I wouldn't believe these recipes existed if I hadn't read them with my own eyes.
Nancy Reagan's Onion Wine Soup
Bill Shatner's Carrot Vichyssoise
Burt Reynolds' Beef Stew
Robert and Vera Goulet's Fresh Cauliflower Soup
Roger Moore's Creamed Cheese Potatoes
Ed McMahon's Loin of Pork
Elizabeth Taylor's Chicken with Avocado and Mushrooms
Henry Winkler's Hawaiian Chicken
Johnny Mathis' Lobster with Mustard Sauce
And some from celebrities I've never heard of (I looked 'em up, give me a break, I'm not Canadian, and I was 10 when this book was published):
Barbara Ann Scott's Strawberry Mould
Bobby Hull's Swiss Steak
Brenda Vaccaro's Veal Roll
Liona Boyd's Quick Coquilles St. Jacques
Beverly Sills' Dutch Babies
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
White Bean and Escarole Soup
Three days ago it was 96 degrees at 6pm. Now it's 68 degrees. Talk about a change in weather!
Having grown up in Chicago, I'm used to temperature swings. But almost 30 degrees in 72 hours is pretty strange for southern CA.
So since it's so much cooler (yay, fall!), I made soup! A few days ago, Faith at I Pray to Gouda posted a recipe for White Bean and Escarole Soup. Just like with Peabody's Cheese Twists, I had to make this quickly, or risk it falling into the bookmark-abyss (currently at 360 items, and rising every week).
While at the market today, I found cavolo nero for the first time, so I used that in place of half of the escarole. I also used bacon instead of pancetta, since that's what I had, and omitted the rosemary, because Hubby hates it. My beans were Sun Vista white beans, which I believe are Great Northern - for canned beans, Sun Vista is the best (but if anyone wants to send me some Rancho Gordo beans, I won't say no!).
I loved the slight bitterness of the escarole, combined with the almost-meatiness of the kale. Cavolo nero cooks up a little differently from "regular" kale, completely retaining its form - I don't think it would disintegrate even if cooked for an hour. The tomatoes provided some nice acidity, complementing the richness of the crispy bacon sprinkled on top. If you make this (and I highly recommend that you do!), please make sure to use a good broth, chicken or veggie, since it's a relatively quick-cooking soup, and the broth is key.
Happy fall!
Having grown up in Chicago, I'm used to temperature swings. But almost 30 degrees in 72 hours is pretty strange for southern CA.
So since it's so much cooler (yay, fall!), I made soup! A few days ago, Faith at I Pray to Gouda posted a recipe for White Bean and Escarole Soup. Just like with Peabody's Cheese Twists, I had to make this quickly, or risk it falling into the bookmark-abyss (currently at 360 items, and rising every week).
While at the market today, I found cavolo nero for the first time, so I used that in place of half of the escarole. I also used bacon instead of pancetta, since that's what I had, and omitted the rosemary, because Hubby hates it. My beans were Sun Vista white beans, which I believe are Great Northern - for canned beans, Sun Vista is the best (but if anyone wants to send me some Rancho Gordo beans, I won't say no!).
I loved the slight bitterness of the escarole, combined with the almost-meatiness of the kale. Cavolo nero cooks up a little differently from "regular" kale, completely retaining its form - I don't think it would disintegrate even if cooked for an hour. The tomatoes provided some nice acidity, complementing the richness of the crispy bacon sprinkled on top. If you make this (and I highly recommend that you do!), please make sure to use a good broth, chicken or veggie, since it's a relatively quick-cooking soup, and the broth is key.
Happy fall!
Food & Wine, November 2008
Tasty treats from November's Food and Wine:
- Tiki Snack Mix - Bacon. In snack mix. Yes, please!
- Potato Crisps with Chive-Sour Cream Dip - I love the idea of using the peels for chips, that's where all the flavor is!
- Yucátan Pork Stew with Ancho Chiles and Lime Juice - I'm a sucker for anything that combines pork and chiles.
- Cassoulet with Duck Confit - this needs no explanation. The title alone should be enough to convince you to make it.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Cheesy Twists
Browsing the blogosphere today (I'm playing hooky, yay!), I came across this lovely post by Peabody. Not only does she write beautifully about how she and her husband met and married, she also offers a wonderful recipe for Cheese Garlic Twists.
Given that I had all the necessary ingredients, plus the required amount of time...how could I not make them?
Towards the end of the rolling and twisting process, I got lazy (that's what days off are for, right?), so I tossed the rest of the dough into a cute little Descoware dish, and made a mini loaf.
The twists only rise once, so they don't take as long as your typical loaf. And the garlic in the dough is lovely. I might try adding roasted garlic next time. Mmm...roasted garlic.
Thanks, Peabody, for a heartwarming story and a great recipe!
Given that I had all the necessary ingredients, plus the required amount of time...how could I not make them?
Towards the end of the rolling and twisting process, I got lazy (that's what days off are for, right?), so I tossed the rest of the dough into a cute little Descoware dish, and made a mini loaf.
The twists only rise once, so they don't take as long as your typical loaf. And the garlic in the dough is lovely. I might try adding roasted garlic next time. Mmm...roasted garlic.
Thanks, Peabody, for a heartwarming story and a great recipe!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Baby Watermelon
MIL came home with a baby watermelon the other day. Isn't she cute?
It's almost seedless (only a few white ones), with a slightly less-sweet flavor than full-sized watermelons. The skin is thinner, and the flesh doesn't taste bitter as you get near the rind.
Unfortunately, like the baby cantaloupe...I'm allergic. Damn.
Update 2/23/09: I have now found 2 other people with watermelon allergies, a co-worker's girlfriend, and my grandfather. At least I now know that I'm now insane, that people really can be allergic to watermelon.
It's almost seedless (only a few white ones), with a slightly less-sweet flavor than full-sized watermelons. The skin is thinner, and the flesh doesn't taste bitter as you get near the rind.
Unfortunately, like the baby cantaloupe...I'm allergic. Damn.
Update 2/23/09: I have now found 2 other people with watermelon allergies, a co-worker's girlfriend, and my grandfather. At least I now know that I'm now insane, that people really can be allergic to watermelon.
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