Valentine's day - Man Vs. Food

I must admit Valentine's Day is my least favorite day of the year because no matter where you are, you cannot escape it. However, there are 2 good things about Valentine's day: (1) it gives you an excuse to eat endless chocolate; and (2) watching movies based on Nicholas Sparks novels with Kleenex (and again, chocolate) is perfectly acceptable. Last year Valentine's Day did not go as planned... who would think to get advanced tickets to My Bloody Valentine in 3-D in advance on a Saturday night in NYC? Pretty much everyone but us. Luckily, we get a second chance to celebrate so this year, I am putting on my best girlfriend hat, my chef hat. My boyfriend is easy to feed. Pretty much, if it doesn't run away fast enough, and doesn't have mayonnaise on it, odds are he'll finish the plate. But for V-Day, you gotta make it special...

St.Valentine's Courage
3 oz. brut Champagne
1 oz. Orange Juice
Garnish with a Strawberry Slice, Split over the rim

Fancy French Toast
Ingredients: Brioche, Cold Cereal of your choice (I used Health Valley Amaranth Cereal), Eggs, Vanilla Extract, and Milk (I used Skim), Butter

(1) Slice the Brioche loaf into the appropriate number of pieces (I recommend 2 pieces per serving)
(2) In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. (For 2 slices, Use 1-2 eggs, 1/2 cup of skim milk, and a tsp of vanilla extract)
(3) Place the slices of bread in the egg mixture and let soak (about 3 minutes on each side)
(4) Heat a tsp of butter in the bottom of a medium size skillet
(5) Place the egg-soaked-bread in the pan
(6) Crush the cereal into small flakes
(7) Sprinkle the upward facing side of the bread with the cereal topping(in the skillet)

Recipe Review: This recipe was a basic-intermediate level recipe with an advanced flavor! The vanilla added a special something that kept you wanting more.... but once I ate 3 pieces, I wished it hadn't!

Eggs a la J.
Ingredients: Egg whites, Milk, American Cheese, Salt and Pepper

(1) In a bowl, separate 3 egg whites from the yolks (discard yolks)
(2) Add a splash of milk if you like your eggs fluffy
(3) Whisk until slightly froth
(4) In a small skillet, spray some cooking spray (I used PAM original) and heat over medium heat
(5) Once the pan is heated (I test the heat of the pan using a dash of water), pour in the egg mixture.
(6) As my brother's wife Julie taught me, the secret to delicious eggs is constant movement in the pan. Using a fork, continuously scramble the egg whites in the pan until they start to really cook up
(7) Arrange the eggs in a patty like position on the pan
(8) Tear a slice of American Cheese into pieces
(9) Disburse the cheese over the egg patty so that most of it is covered
(10) Allow cheese to melt over the egg patty
(11) Flip the egg patty and cook for 1-2 minutes so the cheese gets extra crispy - Salt and Pepper to taste!
(12) Serve as a side, on toast of your choice, or make it diner-style and serve with Hash Browns and toast

Recipe Review: This recipe is a really simple, really cheap, healthy version of the egg n' cheese you may order at the bagel place. Save yourself the calories and the trip to the local bagel store and whip up this egg patty. The crispier the cheese, the better it tastes!

Gimme Some Suga (Turkey) Bacon

Ingredients: 1 package of bacon (I substituted for Turkey Bacon) and light brown sugar
** Say Beer Can with a British accent. Then then, think of what word would have the same pronunciation by a Jamaican person (answer at the end)

(1) Preheat the over to 350 degrees F.
(2) Place the strips of (turkey) bacon on a slotted broiler pan (and a baking sheet underneath!!)
(3) Rub the (turkey) bacon with light brown sugar
(4) Cook in the oven at 350 Degrees F. for about 25 minutes until the (turkey) bacon starts to crisp
(5) For extra crispy (turkey) bacon, pan fry for an additional 3-5 minutes
(6) Serve hot!

Recipe Review: Who wouldn't love it! Salt, Sugar, and Fat (right, mom?) Think cinnamon sugar pretzel in bacon form!
A-Dubs little kitchen tip #1: Clean as you go! It really makes life so much easier

Hash-my-heart-out-Browns
Ingredients: Russet Potatoes, Yellow Onion, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper

(1)Grate the potatoes (about 3/4 potato per serving)
(2)Chop the onion (about 1/4 onion per serving)
(3)Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet
(4) Strain out the extra liquid from the potatoes
(5) Add the chopped onion to the olive oil
(6) Once the onion starts to brown, add the grated potatoes
(7) Spread the potato-onion mixture to make a thin layer on the bottom of the skillet
(8) Let cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to shrink down (about 7-10 minute)
(9) Flip the mixture and allow to brown on the second side
(10) Salt and Pepper to taste
(11) Serve hot and golden brown!

Recipe Review: you really would think these were from the diner across the street. Straining the liquid from the potato helps the crisp-factor so don't forget this very important step!

Chocolaterries
Ingredients: Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips, 1 tsp of butter, 1/4 cup of water, and 10 strawberries

(1) In a small saucepan, heat 1 tsp of butter
(2) Add 1/3 bag of chocolate chips
(3) Once semi-melted, add a 1/4 cup of water
(4) Stir until melted and smooth
(5) Using a toothpick or a fork, dip each strawberry in the chocolate mixture
(6) Place the coated strawberries on a sheet of wax paper and place in the freezer
(7) Let the berries cool to room temperature and there you have it.. home made chocolate covered strawberries!
Recipe Review: A perfectly refreshing light dessert.. cleans the palette and ends the meal on a sweet note!

J-man's overall review, "If you said its from a restaurant, I'd believe you!" All in all, the brunch was a huge success..(pictures to be added as soon as I find my camera chord)

Peace love and Chocolate,

A-dub

P.S. ** Beer Can  in a British accent = Bacon in a Jamaican Accent** - riddle care of Elizabeth Freilich

A very cozy dinner party.

Growing up in the burbs of Boston I always had so much room. A backyard, a bedroom with a door, and a full size kitchen which served my brother (Brian) and I quite well. Often on parent-teacher conference days, snow days, or anytime we conveniently both were too sick to go to school, you could usually find 2 little monsters making nothing more than an absolute mess for our mother (Gail) to clean after a long days work. Or when my lifelong friend (Emily) would come over, we often confused Brownie batter for face paint, another messy pastime of my childhood.

For most, living in NYC means small apartments and even smaller kitchens, at least it does for me. Nonetheless, I was determined to have a dinner party, a very cozy dinner party. 7 people, 600 sq ft, and 1 chef. I am not the type to use the word "cant" in a sentence and I was not about to start. Seven people means seven stomachs to fill, and trust me my friends are not the type to order a Garden Salad with light dressing on the side.

So here we go: Dinner party for 7 in an 7x7 kitchen...

Photo courtesy of Ronna Boyer Photography

Garlic Bread
Ingredients: Baguette of your choice (I use the French Baguette from FreshDirect), 1 container of margarine or soft butter (Plugra European Salted Butter is delicious), Garlic Salt,Grated Parmesan Cheese, Chopped Parsley.

Preheat the Oven to 400 degrees F.

(1) Mix the butter in a bowl until soft
(2) Add Garlic Salt to taste (about 1/4 cup);Grated Parmesan Cheese (about 1/3 cup); and Chopped Parsley (1/4 cup)
(3) Stir until the mixture has a creamy consistency
(4) Slice the Baguette in half place open-face on a cookie sheet (use tin foil for easy clean-up)
(5) Spread the Garlic Parmesan Butter (And refrigerate any leftovers) on the Baguette
(6) Cook in the oven until Golden Brown (usually about 20-25 min)
(7) Let cool for 5 minutes
(8) Slice and Serve (Salt and Pepper to taste)

 *Time saving tip: Make the Garlic Parmesan Butter in advance*

Recipe review: Let's just say there wasn't any left by the time the meal was served... guessing people liked this one. Also, warm fresh bread was a nice meal starter as it broke up the courses similarly to restaurant food service.

Chicken Cutlets:
Ingredients: Chicken Breast (about 1.5 per guest), Eggs, All purpose White Flour, Breadcrumbs (Progresso Italian Style Breadcrumbs recommended), Vegetable Oil

(1)Slice the chicken breasts thinly (You can use a meat pounder to get them extra thin)
(2) Heat about 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet
(3)Assembly Line Breading: Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour, dip in egg, and coat with breadcrumbs
(4) Pan-fry the chicken cutlets (about 2 at a time) until golden brown (about 5 minutes each side) As always with chicken: Slice a chicken cutlet in half to verify it is cooked all the way through! *Serving raw food = embarrassing
(5) Place on a cookie sheet (lined with aluminum foil) and reheat in the oven (350 Degrees for about 5 minutes before serving)

Recipe Review: See RAR's comment below!

Lemon Asparagus:
Ingredients: 1 bunch of asparagus, Lemon Juice, Red Pepper Flakes, Garlic, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper

(1) Wash the asparagus thoroughly and slice in half (Presentation key: cut asparagus at a slant rather than straight across)
(2) In a mixing bowl, add 1/2-2/3 of a cup of lemon juice, 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper (Add a dash of Frank's Red Hot Sauce for an extra kick)
(3) Refrigerate until about 30 minutes before serving
(4) Heat about 1 tsp. of olive oil in a large skillet
(5) Add the asparagus and lemon mixture
(6) Sauté until the asparagus softens
(7) Serve as a side dish or let cool and serve as antipasto

Recipe Review: Guests commented that the lemon combined with the red pepper added a spicy citrus taste which paired well with the bitterness of the asparagus.

Rigatoni Alla Vodka (Semi-Homemade)
This is the easy part~ homemade sauce recipe coming soon... for now, I'm sticking with Rao.

Ingredients: Barilla Rigatoni, Rao's Homemade Vodka Sauce (Also try Mario Batali or Lucini Brand Sauce), lots of Parmesan cheese!

(1) Boil water in a large pot
(2) Add pasta and cook for about 7-10 minutes, until "Al-Dente"
(3) Strain out liquid
(4) Return the pasta to the large pot and add the sauce to taste
(5) Over low heat, stir until the sauce heats
(6) Add Parmesan cheese to taste

 Recipe Review: This rigatoni was absolutely delicious. The key to this dish - making the ratio of sauce to noodle just enough to coat the pasta but not to drown it.

Photo courtesy of Ronna Boyer Photography

I left beverages and dessert up to my guests...3 bottle of wine, 2 ridiculous dessert loaves (Grace's Marketplace, Upper East Side), 2 batches of cupcakes, and 3 hours later, I kindly rolled my friends to the elevator and bid them adieu.

So there you have it, entry #1....

Peace Love and Frying Pans,

A-Dub.

P.S. A special shout-out to ms.Berger for helping me set-up my blog, title and tag line included. Always the clever one ;)