The Moroccan government actually sponsors the pavilion, and it's important to note that because of their religious beliefs, Morocco is the only country in the World Showcase that does not light up during the Illuminations show at night.

Morocco is an incredibly exotic part of the World Showcase, and perusing the shops here is a true delight! There are so many beautiful and colorful pieces throughout the shops.

The Japan Pavilion is next on the list, and features one of the coolest shopping experiences in the World Showcase: the Mitsukoshi department store, which is full of awesome Japanese items, such as clothing, jewelry, sushi sets, toys, pop-culture items, candy, and more.

I also loved seeing the really incredible (and old) bonsai trees that were on display for the Flower and Garden Festival. They just made me want to scream, "BONSAI!" Karate Kid style.

The American Adventure Pavilion is next, which takes guests on a trip through American history. We didn't spend too much time here, but I do have a funny story to relay about my previous trip to Disney World when I was 6.

Apparently, I was such a picky eater at the time that although my parents were just dying to eat at one of the more exotic restaurants at Epcot's World Showcase, because of me they were forced to eat at the American Adventure Pavilion because all I would eat was cheeseburgers. I'm ashamed of myself and look forward to our next family trip so they can finally eat someplace else! Haha.

Next up is the Italy Pavilion, which showcases replicas of some of Italy's most famous buildings from Venetian, Florentine, and Roman architecture. The re-creations of St. Mark's Campanile and the Doge's Palace from Venice are some of the highlights here. We would actually enjoy dinner in Italy later that day, and I will discuss that a bit later.

The Germany Pavilion is next up, and features a lovely topiary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Germany also had the longest line for purchasing beer (compared to the UK which also features beer), and also had a long line at their wine shop, Weinkeller, which features wines from the region.

One of our favorite stops in Germany was at Karamell-Küche, a shop sponsored by Werther's Original and featuring a variety of items covered in caramel. Yes, please! I loved their caramel popcorn and would snack on it before Illuminations later that evening.

We then made our way into the China Pavilion, which also features incredible architecture and a Circle-Vision 360° show entitled Reflections of China.

I always thought it would be fun to visit China someday, but especially after seeing this incredible whirlwind tour of this massive country, I really hope I am able to go there someday. I also started immediately craving dumplings after watching the show :)

We stopped at the Lotus House kiosk (part of the Flower and Garden Festival) for a refreshing Peach-Oolong Bubble Tea. Although the tea itself was tasty, I was very disappointed by the fact that the straws were not wide enough to suck up the tapioca balls (or boba). We were told to use a spoon to each the boba, but this was really inconvenient since we were walking around and drinking our tea. Also, the boba would get stuck to the bottom of the straw as we would drink. I can't believe this details was overlooking in the planning of their menu. It's kind of a big deal, and a huge waste of the tapioca balls.

The Norway Pavilion came next and is designed to look like a Norwegian village. Maelstrom is one of the few actual rides in the World Showcase section of Epcot. It's a boat ride through past and present Norway.

The final stop in the World Showcase is the Mexico Pavilion, where we dined earlier in the week at La Hacienda de San Angel. We headed into the main building, which resembles a Mesoamerican Pyramid and checked out San Angel Inn, a restaurant overlooking an indoor lagoon, as well as taking a boat ride on the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros.

Afterwards, we took another trip to Test Track, which isn't too far away in Future World, and then headed back to the Italy Pavilion to have dinner. Via Napoli opened somewhat recently (by Epcot standards) in August 2010. This family-friendly restaurant is incredibly popular. I mean, they make amazing pizza. What's not to love?

Featuring three wood-burning ovens named after the three active volcanoes in Italy (Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius, and Mount Stromboli), Via Napoli makes authentic Neapolitan pizzas using imported San Marzano tomatoes and Caputo flour from Italy.

It was actually voted as the Critic's Choice for "Best Theme Park Restaurant" by the Orlando Sentinel, so that's pretty impressive. And if that wasn't enough, the staff is comprised of beautiful, young Italians. You're welcome :)

Since it was our last night at Disney, we figured we should celebrate by splitting a pitcher of red sangria. It was refreshing and delicious, and definitely got us tipsy by meal's end.

Sangria pitcher $18

It seems that every meal we previous had which included an appetizer AND entree became quite the challenge to finish, so in this case we simply ordered a pizza to share (and even then I couldn't finish the last piece--what is WRONG with me?!).

Large pizza (serves 2 to 3): 1/2 Funghi, 1/2 Prosciutto e Melone $30

We went halfsies with two different flavors. First was the Funghi, which features San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, and portobello and cremini mushrooms. The crust was thin, delicious, and chewy and the marriage of the sauce, cheese, and mushrooms was a good one. There were just enough mushrooms without overwhelming all the other pizza components. This was my favorite of the two pizza varieties we tried.

The other half was the Prosciutto e Melone, which is a white pizza featuring fontina and mozzarella cheeses, prosciutto and cantaloupe. The melon and prosciutto combo is a classic one and introduces both sweet and salty elements to the pizza. I appreciate that the prosciutto was placed on top AFTER the pizza was cooked. Some pizzerias cook the prosciutto which just dries it out and makes it too salty.

Via Napoli is a great bargain in Epcot's World Showcase. It has some of the best food available (the best in the Italy Pavilion by far, from what I've heard), at really reasonable prices, and most importantly they make PIZZA which people of all ages love. This is a safe bet for both lunch or dinner for a family trip to Epcot.

After dinner, we headed back to Future World and snagged a good spot to watch Illuminations with good access to escaping the park once it was over. It was a really great way to end our trip! Definitely a wonderful show.

The next day was our 6th and last. We would be getting on a plane before noon, but that still left us some time to have a really nice breakfast with friends before heading to the airport! We had decided long ago that this meal would have to happen at the Kona Cafe at Disney's Polynesian Resort. It features notoriously delicious breakfast, but is also very popular for lunch and dinner.

First of all, we instantly fell in love with the Polynesian Resort. It's one of the most expensive resorts at Disney, but understandably so.

Not only is it conveniently located on the Monorail and directly across from the Magic Kingdom, but it really feels like another world. The tiki-style decor features waterfalls and the like.

You feel totally immersed in the theme of this beautiful resort. There's a reason why people pay top dollar to stay here.

Back to Kona Cafe. The restaurant opens up onto the upper deck of the hotel lobby, so the soothing sounds of the waterfall can easily be heard from within the restaurant.

As one would hope and expect, Kona Cafe features 100% Kona Coffee served in a French Press (which serves 2). It's also sold by the pound for $40.

100% Kona Coffee French Press (serves 2) $7.49

It's flavor is strong and intense. One of our friends joked that it tasted like drinking a cigar :) That's only if you drink it black. Adding just a splash of milk and a touch of sugar, this coffee was easily the best coffee I've had. It really had a great flavor and didn't taste watered down like some others.

My sister ordered the Macadamia-Pineapple Pancakes, which are served with a Macadamia Nut Butter, Pineapple Sauce, and a choice of Ham, Bacon, or Sausage. There was a generous amount of macadamia nuts featured in and on the pancakes, which is impressive considering their price. These pancakes a fluffy and delicious gastronomic trip to Hawaii.

Macadamia-Pineapple Pancakes $10.49

I opted for the Samoan, a dish of Poached Eggs with Hollandaise served over Smoked Pulled Pork Hash. I had heard a mixture of praise and criticism over the dish before trying it myself. I had heard that it was one of the best dishes on the menu, but also heard from a friend that she recently ordered it and the eggs tasted like vinegar and were completely overcooked, and had also heard about it being served too cold.

The Samoan $9.99

Fortunately, the dish I was served was perfect. The eggs were cooked just right, with gorgeous, runny yolks. The dish were served at the proper temperature, and if that wasn't enough, it was simply delicious. The pulled pork hash was studded with small bits of potato, and together with the runny eggs and the decadent Hollandaise, it was an excellent way to leave Disney on a good note.

I had the best trip ever celebrating my birthday at both Disney World and Discovery Cove. It's really hard to pick a favorite memory, experience, or meal, but I will do a brief run-down of some that stood out. My favorite rides at each park are as follows: Magic Kingdom - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (followed closely by Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and the Haunted Mansion); Epcot - Test Track (followed closely by Soarin'); Animal Kingdom - Expedition Everest; Hollywood Studios - Rock 'n' Rollercoaster (followed by Toy Story Midway Mania and Star Tours).

Some of our favorite overall experiences involved animals. We absolutely LOVED swimming with dolphins, stingrays, and tropical fish at Discovery Cove. We LOVED feeding the birds at the Aviary there as well. We also LOVED checking out the incredible wildlife at Disney's Animal Kingdom. I just couldn't stop taking pictures of them! And although he's animatronic, meeting Remy at Les Chefs de France was another highlight. He was just so cute!

It's very hard to select a single meal that stood out more than others, but if I had to narrow down, I would say that Jiko and Flying Fish Cafe were my two favorite dining experiences, followed closely by Le Cellier. These three are the Signature Restaurants we tried, and so it makes sense that they are high on the list. They all excelled in food, ambiance, and service. I loved the ambiance at Be Our Guest Restaurant, but overall the food could be better to live up to the hype.

Thank you so much for virtually traveling with me on this wonderful journey. I'm so glad that I could share all of these wonderful experiences with you all!

Disney's Hollywood Studios
351 S Studio Dr
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 824-2222
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/hollywood-studios/

Epcot
1200 Epcot Resort Blvd
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 824-4321
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/epcot/

Les Chefs de France
1830 Avenue of the Stars
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 827-8709
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/chefs-de-france/

Via Napoli
1510 Avenue of the Stars
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-3463
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/via-napoli/

Polynesian Resort
1600 Seven Seas Dr
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-6244
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/polynesian-resort/

Kona Cafe
1600 Seven Seas Dr
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/polynesian-resort/kona-cafe/

Bayou Popcorn & Book Review

2013-05-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

I recently had the great opportunity to check out a new cookbook released by Universe Publishing entitled Popcorn! 100 Sweet and Savory Recipes by Carol Beckerman. This artisan popcorn book features everyone's favorite movie snack and delivers it in a variety of exciting creations.

First up is the chapter I have utilized most. It's entitled Bar Snacks & Appetizers, and will probably get the most use in my kitchen and yours because it yields approachable snacks that are easy on time. I have tried several recipes in this chapter and here are some of my thoughts.

The Lemon-Basil Buttered Popcorn was tasty, but pretty mild in flavor. It's good for a "light-tasting" popcorn option. On the contrary, the Indian Curry Popcorn was quite spicy. For the chili powder, I used an Indian chili powder as opposed to a Southwest chili powder blend (I assumed this was what the recipe was calling for when it stated "chili powder") but found it to become overly spicy as I snacked more and more. I would cut down the chili powder next time. Meanwhile, the Caribbean Spice Popcorn was just mediocre. It contained a lot of great spices but just missed the mark for me. I'd pass over that one next time.

I think my favorite recipe I tried so far is for the Bayou Popcorn. It had a nice balance with a touch of sweet and a bunch of savory flavors compounded together in one delicious snack. For both this recipe and the Tex-Mex Popcorn (which was also packed with a lot of great flavor) I cut the quantity of butter in half because it called for more than some of the other recipes. I have addressed that concern below.

The recipes in this chapter that use the same quantity of popcorn sometimes use vastly different amounts of fat to adhere the seasonings. Case in point: several recipes range from using only a few tablespoons of fat, to a majority that use 1/4 or 1/3 cup, and yet some that use a full 1/2 cup.

For what it's worth, any recipe I tried that called for 1/2 cup, I immediately cut back by half because I just wanted to make it healthier for my own sake. Honestly, it turned out just fine and I'm not sure I would ever want to add all that fat in the future (especially since I end up snacking on massive portions of the resulting popcorn... teehee). Just something to keep in mind while exploring the book.

The following chapters are entitled Balls & Bars, Savory Dishes & Desserts (utilizing ground up popcorn in dishes like meatloaf in place of breadcrumbs, and to crust things like tilapia and chicken), and Chocolate & Candy. I look forward to a bit of decadence in the final chapter.

Puppy Chow, a snack mixing chocolate and peanut butter and using it to coat the popcorn before tossing in powdered sugar sounds pretty amazing. I know I will be indulging in that one of these days. Candy Cane popcorn is on my list for next Christmas, while Apple Pie popcorn uses dried apples and can be made any time of year (and therefore I will probably make it soon).

Overall, I think this is a really fun book that I plan on using regularly. I love the variety of ideas from savory to sweet and everything in between, and I love that most of the recipes come together very quickly and easily. This is definitely a book I will revisit regularly.

I think using your own judgement when measuring the fat (and perhaps even salt and spicy ingredients) won't hurt, but otherwise this book is an excellent starting off point. As a movie buff, I love eating popcorn while watching my favorite flicks and have already tried out quite a few recipes and look forward to trying many more.

Bayou Popcorn
Makes 15 cups
(From Popcorn! 100 Sweet and Savory Recipes)

Bayou Seasoning Mix:
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

15 cups popped popcorn (I use an air popper--for me about 1/2 cup plus 1 to 2 T. yielded the 15 cups)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (I use 1/4 cup or 1/2 stick instead)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

To make the bayou seasoning, in a medium bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, black pepper, and nutmeg. The mixture can be stored in an airtight container and used within 1 month.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the popcorn in a large serving bowl.

In a small pan, over gentle heat, melt the butter and pour it over the popcorn. Sprinkle on about 2 tablespoons bayou seasoning mix, add salt to taste, and toss gently until evenly distributed. Spread popcorn on 1 or 2 large cookie sheets and bake in the oven for 15 minutes (I halve the baking time). Either serve warm or let cool before serving. The popcorn can be stored for up to 3 days.

*Tip* Try adding 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the spices. As Cajun cooking is synonymous with “heat with flavor,” you could also add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

*Disclaimer* I received no compensation to write this review other than a free copy of the book. My opinions are always my own.

Disney Day 4: Magic Kingdom (Columbia Harbour House & Be Our Guest Restaurant)

2013-04-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

Day 4 of My Super Magical Birthday Celebration fell on my actual birthday. It was a no-brainer that we would go to the Magic Kingdom that day (since it's by far the most magical of the parks). We started out the day by heading next door to our resort to the Port Orleans French Quarter to indulge in some Beignets from Sassagoula Floatworks.

These pillows of powder sugar-covered fried dough were the most indulgent way to turn *cough cough* the age I was turning. We loved them so much, in fact, that the next morning we went back for more!

Beignets 6 for $4.29

We arrived at Magic Kingdom before the park opened, and thus had the pleasure of seeing the special park opening show.

Then we headed straight for Tomorrowland, but not before catching some glimpses of the most famous castle in all the land... Cinderella's Castle :)

We rode Space Mountain twice, followed by the Astro Orbiter and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. We planned to head back to Tomorrowland later to finish up the remaining attractions and made a beeline to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which by day's end we would ride 5 times (3 during the day and 2 at night)! Along the way we did stop to take some very enthusiastic photos in front of the castle. Because you gotta. It's magical!

We also stopped for a short churro break in Frontierland before heading to the Haunted Mansion.

This girl's got problems. She's petting an imaginary horse! In public! Sheesh.

It was just about lunch time, so we grabbed Fast Passes for Peter Pan's Flight, did a quick spin on the Carousel and finally headed to Columbia Harbour House, which based on reviews we had previously read is probably the best quick service restaurant (not counting the new Be Our Guest) in Magic Kingdom. It also doesn't have the crazy lines that Be Our Guest has at lunch. The menu sways from the typical burger and chicken nuggets and instead offers things like tuna fish sandwiches, grilled salmon, and even a fried fish or fried shrimp basket. I opted for the fried fish, which features a better version of fish sticks. I was pleased with my choice, as was my sister with her selection of the salmon.

Fried Fish Basket $7.49

Next on the agenda was cashing in our Fast Passes for Peter Pan's Flight. Neither of us had been on it before, and it is notorious for having really long lines, so a Fast Pass was the way to go. It was a really fun ride! I would definitely plan to do it again on future trips and if the line wasn't so long I would have ridden it again this time around too!

We followed that up with Pirates of the Caribbean, the Jungle Cruise, a stop at Aloha Isle for some Dole Whip (yes, please!), grabbing Fast Passes for Splash Mountain and then waiting it out with a visit to The Hall of Presidents. When Splash Mountain was over, we headed back to Tomorrowland to finish up our agenda there. This included the Monster's Inc Laugh Floor (really funny!), Stitch's Great Escape (eh), the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover (a nice break for your feet, and a peek inside Space Mountain and other Tomorrowland attractions), and Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress (supposedly Walt's favorite attraction).

At this point, we had checked every attraction off our list that we had planned to do, and it was nearly time for our dinner reservation at Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland. You can clearly get a lot done when you have an agenda, get to the park early, and plan your day wisely with strategic and efficient use of Fast Passes.

We felt very lucky to have reservations at Be Our Guest Restaurant. A number of people who walked up to the restaurant in hopes of dining there were turned away. Another group of people who wanted to go inside just to look around also left disappointed. We felt very very special. It helps making your reservation 180 days in advance!

When it was time to be seated, a cast member dressed like Lumiere at the end of Beauty and the Beast (when he became human again) greeted us with a candleabra and asked me to lead the way into the castle. It felt very exciting and special!

The interior of the castle is gorgeous, and split up into 3 dining rooms. The main dining room is the Ball Room. This is the largest and most elaborate, with crystal chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling windows depicting snowfall and distant snow-covered mountains.

Although I didn't request a particular dining room, I was secretly hoping this is where we would be seated. It's seemed the most regal and luxurious for my birthday dinner :)

The second dining room is the West Wing. It's smaller and quieter than the noisy Ball Room.

It features the infamous rose, slowly losing its petals, as well as the torn painting of the prince.

When lightning strikes, the painting changes to one of the Beast, but only for an instant. The third dining room is the Rose Gallery, and is only available during lunch.

Lucky for us, we were seated at an end table in the Ball Room. This meant that it was less noisy than tables in the center of the room would be. We also had an excellent view of the Beast's parlor where the Beast was waiting to take photos with diners as they exited the restaurant. All I can say is there were LOTS of scared children who wouldn't go in there, haha.

We both decided it was a French Onion Soup kind of night. Unfortunately, the broth was much lighter and less flavorful that we prefer for our French Onion Soup. I like a nice meaty broth with intensely caramelized onions, but this used vegetable broth and had very little flavor. In the end, the soup is pretty forgettable.

French Onion Soup $6.99

My sister had the Grilled Strip Steak with Garlic Butter Spread and Pommes Frites. Although her steak was cooked nicely, her fries were almost inedibly salty.

Grilled Strip Steak $29.99

I opted for the Thyme-Scented Pork Rack Chop, which was served with Au Gratin Pasta, Seasonal Vegetables (green beans, in this case), and Red Wine Au Jus. I asked for it to be cooked medium, and it was cooked perfectly. It was very juicy and flavorful, and the additional jus was just an added benefit to an already juicy and tender piece of meat. The Au Gratin Pasta was essentially very firm (read: not saucy) macaroni and cheese baked individually, unmolded and served. It was tasty and a nice compliment to the pork. While the soup was underwhelming and only half of my sister's entree was executed properly, I was overall quite pleased with MY entree.

Thyme-Scented Pork Rack Chop $21.99

Our waiter seemed to be very busy (I believe they are booked solid every single night from now through the foreseeable future) so he absentmindedly forgot all about The Grey Stuff, which is a special dessert treat for those celebrating a special occasion. He brought us our check, and I had to kindly inquire about The Grey Stuff. He apologized and thanked me for reminding him. I was not about to have a meal in the Beast's Castle without The Grey Stuff! Can you blame me? I was so looking forward to it!

For all of you not in the know, The Grey Stuff is actually whipped Oreo (cookies-and-cream) panna cotta that is piped onto a plate and topped with candy pearls. Although it's just a taste and not a full dessert, it is delicious and a very special treat at the end of the meal. I also got a birthday card signed by Belle and the Beast! I know you're all super jealous of me right now ;-) I additionally got to meet the Beast and take a picture with that handsome guy! Swoon!

These guys actually whisper to each other. It's really cool :)

We explored a bit more of New Fantasyland--checking out Gaston's Tavern and Prince Eric's Castle--before hitting up Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for a couple more rides in the dark :)

Prince Eric's Castle

My birthday at the Magic Kingdom was soooo magical. I loved every moment of it: every ride we experienced, every show we watched, every meal we ate... even with the subpar elements, the fact that we were dining in the Beast's Castle made up for it. I literally can't wait for my next trip to the Magic Kingdom. It really is where dreams come true!

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory

2201 Orleans Dr.
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-3463

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/port-orleans-resort-french-quarter/sassagoula-floatworks-and-food-factory/

Magic Kingdom

1180 Seven Seas Dr.
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 824-4321

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/magic-kingdom/

Columbia Harbour House

1180 Seven Seas Dr.
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-3463
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/columbia-harbour-house/

Be Our Guest Restaurant
1180 Seven Seas Dr.
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-3463
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/be-our-guest-restaurant/

Disney Day 3 (Not Disney): Discovery Cove (Laguna Grill & Flying Fish Cafe @ Disney's Boardwalk)

2013-04-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's time for Day 3 of My Super Magical Birthday Celebration! We actually didn't go to a Disney park that day. It was the one day we strayed from the Mouse, and it was absolutely and totally worth it! Have you ever heard of Discovery Cove?

Photo courtesy Discovery Cove

It's a really amazing all-inclusive tropical getaway. In Orlando. Honestly, it feels like you've stepped into a lush Caribbean hideaway with both freshwater and saltwater areas featuring lots of incredible creatures that you can interact with.

Full disclosure, it's very expensive to get in, especially if you add on the optional dolphin experience. Before going we read lots of reviews and each and every one of them concluded that it was worth the price. If people are willing to drop potentially over $300 on a day at Discovery Cove (depending on the pricing that particular day and whether you include a Dolphin Interaction) then you know it must be something special.

Things that are included in your day at Discovery Cove: unlimited food at both a breakfast and lunch buffet at Laguna Grill (which I will discuss later), unlimited snacks and drinks (including alcoholic beverages), free use of lockers and equipment, a souvenir snorkel which you get to keep, unlimited access to the Grand Reef (where you can snorkel with thousands of tropical fish and rays), unlimited access to the Wind-away River, Serenity Bay, and Freshwater Oasis (where you can spy on curious marmosets and otters), and unlimited access to the Explorer's Aviary where you can hand-feed a variety of beautiful birds. There's also a limited number of people allowed into the park each day (to control crowd levels) and reservations MUST be made in advance.

If you'd like, you can add a 30-minute Dolphin Interaction to your package, or even a Seaventure underwater walking tour. These are an additional charge, but both have excellent reputations. We elected to add the Dolphin Interaction to our day, and it was an absolute dream come true.

But first, let's talk about the rest of our experience a bit more. Our two favorite non-dolphin attractions were hands down the Grand Reef and the Explorer's Aviary. We spent an incredible amount of time snorkeling in the Grand Reef, petting a variety of beautiful stingrays, observing regal-looking sharks across the other side of a glass partition (but still underwater so you almost believe you can touch them), immersing ourselves in a myriad of rainbow-colored fish, and simply falling in love.

I'm a huge fan of snorkeling. I actually own my own snorkel gear and take it with me on select trips to snorkel-friendly locations (such as the Caribbean). I also have an underwater case for my point-and-shoot camera so I found this to be an excellent opportunity to use it!

Even though you aren't in open water, the snorkel experience here is probably better than a lot of others because you are guaranteed that there will be lots of fish, and a huge variety of them at that. You also can rest assured that these stingrays are very safe to swim with because they have essentially been neutered of their stingers :)

We kept returning to the Grand Reef because it is as grand as the name suggests. We also had a bit of a stalker fish. This one fish apparently was obsessed the the exact style water shoes we were wearing and found us EVERYWHERE in the huge reef where we went and would bump into our shoes and even on a couple occasions bit my shoe and shook it around, haha. It was pretty hilarious because it was such a tiny and cute fish, but man was he powerful!

The other area we absolutely fell in love with was the Explorer's Aviary. As you probably noticed in my Animal Kingdom post, we had a bit of a love affair with the birds there as well.

This is one of the professional pics they took during our visit!

Unfortunately, I didn't have my fancy DSLR camera at Discovery Cove (water damage would have ensued) so these bird pics aren't as good. We had a wonderful experience feeding the birds and having them land on our arms and even sometimes our shoulders. Each species was more beautiful than the next.

It was easy to spend a lot of time with these lovely creatures, but after all the swimming and exploring, we were pretty hungry. We had already hit up the breakfast buffet at Laguna Grill first thing in the morning. It offered up staples such as scrambled eggs (both plain and Southwest), home fries, sausage, ham, oatmeal, French toast sticks, a variety of breakfast pastries, fruit, cereal, and more. I opted for some Southwest eggs with home fries and sausage, the French toast sticks (which were my favorite out of everything), and some pastries. The pastries were easily forgettable. The rest of the food was okay, considering it was all-you-can-eat and included in the price of park admission. I wasn't overly impressed with any of it, but again, it's a crowd-pleasing buffet that is not meant to be gourmet. For what it was it was totally fine.

The lunch buffet had some more interesting options. A standard burger and hot dog were available, of course, but there were also things like pulled pork sandwiches, pasta with meatballs, and grilled tilapia.

I went for a pulled pork sandwich (which was alright... could have used more spice and flavor), some Jambalaya (this one was spicy and had decent flavor), macaroni and cheese (because I have an addiction), fries, and Caesar salad. The food was overall pretty decent, but once again, nothing to write home about. You're obviously not at this park for the food. I actually really did enjoy the free snacks that were available, including things like trail mix, soft pretzels, and even ice cream sandwiches!

When the afternoon rolled around, it was finally time for our Dolphin Interaction! A childhood friend of mine works at Discovery Cove and headed up our group. We got to meet an adorable dolphin named Akai!

We gave him kisses and hugs, and had him pull us back to shore by holding onto his fins. It was a wonderful experience that will remain etched in our memories forever (especially since we bought the DVD and photo packages, haha).

Perhaps the most thrilling part of the experience was when I was asked to be a special helper and retrieve a buoy from Akai. When he finally emerged from the water he was holding a buoy in his mouth that read "Happy Birthday, Victoria." I was so shocked and ecstatic! What a fantastic birthday surprise! Then our group went onto sing me Happy Birthday with Akai singing right along!! It was simply out of this world!

With so much to do there, we easily spent the entire day at Discovery Cove and then headed back to our hotel to get ready for dinner. Since we had spent all day swimming with fish (and some mammals), we figured fish should be on the menu for dinner too ;-)

That evening, we headed to Disney's beautiful Boardwalk, inspired by the turn-of-the-century Atlantic City Boardwalk (which also, of course, meant I couldn't stop thinking about Boardwalk Empire on HBO--amazing show).

Not only is there an actual Boardwalk filled with fun seaside shopping, dining, and entertainment, but the Boardwalk houses one of Disney's Deluxe Resorts, the Boardwalk Inn. It's high on my list of places I'd like to stay on a future Disney trip. It captures the whimsy of this old-school seaside tourist attraction just perfectly.

Flying Fish Cafe is actually one of Disney's Signature Dining experiences (which means the food is outstanding and the prices are higher). Its decor is playful and whimsical, featuring lights shaped like parachuting flying fish, a ferris wheel, and more.

It would seem borderline cheesy if the restaurant wasn't housed on a would-be replica of turn-of-the-century Atlantic City. In this case, it totally works.

I personally felt like the birthday aspect of my meal at Flying Fish Cafe was better than any of the other restaurants where we dined. And here's why. First of all, the staff had printed a special birthday version of the day's menu which I got to keep as a souvenir. They had also prepared a Happy Birthday pin for me, probably once they noticed I wasn't wearing one (it was the only time during the trip I didn't wear my pin because I was wearing a very nice and VERY expensive Betsy Johnson dress--go big or go home!).

In addition to the amazing food and service that already came with our visit, our waiter brought over two complimentary glasses of Champagne in honor of my birthday. That trumps any free dessert, in my opinion :)

We started out with some of their delicious bread, which appears to be studded with herbs. The crust was fantastic!

Each of us selected a salad to start. My sister was inspired by our visit to The Land in Epcot, and couldn't resist the Epcot Land Pavilion Sweet Bibb and Red Oak Lettuce (which we saw growing!), served with Frisee, Forelle Pears, Gorgonzola Dolce, Radishes and Candied Walnuts, with an Artisanal Loire Valley Walnut Oil Dressing. She LOVED it!

Epcot Land Pavilion Sweet Bibb and Red Oak Salad $11

I would have easily swayed in the same direction if it wasn't for the Roasted Heirloom Beets and Truffle Tremor Goat Cheese with Young Greens, Spiced Pecans, Blood Oranges, and Pecan-Truffle-Blood Orange Vinaigrette. Holy moly. This salad was spectacular! There were several varieties of regular and baby beets on the plate, along with large chunks of the goat cheese, which had a really pungent flavor compared to regular goat cheese. The nuts added a wonderful crunch while the vinaigrette balanced out the sweetness of the beets with some delicious acid. This salad was a winner!

Roasted Heirloom Beets and Truffle Tremor Goat Cheese $13

For entrees, we both selected fish dishes. That was pretty obvious. It didn't matter that I had eaten fish at dinner the previous two days. I was at the Flying Fish Cafe and I was eating fish, dammit! My sister ordered the Brioche, Horseradish and Herb-crusted Local Flounder, which was served with Spring Onions, Caramelized Cippolini Onions, Salsify, Rainbow Carrots, and Pan-roasted Fiddlehead Ferns, with a Meyer Lemon and Vermont Butter Emulsion. She thought it was excellent, flaky, and moist.

Brioche, Horseradish, and Herb-crusted Local Flounder $34

I selected their most popular dish, the Idaho Potato-wrapped Red Snapper, served over a Rich Leek Fondue with a Veal Glace de Viande, and Red Wine-Cassis Butter Reduction. I loved this dish so much that I plan to make it in my own kitchen (I've seen the recipe online). The fish itself was cooked perfectly, wrapped with really-well-done potato slices that added some great character, flavor, and texture. The leek fondue was creamy and rich with a mild onion flavor. The sauce was far more intense and created a nice contrast between the decadent leeks and flaky potato-wrapped fish. Although the presentation appears far simpler than my sister's dish, I assure you the flavors are all up in your face! Fantastic!

Idaho Potato-wrapped Red Snapper $36

Although the food at Discovery Cove was nothing exciting, the park itself is extraordinary, and a must-visit in my opinion! We definitely plan to return on a future visit to Orlando with the whole family! Meanwhile, Disney's Boardwalk holds a very special place in my heart as well. Not only am I dying to stay at the resort, but I look forward to further exploration of the Boardwalk itself, and DEFINITELY more visits to the Flying Fish Cafe in the future.

Discovery Cove
6000 Discovery Cove Way
Orlando, FL 32821
(877) 557-7404
www.discoverycove.com

Disney's Boardwalk Inn
2101 Epcot Resort Blvd
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-5100
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/boardwalk-inn/

Flying Fish Cafe
Disney's Boardwalk
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-3463
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/boardwalk/flying-fish-cafe/

Comfort Food Makeovers: Chicken Enchiladas

2013-04-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's getting closer to beach season. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is having some regrets about my food choices over the long winter :) It's never too late to start eating healthier, but the toughest part for me is giving up the comfort foods I love most.

Although I enjoy eating fresh vegetables, my heart often yearns for macaroni and cheese. A fruit smoothie is nice and fresh, but it certainly doesn't beat out a decadent slice of chocolate cake.

Fortunately for all of us who fall into the same camp, there is a book for that. Thanks to America's Test Kitchen, Comfort Food Makeovers is now my go-to book for finding ways to cut down the fat and calories from my favorite guilty pleasures without sacrificing flavor (or portion size). It is important to note that this is not a diet book. The recipes are not necessarily "healthy" but they are (sometimes significantly) healthier.

One thing I LOVE about this book is that it doesn't use artificial ingredients and fat-free items made from chemicals as fillers to cut the fat. I know some other cookbook authors *cough*Hungry Girl*cough* do things like that, and the food doesn't benefit anything from it. Especially not flavor. I had to test some of Hungry Girl's recipes while I was an intern at the Food Network and she uses some weird ingredients and the results were disgusting.

The key to this book is that it manages to cut down the fat and calories significantly from classic versions of the dishes while maintaining as much flavor as possible. I can't stress that enough. You may find a lighter version of Shepherd's Pie elsewhere, but it won't taste as good. That's the key.

Another great thing to note about this book is that each and every recipe starts out with a discussion of "Why This Recipe Works." Here, the authors clearly explain why they made the choices they did to tweak the recipe into what it is.

I must say, I'm a big fan of the book and can highly recommend it to anyone interested in cooking healthier versions of their favorite comfort foods. Every once in a while, it's fine to indulge, but if you rely heavily on any of these comfort foods, it may be a good idea to include these recipes in your repertoire.

It was difficult to select a recipe to start off with because there are so many that I wanted to try. I honestly could just open the book to any given page and be pleased with the result. I toyed with a variety of options before settling on the chicken enchiladas. Why? Because I had corn tortillas in the freezer. It seemed like a good way to use them up! And these are just in time for Cinco de Mayo as well ;-)

The recipe uses minimal fat and maximum flavor to poach the chicken in homemade enchilada sauce, and then strains the aromatics from the sauce and adds it back to the chicken filling along with reduced fat cheddar cheese and canned jalapenos.

Honestly, these enchiladas had a lot of flavor. I am always skeptical about using reduced fat cheese because I find they never melt as well, but this cheese did a good job for a cheesy dish.

Chicken Enchiladas
Serves 6
(From Comfort Food Makeovers)

1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons sugar
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/4 cups water
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat
8 ounces 50 percent light cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 (4-ounce) can jalapeno chiles, drained and chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Vegetable oil spray

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine onion, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large saucepan, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a carving board, let cool slightly, then shred into small pieces. Strain sauce through medium-mesh strainer into bowl and press to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer strained bits to a large bowl and stir in shredded chicken, 1/2 cup strained sauce, 1 cup cheddar, jalapenos, and cilantro. Season chicken filling with salt and pepper to taste.

Stack tortillas on a plate, cover with damp towel, and microwave until warm and pliable, about 1 minute. Spread warm tortillas over clean counter. Spoon 1/3-cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla, roll up tortillas tightly, and lay, seam side down, in 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

Lightly spray tops of enchiladas with oil spray. Pour sauce over enchiladas, covering tortillas completely. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheddar evenly over top. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until enchiladas are hot throughout, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

*Nutritional information per serving*

BEFORE: 560 calories, 31 g fat, 17 g saturated fat

AFTER: 340 calories, 11 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 70 mg cholesterol, 33 g carbohydrates, 32 g protein, 6 g fiber, 750 mg sodium

*Disclaimer* I received no compensation to write this review other than a free copy of the book. My opinions are always my own.

Disney Day 2: Animal Kingdom (Flame Tree Barbecue & Jiko)

2013-04-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

We're moving on to Day 2 of My Super Magical Birthday Celebration at Disney World! Extra Magic Hours (an added benefit to those staying at Disney Resorts to get extra time at parks either before they open or after they close) at Animal Kingdom were extremely enticing, and so we selected that park for our second day at Disney. We were there an hour before the park opened for regular visitors, so it was less crowded in the early hours than later on when it got much more congested.

Walking into the park is like walking into a jungle. First you pass the Oasis area, which is lush with bright green vegetation and filled with exotic animals, and then you approach the gorgeous Tree of Life, the symbol of Animal Kingdom. It's an artificial tree with carvings in the shapes of animals all over its bark. It's truly an incredible accomplishment in Disney Imagineering, and the epicenter of the park.

Fun times on Expedition Everest :)

We had planned ahead of time that we would immediately venture over to the Asia section of the park and ride Expedition Everest, the thrilling roller coaster that is built inside an artificial mountain. Since it was so early and the park was still just filling in, we were actually able to ride it 4 times in a row! We could have continued even more times, but we were both actually very hungry and needed to take a break to eat and recover from all the excitement :)

We stopped at Royal Anandapur Tea Company nearby because of my affinity for teas. I got a muffin to fill my unsettled stomach, and unfortunately it tasted pre-packaged and not very fresh. Even after letting my tea cool for a while, when I went to take a sip it was so hot I literally spit it out onto the ground. Ouch! After the burnt tongue ordeal (which I pointed out every time we passed Royal Anandapur Tea Company throughout the day), we headed across the park to Africa to explore the Kilimanjaro Safari. We would end up riding this once in the morning and again in the afternoon.

This was definitely one of the highlights of the park. You take an 18 minute safari ride in an open-air vehicle through the various ecosystems in the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. Here over 34 species of African wildlife roam seemingly free. Check out some of my amazing photos from the safari...

Baobab tree

Next we wandered through the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, which is right next door to the safari. We leisurely explored this space (which is part of why I believe spending a whole day at Animal Kingdom is NOT too long), and fell in love with the beautiful creatures we discovered along the way. Our favorites were the gorillas (who posed so close to us, they were probably only 15 feet away with no glass to mar our view), the hippos (who also pressed their faces so close to the glass we could count their pores), and the taveta golden weaver (a gorgeous yellow bird that made the coolest upside-down nests to attract a mate). Here are some photos from this attraction...

At this point we were almost ready for lunch. On the way to Flame Tree Barbecue, we stopped by the Tree of Life and checked out the Discovery Island Trails that weave around the tree. There were some pretty cool animals there too, and we also stopped by the It's Tough to Be a Bug 3D show before finally heading to the restaurant.

Flame Tree Barbecue is probably the most popular Quick Service Restaurant at all of Disney. Although there are other wonderful restaurants at Animal Kingdom, I would be hard-pressed to pick another on future visits to the park. Flame Tree features several enticing barbecue-themed menu items, from St. Louis Ribs to a Pulled Pork Sandwich, and even a Smoked Turkey Breast Sandwich. If you're into BBQ (as I totally am) Flame Tree Barbecue is a hot spot at Animal Kingdom.

Bright colors are clearly a theme here at Flame Tree, as the main area where orders are placed is afire in orange and red with colorful animals represented all around the space. There are many different outdoor seating areas at Flame Tree, but the best ones are found if you walk just a little further to discover colorful open-air buildings right along Discovery River with an incredible view of Expedition Everest right across the water.

An employee who was cleaning tables in the area offered to take a picture of me with the view, and then wished me Happy Birthday and later returned with 2 cupcakes for me and my sister! I just love the royal Disney treatment when you're flashing your birthday pin!

The food was as delicious as expected! I couldn't resist an order of the St. Louis Ribs. They are a bit fattier than baby back ribs, which I prefer, but they were incredibly tender and the barbecue sauce that was available on the side was the perfect compliment. They offer a regular and a sweet and spicy version. We tried the sweet and spicy and thought it was delicious and had a really nice balance of flavors.

1/2 Slab St. Louis Ribs with Baked Beans and Cole Slaw $11.69

The baked beans contained bits of tender pork, and were an excellent addition to the platter, along with cool and creamy (but mild) cole slaw.

An order of fries to share rounded out our meal. They were crispy and fluffy inside, just as great fries should be, and just perfectly salted.

French fries $2.79

To drink, neither of us could resist trying the Mandarin Orange Lemonade, which was deliciously refreshing on this very hot day. It was not too tart and not too sweet. It was easily one of the better lemonades I've had and would happily drink it on any other occasion!

Mandarin Orange Lemonade $3.99

After lunch, we headed to Dinoland U.S.A. where we would ride Dinosaur (sadly not as thrilling or scary as I had hoped) and Primeval Whirl, which was actually a lot of fun! It's a small roller coaster with cars that spin around on the track. We continued our day with 2 rides on Kali River Rapids (a roaring rapids ride that was exactly the cooling off we needed), and more animal viewing at Maharajah Jungle Trek.

Baby monkey!!!

As our park day was winding down, we headed to the Animal Kingdom Lodge where we had dinner reservations at Jiko, home to the largest collection of South African wines outside of South Africa!

Animal Kingdom Lodge is truly one of the most gorgeous Deluxe Resorts on property, and a place I would love to stay someday. Many of the rooms actually have a view of the savannah where giraffes and zebras roam freely.

We headed into Jiko, where the decor features lots of warmth and curvy architecture, with a cool blue ceiling showcasing gull-shaped lighting fixtures. I really love the attention to detail not only at the Disney parks, but also at the resorts and all of the restaurants, whether they are counter-service or table-service establishments. Jiko is stunning, and the perfect setting for any occasion.

Because of the extraordinary selection of South African wines, my sister and I both selected to try glasses of Graham Beck shiraz. The wine was a nice start to the meal along with Jiko bread (a flaxseed focaccia) and Dabo (an Ethiopian honey wheat bread) served with a deliciously fragrant Tandoori butter.

We were each served a small amuse-bouche of sweet potato gnocchi rolled in honey butter and topped with fried sage. These pillows were tender and sweet, a nice exotic start to the meal.

The flatbreads at Jiko are well-known and an absolute must if you are looking to try the most popular dishes on the menu. We leaned toward the Roasted Kubota Squash and Kalamata Olive Flatbread topped with Cipollini Onions, Goat Cheese, and Pumpkin Seed Duqqa. It was a lovely balance between the brininess of the olives, sweetness from the squash and onions, tanginess of the goat cheese and nuttiness and crunchiness of the pumpkin seed duqqa. I would order this again in a heartbeat, although I'd also love to try the other varieties.

Roasted Kubota Squash and Kalamata Olive Flatbread $10

The macaroni and cheese is a popular side dish at Jiko. Once upon a time it was served alongside their Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon, but the dish has since changed to omit the macaroni and cheese. You can still order this mac and cheese as a substitute for the Ancient Grain Pilaf in that dish, or simply as a side dish, which we opted to do before our meal. Their macaroni and cheese is extra cheesy with a combination of Asiago, Provolone, Fontina, and Gruyere cheeses. It was worth the extra calorie splurge, but unfortunately it started to fill me a bit too much before our entrees even arrived! Oops!

Side of Macaroni and Cheese $3.50

My sister couldn't resist the Braised Beef Short Rib which was served with Cassava-Potato Puree, Sambal, Rainbow Carrots, and Mushrooms. She claims that it was the best short ribs she's ever had, and from the bite I tried, I can agree that it is totally swoon-worthy! I'm a big fan of beef short ribs, and they definitely do it right here at Jiko. The preparation seems to change seasonally, but I'm sure the ribs themselves will be equally fantastic each time.

Braised Beef Short Rib $41

Although I love my red meat as well, I opted for our waitress's favorite entree, the Maize-Crusted Corvina served with Vegetables of the Moment (in this case: sugar snap peas, radishes, and strawberry onions) and Tomato-Butter Sauce. The fish itself was perhaps the most tender and juicy (yes, I'm using the word juicy to describe fish; that's how delicate and not-dried-out it was) fish I have had in a really long time. It was so perfectly cooked and balanced beautifully with the still crunchy vegetables beneath. Along with the delicate tomato-butter sauce, this plate was exquisite! I regretfully left a few bites behind (soooo full) but loved every bit of it.

Maize-crusted Corvina $39

We didn't order dessert, but since it was my birthday we were presented with a special dessert duo. On one side there was Jiko's Kenyan Coffee and Amarula Creme Brulee served with Cake Koeksisters (small doughnuts), and on the other was a portion of their White Chocolate Cheesecake, with Toasted Coconut, and Mango Sauce. It was actually served with not one, but two sauces containing edible glitter. My night was made!

Both desserts were delicious. The coffee flavor in the creme brulee was intense and delicious. The Koeksisters were perfect little fried morsels that make this "coffee and doughnuts" combination truly sing. The cheesecake was creamy and decadent and the bright fruity sauces added a touch of freshness and sparkle ;-)

That's all for Day 2 of My Super Magical Birthday Celebration. Animal Kingdom was amazing and totally worth spending the entire day there. Ignore anyone who doesn't believe that park can fill an entire day, because those people obviously don't love looking at wild animals and going on fun rides. Flame Tree Barbecue is hands-down the best Quick Service meal you can get at Disney. Dinner at Jiko is a wonderful way to end a perfect Disney day. The service is wonderful, the food is incredible, and you have access to a vast selection of South African wines to try! Stay tuned for upcoming posts about more of my wonderful Disney trip!

Animal Kingdom
551 N Rainforest Rd
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 824-4321
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/animal-kingdom/

Flame Tree Barbecue
775 Werikhe Way
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/animal-kingdom/flame-tree-barbecue/

Animal Kingdom Lodge
2901 Osceola Pkwy
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 938-3000
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/animal-kingdom-lodge/

Jiko - The Cooking Place
2901 Osceola Pkwy
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 938-4733
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/animal-kingdom-lodge/jiko-the-cooking-place/

Creative Cooking Crew: BLT (Brie, Lingonberry, Turkey) Sandwich

2013-04-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

This month's Creative Cooking Crew challenge was to create BLTs... using different ingredients to represent each letter. That means no bacon, lettuce, or tomato. We are reinventing this classic sandwich!

I love an old-fashioned BLT. It's actually one of my favorites, when made properly (crisssssspy bacon!), but I was looking forward to trying something new. It took me a while to brainstorm my sandwich. It's been a busy month of having guests from out of town, being bed-ridden for a whole week with an awful sinus/throat/ear infection, and then going to Disney World for my birthday! I finally settled on a combo and got to work.

I knew right away that I would want the "B" to represent Brie. It just got in my head and there was no getting around it. The other two letters took me a while to figure out. I know that jams and preserves go great with Brie, and lingonberry preserves are no exception.

Also, Brie and turkey are a superb combo, especially for sandwiches. Turkey goes well with cranberry sauce, so lingonberry preserves didn't seem like a huge stretch. And lingonberry preserves are typically served with Swedish meatballs, so they commonly marry well with meat. Works for me!

I thought making a hot sandwich on halved demi-baguettes would be really nice. Making the sandwiches was just a matter of assembling. I didn't have to create sauces or other components from scratch, so maybe I'm cheating a little, but isn't the joy of making a sandwich its convenience? I'll let you be the judge :)

BLT (Brie, Lingonberry, Turkey) Sandwich
Makes 2 sandwiches; serves 2 to 4

2 demi-baguettes (or two 9-inch-long pieces from a regular baguette), sliced lengthwise in half
4 ounces Brie, thinly sliced
8 ounces sliced roasted turkey breast
1/4 cup lingonberry preserves

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Arrange half the Brie slices on one half of each of the demi-baguettes. Arrange the turkey slices on the other half and arrange on a sheet pan. Place in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, or until the Brie is melted and the turkey is heated through. Remove from the oven.

Spread 2 tablespoons of the lingonberry preserves on each sandwich and then place the two halves together. Serve while still hot or warm, sliced in half, if desired or if sharing.

Disney Day 1: Epcot (Le Cellier & La Hacienda de San Angel)

2013-04-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm back from My Super Magical Birthday Celebration at Disney World and I had the most fabulous time ever! I can honestly say that Disney is the best place to celebrate any special occasion. The special treatment (and the overwhelming number of birthday wishes--thanks, Happy Birthday pin) was incredible.

Not only did nearly every cast member wish me a happy birthday, but many guests did as well, and we got a lot of special treats at many of our meals! I even returned to our hotel room the evening of my birthday to find a message from Mickey and Minnie singing me happy birthday. Can't get more magical than that!

I've decided to share photos, stories, and reviews from my trip separated by each day of the trip. That will be far more efficient than writing separate posts for each meal, snack, experience, etc. So we'll start with Day 1. That seems like the best place to start :)

First we checked into our beautiful hotel, the Port Orleans Riverside. I can happily recommend our hotel to anyone wishing to visit Disney World. It is considered a Moderate Resort which places it at a reasonable price point. It's more expensive (but far nicer) than a Value Resort, but cheaper and less luxurious than a Deluxe Resort.

This hotel is probably the nicest of all the Moderate Resorts and resembles Southern mansions along a river. The style is beautiful and relaxing. There is actually a river boat that travels between Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter (its sister hotel a short walk away), and Downtown Disney. I saw its popularity firsthand when noticing how much more crowded the buses to our hotel seemed than some of the other resorts :)

We actually stayed in one of the newly renovated Royal Guest Rooms, which are inspired by Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog. Other Disney Princes and Princesses adorn much of the decor in the rooms.

Regal finishes add to the upscale nature of these rooms, along with headboards that actually light up to show fireworks!

Fireworks light up on the headboard at the press of a button!

After quickly settling into our room, we headed to Epcot! We had decided ahead of time that during this shorter park day (since it was combined with a travel day) we would focus our time and energy on Future World, and return to the park for another half day later in the week to further explore the World Showcase.

Riverside at dawn...

We were very lucky to have traveled to Disney World during Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival. Not only was the park filled with beautiful topiaries and gardens, but the festival borrowed some of the allure of Epcot's Food and Wine Festival by setting up booths featuring food and drinks from around the world.

We sampled a few of these, although most of our dining occurred at restaurants for which we had made Advanced Dining Reservations 180 days earlier (when dining reservations become available).

After snapping off a few pictures with the lovely topiaries at Epcot's entrance, we headed straight toward The Land Pavilion so we could start our day on Soarin', one of our favorite Disney rides. We also picked up a Fast Pass to ride it again later!

We took a calm boat ride through the Living with the Land attraction and saw some of the really amazing produce and fish that Epcot produces and then uses in restaurants at many of the parks and resorts.

Living with the Land

Then we headed across the park to ride Mission: Space. We tried out the Orange version of the ride, which is more intense than the Green one. It actually uses a centrifuge which tilts and spins to simulate the speed and G-force during launch and re-entry.

Honestly, my stomach was completely empty when we rode this, and I felt very disoriented during the ride. I think it would have been a lot more fun if I wasn't starving. It was really amazing though, and I will try it again on our next trip and hope I'm feeling better the next time! We followed this up by grabbing Fast Passes for Test Track and then heading to lunch.

Our first meal at Disney was at one of its most popular Signature Restaurants. Le Cellier Steakhouse is reminiscent of the wine cellars at some of the grandest château-style hotels in Canada. It features wide stone arches and is dimly lit with candle chandeliers.

The dining room is separated into the different provinces of Canada (and like the other countries in the World Showcase, the employees at Le Cellier are all from the country they represent).

We were seated in the New Brunswick section of the dining room. Apparently, New Brunswick is the only province in Canada that is constitutionally bilingual (English and French). This is some trivia I learned from the hostess who guided us to our table!

This gorgeous border lined the tops of the booths around the dining room, showcasing highlights from all the Canadian provinces

The meal started with a much-appreciated bread basket (did I mention we were STARVING?), featuring a couple soft pretzel batons, a sourdough roll, as well as a multi-grain roll. It was accompanied by a slice of room temperature butter topped with maple sugar and sea salt.

I was so obsessed with the pretzels that I didn't even try the other rolls, but my sister assures me they were tasty. The pretzels were a tad on the salty side, but that's nothing a quick rub won't fix. The pretzels were warm, soft, and chewy. Absolutely perfect, even with the butter which is not something I would normal spread on a soft pretzel.

The menu at Le Cellier lights up when you open it!

We decided to share a starter, the "Waterkist" Heirloom Tomato with Housemade Mozzarella, Tomato "Geleé," Lavash, Micro Basil, and Minus "8" Vinegar. This was nice and fresh, just perfect for a really hot day (which it was). The tomatoes were juicy and ripe, perfectly balanced with the cheese, basil, and vinegar, with the essence of tomato in the geleé, and a bit of crunch from the lavash.

"Waterkist" Heirloom Tomato $12

When in Rome... we obviously ordered steak since we were at a renowned steakhouse. My sister opted for the New York Strip Steak which was served with Potato Pavé, Wilted Spinach, and a Vin Rouge Reduction. Her AAA Canadian steak was perfectly cooked (except for at the edges, which can easily cook faster than the center). She was very happy with her choice!

Canadian "AAA" New York Strip $44

My steak selection was one of the most popular dishes on the menu, the Mushroom Filet Mignon, which features a cut of AAA Canadian beef tenderloin (cooked perfectly medium rare!) topped with a white truffle cream sauce, and served with mushroom risotto. I had actually recreated this dish in my own kitchen, so I was a bit apprehensive to order it because I wasn't sure it would be worth it since I could make it myself. Let me tell you, it was totally worth it!

"Le Cellier" Mushroom Filet Mignon $43

The steak was so flavorful and moist. The first bite that went into my mouth just screamed with truffle flavor. I definitely started my Disney trip on the right foot with this meal! The presentation was bursting with wild mushrooms and also featured some pickled pearl onions, definitely different from photos of the dish I've seen in the past, so I'm wondering if they have tweaked the recipe/plating a bit.

Instead of ordering dessert at Le Cellier, we wandered over to one of the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival booths, the Pineapple Promenade one to be exact, and indulged in some cold and creamy Dole Whip! It was wonderful!!

Dole Whip Soft Serve $4

We indulged in this icy treat on the way to cash in our Soarin' Fast Passes. After that, we headed to The Seas with Nemo and Friends Pavilion to see some of the sea life that is featured there, such as manatees... and Bruce.

Fish are friends, not food!

We followed up with a couple rides on Test Track (Fast Pass and Single Rider) and Spaceship Earth. Test Track was an incredible rush, and is now officially both of our favorite ride at Epcot. Spaceship Earth is classic, and a perfect ride when you need something low-key near the end of an exhausting day :)

We saw soooo many ducks with ducklings at several of the parks. Super cute! The yellow one looks like it was adopted ;-)

We headed to the edge of the World Showcase to the Mexico Pavilion for dinner. La Hacienda de San Angel is found waterside along the World Showcase Lagoon, making it the perfect location for viewing Illuminations, the nighttime show at Epcot.

The food here is slightly more upscale than what would be found at a typical taqueria, and is only available for dinner. The decor is colorful, and features a variety of beautiful lighting fixtures.

We started out with tortilla chips and 2 salsas. The salsa verde was my favorite, a bit more acidic and less spicy than its smokey red counterpart.

Mango Blueberry Basil Margaritas were our drinks of choice for the event, and they were exotic and refreshing.

Mango Blueberry Basil Margarita $13.50

My sister ordered the Tacos de Camarones, or fried shrimp tacos served with chipotle-lime aioli, cabbage, lime and salsa verde, all over flour tortillas (with extra tortillas on the side). She loved her tacos and polished them off before I could even steal a bite (in all honestly, I didn't even have any room!).

Tacos de Camarones $23.95

I was in the mood for seafood (especially after seeing the fish at Living with the Land), so I ordered the Pescado a la Talla, or grilled tilapia served with esquites (roasted corn), nopales (cactus leaves) and mango chutney. The fish was incredibly tender and flaky and featured a mix of sweet (from the corn) and spicy flavors.

Pescado a la Talla $24.95

I was disappointed in MYSELF for getting full so fast and not being able to finish my meal. I ate as much as I could (and loved it) along with some of the rice and black beans that were served with our meals to share. Both of those sides were well-seasoned and delicious. I would definitely return in the future, hopefully with bigger appetites next time!

Although we were both stuffed, we managed to make a little room for the birthday dessert that was accompanied by festive Spanish singing. Ice cream topped with a baby churro twist was the perfect ending to our meal, as it gave us just a touch of sweetness and richness after already engorging ourselves on delicious Mexican food and drink.

This ends Day 1 of My Super Magical Birthday Celebration at Disney World. We experienced every ride and attraction that we wanted to in Epcot's Future World as well as dining at not one, but two of the World Showcase's countries: Le Cellier Steakhouse in Canada and La Hacienda de San Angel in Mexico. Both meals were satisfying and delicious, as was the Dole Whip snack we enjoyed midday. Tune in for more from my trip in future posts!

Port Orleans Resort Riverside
1251 Riverside Dr
Orlando, FL 32830
(407) 934-6000
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/port-orleans-resort-riverside/

Epcot
1200 Epcot Resort Blvd
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 824-4321
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/epcot/

Le Cellier Steakhouse
1510 N Ave Of The Stars
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-3463
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/le-cellier-steakhouse/

La Hacienda de San Angel
1510 N Ave of the Stars
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 827-2253
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/hacienda-de-san-angel/

Put 'Em Up! Fruit: Blueberry Ketchup + Giveaway!

2013-04-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

Today is my birthday. I'm in Disney World, literally the happiest place on Earth. I can't think of a better way to grow a year older than to recapture my childhood. As I'm sure you've discovered reading my blog, I am Disney obsessed, going exclusively on Disney cruises, cooking Disney recipes, and now turning a new page in the book of life at the home of the mouse. I couldn't be happier to celebrate in a big way, and in honor of my birthday I am sharing a special post today along with a giveaway. Keep reading, my friends...

I remember watching my grandmother make jam as a child. I was too little to help, but I observed her stirring the pot of hot, melted grapes around and around until it thickened. My dad loves eating fruit preserves like it's nobody's business and so her preserve-making was a much welcomed treat for him. I myself have made fruit preserves on only a few occasions. I have had some mixed results, but most recently I invested in some nice jars and canning utensils to make the job easier. I have been looking forward to using them more.

Put 'Em Up! Fruit by Sherri Brooks Vinton is a beautiful cookbook with colorful, glossy pages, filled with wonderful information on preserving and using a variety of fruits in your home. The book begins with a great introduction discussing the various types of fruit preserves, from fruit leather to chutney and compote to jam. In addition to defining the differences in these preparations, there is an extensive guide to home canning which goes on to show step-by-step instructions on how to can jars of preserves once you've made them. Vinton also provides a few ways to tell if your preserves have reached the gel stage, so there should be less guessing and more success!

In addition to the base recipes for various fruit preserves, each is paired with a recipe to "Use 'It Up!" Each chapter in the book focuses on a different fruit: apples, apricots, blackberries & raspberries, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, grapefruit, grapes, lemons, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, quince, rhubarb, strawberries, and tomatoes. Each chapter is color-coded as well, which not only adds to the functionality of the book, but also to the aesthetic.

There are a lot of enticing recipes in this book. Many are basic, such as Classic Cherry Jam, but I'm anxious for summer so I can make it, just the same. The first recipe to catch my eye was for Earl Gray Jelly which requires homemade Peel and Pip Pectin made from underripe crab or tart apples. I wanted to make this jelly so badly, but because it's not apple season, I knew it would be best to wait until they are actually locally available (since underripe crab apples don't seem to be supermarket fare). Some of the others on my wish list will wait until summer, but in the meantime there are still some fruits that are available now.

Honestly, the Use 'It Up! recipes are secondary for me. Some of them, such as the Nut-Crusted Goat Cheese with Cherry Mostarda or the Blue Cheese Biscuits with Savory Cranberry Relish are definitely on my list to make, but there are others that fall into the shadows. It's the recipes for preserving the fruits in fun and unique ways I'm most excited about!

After weighing a lot of options, I finally selected the first recipe I would make. I couldn't resist trying the Blueberry Ketchup. Yes, Blueberry Ketchup. It uses the same method and spices of a traditional tomato ketchup, but it turns it on its head. I figured since I was making a glorious make-your-own burger bar for my family birthday dinner, this ketchup would have the perfect red carpet to make its debut. I actually found it to be a bit too sweet for the burgers themselves, but they were truly perfect for the sweet potato fries.

I will be giving away a copy of the book to a lucky reader in the United States. I will select a winner in 1 week (giveaway ends April 19th at 11:59 pm). In order to participate in the giveaway you may do any of the following, and each is considered a separate entry, so leave a comment for each one you do.

1. Leave a comment telling me your favorite fruit to preserve.
2. Like Mission: Food on Facebook and then leave a comment telling me you did.
3. Follow @missionfood on Twitter and then leave a comment telling me you did.
4. Follow Mission: Food on Pinterest and then leave a comment telling me you did.

Please visit the Storey Publishing website to check out a video by Sherri Brooks Vinton about her new book! Also, please visit the following sites participating in the Put 'Em Up! Fruit blog tour to find more recipes from the book.

4/8 Food In Jars
4/9 Punk Domestics
4/10 Autumn Makes & Does
4/11 Local Kitchen
4/12 Mission: Food
4/15 What Julia Ate
4/16 Tigress in a Jam
4/17 Daily Dish Recipes
4/18 Shockingly Delicious
4/19 The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking
4/22 From Scratch Club

Blueberry Ketchup
Makes about 3 cups
(From Put 'Em Up! Fruit)

2 shallots, unpeeled
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 quart blueberries (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Coat the shallots with the oil and bundle in a double thickness of aluminum foil. Place the bundle on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 1 hour, until the shallots are tender when pierced with a knife. When they're cool enough to handle, peel and dice them.

Combined the roasted shallots with the blueberries, sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic, allspice, and cinnamon in a large nonreactive pot and slowly bring to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or regular blender.

Refrigerate: Cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Can: Ladle the ketchup into clean, hot 4-ounce or half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch of headspace between the top of the ketchup and the lid. Run a bubble tool along the inside of the glass to release trapped air. Wipe the rims clean; center the lids on teh jars and screw on jar bands until they are just fingertip-tight. Process the jars by submerging them in boiling water to cover by 2 inches for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars rest in the water for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and set aside for 24 hours. Check the seals, then store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

*Disclaimer* I received no compensation to write this review other than a free copy of the book. My opinions are always my own.

Wicked Good Burgers: Flour Bakery Burger Buns + Giveaway!

2013-04-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

I was ecstatic when I found out that Andy Husbands and Chris Hart, authors of Wicked Good Barbecue (and fellow New Englanders), were releasing a new cookbook focusing entirely on the all-American burger. I had the pleasure of reviewing their first cookbook last fall and fell in love immediately. They shared recipes that ranged from their award-winning barbecue to nouveau creations that would be welcome on any barbecue lovers' repertoire.

Just like any meat-eating American, I love a good burger. My favorites range from the likes of Shake Shack and In-N-Out to even more creative creations topped with anything from goat cheese to guacamole. I love a nice, greasy diner burger along with one infused with the aroma of charcoal. It's all good in my book, but the one thing I detest more than anything is a burger made from a flavorless store-bought frozen meat patty.

Shame on anyone who thinks that is acceptable to serve your friends and family! Have enough respect for yourself to make your burgers from scratch. Even if you don't grind your own meat (I don't expect you to), at least use fresh meat and SEASON IT!

Vent over. Back to the book. Wicked Good Burgers uses the same attention to quality and detail that Wicked Good Barbecue illustrated. These are competition cooks and they take pride in EVERYTHING they cook, not just barbecue. The book starts out by discussing the history of the hamburger, information on grinding your own meat, as well suggestions on burger blends, notes on shaping burgers as well as two unique methods for cooking burgers: Chris's favorite method, which is cooking on a skillet, and Andy's preference, which is over live fire. There are benefits to both, all of which is discussed in the opening chapter.

The first recipe is called "Our Perfect Burger" and is followed up with a plethora of incredible topping suggestions that you can mix and match or use on some of the other burgers in the book. Some of these toppings include Bread and Butter Pickles, Pig Candy, Pickled Green Tops, Grilled Romaine, Peppered Onion Rings, Garlic Confit Jam, and Tomato-Ginger Mustard, just to name a few.

The book also includes a bunch of favorites shared by other others. Josh Ozersky, author of The Hamburger: A History, not only writes the forward for this book, but shares his favorite burger recipe. John Delpha, chef-owner of the Belted Cow Bistro in Essex Junction, Vermont is a friend of the chefs and shared his Veal Parmigiana Burger, while Michael Schlow, chef-owner of several New England restaurants, shared his award-winning burger recipe from the 2008 South Beach Wine and Food Festival Burger Bash. These are just a few of the special treats in store within the pages of this book.

Chapters entitled Where's The Beef? (featuring non-beef burger recipes), Burgers Beyond Borders (internationally-inspired burgers), You Want Fries with That? (a variety of side dishes for any burger), and That's a Frappe! (sweet endings or compliments to your burger meal) follow. There are countless mouthwatering recipes in this book and I can't wait to try.

The Gold Coast Burger takes its inspiration from a burger Chris enjoyed in Australia. It features sharp cheddar, caramelized onions, a special sauce, pickled beets, Canadian bacon, caramelized pineapple, tomato, and if that wasn't enough, a fried egg on top. A Tortilla-Wrapped New Mexican Chile Burger features a green chile relish-topped burger (bun and all) wrapped inside a tortilla and pan-fried. It seems like overkill, but I'm curious enough to want to try it!

Meanwhile, the book includes three veggie burgers, two of which are completely vegan, all of which look incredible and are high on my list for burgers to try. The book also features not one, but four recipes for buns ranging from Flour Bakery (in Boston, MA) Burger Buns to Brioche Buns. Throw on a side of fries (there are several options there too) and you've got a fantastic meal that can beat any drive-thru.

I decided to kick off my birthday celebration with a bit of a burger party. I made Our Perfect Burger but used slightly leaner beef (93% instead of 80%). I know that fat is flavor, and I'm all for flavorful fat, but my family tends to prefer leaner meat in general and since we were still going to be undercooking the burgers I knew they wouldn't dry out.

I also made the Jack D'Or Mustard recipe from the book as well as the Flour Bakery Buns and the Sweet Potato Pub Fries. I made some Blueberry Ketchup from another book I'm reviewing later this week (that recipe will be up on Friday) and I caramelized some onions as well to round out the burger accouterments.

The buns were perhaps the best part of the meal, especially once they were split and lightly grilled until barely charred at the edges. Of all the components I made, I decided to share the bun recipe because it was an overwhelming favorite of everything I served. Although I'm looking forward to trying some of the other bun recipes in the book, I have a feeling these will become our go-to homemade buns for all burger parties in the future.

I am giving away a copy of the book to a lucky Mission: Food reader from the United States. The giveaway will run 1 week, until April 16th at 11:59 pm. I will select a winner at random. In order to participate in the giveaway you may do any of the following, and each is considered a separate entry, so leave a comment for each one you do.

1. Leave a comment telling me your favorite burger toppings.
2. Like Mission: Food on Facebook and then leave a comment telling me you did.
3. Follow @missionfood on Twitter and then leave a comment telling me you did.
4. Follow Mission: Food on Pinterest and then leave a comment telling me you did.

Flour Bakery Burger Buns
Makes 8
(From Wicked Good Burgers)

1 1/2 cups (355 ml) water, room temperature
1 teaspoon (4 g) active dry yeast
3 cups (375 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus about 1/4 cup (31 g) more, if needed
1 cup (137 g) bread flour
1 tablespoon (13 g) plus 2 teaspoons (9 g) sugar
2 teaspoons (10 g) kosher salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
About 1/8 cup (18 g) cornmeal (one small handful) for the baking sheet
Sesame seeds, optional

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water and yeast and let sit for 20 to 30 seconds to allow the yeast to dissolve. Dump the all-purpose flour, bread flour, sugar, and salt onto the water. Turn the mixer on low speed and let the dough mix for about 30 seconds. When the dough is still shaggy looking, drizzle in the oil, aiming it along the side of the bowl to keep it from splashing.

With the mixer still on low, knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes or until it is smooth and supple. The dough should be somewhat sticky but still smooth and have an elastic, stretchy consistency. If it is much stiffer, mix in a few tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) water; if it is much looser, add all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon (8 g) at a time, until it reaches the proper consistency.

Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with an oiled piece of plastic wrap or a lint-free cloth. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place (78 to 82 degrees F is ideal) for 2 to 3 hours and let the dough rise until it is about double in bulk.

Sprinkle a large baking sheet with cornmeal.

Using a bench scraper, divide the dough in half, on a lightly floured surface, shape each half into a rough square, about 4 x 4 inches. Divide each half into 4 equal-size pieces. With lightly floured hands, press/pat each piece into a circle. Bring the edges of the dough into the center so they all meet in the middle. Turn the dough piece over and keep tucking the dough underneath so you have a little tight ball of dough.

Place the ball of dough on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the other 7 pieces of dough. Sprinkle the dough balls with flour and lightly cover with a lint-free cloth or oiled plastic wrap and place in a warm area (78 to 82 degrees F) for about 2 hours or until the dough is doubled in size and soft.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in center of oven.

Remove the cloth/plastic wrap. Sprinkle the rolls with a little more flour and slap them flat with the palm of your hand to deflate the dough. Sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds, if desired. Place in oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until rolls are golden brown. Remove and let cool.

These buns are best on the day they are made. You can serve them up to 2 days later, reheated for a few minutes in a 350 degree F oven.

*Disclaimer* I received no compensation to write this review other than a free copy of the book. My opinions are always my own.

Fresh Fruit Tart

2013-03-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

I first shared this fruit tart recipe over four years ago on Mission: Food. It was one of my favorites then and it still is. It's incredibly easy to prep the dough and pastry cream in advance and then bake off the shell and assemble the tart on game day.

It's also one of the most impressive and beautiful desserts one can make with limited resources. My kitchen and photography skills have improved exponentially over the years and I felt like a recipe of this caliber deserved to be revisited (and rephotographed). In fact it's the only recipe I've re-shared nearly verbatim, but that's how much I love it!

In addition to its relative ease and impressive aesthetics, I also love how this tart can change vastly based on seasonality and personal preference. One can easily stick to only one or two fruits, or select a large and colorful array. I have never made the same fruit tart twice.

Fresh Fruit Tart
Makes 1 (9-to-11-inch) tart

1 fully baked and cooled tart shell (see below)
2 1/2 cups pastry cream (see below)
2 to 4 cups fruit, sliced or whole depending on type
3 tablespoons apricot jam, to glaze

Spoon pastry filling into prepared tart shell about three-fourths full. You may not use all of the pastry cream. Set aside the leftovers. Smooth out the cream, and decoratively top with the fruit.

In a small saucepan, heat the apricot jam over low heat until it liquefies, then strain it to remove any solid bits of fruit. Brush the glaze over the fruit. This tart is best served the day it is made.

Pâte Sucrée
Makes 2 (9-to-11-inch) tart shells (you will only need 1 for this tart, so freeze the rest of the dough or make 2 tarts)

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon (128 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and salt together on medium speed until smooth. Mix in the egg and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the flour and mix on low speed until incorporated.

On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 2 equal balls and shape each into a disk 1/2-inch thick. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. This dough can also be frozen in a freezer bag for and later defrosted in the fridge the night before use. The dough will keep well frozen for a few weeks.

Place a disk of dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out 1/8-inch thick, rolling from center to edge in all directions. Lift and rotate the dough occasionally, to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Add more flour if necessary. Work quickly to keep the dough as cold as possible throughout this process. Lightly wrap the dough circle over the rolling pin and carefully unroll it over a 9-to-11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (if using an 11-inch tart pan you may have to roll the dough a touch thinner, but it will be enough to fit the pan). When the dough has been lightly pressed into the proper shape, use the rolling pin to roll over all the metal edges, thus cutting the overhanging dough perfectly. Do not stretch the dough into the pan or else it will shrink when baking. If the dough tears at all, patch it with leftover bits of dough, pressing firmly. This is a very forgiving dough, unlike some others.

Place the tart pan into the fridge for about 15 minutes or until firm.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Prick the insides of the shell with a fork. Line the shell with a piece of parchment and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for about 10 minutes, then remove the pie weights and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack until ready to use. These baked shells will keep, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for 1 week, or in the freezer for 2 weeks.

Pastry Cream
Makes 2 1/2 cups

2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla paste, or 1/2 a vanilla bean with the seeds scraped out
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (115 grams) sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter

Pour the milk, vanilla, and salt into a heavy saucepan and heat over medium-high, bringing the milk just to under a boil, stirring occasionally so the milk doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar and cornstarch.

When the milk is ready, slowly ladle about one-third into the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture back into the hot milk and continue whisking over medium heat until the custard is noticeably thicker, about 2 minutes.

To check the correct thickness of the cream, dip a wooden spoon into the custard, remove it and run your finger across it. It should leave a line where your finger crossed. When the custard is thick enough, remove it from the heat and strain it into a clean bowl.

Let cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cut the butter into 1 tablespoon pieces and whisk the butter into the cream, one piece at a time. To cool the cream, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and press the wrap directly onto the top of the cream. Once the cream is a little cooler, put it into the fridge to finish cooling. Pastry cream will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Macaroni and Three Cheeses

2013-03-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

One can't possibly have enough macaroni and cheese recipes in their repertoire. It's the essential crowd-pleaser that bridges the gap between young and old. Elevated from what comes in a blue box, homemade mac and cheese has many benefits other than its superior flavor (and lack of artificial ingredients, food coloring, and preservatives).

When you make your own mac and cheese, you can essentially use any cheeses you like. Here I've selected a trifecta of beautifully complimentary cheeses: cheddar for its sharpness, Gouda for its nutty and creamy characteristics, and Havarti for it's mild and buttery balance. All three are great melting cheeses. All three would be great on their own in a macaroni and cheese, but here they work in conjunction to provide the best that each can offer.

Homemade mac and cheese also benefits from a variety of pasta shapes that can be selected. Traditionally, elbows and shells are common, but I love occasionally using pipette (basically ridged elbows that are pinched on one end) and rotini (corkscrews). For this occasion, my nephew's first birthday party, I really wanted something especially playful. I selected wagon wheels, which are just as much fun for me as they are for kids, trust me! They also have fun little pockets for cheese sauce to nestle inside. They're equally perfect for homemade stove top macaroni and cheese!

This is my basic, go-to baked macaroni and cheese recipe. I sometimes scale it down to make less, and I often change up the variety of cheeses, the type of crust on top, etc. Feel free to make it your own! That's the fun of this versatile dish!

P.S. Because this mac and cheese was prepared for a birthday party, it had some time to rest before we actually sat down to eat, which is why it doesn't appear to be particularly "saucy" in the photographs. If you dig in shortly after it emerges from the oven, it will have less time to set up as it did here. Either way, it stole the show at the party and everyone loved it!

Macaroni and Three Cheeses
Serves 8 to 12

8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
8 ounces Gouda cheese, grated
8 ounces Havarti cheese, grated
1 pound small pasta, such as elbows, shells, pipette, rotini, or wagon wheels
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk (any kind will do), heated to a simmer
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup panko
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil or melted butter

Mix the cheddar, Gouda, and Havarti cheeses together in a large bowl, and reserve 1 cup for the topping. Set aside.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add salt and the pasta, and cook half as long as the box suggests for al dente (it will continue cooking in the oven). Drain and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour to make a roux and whisk until it is nice and smooth. Cook for a couple minutes to cook out the raw flour flavor, but do not allow the roux to brown. Add the hot milk a little at a time, whisking in between each addition, until it has all been incorporated. Cook, constantly whisking, about 5 to 8 more minutes on medium-high heat until it begins to simmer and thicken (it should coat the back of a spoon easily). Season with mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and whisk in the shredded cheese mixture a little at a time until completely combined.

Once the cheeses are all combined and melted, add the pasta and stir to coat. Pour the pasta into a greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish, or divide into small oven-proof bowls or ramekins. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheese over the top. Drizzle the olive oil over the panko and toss with your fingers to mix. Distribute the panko over the pasta. At this point, the macaroni and cheese can be cooled and then covered and refrigerated until ready to bake.

Bake the pasta for 20 to 25 minutes until nice and bubbly, and golden brown. If the casserole was refrigerated, bake it covered in aluminum foil for about 15 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake until bubbly and golden, another 20 to 25 minutes. If desired, finish the casserole under the broiler to get a bit more color and crunch on top. Allow the pasta to cool for a minute before serving, as it will be extremely hot.

General Tso's Chicken Dumplings & Asparagus with Soy and Sesame

2013-03-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

For the record, I have never dined at Nine Dragons at Walt Disney World's Epcot in the World Showcase, but this is the second recipe I am featuring from there, the first being their Honey Sesame Chicken (delicious!). I have read reviews of the restaurant and each one of them swooned over the General Tso's Chicken Dumplings, so I reached out to Disney to see if they would share the recipe. They did!

Their recipe had some gaps, however. For one thing, it didn't include a recipe for the dipping sauce, which is described on the menu as a Chinese red sauce. Reviews have described it as a barbecue style sauce, and so I used my imagination to create the sauce I envisioned. The recipe also originally used store-bought wrappers, and said the filling would be enough for 10 dumplings.

Well let me assure you, this filling was more than enough for 32 dumplings. That's a much safer number :) I personally love making my dumpling wrappers from scratch and so of course this dumpling adventure was no exception. You can easily substitute store-bought wrappers, but I will totally judge you. Seriously. If I can do it, you can do it. Take pride in your cooking!

The only other change I've made in the recipe below (other than adding a lot more information to the method of prep to alleviate things... and using chicken breast instead of thighs) is to cut down on the amount of black pepper. The original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon. Against my better judgement I followed the original recipe and resulted in deliciously juicy dumplings... that contained way too much black pepper. At first bite it wasn't that bad, but a few dumplings in you start to feel the burn in the back of your throat. It just gets more and more overwhelming. Totally different burn than you get with hot sauce, trust me.

My brother-in-law LOVED the dumplings exactly as they were, black pepper and all, but in the future I would definitely scale back the black pepper by half, and this is the measurement I have included in the recipe below.

Also, to make this a complete meal I included a really simple and delicious side dish of asparagus with soy sauce and sesame. It was easy to prep in advance and was served cold, which saved me a lot of last minute trouble. The asparagus was a cool and refreshing break to the spiciness of the dumplings. A perfect match indeed!

General Tso's Chicken Dumplings
Makes 32 dumplings
(Adapted from Nine Dragons at Walt Disney World's Epcot World Showcase; Dough recipe from Asian Dumplings)

Filling:
8 ounces skinless chicken thigh or breast meat
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce (such as Tabasco or Frank's Red Hot)

Dough:
10 ounces (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
About 3/4 cup just-boiled water (boil water, then let it sit for a minute off the heat before measuring)

Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

To make the filling: first mince the chicken by pulsing it in a food processor until it fine with small chunks but not a puree. Transfer the minced chicken to a large mixing bowl.

Add the remaining filling ingredients to the mixing bowl. Stir in one direction for about 2 minute or until all ingredients are uniform and liquids are completely absorbed by the meat. Refrigerate the filling until needed.

To make the dough: place a large mixing bowl over a damp paper towel on your work surface, to keep in place while mixing. Add the flour and make a well. Use a wooden spoon to mix the flour while you add the water in a steady stream. Mix together until you have a lot of lumpy bits, then knead the hot dough in the bowl until the dough comes together. Add water by the teaspoon if the dough does not come together.

Continue kneading the dough on a lightly floured surface (only flour if necessary, and do so sparingly) for a couple more minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic (my mixing bowl was very large so I finished kneading directly in the bowl and it was just fine). The dough should bounce back when pressed with your finger, but leave a light impression of your finger. Place dough in a zip-top bag, seal tightly, pressing out excess air, and set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes up to 2 hours. The dough will steam up the bag and soften. After resting, the dough can be used right away, or refrigerated overnight and returned to room temperature before using.

To assemble the dumplings, remove the dough from the bag, turning the bag inside out if the dough is sticky. Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut it in half. Put half back in the bag, squeezing out the air and sealing it closed to prevent drying.

Roll the dough into a 1-inch-thick log and cut into 16 pieces (cut in half, then cut each half in half, and so on to create pieces that are even in size. The tapered end pieces should be cut slightly larger). If your pieces are oval, stand them on one of the cut ends and gently squeeze with your fingers to make them round, like a scallop. Take each piece of dough and press each cut end in flour, lightly pressing the dough to about 1/4 inch thick and set aside.

Next, flatten each dough disk into a thin circle, about 1/8 inch thick, either with a tortilla press (lined with plastic wrap), or with a heavy flat-bottomed object like a frying pan (also lined with plastic). Alternatively, use a dowel (which is a good lightweight rolling pin alternative for fast and flexible dumpling making) to lightly roll out each disc into an 1/8 inch thick circle.

To finish the wrappers, place wrappers one at a time on your work surface, and flour only if sticky. Imagine a quarter-size circle in the center of the dough. This is what the Chinese call the "belly" of the wrapper. You want to create a wrapper that is larger than its current size, but still retaining a thick "belly" in the center. This ensures an even distribution of dough when the dumpling is sealed. Use the rolling pin to apply pressure to the outer 1/2-to-3/4-inch border of the wrapper. Roll the rolling pin in short downward strokes with one hand while the other hand turns the wrapper in the opposite direction. Aim for wrappers that are about 3 1/4 inches in diameter. When a batch of wrappers is formed, fill them before making wrappers out of the other portion of dough.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (if planning to refrigerate dumplings for several hours, also dust with flour to prevent sticking). Hold a wrapper in a slightly cupped hand and scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling slightly off-center toward the upper half of the wrapper, pressing and shaping it into a flat mound and keeping a 1/2-to-3/4-inch border on all sides.

To make "pleated crescent" shapes (as photographed), make the first pinch between index finger and thumb, then fold over the front edge to form the first pleat and press it against the back edge. Continue pleating the dough in this fashion until making the final pleat and then settle the dumpling on a work surface and press the edges to seal well.

Alternatively, to make "pea pod" shapes, fold the edge of the wrapper closest to you to meet the top edge and pinch together to seal well. Place on your work surface and press gently to steady the dumpling and make it sit flat. Fold the sealed edges of the dumpling to make a series of pleats from one end to the other.

Place finished dumplings on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and dough, spacing out dumplings about 1/2 inch apart. Keep the finished dumplings covered with a dry kitchen towel.

When all the dumplings are assembled, they can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours and can be cooked straight from the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze them on their baking sheet until hard (about 1 hour), transfer to a zip-top freezer bag, pressing out excess air before sealing, and frozen for up to 1 month. To cook after freezing, partially thaw, using your finger to smooth over any cracks that may have formed during freezing, before cooking.

To make the dipping sauce: Mix together all of the ingredients and set aside until needed.

Place the dumplings into a bamboo steamer lined with a perforated parchment circle or cabbage leaves (to keep the dumplings from sticking to the steamer) steam over boiling water for for 10 to 12 minutes until cooked through. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Asparagus with Soy Sauce and Sesame
Serves 4
(From Viet World Kitchen)

1 pound medium asparagus spears
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 teaspoons light (regular) soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon toasted hulled (white) sesame seeds

Use your fingers to snap off the woody ends of each asparagus spear. If they are short (around 4 inches long) like the ones I bought, keep them that length. Otherwise, cut them on the diagonal into dramatic 2 inch lengths.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. While the water heats up, ready a large bowl of ice water and set it near the stove. Add all the asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until bright green and crisp tender. Eat one to make sure.

Drain in a colander, then immediately transfer to the ice water bath to cool. Drain again, pat the asparagus dry with paper towel or a dishtowel, then set aside in a bowl or plastic zip-top bag. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

For the dressing, combine the sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar in a bowl, stirring or whisking to dissolve the sugar. Taste and make sure the flavor is balanced between being rich, salty and sweet. About 2 hours before serving, toss the asparagus in the dressing and set aside for the seasonings to penetrate. Right before serving, transfer to a plate and garnish with a shower of sesame seeds.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

2013-03-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

Long after your green tee-shirts and shamrock-covered hats have been put into hibernation, these cupcakes will still haunt you. Unlike the alcoholic beverage, which can curdle if not drunk fast enough, these cupcakes will not give you a hangover the next day (contrary to popular belief).

You may feel equally as guilty afterwards, be it from the decadent Baileys buttercream or the whiskey-spiked ganache filling, but life is a celebration so I say just go with it.

The cupcakes themselves acquire an Earthiness from the Guinness, but otherwise taste mostly of chocolate. Moist, delicious, and fluffy chocolate. The best kind! It's the whiskey ganache filling (which is reminiscent of those little chocolates filled with liquor... you know, the ones at the duty free shop at the Canadian border... in the mid-90s... and my first taste of alcohol when I was decidedly underage) and the Baileys buttercream that punch you in the face. Bam!

In fact, transporting these cupcakes to my friends' house made my car smell like Baileys. My entire car. I'm pretty sure my car would have failed a Breathalyzer if it were human. I'm so glad I wasn't pulled over. They wouldn't have believed me. The sacrifices we make for baked goods.

Also, I'm happy to report that these photographs were taken with my brand new Canon DSLR camera! I think they could stomp all over the pictures taken with my old camera. I'm still learning how to use it and playing around with various settings and such, but so far so good! The only adjustment I made to these pics was to sharpen them slightly. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship :)

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes
Makes 24
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 cup Guinness
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Whiskey Ganache Filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon Irish whiskey, or to taste

Baileys Buttercream:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Baileys Irish cream

Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring the Guinness and butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs and sour cream. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 to 19 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely.

Make the filling: Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. (If this has not sufficiently melted the chocolate, you can return it to a double-boiler to gently melt what remains. 20 seconds in the microwave, watching carefully, will also work.) Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined.

Fill the cupcakes: Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped (the fridge will speed this along but you must stir it every 10 minutes). Meanwhile, using a 1-inch round cookie cutter, paring knife, or melon baller (my personal choice), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes. You want to go most of the way down the cupcake but not cut through the bottom — aim for 2/3 of the way. Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Make the frosting: Whip the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer for several minutes until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, until fluffy and thick. Drizzle in the Baileys and whip it until combined. If this has made the frosting too thin (it shouldn't, but just in case) beat in another spoonful or two of powdered sugar.

Frost the cupcakes as desired.

Do ahead: You can bake the cupcakes a week or two in advance and store them, well wrapped, in the freezer. You can also fill them before you freeze them. They also keep filled — or filled and frosted — in the fridge for a day. (Longer, they will start to get stale.)

Thomas Keller's Brined Pork Tenderloin

2013-03-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

As the main attraction for my sister's birthday dinner, I made a slightly adapted version of Thomas Keller's brined pork tenderloin from Ad Hoc at Home. One component, slices of cured lemon required 2 weeks advance notice to prepare. That didn't happen. I decided to just omit lemons entirely.

I also omitted fresh rosemary from both the brine and pork because I didn't have any, but I used plenty of thyme and other herbs and spices. This pork was incredibly juicy and flavorful. Although the pork wasn't salty, I think brining the pork shy of 4 hours wouldn't hurt it either.

My pork was pink and juicy when I cut it, but unfortunately it sat for a few minutes before I was able to plate and the residual heat made the pink tone on the exterior of the slices fade, but they were still pink and perfect inside! Take my word for it!

Even without the cured lemons, I think this tenderloin is great. The brine adds a lot of flavor and helps maintain juiciness in this very lean cut of meat. It is the perfect canvas for the sweet carrots and peppery parsnips with which it shares a plate.

Pork Brine
Makes 2 quarts, or enough for up to 4 pounds of pork
(Adapted from Ad Hoc at Home)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
12 bay leaves
1/2 bunch (1/2 ounce thyme)
1/2 bunch (about 2 ounces) flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup garlic cloves, crushed, skin left on
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 cup Diamond brand Crystal kosher salt (if using another brand of kosher salt, such as Morton, only use 5 ounces)
8 cups water

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot, cover, and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and cool completely, then chill before using. The brine can be refrigerated for up to three days.

*Note* This is the full recipe for the brine, but when I made it I actually scaled everything by 3/4. I had about 3 pounds of pork (not a full 4 pounds) so I figured I didn't need the full amount of brine. You can easily make the whole recipe (which I've shared), or scale it down as I did.

Brined Pork Tenderloin
Serves 6
(Adapted from Ad Hoc at Home)

Pork Brine, cold
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 1/4 pounds each), silverskin and excess fat removed
Canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, smashed, skin left on
6 thyme sprigs

Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the pork and add the pork. Refrigerate for 4 hours (no longer, or the pork may become too salty).

Remove the pork (discard the brine) and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels, or let air-dry. Let the tenderloin sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan.

Pour some canola oil into a large frying pan or small roasting pan large enough to hold the pork and heat over medium-high heat until hot.

Season the tenderloins with kosher salt and pepper, add to the pan and sear, turning them occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes.

Add the butter, garlic, and thyme and cook, tilting the pan and using the spoon to baste the pork with the juices, for 2 minutes.

Transfer the meat to the roasting rack. Top with the garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Roast until the internal temperature is 135° to 140°F (use the latter if you prefer your pork less pink), about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 15 minutes for medium-rare to medium.

Slice the pork on the diagonal into 1/2-to-3/4–inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices on a serving platter and garnish with the garlic and thyme.

Two Delicious Sides: Caramelized Spiced Carrots with Honey and Orange, and Silky Parsnip Purée

2013-03-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

My sister's birthday was this past weekend. Along with making her favorite chocolate peanut butter cup cupcakes, I dished out some of Thomas Keller's brined pork tenderloin (recipe coming soon) with a couple of seasonal sides (all sourced from local farms). Both sides came from a fabulous cookbook I had the pleasure of reviewing last fall: Roots.

First off, I had a couple pounds of rainbow carrots from my local CSA. I definitely wanted to showcase their beautiful colors and thought that roasting them would further enhance them. Rather than simply roast them with olive oil and seasonings, as I normally would, I decided to try Diane Morgan's version of roasted carrots which combine them with orange juice, orange zest, spices and some honey. The result had a great balance of spice and sweetness, while still boasting the carrots themselves.

Essentially, the carrots are steamed in the orange juice mixture and then later tossed with honey and finished uncovered to allow the orange juice/honey mixture to thicken and cling to the beautiful carrot slices. I thought this was a marvelous preparation and would definitely make this again as a great all-around side dish. I also like that it can be served at room temperature, which would make it work well for a picnic or potluck as well.

I was also graced with a couple pounds of fresh parsnips from my local CSA. Rather than roast these as well (which could have been a possibility), I decided doing a purée would offer a nice change in textures on the plate. This purée is so simple, that it barely requires a recipe. But having a foolproof one doesn't hurt.

The result is a smooth and velvety purée with a sharp parsnip flavor that balances the sweetness on the plate from the carrots. Together they were excellent compliments to my pork tenderloin.

Caramelized Spiced Carrots with Honey and Orange
Serves 4 to 6
(Adapted from Roots)

1 pounds carrots, trimmed, peeled, and cut on a severe diagonal into 1/2-inch thick slices
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground Aleppo chile
3 tablespoons honey

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil. Place the carrots in the pan and toss with the orange juice, oil, orange zest, salt, spices, and chile. Cover tightly with another sheet of aluminum foil and roast, stirring once or twice, until the carrots are crisp-tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes.

Add the honey and toss to coat. Increase the oven to 450 degrees F and continue roasting, uncovered, until the carrots are tender and dark brown around the edges, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately, or let cool and serve warm, barely warm, or at room temperature.

Silky Parsnip Purée
Makes 3 cups; serves 4 to 6 as a side dish
(From Roots)

2 pounds parsnips, trimmed, peeled, and diced
1 1/2 cups milk
1 garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher or fine sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

In a medium saucepan, combine the parsnips, milk, garlic, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover partially and cook until the parsnips are very tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Keep the milk at a slow simmer so it doesn't curdle.

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Transfer the contents of the pan to a food process and process until a silky, smooth purée forms. Add the butter and process until incorporated. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve. The parsnip purée can be made up to 3 days in advance, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Reheat in a double boiler or microwave oven.

Crispy Braised Chicken Thighs with Olives, Lemon, and Fennel

2013-03-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have a lot of cookbooks. A lot. They don't all get the same quality of love. Some are just pretty to look at, others are great to reference, while others spend more time in my kitchen than I can count. Although I enjoy writing my own recipes, I am often looking for recipes to try from my favorite cookbooks because even though I do know a thing or two about developing recipes, sometimes I look to the masters to offer up something that is already flawless. Thomas Keller fits the bill perfectly.

His Ad Hoc at Home is the holy grail for any home cook. It may not be quite as refined as The French Laundry Cookbook, for example, but it uses the same elements for creating explosive flavors in a more homey atmosphere. It works better for me since I can't possible feed my family 3 Michelin Star quality food on a daily basis. Life just doesn't work that way.

These crispy braised chicken thighs are a perfect weeknight meal. They don't require as much time to prepare as some other braises do, and the flavor is excellent. The typically potent fennel softens in flavor as it cooks down in the enriched broth.

Strips of lemon zest (I used a whole lemon's worth instead of the 4 strips required), fresh thyme, bay leaves, onion, garlic, chili flakes, and briny olives all create layers of flavor in the braising liquid. Beware of oversalting because the olives themselves offer up quite a bit of salt in their own right. I used large pitted olives and would halve them in the future to cut down a bit on the bite they offer.

I used some fennel fronds to garnish instead of the parsley called for in the recipe. Nearly anything green would be fine, though.

Crispy Braised Chicken Thighs with Olives, Lemon, and Fennel
Serves 6
(From Ad Hoc at Home)

3 fennel bulbs
12 chicken thighs
Kosher salt
Canola oil
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1 cup Ascolane or other large green olives, such as Cerignola
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 fresh or 2 dried bay leaves
4 strips lemon zest, removed with a vegetable peeler
8 thyme sprigs
1 cup chicken stock
About 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Cut off fennel stalks. Trim bottom of bulbs and peel back the layers until you reach the core; reserve the core for another use. Discard any bruised layers, and cut the fennel into 2-by-1/2-inch batons. You need 3 cups fennel for this recipe; reserve any remaining fennel for another use.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set a cooling rack on a baking sheet.

Season chicken thighs on both sides with salt. Heat some canola oil in a large ovenproof saute pan or roasting rack that will hold all the thighs in one layer over medium-high heat. Add thighs skin-side down and brown on the skin side, about 4 minutes. Turn thighs over and cook for about 1 minute to sear the meat. Transfer to the cooling rack.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add onion to the pan, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in fennel, turn heat up to medium, and cook, stirring often, until fennel is crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.

Pour in wine and simmer for about 2 minutes to burn off alcohol. Stir in olives, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, lemon zest, and thyme, then pour in chicken stock. Increase heat, bring liquid to a simmer, and cook until fennel is tender, about 1 minute.

Taste the stock and season with salt as needed. Return chicken to the pan skin-side-up, in a single layer. When the liquid returns to a simmer, transfer to the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Turn on the broiler, and put pan under the broiler for a minute or two to crisp and brown the skin. Remove from oven, and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with parsley leaves.

Maialino: Breakfast in the City

2013-03-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

On a recent trip to the Big Apple, I made plans to catch up with a couple of my friends over a mid-week breakfast. Even in the city that never sleeps, some popular weekend brunch spots aren't necessarily open for breakfast during the week. After a bit of Googling, I discovered that Maialino is a open for breakfast during the week, and considering my eternal love for all of Danny Meyer's restaurants, I was really excited to finally add Maialino to the list.

Photo courtesy maialinonyc.com

Some of Meyer's restaurants I've previously dined at include The Union Square Cafe (which I've discussed twice on Mission: Food), Gramercy Tavern, Shake Shack (a perennial favorite, and I've dined at 4 different locations), and Eleven Madison Park (which no longer belongs to him, but his influence certainly lives on so it will stay under the Danny Meyer umbrella in my eyes). I had wanted to try Maialino, Meyer's Italian restaurant in the Gramercy Park Hotel, for some time, but never really had the opportunity until this occasion.

Iced Latte

The food and service certainly lived up to my expectations from a member of the Union Square Hospitality Group (Danny Meyer's company). I was perhaps most thrilled by the fact that it was open early on weekdays for breakfast, making it super convenient for this meetup. Like I said before, the list for great breakfast in the city on a Wednesday morning is pretty short. Along with my iced latte, I shared a few baked treats with my companions, all of which are made in house.

Clockwise from top left: Ricotta Chocolate Chip Bread ($4), Olive Oil Muffin ($3), and Chocolate Croissant ($4)

Our selection included an olive oil muffin, chocolate croissant, and ricotta chocolate chip bread. The olive oil muffin and ricotta chocolate chip bread were moist and decadent, while the chocolate croissant had a beautiful shatter to the crust with a still-melted chocolate filling. Each of these sweets is excellent in its own right, and the prices are very reasonable for an establishment of this caliber ($3-$4 each). I was tempted to take some baked goods to go as well. Perhaps next time!

Contadino $14

My friends both ordered one of the most popular breakfast dishes on the menu, the Contadino, which is poached eggs served with seasonal vegetables. In this case, it the eggs were served atop roasted carrots, chicory, and sunchokes. Both of my friends were very pleased with their choices and allowed me to steal a bite as well. Delicious. Would happily consider this for my next visit to Maialino. I can see why it's so popular with regular diners.

Fagioli e Cotiche

I was tempted by a new dish on the menu, the Fagioli e Cotiche, a dish of white beans stewed with prosciutto skins and served with a sunnyside egg on top. Much like the rest of the menu, this dish appears to be seasonal, as it has already been removed from the offerings. I can't imagine anyone wanting stewed beans in the middle of summer anyway. For what its worth, I thought this was a delicious and comforting dish for a chilly morning. It was garnished with a bit too much parsley, in my opinion, but otherwise it was a solid meal, especially along with the charred Italian bread.

Our mid-week breakfast was made even more eventful once the table next to ours was seated. Imagine my surprise when I glanced over and saw Danny Meyer himself seated with a guest and enjoying breakfast just as we were. If it's good enough for Danny, its certainly good enough for me :) On our way out, I just paused to say hello to the man responsible for some of my favorite restaurants. I had met him previously at Gramercy Tavern and mentioned that during my hello. In typical fashion, he remembered me and exactly where at Gramercy we had run into each other. I was impressed and flattered. Meeting Danny again was an additional, unexpected highlight to my breakfast! Whether a future visit to Maialino includes a run-in with its owner or not, I would be thrilled to dine here again.

Maialino

2 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10010

212-777-2410

www.maialinonyc.com

Risotto Cakes with Poached Eggs

2013-02-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Wow, time flies. My blog is 4 years old today. She's no longer a toddler; she's well on her way to the big times... I hope! It's amazing to see how things have changed over the years, how my photographs have improved (and will hopefully continue to improve), how the layout has changed, and even how the recipes themselves have become more clear and easier to follow, perhaps. I'm really proud of my baby. She has come a long way. Thanks to all my readers for being a part of the Mission: Food family, whether it was for 4 years or 4 days. I really appreciate your existence in my world :) Now onto today's topic...

Risotto... it doesn't really reheat very well. It's definitely best the day it's made, which is why in a perfect world I would only make exactly as much risotto as I need for a meal. But my math doesn't always match my appetite. Sometimes I end up with leftover risotto, and I hate wasting food.

That's where these risotto cakes come into play! Similar to Italian arancini, but easier to make because they aren't stuffed or deep-fried, they simply require leftover risotto and some breadcrumbs to create the crust. They are then pan-fried to golden perfection. The risotto inside heats up and regains its gooey texture while protected by its crisp exterior.

In this case, I decided to top the risotto cakes with some pea greens and poached eggs. Between the rich, runny yolk and the decadent creaminess of the risotto, this dish didn't need any sauce, but could easily include one if you wanted. I used leftover mushroom risotto from my Le Cellier Mushroom Filet creation from Disney World's Epcot. You can use any leftover risotto you have, and play around with other fillings or sauces, even, that would compliment the type of risotto you are using.

Risotto Cakes with Poached Eggs
Serves 2

1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1 cup leftover risotto, cold
1 T. olive oil
2 T. distilled white vinegar
4 eggs
Pea greens or other delicate, small greens such as arugula, baby spinach, or watercress

Place the breadcrumbs in a dish. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to portion out the risotto onto the dish of breadcrumbs, one at a time. The measuring cup with help give the risotto a round shape. Press the risotto into the breadcrumbs and flatten it to about 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick. Flip the risotto cake over, gently, and coat the other side generously with breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining risotto to form 4 cakes.

Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cakes and cook for a few minutes per side until golden brown. Remove risotto cakes to serving plates or keep warm in a low oven until needed.

Meanwhile, poach the eggs. Fill a medium to large, shallow saucepan about halfway with water. Add the vinegar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Crack 1 egg into a small bowl. If you have several small bowls on hand and don't mind getting them dirty, it saves some time to crack an egg into each bowl and have them all ready in advance. If not, you can do one at a time, reusing the same bowl. When the water is simmering, but not boiling, gently lower 1 egg at a time into the water.

If you feel confident, add more eggs, one at a time, into the simmering water. Just remember the order in which you add the eggs so you can remove them in the same order. Each egg should take about 3 minutes. The whites should be cooked through but the yolks should remain runny. When you remove an egg with a slotted spoon, it should feel fairly firm right where the white meets the yolk, but it should still have some give when you move closer to the yolk.

Remove each egg with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel if you'd like to soak up a bit of the water. Place a small handful of pea greens or other delicate greens on top of each risotto cake and then top with a poached eggs. Serve immediately.