Monday, January 18, 2010

Seafood Rirrotto

Like my father, I love risotto, so I was ecstatic when I learned that Megan loves cooking risotto. She has patience with stirring that I envy. This shrimp and scallop risotto was divine; she even made the scallops delicious (I'm not usually a huge fan). Just as impressive, Megan fried fresh sage to crumble on top, which is not something your average home cook would do. That's just how she rolls. She's way above average! She's an outlier.

The recipe used was an amalgam of many, but this one is very similar: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/sweet-pea-and-scallop-risotto-recipe/index.html. If you can stir for forty minutes, make it. Pure deliciousness. Plus the leftovers lasted almost all week.

Greg

-Shrimp and Scallop Risotto with Fried Sage:




-Final product:

Homemade Hash Browns

"If at first you don't succeed, try try again...then give up. No sense in being a damn fool about it." W.C. Fields

I was inspired leftover potatoes to make some fresh hash browns. This is probably the first and only time that potatoes will ever inspire me. After 2 unsuccessful attempts, I realized that I was putting too little oil in the pan, and the heat was too low.

I realize that besides wings, different versions of "Benedicts" rule the deliciousness blog, but unlike the wings, these entries will keep on coming. Enjoy.

Greg

-Homemade hash browns benedict.


*Note: for some reason this video is being stubborn and will not turn sideways. So, turn your head when you watch to see it as it was intended. :P

Buffalo Wings Redux

Originally, this was intended to be a pure video-blog, but the incompleteness of the clips has led to additional writing portions that are longer than the videos themselves. Therefore, using the last set of chicken wings from the Costco purchase described multiple times before, I set out to show how I make buffalo chicken wings from start to finish.

However, since I film these things myself, I could not film myself cutting the chicken wings into drummettes and wingettes. You can find how to prep the chicken itself in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnahgARLdsU

I'm out of wings, so there will be no more wings blog entries for a while. If you're not inspired to make your own buffalo wings, there's little else that I can do for you. Seek help. Try good ole Alton Brown: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HX6q61JWR4&feature=related. I will admit, that his wing preparation is much more involved than my own (he actually steams his wings before baking them), but as always, his advice makes good sense.

Greg

-Buffalo chicken wings, in action:


-Removing the wings from the oven:


-The proper technique for Buffalo-ing your wings:


-The result of all that not-so-hard work:


-Gone in seconds:



Sunday, January 17, 2010

Thai Style Chicken Wings

More wings! Mmmm....I'm starting to notice that I have a lot of wing posts...and meals.

Greg

-Thai-style Chicken Wings

Friday, January 1, 2010

My New Hand Mixer

For those of you who don't know, I used to be the Brownie King of Glendale. How I became the King is an epic story of glory that I won't bother you with. Just take my word for it...I used to be the King...used to be...

After years away from the throne, I am formally announcing a coup to regain sovereignty over the brownie kingdom.

With a new hand mixer and brownie cookbook in hand, I've begun my re-ascension to the crown. My Aunt Maggie bought me a great hand mixer for Christmas, so I'll be trying it out today with a new brownie recipe for marbled chocolate cheesecake brownies. Mmmmm...

Nobody said regaining the crown would be easy. Admittedly, these marbled chocolate cheesecake brownies came out a little dry. IMO, the most critical part of cooking brownies is removing them from the oven at the proper time. I believe that there is an optimal cooking time for making the brownies soft, chewy and delicious...I did not take these brownies out at that time. Also, I used glass pans, which held the heat too long as well (IMO). You live and learn, so heed my warnings in the recipe below.

Eventually, I, the king, will return triumphantly. The only real question is, what type of brownie will I try to conquer next?

Greg


The mixer is used for the first time:


Special surprise feature!


-Marbled chocolate cheesecake brownies














-Recipe/Instructions:

This is the exact recipe I used, courtesy of the Blissful Brownies cookbook (http://www.amazon.com/Blissful-Brownies/dp/1405491272) given to me for Christmas by my Aunt Maggie. *Note: I'm a teacher, and the republication of this recipe is intended for educational purposes only. :P

"Brownies: 6 oz butter, 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 cup flour
Topping: 1 cup ricotta cheese, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease an 11 x 7 cake pan.

Melt the butter in a medium pan, remove from the heat, and stir in the unsweetened cocoa and sugar. Beat in the eggs, then add the flour, and stir to mix evenly. Pour into the prepared pan.

For the cheesecake mix, beat together the ricotta, sugar, and egg, then drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture over the chocolate mixture. use a metal spatula to swirl the two mixtures lightly together.

Bake for 40-45 minutes [Greg says 35-40] until just firm to the touch. Cool in the pan, then cut into squares or bars."

The amount of "cheesecake" topping made in the recipe is too much to allow "marbling." I suggest making half the amount described in the recipe. Do not use all of the topping, but use about six-8 tsp sized dollops. Otherwise, it will be more of a solid topping than a marbled one. It also makes it difficult to perform the toothpick test for moistness, so trust in your timer and intuition. Enjoy!