Sunday, March 4, 2007

So Far So Good

Welcome to any who are just joining us. I had someone ask this week if it was okay to share this site with a friend, and the answer is yes, yes yes! The more the merrier, especially when others start sharing their recipes and menus.

I've also had questions about how you all should post your stuff. For posting your menus, just post a reply to my menu for that week and it should add yours at the bottom. To post your recipes, for now just email them to me and I'll copy and paste them into a new post on the blog. As we collect more, I might give you each your own space.

Ok, enough business. My favorite song to listen to while I cook this week is "Our Town" performed by James Taylor. It's from the Cars Soundtrack and was nominated for an academy award. It's by far my favorite song from that soundtrack. You can hear a clip here (scroll to the bottom).

I have a teaser for next week's recipes. We had some friends over for dinner tonight and they told us they were able to successfully clone the salad dressings from Cafe Rio. I begged for their recipe and they promised to deliver. So hopefully I'll be adding it next Sunday. The official names of the real-deal dressings are: creamy tomatillo house and cilantro-lime vinaigrette. My mouth is watering just thinking of them!

Have a great week everyone, and happy cooking!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm really excited to try this weeks recipes. Especially the potato soup and the Maui ckicken. I think we'll have the chicken tonight. I do have a request though for a recipe with mascarpone cheese. We got some the other day and made a orange chocolate mousse which I thought was fabulous but John remembered as he was eating his that he hates orange and chocolate together. Any ideas?

Andy said...

I'm right there with ya John.

Here are two recipes that I had copied for my cookbook, but haven't tried yet. (I thought for the Orange Liqueur I would use some orange juice.)

Raspberry Tiramisu
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

1 cup seedless raspberry jam
6 tablespoons orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
1 pound mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
28 soft ladyfingers or 2 (12-ounce) pound cakes, cut into 3 by 1 by 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 (1/2 dry pint) baskets fresh raspberries (about 3 3/4 cups total)
Confectioners' sugar, for serving

Stir the jam and 4 tablespoons of the orange liqueur in a small bowl to blend.

Combine the mascarpone and remaining 2 tablespoons of orange liqueur in a large bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Using a large rubber spatula, stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold the remaining whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.

Line the bottom of a13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish or other decorative serving dish with half of the ladyfingers. Spread half of the jam mixture over the ladyfingers. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the jam mixture, then cover with half of the fresh raspberries. Repeat layering with the remaining ladyfingers, jam mixture, mascarpone mixture and raspberries. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.

Dust with the confectioners' sugar and serve.



Creamy Topping for Angel Food Cake
(adapted from an Everyday Itallian recipe)

3/4 cup mascarpone (room temp)
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 angel food cake
unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

Using an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream in a large bowl, slowly adding powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Gently fold in 1/4 cup of the cream into the mascarpone to lighten, then fold that back into the full bowl of whipped cream.

Slice the angel food cake and place a dollop of the cream mixture on each slice. Dust with cocoa powder and serve.

Anonymous said...

We think you guys are great. Can we live in your basement? I know its not finished, but all we need is a five gallon bucket and some card board boxes.

I think we'll try the angel food recipe, that one looks the easiest..

Anonymous said...

You take such beautiful pictures on here. It looks like you have worked for a food magazine!-Robyn

Anonymous said...

Andy, now my question is are your pictures from the web or from your camera? I know your a photography lady but these look professional.
-Alie
and your web site is a great idea!!

Andy said...

I did take all of the photos here. The photo next to the Tostadas recipe is actually Gavan's dinner that night. If you click on the photo it should enlarge it. Gav took such great care to perfectly arrange everything. My plate was not so perfect - I just kind of globbed everything on and then devoured it. ha ha .