Comming back strong.

Good morning my fellow foodies and once again, Happy Holidays! Today I would like to take the time to apologize for my recent inability to write and bring new and exciting dishes to your attention. The past few weeks have been a little crazy at work as new and exciting events are taking place. Currently we are in transition from one employer to another. Our company’s contract was not renewed, but the company we contract to would like to take our technology team on as part of the organization that oversees a larger majority of Microsoft’s conferencing technology. Some people are moving out, some are moving up. Change is a good thing and I look forward to new tasks, responsibilities, and opportunities.

I am certainly looking forward to this weekend as I have plans to make up some chicken piccata in a white wine sauce, experiment with Israeli couscous, and begin a little holiday baking perhaps for some of my coworkers here at the Microsoft Conference Center (of course manage to squeeze in a few holiday parties!).

With great hope I will be able to take on my new position at work and find some more time to get back to my cooking exploits. Cooking is my means of releasing the pressure that life and work brings, a joyful experience as I taste and try new things, almost Zen-like. As you can see I am very anxious to resume my culinary adventures, so I will not bore you with anymore dry talk and let the food do the walking and talking for me. Stay tuned for more great food to come.

Thanks for reading and wishing you best eating,

Bon Appétit

"I Gotta Have the Piccatta!"

Lately I have been really craving some good Italian food.  I recently watched a DVD titled "Cooking and Cursing with the Grandsons of Italy" were they made some fantastic looking dishes.  One of which was chicken picatta.  Lucky for me I had all the ingredients I needed right in my cupboards.  If only I could find the time.  Saturday, whilst I waited for my partner-in-crime, Brandon to get off work so we could go hit Seattle for a Christmas outing, I decided there was no time like the present to make this dish.  Let's jump into it...

Leftovers as far as the eye can see...

So you say you are swamped with all those Thanksgiving leftovers? You have no idea what to do with the mountains of mashed potatoes, tons of turkey, heaps of stuffing, and as much cranberry sauce as the day is long? Not to mention the mass amounts of pies and desserts. Those I can’t help you with, you are on your own.


What I want to do is give a few ideas of what you can transform some of those leftovers into rather than eating and re-eating Thanksgiving meal over and over again.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

I am going to make this an open-ended blog today. By that I mean I invite anyone and everyone to share their favorite Thanksgiving recipe, story, tradition, etc. Whatever you like, we want to hear about it.

This year I assisted my mother in making our family's Thanksgiving meal. While she took the helm when it came to sides and desserts, I took over the turkey task.

Get your snack back on track!

To sum things up, we all get tied down with so many things going on, especially as we gear up for the holiday season. This chaotic running around can often lead to mindless eating and rifling through the fridge to throw together a mish mash of food that would make a Billy Goat sick. I speak from experience as this past weekend was so busy that we didn’t have anything to eat almost all day on Sunday. Of course, this led me to bust open the fridge and eat just about everything that wasn’t stuck to the shelves. With a small measure of prep ahead of time, you can whip together a snack bar that is not only tasty and supper easy, but actually healthy in a pinch! No more Snickers Marathon Bars to get you through a tough spot.


For the past few years I have been working on a nutritional bar that would give me the quality protein, slow digesting carbohydrates for extended energy, health fats, and not some astronomical calorie count. Remember, it is not necessarily fats that make you fat, but excess carbohydrates, especially the fast digesting type (Ex. White bread, white rice, candy, etc.). These carbohydrates cause a spike in insulin levels, which is an enzyme created in our bodies to combat sugar levels. Insulin is also a fat storing enzyme. When too much insulin is created, that food energy begins to be stored as fat. Another interesting bit about insulin is this: when you consume a ton of sugar, your blood sugar levels spike and you get that sugar rush. Insulin is then put into production and this fast acting enzyme is what brings the sugar levels down, thus causing the crash. So keep in mind carbohydrate choose. They are not all created equal, but the only fuel our brain uses to work is carbohydrates. So this other factor is important. I know what you are thinking: There is just no winning. IF I have said it once I have said it a million times, portion control and moderation are king.

Ok, enough of that. Let’s get to cooking!

Come on by for Sheppard's Pie.

There is nothing like a hearty meal to warm the heart and warm the stomach, especially when you have a large crowd to feed. Lately I have been frequenting this little Irish pub in Bellevue called Paddy Coyne’s for after work drinks and snacks. The place has great atmosphere and the food is pretty good too. I tell ya, sometimes there is just nothing like the first sip of a Guinness with all that creamy foam and body to it. Something that has always intrigued me on menus at many restaurants has been “Sheppard’s Pie”. Of course the instant turn off was usually the fact that it has peas in it (which I have always been very anxious to avoid). However, as I grow older and wiser, I hope, peas no longer hold that same “Yuck” factor for me. In the days of my childhood, my mother would often make a meal called “Peas and Corn Dish”. This was one thing I always hated. I just could not get used to creamed corn, mashed potatoes, beef and peas mixed together. It all took a further departure from my liking when we started eating more lean ground turkey that became the substitute for the beef. Once again, I have gained a new appreciation for this dish.


This weekend as I was sitting around recuperating from Saturdays “Mud Fest” as known as the annual “Turkey Bowl” football game in Shoreline WA, I decided to try my hand at Sheppard’s Pie.

I had a flank steak in my fridge marinating that I intend to cook, but I also had an extra ¼ of it that I cut off before marinating to do something else with, so that is what I used since I didn’t have lamb at my disposal. I also made a quick switch for the mashed potato covering that is traditionally used. I opted for mashed acorn squash since I had a large squash I needed to use up. Here is what I did:

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A Marvelous One Pot Wonder.

They say that necessity is the mother of all invention.  Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say I was in great need of more food to fill my refrigerator, but with my off the wall work schedule, it doesn't hurt to have something tasty and hearty waiting in the wings.
This was merely another one of my attempts to use various ingredients at my disposal and free up a little room in the pantry.  What it turned into was a keeper recipe that was great to have on those late work nights this week.

Snacking With Some Authority

A while back I was into my typical daily routine of surfing all the food and cooking websites I like that are updated with new recipes each morning.  I came across a recipe for a fig and goat cheese pizza that caught my eye.  Finally this morning I had a little time before work and some pre-made pizza dough from Trader Joe's.  This unique and exciting taste makes the same old dull pizza look like bore.  It is great as an addition to a bread basket, by the slice with a salad, or as an simple appetizer.
So let's start this thing:

DIY Debone And Stuff That Bird!

Let’s face it folks, it is so nice and easy (though not always affordable) to go pick out some already prepared chicken fillets or boneless and skinless frozen chicken pieces. But were the heck is the fun in that? I have always been one for convenience because of a chaotic work schedule, so I can’t bash the rummaging through the frozen food isle for some flash frozen meats. I did however discover that it is actually a lot easier and less expensive to debone your own chicken. I had the brilliant idea one night to attempt this as I was watching “Jacques Pepin’s Complete Technique” series. He seemed to whip right through and made a fantastic looking Galantine (galantine is a deboned chicken stuffed usually with ground meats like veal, pork, etc. so it comes out looking like pimento or pickle loaf). So here we go I thought. How much trouble can I get into anyway? This is also perfect for weekday meals, not only holidays.
I purchased a small chicken the next day at Safeway and set to the task. It really isn’t as bad as you my think. Check out what ensued. -->

Gearing Up For Holidays!

Happy Holidays to all the readers of my page.  May I just begin by saying thank you again for reading my blog and wishing you all best eating.  I am excited because this blog will give me an opportunity to talk a little bit about what we all adore during the holiday season.  This all equates to sharing time with friends and family, the exciting chill in the air, but mainly the food!  I will continue to talk about my culinary adventures and creations, as well as throwing in some neat tips and tricks I have been picking up for food prep and holiday cooking/baking.  So, stick around and see what goods we pull together as the days grow a little darker outside, but warmer with the love of good friends, family, gifts, and of course... great food!

Dinning With Elegance.

Last night I finally had the opportunity to start on a menu from the "Le Cordon Bleu at Home" book I spoke about in an earlier blog.  I wanted to begin utilizing this book to develop my culinary prep skills, but alas, life, and work, gets in the way.  Since I had all day yesterday (when I wasn't cleaning my apartment), I picked up what I needed from the store to start lesson one in the book.

Lesson One from "Le Cordon Bleu At Home"
Concombre a la Menthe- Cucumber Salad with Mint
Poulet Roti- Roast Chicken (I made a tapenade stuffed chicken breast instead)
Petits Pois a la Francaise- Spring Peas with Lettuce, Chervil, and Onions
Salade des Fruits- Fresh Fruit Salad with Cointreau (I chose to make Jacques Pepin's Apricot Popover instead)
Follow the "Read More" link to see what transpired!

The First Course Made Easy!

Today I am taking some time to discuss an easy first course for the fall season.  A fantastic starter for a fall menu that is quick and easy is Butternut Squash Bisque.  The flavors of this soup are extraordinary when simmered together and really give you that warm fall feeling.  Let's be honest, we all love the summer, but that cozy fall atmosphere is very hard to beat when transitioning from shorts and sandals to hot cocoa and sweaters!  Let's check out how to whip this bisque up quick and faster than a hurry:

In search of a legend.

Vin De Constance.  The wine sought after by European aristocracy in the 18th and 19th century, enjoyed by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815 during his exile to St. Helena, celebrated by authors Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, this drink is culitivated in the prized wine region of South Africa.  I mentioned this wine in a previous blog I wrote regarding my search for it, and by some strange twist of fate, came into possession of a bottle this past weekend.

Trouble with Truffles.

Yes, you read that title correctly. These little darlings are rich, tantalizing, and borderline sinfully delicious. Chocolate truffles made of the darkest chocolate, Italian balsamic vinegar, cream, and then rolled in pure organic cocoa powder. They are not for the faint of heart or those with a lack of strong will to only indulge in a few.
Try them out. I find that "One size fits all" with this treat:

The Sophisticated Savage!

Well, not so savage, more primitive, or Primitivo I should say.  Last night I found myself at the store before going home from work looking for something to drink with dinner.  I was preparing a steak goulash with roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion, and beef stock to be served over a bed of blanched cabbage.  More so I just wanted to try out the new wine and food pairing application I just downloaded on my iPhone.  According to my little electronic somonie, there were several wines for my paring I could choose. I decided a bold and powerful red wine was what I should go for, per my preference to full bodied reds.   A "Primitivo" was what I was on the hunt for.

Que Vive La Pizza!

In my opinion, pizza gets a pretty bad rap.  When we think of pizza, it congers thoughts of frat boys scarfing it down with cheap beer, cardboard tasting crusts with over greasy meat atop it, and all the other horrible things that have been done to it (stuffing more cheese in the crust, as if what was already on it wouldn't stop our heart).

This weekend I was at Trader Joe's and came across their dough in a bag.  So, we decided to pick up 2 bags of the herb dough and make some homemade pizza.  The day before I made some of that delicious marinara sauce (Read "Mambo Italian"), so we decided to utilize that since there was so much.

We're just a "Scone's" throw away...

Today we are rocken a batch of tea biscuits, also known as "Scones".  The scone name origins are unclear and can be chalked up to being lost in the pages of culinary history.  Some say the name originated from the Dutch word "schoonbrood" where "shoon" means "clean" and "brood" meaning "bread".  Others say the name comes from where the Kings of Scotland were crowned, the Stone (Scone) of Destiny.  Either way, as long as they end up on our plates, sometimes with lemon curd, a nice big dollop of Devonshire cream, or just plain, I have no objections.
So let's stop messing around and get to it!

You had me at Merlot!

The other night I had the opportunity to try Lindemans Bin 40 Merlot, Vintage 2008.  Actually it was a left over bottle from my sister's wedding reception.  This weekend I went to visit my parents in Bellingham Wa, and noticed that there was an open bottle of Merlot on the counter (I won't even begin to describe what my parents were using it for).  Be it far from me to pass up a tasting opportunity, as I know no food or drink prejudice and have the least experience with Merlots.  However, I did have some reservations as in the past I tended to associate a rather distasteful wine experience with Merlot.  I must say, I was surprised at what this inexpensive bottle of wine had to offer.  A bright bouquet with nice and easy tannins of light pepper, berries, and a perfect jammy sweetness.  This was certainly a wine with more body and viscosity, but certainly in a good way.  I am finding that I am more partial to a full bodied and rich red wine rather than something lighter like a Pinot Noir that is more delicate.
After tasting this wine, I decided to swing by Trade Joe's last night after work and grab a bottle for the week.  Total cost: $6.99.  Not too shabby if you are just getting into wine tasting and drinking with your meals, or for your heart health (Wink!).

Le Cordon Bleu for me and you.

Le Cordon Bleu is the premier and most famous culinary school in the world. Located in Paris, France, Le Cordon Bleu has been producing some of the world's best chefs and cooks for almost 115 years!
Recently I stumbled across a book that was written as the first English publication of recipes, menus, and techniques taught by the school, "Le Cordon Bleu At Home".  The book is broken into 3 sections: beginner, medium , and advanced.  From there it is broken into lessons that are full dinning menus. Essentially the book follows the culinary outline of the school's syllabus.  I can't believe this was out there and I didn't even have a copy!
This book is a fantastic bit of reading.  It teaches the reader basic skills of the kitchen from roasting, to utilizing a Bein Marie (A Bein Marie is a water bath used for cooking delicate foods in the oven), and many, many more.  True, it is not entirely illustrated with every single recipe in the book, otherwise it would be even bigger and heavier than what it already is (553 pages), but it does have some fantastic photos as well as a great catalog in the back that is fully illustrated on how to accomplish certain tasks.  I fully plan to buy this book for myself when I get the chance, and recommend you pick it up, or at least check it out from the library.

Manicotti and Chianti... That's Amore!

This is the first installation of our "Weekly Wednesday Culinary Conception"!  As my dear friends Kevin, Mandy, and myself gathered once again, with higher aspirations than the "Chriscotti Incident", we decided to whip together an old Italian favorite that would both satisfy our cravings for pasta, vino, and a good time (Since those two will be dinning at "Vince's" in Renton without me this weekend).
We began this weekly food and friends meeting in hopes of relieving a bit of the preasures from the doldrums of the week.  Monday is mearly the beginning, and we all have the weekend to look forward to on Friday, but nothing to give us hope at the middle of the work week.  Thus, an idea for this gathering is born.

At this "meeting of the minds" (ya right!), we are working on Mandy's interpretation of Manicotti.  Please bear in mind that because we are getting a later start this evening (rough work schedules this week), that we are making this utilizing the "Semi-Homamade" method.  Believe me, the baked ziti competiton between Mandy and I is in the making, but we really need a weekend for it to make the homemade pasta.

This is what ensued:

There's No Reason for Bad Food!

It is a little funny how we have such a distorted view of food these days. What is OK to eat and what should be off limits is constantly changing in regards to our health.
Since the beginning of 2006 I have been on a journey of self discovery with my two great passions, health/fitness, and cooking. I've done it all: the the bodybuilding workouts and way of eating, low carb/low fat, cooking with substitutions to the point of where the original recipe is almost completely gone, high protein, low protein, trying fad diet tips, "Men's Health" tips, etc. In the course of this time I have lost 80 lbs., created shortcuts for cooking and simplified food all together. I also managed to loose a bit of that punch that makes food exciting and amazing by looking for ways to make healthy, no fun, and quick meals for my busy lifestyle.
A few words to the wise about making good that is easy and healthy, but still has that "WOW" factor:

Mambo Italiano

Marinara sauce. We love it for it's complex and wholesome taste. We hate it for the stains it leaves when that whole in our bottom lips seems to appear.
The other day I tried my hand for the first time at making Italian Biscotti with my friend Mandy, who just happens to be born and bred Italian. Needless to say it wasn't exactly "like Nonna (grandma) used to make". I think she is just being tough on our little creation, lovingly deemed "Chriscotti".
That's when I decided to beat her at her own Italian game. This is me striking the first blow...

Hooch du jour!

So lately I have been getting into drinking a bit of wine (Strictly for the purpose of reporting to you good people).

Wine just happens to be chalk full of all sorts of healthful stuff (Resveratrol, antioxidants, etc.). It also happens, in my opinion, to be a bit easier to put down, sometimes, than mixed drinks (full of sugar) or beer (a little heavy, but great after sweating in the sun or with Mexican food). And for all those beer drinking tough guys who shun wine, it has a higher alcohol content per glass than even that heavy dark stuff, sans the bloating!

A bit of wine advice from a novice who has been doing his research:

-Try out a lot of variety. Occasionally I indulge in a cigar and rarely smoke the same one twice unless I truly like that one. Same goes for wine.

-The sweet spot price wise for buying wine is between $9 and $29, but flexible. Currently I am looking for a particular South African wine, "Vin Di Constance", which last time I checked online to have a bottle shipped to me was around $75, so every now and then a splurge for a nice occasion seems acceptable. This wine was coveted by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who had 15 cases a year shipped to him during his exile to the island of St. Helena. If it is good enough for Napoleon, it's good enough for Chris!

OK, sorry for the departure, on to the wine...

Madeleine Who?

Madeleines, also know as “French Butter Cakes” are a treat for anyone who likes sweet and lightly cakey cookies (let’s see a show of hands out there! Don’t be shy.)
My inspiration for these little darlings actually came one day a few years back when I was watching “Le Transporteur”, “The Transporter” for us Americans. The woman who was saved in the movie made these little cakes for her hero one morning. At that point I knew I had to find out what these were. It took me 2 weeks just to track down the special molds for them. You can find them online, or were I did at “The Pacific Chef “in Bellingham, WA.

Madeleines hail from Commercy, France. Louis XV named these petite cakes after his father-in-law's pastry chef, Madeleine Paulmier and were soon introduced to the court of Versailles by Louis' wife. Needless to say the swept all of France off it's feet in a short time. It is a mystery to the French, and myself, why these little cakes have never truly caught on here in the states. They are everything you could possibly ask for in a cookie: light, sweet, and distinctively classy!

Crepes With "Latin Panache"

Last night I came home from work with a determined mindset to clear out some room in my freezer and cabinets. According to some friends of mine (Kevin and Mandy), I have more food than any one person can eat (Funny for two people whom live the "Mother Hubberd's cupboard's are bare" scenario day in and out). Lately I have been in a "French" sort of mood after a fantastic book I read by Mireille Guiliano and the Julia Child reruns I have been watching. What follows is the creation, born from leftovers and whatever was in the freezer and cabinets, that I have yet to come up with a catchy name for, so if you may have one, please do not hold back.

Creativity In Bloom

Today I begin a journey. This is not an adventure of a thousand steps, but more of a thousand tastes. Growing up I have always loved food. I do not shy away from the many culinary treasures this world has to offer in it's vast reaches. In fact, if it is even remotely edible, I will try it at least once. Thank you for joining me on this culinary trip and we shall see were it takes!