Gummy Bears getting WILD!

What do you get when you take...

some tooth picks and

some vodka.... AND................ some gummy bears...

 

You get some gummy bears gone wild!

Make it a Taco Night!

The hardest part of making tacos for taco night is...
getting crunchy shells that are not stale.  I've purchased crunchy shells from half a dozen grocery stores, with the date never being expired... but they are still always stale!
I hope you will have better luck getting crunchy shells!

Making the filling for taco night is quite simple. For the meat filling:
I simply dice up some onions and and let them sweat in the pan with a little oil.
I grate in a clove of garlic and once the onions have had it in the sauna...
I add the ground beef and fry the 2 together while adding a little S&P.
(salt and pepper) Lastly, I squeeze some Krafts BBQ sauce. (It has to be Krafts though-
I've tried many different brands- from expensive to homemade etc...
but Krafts always wins the taste test when it comes to taco meat filling sauce.
I like to have separate little bowls for the meat, shredded lettuce,
shredded cheese, sour cream and lastly a simple tomato salsa that consists of
diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, minced onions, a sprinkle of salt and the
juice of half a lime. That's it... fairly simple to make with a rating of
9.3 out of 10!

Packets of WHAT !?!?!?

Raise your hand if you don't like Chinese food.
Did you ever stop to read the ingredients on the soy sauce ...
"soy sauce" packets you get with your take-out food?

You will after reading this post!  It's NOT soy sauce!
So instead of using the packets... I recommend buying a little
bottle of soy sauce and keeping it in your refrigerator.
It's nice that soy sauce lasts a long time. (many  months)

So what is in the soy sauce packets you ask?
Each company is a little different but basically
corn syrup and caramel coloring.
Years ago, I noticed a packet of soy sauce was unusually dark
and thinking that the dumplings were going to be really salty
from the soy sauce... I noticed it wasn't salty at all!
So I read the ingredients and was like....
WHAT!

Cleaning Mushrooms

There is a myth- that you should not wash mushrooms.
You did catch that right... "myth".
You have a couple options of how to clean a mushroom.
A very common way peope say is to take a damp paper towel
and use you fingers to brush off any dirt or soil.
(This way kind of makes me feel like like a snob-
the way you brush/toss it off)

Another way to clean a mushroom is to take a little brush
(similar to a nail brush) and brush the dirt and soil off gently.

A third way is to just wash them with water! 
As long as you rinse or wash the mushrooms
right before you cut them- it's all good! 
Some people say that mushrooms get water logged
when you wash them and that's why they think water
is forbidden when it comes to mushrooms.

The only negative with washing mushrooms is when you wash them
and then store them. They become slimy and spoil quickly
because of the dampness. Otherwise... just give them
a quick wash before you use them. Don't be a snob. haha

End the summer with watermelon pie!

When I think of summer-
of the many things that come to my mind...

watermelon is one of them. So I wanted to officially end the summer
with a watermelon pie.  Now, when I think of pie- I think of
a crust and filling. Not only do I like to use things for 2 purposes (double-duty)
but having fun with food and making it different is always fun as well.
(similar to the jello orange wedges I've made) So to make a watermelon pie
it's pretty simple and for all the non-bakers...  there is no baking required!

Take a watermelon (preferably a smaller one)
and slice it (maybe an inch or 2 or 3) It's really whatever you want- 

Then you want to take a smaller pairing knife and cut the red of the watermelon from the rind.

Then, take the red of the watermelon and cut it in to wedges
(these will be your little pie slices)
If you're not sure of how many slices/wedges...
try 3 cuts to make 6 wedges to start.

Then take a spoon or a cooking brush and take some of your
favorite yogurt and slather it on the top and sides of
the watermelon wedges.  Don't forget to add your topping. I like to take almond slivers. The almond slivers work nice with the yogurt especially
because they just stick together perfectly with no effort.

And then voila!  Here is your simple, different, fun and cultivated way
to end your summer- with a watermelon pie! 
This recipe is pretty low in carbs as well!

Marriage Ref Contestant Was Right!

Have you ever watched the tv show called
Marriage Ref   www.nbc.com/the-marriage-ref
produced by Jerry Seinfeld? http://jerryseinfeld.com

If you haven't... it's hosted by hilarious Tom Papa
www.tompapa.com  where they take 3 different celebrities
each week and they discuss to see 3 different couples'
disputes to see who is more right!  

There was this one episode with this older couple and their
dispute was:  the husband was tired of his wife asking the server
literally how many minutes ago was the decaf coffee made?
They showed clips of the couple in many different restaurants and the
wife extensively asks the server when was it brewed.
She sternly tells the server she will know if he/she are lying about
when the coffee was brewed. She warns them that if it's a second longer
than 18 minutes it is old, not fresh and she will make them brew a fresh pot.

With sales or anything I guess- it's the way you ask or say something that
could make a huge difference!  Her husband's argument is... just drink
something else or order it and if it's a few seconds longer... it's not the end
of the world. Her argument ultimately is that if she's paying for the coffee-
she wants it fresh.  Basically super fresh!

After the celebrity panel discusses their opinions-
gearing towards the decision that the wife is too extreme...
they are able to research that brewed coffee is freshest
up to 20 minutes. Once it is over 20 minutes-
it starts to have that slightly burnt taste.
It doesn't mean you can't drink it or that it's spoiled...
it's just the freshest when it's within 20 minutes.
I never knew the mark for freshness in brewed coffee was 20 minutes.
Obviously the sooner you drink or eat food-
it is better but I never really knew there was a time.
So, the wife ended up winning the argument. 

What The Heck Is Splenda Anyway?

Ah, Splenda. The sugar alternative.
It's lower in calories... for the calorie counters.
It's an alternative if you can't have sugar.
If you break out like me from too much sugar...
Splenda is also the way to go.
Just like anything... always have things in moderation.
Splenda is the brand name for a sucralose based and obviously
artificial-sweetener that came from sugar.

Splenda is owned by a British company named Tate & Lyle.
Tate & Lyle were researchers at Queen Elizabeth College,
University of London. Splenda was discovered in 1976
and became approved in the U.S. in 1998. Since 1999,
Splenda has overtaken Equal  with their $1.5 billion
artificial sweetener market holding a 62% market share.
According to research, $212 million of Splenda was sold
in 2006 in the U.S. while Equal sold $48.7 million.

Splenda is made in a granular form or in tablet form.
There is good and bad to Splenda of course. If you can't have sugar...
obviously, it is a choice. The bad part is that it's a chemical.
It is made from many chemicals together "chemical soup" some call it.
chemicals including chlorine, fluorine, bromine, iodine and others.
When you know that it is made partly by chlorine... it is a turnoff -
but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Stacking Plates

When you are stacking plates in your cabinet...
it is a good idea to take some paper plates and place a paper plate
in between each plate to prevent any scratches, chipping or extra dust.
If the plate has a glaze or painting on it.. it will help preserve that as well.
It doesn't make sense to do this for your everyday plates...
but if you have slightly nicer plates that you don't use regularly-
it would be a great idea.
(You can also get 100 paper plates from the dollar store for.... yep,  a dollar)

Simple Mashed Potatoes

Just like the way some people have trouble boiling a hard boiled egg-
potatoes aren't the simplest either.

Here is a simple fool-proof way to make basic mashed potatoes.
You can simply start with any kind of potato-
Wash it, and peel it.

After peeling the skin, dice it into small pieces (the smaller the better)
Keep in mind that you are planning to mash these little cubes up once
they are fully cooked.

The next tip is to place the diced up potatoes into a pan large enough
that the potatoes will be completely submerged in water...
BUT make sure the water is cold water!  The reason for the cold water
is that in the time that it takes the cold water to get hot and boiling...
it gives the potatoes that extra time to get comfy in the hot tub.

This is when I add the salt into the water to give the potatoes
some flavor through the boiling  process.
If I'm not too tired, I'll even add a little chicken broth
to raise the flavor even more.

Once the water starts to boil rapidly... lower the heat from high
to medium and cover the pan slightly to help keep the heat in the hot tub.
Once it's been boiling for a few minutes- take a fork (not a knife-
because the knife will just slice it rather than show it's tenderness)
and see if the fork goes through the potato nicely. 
You'll know if it's tender or still needs a little more boiling.
(The more tender the potato is... the less lumps you will have
in your mashed potatoes!)

Once the potatoes have passed the smooth-fork-tender test...
You can drain the water from the pan.

Lastly, you want to get out your masher while adding a little butter
and a splash of milk or cream. Whether to use milk or cream can be
based off of what consistency you want your mashed potatoes
to be. If you don't want then as thick... I'd go with the milk. 
Butter milk is a great alternative also!
Add very little salt if needed (you shouldn't really have to add too
much because you salted the water)

Once you get the basic mashed potatoes down...
you can add your shredded cheese in there, or your garlic
or chives or whatever floats your boat!

The Girl And The Goat (CHI)

Girl & The Goat is a rustic restaurant with a busy, busy environment.
The restaurant is open for dinner from 4:30-11pm and 12 on weekends.
Good luck getting a table unless you have some skills.
(not to brag, but I was able to get a table)
The owner and chef of Girl & The Goat is Stephanie Izard...
winner of Top Chef.
The restaurant has been open for less than 2 years but is filled to
capacity  every single night. The food is pretty amazing.
The portions are on the smaller side but filled with so much
savory flavor- you feel lucky just enjoying the first bite.
Now when I say filled with flavor... you almost want to pick up
your plate and lick every last drop of sauce or seasoning.
Now, that's tasty. If you ever make it to the windy city of Chicago-
you must stop by at The Girl & The Goat even if you have to stand or
sit by the waiting area to get some food.

The menu is filled with vegetables, fish and meat that are locally grown
on farms along with the bread that is baked daily.

Now, when you look at the menu.... you think... hmmm I'm not sure if
I want anything from here... it's kind of weird... very different but
in a good way. You might think... there are ingredients I'm not sure
if I would ever eat or have ever heard of. 
But, you take a deep breath and tell yourself to be brave and you order
anything off the menu... but you should definitely order and try the
"Pig's Face"  yes, I said pig's face.

                                             

It is slightly pricey... but worth every bite & dollar.
The Pig's face is very tender and it basically melts in your mouth
especially with the egg mixed in along with the 2 dominant flavors of
cilantro and almond butter with tints of the tartness of tamarind.
I can't say enough about this dish!

Simple Sauce That You'll Crave !

I have a really simple recipe for a good sauce that is so tasty!
I really enjoy this sauce with steak but it can be good
with chicken, grilled or sauteed veggies.

You'll have to make this sauce by sight and taste.
Simply take some Miso paste(the paste you make Miso Soup with)
and some almond butter and scoop some into a bowl that is
large enough to take a spoon to mix the 2 together in.
I usually start with 1-2 tablespoons of the almond butter
and about 1/2 of the amount of Miso paste because the Miso paste
has salt in it and you don't want your sauce too salty. I also add
a few drops of soy sauce and some water so the sauce isn't a thick
paste but has the consistency of a thicker salad dressing.
Sometimes I add a little Splenda or agave nectar if it's a little on
the salty side. That's it though- Miso paste, almond butter,
a few drops of soy sauce, water and a sweetener.

LCF's Twist On A Quesadilla

Making food you like is always a plus. Cultivating it- is even better!
(when you make it your own by adding things you like)
Why add ingredients you don't have or like just because it's in a recipe.

With that thought... I decided to cultivate a quesadilla.
First, take some...

tomatoes, peppers and cilantro and dice it all up.  (You can also add a red onion) 

Then, take some watermelon and dice that up. 

You might think... watermelon in a salsa with veggies...?   Don't diss it unless you've tried it. 

Once it's diced up- it works well if you put it in a colander to let the liquid out.

Next, you want to cut your corn (I prefer cutting it from the cob because it tastes better) 

and chop some cilantro and saute it together with a little oil in the pan and some chicken stock.

 

 I add some steak seasoning or you can just add which ever seasoning you like! 

Take some burrito wrappers and place your tomato-watermelon salsa, 

cilantro corn and any type of cheese  you'd like and fill half of the burrito wrapper.

I decided to use Brie Cheese, shredded cheddar out of a Kraft bag, diced smoked Gouda 

and Beemsters Valaskas Cheddar for this quesadilla.

 

    

It can be a little tricky flipping it over, BUT- you can do it!

I will say it is pretty tasty! 

You can add some chicken or pork if you'd like as well.

What's One Of The Best...

What's one of the best things in the summer?
An ice cream cone of course!
Excitement starts with which flavor should I get?
Chocolate, mint chocolate, strawberry, french vanilla,
coffee, hmm- it's so hard to decide with soooo many
flavors these days.

So, as your waiting in line....
you finally decide between 2 flavors and then...
oh, the excitement... you are next in line...
If you decide to get a cone with a tip... ask the counter
person if they can smush a small marshmallow in the bottom
of the cone- before they scoop the ice cream in there...      
 

Why? ....
so that when your cone starts to melt, and you can't
lick quick enough- the marshmallow will at least stop the
bottom of your cone from dripping through onto your new
shorts!

I Keep Hearing...

I've heard or talked to at least 5  people in the past 2 weeks about
trying to basically eat less meat or no meat for different reasons.
Here is a dish for no or less meat eaters to try!

Have you ever heard of spaghetti squash?
It almost looks like a big Korean melon.

A simple way to cook it is to- cut the squash in half and
throw it into a big pot of hot water,for the purpose of
getting a head start in making it softer.
Then place it on an oven safe tray or pan cut side down.
Drizzle a little olive oil and some sea salt on it and
let it sit in the dry sauna (oven)on maybe 375 degrees
until it gets softer and almost a little brown but not burnt.
Once it's softened... you'll be able to simply take a
fork and literally fork it off.
It works well for a substitute for spaghetti-
hence the name: spaghetti squash.
You can have a side salad or other veggies with your
vegetarian spaghetti!  You can toss a little
Italian dressing for a little more taste if you'd like!

What Do You Do...

What should you do when you have some
hot dog buns left but no hot dogs? -
(especially since the number of buns never seem to match
up with the number of hot dogs in the package)

You can simply make.... burger dogs!
Take some ground beef and instead of making
a patty... you can mold it into a cylinder shape
to fit better on the hot dog bun.
You can put the same toppings you would for your hot dog
or whatever you might put on your burger but...
sometimes the same food in a different shape strangely
tastes different. Our minds are so unique.
Just cultivate & make it your own!

Where Did The Name Gatorade Come From?

I'm sure you've all drank Gatorade at some point-
but have you ever wondered where the name came from?

In the summer of 1965, University of Florida's assistant coach met with physicians
to try to figure out why the football players, (Florida Gators) were being so
affected by the heat during the summer.

Dr. Robert Cade, Dr. Dana Shires, Dr. H. James Free and Dr. Alejandro de Quesada
quickly discovered that the players were losing fluids and electrolytes.
By losing fluids and not having them replaced- they in a way started to "wilt".
They soon made a formula that balanced carbohydrate-electrolytes that would replace
what they lost by sweating. They quickly called their beverage "Gatorade"

Here are a few questions and answers regarding Gatorade:
Q: what is the shelf life of an unopened bottle of Gatorade?
A: should be consumed within 9 months

Q: within how many hours or days should an opened bottle be consumed?
A: within 3-5 days

Q: when you are busy being a jock, P90Xing or just playing some co-ed
basket-weaving  is it better to drink water or Gatorade?
A: Gatorade- b/c it has the electrolytes that water doesn't have to help
sustain the fluids

Q: how is Gatorade different than other energy drinks?
A: Gatorade helps replenish fluids while most energy drinks are filled
with caffeine and sugar as we all know


Q: can diabetics drink Gatorade?
A: Yes, diabetics can actually benefit from Gatorade to prevent hypoglycemia
but with everything... moderation is the key

Which Hot Dog is Best?

Hebrew Nationals!  Their saying is:
No filler or by-products, No artificial flavors or colors.
Once again... taste tests are always fun!
Hebrew Nationals really do taste better.
I guess with certain other brands there are by-product fillers
that you don't see but clearly taste different when you are
eating them. as a taste test. Why eat by-products when you
can just buy Hebrew National Beef Franks?

Hebrew National's history begins in 1905. The company was
started by an immigrant in a six-story walk-up on East Broadway,
on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. mIt was a mom and pop
serving local delicatessens in neighborhoods that were
predominantly Jewish composed of immigrants from Germany
and Eastern Europe. Today, they are the largest kosher brand of
hot dogs in the U.S. with their 500 strong workforce
producing franks, salami, bologna, knockwurst, polish sausage,
deli meats, sauerkraut & mustard.

Next time you're grilling up some dogs- try some
Hebrew National's Beef Franks! With some bacon wrapped
around it.... if you'd like. Did someone say bacon?

Fanciful Cucumbers

How many ways can you cut a cucumber?

Let's see, you have your regular standard slices... for a garden salad,
just to snack on, add to water or to place on your eyes.

Then you have the longer cuts, either in half,
in quarters or even match stick,

You can also slice them multiple times or even dice them,
for a good pickled salad with some radishes or carrots.

Shredding them is also another option many cold
Asian noodle dishes have.

You can also slice them with a cheese slicer or vegetable peeler
length-wise and simply pour some Italian dressing on it to make
a really simple cucumber salad or side dish, great with almost anything.

I saved the best for last.  It is more of a garnish
rather than putting them into salads and such. 
Are you ready to see?   Now, close your eyes....
just kidding.  
                     
                                    

Now, that is a fanciful cucumber. Excellent for garnishes. 
Let me say that this cucumber is one piece.  (In the picture...
there are 3 cucumbers) but, they are not 2 pieces placed next
to each other.  hmmm....
how can I cut it that way?  It is almost like a puzzle. 
If you are interested in the puzzle and are not sure of the answer...
email me. (last tab on top of the page...  "Contact Us")