Pan-Browned Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Pine Nuts

1/2 pound Brussels sprouts
2 large garlic cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts

Trim Brussels sprouts and cut in half lengthwise. Slice garlic into very thin slices. In a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably well-seasoned cast iron) melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil over medium heat and cook garlic, stirring, until pale golden. Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to a small bowl. Reduce heat to low and arrange sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle sprouts with pine nuts and salt to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning, until crisp-tender and undersides are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Transfer sprouts to a plate, browned sides up. Add garlic and remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until pine nuts are more evenly pale golden, about 1 minute. Spoon mixture over sprouts and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

Zen Bistro - Daytona

I've discovered a new Thai restaurant in Daytona. It's on Bay Street, about a block up from Beach Street and across the street from another Thai restaurant, Siam Spice. Zen Bistro is a much tinier place than Siam Spice. Siam Spice has a lot more ambiance too, but Zen Bistro makes up for the "few frills" surroundings with excellent food and eager to please waitstaff. The waitstaff is on the ball. Orders are taken quickly and with a smile. (View their menu.)

So far I've tried the spice noodles (described on the menu as "stir-fried flat noodles with chop chili, garlic, bell peppers, onion, and Thai basil) and their yellow curry (menu description "yellow curry paste cooked with coconut milk, onions, and potatoes). Both times I added chicken and asked for the meals to be "hot". I don't think the same cook was working both times because I thought the spicy noodles should have been "hotter" but practically scorched my lips on the curry. It cleared my sinuses up in a flash which was rather welcome because I had a cold. I think the next time, however, I'll go with a mild hot for the curry because the hotness overwhelmed the slightly sweet taste of dish. Both times I got the lunch portions which were ample. I have not managed to make it there for a dinner, but a friend of mine took a large party there for a celebration dinner and she said they were treated like royalty and she raved about the food.

They have some curries that I don't see on every Thai menu, pineapple and pumpkin. They also have some Japanese appetizers (edamame and gyoza) and miso soup. I love dumplings so I believe the next time I stop by I'll try the gyoza for an appetizer. My main dish is still undecided but I'm leaning toward the basil sauted with chopped chilis, garlic, green beans, onion, bell pepper, and carrots. You can add chicken, pork, beef or shrimp.

Baked Pecan French Toast

Ingredients

• 1 loaf ciabatta bread (I use Publix)
• Butter for pan
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash salt
• Praline Topping, recipe follows

Directions

Slice bread into approximately 20 slices, about 1-inch thick each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. (I had to use two 13x9 pans.)

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a beater. (The original recipe said to do this with a rotary beater or a whisk, but I used the workhorse KitchendAid stand mixer I have and that worked out well.I used the low settings.) Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. (Don't forget to get the praline mixture out of the refrigerator at least thirty minutes before you plan to put the bread in your oven. It spreads much easier at room temperature. Let's just say that's a lesson learned.)

Praline Topping:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.

(This recipe was adapted from a recipe by Paula Deen.)

Pound Cake Cupcakes

I guess I can post some things I made while on my blogging hiatus.

These are soooooo good!! When you look at the ingredient list, you may think that these would be extraordinarily heavy cupcakes, but they aren't. I did use my KitchenAid mixer to mix them so that might have helped.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of flour
• 2 cups of sugar
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups softened (not melted) butter
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. (I put it all in my mixer bowl.) Add butter, milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Stir until just mixed and then up the mixer speed to medium and mix for about four minutes. Make sure to scrape down the bowl before adding your eggs. Add eggs one at time and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds after eacg egg. Once all the eggs are in the batter, mix at medium speed for one minute. Batter will be thick and fluffy.

Spoon batter into cupcake liners until half full. Don't fill them any more than that or it will get messy!! Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick, inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes completely in the cupcake pans. Makes about 40 cupcakes.

The Tentative Unofficial Xma$ Cookie List

• Black Forest crinkle cookies
• Inside out Almond Joy macaroons
• Pecan tassies
• Peanut butter biscotti
• Pecan turtle bars
• Snowballs
• Lemon bars
• Salted nut roll bars
• Peanut brittle
  
• Chocolate caramel cracker bars
• Double butter cup cookies
• Coconut macaroons
• Pecan pie squares

I feel like I'm missing some. I didn't pick my new cookie either. I was thinking about making peppermint patties, chocolate mint squares or buckeyes this year, but I don't know what direction I'll take. Any opinions or suggestions?

I miss blogging about food. I started my Masters degree in March and since then I have no time left to do much of anything. However, right now I'm taking a research class that has statistics in it. I'm completely lost with no hope of understanding so I've decided to not put much time into it. (But I have a 4.0 so far!!!!) Plus my yearly nightmare of frantic cookie baking will soon be here. Why not bitch and moan about it online? Misery should be spread around.

And next week is the Greek Festival!!! (I don't know what is up with their web page. I can't post a link.)

See last year's post and pics.

Time flies . . .

Well, Bike Week was a blast. It also was a month ago, so I'm not really sure what I've done since then. I started my master's degree in teaching technology. I got a cat, got bitten by the cat, no longer have the cat. Ummmmm . . . I know I've done more than that, but that's all that is coming to mind.

Food-wise
Judy and I ate at some chain seafood place. I wanna say the Fish Grill or something that sounds like that. I really wanna crucify the place so I'll have to get the name correct and post a scathing review. We also went to an herb festival so I picked up some mint, rosemary, a datil pepper, some catnip ( I guess I can give that away now), lemon balm, pineapple sage and some lavender.

Ooooooooh, a new gourmet deli/store, called Noah's Market, opened about 6 blocks from my place in Ormond Beach. (Don't judge them on their web site.) They have fresh cut meat, imports and microbrews, produce, about 15 different kinds of gelato, two different kinds or riceballs, cheeses, all kinds of desserts . . . I'm getting overstimulated just thinking about the place. I went in with my friend, Greg (aka Dufus), on Sunday. We got some wonderful rib eyes, tirimisu and coconut gelato, stuffed mushrooms, a Sicilian riceball, and an orzo pasta salad. The only thing that didn't thrill me was the stuffed mushrooms. The stuffing was really bready, if that's a word. Greg liked them, but he also drinks Bud Lite so I wouldn't say he necessarily has good taste. And he has been insinuating that my good taste is pretentious. I'm not pretentious. I just like expensive shit.

There is a big Italian Festival here on April 17. At least I think that's the date. Maybe I'll get drunk and make a jackass out of myself like at the Greek Festival.

BTW
While I was looking for a food snob graphic on Google, (typed in "food snob") I came across a picture of a guy screwing a rotisserie chicken. It's a sad world, isn't it?

Brunch Cakes

I hate bundt pans. I can't tell you the last time was that I managed to get a cake out of a bundt pan successfully. I made a Coffee Swirl Cake for the "booze and breakfast" or "brunch". I can use about 2/3 of the cake since the rest of it either stuck to the pan or broke away from the bottom of the cake. It's good and I'll eat it. I just can't use it for presentation, dammit.

Betty Crocker's Coffee Swirl Cake

1/4 cup instant coffee granules or crystals

1 tablespoon hot water

3 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened

2 3/4 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan with shortening; lightly flour. In small bowl, mix coffee and hot water; cool 10 minutes.

In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour mixture, milk and sour cream on low speed until blended.

Remove 1 cup of the batter; stir into cooled coffee. Pour remaining batter into pan. Drop coffee batter by about 12 tablespoonfuls onto batter in pan. Cut through batters with knife for marbled design.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan on wire rack; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool at least 1 hour 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool.

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I had better luck with the Buttermilk- Lime Tea Bread. That at least came out of the pan. Next time though, I'll double the lemon/sugar syrup.

Betty Crocker's Buttermilk- Lime Tea Bread

Oh, I'm too lazy to type this recipe right now.

Bike Week Brunch?

I'm kinda thinking about having a Bike Week brunch. I can't afford it and I should just relax, but for some reason I really want to have people over for brunch, of all things. I checked out the foodnetwork.com site and the first thing I saw was their section on brunches. I found so many brunch drink recipes. I can't wait to try them. I also picked up a magazine on brunch foods last night at Publix. Yep, I wanna do a brunch. It's such a biker thing, don'cha think?

I would have it on the first Saturday of Bike Week, but Ricky won't be here yet. My second choice would be on the second Saturday of Bike Week but that is the same day as the party I'm not going to. If I have it on that day, all sorts of accusations will be made. I don't feel like dealing with the bullshit. The first Sunday sounds like the day, but it is far from perfect since Marvin won't be here yet. But depending on how it goes, maybe I'll have TWO. Marvin could come to the second one. Notice how this started out as one brunch and now already I'm having two. I'm like a deranged tattooed Martha Stewart.

But anyhoo . . . check out some of these recipes . . .

Bloody Mary Flank Steaks

Grapefruit Margarita

Orange Cream Mimosa

Melon Juice with Champagne (or Prosecco)

Spicy Citrus Bloody Mary

Champagne Lemonade

Peach Ginger Bellini

Another Food Related Cornball Joke

Well, Girl Potato and Boy Potato had eyes for each other, and finally they got married, and had a little sweet potato, which they called 'Yam.'

Of course, they wanted the best for Yam.

When it was time, they told her about the facts of life.

They warned her about going out and getting half-baked, so she wouldn't get accidentally mashed, and get a bad name for herself like 'Hot Potato,' and end up with a bunch of Tater Tots.

Yam said not to worry, no Spud would get her into the sack and make a rotten potato out of her!

But on the other hand she wouldn't stay home and become a Couch Potato either.

She would get plenty of exercise so as not to be skinny like her Shoestring cousins.

When she went off to Europe, Mr and Mrs. Potato told Yam to watch out for the hard-boiled guys from Ireland .

And the greasy guys from France called the French Fries. And when she went out west, to watch out for the Indians so she wouldn't get scalloped.

Yam said she would stay on the straight and narrow and wouldn't associate with those high class Yukon Golds, or the ones from the other side of the tracks who advertise their trade on all the trucks that say, 'Frito Lay.'

Mr. and Mrs. Potato sent Yam to Idaho P.U. (that's Potato University) so that when she graduated she'd really be in the Chips.

But in spite of all they did for her, one-day Yam came home and announced she was going to marry Tom Brokaw.

Tom Brokaw!

Mr. and Mrs. Potato were very upset.

They told Yam she couldn't possibly marry Tom Brokaw because he's just.......

Are you ready for this?


Are you sure?

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OK! Here it is!

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A COMMON TATER

Roasted Peppers

I'm on a roasted pepper kick. I've probably roasted a dozen red bell peppers this week. I did eight today because I want to try that pepper gratin recipe that I was talking about last week. I'll peel them and slice them tomorrow. I also made pickles.

Bike Week prep - we now have a cocktail shaker. We'll need it for "Cocktail of the Day". And I got the recipe for those pineapple upside down cake shots. Mmmmmmm.

I'm a dufus

All the pics of the pig roast that were emailed to me just weren't usable. They had a lot of faces in them and I didn't feel comfortable putting them up. Oh well. But am I a dufus or what? I get invited to a food event and I don't bring my camera.

Ricky and I have something planned for the blog during Bike Week. Nobody else really cares, but we'll have fun.

Piggy

My fat pants are tight on me. It's at the point where I have to DO something so it looks like it's back to low carb. So for two weeks I can't eat cereal, pasta, fruit, potatoes, sugar . . . and on and on. There isn't too much I can eat besides meat, fish, and veggies.

So I'm sitting here trying to think of what to buy on my Sunday trip to Publix. I'm having steak on the grill for dinner. I don't know if it's gonna be salad or brussel sprouts as an accompaniment. I'm gonna grill a shitload of red peppers with the steaks. I found a recipe for a red pepper gratin and I can eat it.

I went to a pig roast last night in New Smryna with a woman I work with, Marilyn. They did the pig in a pit. (They actually killed it themselves too, but that's another story) Marilyn stuffed it with rice and pineapple. I forgot my freakin' camera and I could have gotten some great pics. They had massive amounts of food. I had baked beans with bacon, a very tasty broccoli casserole ( I have to ask for the recipe), homemade cole slaw, and so much other stuff. The dessert table wasn't too shabby either. I had something called sex cake which was delectable and another cake called a Harvey Wallbanger cake. I also tasted some smooth moonshine.

I spent a good amount of time talking to a woman who was taking pics and she said she'll email me some, so hopefully I'll have a pic of the piggy.

Lu Lu's Oceanside Grill

Judy and I stopped by on a Saturday afternoon, after a pretty crappy day. We had attended the Native American Festival at the Casements which was a big disappointment. Then we had stopped at a bar in Flagler that was filled with alcoholics. It kinda looked fun from the outside but was one of the most depressing bars I have ever been in. Everyone was shitfaced and pathetic. It was 2 p.m. I also think a swinger couple was hitting on me but I guess I could be wrong.

Lu Lu's was a great way to end a crappy day. We had a wonderful waitress. She was informative, gave suggestions, knew the menu . . . she really had her act together.

Instead of being our usual gluttonous selves, we decided to split an appetizer. We ordered the flatbread with cranberries and brie. The flatbread tasted freshly baked, but the waitress told us the restaurant ordered it from an outside source. The cranberries were tangy and went well with the brie. My only gripe is that there wasn't enough brie. It should be known that there is NEVER enough brie for me. A few shavings of brie will NEVER cut it.

I had a garden salad. All ingredients were quite fresh and I asked if the dressing was made on site. It was the creamiest, best tasting ranch I've ever had. I'm not usually a big ranch fan, preferring vinaigrettes, but for some reason, on that day, the thought of ranch dressing on cucumbers and tomatoes sounded to good to pass up.

Judy got a big ass Lu Lu burger with sweet potato fries. She wanted red meat so she got a half pound of it. It looked delectable but I opted for the Cajun kabobs. ("Large gulf shrimp and sea scallops wrapped with bacon, dusted with Cajun spices and grilled. Served with yellow rice, steamed vegetable medley and Creole mustard.") It was "wrapped in bacon" that got me. The spice blend had a lot of salt in it and that along with the saltiness of the bacon, was overkill, but the seafood itself tasted fresh and was on the large side. I substituted a baked potato for the rice.

I was hoping for a better beer selection. They had a few typical imports and the usual domestics. The drink menu looked interesting, but I was in a beer frame of mind.

Our waitress brought us two complimentary cones of mango sherbet. Judy doesn't like mangoes (what a freak) so she gave her cone to me too. That didn't stop us from ordering a Hot Blonde on the Beach (warm cookie sundae). As per the Lu Lu's web site - "Our Blonde cookie pie served hot and topped with vanilla ice cream, warm caramel and chocolate sauces, whipped cream and powdered sugar. Everybody wants one!" It kinda sounded better than it actually tasted. It was good, but it just didn't live up to that description.

I'd go back without hesitation. I'm hoping to hit it for Happy Hour and then dinner one night during Bike Week. I have a friend who is coming down and I think he'd enjoy it too.

According to their website, they also have two additional restaurants. The Swamp Restaurant in Gainesville, Florida and Stella's Skyline Cafe in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Stella's appears to have a very similar menu to that of Lu Lu's while the Swamp Restaurant's differs to a larger degree.

Farmers Market

I got up at an obnoxiously early hour and found myself driving in the rain to the Saturday farmers market off Orange Street. It was packed. they always have a nice crowd but I didn't think there would be that many people out in the rain.

I bought Honeywell oranges.



And massive quantities of strawberries.


I'm going to try a Rachel Ray recipe. I can't stand her, but the recipe sounds kinda simple and I have lots of strawberries. Stuffed roasted stawberries.

I have many large strawberries and I thought I could try this instead of dipping them in chocolate.


I also bought organic green onions. They are HUGE. I'm going to use them in a sausage casserole for dinner, since I actually managed to find shredded white cheddar in Florida. It's next to impossible to find. I cleaned out the dairy case. Why Floridians have such an aversion to white cheese . . . I'll never understand.

Baby eggplants also caught my eye. I think I am going to grill them with my steaks tomorrow.

I'll chop and freeze one red pepper and then I'll use the other in the casserole.

The only thing I didn't take a pic of are the baby red skinned potatoes. If it stays rainy and cool, I'm making clam chowder on Monday. Or maybe I should make it tomorrow for Monday. Hmmmm . . .

Sad News (Corny but I liked it)

Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71.

Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flours.

Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.

Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, two children, John Dough and Jane Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.

The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.

If this made you smile for even a brief second, please rise to the occasion and take time to pass it on and share that smile with someone else who may be having a crumby day and kneads it