Whatever, Martha! (My new favorite show)

Being without cable for 5 months will have you do some pretty crazy things. You know, like reading books, working out and meeting friends for coffee rather than ichat on Facebook. And now that I have cable back I can honestly say I didn't miss much. I don't know why I used to love it so much. I really like watching the "F Word" on BBC, "Barefoot Contessa" on FN and now "Whatever, Martha" on Fine Living Network.

It's funny how I discovered this show. I was learning as much as I could from Martha's Holiday Special and right after there was a preview for a show called, "Whatever, Martha!" I knew this was a show worth checking out and I was right. It's hilarious. It's her daughter, Alexis and her friend, Jennifer critiquing different shows Martha has done from past to present. They make fun of her ridiculous crafts, call her out on bogus recipes and make fun of her guests. Nothing is off bounds and it's so entertaining.

The best part of all is Martha Stewart i the executive producer and creator of the show. She's basically paying her daughter and her friend to ridicule her at any expense. In fact, they've even had her as a guest and teased her up close and personal. They also have a radio show on Martha's radio station. Who ever said Martha didn't have a sense of humor??? I think she knows she can be a little ridiculous or a lot ridiculous at times and is willing to poke fun at herself. Good for her. It endears me to Martha even more! I just love this woman.

p.s. If you've never had the good fortune of watching the show, check out the clip above of Martha giving tips on making s'mores! It will give you a taste of what the show is all about

Tis the Season for baking Christmas Cookies with friends!

Today I spent nearly 6 hours making Christmas cookies for fun! My friend, Brandee came over and we listened to Christmas music, chatted and watched Christmas with the Kranks , while we baked all day. I had so much fun just making 2 of my favorite all time cookies, Kourabiedes(white-almond cookie) and Melomakarona(honey-walnut cookie.)

Brandee had never made Greek Christmas cookies before and she got to see all the hard work that goes into making cookies from scratch. Before she left she said, "I love you Myrna." I'm guessing that means she loved the cookies!

I made 200 so I had enough to give away to friends and neighbors. Does anyone cookie swap anymore under 30 years old? My cookies are all sealed in their Rubbermaid tins and ready to be eaten by beloved friends and family. I put my all into them and now I'm tuckered out! No matter how tired, I'm so obsessed with Christmas cookies that I'm asking my friends to all bring their favorite cookies for my Christmas gathering in a few weeks. Little do they know we'll be cookie swapping. I'm also working on making a holiday mix cd for them too. I'm kinda known for my mix cds!!! Ha! I love making them for all occasions.

Well that's all for now folks! Next time I'll be sure to share a cookie recipe. (YAWN) I'm off to bed!

La La La Leftovers!

I've been munching on Thanksgiving leftovers for the last 3 days and I think it's time to move on. I've made PB and cranberry-apple sandwiches, turkey salad, croquettes (fried mashed potatoes with ham) and today I'm finishing with turkey and kale soup. There is only so much one person can have. I say savor the memories and then start gearing up for Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas; my lights are up, Christmas potpourri out and smelling "holiday-ish", tree "a-glowing" and fireplace decorated with empty stockings. What will Mr. Kris Kringle fill them with this year? My theme is nutcracker. There are nutcrackers everywhere! Now I'm in the mood to make cookies galore and gingerbread houses. Santa would only be so lucky if he got to eat cookies at my house. Look for holiday cookie recipes on here. You can cook along with me!

Poor Paula!

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/21699614/index.html

Above is a link of Paula Deen getting clobbered by a ham on a local television station in Atlanta. WOnder if she'll pass on ham this year at Thanksgiving dinner? Hmmm

When's the last time you had a root beer float?

I remember when I had my first root beer float. I was about 5 years old and my Mom made it for me. It was amazing to see how the root beer fizzled all over the vanilla ice cream and how delicious it all was melting in my mouth. I was obsessed with them for about a week, until my stomach started really hurting and I needed some sort of protein and/or vegetation.

The I remember how I tried to experiment with other ice cream flavors and other soda. None of them quite did the trick like the classic float. My favorite way to make it is with Hagen Daz and Barq's. Emmm! I haven't had one in years and was thinking about making one today!!!

Back to Basics. Bread.

I know they're only a handful of people left on God's green earth that will make everything for Thanksgiving from scratch. Most people are lucky if someone makes a homemade pie or stuffing from day old bread. Canned yams, canned cranberry sauce(the easiest thing to make from scratch) and other time-friendly solutions are not ones I'm remotely interested in trying. Thanksgiving is once a year people. Get it together! This should be a special time that you put some heart into your cooking.

Maybe it's all this fresh Austin air, but I believe people's energy goes into the dishes they make. In fact, Sarah Michelle Gellar(AKA:Buffy the Vampire Slayer) did a movie called Simply Irresistible and it was based on that entire idea.

Point is, bread is so basic. That's why today I decided to share a delicious dinner roll recipe for you to make for your loved ones this year. I promise it will be a hit. Sure, bread is cheap but that's no reason not to attempt making it yourself. The reward is so worth it. The hardest thing about making bread is getting the water the right temperature and blooming the yeast(making sure the yeast gets foamy), after that you are golden! Trust me. Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy are delicious on a hot, homemade dinner roll! Now get to baking =)


4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast -MAKE SUR EIT'S NOT OLD OR WON'T RISE!!!
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F)-SUPER IMPORTANT
2 cups warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)-SUPER IMPORTANT
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
7 cups All-Purpose flour
Directions

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, eggs, sugar, salt and 3 cups flour

Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 7-8 minutes (dough will be a little sticky).

Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 24 pieces. Shape each into a roll.

Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Personalized cookie place keepers. Ridiculous!

So this past week was exhausting! I catered an event called Art Behind Bars which helps Austin women get back on their feet when they get out of jail. Great cause. Amazing event! Afterwards, I swore that after making 9 various appetizers for 200 people, I would be on a cooking strike until Thanksgiving. Shaaaaa right! I got one day's rest and then started on my hefty menu. I've gotten half of my menu complete. Phew! I was feeling super organized about T-Day next week until I was perusing the internet and saw these cookie name place keepers. Had I forgotten something???

Apparently so, because now I'm obsessed with the idea of making these on my own. Silly me. When will I learn? Never?

Now on top of all my other things to do list, I've added this to my plate. Cookie place keepers!!! They are just too darn cute not to make. I won't rest until I make it happen. (Seriously, I'd be very sad if you weren't coming to my house for Thanksgiving. It will be one to remember.)

p.s. Did I mention I'm planning 3 Christmas parties on top of all this? Holidays will be a hot mess of kitchen frenzy madness and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Thanksgiving is in 3 weeks. WOWZAS!

My first time hosting Thanksgiving and I couldn't be more excited. A small, quaint and traditional holiday with some twists in the menu. I'm working on making menus for clients and decided to work on my own for a bit. I have narrowed it down to 13 dishes for the big day. Now whether or not I actually make all these will depend on how much I can get ahead of time. Preparation is the key to entertaining. Being stuck in the kitchen while your guests are sippin on their favorite beverage is no fun for anyone! Your guests want to watch football(eeek!), look through your hideous photo albums, catch up with you or secretly judge your ammatuer holiday decorating skills. They don't want to see you sweating over which dish will be done first and rushing people to the table to get it while it's hot.

Being calm is the key to a successful and relaxing holiday. How? Start prepping way ahead of time. Like start today! That's what I'm doing. Sounds crazy, but it's actually super smart. If you make 1-2 dishes a week from now until Turkey day you will be golden. All you should have to make is the turkey and mashed potatoes. Pies, cobblers, stuffing, cranberry sauce and other sides can be made and frozen 2-3 weeks ahead of time without compromising taste.

My Schedule:

3 weeks before T-day> making 3 dishes
2 weeks before T-day>making desserts
1 weeks before T-day>finish making any side dishes
4 days before T-day-defrost turkey and buy the last of supplies!
2-3 days before T-day-defrost sides, desserts, etc.
DAY OF GOBBLE DAY-MAKE TURKEY, GRAVY AND MASHED POTATOES! THEN, CHILLAX!

I hope sharing my schedule helps some of you. Schedules in general help. Buying pre-made anything will not cut it. It simply won't happen in my house. From scratch or bust!!!
THE DAY OFF

My Menu:
(Attempt to duplicate at your own risk!)

Rotisserie turkey with lemon-sage relish
Honey-citrus baked ham
Balsamic-glazed oranges and cranberry sauce
Lemon-thyme rolls with parsley butter
Chestnut & raisin stuffing
Cream cheese & chive mashed potatoes
Fennel salad with cinnamon vinaigrette
Maple-ginger carrots with toasted almonds
Broccoli and Jasmine rice casserole with bacon croutons
Green bean casserole with fried shallots
Caramel candied yams
Pumpkin pie creme brule
Toasted pecan pie bars

Creepy Cookie!!!

This is my favorite cookie I've seen all Halloween!!! Thought I would share the fun pic.

Which cookie would you rather???

VS.

Tiropita...ki!!! AKA: Cheese pies from heaven.

Some people don’t want to attempt to cook Greek food because a few of the dishes are pretty complex. Well, this isn’t one of those dishes. However, making these tasty pastries require time. Don't the best things in life?

Tiropita (pronounced tee-RO-pee-ta) which means “cheese pie”. This recipe could be affectionately called Tiropitaki. You see, adding “aki” on the end of a Greek word means “little” so these are actually small cheese pies.

Tiropitas are sold on almost every street corner in Greece. They are typically eaten for breakfast, but can be served at dinner too.

Ready to make them?

Ingredients


1 pound of crumbled Feta cheese
3 eggs
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of parsley
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1 package of Puff Pastry & it's going to rest in the fridge at least 12-24 hours in order to come up to working temperature.



Dust your work space with flour so the puff pastry doesn't stick.

Open your puff pastry, spread it all out flat. Cut it into 9 even squares.


For the filling: In a mixing bowl put in three well beaten eggs then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, Greek yogurt and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Crumble in the pound of feta.

Assembly
Place one small spoonful of filling vertically in the center and fold into a triangle. Pinch the side with a fork. As the pastry cooks it the layers will fluff up by themselves, so don’t leave a lot of slack in there.

As you complete each one, place them on a baking sheet which has been lightly brushed with olive oil.

Baking
Bake the tiropitas in a pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees. You’ll have to keep an eye on them pretty closely as cook times vary. You are looking for the pastries to turn a light golden brown. They are excellent when served warm.

These can be made to the point before baking and then frozen for up to one month without compromising flavor. I'm making them tonight for a special birthday. I'm looking forward to seeing the reaction...

Cinnamon Rolls...from scratch!

I haven't made these in forever and thought I would share the recipe. I think it's safe to say that most people buy cinnamon rolls, but they are so much better made from scratch. What isn't better homemade right? As the weather gets colder(off and on in Texas), I can't help but bake my buns off!


2 cups of warm water
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons dry yeast (or two packages of dry yeast)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Canola oil
6 to 7 cups of flour
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let sit for a minute or two. Add the sugar and salt. Mix. Add the cooking oil (or shortening), 2 eggs, 2 cups of flour and beat until smooth.

Stir in 3 more cups of flour. Begin kneading the dough, adding the final cup of flour. If the dough seems too sticky, knead in more flour, a quarter to a half cup at a time.

Let the dough "rest" for 15 to 20 minutes.

Roll the dough into a rectangle that's 24 to 30 inches long by about 16 inches wide. Spread with soft butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Starting at the wide end, roll into a log.

Cut the cinnamon rolls into equal sized slices (approximately one inch wide each or slightly more) and place into two greased 9x13 pans. Put in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes (or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown).

Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then turn out of the pans.

This recipes makes two dozen cinnamon rolls. If you want huge cinnamon rolls, cut into 12 equal pieces 2 inches wide.

Total amount of time needed from start to finish is about 2 hours.

ICING:

1 stick butter-softened
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp whole milk

Add butter, vanilla and half of powdered sugar. Add milk and rest of sugar until icing is done to your desired consistency.

Fall Cupcakes!

These cupcakes are light and moist. They aren't like these dense brownie-cake recipes ofetn used as cupcake bases. You know what else? Sans frosting, they’d make great breakfast muffins. You can substitute plums and apricots for peaches, but I promise this will be delicious!

Makes 24 to 28 cupcakes

3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of nutmeg
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks or 6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark or light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) buttermilk, sour cream or full-fat yogurt
3 large peaches, peeled, cored, and chopped smallish (I went for a 1/3-inch dice)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 28 muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg and set aside. Cream the butter and sugars together, beating until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition, and then the vanilla. Gently mix in the buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt. Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the peach chunks.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes for five minutes in the tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cornstarch? Let me explain: Quick buttercreams and cream cheese frostings are generally made by whipping fatty ingredients (ex: butter, cream cheese) with powdered sugar. Powdered sugar works in a way that granulated sugar does not because it is mixed with cornstarch, which both keeps the sugar from clumping in its packaging and thickens the frosting. Brown sugar is not only more damp than granulated and powdered sugar, it’s missing that cornstarch thickener, so I added some to help the frosting set up. It’s still a bit thinner than traditional cream cheese frosting but the flavor leaves the stuff you’re used to in the dust.

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 drop yellow food coloring
1/2 drop red food coloring
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (4 ounces or 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch and powdered sugar. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the sugar-cornstarch mixture, food colorings and vanilla, beat until frosting is smooth and light. Chill the bowl in the refrigerator until it thickens back up a bit, about 15 minutes, then spread or dollop on cooled cupcakes.

Chicken & Dumpling Soup and Grape Popsicles

I'm happy to report that today I'm starting to feel a little better. I still have a mean cough and feel congested, but far better than I was a few days ago. I actually felt like trying a full day with solid food. No more soup! After all, there is only so much soup a grown woman can have! And add grape popsicles to that list while you're at it!

When I first became sick, my next door neighbor, Phyllis made me the most delicious chicken and dumpling soup. It was warm, delicious, made from scratch and I could taste the kindness in every bite. Since then I've eaten hot & sour soup, miso soup, chicken noodle soup, beef and barley soup and vegetable soup. Let me tell you, I am all souped out people!!! I'm craving fresh baked bread and other warm carbs that I feel are contingent to becoming healthy again. Also, grape popsicles aren't exactly "doing it" for me anymore either. I love em, but it's time to leave em.

What am I ready for? I'll tell you! I'm definitely ready to revisit Yogurt Planet. The one in Bee Caves(a small town near Austin) is my absolute favorite. It's fabulosity times ten in a cup. I mix strawberry, mango, acai berry and pomegranate all together for a sin-free, party in my mouth. Ahhh. I can't wait until my throat stops hurting so I can properly freeze myself into yogurt bliss heaven.

Tomorrow I plan to ditch my tired old pj's for my comfy jeans and cute tops! Being sick is not my style and I miss the outside world way too much. Oh & the only habits I plan on keeping from this sick routine are taking vitamins and drinking pomegranate lemonade on the regular. I'm at the age where I need to be taking vitamins anyway(sigh) and I love all things pomegranate. Plus, doesn't it just sound like the healthy thing to do?

Pumpkin n Chocolate Pie

Although I have not made this recipe, I must admit it's pretty tasty. It's vegan. Now before you close the window of your screen, try to be open-minded. Try! Not all vegan food is disgusting, just most of it. This happens to be a good vegan recipe. Since vegans get such a bad wrap from us non-vegans, I think they're trying to become more creative to coerce us all into conformity. Since we all know that will never happen, but I don't mind throwing them a bone every once in awhile.

This recipe is posted for my Mom's best friend from college's son, Justin Mesina. (Did you get that?)He's a die hard vegan and definitely looks like he could use a hamburger or 2, but I respect his decision to starve himself. This one's for you kiddo!

cookie crust


16 oreos or newman’s organic chocolate cream cookies

1/3 c earth balance

1/3 c flour

filling


1/2 c water

1 tsp agar agar

1 c sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 1/2 cans of pumpkin (about 22 oz)

1 c dark chocolate chunks or chips

start by breaking up the cookies into the smallest bits you can. then add in the earth balance, which will leave it gooey and soft, adding the flour will help to give it a thicker consistency that will hold it together. when completely blended put in the refrigerator to harden. the only way to work with the crust was when it’s cold. so once it hardens, start pushing it into a buttered pie pan with the bottom of a glass. if it begins to melt and stick to the glass, return it to the fridge to harden again. in the end you should have a pie pan evenly coated with a cookie crumb crust.

while you are preparing the crust, add the agar agar to the water and let sit to make sure it is fully dissolved. agar agar is a gelatin substitute derived from seaweed. it will help the pie become firm without baking. after the crust is finished, start preparing the filling by heating up the agar agar solution, sugar and spices in a large sauce pan until they begin to bubble. reduce the heat to prevent it from bubbling up too much.

add the pumpkin and let cook for about a minute.

then turn off the heat and add the chocolate. it will melt completely in since the mixture is still very hot. pour the contents of the pan into the pie crust and smooth the top. garnish if you’d like with cookie crumbs, a cookie in the center, chocolate chips, or if you’d like you can melt the chocolate separately and swirl it in with the filling. refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. it will become firm upon cooling.

Blueberry Tea Glee!

It's official. I'm sick. Really sick with fever. UGH! I'm trying to remain positive and find the goodness in being at home with nothing to do. I'm thankful for a nice home, clean sheets that smell like GAIN(my favorite), an abundance of soups to chose from on a daily basis, 2 adorable dogs that give me non-stop lovin and my favorite new find, Blueberry Tea.

Funny thing is I love this tea, In fact, I love all things blueberry, except actual blueberries. I love blueberry muffins, but will pick them out if they're too big and juicy. I love blueberry popsicles, snow-balls, taffy, sorbet and now add tea to that list. Besides being a "super food", it just tastes so darn good! I love the benefits And what are they you might ask? Blueberries contain 14 mg of Vitamin C and 0.8 mg Vitamin E per 1 cup of blueberries. In addition, blueberries contain anthocyanins and phenolics that can also act as antioxidants. Based on data from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (Boston, MA), blueberries are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant activity. Using a test called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), researchers have shown that a serving of fresh blueberries provides more antioxidant activity than many other fresh fruits and vegetables.

I'm off to bed with my agave & honey sweetened blueberry tea and hoping to battle my flu with some of mother nature's best!

Peanut Butter Cookies! Oldie, but yummy.

Just a quick post while I'm prepping for Tour de Vin this Thursday at Whole Foods downtown.

The weather has been particularly drab this week. I suppose Austin can't be beautiful all the time, but we are a spoiled bunch. And in dark and sometimes rainy weather, there's only one thing to do... bake! I like making peanut butter cookies because I usually have all the ingredients in my pantry. Make them for someone you like, love or miss. It will definitely catch their attention.

p.s. adding 1/2 cup of chocolate chips never hurt anybody either!

1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
8 tbsp. softened butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups chunky peanut butter
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside. Put the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy but not fluffy, about 1 minute.

Add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla, and beat until just smooth, about 30 seconds. Stir in the reserved flour with a wooden spoon until just combined. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 12.

Preheat oven to 325°. Pinch off heaping tablespoon-size pieces of dough and roll into balls. Arrange balls 2 1/2'' apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

Use tines of a fork to flatten balls to a thickness of about 1/2'' and to make a grid pattern on top.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool cookies completely before storing in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks.

Gourmet Magazine falls in the FALL =(

Now there's nothing I can say about this iconic food magazine that hasn't been said in numerous blogs, websites and news outlets. So I will just give my personal take. I think it's sad. Perhaps beyond sad. I don't really think it's economy related, although I could be dead wrong. I think it's a trend and generation related. Everything is about entertainment. News has to be entertaining, tv shows, commercials, books and even magazines. Content (at least in this country) is secondary to the entertainment factor. If we aren't being entertained, we simply aren't interested. Of course I'm speaking for people as a whole and not myself in particular.

Personally, if I'm truly interested in a subject. I want the raw deal, without all the frills. I can add frills to what I'm learning, AFTER I learn it. I guess the U.S.A. wants everything sugar-coated and presented in a pretty little bow. That's the way to get our attention. Spoon feed us and entertain us. I'm all for that, but Gourmet is an icon. (p.s. I don't think it's a coincidence The Food Network recently came out with a magazine and it's doing fabulous.)

I've worked with Sara Moulton(google her if you haven't a clue who she is, she is Gourmet Magazine related!) and we discussed this very subject. True chefs are a dying breed. Not only do you have to cook, but you need to entertain as well. Even if you have an amazing restaurant, as a chef you're demanded to have presence nowadays. Luckily for me I don't have to try too terribly hard because I naturally have a big personality. However, there are countless talented and wonderful chefs out there who don't get the time of day simply because they aren't "camera-ready or friendly." This is not to say that they ever would go on camera or need to, but people want what they see on the Food Network. If you don't remind them of a favorite, accessible chef then they really aren't interested. (Trust me.)

Like I said, more than melancholy if you ask me. I seriously don't think they have this problem in Europe or other countries. From my experience in traveling abroad, if you produce good food, then you'll have loyal customers that will follow. I truly feel that's the way it should be too. I'm glad my personality is inviting to people, but if my food sucked, I wouldn't want people to hire me. Period! Luckily, I love what I do and feel it's reflective in my food. At least that's what I tell myself. Down with Gourmet and make room for Food Network Magazine types. I just wish both could co-exist, but obviously they can't!

Why do I want to marry Mandarins in September?

Ok, so technically we are in October. Nah, it really is October. Geez. Where did September go people? Mandarins are in season in September, but let's not mince months. They are still super deliciouso! I just got a bag of them and can not help but munch on them 24/7 until my tummy aches. I love them! I don't put them in an Asian Salad or make a silly fruit cup. Nope! I eat them straight up. They are super easy to peel and usually don't have any seeds. (In fact, I think I need to eat one right now.) They are so sweet, tangy and tart. Despite this unpredictable up and down weather, one thing is for sure, Fall produces my favorite foods. Period. Exclamation point! Everything tastes so much richer and deeper in flavor.

I also saved all my mandarin peels (which is plenty) and added some cinnamon sticks to some water and left it simmering in a small pot in my kitchen. It's my own potpourri creation. I'm sure it's been done before, but it's new to me! It makes home feel cozier and makes me want to wash all my sheets with extra fabric softener and cuddle on the couch with my puppies. Even though I do all that stuff anyways, it entices me to do it morel!!

Bud's Broiler Memories

Growing up in lil ole Mandeville La. will leave a girl hungry from time to time just thinking about all the yummy food that was cooped up in that small town. Working on my business in my office, on a computer isn't the most glamourous part of being a chef, but it's necessary. And on boring days like today, my mind wanders and starts thinking about foods that should totally be staying away from.

Luckily, I'd have to drive 8 hours or fly1 hr to satisfy this craving, so YOU KNOW that's not happening. Instead, I'm taking a blogging break.

Bud's Broiler for those who don't know(and most of you don't) is a little burger joint and I think there's still one in Metairie, LA. It wasn't fancy or great, but I loved their burgers. Every town has *that burger joint and *this was *that joint. When you wanted a plain, no-nonsense, straight forward, delicious to eat, down-home burger....you went to Bud's! In fact, I had my first "date" in 3 rd grade with a friend named, Michael Bacon. I used to call him Bacon and Bits and Bits! On a side note, I guess technically it wasn't a date-date. These were more innocent times people! It was the early 80's for God's sake. He was my neighbor and my friend. Everyone teased us for being friends, but he lived down the street and his dad loved to plant veggies. What can say? He was the first friend I made in my subdivision and plus, he would get my assignments for me if I was sick and missed school. He was good people. We studied on the bus together and he had the cutest little sister, Michelle. Back to my never-ending tangent, I wanted to see "Can't Get No Satisfaction" with Justine Bateman and our moms thought it was cute if we went together. Everyone called it a "date," but I suppose it was really two 8 yr olds, who were friends, who wanted to see the same movie on my birthday and we were the opposite sex. So naturally, we went to Bud's and ate the same burger. It was cute in a way I suppose. He got mustard, but I didn't. My parents were there taking pics the whole time! UGH! We sat 8 rows away from each other in the theatre so no one would know we came together. We didn't tell people at school. It was our secret. Ahhh, to be 8 yrs old again!

Sadly, Michael Bacon died in a car accident senior year of high school. I still wonder about him sometimes. Miss him even. Maybe Bud's wasn't just a burger joint afterall...:((((

Stuffed Bell Peppers & Such...

Tonight I made stuffed bell peppers. It took 3 long hours to make the filling and bake them! I hadn't made them in awhile and they were pretty good. However, I also made a salad with organic greens with strawberries in a freshly made raspberry vinaigrette (which I didn't photograph) and it took all of 5 minutes to assemble/make. Funny thing is that I really was digging the salad that I didn't want to eat a lot of the pepper. I ran 3.7 miles and drank a ton of h2O. It left me feeling unusually full and I couldn't eat as much as I normally would.

Oh and my neighbor, Courtney thinks I should bottle my salad dressings and sell them. I have been super efficient at making my own dressings for all my salad inventions lately. But would I really want to put Mr. Paul Newman out of business like that? I think not! Plus, I think my dressings would lose their specialness being all mass produced like that.

If you are thinking I've been really good and healthy, you're mostly right! Of course, I had to put a wrench in my own fitness regiment. After dinner, I splurged and ate a little more than half of a Mickey D's hot fudge sundae. Actually, let me correct myself. I scooped and ate all the fudge out of the sundae and had 3 bites of ice cream. Classy, classy! Perhaps, not but it's real people. You know you've done it. At least I pray I'm not the only one.

More adventures in food later alligator!

Thanksgiving planning....ALREADY?!?

Is Thanksgiving really upon us already? Halloween hasn't even come and gone and here I am planning turkey day. I guess the older you get, the more planning that's required to get people together. This will be my first year actually hosting a Thanksgiving dinner. It's always been at my mom's house where she cooks enough to feed all the neighbors on her block and then some. I finally got my first home and I want to do a simple, elegant Martha...I mean, Myrna Stewart holiday. Well, of course it will have to have my personal twist and flare, but I want it to be memorable.

My Mom is the Queen of Thanksgiving. Queen to all nations because she tries to cater to everyone in our entire family, co-workers, nieces, sisters, brother-in-laws, cousins and probably random people she met at church. There is Filipino fare, Spanish touches, Tex-Mex delights and then the classic "American" dishes. It's enough to make me reach for a bottle of Pepto-Bismol. Unless your stomach is as big as my Mom's heart, there is no way is Croatia that anyone could put a dent in her over 20 dishes. And if you did, you can pretty much forget that Thanksgiving nap. You'll be crunched over with a stomach ache from mixing all those different flavor profiles together.

So what to do? I want to host a smaller, intimate Thanksgiving with 7 AMAZING dishes and ones that pair nicely with one another. The only one I need to please is myself. Since I have such a picky pallet anyway, I know it will be delicious. I plan on doing typical American classics with a twist. I can't post my menu just yet because I want it to be surprise, but I will post pics afterwards! I want my Mom to rest and relax and leave this turkey day to the pro. Even though I went to culinary school, work as a chef professionally and teach people how to cook, she still thinks she knows best. In many ways she does, but not when it come to a stress-free, simple but refined menu. I will have to school her! But what am I talking about? Thanksgiving is 2 months away!


p.s. isn't pugs as a pilgrim the CUTEST thing you've seen all day?!

Spiced Pumpkin Granita

Granita is typically a summer dish. However I live in Texas and this place can't decide between summer and fall. I would prefer it to be fall all the time because it's my favorite season. The chestnuts, gourds and best of all, my baking mood is in full swing by early October. I'm making banana bread, chocolate-orange cakes, biscotti and all the fun comfort foods that summer hasn't inspired me to make. No more itsy, bitsy, teeny-weeny bikini to try to fit into!

Because pumpkins are in season, but it's unseasonably warm, I thought Pumpkin granita is a perfect combination for this flippant weather down south. It lays tricks with your mind because you think granita and summer, but it tastes of beautiful fall weather. Try it! Discover the wonders of trying to make things seasonally in a state that refuses to get cold for more than 1 day! Feel my pain and taste the joy of this refreshing fall delight.


Ingredients
15 oz. -100% pureed pumpkin
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground cinnamon



COMBINE pumpkin, water, concentrate, sugar, salt and cinnamon in large bowl; whisk until smooth.

Pour into 8-inch-square baking pan; cover with plastic wrap.

Freeze, stirring every 30 minutes to break up ice crystals, for 3 hours, or until slushy, more uniform in texture and firm enough to scrape or scoop.

Using metal spoon or ice cream scoop, scrape into chilled serving dishes. Serve immediately. (Freeze any remaining sorbet for up to 7 days.)

Allow to stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes prior to serving.

A little bread and cheese with my whine?

I was going to give history of the Camembert being from Normandy, France and so on, but it will only make me hungrier. Before I drag myself to the gym, I will give myself 1 minute to indulge in the faint memory from less than a week ago when I was in Paris. Bread, cheese and wine were literally on every corner of every block. I didn't realize how much I would miss it. But I do. Now I'm here and all that wine, cheese and bread goodness is all over there. WAH! Trying to get back on the proverbial pony is harder than I thought. OOOF!

Quotes that inspire...

“A jazz musician can improvise based on his knowledge of music. He understands how things go together. For a chef, once you have that basis, that’s when cuisine is truly exciting.”

~ Charlie Trotter

"For the first time I know what it is to eat. I have gained four pounds. I get frantically hungry, and the food I eat gives me a lingering pleasure. I never ate before in this deep carnal way ... I want to bite into life and to be torn by it."

~ Anaïs Nin

Veggies

These are some fresh veggies I just picked in Greece!

Gown Crazy Party

Here's the story of us.










I met Johnathan Kayne (Kayne as he goes by) and his publicist/friend, Teresa at a Austin Fashion Awards party. He was a finalist on Project Runway (and was robbed if you ask me!) and now has his own line of pageant dresses, shoes, handbags and k-9 couture gear. He had a fashion show and I was just there in time for the fabulous after party! Right from when we met, we just hit it off. Life is funny that way sometimes. Teresa mentioned a watch party for his show premiering on TLC, Gown Crazy and thought they would need a caterer. I thought it sounded fabulous, but really was enjoying just hanging out with them because they were such good company. Kayne's life story especially touching. I have such respect for him being such a driven , positive and upbeat person. He's such a joy just to be around. He deserves every bit of success he's had and more!



Fast forward to this past weekend. I catered the premier! The food was fabulous and had to be to hold a candle to his show. It's hilarious and so authentically him! I met his whole team of staff, interns and best of all, family. They are all such great people. I was honored to be able to share in his success and know there's so much more from him to come. Besides being a fashion genius, he really is one of the top 3 sweetest people I've ever met in my entire life!!!



p.s. One of his favorite foods in corn! It cracks me up to think of it every time. But, I created a special corn and coconut pudding for him in his honor. It will forever will be the Corny Kayne Pudding to commemorate his special evening!

p.p.s. he's making me a custom chef coat too and I'm beyond over the moon...keep your eye out for my chef couture line with Kayne! Ha. YOU NEVER KNOW what will happen when fashion meets food ;)

THIS is why I need to get well soon...

This is the mental image that's been keeping me going. It's Santorini. The island I should have been born on, but my Mom chose New Orleans instead. Wah-wah! I won't fault her because my city is pretty amazing too. It's just Greece... Santorini in particular is amazing on a whole different level. I took this picture at around 7pm at sunset. It's so much better in my mind, but this definitely helps me remember. The Black Sand Beach, the Red Sand Beach, Perissa, Kamari and Fiera. It's the best, over-priced place you'll ever go. I get lost here. I couldn't think of anything else but what I was doing *that moment. How many places have that effect on you? The food was ALL local from the island and unlike anything I've tasted. The air smelled like fresh salt water taffy and you felt as if you were living in the best postcard you've ever seen. The island itself is a maze of adventure.

Luckily, I get to go here again VERY SOON. I'm already craving this balsamic fig jam with fresh bread for breakfast with this rose infused orange juice that literally tasted like the Gods made it themselves. Everything in Santorini tastes brighter, richer and you just feel more alive. Why more people don't go here more is beyond me! It's heaven, with clouds and all!!! In fact, they even have a little bakery with smurfs on it just because smurfs are blue and white! If I get more technologically savvy between now and then, I'll have to blog or post pics when I get on the island!

Reality check now: I'm sick. My throat aches. I need to rest and get well for my adventure. First, a snuggle with my pillow and icky meds, ughhh meds!

Under the weather...

To your right is a picture of happier times, from about a month ago. I was just eating, traveling with friends and learning how to relax properly. (You know. Making the best of what I have and not necessarily wanting the best of everything. It's a new concept I've been working on executing in everyday life.) Abbey, my childhood friend took this picture of me at some over priced restaurant we ate at on the San Antonio Riverwalk. I had seared scallops in chipotle/clam broth me thinks...have I told you, I've been on the biggest scallop trip ever!?!?! I can't seem to satisfy this insatiable appetite for them. Why try? I'm not fighting it any longer. I just constantly order them like an 80 year old woman who refuses to try anything else on the menu. EXCEPT, wherever I go, they usually are made different ways. That sort of helps my pallet not look so tragically mundane.

Anyway, cut to today. My throat is sore like I'd been singing all night at a Snoop concert, only that was weeks ago. My body feels heavy like I ate a large plate of red jello. My upbeat tempo has turned a little sloth-like and I'm not liking it at all! I've been trying to mentally erect myself back into better health with a little help from some Vitamin C, Chicken Noodle Soup and Soy Chai Lattes. It hasn't been working though =( In fact last night, I cheated on myself. I had friends over for brie, crackers, orzo and beef filets and red wine. Not good. It's not like I'm on the verge of croaking or anything. My voice isn't terrible sounding, it just really hurts....esp. in the morning. I try to work out, but my energy level is nil. Ah and I'm in dire need of a facial.

Luckily, I'm not a complainer! Nope, not I. I have a lot to look forward. Such as way more traveling. Where? Soon I'll be off to Greece(Santorini, Lagonissi and possibly Mykonos), Paris and hopefully Madrid. I doubt a month will be long enough and I'm praying I don't just decide to up and move there. It's so tempting. I swear I was born in the wrong country. Well, I'm going to get some acai berry yogurt and attempt a run, then definitely rest.

Safe travels and happy eating!

The F word

What's the difference between an eccentric persona and a crazy one? Moreover, who's right is it to make that decision? Genius or mad man? Gordon Ramsay is a chef's chef, or at least this chef's chef. He's unfiltered, passionate, driven, competitive and in my humble opinion, extraordinarily successful. He strives to be the best at what he loves and literally doesn't cater to anyone. He doesn't care what you think. He stands by his food, decisions and isn't afraid to say the "f word." His bold, brazen and crass attitude are a part of who he is, but doesn't define him as a chef. Words can't define any person.

It's funny how if a woman was to behave in the same exact way, she's be considered a fruit loop or not taken seriously. Even if she was at the top of her game and her food was on point, it would damage her. It's sad that sexism is alive and well, especially in the food industry which is still male dominated. Although it's shifting, it seems that women have to be more PC in order to make the transition from small time chef to big time chef.

I'm sure before he had all his restaurants, tv shows and books he wore his attitude like a bold tattoo. While it doesn't define him or depreciate the quality of what he does or who he is, it definitely separates him from an ocean of generic chefs. Some people may not get him, like him or appreciate the journey it took for him to get where he is on his own terms, but I definitely do.

"Purples"

Behold the mighty, mighty and elusive "purple." This picture was taken in Austin, where I failed AGAIN/ What did I fail at you might ask? Finishing an entire purple. What's a purple? Geez. Why so many questions? A purple is actually a purple margarita, only it isn't. In fact, it tastes nothing like a margarita. At least none I've ever tried. First of all, it's thick. Thick like a seriously thick milkshake. It's ice cold and probably stronger than the fuel in your car. It's deceptively tasty with a major kick. I've had some drinks in my life, but this is a DRINK. It should have a warning label. It's well-known in Austin. Almost notorious. Even if the locals haven't had it(a rarity), they know darn well where to get a purple and usually make a face when you ask them about it. You know. The face you make when the dentist is about to give you 3 crowns . I've heard stories and I believe them all.




When I took Sarah here, she couldn't believe they were only legally allowed to sell you 2 in one night. Believe it sister! She actually finished one, but had lots of chips and salsa inbetween attempts. I couldn't hang, as usual. The place is Baby A's. Your mission should you choose to accept it is ONE PURPLE and remembering the conversation you had that night. I've heard it's been done, but never met anyone who has been successful. Maybe that someone is you?

Oh purples...oh purples...***note how my glass is always full!!! AH!

My crack = Berripop

SO this is my crack. Berripop. I love their frozen yogurt and am deeply saddened that Austin doesn't have this franchise. Despite being a franchise, it feels totally unique. I'm obsessed with the raspberry-pomegranate frozen yogurt. Sometimes I get strawberries and sometimes I don't. It has about 60 calories for a small and satisfies me in ways that not even a candy bar can. If you know my feeling about candy bars, you'd know these are strong words.




This is me and Sarah at Berripop in Houston a few weeks ago. I have to go at least 2 times when I'm there teaching cooking classes. If not, I get highly irritable! HA! It's healthy, addictive and delish beyond delish. It's a straight up symphony in your mouth.

Check them out next time you're in Houston ! They're the best and won't hurt your waistline one bit.

Food, Wine & Poker Memories. Missing LA...

SO this is view I've been missing lately. It was taken a few months ago from Katrina and Sylvia's apartment in the heart of LA. I can't even imagine actually running outside in this Texas heat, but here I fancy myself running on the beach and doing outdoor pilates classes. Ahhhh. Maybe one day.


I'd been texting Katrina back and forth today just random friend/girl stuff. How are you? What's keeping you busy. Chick stuff. For some reason I was brought back here. A night of playing poker(Texas Hold 'Em, my fav), eating ornate desserts and getting hammered amongst a whole bunch of girls. Just because. It was my birthday and Katrina isn't exactly a baker. She surprised me and ran to a local bakery(I forget the name..Sweet Mary Janes??!) and got random yummy desserts to vs. the traditional cake. It was so sweet, thoughtful and typical Katrina. She also upped the anti with handmade chocolates with crazy delicious flavors. What else could a girl ask for? This is a great snapshot in time. It was actually captured. Sort of...



This of course, is Sylvia. Beautiful, sweet Sylvia...breaking down all of life's mysteries one glass of wine at a time. If you listen closely, there may be actually a few kernels of wisdom worth holding on to.



Good girlfriends, edamame, wine, random desserts, Texas Hold 'Em and Handmade Chocolates. Is it really fair to expect more from life?



Maybe. Friends who stand the test of time. People who care unconditionally. Friends you can break bread with anytime and know that know matter what you eat, it will nourish your spirit from the inside out.

Healthier Me & My new love. Tuna Tartare ...

Today was pretty monumental.

I've been trying to be healthier and have been actually succeeding. This whole lifestyle change hasn't been easy. Eating healthier, not eating as late, treating myself to dessert less and working out/being active everyday. As a chef or even regular person, this isn't exactly as easy as walking or breathing. I must make conscious choices every second. Yes, every second!My job involves typing recipes, thinking about future recipes, playing around with restaurant ideas, creating menus for clients, actually cooking and tasting recipes, etc. My world literally revolves around food. I wouldn't have it any other way, but it does add challenges to being healthy everyday.

I've been stocking my fridge with nothing but fresh fruits/veggies, yogurt, organic chicken, fresh fish and flax seed infused products up the wazoo. I joined a gym and have been forcing myself into submission at least 5 times a week. My first day I could barely run a mile. It took me 30 minutes to run .71 miles to be exact. Afterwards, I treated myself to a Route 44 strawberry limeade from Sonic just for trying. What a sad case I was to say the least!!!

Fast forward 3 months later & today I ran 5 miles in 1 hour. Wowzers. Who woulda thunk it? Me? It's taken me 3 months to work up to this point. Maybe that's longer than the average person, right on point, but it felt amazing. Who knew? All I know is it felt great. Extraordinary. Supersonic. If I had my phone on me, I would've taken a picture to capture the moment. It's all good though because it's captured in my mind. Aren't the best moments mental pictures anyways? Moments where you were yearning for a camera, but it's something that couldn't be captured anyway? Anywhoo, a great day. Best day I've had in a long while. I had a goal and followed through. Now I'm shooting for 7, but I'm in no particular rush. Being a responsible chef who can make delicious food, but be accountable for my health is important to me. No matter how busy I am, health is paramount. It's the basis for everything in life.

The picture above is me at Eddie V's and my all-time favorite "treat." Their tuna tartare. It's beyond heavenly. It has avocado, grapefruit, pea sprouts and countless other goodies. It;s served on a black sesame cracker and prepared table side for you. Instead of reaching for my Hut's hamburger(which by the way, I still reach for, just way less) I reach for this instead. In fact, I crave it. Don't get me wrong. I've had other tuna tartare's before, but never loved one. Not the way I love this one. Not even close. If you're in the Austin area, I highly recommend it. All their food is great, but this definitely has a special place in my heart.

Happy dance for me???

Here's my favorite picture from the Nolan Ryan event. It's not with Nolan Ryan. It's not even with my fantastical assistant, Marie-Louise. Nope. It's with this very special lady. I feel awful, but I forget her name. It escapes me. What doesn't escape me is that she loved my kourabiedes(Greek rose water & almond sugar cookies) so much she came back for seconds, thirds and beyond. What really made my night is when she said my cookies made her so happy it made her want to dance. And dance she did! Right in the middle of the event, just for lil ole me. It was one of the greatest compliments I got all night. It made my heart smile. It's people like her that make me fall in love with my job so much. That joy. If I can bring it to people in the form of sugary goodness or savory sultriness, I'm a happy girl. I live for it. When people appreciate the love, work, time and care I take to hand make everything I create it motivates me to do it for 10 more years. Seriously. It's a profound peace that I've yet to find in anything else but cooking. Snuggling with my dogs is a close second.

What also made my night is my booth was adjacent to Tiff's cookies. For those of you who don't live in Austin, Tiff's is known for having over10 varieties of cookies. They deliver them warm like pizza and are made to order. Pretty cool hugh? There cookies are good, but let's just say they had MANY boxes left over and I only had one box. Just saying. All in all, it was a great event. I met some new chefs, tasted some amazing food and drank my weight in wine. Not really. Ok, close though. I can't wait until I do Tour De Vin later this year!

Nolan Ryan, Field of Dreams Wine and Food Event

I just finished making all the food for this event and it all came out beautifully delicious!!! I'm expecting this to be an amazingly successful event. Me and my fantabulous assistant, Marie-Louise are ready to take this food festival by storm =) I can't wait to see my chef friends, meet some new friends and most importantly try every tasty morsel of food there myself. Not to mention the wine that's sponsored by Francis Ford Coppola. I'm bringing my camera and hoping that I have time to snap a few photos, You know, avant garde, chef POV type photos. It sounds cool is theory, but we shall see the actual result. I LOVE DOING EVENTS LIKE THIS!!! THe turnout is expected to be terrific too. Is it sad that a little piece of me regrets that my Mom & Lola won't be in tow with me? Well, my flowers for my booth just arrived and so did Marie-Louise. It's about that time. I am so ready. I'll report back on how it all turned out!

Invest in yourself. BANK ON YOU

As a chef, I'm blessed to meet many people and have different opportunities come my way. Tomorrow, I'm honored to have my company, Food Innovations featured at The Field of Dreams Wine and Food Festival at Dell Diamond in Round Rock. I'm honored and feel great that I can proudly serve my food at this festival. I've come such a long way. I never knew anyone in the food industry. My parents aren't in the food/restaurant industry, no family friend gave me a job, no hook-up. Everything I have has been a direct result of my hustle, drive and persistence. I wouldn't have it any other way. Every success is all mine. Any failure isn't a failure, but a life lesson. There's no one to blame, no boss, no partner, just myself. At the end of this year, will be my 4th year being self-employed. In this downward economy, most businesses are failing. For some reason, I'm excelling. Failure just isn't in my vocabulary. It's not even a remote option. Loving what you do for a living isn't something I take for granted. I thank God every morning and night. I also thank my mom for instilling the importance of cooking at an early age. I find inspiration in every chef and all their stories. I can learn from it all. Even the "bad" chefs inspire me to never get complacent and always strive to outdo myself. I'm definitely my biggest competition. Though things are great, I still want more. I have this insatiable drive to make my restaurant a reality, my book a reality and eventually my own show. I'm just putting it out there. I'm just excited to be able to carve my own path. It's thrilling to know that no one has every gone down this path but me. Banking on yourself can be scary, but is ultimately the most rewarding and gratifying part of my life right now.

Whether you cook, bake, invest in real estate, are in the medical field or teach science to 7th graders, be the best you can be. Learn as much as you can. Compete only with yourself. Be able to be take your own self critiques. Also, be able to pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Don't let people tell you how you need to be. They can take you or leave you. Allow your inner voice to be the only one that guides you. Be thankful for every little you have as often as you can. Life is short. Life is like a candy store. Fill your bag with only the sweetest treats. You deserve it. If you don't someone else will. Why don't you deserve to be the best you can be? You do. Always bank on yourself.

Souffle Class tonight

Out of the numerous classes I teach all over this great state of Texas, I think souffles are one of my favorite all time classes to teach. Most people fear making souffles more than turning 40. True. Both aren't as bad as they seem and are pretty harmless. There is a lot of technique and fancy culinary terms that go into teaching a class like this and countless questions to answer, but I'm so happy to help. I want people to address this fear of having their souffles deflate and having their hard work go "poof" right in front of their faces. Not to mention their guests! What an utter embarrassment! Hmm. I guess that's not a big confidence booster. However, I guarantee my class will walk out confident and ready to make their first solo souffle for friends and family. That's my goal. That and having them have a delicious meal and amazing learning experience.

Tonight on the menu, I'll be whipping up(literally and figuratively in this) 2 sweet and 3 savory souffles. They will be Grand Mariner Souffle, Double Chocolate Souffle, Serrano & Manchego Souffle, Spinach & Feta Souffle, and Jalapeno & Corn Souffle. I really want to show my students there's more than just raspberry or chocolate souffles out in the world. Those are great, but there's so much more. I made all these recipes up all in this brain of mine. It's just so gratifying to share with people. I really hope I encourage others to do the same. There's such a basic joy in creating something on your own. Creating something new and unique. Thinking something up, shopping for it, making it, baking it and then, finally tasting it. The best part of creating new dishes is that sometimes, when you're lucky, they come out better than you pictured in your head. I's a heaven sent blessing that appreciate each time it happens. All of these recipes are little jewels of mine and I'm so glad to share with my Austin peeps! Geez. Sounds like I'm in love with my food. I guess I really am. It's a love affair that I know will never end and can't be requited!

p.s. Just for kicks...my second favorite class is elegant appetizers and a close third is baking! Baking what? Cookies, Petit fours, cakes, cupcakes....whatever!!

Eat. Conquer and Fall in love with a meal today.

The healthy chef...

So I just finished my latin spice class. Funny, because I feel like the class finished me, but it's all good. Being a chef and healthy usually don't go hand and hand, but I'm doing my duty of being a healthy chef to counter all the deliciousness I'm exposed to. It's a conscious choice you make very day to roll out of bed and schedule time to sweat out toxins, tone muscle and just be plain active. That's really my goal. I want to be active every day. Whether it's swimming, running in my neighborhood or getting my booty handed to me by thonged out MILFS in a Latin Spice class, I want to be active from now own. At first your energy goes from low to lower because of exhaustion and physical exhaustion, but eventually you see results. That's pretty much the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel for me. Can I rock my favorite bikini and still feel good? I can honestly say the answer to that question is a confident, "yes." It wasn't a few months ago though. I hope Austin hopes me break this unhealthy cycle of "Healthy Myrna" in the summer and "Free Willy Myrna" in the winter. It would be nice to wear a fitted peacoat this winter. You know, all 2 months of winter in Texas.

I'm finding treats like Smoothie King's, Immune Builder with extra strawberries is a great, healthy incentive for me. I'm splurging more on fresh, in season fruits vs. my normal ice cream. In fact, I'm loving Dreyer's natural strawberry pops. Some people(health professionals and/or chefs) may say sugar is the devil. Some people say carbs are the devil. I just say it's all in moderation. PLus there's just no way that having a fruit pop is worse for you than having a twix candybar. Nope. There's just no way.

I'm finding ways to tweak my tastes and habits. It's definitely not easy, but I am trying to be healthier. It's better for me in the long run. So I hope all you are trying little things to be healthier too!

Can Nigella just adopt me already? Seriously.

Yes please! This is what I want for breakfast.

Bad Sushi. Bad Karma.

The other night I went out for sushi. Now it seems there's a sushi place in every area of town, whereas 5 or 6 years ago, it was still somewhat of a rarity. That being said, getting decent sushi isn't as hard as it used to be. In fact most local grocery stores such as Central Market, HEB, Whole Foods and dare I say, some gas stations have sushi. Grocery store sushi has come miles from where it had been. It's kind of cool to be able to get your sushi fix just around any corner.

Well, the sushi place I was taken the other night was disastrous and beyond. Besides the waitress barely speaking english, I don't even know where to begin. For example, when I asked her for sake bomb, she asked," if I'm sure I wanted a bowl sushi rice." Hugh? Come again? The sushi was the absolute worst I'd ever had. The formentioned gas station I sited above, had better sushi than this joint. Is that tragic or what? All the Sapporo and sake bombs couldn't mask this mushy mess that stuck to the top of my gums with indecipherable mystery fish. I had to spit it out. I waited over an hour for the most random and nasty sushi experience imaginable!

It blows my mind that people would eat raw seafood that is so indistinguishable. Besides that, the rolls were tiny and obscure. Everything from the plates, to fish, to the rice and garnish(or lack there of) was so muted and dull. If food choices accurately reflect the people that recommend you to them, this person is in a world of trouble. I know you all are dying to know the name of this place, but I can't tell you because I didn't even take the time to look. I left tipsy, hungry and very unsatisfied.

TIP 1: When taking chef to a restaurant, try going to a decent place. We can be a critical bunch.

TIP 2: The back of the house(in the kitchen) is usually much more chaotic than the front of the house(where customers are.) So if the front of the house is dirty, chaotic and unorganized, you should fear eating anything that comes from that kitchen.

Tip 3: I'd rather be risk being deemed rude, by not eating crap food, then eating to be polite and then contracting a food borne illness.

Get it together!!! There are so many other great places to eat at .Be picky ! It's your right as a consumer. Especially with raw seafood or raw anything is involved.

p.s. this person will definitely have 7 years of bad luck for taking me to that God awful place! Bad sushi= Bad karma.

Elise & Aaron's WEDDinG BLiSs.

Being a chef, caterer and socially active person, I have seen a lot of weddings. A lot. All of them have something unique and special about them. Now there are common denominators like, most weddings have guests, food, cake, bridal party, etc. You know, the basics to most weddings.

This wedding was literally the most relaxed, chilled and stress free wedding I've ever catered or been to in my life. It was seamless from start to finish. The guests were relaxed. The bride was relaxed. HELLO!!! The bride was relaxed. It was something out of the movie, "Hope Floats." The bride, Elise is a Mosaic artist and her now hubby, Aaron is a carpenter/musician. I guess in a away you could say they were a typical Austin, artistic couple.

These 2 were supposed to get hitched in Mexico, but that obviously didn't happen. Foti actually did a story on these two because they had to cancel their wedding because of swine flu complications. It was only 1 month to their wedding and they were a mess trying to figure out what to do. A friend let them use their beautiful home in Wimberly, TX with a view to die for. It was tucked a way on a small road and when you arrived there were lanterns and a whole bunch of artwork indoors and outdoors. In fact, their "sign in" sheet was a painted picture of them that people used a sharpie to write their warm congratulatory wishes of love. Elise was stunning. She is such a sweet person in the true sense of the word. I knew when I met her at Scooter's coffee shop I wanted to make her day as special as I could. We did a spanish themed menu with a beautiful tres leches wedding cake. Not a single complaint. Although< i can't take so much credit. Her day was filled with so much love and peace that I could have served taco bell and I think no one would have known or cared.

Right before she and Aaron cut the cake, friends of theirs played the guitar and sang to them. My staff and I were huddled in the back trying to keep a dry eye. I told all of them, this right here is why I do what I do. To be a part of people's most special times in their life. Providing them with their first meal is a spiritual experience in itself. Seeing them look into each other's eyes and share their first piece of cake makes all the hours of planning, shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc all worth it. I feel blessed to have been a part of their day. They will have such a happy, incredible, wonderful life together.

p.s. MAJOR surprise, Elise gave me a BEAUTIFUL mosaic that is already hung in my living room/kitchen area and lazy susan that's on my kitchen table. I will surely think of them each time I see them ;)

Mazel Tov Elise & Aaron!!!