stretching the cheese....
Monday, May 23, 2011
I heart cheesemaking!
If you haven't read all of my blog entries (crazy talk), perhaps you are unaware of my love for making my own fresh mozzarella ( peep the earlier entries). Tonight I made some more in about 30 minutes flat. Buy this cheesemaking kit http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/c/1-Kits.html and have fresh mozza in your fridge, on hand, all the time. Feel like caprese with all of the beautiful tomatoes coming into season? Oh, good thing I have some fresh mozz in the fridge. Want to make a yummy grilled cheese panini? I have just the cheese, fresh, and in my fridge. Making pizza? I have home made mozzarella...let me just get it out of my fridge. You get the point. Buy the kit!
stretching the cheese....
Let me introduce you to my friend, Mr Cheeseball.....I'm going to eat him.
stretching the cheese....
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Making veggies taste good.....
.....isn't hard. Especially if you buy what's fresh and in season. Veggies don't need much to bring out the flavor, usually just salt, pepper and olive oil.
Buy an eggplant and cut it thin. Salt, Pepper and drizzle of olive oil. Grill it until it crisps up. Don't be afraid of a little char. It tastes amazing. You can do the same thing with zucchini. Slice it thin, season and olive oil & roast in the oven for 20 minutes.....
Greens! Greens! Greens! (fist pump while you yell it)
So good for you and taste damn good too. I bought some beautiful flowering kale and put it in a hot cast iron skillet for literally 3 minutes to wilt it. Salt, pepper, olive oil. Yum.
Cauliflower is easy and delicious. Cut into florets and put in a cast iron skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Let it sit. Don't mess with it. You want it to brown a bit. After it has browned, add stock to almost cover the florets and finish the cooking process. Add chopped garlic and chili flakes to the stock. You can keep it on the stove top or put in the oven and roast. After about 20 minutes ( don't overcook, you still want a bit of snap) they should be done. Season with salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and another drizzle of olive oil.
Summer squash can basically be cut, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and put under the broiler. Done in 20 minutes.
Tomatoes are coming into season! Get the juiciest ones you can find, heirlooms are beautiful and have the most amazing flavor. Slice, drizzle with olive oil, salt pepper and top with fresh basil. OR make a pesto with fresh basil, olive oil, salt, pepper, pine nuts and garlic. Spoon over the top. Take your grilled eggplant and top with tomatoes and pesto for something even better!
Green onions or scallions taste amazing grilled.
Saute asparagus in oilve oil. Salt and pepper. In a separate pan on med heat, cook down balsamic vinegar. be careful to not let it burn and smoke. Add a pinch of sugar. After it has reduced by half the amount and become concentrated, ( it will have s syrup-y consistency) drizzle over asparagus. yum.
Mushrooms come in all sizes and the meatier oyster mushrooms are my favorite. You can buy several different kinds for different flavor and textures. Shitakes, brown button, crimini, trumpet.....Grilled or in a saute pan, all they need is garlic, olive oil and salt, (a tiny bit of butter at the end never hurts either.) You can also add a chopped shallot. Let them cook until they brown a bit. Chop up whatever herb you have on hand. Rosemary or tarragon is especially good. Sprinkle on top and of course, drizzle with a good olive oil or whatever is left over in the pan.
Go to the grocery store or farmer's market and get excited about all of the beautiful veggies! There are so many options right now!
Buy an eggplant and cut it thin. Salt, Pepper and drizzle of olive oil. Grill it until it crisps up. Don't be afraid of a little char. It tastes amazing. You can do the same thing with zucchini. Slice it thin, season and olive oil & roast in the oven for 20 minutes.....
Greens! Greens! Greens! (fist pump while you yell it)
So good for you and taste damn good too. I bought some beautiful flowering kale and put it in a hot cast iron skillet for literally 3 minutes to wilt it. Salt, pepper, olive oil. Yum.
Cauliflower is easy and delicious. Cut into florets and put in a cast iron skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Let it sit. Don't mess with it. You want it to brown a bit. After it has browned, add stock to almost cover the florets and finish the cooking process. Add chopped garlic and chili flakes to the stock. You can keep it on the stove top or put in the oven and roast. After about 20 minutes ( don't overcook, you still want a bit of snap) they should be done. Season with salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and another drizzle of olive oil.
Summer squash can basically be cut, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and put under the broiler. Done in 20 minutes.
Tomatoes are coming into season! Get the juiciest ones you can find, heirlooms are beautiful and have the most amazing flavor. Slice, drizzle with olive oil, salt pepper and top with fresh basil. OR make a pesto with fresh basil, olive oil, salt, pepper, pine nuts and garlic. Spoon over the top. Take your grilled eggplant and top with tomatoes and pesto for something even better!
Saute asparagus in oilve oil. Salt and pepper. In a separate pan on med heat, cook down balsamic vinegar. be careful to not let it burn and smoke. Add a pinch of sugar. After it has reduced by half the amount and become concentrated, ( it will have s syrup-y consistency) drizzle over asparagus. yum.
Mushrooms come in all sizes and the meatier oyster mushrooms are my favorite. You can buy several different kinds for different flavor and textures. Shitakes, brown button, crimini, trumpet.....Grilled or in a saute pan, all they need is garlic, olive oil and salt, (a tiny bit of butter at the end never hurts either.) You can also add a chopped shallot. Let them cook until they brown a bit. Chop up whatever herb you have on hand. Rosemary or tarragon is especially good. Sprinkle on top and of course, drizzle with a good olive oil or whatever is left over in the pan.
Go to the grocery store or farmer's market and get excited about all of the beautiful veggies! There are so many options right now!
I'm running away with the circus.....
Ryan bought me the best birthday gift....Trapeze School! Located on the Santa Monica Pier, Trapeze School NY offers classes to have you flying in no time. In fact, after a quick 10 minute tutorial, you are climbing the ladder for your first flight! The instructors were amazing, encouraging and really helpful. I was petrified. Standing on top of that platform, you can see the ocean, the mountains....you are HIGH. Then, they ask you to lean out?! Once I realized how secure you actually are, the fear went away...until I was asked to let go! Feeling like I was moving super fast that high up gave me some hesitation BUT by the third time, I let go with no hesitation whatsoever ( sadly, only the first two attempts are filmed...and the second to last) . The feeling was total exhilaration. Such a rush! My skills improved ( after the 5th try) and I was allowed to move on to the second move, the heel hold. SWEEEEEEET! Who knew I would be such a natural?! I was also able to attempt "the catch" and made it on the first try (watch the vid) . Such an amazing feeling, going for that catch. Ryan, the instructor, made it really easy. I am actually really excited to do it again, it's so addictive. In our two hour session, we were able to go about 9 times. Our session was full but if less people sign up, you get to go even more. (9 times was plenty as you start to get a bit sore by the end) They also have silks classes which I have been dying to try. Watch out Cirque de Soleil, I'm coming!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Make the best damn pasta you've ever had.
Pasta is simple. Pasta is cheap. Pasta is comforting.
Pasta can be made with items you already have in your pantry.
Pasta can be made better at home than the corner Italian (and I use that loosely) dive that you occasionally order mediocre pizza, a soggy chopped salad, and burnt chicken parm from.
Even making your own sauce is easy and NO you don't have to simmer it all day like my old neighbor's Uncle Angelo did. (Even though his house always smelled amazing) Best part; sauce can be frozen and thawed quickly for a quick meal at a later date.
Specifics.....
Scott Conant is one of the current celebrity chef masters of Italian cooking. His restaurant, Scarpetta, is known for their simple tomato basil spaghetti. I watched Scott on some cooking show demonstrate his technique and picked up a few pointers. I mean, the spaghetti is that good and it's easy to do at home. I have my adapted version but if you want it straight from the source, go here : Scott Conant's how to .
You can use dried pasta but the difference with fresh pasta is like night and day. The texture of fresh simply cannot be duplicated with the dried stuff.....but it will do in a pinch. Otherwise, Whole Foods has a great fresh pasta selection of spaghetti, tagliatelle, fettucini and sheets for lasagna.
I bought : fresh fettucini, a can of San Marzano tomatos (people import these from Italy for a reason-they are the best), pancetta (you can use bacon) a shallot, garlic, red chili flakes, basil, good olive oil.
Bring salted water to a boil. Salted. Not just a pinch, people. You want the water to taste "of the sea" so to speak. You want it to penetrate the starch and flavor it.
In a pan ( pasta is mainly cooked in a pan, not a pot.) Add olive oil, a few smashed garlic gloves and a handful of fresh basil. You want to infuse the oil with flavor. Make sure the oil doesn't get to hot otherwise the garlic will burn and that tastes gross. After about 15 minutes, remove the garlic cloves and basil. Add chopped pancetta.
Cook until brown. Add a finely diced shallot. Cook for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes (roughly pureed) . Stir to blend sauce and oil together. Add salt. Maybe add a pinch or two of brown sugar if the tomatoes need a bit of sweetness. Add a couple pinches of red chili flakes for a little heat.
Cook the fresh pasta for a few minutes. (fresh doesn't take long) You want it to be under al dente because it will continue cooking when we add it to the sauce. DO NOT use a colander. Use tongs to take the pasta out of the water and add to the sauce. It doesn't matter if it's wet. We actually WANT to use the pasta water. The cloudy, starchiness of it will thicken the sauce. Take about 1/2 a cup pasta water and add it to the sauce. Coat the pasta in the sauce with the tongs.
Cook for about 2 more minutes. If sauce is too thick, add more water. If too watery, continue to cook. Take a pat of butter and melt into the pasta. Grate some fresh parm (don't ever buy the stuff in the green canister, I beg of you) over the pasta. Twirl into a bowl. Make it pretty. Add chopped fresh basil over top and homemade bread crumbs for texture (not necessary but so good)
Your guests will be super impressed. Sooooooooo good. This recipe always makes me feel like I can really cook because it elevates such a simple dish. People screw up pasta in the stupidest ways and this is basically foolproof. And like I said, you probably have most of these items already in your house. Mangia!
Pasta can be made with items you already have in your pantry.
Pasta can be made better at home than the corner Italian (and I use that loosely) dive that you occasionally order mediocre pizza, a soggy chopped salad, and burnt chicken parm from.
Even making your own sauce is easy and NO you don't have to simmer it all day like my old neighbor's Uncle Angelo did. (Even though his house always smelled amazing) Best part; sauce can be frozen and thawed quickly for a quick meal at a later date.
Specifics.....
Scott Conant is one of the current celebrity chef masters of Italian cooking. His restaurant, Scarpetta, is known for their simple tomato basil spaghetti. I watched Scott on some cooking show demonstrate his technique and picked up a few pointers. I mean, the spaghetti is that good and it's easy to do at home. I have my adapted version but if you want it straight from the source, go here : Scott Conant's how to .
You can use dried pasta but the difference with fresh pasta is like night and day. The texture of fresh simply cannot be duplicated with the dried stuff.....but it will do in a pinch. Otherwise, Whole Foods has a great fresh pasta selection of spaghetti, tagliatelle, fettucini and sheets for lasagna.
Bring salted water to a boil. Salted. Not just a pinch, people. You want the water to taste "of the sea" so to speak. You want it to penetrate the starch and flavor it.
In a pan ( pasta is mainly cooked in a pan, not a pot.) Add olive oil, a few smashed garlic gloves and a handful of fresh basil. You want to infuse the oil with flavor. Make sure the oil doesn't get to hot otherwise the garlic will burn and that tastes gross. After about 15 minutes, remove the garlic cloves and basil. Add chopped pancetta.
Cook until brown. Add a finely diced shallot. Cook for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes (roughly pureed) . Stir to blend sauce and oil together. Add salt. Maybe add a pinch or two of brown sugar if the tomatoes need a bit of sweetness. Add a couple pinches of red chili flakes for a little heat.
Cook the fresh pasta for a few minutes. (fresh doesn't take long) You want it to be under al dente because it will continue cooking when we add it to the sauce. DO NOT use a colander. Use tongs to take the pasta out of the water and add to the sauce. It doesn't matter if it's wet. We actually WANT to use the pasta water. The cloudy, starchiness of it will thicken the sauce. Take about 1/2 a cup pasta water and add it to the sauce. Coat the pasta in the sauce with the tongs.
Cook for about 2 more minutes. If sauce is too thick, add more water. If too watery, continue to cook. Take a pat of butter and melt into the pasta. Grate some fresh parm (don't ever buy the stuff in the green canister, I beg of you) over the pasta. Twirl into a bowl. Make it pretty. Add chopped fresh basil over top and homemade bread crumbs for texture (not necessary but so good)
This one time we went to a TAPAS bar & my grandma didn't come bc she thought we said were going to a TOPLESS bar.....
.......like I would eat in a strip club. I mean, come on. Drink in one? Well, yeah. But buffet food that's been sitting out all day in the stank of a beaver den just doesn't sound appealing. Just me? Anyhoo....I digress.
Today I had a lovely day in Santa Monica. Ryan signed us up for Trapeze School as part of my bday present. So, we headed for the Santa Monica Pier at 10 am. I'll get to the trapeze experience in another post but right now, I'm talking food. Afterward, naturally I was hungry and decided we should walk down the street to Blue Plate Oysterette. When we arrived, it being a Saturday and all, they were running a wait. This little spot is always crowded and every time I drive by, the seafood towers and champagne seem to call my name. Being from the east coast, I crave good seafood and apparently, this is the spot. I've never been but today was not to be the day. I was STARVING. Like, shaking-blood-sugar-very-low-need food-now starving. Sooooooooo right around the corner is a little Tapas place I have been meaning to try for oooooooohhhh only the last two years or so. There were spots at the bar. Lucky us. Sangria sounded delicious......... And bread............And meat........... And cheese.
Bar Pintxo is a tiny place; 2 tables outside, a bar that seats maybe 8 and a handful of tables. Joe Miller of Joe's in Venice takes all his cues from the tapas bars in Barcelona. He pretty much nails it.
And seriously, the happy hour looks amazing. 6 tapas for $6 and sangria for $4.
I can totally make a meal outta that. One more thing....it 7 DAYS A WEEK! love that. Ok. Food. Tapas range from $3 - $15 with most being in the $5-$8 range. The wine list, of course, has all Spanish wines ranging from all over the country. But we ordered a large Sangria $32. Not the cheapest but we both got a lot of mileage out of it.
We started with Championes Rellenos. Crimini Mushrooms filled with mushroom mousse and iadazabal cheese with a piquillo ailoi on toasted bread. Yum. More please. Croquetas de pollo y jamon...little fried balls of chicken, carmelized onions, jamon serrano and bechamel. I could eat a whole bucket. Piquillo peppers stuffed with crab, yes. Head on jumbo prawns with garlic, lemon-parsley, yes, YES! The aftermath below. I don't have time for pics when I'm hungry... too busy ripping off shrimp heads and sucking on them.
Crispy duck breast, lentils with applewood smoked bacon & chorizo....YES! Datlies Rellenos, dates stuffed with blue cheese and bacon.
and I actually passed on dessert but next time, those churros are mine. We hardly even got through the menu. So glad this place is minutes from my house. I think I will be a new regular. Maybe I can bring my grandma here too at some point, there being no naked ladies and all. GO. Feel like you're in Spain. 109 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, Ca
www.barpintxo.com
Today I had a lovely day in Santa Monica. Ryan signed us up for Trapeze School as part of my bday present. So, we headed for the Santa Monica Pier at 10 am. I'll get to the trapeze experience in another post but right now, I'm talking food. Afterward, naturally I was hungry and decided we should walk down the street to Blue Plate Oysterette. When we arrived, it being a Saturday and all, they were running a wait. This little spot is always crowded and every time I drive by, the seafood towers and champagne seem to call my name. Being from the east coast, I crave good seafood and apparently, this is the spot. I've never been but today was not to be the day. I was STARVING. Like, shaking-blood-sugar-very-low-need food-now starving. Sooooooooo right around the corner is a little Tapas place I have been meaning to try for oooooooohhhh only the last two years or so. There were spots at the bar. Lucky us. Sangria sounded delicious......... And bread............And meat........... And cheese.
I can totally make a meal outta that. One more thing....it 7 DAYS A WEEK! love that. Ok. Food. Tapas range from $3 - $15 with most being in the $5-$8 range. The wine list, of course, has all Spanish wines ranging from all over the country. But we ordered a large Sangria $32. Not the cheapest but we both got a lot of mileage out of it.
We started with Championes Rellenos. Crimini Mushrooms filled with mushroom mousse and iadazabal cheese with a piquillo ailoi on toasted bread. Yum. More please. Croquetas de pollo y jamon...little fried balls of chicken, carmelized onions, jamon serrano and bechamel. I could eat a whole bucket. Piquillo peppers stuffed with crab, yes. Head on jumbo prawns with garlic, lemon-parsley, yes, YES! The aftermath below. I don't have time for pics when I'm hungry... too busy ripping off shrimp heads and sucking on them.
Crispy duck breast, lentils with applewood smoked bacon & chorizo....YES! Datlies Rellenos, dates stuffed with blue cheese and bacon.
Majorican sausage with melted spanish cheese, and honey on warm bread.......
and I actually passed on dessert but next time, those churros are mine. We hardly even got through the menu. So glad this place is minutes from my house. I think I will be a new regular. Maybe I can bring my grandma here too at some point, there being no naked ladies and all. GO. Feel like you're in Spain. 109 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, Ca
www.barpintxo.com
The Gypsy Rider: JAPAN BENEFIT SHOTS
The Gypsy Rider: JAPAN BENEFIT SHOTS
Scroll through and see some familiar faces. Great job to everyone at Gjelina who put on an amazing benefit! $20,000.000 was raised and everyone had an amazing time.
Scroll through and see some familiar faces. Great job to everyone at Gjelina who put on an amazing benefit! $20,000.000 was raised and everyone had an amazing time.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Thailand Dec/Jan 2009/2010
Thailand is my favorite place in the whole world (so far) ! There's so much to do from the crazy, bustling city of Bangkok to the beautiful, mountainous north of the country to the islands in the south that are straight out of a postcard with the bluest water I've ever seen. It's like 3 vacations in one. I've been to Thailand twice even though I rarely repeat travel spots. It's ridiculously cheap and the people are very kind. Except for that cab driver who tried to rip me off and then involved the Thai police......thankfully the Thai police realized he was a "mean man" and helped us out! Yay! No thai prison for me!
When in Bangkok:
Visit the Grand Palace
Eat the street food!!!!
Get lost in Chinatown!
Chinatown is one of Bangkok's oldest neighborhoods. The mazes sell everything from toys, stationary, clothing, housewares and of course, food! Wander around for hours and get lost. Don't worry, there's always a tuk tuk that will take you where you need to get back to ;)
Visit the temples along the way
Not all temples are are tourist filled as the Grand Palace. As you stroll through the city you'll see temples everywhere. Some of the more serene, peaceful temples can be found totally by accident. Don't be shy to walk in and listen to the monks chat or say a prayer yourself.
Nat and I in Thailand 2007
Take a ride on the water taxi!!!
Pay the 15 baht and hop on with no particular destination. Bangkok is best seen from the water and who knows where you'll end up!
Thailand Part 2 Coming soon.....
Monday, May 2, 2011
Summer is for bbqs
Yesterday Ryan and I hosted a BBQ on possibly the most gorgeous day in Venice ever. We started off at the beach at noon and headed back to the house around 2:30. The worst part was that my camera was missing in action. I had a bunch of food planned and it was scarfed down by my ravenous friends who apparently haven't eaten in ages. On the menu: I made some tequila infused with jalapenos (see recipe on an earlier blog entry) SO easy and made the day before. To lessen the alcohol and the burn, we added some pineapple juice and fresh lime juice. This pic pulled from my earlier blog.
......and by the time we came back they were just about done and falling off the bone. I mean seriously, falling apart. It was magical. I separated them into one bone servings (they actually kinda did that themselves) and coated them with homemade bbq sauce....(tomato puree, molasses, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, garlic, oregano, parsley)
People were raving about these things and made sure they were going on my Panama menu. So very exciting.
We also bought a ton of chicken wings....about 140 give or take (see earlier blog entry) and marinated them the night before. Instead of breaking out the fryer, we grilled 'em and tossed them in two different
sauces. 1/2 in BBQ and 1/2 in my jerk sauce. People were literally spooning the jerk sauce out of the bowl and into their mouths. Woohoo! I think I've finally perfected it.
We also grilled the typical burgers but the dish that had everyone in the kitchen salivating like wild dogs, clutching their plates in anticipation was the mac and cheese. I cooked two packages of rigatoni to just underdone. I had Natalie and Shannon grating huge wedges of Emmentaler and Fontina while I made a roux. So simple just about half a stick of butter and about the same amount of flour. Whisk until it darkens in color and smells nutty, only a couple of minutes. Add cream. (the small one works) Add the cheese ( prob about 5 cups) and stir. You will now have a pot of delicious cheese fondue that if you're like me, you'll wanna drink. Add the cooked pasta. Add cooked bacon. Add crab meat. Add salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne. Once stirred add to a pan and top with bread crumbs. BTW store bought breadcrumbs are usually more like a bread powder and hardly have any texture. (To make your own take day or two old bread that seems unusable and pull apart into small pieces. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and put in the oven until crisp and slightly browned. Ta da! ) Cook mac and cheese for about 20 minutes until bubbling and browned. Top with chopped parsley. Luckily Amir did take a photo to send to his girlfriend strictly to make her jealous. (Thanks, Amir)
As you can see, the crab and bacon are on top instead of incorporated. This was because we had a few vegetarians sooooooo I spooned out a few portions first, then topped the rest with the animal goodness. Some of the best mac and cheese I've ever had....and everyone else too. I have been reading their facebook status' which proves it ;)
I think this lasted all of 3 minutes.
For dessert, the night before I made an apple crisp. Cut up four to five large granny smiths and place in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with a mixture of equal parts cinnamon and sugar and a dash or two of nutmeg. In a bowl mix half a stick of butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar and about a cup of oats. Mix together with your hands so the butter is in chunks. Top the apples with this mixture and bake at 400 for about 20-25 minutes or brown. I simply heated it up for the bbq. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. It will look something like this:
It was amazing to see people I haven't seen in such a long time, Katie & Stephan, Amir....my friend Caitlyn that even though I saw on Friday, is due any day and made the trek from Orange County very pregant.....two friends from high school, Kurt & Chris.....all our neighborhood friends and Gjelina peeps, my bandmates....3 doggies.....it was the best. bbq. ever. Thanks, friends!!! And of course, grillmaster Ryan Kelly!
For food we started with simple grilled eggplant. Cut it longways into thin slices. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Place it directly on the grill until it crisps up and get a little charred. I also made a side dish of roasted cauliflower for the many vegetarians in attendance. I cut up a head of white and purple cauliflower
and placed in in a cast iron skillet with some olive oil. Just let it cook until it starts to get some color and carmelizes. Add some veggie stock (or chicken stock) some chopped garlic, salt and pepper and put it in the oven at 375 for about 25 min. When done drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar.
I also bought this handy jalapeno holder on Amazon for about 12 bucks.
It comes with the corer as well. Jalapenos are something like .99 a lb so you can feed an entire party these for super cheap. Stuff the jalapenos with cheese and a spoonful of cream cheese and place directly on the grill. Super easy party food.
For the meats......
I placed a rack of ribs that had been marinating overnight ( cayenne, salt, pepper, garlic, brown sugar and oilve oil) in my slow cooker before we left for the beach.
We also bought a ton of chicken wings....about 140 give or take (see earlier blog entry) and marinated them the night before. Instead of breaking out the fryer, we grilled 'em and tossed them in two different
sauces. 1/2 in BBQ and 1/2 in my jerk sauce. People were literally spooning the jerk sauce out of the bowl and into their mouths. Woohoo! I think I've finally perfected it.
We also grilled the typical burgers but the dish that had everyone in the kitchen salivating like wild dogs, clutching their plates in anticipation was the mac and cheese. I cooked two packages of rigatoni to just underdone. I had Natalie and Shannon grating huge wedges of Emmentaler and Fontina while I made a roux. So simple just about half a stick of butter and about the same amount of flour. Whisk until it darkens in color and smells nutty, only a couple of minutes. Add cream. (the small one works) Add the cheese ( prob about 5 cups) and stir. You will now have a pot of delicious cheese fondue that if you're like me, you'll wanna drink. Add the cooked pasta. Add cooked bacon. Add crab meat. Add salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne. Once stirred add to a pan and top with bread crumbs. BTW store bought breadcrumbs are usually more like a bread powder and hardly have any texture. (To make your own take day or two old bread that seems unusable and pull apart into small pieces. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and put in the oven until crisp and slightly browned. Ta da! ) Cook mac and cheese for about 20 minutes until bubbling and browned. Top with chopped parsley. Luckily Amir did take a photo to send to his girlfriend strictly to make her jealous. (Thanks, Amir)
As you can see, the crab and bacon are on top instead of incorporated. This was because we had a few vegetarians sooooooo I spooned out a few portions first, then topped the rest with the animal goodness. Some of the best mac and cheese I've ever had....and everyone else too. I have been reading their facebook status' which proves it ;)I think this lasted all of 3 minutes.
For dessert, the night before I made an apple crisp. Cut up four to five large granny smiths and place in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with a mixture of equal parts cinnamon and sugar and a dash or two of nutmeg. In a bowl mix half a stick of butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar and about a cup of oats. Mix together with your hands so the butter is in chunks. Top the apples with this mixture and bake at 400 for about 20-25 minutes or brown. I simply heated it up for the bbq. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. It will look something like this:
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