tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87269503900585626962024-03-20T04:53:12.846-04:00Café HussFood, Drinks and Married LifeChris and Marilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02629070367501501061noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-71127083138228713622012-09-15T15:27:00.001-04:002012-09-15T15:28:43.987-04:00Sip 'n Dip-licious!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qYGPPxXKScA/UFTFPcJ8u0I/AAAAAAAAAOw/D7JyEoW2q-Q/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qYGPPxXKScA/UFTFPcJ8u0I/AAAAAAAAAOw/D7JyEoW2q-Q/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
Anyone that knows me, knows my family owns a couple laundromats in St. Cloud. My father decided his helicopter business was getting too expensive or perhaps he got a deal he couldn't refuse and somehow landed in the laundromat business back when I was in 7th or 8th grade. Across from one of our locations was this mom and pop donut shop. To be honest, I think I only went there once or twice while I worked for my dad (roughly a 6 year span). At some point an Asian family took ownership and my sister was recently raving to Marily and I about how great their donuts and croissants are. Since St. Cloud is an easy drive down Narcoossee from us, we decided to go check them out last Saturday. Oh man, oh man...THANK YOU DEBBIE! I honestly would have never thought of that place to satisfy my morning sweet tooth, so thank you for sharing this gem with us.<br />
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The Huss family has been rolling donut free for almost two years (minus the infrequent exception when we grabbed one from Publix). Why you may ask? Well, when Marily was about 8 months pregnant with Micah and on bed rest, we had a not so nice experience at the local Dunkin' Donuts. Apparently, you aren't allowed to go through the drive thru unless you already know what you want. Since then we've boycotted them out of principle. Now that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sipndip#!/sipndip" target="_blank">Sip 'n Dip</a> has entered our lives, we no longer have to live donut free. I'm sure this is not a good thing for our waistlines but hey they are delicious! We chose to pick up a dozen donuts in order to sample their selection and figure out our favorites. <br />
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From left to right, you have Boston creme, red velvet cake, two glazed, chocolate cake, glazed Bavarian creme, two maple, glazed cake, vanilla nut and two vanilla frosted red velvet cake donuts. This maybe represented 1/3 of the flavors available. The verdict? They are all phenomenal. Some of the highlights: <br />
<ul>
<li>The glaze donut knocks down Krispy Kreme glaze...not only is it fully glazed but it is thick and fluffy. </li>
<li>All the cake selections were a-maz-ing! Not only are they an unbelievable cake donut, they are also fully glazed</li>
<li>Chris's favorite: chocolate cake</li>
<li>Marily's favorite: glazed cake</li>
<li>Micah's favorite: anything sweet!!</li>
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Not only do they have all the wonderful donut goodness described above, but they also have awesome croissants...buttery and flaky (they are so good, Debbie usually buys two of these every time she stops by). We also got a bacon, egg and cheese (white American) croissant that was the bomb.<br />
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How can this get any better you may ask? I can think of two ways. First, for all the <a href="http://kekesbreakfastcafe.com/" target="_blank">KeKe's</a> fans out there...Sip 'n Dip uses the same brand of coffee (Royal Cup). Being a coffee connoisseur, I know how hard it is to get good coffee at a restaurant. All too often they are nothing more than weak cups of colored water. KeKe's and Sip 'n Dip serve Royal Cup which has a nice flavor that stands up to both your standard breakfast fare and sweet treats like donuts. Secondly, what Asian could own a business without selling something from their homeland? Guess what else is on the menu...egg rolls! Now, being Vietnamese-American, I am quite fond of egg rolls. No one makes a better one than my mom. With that said, I know there are different styles of egg rolls out there. The Vietnamese like to make them concentrated on the meat site (ground pork and crab) while the Chinese like to include more vegetables. Hm, I wonder if that is authentic Chinese or just a westernized version that we find in the restaurants? Well, in any case, the Chinese restaurant versions are hit and miss. These are pretty darn good and better than any I've had at a Chinese restaurant around these parts.<br />
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I don't recall seeing them on the menu, but there was a picture next to the register and it is all over their <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/sip-and-dip-donuts-saint-cloud" target="_blank">Yelp</a> reviews so we asked. They are served at any time of the day as long as they haven't sold out. They will sell you them cooked or uncooked in case you want to take them home and make them fresh at a later time. Oh, I guess there is a third thing...they also have a lunch menu with a list of your standard subs. Since we were there for breakfast, we can't comment on those, but perhaps the next time I have mid day craving for donuts, I'll try some.<br />
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So, there go. Sip 'n Dip is CafeHuss approved. If you find yourself near St. Cloud or just want to take a road trip, check them out. There wasn't one bad thing about this place. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/26/303366/restaurant/Orlando/Sip-Dip-Donuts-Saint-Cloud"><img alt="Sip & Dip Donuts" src="http://a1.urbancdn.com/images/1/uslogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 34px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>chino1975http://www.blogger.com/profile/08040351318871840001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-11902281294018990752012-09-07T23:47:00.001-04:002012-09-07T23:47:47.842-04:00New York Diner (Orlando) ReviewHere we are again. I feel like I am writing my first blog entry since it has been so long. Our poor, neglected blog has so many digital cobwebs I wasn't even prepared to write a post (translation: no pictures). With all the time that has past, I didn't want to let another opportunity pass us by, so here we are.<br />
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As the title reads,<a href="http://ny-diner.com/"> New York Diner</a> located near the Orlando International Airport on Semoran (436) is the subject of this review. The restaurant is located in a new building which also includes Bonefish as an anchor. When you walk through the front doors, you are greeted by a large aquarium with a custom New York skyline inside. Pretty cool design, which I'm sure would make any New Yorker proud. As cool as it was, it seemed to be lacking in the fish department, perhaps they were sleeping. The concept of the restaurant is "taking the 24/7 idea of a diner and adding a more international, upscale flair." It certainly doesn't look like any diner I've been in before (which is probably a good thing). I think now would be an appropriate time to interject that I have only been to New York once and that basically consisted of a late night border crossing from Jersey where I was attending a banquet for my fraternity back in my college days. So, this review is purely on the food since I don't have "New York Diner" experience to compare to.<br />
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Now to the important part...the food. The menu was quite large but expected for a diner. Being overwhelmed, it took Marily and I a while to come to a decision on what to order. We finally ordered the beer battered onion rings as an appetizer (after we were told our first choice was not available...tikka masala wings). The onion rings were tasty with an actual hint of the beer in the fried batter. We both went with burgers for our entrees as suggested by our server based on the 8oz patties being made of chuck, brisket and ribeye. Marily chose a standard bacon cheeseburger and with chili cheese fries and I chose a Loco Moco burger which was a burger with a fried egg topped with brown gravy. I upgraded my fries to pomme frites. Those fries turned out to be the best thing we ordered. They were crispy fries tossed in truffle oil, parmesan cheese and parsley. The $11 burgers didn't live up to their hype. My order came out wrong twice, first as a plain burger and secondly without the brown gravy. Even once it was corrected, the burger was overcooked (clearly medium well and not medium like I requested) and really didn't have the quality beef flavor I was expecting. I would rather eat a burger from a food truck (<a href="http://www.thecrookedspn.com/">The Crooked Spoon</a> comes to mind) than the one I had before me. The New York Diner also features Juniors Famous Cheesecake and desserts. Unfortunately, we didn't make it that far but they did have several enticing options that were calling get out for us but some how we refrained. Maybe next time!<br />
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Our server was very nice but was either not very good at her job or was simply a rookie server. First issue, she didn't offer us any beer & wine options (typically the first question once you sit down). By the time we noticed others enjoying adult beverages around us, we already had our Pepsi at the table. After a long week, mommy and daddy like to enjoy something better than soda but didn't even know it was an option since it wasn't on the menu. Second issue, no stinking refills were offered. This is my biggest pet peeve with servers. Third issue, even though we elected to skip on dessert, she gave us the check without even asking if we wanted it. I've never worked in the restaurant industry but I'm pretty sure the goal is to get the check as high as possible in order to increase your tip potential.<br />
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Overall, I think the New York Diner has potential. It is 24/7 and has a diverse menu. I'm going to chalk up the issues with the service and kitchen as new restaurant kinks that need to be worked out. I will give them another try in a few months and see if thing improve. Let us know if you try them out and have a different experience.chino1975http://www.blogger.com/profile/08040351318871840001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-57658462903195903392010-04-05T21:27:00.001-04:002010-04-05T21:29:13.710-04:00Confit of Veal BreastA day removed from another holiday and I feel great with my accomplishments! Holidays are perfect excuses to enjoy the company of friends and family as well as finding exciting new dishes to cook (at least that is the way I see them)! <br />
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Last week, in preparation for Easter, Marily and I sat at the kitchen counter wondering what we were going to make this year. We already decided on a pot luck gathering...but had no idea what to make. A traditional ham...ugh, too boring. A roast lamb or lamb chops....mmm, sounds good, but I've made that before (delicious, grilled toasted curry lamb chops with a shallot vinaigrette, yum). No, neither would do...I needed something different...something new.<br />
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Alas, Marily was paging through the newspaper ads and came across one for Sedano's supermarket: Veal breasts, 99 cents/lb. Perfect! First, we are trying to be more budget conscience and second, I've never made a veal breast. A few minutes with Google at my fingertips and I found an intriguing recipe: <a href="http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/confit_veal.shtml">Confit of Veal Breast</a>. I've watched plenty of cooking competition shows and at some point one of the chefs always bust out with a confit of something. Now was my chance. This recipe was found on <a href="http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/">The Splendid Table</a> website and was originally from<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <a href="http://www.davidrosengarten.com/">The Rosengarten Report</a>.</span><br />
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<i>We were cooking for 10 adults and 3 kids, so I basically doubled the recipe found at the link above.</i><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLgmF7IYEG1zBEKufstk4bWBJ8uzQ1YBsDOYLB9kCQahdBXBn5QLwZ_BCDueZMNBYl_9SDiR3C5O2DY15245QJEIelhKTyow66-DAsUkR4AsPk0Rg_VVNE9YWW7cM-ICgphOcj4EuG3c0/s1600/confit_veal_breast_ingredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLgmF7IYEG1zBEKufstk4bWBJ8uzQ1YBsDOYLB9kCQahdBXBn5QLwZ_BCDueZMNBYl_9SDiR3C5O2DY15245QJEIelhKTyow66-DAsUkR4AsPk0Rg_VVNE9YWW7cM-ICgphOcj4EuG3c0/s320/confit_veal_breast_ingredients.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
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<ul><li>(2) 4lb slab of bone-in veal breast</li>
<li>2 cups of low sodium chicken broth</li>
<li>2 cups of beef stock</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups of dry white wine (I used a Frontera Chardonnay from Chile, only $5 and actually decent)</li>
<li>6 shallots, peeled</li>
<li>2 heads of garlic, separated into cloves and peeled</li>
<li>Bunch of fresh thyme</li>
<li>4 bay leaves</li>
<li>3 teaspoons of whole black peppercorns</li>
<li>coarse sea salt (to season veal breast)</li>
<li>fresh cracked black pepper (to season the veal breast)</li>
</ul><div><b>Cookware</b></div><div><ul><li>Deep roasting pan</li>
<li>(2) cookie sheets</li>
<li>Heavy duty aluminum foil</li>
</ul></div><div><b>Preparation</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><ol><li>Prepare and measure out all your ingredients. Nothing makes cooking more enjoyable and easy than preparing all your ingredients ahead of time. Chef's would call this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mise_en_place">mis en place</a></li>
<li>Preheat oven to 500 degrees (I used the roast setting). Position the rack about midway</li>
<li>Place veal breasts into roasting pan and generously season it on both sides with the coarse sea salt and fresh cracked pepper</li>
<li>Roast the veal breast for 20 minutes. This gives the veal some color as the outside crisps under th heat and starts to render the fat</li>
<li>Remove the veal breast from oven and reduce temperature to 300 degrees</li>
<li>Add the shallots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns to the roasting pan. Pour in the chicken broth, beef stock and wine...hell-oooooooo braising liquids, nice to meet you!<br />
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<li>Cover the roasting pan with a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil and return to the oven to cook for another 3 1/2 hours</li>
<li>Remove and let cool slightly. Your braising liquids should be a rich brown color and your kitchen should smell amazing!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0uaMQrhgfYzVjbFHDx_Oodrh7TLiQpHk4J0ojdUr2v-waPjpUrdAti5oOphMqwF9Hzynu3o02t4AcgPftvMxYbWiBaP_hAGMi558-5HhSeSfrSAqTLpvJZ1W6Xj6JnGxZz7gRfB-9EHU/s1600/confit_veal_breast_braising_done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0uaMQrhgfYzVjbFHDx_Oodrh7TLiQpHk4J0ojdUr2v-waPjpUrdAti5oOphMqwF9Hzynu3o02t4AcgPftvMxYbWiBaP_hAGMi558-5HhSeSfrSAqTLpvJZ1W6Xj6JnGxZz7gRfB-9EHU/s320/confit_veal_breast_braising_done.jpg" /></a></div></li>
<li>Line one of the cookie sheets with aluminum foil. Carefully transfer the tender veal breasts to the cookie sheet. Remove the bones and connective tissue (as much as possible without tearing the meat apart). Depending on how tender the meat is, you may need to use a combination of your hands and a sharp knife. Be care, that veal is HOTTTT! Cut each veal breast into even pieces (as much as possible) and then place on top of each other (creating 2 layers). Place any loose meat (that you don't eat) in between the layers.<br />
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<li>Wrap the entire cookie sheet in aluminum foil and then place the second cookie sheet on top. Place both in the refrigerator and use canned food or a 12 pack of soda/beer to weigh it down. This compresses the veal breast together, kind of like making a giant veal panini. Refrigerator overnight</li>
<li>Strain the braising liquids into a clean container and let cool for about 30 minutes before refrigerating</li>
<li>When ready to server the next day, use a sharp, serrated knife to cut the pressed veal breast into approximately 2 1/2 inch square pieces</li>
<li>Skim the top of the refrigerated braising liquid and pour into a sauce pan</li>
<li>Bring the liquid to a simmer and reduce to concentrate the flavors</li>
<li>Heat a pan with some olive oil and add the veal breast squares. </li>
<li>Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or enough to heat the inside and crust the top and bottom of the square</li>
<li>Pour the sauce over the veal breast and serve</li>
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Unfortunately, I was totally in the zone and neglected to take pictures as I finished up the dish. I think I need to employ Marily as the official photographer to make sure we don't miss out on any pictures in the future! <br />
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This was an amazing dish which received rave reviews from our guests and my wife, my most important critic! The veal was full of flavor but not overpowering and reminded some of a roast pig or pernil. It takes time to prepare this dish, but most of it is either in the oven or the refrigerator, so it's not very difficult. Give it a try and let me know what you think. <br />
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Heck, at about a dollar per pound why not? I know I'll be making this again!<br />
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Confit of Veal Breast...Done!chino1975http://www.blogger.com/profile/08040351318871840001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-87830890793628104072010-03-31T19:21:00.000-04:002010-03-31T19:21:34.612-04:00Chinese 5 Spice Chicken Thighs...oh my!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JUggeGmpV8KM1zdqPwnbeDPSfQ1H3gPQCYNZMXP8f4gIBUALjYmClerlPh2N4310CrTjn0qQAXs_XtF-wyHw4LEqAam889XCxVZJYYg-6thgVBIkQut7_5vszWkj_HwQJ6PWHNWhAFbd/s1600/presentation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JUggeGmpV8KM1zdqPwnbeDPSfQ1H3gPQCYNZMXP8f4gIBUALjYmClerlPh2N4310CrTjn0qQAXs_XtF-wyHw4LEqAam889XCxVZJYYg-6thgVBIkQut7_5vszWkj_HwQJ6PWHNWhAFbd/s320/presentation.jpg" /></a></div> <br />
Several months back Marily and I were at the Fresh Market doing a little shopping and saw they had Chinese 5 spice in the seasoning display. We had seen various recipes on cooking shows using it, but had never tried it ourselves. <br />
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Well today was the day! Marily was off having some "girl" time so I was left to fend for myself (LOL, you all know I don't have a problem taking care of myself in the kitchen). I saw that we had chicken thighs...and then it hit me...hmmm, what can I do with that Chinese 5 spice?! I quickly googled my favorite chef for some inspiration with the spice. I found this recipe he did for <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2428/gordons-christmas-roast-goose-">Christmas Roast Goose</a>. While my chicken thighs were a sad substitution for a goose, it sounded delicious, so I said why not make some "Chris-mas Thighs" (if you translate that in Spanglish that's Chris-more Thighs!!)<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul><li>lime (zested and half for juice)</li>
<li>Chinese 5 spice</li>
<li>Orange blossom honey</li>
<li>coarse sea salt</li>
<li>fresh ground pepper</li>
<li>chicken thighs (I'm sure other parts of the chicken would be equally delicious)</li>
<li>Japense Blend frozen vegetables (mushrooms, green beans, red pepper & broccoli...fresh is always better, but I didn't have anything on hand)</li>
<li>olive oil </li>
</ul><b>Preparation</b><br />
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Rub the chicken thighs using a mixture of the coarse sea salt, ground pepper, Chinese 5 spice and lime zest. Heat a saute pan and when up to temperature add olive oil to coat the pan. Add the chicken thighs to the pan (laying away from you so not to burn yourself). Try not to overcrowd the pan to ensure a good sear. If you have more pieces then will fit in your pan, cook in batches using the oven to keep your chicken warm. <br />
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Give the chicken about 2-3 minutes on the first side to give it some nice color and then flip. Squeeze lime juice onto the chicken and then lightly drizzle with the honey. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEHqHH-UlVXUvjKMSnpX1qoMxLcVO-veyzx0fPtUyxJRQ3FtcLFAcOzQdJ9Go4YKo_4ZUKo40DKXQaN1J9MmFHOw_7bvep99PZZc_LvDJYpwnfK-wNqIpLLhth5k7gA1l4woEyOKzSxbC/s1600/secondsear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEHqHH-UlVXUvjKMSnpX1qoMxLcVO-veyzx0fPtUyxJRQ3FtcLFAcOzQdJ9Go4YKo_4ZUKo40DKXQaN1J9MmFHOw_7bvep99PZZc_LvDJYpwnfK-wNqIpLLhth5k7gA1l4woEyOKzSxbC/s320/secondsear.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Next flip the chicken once more then squeeze lime juice and drizzle this side with the honey. Add in the vegetables and toss to coat with the cooking juices. If your pan is too dry, add a little water to help steam the vegetables. You should only need about 2-3 minutes to soften the vegetables, but cook to your preference.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBjv2q4z6h-0rM25Gu6K6lzZocWUiX24h0A2qhFRPo7mByKIGIEKVufwsRZ1FR7LstazxKUOrN-6s5M76KxvJ1TLRK8HS1pPw50FFPpI11CGSRuaf-afc7Rv9BytWAWw6j4V7Ev9tVDAp/s1600/presentation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBjv2q4z6h-0rM25Gu6K6lzZocWUiX24h0A2qhFRPo7mByKIGIEKVufwsRZ1FR7LstazxKUOrN-6s5M76KxvJ1TLRK8HS1pPw50FFPpI11CGSRuaf-afc7Rv9BytWAWw6j4V7Ev9tVDAp/s320/presentation.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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I really enjoyed the aroma of cooking with Chinese 5 spice and the flavors were absolutely delicious. I can't wait to try more dishes using this amazing spice!chino1975http://www.blogger.com/profile/08040351318871840001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-947956874005905522010-02-16T18:26:00.007-05:002010-02-16T19:43:48.937-05:00Pear Tatin....DONE!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RczDduc8A-yzbJp3zNdgbsBJyO0O1WlJd4sEAOgbM7nywnqxIVAUtqobKrmnX2k7mBztRvbXGyYPoP0_TEHduvYHqRvO7HFARHqfTxJsS8e-YATdyPBxnb5rnnBchzCZXanbGSHhgdw/s1600-h/085.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RczDduc8A-yzbJp3zNdgbsBJyO0O1WlJd4sEAOgbM7nywnqxIVAUtqobKrmnX2k7mBztRvbXGyYPoP0_TEHduvYHqRvO7HFARHqfTxJsS8e-YATdyPBxnb5rnnBchzCZXanbGSHhgdw/s320/085.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438990905583520738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXin8XxsVPCVR9U4X2Ilxq9i3X0B86vV7ro9U_9nZMU-nnMzRD6pe-MwshFHV1s-uFs3QFplXLSuzsQKQzsQfXCIc1uis1NBZXOMub7QuG9YclsW6Vw32ymHsObVNHZmAQF7Li-3OmPzY/s1600-h/083.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBGpAX1GqwIqh4MFuyQyxZwYtoI5QQG0d0UixGijKE7eVOWH9lg_Fyi767EUXhmcJ5vSa3w-bL7E6kjVxFzfQgfcGpaRG1bOT-zqGRMwjPD0QDs4juhR64i4ZXJ2Km2xK92elq9ufYwk/s1600-h/082.JPG"></a></div><div>As I mentioned in the last post, one of our new favorite shows is Gordon Ramsay's F Word shown on BBC America. Last week we were watching one of the DVR'd episodes (our DVR is approximately 85% full of either the F Word or Kitchen Nightmares, lol). For those of you who haven't checked it out yet, the format of the show is a group of people (the "brigade") work in the F Word's restaurant kitchen to prepare a 3 course meal for a group of 50 people. In between courses, Ramsay has various segments which typically include healthy eating, celebrity cook off and the season's project (i.e. rearing pigs, lamb, veal calves to be butchered and cooked at the end of the season). We love the show and all recipes are available online! It's perfect for us home chefs ;-)</div><div><br /></div><div>Marily and I had just finished eating our dinner while watching the episode when the dessert course came up. The brigade had to prepare a pear tatin...which looked absolutely delicious. Marily enthusiastically shouted out "I want that!" I started cycling through the ingredients in my head and realized we had most of them in the house. The only thing I thought we were missing was the puff pastry, until Marily reminded me we had some pie crusts in the fridge. So, I jumped up and excitedly ran to the kitchen to grab all the ingredients.</div><div><br /></div><div>The original recipe can be found here: <a href="http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/pear-and-rum-tatin-recipe_p_1.html">Ramsay's Pear Tatin</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The website is UK based, so I've included the conversions and my adjustments below.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Ingredients</u></div><div>2 pears</div><div>4 star anise</div><div>1-2 vanilla pods</div><div>~21 oz puff pastry (refrigerated pie crusts will do the job in a pinch)</div><div>powdered sugar for dusting</div><div>vanilla ice cream</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>For the caramel</u></div><div>6 3/4 Tbsp granulated sugar</div><div>6 3/4 Tbsp butter</div><div>splash of dark rum</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscTq6t7AxYDonCPRFTAOJa1TdjzIpXAsqmL2atxzp5Ommev3MAGYbcbwrwRn75ZueLnJO04QzkZXDUoZDJBCApaLwhhlodPjMn8oSjQ575CXryTPq5DJWEaG5FaOVk1y_8K4oKZbQet4/s1600-h/078.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscTq6t7AxYDonCPRFTAOJa1TdjzIpXAsqmL2atxzp5Ommev3MAGYbcbwrwRn75ZueLnJO04QzkZXDUoZDJBCApaLwhhlodPjMn8oSjQ575CXryTPq5DJWEaG5FaOVk1y_8K4oKZbQet4/s320/078.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438990556873192418" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Method</u></div><div><div><ol><li>Preheat the oven to 400˚F (I only did 350˚F as my non stick pan could only go that high)</li><li>Peel the pears, halve them and scoop out the cores with a melon baller to create a small, even circular hole.</li><li>Insert a star anise into each hole. Use a small knife to cut out the stalks at the top of the pears and replace them with the pieces of vanilla pod.<br /><br /></li><li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTVHYKeIefUGTW28R9ssdlfsWmw7bbRtawspi0Ifjgoph6MxXg2_mShPxoZyyQdzJerlA98ngsJbRAjZzN-h16AHgXF_8THqGh5yDxmg9_hPPT5OTUq-G7u7c31kICGs693LaoUozqzk/s1600-h/079.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTVHYKeIefUGTW28R9ssdlfsWmw7bbRtawspi0Ifjgoph6MxXg2_mShPxoZyyQdzJerlA98ngsJbRAjZzN-h16AHgXF_8THqGh5yDxmg9_hPPT5OTUq-G7u7c31kICGs693LaoUozqzk/s320/079.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438990562327460322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a>Roll out the pastry to a large sheet. Divide into 4 pieces. Mould each piece of pastry around the peeled side of each pear and trim away the excess pastry. Place the pears in the fridge to rest for 10 minutes.<br /><br /></li><li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlAO8P-7W3OZjTeAhZAAOCdDDqbZDEXaPWNeWHsLtpNFBxRSEBqAuvTFpNM3YbuQmSrCIubmWnewulO1N4q-CyG7bdG3OsjORufz_M9Crd7hAoxPXoHd_TSxgFU1dfnJnWhev1q5Yztc/s1600-h/080.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlAO8P-7W3OZjTeAhZAAOCdDDqbZDEXaPWNeWHsLtpNFBxRSEBqAuvTFpNM3YbuQmSrCIubmWnewulO1N4q-CyG7bdG3OsjORufz_M9Crd7hAoxPXoHd_TSxgFU1dfnJnWhev1q5Yztc/s320/080.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438990565301808914" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div>To make the caramel melt the sugar and butter in a large heavy-based ovenproof pan. Finish with a splash of rum to deglaze the pan and loosen the caramel.<br /><br /></div></li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtC1eAs6M57FDLLQUqFB7tnvaClZbJTPPscE3Pt_qToE6c_JMpvcIMU4u82OWpfKgelK7NPuvczA8bzs4gl_s3iGaEji3XdAv3wzI-2Q5yD2Ys5PAXjk1wVdjrj-1EugpdN8P7YAC84io/s1600-h/081.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtC1eAs6M57FDLLQUqFB7tnvaClZbJTPPscE3Pt_qToE6c_JMpvcIMU4u82OWpfKgelK7NPuvczA8bzs4gl_s3iGaEji3XdAv3wzI-2Q5yD2Ys5PAXjk1wVdjrj-1EugpdN8P7YAC84io/s320/081.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438990575576984402" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBGpAX1GqwIqh4MFuyQyxZwYtoI5QQG0d0UixGijKE7eVOWH9lg_Fyi767EUXhmcJ5vSa3w-bL7E6kjVxFzfQgfcGpaRG1bOT-zqGRMwjPD0QDs4juhR64i4ZXJ2Km2xK92elq9ufYwk/s1600-h/082.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBGpAX1GqwIqh4MFuyQyxZwYtoI5QQG0d0UixGijKE7eVOWH9lg_Fyi767EUXhmcJ5vSa3w-bL7E6kjVxFzfQgfcGpaRG1bOT-zqGRMwjPD0QDs4juhR64i4ZXJ2Km2xK92elq9ufYwk/s320/082.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438990578398039186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><li>Remove the pears from the fridge and place them cut-side down on top of the caramel. Generously dust the pastry with powdered sugar.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgCpXN-Z88PyrXE4BrLGsgW1uhOUoFW1aiW22Y3tH0iWYE5oV6Cr0VJDv5cMWrDMZYSsx0XjRddFG_7hags_MIdc8Yfriy_61ngyPB6Y0W-JjxPm7k2ndjvtCGeK3zZVCpj5ylbwDuYY/s320/083.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439006273922524722" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></li><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><li style="text-align: left;">Bake the tatins for 8-10 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp (since I used a lower heat, I cooked the pears for about 15 minutes). Leave to stand for a minute or so, then slide a palate knife under each pear and carefully lift and flip over on to a warmed plate.</li><li>Trickle over the caramelized pan juices and serve with scoops of vanilla ice-cream.</li></ol></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofxnMZDlcU4315PaPAbb6dwB4Ko74owKpv0KN1mtV9H3KiK-x0FOhWRzrsLk7mUOGkRXz0h6amiMsS8QJq9rEPhfM8EWowa7f22adfJ50WoNSTYWL7doHPCivQyoCmpY2cn78Tw_DF50/s320/088.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439002931967122098" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div>Cafe Husshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10248567430226828464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-59352073184362848882010-01-24T13:13:00.004-05:002010-01-24T13:50:15.189-05:00Chicken Soup au Pistou<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNgNwsS0wycTZrcQEkXYr9yGAQFYNsh4Z9Ra-OjxAZeFLrpDvKEW0Bnq_pR8n4FCSEm1op5hGQzDRVUA3D1iNiM_lJgAzuaNW2gmofE20muIP9l84LlIK5fGag2_tPCbo4aw5qfiziKs/s1600-h/CIMG3681.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNgNwsS0wycTZrcQEkXYr9yGAQFYNsh4Z9Ra-OjxAZeFLrpDvKEW0Bnq_pR8n4FCSEm1op5hGQzDRVUA3D1iNiM_lJgAzuaNW2gmofE20muIP9l84LlIK5fGag2_tPCbo4aw5qfiziKs/s320/CIMG3681.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430372071940626098" /></a><br /><div>I know, I know...it's been a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">looooong</span> time since we've posted here at Cafe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Huss</span>. I admit, I sort of hit "cooker's block" if you will. Hopefully that will change with the new year!</div><div><br /></div><div>My excitement started about two weeks ago when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Marily</span> went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Puerto</span> Rico. I spent a lot of my free time watching my new favorite shows on BBC America: The F Word & Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. On one of The F Word episodes, Ramsay prepared chicken fricassee that looked delicious. I have since cooked it twice and I think it's delicious! Not sure why that one didn't make the blog yet...but maybe you'll get a post next time ;-)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Marily</span> has been feeling a little under the weather since our return from frosty Chicago. I wanted to make her some soup but she wasn't in the mood for her norm, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">asopoa</span>. I did some research and found this French chicken soup recipe that looked tasty and she agreed. We can thank the movie Julie & Julia for my new found interest in French cooking (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Sharmi</span>, we can't wait to try those recipes when your mom gets here!)</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/chicken-soup-au-pistou-recipe.htm">Chicken Soup <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">au</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Pistou</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The only adjustments I made were using olive oil to saute the chicken (rather then cooking spray) and adding about4 cloves of garlic, simply crushed with the side of a knife (I added the garlic in with the onions during the prep). What we felt really made the recipe was the fresh pesto and freshly shaved Parmesan cheese. Don't skip out on either of these or you'll be doing your taste buds a complete disservice! You can pick up a block of Parmesan cheese at the grocery store (don't even think about using grated). </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and don't forget some fresh buttered French bread.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the recipe I used to make fresh pesto, rather then buying it from the store. It was simple to make and oh so delicious:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://homecooking.about.com/od/condimentrecipes/r/blsauce51.htm">Classic Pesto</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Since this is a French style chicken soup, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistou"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">pistou</span></a> is prepared with the same ingredients as a pesto with the exception of pine nuts. I didn't realize this until I was writing this post and was doing research. So, needless to say, I prepared the soup with the pine nuts. It certainly doesn't take away from the dish...if anything it might give it a variation on the texture, but if you wanted to be authentic, skip the nuts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Enjoy!</div><div><br /></div>Cafe Husshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10248567430226828464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-27121594888400470782009-11-25T12:54:00.001-05:002009-11-25T12:59:07.551-05:00Chilangos!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQevJFrpbL68IKiYFggWnsJ3vgHNvt23xMnutVDDAiFmdF3Oilt3IHJoWNVggoURCGjkSN7c3Kfu2InqmuaF8detSW-RNFL5e05r_4AAYPE2rhhiVQbuBBN72eMQaUCrKgggLU84OApY/s1600/Chilangos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQevJFrpbL68IKiYFggWnsJ3vgHNvt23xMnutVDDAiFmdF3Oilt3IHJoWNVggoURCGjkSN7c3Kfu2InqmuaF8detSW-RNFL5e05r_4AAYPE2rhhiVQbuBBN72eMQaUCrKgggLU84OApY/s320/Chilangos.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br />
</div>Last weekend Marily and I had just finished spending the morning at the Winter Park Farmer's market (once again!). After scoring some yummy goodies to be used in our Thanksgiving dinner, we realized we were hungry! We had heard about Chilangos from another blog when we were searching for authentic Mexican restaurants in Central Florida. Since we were already in Winter Park, I figured this was a great time to go check it out. We quickly whipped out the trusty iPhone and Google mapped Chilangos and were on our way.<br />
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What really spawned our search for authentic Mexican eateries was an Anthony Bourdain <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AkJefoFX64&feature=player_embedded">episode </a>about the Outer Buroughs of NY and specifically about a tortilla factory in Brooklyn. I watched that episode and was like "man I'm tired of this fake Mexican, I want some of the good stuff he's eating!!" So, that is what prompted our search...and Chilangos was exactly what I was looking for.<br />
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Chilangos is a nice, small, family run Mexican restaurant. We walked up to the counter and place our orders. I ordered Mexican style tacos three ways: asada, chorizo & lingua (beef tongue). Mexican style tacos have double torillas and topped with cilantro and onions. Marily ordered her tacos "Amex" (combining the Mexican style with some of the American style extras). Her meat choices were asada, tinga de pollo (chicken breast) and chorizo. There is a salsa bar as well as roasted jalepenos so you can select your own level of heat. <br />
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We both agree that the tacos were fantastic. I really enjoyed the lingua. I had tried it once before at Tacos del Rancho, but they didn't even compare. Chilangos cooks theirs for at least four hours in the pressure cooker and let me tell you, it was more tender then the asada. The beef tongue has a strong beef flavor, but I loved it. Marily's favorite, and mine too, was the chorizo. The flavors were delicious and what you would expect from a good chorizo dish (if you haven't had any, you are missing out). <br />
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Chilangos is a great little Mexican restaurant and makes the top of our list (they recently were voted the #2 Mexican restaurant by the Orlando Sentinel). If you are looking for some good authentic Mexican food, stop by and check them out.<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/26/300743/restaurant/Orlando/Chilangos-Winter-Springs"><img alt="Chilangos on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/300743/biglink.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Chris and Marilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02629070367501501061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-5587762679440750382009-11-20T10:14:00.005-05:002009-11-25T09:09:35.036-05:00Thanksgiving MenuIt's been a very long time since either Chris or I have posted a blog and I refuse to let Thanksgiving come and go without an update.<div><br /></div><div>This year we are hosting Thanksgiving in our home; we enjoy spending time with our families and really dislike having to split the holidays between homes, besides we really love to cook and host.</div><div><br /></div><div>We have yet to figure out how to set up our dining area to host 20 people but we will squeeze everyone in one way or another. I have been searching on the internet for several weeks looking for decoration ideas (easy and inexpensive-darn economy!). Unfortunately, everything I find that is easy and inexpensive requires me to have a creative bone and well I think that bone never developed in the womb....we'll see what happens. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a little teaser of what to expect on Thanksgiving....keep your eyes open for the next blog!!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Thanksgiving Menu</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Appetizers</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Cheese, crackers and fruit plate</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Main Dishes</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Pavochon</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Huss Turkey</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Arroz con Gandules</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Debbie's Mash Potatoes</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sweet Potato Casserole</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Famous Huss Cheesy Greenbeans</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>3-Cheese Penne Casserole</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Cranberry Sauce</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dinner Rolls</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Dessert</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Homemade Pumpkin Pie</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Grandma's Pecan Cheesecake Pie</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Homemade Old Fashioned Apple Pie</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Homemade Vanilla and Cinnamon Almond Whipped Cream</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Marily Tapining-Husshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05272986641489530991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-88163189839305699112009-10-18T23:44:00.003-04:002009-10-19T00:26:21.915-04:00Recipe Challenge<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSki8ranI9Bzz7D2fXOIV5Ie20srNm1A5NKLIeu8lZ2Cvoni9vz7EYehQQFrE0wc3r9gVCWp2SM0ToN64kW2U87tH7cQ6Ae3qKfOQLloZKyObgahVIUjC3_iYIE3fi6U1B-Q8IQ5-z2mE/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 254px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSki8ranI9Bzz7D2fXOIV5Ie20srNm1A5NKLIeu8lZ2Cvoni9vz7EYehQQFrE0wc3r9gVCWp2SM0ToN64kW2U87tH7cQ6Ae3qKfOQLloZKyObgahVIUjC3_iYIE3fi6U1B-Q8IQ5-z2mE/s320/photo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394160197155421618" /></a><div><br /></div><div>During a recent dinner out with our nephew, Keanu, I came up with an idea. I'm not sure why it came to my head at this time, as there was no correlation to the moment...I just had a random idea. Anyway, back to the point. Marily and I both enjoy cooking. We find it to be fun, exciting and challenging (and most times, quite delicious)! So, I thought...why don't we do a once a month event, where our friends & family can join us in our culinary adventures.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's how it would work, our friends & family would submit recipes to us. It could be a recipe that is simply to challenge us, a recipe that sounds delicious but is too intimidating for them to attempt, or even a family recipe they just don't have the time to make but would love to eat. The submitter would be responsible for purchasing any necessary groceries, then we would cook and host the meal. Assuming there are multiple entries, we would randomly draw the winning recipe the week before and all remaining recipes would be automatically entered into the next drawing. The recipe challenge would be held once a month on a Saturday (i.e. 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th we'll figure it out later) so nobody has to worry about work. </div><div><br /></div><div>We think this would be a great idea and is a "win-win" for everyone. We get help picking out new recipes to try and the lucky winner gets to sit back and relax while someone else does the cooking. If the meal turns out to be a disaster due to our preparation and not because the recipe was a train wreck to begin with, then we'll treat the winner to a meal on Cafe Huss...one that's tried and true. So, what say you? Let us know what you think and if there is any interest we'll get this party started!</div>Cafe Husshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10248567430226828464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-65817182719109637682009-10-15T23:03:00.001-04:002009-10-18T23:33:57.101-04:00Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza & Put A Cork In ItMarily's dad had first told us about Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza after he tried it in south Florida during one of his many business trips. So, in the mood for some pizza and some place new, we headed out Anthony's.<br />
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The restaurant is located in the Whole Foods plaza near Sandlake Road and Turkey Lake. We arrived for a late dinner on Friday night, about 10PM. There were a few other tables seated, but it was mostly empty (which wasn't too surprising given the hour). The interior was your basic pizzeria, perhaps scaled up a notch, with a bar along the right side wall.<br />
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Intuitively from their name, I assumed the pizza was cooked over coals or in some sort of coal oven. I'm guessing not everyone figures that out as our waitress immediately warned us that the pizza would come out well done, crispy and with a charcoal bar-b-que like flavor (OK, those weren't her exact words, but you get the jist). Anyway, it sounded good to us so we continued to place our order.<br />
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We started things off with some <a href="http://www.uniquebeers.com/obp/the_beer.html">Orange Blossom Pilsner</a> which is from a Florida based brewery. It is made with 2.3tsp of orange blossom honey in each bottle (but isn't too sweet)! It is a nice refreshing beer which we don't find too often. The bar was stocked with your typical beer selection with a couple Italian imports to fit the style of food, as well as wines.<br />
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The menu consisted mainly of pizzas, their coal fired wings with caramelized onions & focaccia bread, and a few sandwiches. Being a wing guy and curious with the herb seasonings and caramelized onion combination, we went with that for our appetizer and ordered a traditional pizza. We added pepporoni and italian sausage to half of the pie, in order to give ourselves a baseline.<br />
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We both enjoyed the wings which had a great flavor from the herb seasonings, but were really delicious when eaten with the caramelized onions. The flavors and texture from being coal fired was a nice change from your typical deep fried wings at most pizzerias. The focaccia bread was nice and buttery and disappeared quickly from our plate.<br />
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The pizza came out shortly thereafter and was different then we expected. Instead of the tomato sauce spread over the entire pie, it is simply spooned on in "dobs." The tomato sauce tasted fresh and wasn't too acidic. Since it wasn't spread over the entire pie, each bite left you hoping to reach a section of the slice with some sauce (but not in a bad way). The Italian sausage had a good flavor without being too spicy.<br />
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Our waitress provided great service and never let my drink go empty (my primary gauge for servers!). Overall, we enjoyed Anthony's and would return.<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/26/1467968/restaurant/I-Drive-Universal/Anthonys-Coal-Fired-Pizza-Orlando"><img alt="Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1467968/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
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We headed across the street to the Rialto Plaza in search of dessert at <a href="http://menchies.com/">Menchies</a>. Unfortunately, we arrived too late. Conveniently next store, we found <a href="http://rialtowinebar.com/">Put A Cork In It</a> and opted for a night cap. As you might expect, it is a wine bar, selling bottles of wine as well as by the glass. If you were planning to dine at either Ocean Prime or J. Alexander's located in the Rialto Plaza, they also have an arrangement where you can buy the wine from Put A Cork In It and be served at the restaurants without any corkage fee. Pretty nice!<br />
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As you might expect from a wine bar, the interior was dimly lit, leather seating arranged throughout and music playing softly in the background. Bottles of wine line one side wall as well as the rear wall and the bar is located in the back corner. Additionally, there are a couple LCD TVs spread throughout the room, and at least that night, showing ESPN. <br />
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Marily order a glass of a Rose Champagne (didn't catch the name), which she thought was nice without being too sweet...<br />
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...and I ended up with the number 10 wine of 2008 (per Wine Spectator magazine), the Seghesio Zinfandel. The Seghesio is a nice, complex red with a spicy finish, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I really enjoyed it after my first glass (a Syrah) was mysteriously knocked over. The gentleman who was working the wine bar (who we believe was the owner or one of them) graciously gave me a little extra pour to make up for it.<br />
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Put A Cork In It has only been open for about a month and has primarily been going off word of mouth advertising. It is a nice cozy wine bar which we feel has potential to become a nice place to go hang out, enjoy some great wine and have good conversations with friends. If you are in the area, go check them out and let us know what you think.<br />
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<img src="http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs278.snc1/10521_167282315774_167280195774_4163365_5178488_s.jpg" /><br />
7339 W Sand Lake Rd, Ste #412<br />
Orlando, FL 32819<br />
(407) 351-8400<br />
<a href="http://rialtowinebar.com/">http://rialtowinebar.com</a>Chris and Marilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02629070367501501061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-90981500724758878472009-10-13T23:34:00.000-04:002009-10-13T23:34:48.524-04:00Foodies Meeting #2<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Today marks the second Foodies Meeting. I took a backseat in the kitchen and took the role of dish washer & sous chef. Like any good sous chef, I first poured myself a drink ;-). OK, it's not the manliest of drinks, but like a chef, I had to make something good out of the ingrediants on hand...in today's case, it was Grey Goose Citron & Cherry 7-Up...mmm, yum.<br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">OK, back to the meeting. Tonight's menu consisted of the following selections:<br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Entrée</b></span><b>:</b><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>Maple Pork Tenderloin with Carmelized Apples (</i><a href="http://www.finestchef.com/maple_pork_tenderloin.htm"><i>recipe</i></a><i> from </i><a href="http://www.finestchef.com/"><i>The Finest Chef</i></a><i> website)</i><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Side:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOyNWZcHG6hTWASeCzHS7SIovGDxNaGeXHkejqohc3DgQ4n4QVgcvNrOPwPmEPSmaRAhsmi_0DJVYQn7G4eMzMNpjAhWNbj7hohMXe0SdspUWcqma9AWyB2QyMaN3CRvJk5AkiU-Se_c/s1600-h/CIMG2632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOyNWZcHG6hTWASeCzHS7SIovGDxNaGeXHkejqohc3DgQ4n4QVgcvNrOPwPmEPSmaRAhsmi_0DJVYQn7G4eMzMNpjAhWNbj7hohMXe0SdspUWcqma9AWyB2QyMaN3CRvJk5AkiU-Se_c/s320/CIMG2632.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Parmesan Roasted Potatoes (</i><a href="http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2008/11/parmesan-roasted-potatoes.html"><i>recipe</i></a><i> from the </i><a href="http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/"><i>For the Love of Cooking</i></a><i> blog)</i></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Dessert</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSYvDcBATBXQ9ejopgRbIVbJtagtG5qiaCHSZtyJouf-0rqmBQTq7UL9wav2H_wqYPPZdD5E6vrdE-E0Ua4YqVyl3xwzkN7Xnp4k0FTFBubNRv4HkpGZWH_iaU20XcYAQ78RZTj0Zmy4/s1600-h/CIMG2640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSYvDcBATBXQ9ejopgRbIVbJtagtG5qiaCHSZtyJouf-0rqmBQTq7UL9wav2H_wqYPPZdD5E6vrdE-E0Ua4YqVyl3xwzkN7Xnp4k0FTFBubNRv4HkpGZWH_iaU20XcYAQ78RZTj0Zmy4/s320/CIMG2640.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>S'mores Brownies (</i><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/smore-brownies-recipe/index.html"><i>recipe</i></a><i> courtesy of the Food Network)</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Marily has been wanting to cook with fruit ever since my brother's wedding where they had roasted pears in the salad. So, we had some pork tenderloins on hand and the Maple Pork Tenderloin recipe sounded delicious. Debbie was craving chocolate and the s'mores brownies recipe caught her attention. So, there you go...the makings of a wonderful menu!!<br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Here are some pictures from tonight's prep & cooking...<br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">The Maple Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Apples were A-MAZ-ING! The sweetness of the maple syrup and caramelized apples was complemented perfectly by the rosemary. The pork tenderloins were cooked perfectly by Head Chef, Marily and our trusty oven probe. The parmesan roasted potatoes were a great concept and the flavors were almost there...but we'd probably like them to be seasoned a little more and roasted a little longer to give it a nice crispy texture.<br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">"Nom-nom-nom-nom," said Debbie as she dove into the s'mores brownies. The marshmallow topping was pure yummy gooeyness. We almost had a major incident as we pulled the brownies from the oven seconds before the marshmallows were to bust into flames! We should have headed the warnings left by others in the "comments & reviews" section of the recipe on the Food Network's website. Debbie thought the brownie and graham cracker crust fell flat, but Marily and I thought it was pretty good...perhaps slightly overcooked as the outer edges of the brownie weren't as fudge like as the center. <br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">All in all, the night was a success. We had some good food and learned a few lessons as we continue our journey to hone our kitchen skills. Until next time...<br />
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</div>Chris and Marilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02629070367501501061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-52691618235738060332009-10-10T19:11:00.001-04:002009-10-10T19:52:02.696-04:00A Trip to the BriarPatchRecently while on a farmer's market Saturday, we strolled down Park Avenue with some friends. OK, actually, let's be realistic. Our friend, Sharmila, was actually craving this brie, apple & ham omelette a neighbor had raved about. So, we made our way in search of the <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=8511034860527081043&q=briar+patch+menu+winter+park&gl=us">BriarPatch Restaurant</a>. Like many restaurants on Park Avenue, they had outside seating, which we love to see. I mean, who doesn't like to people watch while scarfing down delicious food?<br />
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The outside area has a comfortable, porch like feel to it. Once through the front doors, you immediately are drawn to the ice cream parlor in the front where they offer ice cream, milk shakes and ridiculously large cakes (more on that later). We got there around lunch time and it wasn't too busy, so we were seated right away.<br />
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Marily ordered the blackened grouper sandwich and I opted for the gorgonzola filet mignon sandwich (and yes, Sharmila got her brie & apple omelette - no ham).<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Blackened Grouper Sandwich</span></i><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Gorgonzola File Mignon Sandwich</span></i><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Marily was not impressed at all with her blackened grouper. This is Florida, so I'm not sure how you can go wrong with this choice...well OK, here's how: bones (the noticeable ones...ones that should have been noticed by the kitchen staff), lack of flavor (didn't we say it was blackened? I mean the definition of blackening is to dredge through herbs and seasonings) and the lack of a condiment (an aioli perhaps...maybe some freshly made tarter sauce...or heck, a dab of mayonnaise would have sufficed).<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">I had much better luck with my selection. I honestly didn't know what to expect, since this was under the "burgers" section of the menu. As you can see in the picture, it was literally a small filet mignon on a bun. Joining the steak was the gorgonzola, romaine lettuce and a tomato slice. The filet was properly seasoned and perfectly cooked. The gorgonzola was amazing and was a wonderful compliment to the protein, offering a nice buttery, salty and bold flavor to the sandwich. I had to fight Marily off my plate, only allowing her a few bites ;-) As delicious as it was, I thought there was some room for improvement. I don't think the romaine lettuce did the filet justice and something more along the lines of a spring greens mix (or just something more gourmet and able to stand along side the filet would have been a better choice). Also, the bun was almost english muffin like...while I can't put my finger on what would have been the better fit...I know the one chosen didn't have me screaming that it was a culinary, orchestrated masterpiece. Neither the bland romaine nor bun was enough for me to deny this was an overall good sandwich, that I would order again.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, we didn't have room to try any of the desserts. I'm not sure if it was the fact that we had eaten bagels and cinnamon rolls at the farmer's market earlier on top of the sandwiches or if we were just intimidated by the gigantic cakes in the display case:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AWZqM5BVhzg7uTiDWQugSuIUs9RP7llcjtFh7G5KcA_gTmXwB5DGE6ZcD7VO13UAc9F2UqjL8B_TYl23mJZEwmzkrxgyXshtjbMU9GX7PfyMgUn_cxyf0GcK-70O63ySm-XB8mBQckU/s1600-h/CIMG2504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AWZqM5BVhzg7uTiDWQugSuIUs9RP7llcjtFh7G5KcA_gTmXwB5DGE6ZcD7VO13UAc9F2UqjL8B_TYl23mJZEwmzkrxgyXshtjbMU9GX7PfyMgUn_cxyf0GcK-70O63ySm-XB8mBQckU/s320/CIMG2504.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">It looked like the options were red velvet cake, carrot cake and a chocolate layer cake amongst various pies. Next time, I vow to order a slice of one of these cakes (even if I have to share it with the whole table). <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Overall, the BriarPatch was a good restaurant offering good service, good food and some potentially delicious desserts. We would definitely return for the gorgonzola filet mignon sandwich and find Marily another option!<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/26/300446/restaurant/Orlando/Briar-Patch-Winter-Park"><img alt="Briar Patch on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/300446/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a><br />
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</div>Chris and Marilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02629070367501501061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-12691492324935587772009-10-08T12:28:00.004-04:002009-10-08T12:43:15.938-04:00Marily finally started cooking!<span><span><span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:small;"><span style="font-size:13px;"><span style=" ;font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhMC0ImAb_Ghsyeqr6VnZ9lYdo6kiFsF6lmL0zeJeqx7-CJ6w11NY56Rmf7AWaf1zSHGUqyrj3u8_SwqPT7MzWrSSaTbStW8XOd5KW2wLftVz1tvoPc-X0zrju6CbljR4kGMnK0e9RQ4/s1600-h/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhMC0ImAb_Ghsyeqr6VnZ9lYdo6kiFsF6lmL0zeJeqx7-CJ6w11NY56Rmf7AWaf1zSHGUqyrj3u8_SwqPT7MzWrSSaTbStW8XOd5KW2wLftVz1tvoPc-X0zrju6CbljR4kGMnK0e9RQ4/s320/014.JPG" /></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After a few weeks of feeling like I had been knocked down by a cement truck I got the energy and motivation to start cooking again. I figured I would start out by making something light to fit my mood.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As you can recall we purchased specialty pasta during one of our Farmer's Market excursions, I decided to try out the Sun Dried Tomato Fettuccine. After looking online for about an hour for a recipe it dawned on me to go to the website for the pasta maker...who would have thought!! I then found the recipe for </span></span></span><a href="http://www.pappardellespasta.com/recipes/recipe_sun-dried_tomato.php"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Double Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Broccoli and Pecorino Cheese</span></span></span></a><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">; seemed easy and we had everything we needed in our kitchen. Of course, I decided to change it up a bit and add a few things extra that we love.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To start, I marinated a medium sized petite sirloin in EVOO, sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and Worcestershire for about an hour. I then chopped a few cloves of garlic (we LOVE garlic) and a very small onion and set them aside with the sun dried tomatoes.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9dI730WGG1AIf9u__23fap6FuT1jzBT-4ZI8yzR-EFYkmPNRjKUf-9nKiol2023PJZcIxpxnMHCXEhEJ6MEQ4672-m_ka-M_H1zYZX2Hd4kXpgLxzmcsWaLt9UqrSMbN_DiqXKWOxjs/s1600-h/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9dI730WGG1AIf9u__23fap6FuT1jzBT-4ZI8yzR-EFYkmPNRjKUf-9nKiol2023PJZcIxpxnMHCXEhEJ6MEQ4672-m_ka-M_H1zYZX2Hd4kXpgLxzmcsWaLt9UqrSMbN_DiqXKWOxjs/s320/002.JPG" /></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The only broccoli we had in the house were frozen, so I improvised a little. I cooked the broccoli for half the time it asked on the steam bag and set them aside. I then sautéed the onions and garlic in EVOO until fragrant then added the broccoli. The recipe did not ask for this part but I figured...hey why not! I chopped a few sun dried tomatoes and added them to the mix of garlic, onions and broccoli in the pan, I let that heat for a little on the pan then covered and set it aside while I finished the pasta.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXg2wHLP0w2fa5qtOp1ItMt21P6DSf_DksqnnVmeXWVeaWQd45-FFalJIDH3d-JbBkx2Efb5w6VHFDImlCG_OaEYWIM81s6mQH0Nw7rSB-tqU2_DY7RqmTkEBYA8mZWP1-GrFeixYIPe8/s1600-h/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXg2wHLP0w2fa5qtOp1ItMt21P6DSf_DksqnnVmeXWVeaWQd45-FFalJIDH3d-JbBkx2Efb5w6VHFDImlCG_OaEYWIM81s6mQH0Nw7rSB-tqU2_DY7RqmTkEBYA8mZWP1-GrFeixYIPe8/s320/007.JPG" /></span></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvx5vS6-a_r8qg4PGoCmfOJ9Ewrt5UISXMWwO1XFecgnfeAkt-l_mj_-Q1F1A4RjTTjU7Psl0f71OWNEUphJJbZ6bM8paNDe-gNtA8oMz3rha5w9fg2F92e6HEg_Dw79XTo5UWaFAU7Bc/s1600-h/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvx5vS6-a_r8qg4PGoCmfOJ9Ewrt5UISXMWwO1XFecgnfeAkt-l_mj_-Q1F1A4RjTTjU7Psl0f71OWNEUphJJbZ6bM8paNDe-gNtA8oMz3rha5w9fg2F92e6HEg_Dw79XTo5UWaFAU7Bc/s320/006.JPG" /></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While I was cooking the veggies I had boiled the water for the pasta with some salt. Once the water was at a boil I added the pasta and let it cook for approximately 8 minutes, drained and also set them aside.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I now poured the veggies into a bowl and in the same pan I cooked the veggies I sautéed some more garlic and onions in some EVOO and then added the sirloin to the pan. I cooked the sirloin for 2 mins then flipped it over for another 2 minutes. I then turned the stove off and flipped the sirloin one more time and let it sit for 2 more mins. I then removed it from the pan and let it sit on the cutting board for approx 10 mins to let it rest.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpET3PCy61iyFktF6em9eX1aBhkaRsmTIgAvZwMUyP82Yd4LcAXNhVs-bPgz16QD53YTfffaAX8n7d62KVC3_ygiQwYCA7RdpzQKpySY_whUBjt2r2ut5Rv76MjEfXbGhTe9tIyjAEfhw/s1600-h/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpET3PCy61iyFktF6em9eX1aBhkaRsmTIgAvZwMUyP82Yd4LcAXNhVs-bPgz16QD53YTfffaAX8n7d62KVC3_ygiQwYCA7RdpzQKpySY_whUBjt2r2ut5Rv76MjEfXbGhTe9tIyjAEfhw/s320/010.JPG" /></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While the meat rested I mixed the pasta and broccoli mixture together, chopped up some fresh basil that we got from our neighbor (Thanks Sharmy and Bill). I also grated some fresh Pecorino Romano cheese, lots of it actually...this cheese is amazing with food, and chopped a few more sun dried tomatoes. I then tossed everything together.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXvNzUQ5JOXwkAlaN2miaD1EF7dHMCb5E5iQ_ON_7-XSgX6t8ea4LjE4IdgFQL9oI-cFHKJ09HvB1-K6sRpFEnIXltBPMJe_9bSs3CljKJSTNskCigoDawsXeuvFedYP3FeRxqdusFkg/s1600-h/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXvNzUQ5JOXwkAlaN2miaD1EF7dHMCb5E5iQ_ON_7-XSgX6t8ea4LjE4IdgFQL9oI-cFHKJ09HvB1-K6sRpFEnIXltBPMJe_9bSs3CljKJSTNskCigoDawsXeuvFedYP3FeRxqdusFkg/s320/013.JPG" /></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFU9i3MYC3nvSS5-ZkuTDcSCSPjmpm5t1gqxnJed3c7E_KHM1ILdzVkzJlgV0g_FV908boIc2bmV5s56Q8e-WZSKaj8pODfG7Ogbv2xtfHc6cPV5UGtWI9a2hbbwZu_7r6c2f2z7BJPs/s1600-h/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFU9i3MYC3nvSS5-ZkuTDcSCSPjmpm5t1gqxnJed3c7E_KHM1ILdzVkzJlgV0g_FV908boIc2bmV5s56Q8e-WZSKaj8pODfG7Ogbv2xtfHc6cPV5UGtWI9a2hbbwZu_7r6c2f2z7BJPs/s320/004.JPG" /></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now, for some reason in our home when it comes to cooking a piece of steak on the pan (even oven) we can't seem to get it right. We love our steaks Medium and at times Medium Rare and we always seem to over cook them. So the pressure was on to make a perfect steak, to show that I have learned from our past mistakes and to prove that I CAN DO THIS!!!!</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I let Chris do the honors of slicing the sirloin and after the first slice I rejoiced to myself by saying...."HA!! I AM THE STEAK MASTER!!!!!!!" Seriously, it was all in my head I didn't want to rub it in that I am THAT good.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw83DydF08VmtRMd6sRM8OkKbaBBlN9xgBavpXqlYr4XcHBuVnsvfMZB-_hq78jTyyeQs_QX2lCGqLzzMFLm5X1mhilxHlDJHCtnOzAVqheoaPTjxcIndAU39XGFSRAwcPExGpwuasAX4/s1600-h/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw83DydF08VmtRMd6sRM8OkKbaBBlN9xgBavpXqlYr4XcHBuVnsvfMZB-_hq78jTyyeQs_QX2lCGqLzzMFLm5X1mhilxHlDJHCtnOzAVqheoaPTjxcIndAU39XGFSRAwcPExGpwuasAX4/s320/016.JPG" /></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After my little happy dance in my head it was time to plate the meal. I was very tempted to just eat right out of the bowl because it smelled amazing!!!</span></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0S9M7_Pmmywg6-hEQaRLI5Yjzguth13SAGZl61lQLGLKbWSGUCv1D7CfBCLDd_FK6zuUURsZGV36Fjjim2kl0rF33Lg1QKB4CeFfScLk8n9hKg60HZtmiHubXuEHmnu3sKCYBuLa_bZ8/s1600-h/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0S9M7_Pmmywg6-hEQaRLI5Yjzguth13SAGZl61lQLGLKbWSGUCv1D7CfBCLDd_FK6zuUURsZGV36Fjjim2kl0rF33Lg1QKB4CeFfScLk8n9hKg60HZtmiHubXuEHmnu3sKCYBuLa_bZ8/s320/015.JPG" /></span></a></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXVe9qtOg7DKu4KKKQ_8Qi4fCo94Kk5wMMCU4NXBP5w6g0MhyphenhyphenIxCnsCvqRWVTv0i3EeGpDNnO-fg3PT_-VGfMqbqPWzT36LYsSiQFOMr9jrMSSKgOz-IHLAsWRFj1k4eCKDudN40Ueks/s1600-h/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXVe9qtOg7DKu4KKKQ_8Qi4fCo94Kk5wMMCU4NXBP5w6g0MhyphenhyphenIxCnsCvqRWVTv0i3EeGpDNnO-fg3PT_-VGfMqbqPWzT36LYsSiQFOMr9jrMSSKgOz-IHLAsWRFj1k4eCKDudN40Ueks/s320/018.JPG" /></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Overall, I loved how light the meal was, even with the steak the meal wasn't heavy on your stomach. With all the colors on the plate it was very eye pleasing. However, Chris and I both expected a little more from the pasta...the taste of sun dried tomatoes in the pasta was very faint for me and non existent for Chris. Now this doesn't mean that we will not try another type in the future, especially since we still have 1/2 lb of lemon basil fettuccine.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bon Appetit!</span></span></span><br /></div></div></span></span></span>Chris and Marilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02629070367501501061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-25353720323158874942009-10-05T23:58:00.001-04:002009-10-06T00:08:56.014-04:00Foodie's Meeting #1<span style="font-family: inherit;">This past weekend, my aspiring pastry chef, Debbie ;-) suggested we get together with her foodie friend Diane today to make dinner. Originally she called it a cook off...but I was like "Debbie...we aren't competing...we're just getting together to cook some good food!" That has led to what I hope becomes a weekly tradition....her newly dubbed "Foodies Meeting."</span><br />
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</div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Marily was sick last week and we didn't get a chance to use the leeks we picked up from the Winter Park farmer's market. When presented with the task to make the main entree during our inaugural Foodie's Meeting, I immediately looked for recipes I could use our leeks in before they went to waste. I was clicking through options on Food Network's site before Marily came across the one I ended up going with (read on to see what we chose!).<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To get thing started, </span><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Marily sliced some fresh pears and g</span><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ruyère cheese as our first course. We paired this great combination with the wine I opened for the main dish (</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, Sauvignon Blanc, 2007) and also one we picked up specifically for the pear and g</span><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ruyère (</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Butterfield Station, Chardonney, 2006). Both worked well with the flavors of the cheese and the fresh, crispness of the pears.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Diane also roasted some garlic and put together a simple, yet delicious combination of roasted garlic, olive oil and essential seasonings to top the fresh bread her and Debbie picked up from the supermarket. Loved it!!! How easily we forget to do such simple things like throwing garlic heads with a olive oil drizzle into the oven for things like this!</span></span><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The entree would be Braised Chicken Breasts on Creamy Leeks (recipe <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Braised-Chicken-Breasts-on-Creamy-Leeks-104631">here</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">) on <a href="http://epicurious.com/">epicurious.com</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> which was adapted from a recipe created by Swiss chef, </span><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Frédy Girardet. We can all read, so I'll just summarize things here...as this was my first time working with leeks, I didn't really make any changes.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This recipe was actually pretty simple (actually some of the best ones are made from fewer ingrediants rather then being overly complex...just see Tom Colicchio's Diet Coke <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="http://tiny.cc/RzsM2">commerical</a></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">). I started out by prepping all the ingredients, as it is so much easier to cook when you have your ingredients all measured out:</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDRFJYEX2nx-6RTijsorjXeVCN5_IXaV-OYzw1dX7bj77bM6Wb1IGSL3SssfbZD3k97WG6S40rKzNfK8QZai574MCR-MIGn2Iw_Rt-_e_U-Oqx4sbbRQvWt3-ugBnHmbd5w07tDWLMoI/s1600-h/Leek+dinner+100509+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDRFJYEX2nx-6RTijsorjXeVCN5_IXaV-OYzw1dX7bj77bM6Wb1IGSL3SssfbZD3k97WG6S40rKzNfK8QZai574MCR-MIGn2Iw_Rt-_e_U-Oqx4sbbRQvWt3-ugBnHmbd5w07tDWLMoI/s320/Leek+dinner+100509+074.JPG" /></span></span></a><br />
</div><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">(I totally forgot to slice the leeks lengthwise before cutting into 1 inch pieces as seen in this picture! I made up for it later, but just a reminder that I need to actually READ the directions. Pictured: white wine, leeks, chicken stock, unsalted butter, heavy cream)</span></i></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwnBpLy7SbaEU2VclDMkUHos-XDUnB1sOgrQoX8p_Eyb_5wbn-mxjCiOH-xbwFovNDWTRPzO3nSrHX9w0E4-pt2GtADNs27pCGIX7H3dBV4ZUPwT17gbvo_Zi1st639CJchyphenhyphent2LtZCjw/s1600-h/Leek+dinner+100509+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwnBpLy7SbaEU2VclDMkUHos-XDUnB1sOgrQoX8p_Eyb_5wbn-mxjCiOH-xbwFovNDWTRPzO3nSrHX9w0E4-pt2GtADNs27pCGIX7H3dBV4ZUPwT17gbvo_Zi1st639CJchyphenhyphent2LtZCjw/s320/Leek+dinner+100509+075.JPG" /></span></span></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>(Simply seasoned with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper)</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From here, I seared the chicken breasts for a few minutes on each side and then removed them from the saute pan. Next up, I added the wine to deglaze the pan and introduced the leeks to the party. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB07MVaaXIDtcyDtUrEUuvXztks6Pm1zts9QFsUz-HCRANs0w1UX2frMSi2GqDSAKDSuzykbzyY0y4sPfkw2nKJu3-OZ8Chdb_BFpQQkaUqCKMcUMtA86rLZkVEEPR7IWBkTYgnNlxs_8/s1600-h/Leek+dinner+100509+076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB07MVaaXIDtcyDtUrEUuvXztks6Pm1zts9QFsUz-HCRANs0w1UX2frMSi2GqDSAKDSuzykbzyY0y4sPfkw2nKJu3-OZ8Chdb_BFpQQkaUqCKMcUMtA86rLZkVEEPR7IWBkTYgnNlxs_8/s320/Leek+dinner+100509+076.JPG" /></span></span></a><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A few minutes later as the leeks were just waking up and sipping the wine, the chicken breasts made there way back to the pan to join the fun. Shortly thereafter, I removed the chicken, added the heavy cream, and got in the "thick" of things...then it was time to plate.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the mean time, Debbie and Diane prepared some "Huss" roasted garlic mashed potatoes to accompany the braised chcken, which worked out perfectly.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3ZVWnZ2aR_r6ls7G1il4gxv3zaxi0MScvarxdQ9Y7MVCVqfFznbktVv0XYShlvF6gVTwrgllEdjDnyWe7cTa9YYwhagqf_MaglTIAE0fsF_kDGp86Hy3WaPh8GVzj-RZJ9Yid2VsiDc/s1600-h/Leek+dinner+100509+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3ZVWnZ2aR_r6ls7G1il4gxv3zaxi0MScvarxdQ9Y7MVCVqfFznbktVv0XYShlvF6gVTwrgllEdjDnyWe7cTa9YYwhagqf_MaglTIAE0fsF_kDGp86Hy3WaPh8GVzj-RZJ9Yid2VsiDc/s320/Leek+dinner+100509+080.JPG" /></span></span></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>B</i><i>raised Chicken on Creamy Leeks with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The braised chicken was outstanding...the chicken was prepared perfectly (pat on my back, lol) and the creamy sauce was delicious with the leeks (and even with the mashed potatoes, thanks to gravity). The only thing I could have asked for was a better plate to show this on, lol (mental note, buy nice white plates for pictures). To top off a great meal, Debbie and Diane made dessert...and a darn good one too!!!</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbTE8neCqEIKeeBId20VwbkNlg6W9TadDMn6eX62oBvEbtu5czNfQrNH0ka6owfH0ar2GWmX2j1BEMjPzkqdc2hkdFBNTOuYL_mYFnToat2Vkz11JRcqgHihoDb7sVuLfNzlbVoxTeWs/s1600-h/fruit_tart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbTE8neCqEIKeeBId20VwbkNlg6W9TadDMn6eX62oBvEbtu5czNfQrNH0ka6owfH0ar2GWmX2j1BEMjPzkqdc2hkdFBNTOuYL_mYFnToat2Vkz11JRcqgHihoDb7sVuLfNzlbVoxTeWs/s320/fruit_tart.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20px;">The dessert was based off this <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/FruitTart.html">recipe</a> found on the Joy of Baking website. Kudos to Debbie and Diane for choosing to glaze the crust with melted chocolate as well as drizzling it with melted chocolate once served....yum, yum, yum (OK, I'm a little biased since I'm a choc-o-holic, but still!)! The girls did an amazing job at layering the fruit (wow, I think someone needs to become a pastry chef)! Debbie is now officially in charge of desserts going forward. I highly recommend checking out the <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/">Joy of Baking</a> website for further baking inspiration (I already found <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/RaspberryTruffleTart.html">one</a> I can't wait to try).</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20px;">We were all very pleased with the outcome tonight, and we can't wait till the next one!!! Diane, start thinking now...you are in charge of the entree ;-) Let's see those skills you've picked up!!</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20px;">Meeting adjourned.</span><br />
</div>Chris and Marilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02629070367501501061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-24715978557997326972009-10-02T18:50:00.002-04:002009-10-02T18:51:55.504-04:00Vietnamese Sweet PorkWhen I moved out of my parents house and realized I had to cook for myself (I was not going to be one of those college students living off ramen noodles!), I asked my mom to teach me a few things. For those that don't know, I'm Vietnamese-American...a product of the Vietnam War (my parents met while my father was stationed there and the rest is history). I wasn't going to waste any time, so I asked her to teach me how to make her sweet pork. This is a relatively simple dish made with products you should be able to find in your local grocery store (of course the best fish and oyster sauces come from an Asian market like <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&rlz=1C1CHMA_enUS344US344&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=dong+a+vietnamese+market+orlando&fb=1&gl=us&hq=dong+a+vietnamese+market&hnear=orlando&view=text&latlng=9744387562398286483">Dong A Market</a> off Mills Ave in Orlando. Below is the recipe, as best as I can share...home cooking isn't exactly measured out ;-) You know your mom always told you, "...a little of this and a little of that."<br />
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<i>This recipe makes enough for 2-3 servings. Increase the ingredients appropriately for more.</i><br />
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<i>Pork</i><br />
2 Pork chops, cut meat away from bones and cut into slices, reserve bones (pork riblets work well also)<br />
1 Green onion, chopped<br />
2 Tbs + 1 Tbs granulated sugar<br />
2-3 Tbs Oyster Sauce<br />
Fish Sauce, to taste (a 1/2 Tbs is probably a good place to start)<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
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In a sauce pan, heat 2 Tbs granulated sugar on low heat to caramelize (be careful not to burn). Add sliced pork, bones and chopped green onions to sauce pan. Increase to medium heat and stir to coat the pork with the caramelized sugar. Add remaining sugar, oyster sauce, fish sauce and water. Stir ingredients to mix well and let simmer, until pork is fully cooked (about 15 minutes).<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Sautéed</i></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i> Gree</i></span><i>n Beans</i><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Fresh green beans (cut off ends)<br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Sliced garlic (at least 2-3 cloves...or more!)<br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Chopped onions (about 1/2 cup)<br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">2 Tbs Olive Oil<br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Fish sauce, to taste<br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Water<br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In a wok or large s<span style="line-height: 19px;">auté</span> pan, heat olive oil with sliced garlic and onions on low heat. Once the aroma is released from the garlic, add green beans and fish sauce. Toss to coat. After a couple minutes add some water to the pan and cover with a large lid (pseudo steaming), until the green beans are tender to your liking.<br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Serve green beans on top of rice, topped with the sweet pork. Add sauce from sweet pork to wet the rice. If available, add sliced cucumbers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZjbvnM6NbLgNyP2USWbHJw8wL0IoylYdmVIdZ7lJaaf5B_coVLkZ7kSqFBGQLxpWiPYuD3rHV7pashnrDDE6N4AHNs2CeVHOnfhsq0eLc90hQoK75vbk29iJbn9ZDQlY6ENnl9-AImjP/s1600-h/sweetpork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZjbvnM6NbLgNyP2USWbHJw8wL0IoylYdmVIdZ7lJaaf5B_coVLkZ7kSqFBGQLxpWiPYuD3rHV7pashnrDDE6N4AHNs2CeVHOnfhsq0eLc90hQoK75vbk29iJbn9ZDQlY6ENnl9-AImjP/s320/sweetpork.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>chino1975http://www.blogger.com/profile/08040351318871840001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-4369003161696657682009-10-02T00:36:00.004-04:002009-10-02T01:01:11.041-04:00Dinner at the Huss's April 2009Wow! As we are getting back into the swing of blog-things, we realized we had this saved as a draft from April 2009...well, better late then never, right?!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGd6SDOK2VyBfUpmhr1p__VghexFYdblctWR8TTjL8ZowExUL6s66SX7qjQ5Bw1iXDFKMjwK0-gzHC1ODaFbKAeAFoGVu89o5NFr0TuJqw-ijgfEK5_sL1idaPIxY4IMFJIpSdJp7CNdTv/s1600-h/Host+and+Hostess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGd6SDOK2VyBfUpmhr1p__VghexFYdblctWR8TTjL8ZowExUL6s66SX7qjQ5Bw1iXDFKMjwK0-gzHC1ODaFbKAeAFoGVu89o5NFr0TuJqw-ijgfEK5_sL1idaPIxY4IMFJIpSdJp7CNdTv/s320/Host+and+Hostess.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Chris and I decided to have dinner for our neighbors to show them how much we appreciate them and everything they have done for us...our wedding in November wouldn't have gone so smoothly without them!<br />
<br />
This was going to be our first time cooking a fancy four course meal...the pressure was on, and I think we did an excellent job! This was our menu:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Appetizer</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Toasted Curry Shrimp</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Salad</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mixed Spring Greens with a Caesar vinaigrette</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Entree</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Herb-crusted Prime Rib with a Red Wine Sauce</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Firecracker Salmon</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Sides</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Grilled Whole White Mushrooms brushed with lemon and kosher salt</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sauteed Vegetables</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Desserts</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Espresso Creme Brulee and Pots de Creme</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Here is a picture of our first attempt at creating a tablescape (simple with an Asian influence):<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3L2aazsTvugvIpuLznp2Ld7UwWeu4vkaKKhu-LHwJN7-GLAwc8apFM9T7tzK_GiqnqGZmsc3DZIcrKIzuZYeU79OZxqRdro1-9e17RPKT-rng13nEY7SQ47nf2OMNxEqW9KK_Vyz_2HGd/s1600-h/tablescape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3L2aazsTvugvIpuLznp2Ld7UwWeu4vkaKKhu-LHwJN7-GLAwc8apFM9T7tzK_GiqnqGZmsc3DZIcrKIzuZYeU79OZxqRdro1-9e17RPKT-rng13nEY7SQ47nf2OMNxEqW9KK_Vyz_2HGd/s320/tablescape.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRK1KcfJbqjur0FvurO-BTg3n1gvFNud366Hf5sOETLlZg7axPVrVQm849rc9tQ2a2eHC5WnuWkchEPDLqojET-imlMOSOu5u4jyIIe5LyFnpWdg-XgDfKQnYvrtP7iVGNN8xaCl8n5N9/s1600-h/plate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRK1KcfJbqjur0FvurO-BTg3n1gvFNud366Hf5sOETLlZg7axPVrVQm849rc9tQ2a2eHC5WnuWkchEPDLqojET-imlMOSOu5u4jyIIe5LyFnpWdg-XgDfKQnYvrtP7iVGNN8xaCl8n5N9/s320/plate.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMANjG5jHL7bxJYBb08vtHmJg4DWJjhrVXbslGTVoaaKQFCF0CIHGkucyu_f1nn0UrqtPSbMqDk-bGnlkBGGsY1oBiPajJ-uR2BvqWkib8XP_GKqWnhfwT1dKnxWAgnKpabDGKWhjfKHuY/s1600-h/summerview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMANjG5jHL7bxJYBb08vtHmJg4DWJjhrVXbslGTVoaaKQFCF0CIHGkucyu_f1nn0UrqtPSbMqDk-bGnlkBGGsY1oBiPajJ-uR2BvqWkib8XP_GKqWnhfwT1dKnxWAgnKpabDGKWhjfKHuY/s320/summerview.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Patio View</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We were so busy cooking and hosting the event, we didn't even take our own pictures! I'm attaching more photos that I received from Sharmila (courtesy of Facebook):<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93ju2SjOD7wWwjsb-KQckO4NeIrex5fB2RW-DTYVHpebg4eauWzg7WpFpUrxZBY5dzGwt3rfjVJPv_AcCXlblbMhnT8mBBsgu6xpdgXu0YOEPFol2oe1dTDy-27bhqfY_oN286QBEVpbL/s1600-h/group1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93ju2SjOD7wWwjsb-KQckO4NeIrex5fB2RW-DTYVHpebg4eauWzg7WpFpUrxZBY5dzGwt3rfjVJPv_AcCXlblbMhnT8mBBsgu6xpdgXu0YOEPFol2oe1dTDy-27bhqfY_oN286QBEVpbL/s320/group1.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cocktail Hour ;-)</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5JPMFanGfsdtXN3iJ9eK6lgCnKspn7Mdd11VS5REIhJij1WbmY2arDR6Wj-BFuhbDm9Q1Xg1NPOzk5OI75yCLnkkTDWS5zSyK-27C5fhNpNFdTkbI0VlyPg48AWA4BdKsogLl7A58sGV/s1600-h/grilling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5JPMFanGfsdtXN3iJ9eK6lgCnKspn7Mdd11VS5REIhJij1WbmY2arDR6Wj-BFuhbDm9Q1Xg1NPOzk5OI75yCLnkkTDWS5zSyK-27C5fhNpNFdTkbI0VlyPg48AWA4BdKsogLl7A58sGV/s320/grilling.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chef Chris workin' the grill</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjWe_V1J4uTl5b3Df8PiFVfyUnldCOPggJwYSqaa05ecOD815gIChoAC8ejaEnK8Qe31N64b7wyVakFH1nXQqDXPh7NphWUan8hLFx6z_ZUuLBDzyfl3RdhjtkYct1fI1DpSSoNOlnVtj/s1600-h/dinner09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjWe_V1J4uTl5b3Df8PiFVfyUnldCOPggJwYSqaa05ecOD815gIChoAC8ejaEnK8Qe31N64b7wyVakFH1nXQqDXPh7NphWUan8hLFx6z_ZUuLBDzyfl3RdhjtkYct1fI1DpSSoNOlnVtj/s320/dinner09.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Two Chefs in the Kitchen</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVt4LkQgjgZjNdrAx4DjyWMT8K7lFwR1pBWWqDDvdq1TMYZs1-8HwMS_qT44K6R6qmY_fEG7j6u_Sm6U6XxFktYWPjhK_oakD15RmJyA_3gkMT4LeTVR9cTHi5WIXi-TuF7RYY_teRk_Zp/s1600-h/table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVt4LkQgjgZjNdrAx4DjyWMT8K7lFwR1pBWWqDDvdq1TMYZs1-8HwMS_qT44K6R6qmY_fEG7j6u_Sm6U6XxFktYWPjhK_oakD15RmJyA_3gkMT4LeTVR9cTHi5WIXi-TuF7RYY_teRk_Zp/s320/table.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bon Appetit!</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1neSxA3r_n1u_8hSnuYqvc4C_ljPeIDbgHiTdOsYrNgiWXvuU3LopjkbH3HOwMfFvvLHhxoCqs8oqApCtK3aUC3i320a0_Rhh_uEKnQWBFCC1VMZuoBV_zst-BaX_-ln4iqfZtw1urBFZ/s1600-h/cremebrulee2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1neSxA3r_n1u_8hSnuYqvc4C_ljPeIDbgHiTdOsYrNgiWXvuU3LopjkbH3HOwMfFvvLHhxoCqs8oqApCtK3aUC3i320a0_Rhh_uEKnQWBFCC1VMZuoBV_zst-BaX_-ln4iqfZtw1urBFZ/s320/cremebrulee2.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Preparing the Creme Brulee for service</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXTCl7tsVVx0v7Ih7tsBiLKtgMuN3-cckrBYiDCWXw56DoO6FujjiCLXbarq5oG9hsjqUJ2ToQpJjWVrBZal_M3QqF7gi994s2kywTdYnaDAeriBVohkMdqwUE7-xb_ETXQ7rR5mSmJou/s1600-h/potsdecreme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXTCl7tsVVx0v7Ih7tsBiLKtgMuN3-cckrBYiDCWXw56DoO6FujjiCLXbarq5oG9hsjqUJ2ToQpJjWVrBZal_M3QqF7gi994s2kywTdYnaDAeriBVohkMdqwUE7-xb_ETXQ7rR5mSmJou/s320/potsdecreme.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Marily's Pots de Creme</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Chris and I have been blessed with such amazing and wonderful neighbors. We can not say thank you enough to them for everything they have done...but that certainly won't stop us from trying ;-)<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">THANK YOU Chuck & Laurie, Sue & Eric, Bill & Sharmila and last but not least, Brian & Elaine<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><blockquote>WE LOVE YOU MAN!!!<br />
</blockquote>Chris and Marilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02629070367501501061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-37487883663893455572009-10-01T01:06:00.006-04:002009-10-10T19:51:11.797-04:00Orlando Magical Dining & Le Coq Au Vin<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.orlandoinfo.com/magicaldining/">Orlando Magical Dining</a> month is a "culinary celebration sure to please our palate and your wallet." During the month of September, select Central Florida restaurants (both casual and upscale) participated in this fantastic charity event benefiting the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children (each restaurant donated $1 from each meal). There were more than 75 restaurants participating this year! Each restaurant provide a special menu where diners could select an appetizer, entree and dessert for either $20 or $30.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Being budget conscious this year, we weren't able to fully indulge in all that Orlando Magical Dining had to offer. Due to our recent culinary reemergence, we couldn't let this month pass without at least trying one of these restaurants. Marily and I set a date for tonight (the last day of the event!). She asked me, "So, where do you want to go?" As we looked over the list of 75+ restaurants, we first had to narrow things down. We decided we deserved a nice night out, so we skipped the casual restaurants and went straight for the upscale listing. I wanted to try something different...something that I felt would have more unique offerings and landed on Le Coq Au Vin. Marily reluctantly accepted the choice. She always wanted to try it, but the special menu just wasn't appealing to her senses. I managed to convince her somehow (or she just gave in...I can be pretty stubborn!)<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Le Coq Au Vin" src="http://www.orlandoinfo.com/images/gallery/LeCoqAuVin_logo.jpg" /><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Here is Le Coq Au Vin's special <a href="http://www.orlandoinfo.com/magicaldining/menu/4672.swf">menu</a>. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you've lived in Orlando, you must have driven by this restaurant at some point in your life (located off Orange Ave and Holden). This is definitely an unpolished diamond in the rough (speaking of the surrounding area, not the food). We arrived around 6:30pm on a Wednesday to this out of place French country cottage. To our surprise, the parking lot was pretty full (a testament to their existence since 1976), considering it was the middle of the week. There was a quaint courtyard out front with tables and seemed like a nice place to enjoy some wine and cheese. As we stepped over the threshold, we were transformed into another country. The interior of the restaurant oozed what we assume must be French country decor (having never been there). From the hostess attire to the chandeliers to the stained glass windows, we thought they really hit a home run with the ambiance.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Our waiter was a recent transplant from Miami with a friendly attitude and very knowledgeable of the menu and wine selection. We informed him that we never had the pleasure of dining at a French restaurant and he immediately suggested to try the special menu, since it would give us a good introduction to French cuisine. After listening to his recommendations we chose to go with the following:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Appetizers</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tarte a L'Oignon </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Alsace style caramelized onion tart, crisp smoked bacon bits, herb boursin, goat and cottage cheese<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mousse de Foies de Volailles</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Chicken liver pate served warm with toast, onions, tomatoes and cornichons<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Entrees</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sanibel Golden Tilefish</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tilefish served with ratatouille finished with mango vanilla bean vinaigrette<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tournedos</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Beef tenderloin steak on shredded shortribs, bleu cheese crust, morel mushrooms, port<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">wine sauce, carrots with thyme, au gratin potatoes<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Dessert</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Creme Brulee</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i><br />
</div>While we waited for our appetizers, the waiter brought out some fresh, hot baguettes with rooster shaped butter, that even the waiter questioned and guaranteed us it didn't taste like chicken! We have never had such perfectly made bread...wonderfully crunchy crust and perfectly soft on the inside.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The appetizers arrived and while excited to try the Mousse de Foies de Volailles, I'd never had liver before, let alone chicken liver pate. I didn't know what to expect...but couldn't wait to dive in. I spread some on a slice of toasted baguette, topped it with the other fixings and took a bite. It didn't have a strong, overpowering, iron taste like I expected. It had probably what most would call an acquired taste...but we definitely enjoyed it. The other appetizer was the star of the first course. It was like a buttery phyllo pastry with with bacon and onions and yummy, creamy cheese. Alongside was warm greens with a vinaigrette to cleanse your palette. Sorry no pictures...in our excitement, we ate it all up before remembering the camera!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The main course brought two very very hot plates, one with two thin filets of tilefish and the other with the a nice sized filet. The tilefish was topped with an amazing beurre blanc and mango chutney. We couldn't get enough and were sad when the fish outlasted the sauce. The Tournedos was certainly the best part of the meal. The perfectly cooked (medium rare), blue cheese crusted filet sat atop of braised shortribs in a port wine sauce and it was amazing...it must be what people eat in heaven. The filet simply melted in your mouth and may have been the best filet we've had in Central Florida. The au gratin potatoes, haricots verts and carrots complemented the proteins nicely.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">The dessert course brought us creme brulee. It was well prepared, with the custard cold, the correct texture and a nice crunchy carelmized layer on top. It wasn't the best creme brulee (that goes to Bravissimo's Espresso Creme Brulee), but it was good and cooked well...which you can't say for every restaurant.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">During our meal, we couldn't help but notice the constant influx of customers and the dining rooms (there were three) filling up. We had to ask the waiter if it was normally that busy and he responded "this is actually a slow night!" That says a lot to me that a restaurant is regularly busy midweek and is a testament to the chef. Overall we were very pleased with our experience and we will definitely return to try more of their menu (they have foie gras and sweetbreads!).<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/26/302107/restaurant/South/Le-Coq-Au-Vin-Orlando"><img alt="Le Coq Au Vin on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/302107/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a><br />
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</div><h3 style="font: normal normal bold 12px/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></h3>Chris and Marilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02629070367501501061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-9052803206098511752009-09-27T00:22:00.000-04:002009-09-27T00:22:12.740-04:00Adventures in Pasta Making: GnocchiMy sister, Debbie, had the big idea to make gnocchi tonight. I'm always up for a cooking challenge, so I said "sure why not, we can do it!" (although, she had doubts all day about it) I found a recipe on a blog called 101CookBooks, <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/how-to-make-gnocchi-like-an-italian-grandmother-recipe.html">How to Make Gnocchi like an Italian Grandmother Recipe</a>. It sounded good and hey, if it was an Italian grandmother's recipe, then it must be good!!<br />
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The first step was to boil 2 potatoes for about 45 minutes. Afterwards, we quickly removed them from the water and peeled them. Debbie handled the mashing of the potatoes using a fork (no fancy potato ricer or mill to use). Once mashed, I added 1/4 cup of beaten eggs and 3/4 cup of flour and started to create a dough. After some careful kneading, I divided the dough into 8 balls:<br />
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From there, I rolled the balls out into "snakes" before cutting them into small 3/4 inch pieces or as I like to call them "pillows."<br />
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Using a fork, we pressed the gnocchi pillows into it using our thumbs to give it a slight curve shape and texture from the fork lines, which allows the gnocchi to grab the sauce you choose to eat it with.<br />
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From here, we dropped the gnocchi back into boiling water to cook them.<br />
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Being the first time we ever made gnocchi, I think they came out pretty good. I've only tried them once before, so I don't have much experience to base it on. They were soft but strong enough to withstand tossing in the heavy gravy we made. My sister thought the texture was off though...that they were too soft. I'm wondering if we made them too thick, which didn't allow them to cook enough in the middle? In any case, I'm not discouraged at all. Even the bloggers we got the recipe from make it known that gnocchi is not something you get right the first time. It takes experience and a whole lot of patience. Which I completely agree. This adventure took about 2 1/2-3 hours from start to finish. When I try to make gnocchi again, I think I will prep the potatoes the night before, which will help to break up the time needed to prepare this dish.<br />
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Here is the tomato based "gravy" that Tara gave us the recipe for:<br />
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(Cento crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped onions, garlic, fresh basil, fresh oregano, sugar, salt and pepper)<br />
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We enjoyed this with some pot roast my dad made and some green beans my mother had stir fried. It was truly a family affair, although Marily missed out on it all because she had to call in sick :-(<br />
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Oh by the way...did I mention that I made a peach cobbler with the peaches I picked up at the farmers market this morning? I used a simple <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/peach-cobbler-recipe/index.html">Peach Cobbler</a> recipe on the Food Network's website from Paula Deen.<br />
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Sweetening up the peaches for the filling:<br />
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Mixing up the batter:<br />
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Ready for the oven:<br />
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About an hour later, the finished product...<br />
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Topping it off with a little vanilla ice cream...it was absolutely delicious!!!<br />
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</div>chino1975http://www.blogger.com/profile/08040351318871840001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-49200156201901125092009-09-26T14:23:00.002-04:002009-09-26T14:26:55.009-04:00Crazy crowds at the marketThis morning we woke up a little late and didn't make it to the farmers market until about 9:30ish. Wow! Can we say "let's not do that again!?". Between the Florida heat and the crazy crowds, it just wasn't something Marily or I wanted to repeat. It's like vulchers fighting over roadkill...except it's produce people! Anyway we decided that we either wake up early or we don't go at all.<br />
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Even with that, there were still several great experiences during this trip. First, we walked through this beautiful walkway to get to the market. Secondly, we enjoyed our first taste of crepes from a vendor who whips them up to order. We chose one with strawberries, banannas and nutella topped with some powdered sugar. <br />
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I wanted to take some pics of the market for this blog post but it was a little tough with the crowds mentioned earlier. So, you'll just have to settle for one of our score:<br />
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We grabbed another 1/2 pound of fresh roasted coffee from Z-Coffee (Sulawesi beans this time). Marily had her eye on some specialty pastas, so we grabbed some lemon basil fettuccine and sun dried tomato fettuccine. We also got some nice hickory smoked cheddar cheese that will go fantastic with the ciabatta rolls from last week. Other then that, just some nice vegetables for cooking this week. <br />
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Oh, by the way..last week Marily and I put ourselves up to the challenge to select a new ingrediant each week that we wouldn't normally cook with. Kind of like Iron Chef but without the competition ;-). Last week it was fennel. This week it's leeks. Hmmm, I wonder what recipe we'll choose to enjoy our leeks?<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhonechino1975http://www.blogger.com/profile/08040351318871840001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-47950660512400980522009-09-25T23:25:00.004-04:002009-09-27T00:23:05.582-04:00Bordeaux-licious!Last weekend Marily and I went to the Winter Park Farmers Market and came across a wonderful bleu cheese made by a local artisan cheesemaker. Friday night we decided to head to Total Wine to purchase a nice wine to pair with our cheese. We spoke with one of their "wine guys" and he recommended a nice Bordeaux. <br />
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Inspired by the wine, I decided to make steaks with mushrooms and a red wine sauce. I threw the broiler pan in the oven set to high broil, then seared the streaks for a minute on each side (seasoned with olive oil and McCormicks Montreal Steak Seasoning). <br />
Afterwards I placed the steaks on the warmed broiler pan and continue to cook for 5 minutes. <br />
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While that magic happened I prepared the red wine sauce. Using the searing pan, I added a little olive oil and sliced garlic, sauted for a few minutes then added about 4 tbsp butter. Once the butter melted, I added a little beef broth, 1/2 cup red wine and the mushrooms. <br />
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Meanwhile, I threw two oven safe plates into the oven while the steaks finished cooking. Once the timer went off (yes the key to perfect cooking is accurate time!) everything was ready to plate. <br />
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It was delicious. The steak did come out more medium to medium well so I'd either try using the low broil setting and/or cook for less time (we like medium to medium rare). <br />
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Back to the cheese. We both remember the bleu cheese to be absolutely, surprisingly delicious. When we tried it again tonight, it seemed very salty. I'm not sure whether it was the food or wine pairing, or if we just handled it wrong...or perhaps being an artisan cheese this one just was more salty compared to the one we sampled. In any case I'm certainly not going to give them a bad review....we'll just try it again!<br />
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Mocha loved it though...<br />
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By the way, the Bordeaux was Arthus 2005 Cotes De Castillon at a <$18 price point, it was a steal. <br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhonechino1975http://www.blogger.com/profile/08040351318871840001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-91446285737950024112009-09-24T21:09:00.003-04:002009-09-24T21:38:16.028-04:00Motivation!As I sat on the couch tonight with my wife watching a rerun of Anthony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bourdain's</span> No Reservations (Japan episode), I realized how much culinary curiosity I have...how much excitement I have over cooking food, or trying new foods...then it dawned on me how lazy I have been with this blog! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Marily</span> and I haven't posted in FOR-EV-ER (yes reference from the old movie "The Sandlot"). <div><br /></div><div>Over the last week or so...I guess since we just found the Winter Park Farmer's Market (although we have lived in Central Florida all our lives and I'm sure it has been there just as long or longer), I've gotten a little spark...a little buzz again about food and cooking. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thinking about the Anthony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bourdain</span> episode, I was like I'd try chicken <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">sashimi</span>...I'd eat Kentucky Fried Monk fish (of course I'd eat anything Iron Chef <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Morimoto</span> cooked me!), I'd try...dare I say it...Cod Sperm...OK, maybe I wouldn't admit it...but hell, we eat fish eggs aka caviar...same difference. </div><div><br /></div><div>This week we enjoyed fennel for the first time in a chicken <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">milanese</span> recipe and it was delicious. It was that night that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Marily</span> and I decided...let's pick a new ingredient each week to cook with. So here we go! Look forward to more posts and pictures...and our comments on how well it went.</div><div><br /></div><div>See ya later!</div><div><br /></div><div>-Chris</div>Marily Tapining-Husshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05272986641489530991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-20857493618043064282009-04-06T13:31:00.004-04:002009-04-06T13:53:21.379-04:00Finishing the kitchen back splashWe are a little late with this post, but better late then never right? After the grout cured, Marily took on the finishing role and cleaned off the tile (several times) and sealed the grout/tile one more time. I was worried for a while since the grout haze and subsequent cleanings really changed the color of the grout and tiles. Once Marily applied the sealant/enhancer, the colors came back to life and now we have our awesome kitchen back splash complete!!! Just a couple paint touch ups are needed but other then that this project is a rap! What will we start next??<br /><br />This is the sink area (iPhone cameras don't do well with backlighting):<br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wOQNjoUXxjTeRYBhP4LaNfwyQElWupeenj4AgxSeJqSojk-oRP-rC7prQfbdZTGQ8zNtfaLqf5mJAhJCbT_zWUrGa1USmeEAApIKp0Y0URVdYFL0XU1jcg0MTnS9li3bq355QiWpFApx/s1600-h/done_sink.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wOQNjoUXxjTeRYBhP4LaNfwyQElWupeenj4AgxSeJqSojk-oRP-rC7prQfbdZTGQ8zNtfaLqf5mJAhJCbT_zWUrGa1USmeEAApIKp0Y0URVdYFL0XU1jcg0MTnS9li3bq355QiWpFApx/s320/done_sink.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321637006598560018" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is our "weave" work...aka Chris' corner!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAypgHBu1cA9pV5pd5_IHGQdW1xpjvg-ANLy8H89awn7zC7YSWtVnPhBN9MhPdE6_7JXwwNrSBOHw7eciyg-O2p-IudlA8LA12XOs3PRA_63uWb8sDkWDh7qv0Y2kXbBOzD4hNU2YzpR5s/s1600-h/done_weave.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAypgHBu1cA9pV5pd5_IHGQdW1xpjvg-ANLy8H89awn7zC7YSWtVnPhBN9MhPdE6_7JXwwNrSBOHw7eciyg-O2p-IudlA8LA12XOs3PRA_63uWb8sDkWDh7qv0Y2kXbBOzD4hNU2YzpR5s/s320/done_weave.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321637007937565474" border="0" /></a><br /><br />View of the stove area:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YZbHw-Zgkm755QlkaSJpPvDF6FfgO-pi8W5rm4UK-9MMofyHSTkGockQqyvUFUUX9GuRTieyH100fNCAjqXkwSVl9S-5_M7z7W-MnanhJH_YkRKnRglHIM9ceIqBdqSGZiOiHodCuZPO/s1600-h/done_stove2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YZbHw-Zgkm755QlkaSJpPvDF6FfgO-pi8W5rm4UK-9MMofyHSTkGockQqyvUFUUX9GuRTieyH100fNCAjqXkwSVl9S-5_M7z7W-MnanhJH_YkRKnRglHIM9ceIqBdqSGZiOiHodCuZPO/s320/done_stove2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321637001954155346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Close up of the stove wall:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-G8fEEpx0SqTnJp0hMxBgfTt4Ar68hJSkq2i3IFQnPDzM4-7RTcMKG9HaZLAuAU48M77SvU3dKo7Ef9dyQuNvjUeBHhQSMcGc7Ng4Wb9-YLGfVVxxPon6Ou8Z2moOwol7BGH_jvXF521/s1600-h/done_stove.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-G8fEEpx0SqTnJp0hMxBgfTt4Ar68hJSkq2i3IFQnPDzM4-7RTcMKG9HaZLAuAU48M77SvU3dKo7Ef9dyQuNvjUeBHhQSMcGc7Ng4Wb9-YLGfVVxxPon6Ou8Z2moOwol7BGH_jvXF521/s320/done_stove.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321637003913580898" border="0" /></a>chino1975http://www.blogger.com/profile/08040351318871840001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-27578209797017385092009-03-01T18:05:00.006-05:002009-03-01T18:22:35.724-05:00Day 3 Installation: GroutToday Brian showed me how to grout the tile we installed over the last two days. I feared for the worst, since the tile was natural stone, it was jagged and uneven...not like a ceramic tile. We switched up the float we bought for a smaller one, which turned out to be very smart decision. We both were a little slow starting out this morning just after 9am...I think we were a little worn out from the previous day.<br /><br />Once we mixed up some grout and starting putting it on the tiles, things moved a little faster. The grouting actually turned out pretty easy...relatively speaking and we finished up around 2pm this afternoon. We started to install the spacers for the electric outlets so the face plates would sit right on the tile. It was a pain in the you know what, but after we decided we need some longer screws due to the thickness of the tile in some locations, it was a breeze. Brian totally bailed on me to hang with his friends, leaving me to fend for myself (just kidding buddy!!!). I finished installing the spacers and then cleaned up the counters.<br /><br />Next up, caulk and dehazing the tile...<br /><br />Here are pictures from today (these are off my iPhone...camera battery died, I'll try to upload the rest later):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYQdf-ytq3KFeMHXVXPJJouKlBSvxVNTVPoz0CJRIFsUGc1_AlfPNMNlB1ch0V0jqH9u9eVhTQO-pOIwMnTVXIT-x1ztWJJmCIEnpT3AkgtFQ7KqEWwFxFRYlRfyDk_quCQMSHNqcGrWd/s1600-h/grout2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYQdf-ytq3KFeMHXVXPJJouKlBSvxVNTVPoz0CJRIFsUGc1_AlfPNMNlB1ch0V0jqH9u9eVhTQO-pOIwMnTVXIT-x1ztWJJmCIEnpT3AkgtFQ7KqEWwFxFRYlRfyDk_quCQMSHNqcGrWd/s320/grout2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308363105919433986" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkHyJxqxwjoJnc7rMQrg6fQ0bzrq_M-TsYKBIHlTzH640i2BQ2IBjDSsTDyQ9R7sfRgMWpN7YmmRJjgCWTtMR6uSjt_HGtqh7KlkV1swN9eyXnirySQOEJrByohYedUNenPmd5jom9hEc/s1600-h/grout1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkHyJxqxwjoJnc7rMQrg6fQ0bzrq_M-TsYKBIHlTzH640i2BQ2IBjDSsTDyQ9R7sfRgMWpN7YmmRJjgCWTtMR6uSjt_HGtqh7KlkV1swN9eyXnirySQOEJrByohYedUNenPmd5jom9hEc/s320/grout1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308362613912079778" border="0" /></a>chino1975http://www.blogger.com/profile/08040351318871840001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-31544531088022691462009-02-28T20:47:00.006-05:002009-02-28T23:04:21.190-05:00Day 2 InstallationThe day started at 8AM, as I threw on the Blue Mountain coffee for a fresh ground brew to start the day off right. Mmmm, yummy coffee! My teacher was late this morning, surprising since twice this week he text messaged me between 6:30-7AM as he thought up questions about our pending tile job (Brian, not everyone starts their day as early as you!!!....it's OK, I LOVE YOU MAN!)<br /><br />The day started off pretty good until I hit the corner...I like to call it "Chris' corner." It wasn't necessarily hard, but it was definitely time consuming to measure the cuts just right, since I decided to go with interwoven pattern:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FqJjMR2wD7CMbyFsGi3kT8UbQsASaPycd5ynyOeaOtyZU28BPbk-5G5CG-FzavGgmqOA5c2n0oA_RvdlAFDIlWzLhuysfZyCYyl19uuoiix4WDTaEHF5_Y8dbHYyLY14Uh-PtWfohFqK/s1600-h/CIMG1780.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FqJjMR2wD7CMbyFsGi3kT8UbQsASaPycd5ynyOeaOtyZU28BPbk-5G5CG-FzavGgmqOA5c2n0oA_RvdlAFDIlWzLhuysfZyCYyl19uuoiix4WDTaEHF5_Y8dbHYyLY14Uh-PtWfohFqK/s320/CIMG1780.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308058894938446338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The day continued pretty smoothly for my partner, a.k.a. "the master" as he finished off the second row of tile near the stove:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOiEU1_MRvl2YQKhY2Tzgp8-IBcqcDnflGvcLl4R5WH9jhitM_LPENO90Oad7ja2aUi4DgIirAKS1nhyphenhyphenFJQpXe0yzSL77l_W6IbwBpNchjZpEfa8yK97aQfTEiGYP05aBDiFwdXM6r6c6/s1600-h/CIMG1783.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOiEU1_MRvl2YQKhY2Tzgp8-IBcqcDnflGvcLl4R5WH9jhitM_LPENO90Oad7ja2aUi4DgIirAKS1nhyphenhyphenFJQpXe0yzSL77l_W6IbwBpNchjZpEfa8yK97aQfTEiGYP05aBDiFwdXM6r6c6/s320/CIMG1783.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308059531551735202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The most pain in the ar$e cuts were around the outlets. I must have spent the most time particularly on the one for our disposal....all in all it came out nice...I'm very proud with myself and I think it came out great! I know Marily is happy (and that's all that counts right?!) I can't wait to see the finished product....which hopefully comes tomorrow night, after spending Sunday grouting all our hard work...I personally thing it will be an "adventure" but if we are lucky it won't be so bad....time shall tell! Here are some more pictures from today's activities:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8r3TIiWiGi95jK-_LRd1azEwH_maV1LzV4QOFaScvaltUEQcYb3IKzyDwjK5SES2G-I6nYoq8cysipYUcd8Zaw8iEDrEaFu5OVr8gWuaBR7l6Nkoemcyhv6W7cesjROmnjcaIbs2-WXoM/s1600-h/CIMG1781.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8r3TIiWiGi95jK-_LRd1azEwH_maV1LzV4QOFaScvaltUEQcYb3IKzyDwjK5SES2G-I6nYoq8cysipYUcd8Zaw8iEDrEaFu5OVr8gWuaBR7l6Nkoemcyhv6W7cesjROmnjcaIbs2-WXoM/s320/CIMG1781.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308061977791065986" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The cuts from hell...looks easy, but it wasn't!:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDET5iRhkbd_WR9kZJ8-ETyyk6PHi8Em2KT5cSp1ijtpVmbnZ1fJXQoYFLs7GHm7-GGYtSoiFNliywgyerhdtAQ8jpp2wlDLJPR45hZLJL1GMvDWxDTzIU5QidrMmvQB0GcjQuef-9eAd/s1600-h/CIMG1778.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDET5iRhkbd_WR9kZJ8-ETyyk6PHi8Em2KT5cSp1ijtpVmbnZ1fJXQoYFLs7GHm7-GGYtSoiFNliywgyerhdtAQ8jpp2wlDLJPR45hZLJL1GMvDWxDTzIU5QidrMmvQB0GcjQuef-9eAd/s320/CIMG1778.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308061976960636706" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Me getting busy on the "professional" wet saw...this is a serious tool baby!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVsYRjK8mlCMGarEMEQNI4Z9IJIRZP-OIxEUe6qKqNqiCgp-F8tYjL0lU8cQWwH0fQir53iGbXNOSVUPqxaPC-zsHQaA95yS4RknPRY9Rjbjfa54yTfSxgOx-iM7czBCY0L9LfU0C0Cl8/s1600-h/CIMG1787.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVsYRjK8mlCMGarEMEQNI4Z9IJIRZP-OIxEUe6qKqNqiCgp-F8tYjL0lU8cQWwH0fQir53iGbXNOSVUPqxaPC-zsHQaA95yS4RknPRY9Rjbjfa54yTfSxgOx-iM7czBCY0L9LfU0C0Cl8/s320/CIMG1787.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308061990123441490" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Look at my handy work!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOhkutzmZCf611el_L6XbWlUhD7hTJJR67_k4b9B9UpRJJUdb-wnx4iPcXCETkPb9DlR2bdj36ZFhbIxCPP3cE-Shu-UxNiUDxHs5_AGFCIUhphynjCVh1EaJqM9ouUEMvC_jAFuw-cJc/s1600-h/CIMG1782.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOhkutzmZCf611el_L6XbWlUhD7hTJJR67_k4b9B9UpRJJUdb-wnx4iPcXCETkPb9DlR2bdj36ZFhbIxCPP3cE-Shu-UxNiUDxHs5_AGFCIUhphynjCVh1EaJqM9ouUEMvC_jAFuw-cJc/s320/CIMG1782.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308061982269715522" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hey look, Marily the "Supervisor" even got her hands dirty and laid a few tiles, I'm so proud!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rc1tLvZJUioOMUWtAHnmUakfUBUUQMjEsJoPT8m4Tplwg4p0RHGaHxXejffglU_VMUCgZoJ-Nf8r9jazkcCa2cpwZ1IhEvUp6bX9IZQfX0MV_1YMmxhlGAwb7Hn7cDMeXzL2TR048QEY/s1600-h/CIMG1784.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rc1tLvZJUioOMUWtAHnmUakfUBUUQMjEsJoPT8m4Tplwg4p0RHGaHxXejffglU_VMUCgZoJ-Nf8r9jazkcCa2cpwZ1IhEvUp6bX9IZQfX0MV_1YMmxhlGAwb7Hn7cDMeXzL2TR048QEY/s320/CIMG1784.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308061987840563362" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rc1tLvZJUioOMUWtAHnmUakfUBUUQMjEsJoPT8m4Tplwg4p0RHGaHxXejffglU_VMUCgZoJ-Nf8r9jazkcCa2cpwZ1IhEvUp6bX9IZQfX0MV_1YMmxhlGAwb7Hn7cDMeXzL2TR048QEY/s1600-h/CIMG1784.JPG"> </a><br /><br />Here I am placing the final tile...its beer-30 baby!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoOpZ7Ez3Wbye9fnAlQLzvL2IxhBUF5FGv0NeDW_rYZWbLYQjn0Sy_IivVFHQyIYX3dcBsJg-WELKB0ysUfxtC2DyzVgkGRlqpGgWOxK2BPx3uGH0MNITdUWlfehOwlWdOtUXfEe0bhKE/s1600-h/CIMG1791.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoOpZ7Ez3Wbye9fnAlQLzvL2IxhBUF5FGv0NeDW_rYZWbLYQjn0Sy_IivVFHQyIYX3dcBsJg-WELKB0ysUfxtC2DyzVgkGRlqpGgWOxK2BPx3uGH0MNITdUWlfehOwlWdOtUXfEe0bhKE/s320/CIMG1791.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308063819317267938" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Another day down....tomorrow we start at 9AM to begin our grouting fun day...I can't wait to see the results!!chino1975http://www.blogger.com/profile/08040351318871840001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726950390058562696.post-44402969001455672392009-02-26T21:59:00.008-05:002009-02-26T22:16:54.449-05:00Demo & Day 1 of installationWednesday was demo day...unfortunately no fun stuff like taking a sledgehammer to drywall, just a putty knife, hickory hammer and a pry bar. We took off the Corian back splash that was installed with the counter tops and cleaned up the walls basically to prep for the tile. Here are some before and demo shots (see I told you it wasn't exciting...it was too clean, which I know is a good thing)::<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwnZTWcpmkMgVwYsvoFzggakFLC0gv40a6AhD49BrwUuCFPttvFBlmXj1bk8-h5bBLL8rS34Q7s7O8SvHS4_aoRFA4rTQ_JQRUWiubTLdvjRMB0jmWg00ewexL-vl7QribJtMxVhlfKs/s1600-h/before_stove1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwnZTWcpmkMgVwYsvoFzggakFLC0gv40a6AhD49BrwUuCFPttvFBlmXj1bk8-h5bBLL8rS34Q7s7O8SvHS4_aoRFA4rTQ_JQRUWiubTLdvjRMB0jmWg00ewexL-vl7QribJtMxVhlfKs/s320/before_stove1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307307521094623858" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC29aZCUwAk6amVPoKeSHQZ97DCA8ir36cbuZhUYQCRmV4TJ3s0YIyFJoubsE-wOVSYe0stDybzksNUpzzhDwmGwH5Eba4sQTPBLu-EnqAFp4braKSplTF_EyORJlkHbGoqWQtfiTd-ds/s1600-h/demo_stove.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC29aZCUwAk6amVPoKeSHQZ97DCA8ir36cbuZhUYQCRmV4TJ3s0YIyFJoubsE-wOVSYe0stDybzksNUpzzhDwmGwH5Eba4sQTPBLu-EnqAFp4braKSplTF_EyORJlkHbGoqWQtfiTd-ds/s320/demo_stove.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307307853038540050" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXa1uznHwZH7GydQKebjg1JeyiHV72MJyx3zt0Eabkf_hZCp0KBm35-TQG24RszNWjv24q4F0Hilq9uwjJdwpYDj8Lkwo6U5HWWkvnMNktriFk6xSPzWmGqvlzwcUvAlEb1fcZFTePWcs/s1600-h/before_sink.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXa1uznHwZH7GydQKebjg1JeyiHV72MJyx3zt0Eabkf_hZCp0KBm35-TQG24RszNWjv24q4F0Hilq9uwjJdwpYDj8Lkwo6U5HWWkvnMNktriFk6xSPzWmGqvlzwcUvAlEb1fcZFTePWcs/s320/before_sink.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307307301770157138" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6U5Ovm7BdyRK61g0zYbZltXGl1dylHCjt-8l-kyGx9x_wfI5grEN6Vl_7uKDiQVOLat7wwpZnOpCmzGrXK4Rfph9PxBg42ggGU9EYVj6gRly6RJ4pZZ3OGU4IPacujJGRGUYS2lVc89Q/s1600-h/demo_sink.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6U5Ovm7BdyRK61g0zYbZltXGl1dylHCjt-8l-kyGx9x_wfI5grEN6Vl_7uKDiQVOLat7wwpZnOpCmzGrXK4Rfph9PxBg42ggGU9EYVj6gRly6RJ4pZZ3OGU4IPacujJGRGUYS2lVc89Q/s320/demo_sink.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307308007498943346" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />And after a couple hours work by Marily and I, here's all our tile sealed & enhanced (the colors really have come out with the enhancer):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVtucyqZiWIv1iJ_sutxM0G-lpEe9t0OaM1TveZwawrlqXUUQcTXQF85q9JDPb60i0yonZ-KMnJzaI8-C_rbkzvNX0HdG0AtRjV2nb0R9OsJeXxjHuoe2j1NiiXo8R_toSvO1BwNeLY0/s1600-h/sealed_tile.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVtucyqZiWIv1iJ_sutxM0G-lpEe9t0OaM1TveZwawrlqXUUQcTXQF85q9JDPb60i0yonZ-KMnJzaI8-C_rbkzvNX0HdG0AtRjV2nb0R9OsJeXxjHuoe2j1NiiXo8R_toSvO1BwNeLY0/s320/sealed_tile.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307308488545560578" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Thursday was day 1 of the installation. We completed almost the bottom row by the stove area...just a warm up to build our confidence! Damn, it looks good if I must say so myself! Friday is a "no work" day since its Brian's wife's birthday (Happy birthday Elaine!)...so we'll be back at it bright and early Saturday morning...better brew some good coffee so there are no accidents with the wet saw ;-)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxmNaN7CtXuE31t_kN5fbxLpaSG_I7WhgHg5vDW6eDC3-1aGI22w9ypbfzXZcNR3ldaRQ7YWtdB25He64sU2vt8jyGkIKyKjv0AhI4sjO_mBuPMrdmlF4inIxR0CVPdBQit9ke5Sh68Y/s1600-h/day1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxmNaN7CtXuE31t_kN5fbxLpaSG_I7WhgHg5vDW6eDC3-1aGI22w9ypbfzXZcNR3ldaRQ7YWtdB25He64sU2vt8jyGkIKyKjv0AhI4sjO_mBuPMrdmlF4inIxR0CVPdBQit9ke5Sh68Y/s320/day1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307310329873655298" border="0" /></a>Chris and Marilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02629070367501501061noreply@blogger.com0