Taste As You Go

Guest Post: Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:45:00 +0000

I have had the opportunity to meet some amazing bloggers through Taste As You Go, some personally and some virtually via Google Reader and Twitter. In an attempt to introduce my readers to some bloggers they may not know about and to highlight the writing skills of some incredibly talented people, I will be featuring Guest Posts on Taste As You Go from time to time.

Today's Guest Post was written by Greg Palmer, a fellow graduate of Lehigh University, an inspiring friend, and the first non-food blogger being featured here. Greg has been a source of relentless support and encouragement since I was laid off in August and I'm honored to offer him another forum in which to showcase his abilities. When you're finished reading Greg's Guest Post, you should check out his blog and his new online venture, CitizeNYC. Thanks for writing, Greg!

Fall is here, and that makes me crave home-style food with warm, deep flavors and colors like the leaves turning on the trees. I think of chicken pot pie, bubbling pot roast, and cozying up next to the non-existent fireplace in my tiny Manhattan apartment.

When I started planning my meal for Taste As You Go, I had a few goals in mind. First, and foremost, I wanted to capture the spirit of fall and the deep tastes of chicken pot pie. Second, I wanted to learn some new techniques to stretch myself as a cook. And, finally, I wanted each component of the meal to stand equally well on its own. No side dishes hastily thrown together to support the main entree -- everything had to be thoughtful and delicious.

So, in a fit of Top Chef madness, I decided to create my own version of chicken pot pie by breaking down the ingredients into individual dishes. My menu consisted of braised chicken thighs, rough-chopped roasted fall vegetables, and a simple risotto to recreate the creaminess of the gravy. I'll warn you now that I cook in very rough proportions, so these recipes will still work great if you modify them to your liking. (Editor's Note: Clearly, Greg embraces the concept of tasting as he goes!)

Braised Chicken
Adapted from Epicurious

12-15 bone-in chicken thighs
About 60 cloves of garlic, with the husk/skin still on (3 big bulbs should do it)
8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 1/2 cups dry white wine
6 large sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt
Pepper

Trim the excess fat off of the chicken thighs and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Smash the garlic cloves slightly - again, with the skin still on - to open up the flavors while still leaving them whole.

Heat about 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add a layer of chicken to the bottom of the pot and cook until it's brown on all sides. You'll need to work in 2-3 batches. (This took me 15 minutes per batch.) Set the mostly-cooked chicken aside on a plate.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic cloves to the mixture that's in the bottom of the pot. Stir until the garlic gets nice and golden, about 4-5 minutes, then add the wine and thyme and bring it all to a boil. Be sure to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan to take advantage of all that flavor.

Reduce the heat to medium and layer all of the chicken back into the pot. Cover and let simmer for 25-30 minutes. Every 5 minutes or so, move the chicken pieces around from top to bottom. The meat should get very tender and be almost falling off the bone.

While the chicken is simmering, prepare the risotto. This is a basic risotto recipe that I use to build more complex risottos. Contrary to popular belief, making risotto is EASY - it just takes time and patience. In this case, we're using it for the creamy texture and rich flavor, so I'm not adding any special ingredients to it (sausage, apples, etc.). Fresh Direct was featuring a really nice Piave Vecchio, so I subbed in that for half of the Parmesan. (Normally, I'd use a full 1/2 pound of Parmesan.)

Simple Risotto
Inspired by The Moment Blog

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
2 shallots, chopped (you can easily use an onion instead)
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 - 3/4 cup dry white wine
32 ounces vegetable broth (chicken broth works fine, too)
2 cups water
1/4 pound freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 pound freshly grated Piave Vecchio

Combine the broth and water in a medium-sized pot (whatever seems appropriate) and heat on medium-low heat. When you're cooking risotto, you want the broth you're adding to be warm or nearly hot. The temperature doesn't have to be exact, but room temperature or cold broth will cause the grains to seize up.

Heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat, then add the shallots, letting them cook until they get a bit soft. Add the Arborio rice and toast the grains, stirring constantly. This takes about 1-2 minutes. Add the white wine and stir. Once most of the alcohol burns off, add a half-ladle-full of broth. Keeping the temperature at medium and stirring constantly, continue adding the broth slowly in the manner every few minutes.

After 20 minutes or so, start tasting the grains for doneness, as you would with pasta. This is subjective - a risotto is done when it's creamy and still slightly chewy. Once cooked, stir in the grated cheese and, if you wish, a bit more butter. The addition of butter at the end of the cooking process creates a wonderfully rich, deep-flavored risotto.

Roasted Vegetables

The choice of which vegetables to use is up to you. I used butternut squash, fingerling potatoes, carrots, and white sweet potatoes, which I'd never worked with before. They're firmer and less sweet than traditional yams, but they are delicious! I just rough-chopped all of the veggies and mixed them up with a little fresh rosemary and olive oil in a plastic bag. Then, I spread them on a baking sheet and roasted them at 425°F for about 45 minutes, flipping them occasionally with a spatula.

I found that these recipes worked well together, especially since I thought them out in advance. I warmed the oven as I was preparing the veggies and starting to brown the chicken. Then I put the veggies in the oven and started the chicken simmering so I could focus on my risotto.

As for taste, these dishes didn't quite achieve my goals, but, for me, experimentation is why I cook. My dinner guests said the chicken was very nicely, but lightly, seasoned, which isn't exactly how I think of chicken pot pie. But the dishes were all wonderful. The high point of the process was the roasted white sweet potatoes -- I'll definitely be using those again!

Chocolate Chip Cookies For One

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:58:00 +0000

Living alone can have its benefits. I decide which DVDs to watch and when. I get to drink juice straight out of the carton. And, I can walk around my apartment in nothing but my skivvies without worrying about offending a roommate with my chosen state of undress. However, living alone can also have its downfalls. I'm 100% responsible for the rent and the paying of all of the bills. It gets lonely around here without having anyone to talk to. And, when I cook, I'm usually left with more leftovers than I know what to do with or a headache after trying to pare down a recipe that's meant to make 6-8 servings down to one that'll make 1-2 servings.

I found myself in that predicament a couple of weeks ago when, no matter what I did, I couldn't shake the deep craving I was having for freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. I thought I could get away with satisfying the craving by snacking on some of the Scharffen Berger Tasting Squares that I scored at the cooking class I attended with Chef Elizabeth Falkner last month. No go. I wanted the cookies. I had to have the cookies. So, I went to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients that I didn't already have on hand and devoted a Sunday afternoon to baking.

To keep things simple, I stuck with the classic Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe. The food enthusiast in me was screaming "Change up the recipe! Make it yours! Put your spin on it!" But I knew better than to try and compete with a craving like that. I'd feel awful if I attempted a new-to-me recipe and was disappointed with the results. Just making the dough lessened the intensity of the craving a bit. And when I poured the chocolate chips into the bowl to be folded into the dough, I inhaled deeply. There's nothing like the smell of those Morsels when they're fresh from the bag.

When I slid the first batch of cookies into the oven, a very somber thought hit me. That classic chocolate chip cookie recipe made 5 dozen cookies. What the hell was I going to do with 5 dozen cookies? In an ideal world where stomach aches and skin breakouts didn't exist, having all those cookies to myself would be a dream come true. But attempting to eat all of those cookies without assistance would only end one way -- badly. It then occurred to me that I did not have to bake all of the dough.

I wound up only baking half of it. I spooned out the rest of the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, as if I were going to bake it, and then slid the baking sheet into the freezer instead of the oven. A half hour later, I took the frozen pieces of cookie dough and put them into a freezer bag (with baking directions written on the outside) and put the bag back in the freezer. That way, if I had another chocolate chip cookie craving later, I could pull out a piece or two and bake them off without having to make a full recipe. Genius!

It turns out having cookie dough in the freezer is a very, very good thing because you can use it in a bunch of ways:

Bake the dough as needed (as described above)
Eat the dough raw, straight from the freezer (as I did for a midnight snack ~~once~~ a few times)
Chop the dough into smaller pieces and stir into ice cream

Stirring the dough into ice cream means you can choose the flavor rather than being stuck with plain old vanilla. Can't you just taste it.... Coffee Cookie Dough Ice Cream! I think I'd die on the spot if I could have that for dessert. And, "making" cookie dough ice cream this way instead of buying a pint of it at the grocery store is so much more economical!

I know, I know. Some of you are probably asking yourselves why I didn't just buy a package of refrigerated cookie dough. I could have saved myself a lot of time and trouble. But, remember what I said about inhaling deeply after pouring the chocolate chips into the dough? I would have missed out on that. To me, the refrigerated dough just isn't the same. The smell is different. The taste is different.

Cooking (or baking) isn't just about the final product -- it's about the process and about understanding how ingredients work with one another. It's about the experience.

Do you have any tips about making "dessert for one"?

A Taste of the Caribbean at Ideya Latin Bistro

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:06:00 +0000

(Photo courtesy of Ideya Latin Bistro)

Ideya Latin Bistro
349 West Broadway
New York, NY
(212) 625-1441

Do you know how difficult it is to schedule a dinner for four twenty-something women in New York City? I'll give you a hint. The last time I wrote a blog post about the adventures of the Phi Mu Dinner Club (PMDC), it was June. Um, hello... It's November now. I suppose that's what happens when one of us is in law school (Jena), one of us gets engaged (Linda), one of us gets a new job (Sarah), and one of us gets laid off (me). It took months and multiple instances of rescheduling to get us all in the same restaurant at the same time, but we were finally able to continue on our tour of world cuisine, ABC-style.

With "A" (Afghanistan) and "B" (Belgium) taken care of, we moved ahead on finding a cuisine for "C". Eventually, after tossing out the suggestions of "chocolate" and "cocktails" and "cookies" (no, we're not women...), we settled on Caribbean food because we'd have a lot of options. Ideya Latin Bistro in SoHo was the perfect choice! We sipped on pretty powerful cocktails while we perused the dinner menu and deliberated over which dishes to try and share. After making our decisions and putting in our order, we snacked on the complimentary crispy fried plantain chips and salsa. The plantain chips were delicious - slightly sweet and slighty salty - but I would have preferred a little more heat in the salsa.

Most of the dishes we ordered came from the Aperitivos section of the menu. None of us were terribly famished, so we thought splitting everything would be the best way to try a variety of dishes and the best way to keep ourselves on somewhat of a budget. Looking back, I think we may have gone a little out of control!

The Ceviche Caribe ($12) consisted of citrus-marinated tuna, mahi-mahi and cherry tomatoes that were all seasoned with star anise and tamarind essence. The flavors were clean and fresh and it made for a perfect starter. Especially considering the richness of the other dishes we ordered.

Like the Ropa Vieja de Pato ($11), Rioja-braised pulled duck with sweet potato croquetas and chive crema. This was, hands down, my favorite dish of the night and I immediately made a mental note to try and figure out how I could recreate this dish at home so I could enjoy it without having to make the trip to SoHo. The duck meat was succulently tender and just melted away in your mouth. And the pairing of the duck with the sweet potato croquetas made this an ideal dish for fall and made me reconsider my definition of "comfort food." It certainly made me forget that it had started to rain again earlier in the evening!

To make sure we incorporated beef into our meal, we also order the Empanada de Res ($10), which was filled with ancho- and cocoa-smoked short ribs and was served with a sour orange glaze. The four of us loved how gorgeous the empanada looked on the plate and hated cutting into it. But we got over it as soon as we tasted the filling... smoky and sweet and just as tender as the duck in the Ropa Vieja de Pato. I don't think we were disappointed with any of the food we had at Ideya Latin Bistro.

Even the side order of Tostones ($5) were delicious - simply prepared and not overly seasoned with salt. I'm glad Sarah suggested that we get a plate of them to share because it wouldn't really have felt like a Caribbean meal without them.

Although we were all full by the time our server cleared the table, we all dug down deep and ordered a piece of Chocolate Rum Bread Pudding ($9) to share. Typically, I'm not a fan of bread pudding because I don't like the consistency or the texture, but I went with the flow and jumped on the bread pudding wagon because everyone else wanted to try it. I'll be honest. What arrived a few minutes later didn't look like bread pudding to me. It was more like regular cake because it was drier than we all expected it to be. Tasty, sure... But I think this piece was from a tray that was left to bake a little too long.

Overall, an excellent meal. Throughout the entire evening, the restaurant was buzzing with the conversations of friends who were catching up, just like the four of us. It was hard to make the decision to leave because it was so warm and cozy in the restaurant and so cold and rainy outside. But, eventually, we bundled up and said goodbye to our little Caribbean retreat and vowed to make plans for our next destination dinner.

"D" -- I wonder where we'll be going next...

Guest Post: Post-Workout Veggie Burgers

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:24:00 +0000

I have had the opportunity to meet some amazing bloggers through Taste As You Go, some in person and some virtually via Google Reader and Twitter. In an attempt to introduce my readers to some bloggers they may not know about and to highlight the writing skills of some incredibly talented people, I will be featuring Guest Posts on Taste As You Go from time to time.

New York City is buzzing with excitement as it prepares to welcome the participants of the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1, so it is fitting that today's Guest Post was written by Ashley Hicks, one of my fabulous Twitter friends and one of my virtual running coaches. Ashley has been offering invaluable support and running tips as I prepare to run the Philadelphia Half Marathon in November. Seriously, I don't think I'd still be dragging my butt out of bed to train if it weren't for her. When you're finished reading Ashley's Guest Post, you should check out her blog, Black Girls Run. Thanks for writing, Ashley!

Hi, everyone! It's Ashley from Black Girls RUN! I'm a huge fan of the recipes that Michelle posts, and I'm really happy to be guest blogging. As an avid runner, I run four times a week and every Saturday is my long run day. It never fails that halfway through my nine-mile run, food is the foremost thought on my mind. I think this is partly because I pass by so many great restaurants, bakeries, and ice cream shops while running in downtown Charlotte.

However, afterwards, I am always torn between wanting a fabulous meal and not wanting to blow my hard work with a calorie-laden dish. Veggie burgers have become my happy medium -- they are full of protein and vegetables and really help me refuel. I'm not the biggest fan of store-bought burgers, so when I ran across this recipe from The Kitchn, I thought it would be a great template to help me create my perfect burger.

Post-Workout Veggie Burgers

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon canned beets, finely chopped
1 teaspoon beet juice
1/4 cup portabella mushrooms, diced
1/4 cup red bell peppers, diced
1/4 cup carrots, julienned
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup oatmeal, packed
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon mesquite seasoning
1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 egg white
Olive oil, for cooking the patties

In a large bowl, mash the black beans and the white beans with a fork. Add all of the chopped vegetables, the brown rice, and oatmeal. Stir in the spices, barbecue sauce, and egg white. If the mixture is too "wet," add more oatmeal. (You don't want the patties to be too wet or they will fall apart in the skillet.)

Form 6 patties out of the mixture. Heat olive oil in a large skill over medium heat. Cook the burgers for 3-4 minutes per side. Garnish with your favorite burger toppings and enjoy!

Ginger Sweet Potato Muffins

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:31:00 +0000

Confession time.

When I sat down to write out a new recipe for autumn-inspired muffins, I did not have Ginger Sweet Potato Muffins in mind. I originally envisioned pulling a batch of freshly baked Pumpkin Maple Muffins out of my oven but was foiled by the lack of proper ingredients in my neighborhood grocery store. I was dumbfounded when I went to purchase a can of pumpkin puree and could only find cans of pre-seasoned pumpkin pie filling. Sure, I could have purchased an actual pumpkin and roasted it and pureed it at home, but I was testing a new recipe and didn't want to invest that kind of effort (or money) in something that had the potential to end badly. (You never can tell when you're working with a new recipe.)

Instead of leaving the store feeling completely dejected, I thought on my feet and vowed to alter the recipe in my head to accommodate the ingredients the store did have. Challenge! Pushing aside the cans of pumpkin pie filling in hopes of discovering a can of plain old puree, I found a can of organic sweet potato puree hiding at the back of the shelf. Aha! Perfect! To me, fall wouldn't be fall without some dishes featuring sweet potatoes, so I knew right away that I'd still be able to come up with something that tasted fantastic and was appropriate for the season. Or, at least, I prayed that the final product would taste fantastic.

Well, my prayers were answered! These muffins were delicious - sweet from the sweet potato and maple syrup and spicy from the ground ginger. If you're a fan of gingerbread or crave the Gingerbread Latte from Starbucks the second the temperatures begin to dip in early September, then you'll absolutely love these muffins. Serve them warm and slathered with butter or whipped cream cheese. You won't be sorry!

Ginger Sweet Potato Muffins - Makes 12 medium muffins

Printable Recipe

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup milk

1 cup sweet potato puree

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line muffin pan with muffin cups. In a large bowl, combine whole egg, egg yolk, brown sugar, melted butter, milk, sweet potato puree, and maple syrup. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Combine the wet and dry mixtures, folding together gently until just mixed.

Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool for 2 minutes on a wire rack before serving.

The VIP Ocean Spray Party with Tyler Florence and Duff Goldman

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:40:00 +0000

My invitation to Ocean Spray's "Bogs Across America" event at Rockefeller Center not only included the opportunity to meet and interview Duff Goldman from the Food Network's Ace of Cakes, but it also included the opportunity to attend the VIP Party later that evening, where Tyler Florence was scheduled to present the awards to the Grand Prize winners of the 2009 Ultimate Cranberry Recipe Contest. We all gathered at the Loft & Garden of Rockefeller Center, taking in the breathtaking view and sipping on drinks before heading in to taste samples of the finalists' recipes and to hear the announcement of the winners.

As I was heading out to the garden after I checked my coat, what should I hear but a woman's voice asking, "Are you Michelle from Taste As You Go?" When I answered in the affirmative, the woman replied, "I'm Megan! I just wrote a Guest Post for you!" What a crazy small world! Here's a picture of the lovely Megan with Lewis Thompson, one of the finalists in the Foodservice Category of the Recipe Contest and the creator of the Tropical Summer Sling. Of course, they're drinking the cocktail Lewis invented. Unfortunately, since I wasn't sure just how much cranberry juice was in it, I had to pass on trying the drink and settle for white wine instead. Such a sacrifice, I know.

Once we all had the chance to grab something to drink, we were led inside for the tasting and the presentation of the cake and awards.

I loved being able to see the cake up close after watching Duff put the finishing touches on it while standing in the middle of the cranberry bog earlier that day. It was clear that a lot of time and effort and detail went into every aspect of the cake, including the clothes worn by the Ocean Spray growers being depicted. Although the lighting is poor in the third photo in the above group of photos, you can see that the man is wearing a Phillies shirt, something I thought my boyfriend (an avid Phillies fan) would appreciate.

After the ceremonial first slice of cake was cut and the cake was wheeled back out of sight, Tyler kicked off the tasting by announcing the names of the recipes from the Foodservice Category. In addition to Lewis's Tropical Summer Sling, there was also the Trail Mix Tortoni from Bryan Buffington (pictured above), the Asian Shrimp and Scallops with Ginger Cranberry Syrup from Katsuto Sandifer, and the Cranberry Wontons with Cranberry Jalapeno Jelly Dipping Sauce from Chris Wright.

Because of my cranberry allergy, I only allowed myself the tiniest bite of the tortoni and only half of a scallop. Unfortunately, I missed out on the wontons. The dishes I tried were good, but I wasn't particularly blown away by either one of them. A bit of a letdown since these were recipes submitted by food industry professionals and my expectations were high. After hearing the announcement that Chris Wright's recipe had won the $25,000 prize, I was even sorrier that I wasn't more insistent about finding the server carrying the tray of wontons!

The recipes that were submitted in the Home Cook Category were so much more impressive! I tasted all four submissions: the Sweet-n-Savory Haricot Verts from Kara Adanalian; the Savory Blue Cranberry Shortbread with Caramelized Onion Cranberry Jam from Laureen Pittman; the Cranberry Bacon Brunch Scones with Cranberry Pecan Cream Cheese from Patrice Hurd; and the Cranberried Monte Cristo Strata from Janice Elder. The shortbread was so delicious and so unique and I just couldn't get enough of the scones filled with the cream cheese, which turned out to be the winning recipe in the Home Cook Category. Thankfully, my fellow food bloggers were watching out for me and took the food out of my hands when they thought I had subjected myself to too much. They didn't want to have to go with me to the hospital if I had a bad allergic reaction! Including the piece of Duff Goldman's cake that I managed to snag. It was full of cranberries, so I can understand their concern. I'm so loved! ;-)

After the awards were presented, I milled around for a little while and got to watch as Duff signed a copy of his new book Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes, which was released on October 20, for Tyler.

That was as close to Tyler as I could get. He was so busy being the emcee of the night that he didn't have too much time to take photos with adoring fans like me. But, that's okay.

I had a chance to talk to Duff some more, "off the record," and we chatted about the Red Sox (note the hat Duff is wearing in the above photo) and about the lack of sports teams in Connecticut. He seemed impressed to learn that I was, at one point in my life, a fan of the Hartford Whalers. That is until the team moved to North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes. Now, hockey is a dead to me.

By far, the best part of my whole evening, aside from meeting Megan and trying food I shouldn't have and being within arm's length of Tyler Florence, was getting Duff to sign my copy of his book. Thanks, Ocean Spray, for another fantastic event!

PS. I think I made Duff look good.

Guest Post: Healthiest Spaghetti and Meatball Dinner Ever

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:32:00 +0000

Today's Guest Post was written by Melissa Schenker, one of my newest friends on Twitter. Melissa knows how important nutrition is to me lately, especially since I've been training for the Philadelphia Half Marathon in November, and has been giving me advice and support in response to my tweets about my running. When you're finished reading Melissa's Guest Post, you should check out her blog, Nutrition By The Numbers. Thanks for writing, Melissa!

I'm so honored to be guest-blogging on Taste As You Go. Michelle's blog is one of those feel-good warm and fuzzy coffee breaks for me. I love to read about her adventures in NYC. It takes me back to 1996, a year I spent living and working in the Big Apple. Fast forward to 2009 and you now find me married, living in a great suburb south of Boston, being a mom to two funny and smart kids, and working for NuVal, the nutritional scoring system that rates foods from 1-100 (100 is best). I have several roles with NuVal (mostly I work with grocery stores that are putting our fabulous system on their shelves), including playing the part of the Mommy Blogger. That's right - I get to blog at Nutrition By The Numbers about food, recipes, parenting, grocery shopping, all with cool NuVal scores mixed in. I am so lucky.

Michelle and I became Twitter friends when she commented on my "Mama Melissa's Meatballs -- and Spaghetti" post. I guess I made her hungry! So, for my guest post, I decided to continue in that direction. I grew up in Rhode Island (where 'most everyone is at least part Italian), so I love, love, love Italian food. When my husband and I get a sitter, we often head to Federal Hill, which is in Providence, RI, and, fortunately, only 30 minutes away from our Massachusetts home.

In the nice weather, we head to DePasquale Square and eat at Salvatore's Cafe at Venda Ravioli. Venda is a Rhode Island Institution, known for their retail store offering their fresh pasta, homemade ravioli, olive oil, and other Italian specialties. A few years back, we were excited to discover that Venda had opened Salvatore's as a way of sharing their incredible food. We find we can always get a seat at the cafe, they usually have live music, and the people-watching is great.

Now that the weather has gotten cooler, I'm more apt to make a big pot of sauce and meatballs. As a busy, working mom, it is time in the kitchen well spent. The meatballs can simmer all day in the slow-cooker, I can always get more than one dinner out of it, and my four-year-old daughter would eat this meal three times a day if I would let her. However, now that I work for NuVal and have begun to approach my family's diet with much more scrutiny, I found that I really wasn't making this favorite dish as often. It just didn't seem "healthy" to me. So, on a weekend when the weather was cold and rainy, I began my quest to make the Healthiest Spaghetti and Meatball Dinner Ever!

First, I picked up this TuttoRosso Tomato Puree from Price Chopper. You can see the great NuVal score of 81 right there on the shelf tag - it's in the blue hexagon. That's a very high score for canned tomatoes. Good thing I did not buy Red Pack Tomato Puree... it gets a score of 21.

Using those super high-scoring tomatoes (you can thank the lycopene for that), I made my sauce. I keep it simple:

Two turns of extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves crushed garlic (I love my Pampered Chef garlic press and it would be one of my three items to bring if I were left on a desert island)

4 cans tomato puree

2 cans tomato paste

Basil (lots of it)

Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)

1 or 2 tablespoons sugar

Okay, if I had left out the olive oil, cheese, and sugar, it would have been healthier. But I have my limits. Next, I decided to try replacing the ground beef in my time-honored meatball recipe, handed down from my mother, with ground turkey. In fact, I decided that we would have a taste test. So I made two batches of Mama Melissa's meatballs: one with 80% lean ground beef (NuVal score of 26) and the other with 93% lean ground turkey (NuVal score of 33).

To 2 pounds of the meat/poultry, I added:

Italian-style bread crumbs (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 eggs

Parsley (really shake it in there)

Oregano (really shake that in there, too)

Parmesan cheese

Garlic powder (the more garlicky, the better)

Sorry... no exact measurement. That's the recipe I have in my recipe box from my mom. You just have to play around with it until you get the consistency and aroma that you like. The key to good meatballs is to mix them really, really well. So, you have to take off your rings and get your hands dirty. When you roll the balls, take time to make them smooth, so as to blend the ingredients. So, for The Great Meatball Experiment, my husband and I mixed and rolled together (there were a LOT of meatballs). Here's what the Beef Meatball Mix looked like:

And, here is the Turkey Meatball Mix:

They look similar, don't they. The consistency was very different, though. The real difference came out after baking them in the oven at 350°F until they turned light brown.

If you guessed that the meatballs sitting in a layer of grease on the right were the ones made with the 80% ground beef, then you guessed correctly! The other key to great meatballs is to cook them in the pot of sauce for a long, long time. At least 5 hours. That's why I mentioned the slow-cooker (the working mom's - or really any cook's - best friend).

And, finally, there was the pasta to cook. Since coming to work for NuVal, I've switched to Barilla Plus Spaghetti. It gets a 91 on the NuVal scale. I had tried whole wheat pastas in the past and they just didn't do it for me. But Barilla Plus tastes just like the traditional spaghetti I grew up with and it sure is better than Prince Spaghetti, which scores a 49. See - it looks just like regular pasta!

And here is the lovely finished dinner on my daughter's wipe-clean "Map of the World" placemat. (Oh, how my decorative tastes have changed since my NYC days!)

So, how did our taste test go?

In the spirit of Josie at Yum Yucky, I held a Taste Test with my Taste Test Crew:

Dear Husband: The Turkey is lighter. I like it.

Six-Year-Old Son: Moooooommmmmm! I don't like meatballs! Can I have a hot dog? (Really, I don't know how we can be related.)

Four-Year-Old Daughter (with a very full mouth): I like 'em bof! Can I have more? Can I have these for lunch tomorrow? And the next day? No, Mom, I don't need a bib. I'm not getting sauce on my clothes. I'm not!

So, will I switch my recipe for good and use ground turkey from now on? When I saw that there was only a 7-point difference between the Ground Beef and Ground Turkey, I thought, "What's the point? I'll just make my meatballs the way I've always made them." But when I saw all that grease in the pan compared with the much less messy Ground Turkey Meatballs, I did change my mind. The Ground Turkey Meatballs were light, moist, and flavorful. What not trade up for better nutrition?

In the meantime, I think it's time to get Grandma and Papa to take the kids to see a movie so my husband and I can head to Federal Hill. I have just the movie in mind: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs!

"Bogs Across America" with Ocean Spray and Ace of Cakes's Duff Goldman

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:52:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, Ocean Spray kicked off it's 2009 "Bogs Across America" tour in Rockefeller Center in New York City with their "Big Apple Bog," a 1,500-square-foot free-standing cranberry bog that was constructed and filled with more than 2,000 pounds of cranberries. Under normal circumstances, an event centered around cranberries would be an event I'd skip due to my odd cranberry allergy. However, thanks to my awesome friend Grace, I was offered the opportunity to interview Duff Goldman from the Food Network's Ace of Cakes, who had created the cake for the celebration of Ocean Spray's 80th anniversary. Of course, I agreed to the interview (who wouldn't??) and made my way over to Rockefeller Center.

When I arrived, folks were already lining up for free samples of Ocean Spray products being handed out by some of the Ocean Spray growers. Even though I knew I wouldn't be able to consume them myself, I picked up a bottle of Cran-Pomegranate Juice Drink and a bag of Craisins for a certain boyfriend of mine who enjoys cranberries in virtually every form. (I'm such a sweet girlfriend, aren't I?)

After securing the samples, I walked over to the bog to secure a spot to watch as Duff, Geoff, and crew put the finishing touches on the cake. You can see the camera crew standing in the bog with everyone else in some of my pictures. So, yes, they were filming for Ace of Cakes!

By now, quite a crowd had formed in Rockefeller Center. At first, people just wandered over to see whether the bog was filled with real cranberries and whether it actually had water it in. (Hands dipped in and out of the bog to find out.) But when people started realizing who was actually standing in the middle of the bog, more people decided to stay and watch.

Before I moved to the other side of the bog, I took one last picture from my first vantage point in order to capture evidence that Duff Goldman roots for the Boston Red Sox. Props to Duff for being brave enough to wear that hat in New York! (Who am I kidding, I wear my own Red Sox hat every time I go out for a training run...)

As expected, I had a better view of the cake from the other side of the bog.

Before they cleared away their decorating tools, Duff bent down to the bog and pulled a cranberry up out of the water, exclaiming that he was going to "try one"....

I managed to get the "before" picture but was laughing too hard at Duff's reaction to get the "after" picture. After doing a little dance in the bog, he gave the crowd two thumbs up. Duff's a cranberry fan. Then, at long last, the cake was ready to be presented.

After the presentation, Grace and I made our way over to the "holding pen" for the bloggers who were scheduled to meet and interview Duff. While we were waiting for our turn, we chatted with Ocean Spray grower Adrienne Kravitz.

Adrienne is a second-generation cranberry grower based in southeastern Massachusetts who "feels passionate about creating awareness and a positive public image for farming." In just a few minutes, Adrienne gave us quite a bit of information about cranberries and about the process of growing them:

Cranberries are grown in Massachusetts; New Jersey; Wisconsin; Washington; Oregon; and British Columbia, Canada.
The soils and temperatures of the above-mentioned areas are ideal for cranberry growing, especially since cranberries need cold temperatures at night.
Cranberries have more antioxidants per gram than any other fruit, including blueberries.
White cranberries are harvested in August, while red cranberries are harvested between late September and early November.
Cranberries are full of air, which is why bogs are flooded with water when harvested -- they float right to the top.

This last fact totally explains why some of the Ocean Spray growers, including Adrienne, were pelting Duff with cranberries earlier in the day. They were demonstrating that the cranberries really do bounce!

Eventually, Duff came over to the edge of the bog for his interviews. I'm not sure what this blogger asked to make Duff make this face, but when I saw it, I made a mental note to stick to neutral topics and scratched my opening question from my list. (i.e. "How do you think the government should fix the health care system in the United States?")

But, seriously, Duff was just as fun and friendly in person as he is on television. When asked what he loved best about New York, he admitted to being a "huge Rangers fan" and that he loved "hanging out in Chelsea Market" and stopping by the Food Network offices unannounced. When he's not making trouble by making prank calls to those working at the Food Network, he spends a great deal of time out in Brooklyn visiting a good friend of his and his friend's family.

I asked Duff how he got the inspiration for the Ocean Spray cake, and he told me that he and a bunch of other folks from Charm City Cakes went out to a cranberry bog in New Jersey and learned as much as they could about cranberries and about harvesting them. Duff operated as much of the machinery as they would let him near and participated in the actual harvest of the fruit. To prove that he was listening to what the growers were telling him, Duff told us that "cranberry plants are trained to grow flat so they aren't ripped out of the ground by the harvesting equipment." The Ocean Spray growers standing nearby nodded their heads and confirmed that he was right. Way to go, Duff!

(Photo courtesy of Grace[is]full)

Grace and I asked him what he favorite flavor or variety of cake was, and it took the entire length of the interview and a gentle reminder from me that he had yet to answer the questions for him to finally say "Curry Caramel." Apparently, they're developing a recipe for Curry Caramel Cake at Charm City Cakes (so it's not on the menu yet), and it's quickly becoming Duff's new favorite because it combines salty with sweet. I'm certainly intrigued about this flavor combination and wonder whether I'm brave enough to try and develop a recipe like that in my own kitchen!

I had such a fun time meeting and interviewing Duff Goldman and I'm grateful to all of the people who made that opportunity possible for me. Thanks for the fun, Ocean Spray! Peace out!

[The presentation of the Ocean Spray cake will be included in an episode of Ace of Cakes set to premiere on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 10pm EST. Make sure you look for me in the background!]

Get More of Taste As You Go on Food2

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:56:00 +0000

(Logo courtesy of Food2)

Remember that party celebrating the launch of Food2 that I attended at the Food Network Kitchen back in May? The party where I met the incomparable Stephane from Zen Can Cook and managed to get pictures with Kelsey Nixon (Season 4 of The Next Food Network Star) and Spike Mendelsohn (Season 4 of Top Chef)?

Well, I am thrilled to announce that I am the newest contributor to Food2! My blogger page on their website is empty right now as I determine exactly what type of content I want to provide, but my appointment as a contributor is official. I even have a Food2-approved badge on Taste As You Go confirming that what I say is true. (Feed readers, click through to see the badge.)

So, tell me, what kinds of content do you think I should be contributing to Food2?

Downtown Eats Food Tour in Lower Manhattan

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:26:00 +0000

My friend Candice and I got the inspiration for our third "let's explore a neighborhood in New York" adventure during a discussion we were having with one of our sorority sisters, Michelle, at our Book Club meeting back in September. Michelle, knowing I was a food blogger and always on the lookout for affordable things to do in the city, suggested that we sign up for a Downtown Eats Food Tour sponsored by the Downtown Alliance. For $25 ($26.62, including service fee), you're guided on a culinary tour through Lower Manhattan that also includes a little bit of history about the stops along the way and about the neighborhood itself. Candice and I signed up for a tour right away. [Note: The tickets prices for these tours has increased since I went. I originally paid $20 for my ticket ($21.49, including service fee).]

Trinity Place

115 Broadway

(212) 964-0939

The first stop on our food tour was Trinity Place on Broadway for Mini Lobster BLTs and Watermelon Aqua Fresca. The idea of starting the tour with a bit of lobster seemed decadent to me and I was excited because I never thought to put lobster on a BLT. Unfortunately, I think I set my expectations too high because I was ultimately disappointed with the sandwich. If you look at the menu online, the Lobster BLT is described as consisting of "tender lobster meat, smoked country bacon, [and] oven roasted tomatoes on onion brioche." Sadly, the lobster we had was mixed into a salad that had way too much mayonnaise for my liking and the bacon was cooked to the point of chewy rather than crispy. When I tried to bite into the sandwich, the entire slice of bacon slid out from between the brioche (which was not onion) and hung there, awkwardly, from my mouth.

To be honest, I was more impressed with the history of the restaurant than I was with the food we sampled. Trinity Place was built between the two 35-ton bank vault doors of US Realty Bank, which dated back to 1904.

Trinity Place also houses a unique wine storage area. They created the "cellar" out of the old bank elevator.

While I wasn't a fan of the Mini Lobster BLT, I do want to go back to Trinity Place and have a go at their full menu. They have a dish on there now - Duck Confit with Butternut Squash Risotto, served with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Parmesan Reggiano, and Porcini Jus - that sounds delicious and the perfect way to celebrate the flavors of fall.

Zaitzeff

72 Nassau Street

(212) 571-7272

We made our way from Trinity Place and over to Zaitzeff, a tiny little nook on Nassau Street and the second stop on our tour, for some Sliders and French Fries. As we were waiting for the Sliders to be cooked, we had the opportunity to listen to owner Amine Zaitzeff discuss the history of the restaurant and their policy about the food they serve to their customers.

A glance at the prices on the menu board at Zaitzeff might make some people uneasy and might cause them to turn around and walk right out the door in search of food a little more affordable. But what the menu board on the wall does not say is that the American-style Kobe beef comes from a ranch in Nebraska, that the grass-fed sirloin is ground on the premises daily, that the chicken is organic, and that the fries are hand-cut and not deep-fried. In fact, Amine told us that they use cast-iron skillets to cook the French fries so they can change the oil daily. Those prices are higher because you're paying for high-quality ingredients and food that tastes like it should taste.

Meaning, the French fries tasted like potatoes and the meat of the Slider tasted like beef. I don't get to eat grass-fed beef very often, so the difference in taste between that and the stuff I generally feed myself at home was very noticeable. I can't wait until I can afford to buy grass-fed meat on a regular basis. (Pray that I find a new job soon!)

Zaitzeff was out of slider buns when our army arrived, so our Sliders were served on Portuguese muffins. The slight sweetness of the muffins complemented the beef nicely and reminded me of the Portuguese sweet bread that I'd eat at my grandparents' house in Rhode Island. And, before you freak out, that plate of fries was for four of us to share. I didn't eat all of them myself. Two enthusiastic thumbs up for Zaitzeff!

The Greene Grape

55 Liberty Street

(212) 406-9463

Our third stop on our culinary tour was a shop on Liberty called The Greene Grape for a mini wine tasting. (It is at this point that I should probably mention that bringing a bottle of water with you on the tour is a good idea. While we were treated to the Watermon Aqua Fresca at Trinity Place, we didn't have anything to drink at Zaitzeff.) I appreciated the wine tasting, but my body really wanted water. Of course, I was so busy chatting with Candice and some of our new friends that I completely missed Seth Datz's explanation of the wines we were tasting. (Seth is the Manager of The Greene Grape.) But we did stop talking long enough to get our picture taken. Aww.

Fulton Stall Market

Located on South Street between Fulton Street and Beekman Street

It turns out the wine tasting stop at The Greene Grape was well-timed. It gave us something to warm us up before we made the windy trek over to the Fulton Stall Market at the South Street Seaport for our next treat - Cider Donuts from Stony Hill Gardens and Market in Chester, NJ.

There were two varieties of donuts to choose from - those dusted with powdered sugar and those dusted with cinnamon sugar. Remember that lovely black shirt I was wearing? (Scroll up if you don't.) Guess where the powdered sugar from that Cider Donut landed. All over the front of my shirt. Oops.

The donut, itself, was just okay. A little on the heavy side and not exactly screaming with any flavor resembling apples or apple cider. In fact, I could only eat half of it because chewing the donut dried out my mouth. I'm thinking that donut would have paired perfectly with a cup of hot apple cider. Alas, no beverages at this stop.

Provisions

150 Beekman Street

(212) 358-8700

A quick walk around the corner from the Fulton Stall Market brought us to our next stop, the natural grocery store Provisions, where we had the chance to sample some baked goods made with Stonehouse Olive Oil. Owner Megan Cariola baked us an assortment of treats that featured olive oil as one of the ingredients: Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies, Oatmeal White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies, and Banana Almond Bread with Cream Cheese.

I had heard it was possible to bake with olive oil but had never tried anything that was actually prepared that way. I had to skip the Oatmeal White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies due to my cranberry allergy, but the Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies and the Banana Almond Bread with Cream Cheese were deliciously moist.

After eating my cookie and piece of bread, I wandered over to the olive oil tasting station, where Megan had set up little containers of flavored olive oils for us (and anyone else who visited the store) to try. I was starting to get full from the food we had been eating all afternoon, so I didn't try any of the olive oils. I do know, however, that I want to try the Blood Orange Olive Oil and the Persian Lime Olive Oil at some point in the future.

La Maison du Chocolat
63 Wall Street

(212) 952-1123

We left Provisions and headed over to La Maison du Chocolat on Wall for yet another helping of sweets. Between the Cider Donut and the other baked goods, I was actually starting to crave another round of Sliders and French Fries from Zaitzeff, something savory to break up the string of sweet foods we were eating. But we were all brave little soldiers and marched out of the cold and into the store to sample La Maison du Chocolat's Pate de Fruit, a Chocolate Truffle, and a piece of Chocolate-Covered Ginger. I tried taking pictures of the candy but they didn't turn out too well. Although the candy tasted amazing, the pictures of the lumps of chocolate on a paper napkin in my hand did not look appetizing. So, the pictures wound up in the digital trash can.

Stone Street Oyster Festival

You'd think the tour would end with the chocolate at La Maison du Chocolat, but we had one more stop. We were lucky enough to be on the tour that ran on the same day as the Stone Street Oyster Festival, so we ended with oysters and Guinness.

I didn't think my stomach would allow me to eat any more food. After all, we had just spent three hours walking around.... eating. (We were told to budget 2.5 hours for the tour. Knowing what I know now, I would budget more than that.) As full as I felt, I just couldn't waste the opportunity to dine on fresh Long Island oysters - cool and smooth with a slight gritty texture from the salt water and the sand. I skipped the Guinness because I didn't want to wait in line for it and because my fingers were starting to go numb after being outside for that long, but I ate every last oyster allotted to me. Yum!

The Downtown Alliance will be offering their Downtown Eats Food Tours through December. If you're looking for something affordable to do on a Saturday afternoon consider signing up for one or more. The tours are changed up a bit so not every tour will stop at the same exact places. If you're interested, I'd recommend contacting the Alliance to see if they can give you a tour itinerary before you pay for your tickets.

So, be adventurous. Go out and explore a new neighborhood. You never know what goodies you might come across along your way!

Guest Post: Chocolate Zucchini Cake from Chef Renee

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Today's Guest Post was written by Renee Fontes, a chef and caterer in The OC and one of my favorite friends to tweet with on Twitter. Even though Renee and I have never met in person and live on opposite sides of the country, she has been amazingly supportive as I try to fumble my way through life as an unemployed twenty-something in New York City. When you're finished reading Renee's Guest Post, you should check out her blog, Fresh Ideas.... Thanks for writing, Renee!

I appreciate Michelle's invitation to write as a "guest blogger" on Taste As You Go. I follow her witty Twitter comments and enjoy her posts on recipes and adventures in dining. Realizing I am a guest of someone I haven't really met, I read deeper into her blog and really connected with "Chronicles of a Food Enthusiast" (September 1, 2009). "Enthusiast" seems to best suit her passion for cooking, thoroughly enjoying, and sharing stories about food. Michelle, thank you for letting me be your guest!

Thinking about being a guest reminded me of my mom's belief that "a guest should never arrive at someone's house empty-handed." I am not sure if this is, indeed, some documented rule of etiquette or just my mom's personal rule for good manners. Looking back, I remembered this was the time of year that the garden was still spewing an endless parade of squash. My mom went about using it in every way possible. She had this knack for hiding zucchini in baked goods, thus increasing the nutritional value of the treat and duping the children.

My mom had a recipe for a delicious Chocolate Zucchini Cake. She baked it in a fluted pan and drizzled a sticky glaze over the top. It was tender and moist and dense enough that we could eat it with our fingers while standing at the kitchen counter. I think she would bake it when we weren't looking so we wouldn't know that it harbored zucchini.

When I asked my mom today, she pulled out the recipe from a bulging tin box, written on a scrap of yellowed paper in her cursive script. The box must shelter more memories, as well. Now that the farm is gone and the garden paved for progress, this guest post may spark future trips back to that box and back to my food past!

I hope you enjoy the Chocolate Zucchini Cake, whether you are baking out of a garden of abundance, or just because it's good. Bring some the next time you are a guest somewhere - because it's polite. And because my mother said so.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup cocoa (mom likes American-processed)

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (use a fresh box)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 eggs (or 2 duck eggs or 1 goose egg)

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons fresh orange zest

2 cups zucchini, coarsely grated

1/2 cup warm milk

1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

For the glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 or 4 tablespoons warm milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in the vanilla, orange zest, and zucchini into the wet ingredients with a spoon, alternating with dry ingredients. Stir in the milk and nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-60 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature and turn out of the pan.

Mix the glaze ingredients together, adding milk as needed for a smooth consistency. Drizzle over the cake and serve.

Scharffen Berger Chocolate and a Cooking Class with Chef Elizabeth Falkner

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:29:00 +0000

(Photo courtesy of RF Binder)

I was invited to attend a very special cooking class at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) a couple of weeks ago to help kick-off the 3rd Annual Chocolate Adventure Contest, sponsored by Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker and TuttiFoodie. Not only was I given the chance to spend an evening cooking with and dining on dishes that incorporated chocolate as one of the ingredients, but I was also given the chance to take a class led by Chef Elizabeth Falkner from Top Chef Masters and Iron Chef America.

(Photo courtesy of RF Binder)

When I accepted the invitation to attend the event, I knew I was in for a fun evening, but I didn't realize how many food bloggers I knew from Twitter would also be in attendance. Finally! A chance to put a Twitter username with an actual human face! Over appetizers and drinks, including the Thai Confusion (pictured above), I chatted with Marc from No Recipes, whom I've seen at a handful of food events recently; Adriana from Sustainable Joy; Olga from Sassy Radish; Jennie from In Jennie's Kitchen; Ulla from Goldilocks Finds Manhattan; and Anna from Very Small Anna.

Eventually, we were led into the kitchen area, handed aprons, and instructed to wash our hands so the class could begin. Once we were introduced to the Adventure Ingredients for the 2009 Chocolate Adventure Contest, Chef Falkner began to talk us through the recipes for two of the components for her Night Flights dessert - the Chocolate Mousse and the Smoked Salt Cacao Nib Streusel. We would be helping make the desserts we'd be eating later on in the evening, so the pressure was on!

Once the group at my station got our set of ingredients, we decided to split the work. Anna (pictured below) and Maryse (from Always Hungry NY) would make the streusel...

... while Marc, Ulla, Lisa (from TuttiFoodie), and I would make the mousse. I was feeling ambitious, so I volunteered to whip the egg whites by hand. Chef Falkner came over to give me a few pointers so I could get some more air into them, but I have to say I'm pretty pleased with the results of my physical labor! Especially since the bowl and the whisk were bigger than me. ;-)

I finished up the egg whites just as Marc, Ulla, and Lisa finished melting the chocolate and dealing with the egg yolks, raw honey, and cream. Teamwork at it's finest, folks.

Don't you just want to stick your finger into that chocolate mousse and have a little taste? Trust me. It was very hard for all of us not to!

(Photo courtesy of RF Binder)

After the stations had been cleared down and pushed out of the way, Chef Falkner answered questions from members of the class and from people who had joined the festivities over the Internet.

We were asked to clear the kitchen so the staff could set up for the dinner, so Anna and I posed for a quick picture before grabbing our table assignments and some more wine and sitting down to our meal.

(Photo courtesy of RF Binder)

Our first course consisted of a Spiced Pumpkin-Coconut Soup with Cocoa-Wattleseed Creme, Crispy Bacon and Fresh Pomegranate, which was accompanied by a Spinach and Walnut Salad with Pears and Cacao Nib Vinaigrette. I had never eaten anything with wattleseed in it before, so the soup intrigued me. Wow! What an experience that soup was! From the smooth creaminess of the pumpkin and the coconut, to the slight spiciness and nuttiness from the wattleseed, to the the salty crispness of the bacon, to the tartness from the pomegranate - this soup had it all. It wasn't difficult to understand why it was the 2008 First Place Winner in the Savory Category.

(Photo courtesy of RF Binder)

Our main course was Scharffen Berger Mole-Infused Chicken Mango Sausages with Lemongrass Scented Scharffen Berger Cacao Nib Rice Pilaf. Such a unique dish! The flavor of the chicken sausage was fantastic. Though, I found the lemongrass a little too overpowering for my tastes and thought the rice pilaf was a bit dry. Then again, the dish as a whole was a sign of ingenuity well beyond my current capabilities in the kitchen, so who am I to criticize? Right?

Finally, it was time for dessert! Here's a video I shot of Chef Falkner instructing everyone on how to plate all of the Night Flights components:

And, here is the finished dessert, ready to be devoured!

(Photo courtesy of RF Binder)

Honestly, I was astounded by how amazingly well all of the components worked together. As much as I wanted to work my way slowly through all of the layers so I could enjoy them on an individual basis, this dessert was just begging to be eaten from the bottom up. The flavors of each layer were accentuated when I dug the spoon all the way to the bottom of the glass and scooped up a little bit of everything - the Chili Chocolate Sauce, the Pandan Coconut Milk Pudding, the Chocolate Mousse, the Smoked Salt Cacao Nib Streusel, and the Chocolate-Mint-Ginger Sorbet. So, so delicious!

I had the opportunity to talk with Chef Falkner for a few minutes after the event had ended and to thank her for leading the class and for creating such an incredible dessert. If I exhibited any evidence of being star-struck or of being a bumbling idiot after eating a meal full of chocolate and drinking from a wine glass that never saw empty, Chef Falkner gracefully ignored it. (Whew!)

I left ICE that night with a full stomach and with lifted spirits after meeting and getting to know my Twitter friends a little bit better. I even I pulled out the card listing the 2009 Adventure Ingredients for the Chocolate Adventure Contest and started formulating some early ideas for entries while riding the subway back home.

2009 Adventure Ingredients

Banana Leaf
Black-Eyed Peas
Cacao Nibs
Crystallized or Fresh Ginger
Cumin
Fresh Mint (any varietal)
Fresh or Whole Dried Chili Pepper
Malbec
Papaya
Paprika (any varietal)
Pandan Leaf
Peanut Butter
Rice Flour
Raw Honey
Smoked Sea Salt
Sumac

I just hope I can come up with a dish (or two?) that can compete with the likes of the previous winners and finalists. Good thing I have until January 3, 2010 to submit my entries! I'm going to need some time to plan... And some taste-testers to help me as I work through some recipes.

Any volunteers?

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Turkey and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Growing up, my family did not enjoy much variety in the dinner department. We had certain dishes on regular rotation - tuna casserole, beef stew and rice, baked chicken and broccoli casserole. If at least one of the ingredients didn't say "Campbell's" on the can, chances are, we weren't eating it. Cooking just wasn't my mother's thing.

But every now and then, she'd assemble certain ingredients on the counter that could only mean one thing - stuffed peppers! I used to love helping her mix the rice with the ground beef and then stuffing the peppers that she had steamed. Of course, I'd always try and snag the pepper that had a bit of the stuffing baked to the point of crunchy.

Hands down, the stuffing was my favorite part. I'd often eat two peppers just so I could eat more of it. When my mother wasn't looking, I'd hand the empty peppers over to my father so he could get rid of the evidence (i.e. eat them for me). Looking back, I think I didn't eat the peppers because I didn't like the taste of them. My mother always used green bell peppers and they were just too bitter for me to enjoy.

I took care of the bitterness in my version of stuffed peppers by using orange bell peppers rather than green. (Green bell peppers tend to be bitter because they are immature, as compared to yellow, orange, or red bell peppers.) I also roasted the peppers in the oven to bring out their natural sweetness rather than steaming them. (I picked up this tip/idea in a cooking class.) This helped extract a lot of flavor! And, instead of pouring tomato sauce over the peppers before baking them, I put tomatoes in the stuffing and topped them with panko bread crumbs. The panko offered a crunchy contrast in texture to the creamy filling that included Arborio rice and Parmesan cheese.

While I'll still have a spot in my heart for my mother's stuffed peppers, I think these might just be a little bit better. Sorry, Mom. ;-)

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Turkey and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Printable Recipe

1 cup water

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 cup Arborio rice

2 orange bell peppers, cleaned and halved lengthwise

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground white-meat turkey

1/4 cup low-sodium/fat-free chicken broth

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a medium pan, bring the water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and Arborio rice and stir. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and lower the heat. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed. Toss bell peppers with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes while the rice is cooking. Remove from the oven and let cool.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add garlic and cook until it just starts to turn golden. Add the ground turkey. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add the chicken broth and stir. Place contents in a large bowl, including any remaining oil or juices. Once the rice is cooked, add it to the bowl. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and parsley. Stir and taste. Add salt and pepper, if necessary (I didn't). Divide stuffing equally among the four pepper halves.

In a small skillet, heat last remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add panko. Stir to moisten all of the bread crumbs and toast until they start to brown. Sprinkle on top of the stuffed peppers. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes to warm through.

My Quirky Queens Kitchen

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:01:00 +0000

When I started the process of looking for an apartment in New York over a year ago, I had it all planned out. I'd shoulder the expense of having a broker do the work for me since, at the time, I lived in Connecticut and wouldn't really be available to hoof around the city on my own. (I was also operating on a very short timetable.) I'd look at at least three apartments to get a better sense of the type of space I could get on my budget. And I wouldn't take the first apartment I saw without seeing another apartment for the sake of comparison.

Well, after seeing the first apartment my broker showed me, my plan fell apart. The apartment felt like home immediately. It was within walking distance of my office, within my budget, and had a kitchen that intrigued the heck out of me. After only standing in the apartment for ten minutes, I shook my broker's hand and said I wanted to put down a deposit.

But, back to the kitchen. As you can see in the above photo, it has a fireplace in it! The kitchen was an afterthought. My broker told me they had just finished installing the cabinets and counters, had just brought in the appliances, and had just finished laying down the tile. At first glance, the kitchen does look a bit awkward with a blocked-up-and-clearly-not-working fireplace. And it seems a little strange to be using the underside of the mantel as a hood to "catch" the bit of smoke and steam that billows upwards as I'm cooking. But the mantel makes a perfect shelf.

There's enough space to house my small collection of cookbooks (remember, I'm in a New York apartment... I don't have enough room to keep all of my cookbooks here with me!), my dried herbs and spices, my trusty salt and pepper mills, and my cooking utensils, including my tongs. Everything is within easy reach, and I love it! The fireplace makes my kitchen unique.

What makes your kitchen quirky?

Guest Post: Comfort Foods from the Runner's Kitchen

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:18:00 +0000

Today's Guest Post was written by a fellow Foodbuzz Featured Publisher and fellow runner, Megan Kretz. I first "met" Megan after discovering that she tried my Montana Whoppers recipe. Then, by complete coincidence, we met in person last night at an event for Ocean Spray (post to follow, at some point...)! Megan is a fantastic girl and I can't wait to get to know her more through her blog and, hopefully, at more food events throughout the city. When you're finished reading Megan's Guest Post, you should check out her blog, The Runner's Kitchen. Thanks for writing, Megan!

Hello, Taste As You Go readers! First of all - thanks to Michelle for allowing me to guest post! Ever since I made her Montana Whoppers, I've been drooling over the recipes on this blog :-)

Over at my blog, The Runner's Kitchen, I write about running, cooking, and (mostly!) healthy eating. I love my veggies and whole grains, but every once in a while, I crave serious comfort food. Now that the weather's turning colder, it's the perfect time for heartier meals. I prefer to use the highest quality ingredients that I can get my hands on and I'm always trying to health-ify decadent dishes. Read on for some of my favorites!

I used Bon Appetit's Cheesemongers Mac and Cheese as a template for this recipe, but I made a few key alterations:

I cut the recipe in half so that it made 4 portions instead of 8; I used 2% milk instead of whole; and I used equal amounts of Gruyere and Cabot 50% reduced-fat cheddar (about 9 ounces total) and omitted the Brie. Most notably, I added some lightly cooked cauliflower florets to the pasta before topping it with the cheese sauce. The finished recipe was great! The picture given above shows the plate of my next-day leftovers with some roasted carrots. Yum!

I'm currently trying out a vegetarian diet, but this Bison Meatloaf remains one of my favorite dishes. Bison is grass-fed, low in saturated fat, and very lean. All good things!

Bison Meatloaf - Serves 4

Adapted from Nakano Seasoned Rice Vinegar recipe booklet

1 pound ground buffalo/bison

1 egg

Generous 1/4 cup onion, diced

1 crumbled WASA cracker

8 ounces tomato sauce

14 ounces diced tomatoes

1/4 cup Nakano Seasoned Rice Vinegar (garlic variety)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 300°. In a medium saucepan, combine tomato products, brown sugar, and vinegar. Mix together buffalo meat, 1/2 cup tomato mixture, egg, crumbled cracker, onion, salt, and pepper. Shape meat into a loaf shape in an 8" x 8" pan. Bake for 45 minutes.

While meatloaf is baking, bring tomato mixture to a low boil and allow to thicken for 15 minutes. Ten minutes before the meatloaf is done, spread 1/3 cup tomato sauce on the top of the loaf. After the meatloaf is done baking, allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a serving platter. Serve extra tomato sauce on the side.

Skillet Potatoes - Serves 4

Adapted from Nakano Seasoned Rice Vinegar recipe booklet

5 small baking potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1/2" pieces

1/2 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons Nakano Seasoned Rice Vinegar (garlic variety)

3 tablespoons water

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine the potatoes, onion, garlic, and cumin in a large bowl. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the potato mixture. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add vinegar and water and cook for another 6-8 minutes, or until all of the liquid is gone. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve!

And, what's comfort food without some dessert?? When I saw a recipe for heart-shaped crust Peach Cardamom Pie in Bon Appetit magazine, I knew I had to bake one for myself. I followed the directions exactly (no whole wheat flour substitutions this time...) because baking is so finicky. I think the result came out beautifully! The egg wash on the crust gave the pie a nicely browned finish and the absence of a bottom crust made it just a teeny bit healthier. Plus, I used local, organic fruit. Mmm... pie! Although this pie is made with peaches (a summer stone fruit), you could easily substitute apples. If you use apples (I'd recommend a tart variety, such as Granny Smith), swap out 1/2 the cardamom for cinnamon.

Happy Autumn Eating!

Hog Wild for Pig Candy

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:38:00 +0000

When my friend Candice and I got together for our second adventure around New York City, we decided to explore the Lower East Side, Chinatown, and Little Italy. It was, after all, the final weekend of the Feast of San Gennaro and we wanted to take in the scene on Mulberry before the celebration ended. That, and the idea of enjoying a cannoli sounded like a fabulous one when we were finalizing the details of our afternoon.

While I waited for Candice to be released from the bus-ride-gone-wrong, I poked my nose around C.T.C. Kitchen Supplies on Grand [299 Grand Street, (212) 219-9452]. I had recently read a mini-review about the store in Time Out New York and was curious to see the place for myself. Let's just say it's a good thing (!) I'm unemployed and watching my spending very, very carefully. Otherwise, ~~I would have walked out of there with teapots and teacups and rice cookers and woks and cutting boards and~~ I would have purchased more than my weight in kitchen supplies.

After Candice finally arrived (poor thing!), we looped our way through the Lower East Side. As we were walking, I suggested that we stop at the Essex Street Market since I had never been before and had wanted to see what kind of shops were there. Being the fabulous friend that she is, Candice agreed and that's how we stumbled upon Roni-Sue's Chocolates.

Jokingly, I asked them if they made chocolate-covered bacon. And the lovely ladies behind the counter said that their Pig Candy was just one of their treats that featured bacon as an ingredient. Roni-Sue's also sells:

To get the full Pig Candy experience, Candice and I ordered one piece of bacon dipped in milk chocolate and one piece dipped in dark chocolate. The salty flavor of the bacon was, of course, accentuated by the sweetness of the chocolate. As sinfully decadent as it was, we were wise to only purchase two pieces -- any more than that would have been too much. When we were finished, we thanked everyone at Roni-Sue's for putting up with our questions and left the Essex Street Market, fueled by the burst of sugar from the Pig Candy, and made our way over to Little Italy.

Since there were so many people celebrating, I didn't have the opportunity to take any pictures. I was too afraid of dropping my camera in the crowd. We also didn't get a chance to buy our cannolis because we got too frustrated trying to maneuver around all of the people. However, the people-watching opportunities more than made up for the missed dessert.

For those outside of New York City wanting to try Pig Candy, or any of the other goodies offered by Roni-Sue's, there is good news -- they do ship their products. Something to consider if you're looking for a gift for that extra-special foodie in your life.

Roni-Sue's Chocolates

Essex Street Market

120 Essex Street

(212) 260-0421

Apple Oatmeal Muffins

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:03:00 +0000

There's no doubt about it -- fall is definitely here in New York City. The air is crisper. The temperatures are cooler. And every day, I have to fight off the temptation to pull on my favorite (and most pitiful-looking) sweater and go for long, slow rambles through Central Park. It's right around this time of year that I proclaim that fall is my favorite season - the vibrant colors of the leaves beginning to turn and the promise of satisfyingly warm comfort foods like beef stew and chili and, as we approach Thanksgiving, chestnut stuffing (my absolute favorite) and apple and pumpkin pies. The New Englander in me begins to ache -- I love the fall.

While it seems almost cliché to admit this, I grew up right up the street from an apple orchard in Connecticut. Long before the houses of suburban development began to speckle the hills surrounding my neighborhood, there stood acres and acres of apple trees. And at the bottom of the hill, there was a tiny farm stand where you could buy all the apples and cider and cider donuts you could ever want.

Inspired by the availability of locally harvested apples and driven by the desire to try out the new juicer I received in the mail as my fundraising gift from the folks at EIF Revlon Run/Walk for Women, I decided to bake muffins. Apple muffins. Apple oatmeal muffins.

Subtly sweet and a bit hearty from the addition of oats, these muffins quickly became a favorite of mine. They were great straight out of the oven, slathered with butter. They were great to grab and eat before my morning runs. They were great as a mid-afternoon snack. And, because it's "just me," I had enough to stash some away in the freezer for a weekend I didn't feel like doing anything. Or for a weekend when my boyfriend is visiting and I want to impress him with my baking skills but don't feel like starting from scratch.

So, get out there! Stand in the middle of the market and allow yourself to be inspired by the seasonal fruits and vegetables. You never know what delicious food may come from it!

Apple Oatmeal Muffins (makes 10-12)

Printable Recipe

2 eggs

3 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup apple juice (I used fresh apple juice, thanks to my juicer, but aim for 100% apple juice)

1/2 cup milk

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine eggs, honey, oil, apple juice, milk, oats, apples, and vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just mixed. Keep in mind, you want the batter to be lumpy, so don't over-mix!

Spoon enough batter into lined muffin pan to fill baking cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Exploring Brooklyn: The Bridge, The Market, The Ice Cream

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:26:00 +0000

Mardi Michels' Guest Post for Taste As You Go inspired me to write about a day I spent wandering around Brooklyn at the beginning of September. You see, for the past few weekends, I've been taking advantage of the gorgeous fall weather in New York City and exploring various neighborhoods with my friend Candice.

Our first adventure took us down to City Hall Park in Manhattan, then across the Brooklyn Bridge. We didn't have a plan once we got to Brooklyn, so we just let our feet do the thinking. Eventually, we found ourselves in Cadman Plaza, surrounded by the stalls at the Cadman Plaza Farmers Market. Holy tomatoes!

I've never seen so many varieties of tomatoes before. If I had prepared properly, I would have whipped out my canvas grocery bags and started loading up. Alas, I had to settle for posing for a picture with all of these beauties.

Curious to see how long the line was at Grimaldi's, we headed over to Dumbo to see whether our chances of buying a slice were good.

Unfortunately, the line was already snaking its way down the sidewalk, so we skipped the pizza and went straight for dessert.

By the time we got to the front of the line at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, they were out of the strawberry ice cream, so I "settled" for one scoop of the coffee ice cream on a cone. Heaven! We took our frozen treats back outside into the afternoon sun and stood by The River Cafe, where Stephen and I had dinner last November thanks to a gift certificate I won, admiring the view of Manhattan.

I know I won't live in New York forever. And, given the fact I'm still unemployed after being laid off at the beginning of August, I'm not even sure I'll be living in New York in a few months. So I am truly thankful that I had this day with Candice and that we took the time to enjoy the city, on our own terms, at our own pace. The day really could not have been any sweeter.

Guest Post: A Day in the Life in Paris

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:20:00 +0000

Today's Guest Post was written by a fellow Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, Mardi Michels. Mardi is an absolute sweetheart who leaves thoughtful comments on posts and updates I make on the Foodbuzz website and who leaves insightful comments on my blog. I'm beyond thrilled to feature her here. When you're finished reading Mardi's Guest Post, you should check out her blog, Eat, Live, Travel, Write. Thanks for writing, Mardi!

Hi there, this is Mardi from Eat, Live, Travel, Write and I am excited to be writing a guest post for Taste As You Go! Thanks for having me, Michelle!

As some of you who have followed my blog will know, I lived in Paris for a number of years before I moved to Canada. We've been back to France a number of times in the past few years as I did my MA through a university there and (oh, the pain!) had to spend at least two summers in Paris... We're going back this December to Paris and Brittany (Dinan) and I canNOT wait!!

This post is inspired by my daily manque of all (well, many) things French...

My (Un)real Life in Paris - A Day in the Life.

First thing's first, breakfast. How about a coffee?

And a little yoghurt.

I cannot resist those cute glass jars!

Or perhaps you prefer some cereal. With chocolate?

Time to wash the dishes? No worries, there's the adorable "degreasing boy" to help out.

The French make washing up so much fun!!!

Time to go shopping? I think we're out of those frites rustiques....

Enjoy your stroll along the rue Montorgueil....

SO much more atmospheric than Home Depot.

Not so politically correct but beautiful wall murals from another era on the outside of the older buildings...

Buy your lavender from the Socialist Party guy...

Horse meat burgers anyone?

Game and poultry.

My favourite fruit store in the world.

One stop dairy products!

Time for a bit of sightseeing?

That works up an appetite, right? Must be time for lunch. What would you like? A simple sandwich mixte?

Or a steak-frites?

After lunch you're set up for another wander around. Perhaps a stroll across the Seine? And a spot of music.

Might work up a thirst. Time for an apéro? Take your pick!

And then, dinner... If I had to narrow my dinner choice down to ONE dish for the rest of my life, I would pick a salade au chèvre chaud.

You know, followed by dessert.

Or if you're limited to the supermarket for your dessert choices...

Or, if you're on a diet, there are still great choices:

And so, to bed. Bonne nuit!

Discover Queens Restaurant Week

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:59:00 +0000

Admittedly, whenever I read or hear the words "Restaurant Week," my brain typically thinks, "Ooh! What Manhattan restaurants are participating and which ones are still taking reservations?" It never occurred to me that other boroughs might do the same thing.

*hangs head in shame*

In an attempt to abandon my intermittent Manhattan-centric ways of thinking and to right my wrongs, I'm pleased to announce that the Discover Queens Restaurant Week is coming up. Restaurant Week will run for two weeks, from October 5 - October 15 with restaurants from all over the borough offering dining deals. You'll be able to dine from special menus at a prix-fixe price of $25! (Other deals are available depending on the restaurant, so check out the website for more specific details.)

Here's a list of the participating restaurants:

Aegean Cove (Greek)
Austin's Steak & Ale House (Steakhouse)
Balu Cafe (American)
Barosa (Italian)
Barosa To Go (Italian)
Barril Grill (American)
Bayview Restaurant & Catering Hall (Italian)
Ben's Best (Kosher)
Bitgoul Myung Ga Tofu & BBQ (Asian)
Bizarre Avenue Cafe (American)
Bourbon Street (Cajun)
Buenos Aires Tango (Argentinian)
Campagnola Cucina Italiana (Italian)
Cascarino's Bayside (Italian)
Castel Mare Ristorante (Italian)
Cavo (Mediterranean)
Christos Steakhouse (Greek)
Cocina Latina (Latin American)
Court Square Diner (Diner)
Da Gianni's Ristorante (Italian)
Dazies Restaurant (Italian)
Delhi Palace Haute Cuisine of India (Indian)
Deluge Restaurant (American)
Donovan's Grill & Tavern (American)
Erawan Seafood & Steak (Seafood/Steakhouse)
Erawan Thai Cuisine (Thai)
Fino Wine & Tapas (European)
Fresh Juice Bar & Health Eatery (Juices/Smoothies)
Gandhi Haute Cuisine of India (Indian)
Garcia's (Mexican)
Giardino (Italian)
Ice Fire Land (Asian)
Il Nocello Ristorante (Italian)
Irish Cottage (Irish)
Kyoto Creative Japanese and Thai Cuisine (Japanese, Thai)
La Baraka (French, North African)
La Fusta Restaurant & Steak House (Argentinian)
La Vigna Restaurant (Italian)
La Vuelta (Latin American)
Las Margaritas (Mexican)
Luigi's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar (Italian)
London Lennies (American, Seafood)
Marbella Restaurant (Spanish)
Mezzo Mezzo (Greek)
Momento Bistro (Italian)
Mood Restaurant & Lounge (American)
Mulan (Asian)
O Lavrador Restaurant (Portuguese, Spanish)
Ovelia Psistaria Bar (Greek)
Papazzio Restaurant & Caterer (Italian)
Pavilion Grille (American)
Pinocchio Palace (Greek, Italian)
Pizza Classica (Italian)
Plum Restaurant, Bar & Lounge (American)
Ponticello Ristorante (Italian)
Portobello Pizzeria Restaurant (Italian)
Punta Dura Restaurant (Italian)
Q Thai Bistro (Thai)
Renaissance Steakhouse (Steakhouse)
Riverview Restaurant & Lounge (American)
Saffron Restaurant Tapas Bar (Spanish)
Sapori D'ischia (Italian)
Seva Indian Cuisine (Indian)
Simply Fondue (Swiss)
Tavern 18 (American)
Taverna Sophia (Greek)
Terrace Diner (Diner)
The Family Restaurant (Italian)
The Old Time Vincent Clam Bar & Italian Restaurant (Italian)
The Original Cascarino's of College Point (Italian)
Time Cafe (Sandwiches)
Tournesol Bistro Francais (French)
Vetro (Italian)
Villa Isabella of Forest Hills (Italian)
Villaggio (Italian)
Water's Edge Restaurant (American)
Woo Chon Restaurant (Asian)
Woodhaven House Restaurant & Bar (Irish)
Yuraku Restaurant (Asian)
Zenon Taverna (Greek)
Zlata Praha Restaurant (Czech/Slovak)

I'm hoping I can get my act together to try at least one of these restaurants during the Discover Queens Restaurant Week. So... who wants to join me?

Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:36:00 +0000

Believe it or not, this beautiful vegetarian/vegan-friendly* first course materialized out of a bunch of leftovers. I found myself hungry one afternoon but lacking the sufficient energy, desire, and time to create a full meal. And, I knew the ingredients in my kitchen were starting to dwindle so my options were limited.

Making something delicious of out seemingly nothing is one of my favorite cooking games. It forces me to think outside of the box, to avoid opening my cookbooks or doing any research on the Internet, and to just be creative with what I have. I have no choice but to trust my instincts and to taste as I go! I knew that I didn't want to saute the vegetables and toss with pasta -- that's why I bought the vegetables in the first place. I also knew that I wasn't in the mood for an omelette. Then it hit me! I could make up a batch of stuffed mushrooms!

The mushrooms were flavorful and filling and looked absolutely gorgeous sitting on my very last Palm Leaf Plate from Marx Foods. To be honest, though, the stuffed mushrooms weren't sitting on that plate for long. The aroma was too much for me to ignore and I barely had time to take these pictures before I started popping them in my mouth like a ravenous fool. The recipe doesn't require any outrageous ingredients and is simple enough to throw together to serve to last-minute or unexpected guests. Plus, the mushrooms look so elegant, your guests won't be anything less than impressed by your culinary genius!

* Omit the cheese

Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms

Printable Recipe

6 large white mushrooms

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 pound fresh baby spinach, chopped

Juice of half a lemon

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel to clean. Remove the stems. In a small bowl, toss the mushrooms caps with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place caps cavity-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden brown. Add the spinach and any liquid that accumulated in the mushrooms while baking. Add the lemon juice and panko. Gently stir until the bread crumbs are moist. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff the mushroom caps with the spinach and panko mixture. Return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes or until the bread crumbs have started to brown. Remove from the oven. Top with the freshly grated Parmesan cheese just before serving.

Grab Some Friends and Wait in Line at Shake Shack

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:11:00 +0000

It occurred to me that I have lived in New York City for three years. (Those three years include the 6 months I lived in Connecticut but commuted to the city for work.) And it took me three years to make my way down to Madison Square Park to meet up with Kym and Brian for dinner at Shake Shack. When I lost my job in August, the three of us originally decided to put our Lehigh Dinner Club meetings on a hiatus, but then Kym suggested we temporarily rename the club "Lehigh Dinner Club on a Budget" and that we have dinner in the park while we could still take advantage of the beautiful weather. Hiatus, be damned!

The line wasn't terribly long when we arrived, which was good since I didn't have a chance to check the Shack Cam beforehand. I doubt a long line or a long wait would have mattered, though, since we spent the time catching up with each other's news and I spent part of the time looking up and taking pictures.

The three of us felt very triumphant when we reached the first sign. Brian and Kym were such good sports when I asked them to stand by the sign and look like tourists.

I had a hard time deciding what to order. Of course, I did my research before going. Ordering a burger was a given. I also knew I had to include some type of frozen custard. I thought I had it all figured out in my head... Until I saw that sign. The list of food I had planned on ordering flew right out of my head and I got overwhelmed by all of the choices all over again. I thought to myself, "How much food can my little stomach handle?" I didn't have time to answer, though, because I heard the word "Next!" called out to me from inside the Shack and it was my turn to order.

As you can see, I went all out. Considering it took me three years to visit Shake Shack for the first time, I knew it would probably be a looooong time until my second visit. So I ordered everything my stomach wanted - a Double Single Cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato ($4.25), Fries ($2.75), The Arnold Palmer to drink (regular, $2.25; large, $3.00), and a Hopscotch Concrete ($6.25) for dessert! It sounds like a lot of food, but the portions weren't ginormous, so I managed to finish it all. And, I'm really glad I didn't skip the Concrete! The frozen vanilla custard was mixed with hot caramel sauce, chocolate toffee, and Valrhana chocolate chunks. Heaven!

If you haven't done the Shake Shack thing yet, I recommend you give it a try. Bring along some friends to keep you company while you're in line and indulge in a little comfort food. Burgers and fries? Now, how bad can that be?

Shake Shack

Southeast corner of Madison Square Park

(near corner of Madison Avenue and East 23rd Street)

(212) 889-6600

Guest Post: The Veggie Queen™ Makes Doubly Red Potato Salad Variation

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:43:00 +0000

Today's Guest Post was written by The Veggie Queen™, Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, who is described on her website as "a vegetable and plant-food cooking expert in vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free eating. Since I haven't devoted too much time to thinking about whether my own recipes are friendly to those with restricted diets, I was thrilled when Jill offered to write a Guest Post for Taste As You Go. When you're finished reading Jill's Guest Post, you should check out her blog, Veggie Queen Adventures. Thanks for writing, Jill!

Spying an ingredient at the farmer's market occasionally inspires me to cook one of my own recipes instead of creating and developing a new one. That happened recently when a favorite farmer had Chioggia (the candy-striped) beets for $2/bunch. With two potlucks on the calendar, I decided to make a variation of my Doubly Red Potato Salad that combines potatoes and beets with red onion, salty olives, dill and a light dressing. (Key here for me - light dressing, as I detest mayonnaise. Most of my other potato salads use vinaigrette to avoid that issue.)

I love the earthy sweetness of beets and ditto for potatoes. Luckily, they are both in season concurrently. I am a potato fiend, buying more than I can eat at one time. I knew that my larder held pink-fleshed Red Thumb potatoes, as well as All Blues and others, to add color to this dish. Since I am a bit of a pressure cooking nut and have successfully cooked both beets and potatoes in the pressure cooker, I figured that I could make short work of cooking on a 90+-degree day.

Generally, I cook both beets and potatoes for 3 minutes at pressure, leading to a "quick pressure release," easily accomplished with a modern pressure cooker (or requiring a trip to the sink with an older model). This time, at 3 minutes, the vegetables were a bit too al dente for me and needed another minute at pressure to be properly cooked. When they were, I removed them to a bowl and then added the fresh ingredients.

I would have followed the recipe exactly, but instead, I heeded my motto: "Don't use what you don't have." I didn't have any sour cream or yogurt, vegan or not. However, I had a container of my vegan Garlic Herb Aioli in the refrigerator and I used that mixed with some vinegar instead of the blended tofu mixture.

I loved the final product, but while Chioggia beets are incredibly beautiful when raw, their vibrancy fades with cooking (even though the pressure cooker actually helps retain more color and nutrients). Combined with the colored potatoes, the dish looked a bit unusual. At least whe using red beets, people can see that there are beets in the dish. This unlabeled potluck dish was shunned for more familiar, but far more boring and less flavorful, fare.

I was incredibly grateful for that, though, as the leftover salad became part of a delicious lunch the next day. It was just how I like it -- the biggest beneift of using one of my own recipes.

Doubly Red Potato Salad

Serves 8-10

6 cups quartered small red, or any other, potatoes (about 2 pounds)

1 pound small red, or any other, beets, tops trimmed

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup diced red onion (1 large fresh dug spring onion, if available)

½ cup minced fresh dill

½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half lengthwise

½ box Mori Nu lite silken extra firm tofu

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

¼ cup vegan sour cream or ¼ cup soy yogurt

Conventional Directions:

Steam the potatoes over boiling water until they are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and cool. Cook the beets, until they are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes, in enough boiling water to just cover them. Drain, cool and slip off the skin. Cut the beets into 1-inch cubes.

Gently combine the potatoes and beets in a large bowl, along with the salt, onion, dill and olives.

Put the tofu in the blender with the vinegar. Blend until smooth and pour into a small bowl. Stir the vegan sour cream into the tofu blend and fold into the salad. Chill and serve, or serve at room temperature. (Note: You can substitute 1/2 cup regular or vegan mayonnaise for the blended tofu mixture. Or, you can use the Garlic Herb Aioli, recipe given below.)

Pressure Cooker Directions:

Slice the beets and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Do the same with the potatoes. Put them into the pressure cooker with ½ cup water. Bring to pressure and cook for 3 minutes. Quick release the pressure, and carefully remove the lid, tilting it away from you. If the vegetables are not quite cooked, lock the lid on and cook 1 more minute or until a knife is easily inserted into the beets and potatoes. You do not need to peel the beets unless they are very tough-skinned. Cut the beets as described above and continue following the rest of the recipe.

Garlic Herb Aioli

12.3 ounces silken tofu

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 tablespoons miso

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon capers

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

2 teaspoons nutritional yeast

2 shakes cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons water

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree. Add more water if it seems too thick. Stores up to a week in the refrigerator.

Triple Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:44:00 +0000

Waaaay back in July, I was invited to attend a Chocolate Tasting and Luncheon at the French Culinary Institute in celebration of the cameo role of Scharffen Berger® chocolate in the motion picture Julie & Julia. Unfortunately, the luncheon was held just before I was let go from my job and I couldn't break away in the middle of the day to attend. It just killed me knowing that skipping the event meant skipping my chance to meet world-renowned master chef Jacques Pépin and the founder of Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker John Scharffenberger.

Thanks to a little bit of quick-thinking on my part, I arranged to have some chocolate samples sent to me after the luncheon so I could develop a recipe that featured the chocolate and, hopefully, blog about the results. When a couple of weeks went by without a sign of a package, I figured they had run out of samples. But I received an email from my former employer that a package had arrived for me after my last day with the company. Eureeka! They hadn't forgotten to send the chocolate and it arrived when I needed it the most.

Of course, I knew exactly what I wanted to make with the chocolate when I got my hands on the package -- brownies. Ooey, gooey, chocolatey brownies. And, oh my goodness, these brownies did not disappoint. Pair one or two of these bad boys with a tall glass of cold milk and you can't go wrong!

Triple Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Printable Recipe

1.5 ounces Scharffen Berger 82% Cacao Extra Dark Chocolate

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Scharffen Berger 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chunks

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8x2-inch pan. Melt extra dark chocolate and butter in a double boiler over simmering water. When the chocolate and butter have melted completely, remove the mixture from the heat. Add the Dutch cocoa and stir until well-blended. Allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Add the sugar and mix well. Stir in the vanilla, flour, and salt. Do not overbeat. Fold in the baking chunks. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Addicted to Crack

Admin@tasteasyougo.com (Michelle) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:04:00 +0000

They say that the first step to overcoming any addiction is admitting that you have a problem. Well, loyal Taste As You Go readers, I have a problem: I am addicted to crack. Now, before you all start to worry that my current state of unemployment has driven me to become dependent on drugs, let me be more specific: I am addicted to Duffy Crack.

"Duffy Crack" is this sinfully satisfying sweet treat introduced to me by my stepmother over the summer and is a clever spin off of peanut brittle. Of course, after trying some crack at a party, I asked for the recipe so I could get my fix any time I wanted. The original recipe (given here) uses pecans, but you can easily substitute the pecans for your favorite nut. And, if you want to make this dessert even more addictive, you can do what my stepmother does -- drizzle melted chocolate over it!

Chances are, you already have most of the ingredients for "Duffy Crack" in your kitchen. So, what are you waiting for? You know you're dying to try it. Just once. Everybody else is doing it.

Duffy Crack

Printable Recipe

1/3 16-ounce box honey graham crackers, broken along perforations
1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place graham crackers in a single layer on the baking sheet.

In a medium saucepan, bring the butter and sugar to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Carefully pour the butter and sugar mixture evenly over the graham crackers. Top with chopped pecans.

Bake for 12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks or plates lined with wax paper to cool completely.