#37 DZPII: Go to the farmer's market

I love a good farmers market, I mean who doesn't?! You get to meet local produce farmers, specialty jewelry makers, artist, even food trucks! The one near the house is on Saturday mornings, but really isn't the biggest turn out.

I love the Sunset Beach farmers market! Absolutely adore it! I've missed it ever since I moved from the area. But this last weekend I took a drive and went out to visit. I bought only strawberries & candy apples, but saw a bunch of produce, jewelry, art, kitchen towels, hand painted signs, honey, hummus, beauty products, and other home goodies. Lunch was hawaiian teriyaki and dessert was shaved ice! Ryan had a lot of fun!

#53 DZPII: Bring a bagged lunch to work for one week

#53 DZPII: Bring a bagged lunch to work for one week

 

Basically it's going to look like this all week.

And it looked like that the week before.

And the week before that. 

 

I've been trying to eat healthier and work toward my #43 Goal: Reach My Goal Weight. So I've turned to bringing in my lunch in my cute teal wrap lunch bag. Usually has my midmorning snack (grapefruit), my lunch (a salad and apple), my midafternoon snack (protein shake or veg/hummus), and then I'm all set to go home and have my lean & green dinner! 

So I'm starting my 3rd week of bringing my day meals to work. It's been tough, and I've broken down (stole some french fries from my coworker), but I've been trying to stay strong.

#26 DZP: Cook a Prime Rib Roast

#26 DZP: Cook a Prime Rib Roast

 

Now this was originally the Mr's recipe he wanted to do. So he did buy the roast and he butchered it, but he had to work late and I really didn't want this roast to go to waste. So he helped me (more like coached me) and I cooked it!

 

Using Iron Chef Michael Symon's recipe we read in our Food Network magazine, I was able to cook it and it was great! The house smelled amazing and not going to lie: I was super pleased with myself!

 

 

Prime Rib

Recipe Adapted from Michael Symon from Food Network

(Note: Total time is 4 hours, not including overnight refrigeration)

 

Ingredients:

• 1 4-bone prime rib, bones and excess fat removed and reserved
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled, smashed
• 4 ounces arugula (optional)
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Directions:

1. Liberally season the prime rib with the salt and some pepper and refrigerate overnight.
2. An hour before cooking, remove the roast from the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
4. Put the reserved ribs in a roasting pan bowed-side up (the ribs will be acting as the roasting rack). Scatter any fat and meat trimmings in the pan around the bones. Roast the bones and trimmings for about 30 minutes, or until the fat starts to render.
5. Remove the pan from the oven, put the rosemary sprigs on top of the bones, then top with the prime rib. Put the smashed garlic in the bottom of the pan with the trimmings. Baste the beef with the fat drippings and return the pan to the oven.
6. Cook for 30 minutes and then baste the roast again.
7. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and cook until the meat is medium rare (an internal temperature of 125 degrees F to 130 degrees F), about 1 hour, 15 minutes, basting the roast every 30 minutes until it is done. Keep in mind that the roast will continue to cook while resting.
8. Remove the roast from the oven and put it on a cutting board to rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Slice the prime rib to the desired thickness and garnish with the arugula and olive oil.

#5 DZP: Transform a recipe to your own - Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies

Who doesn't love a soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookie? Really, who doesn't?!

Last week I found a Paula Deen recipe called Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies. It was an awesome cookie all around. Easy to bake and definitely easy to eat. Because of the ingredients, it's like eating cake, but so very much a cookie.

So why not try LEMON! Oh Ya!

Note: the picture is not my proudest one, but they flew out the door like hot cakes, so I had to stop a coworker so I can at least take a snap shot!

Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies

Recipe Slighty Adapted from Paula Deen

Ingredients:

½ cups Butter (1 Stick), Softened/Room Temp

8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, Softened/Room Temp

1 whole Large Egg

1 teaspoon Lemon Extract (or Juice from 1 Large Lemon)

1 whole Large Lemon, Zest Grated

1 package (18.25 Oz. Size) Lemonade Flavor Cake Mix

Granulated Sugar, For Rolling

Confectioners Sugar, For Dusting

Directions:

1. Mix the cream cheese and butter until mixture is smooth. Beat in the egg, lemon extract/juice and lemon zest until combined. Add the cake mix and beat just until mixed.
2. The dough is too sticky to roll into balls, so cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 F.While that's warming up, take out covered bowl from refrigerator.
4. Place some granulated sugar into a separate bowl or plate. Scoop out dough into 1-inch to 1 1/4-inch balls. Drop each dough ball into a plate of granulated sugar and roll it in the sugar to coat completely.  
5. Place the dough balls 2″ apart on ungreased/parchment paper covered cookie sheets; flatten slightly. Bake at 350 F for 12 minutes. DO NOT overbake. Take the cookies out of the oven when they look a little underdone.
6. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes, then remove them from the pans to wire racks and cool completely.  
7. *Optional* Dust with confectioners sugar

Store the cookies in an airtight container. Makes about 2 1/2-3 dozen.

Thirsty Thursday: Strawberry Thyme Agua Fresca

 

I love strawberries, and I doubt that will ever change.

I love agua frescas too, and I doubt that will change either.

But you add THYME in the mix, and that's just pure foodie genius!

Strawberry Thyme Agua Fresca
(recipe from Matt Bites, picture from Eat Drink Pretty)

Thyme Simple Syrup

1/2 cup loosely packed thyme sprigs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 water

Bring the water and sugar to a boil and then add the thyme. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Strain and remove the thyme.

For the Drink:

4 cups of fresh or frozen strawberries with 2-4 cups of water to blend
8-10 cups of water

Puree the fruit and water in batches and then strain to remove any seeds or pulp. You can use a fine sieve or cheesecloth and you’ll want to get as much solids out of the liquid. Add the simple syrup to the strained liquid and then dilute with 8 to 10 cups of water. At this point you can adjust the sugar and water levels to your liking. Serve over plenty of ice and enjoy immediately.

My Dad's Cabbage & Sausage

Dad's Cabbage & Sausage

 

I had this practically every week growing up, and I still love it! It only takes a couple of ingredients and you have dinner done! Cooking the rice takes longer than cooking the C&S! And in my household, I still have enough left over for lunch the next day!

 

Ingredients:

1 head of green cabbage

2 packages of smoked sausage (I use Hillshire Farm's Smoked Turkey Sausages)

2 - 3 cups White rice (You can do more, it's about a cup per person, we love our rice)

Optional: Sriracha Sauce, Tapatio, any hot sauce for taste.

 

Directions:

 

 

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, cut the cabbage in quarters and cut the heart/core out. Then cut cabbage leaves into bite size portions and put into a large skillet. Wilt cabbage and make sure to stir, otherwise the bottom leaves will burn. Roughly 5 minutes.

 

 

2. Cut the sausage up into 1/4" to 1/2" slices. Add to slightly-wilted cabbage. Add salt and pepper for taste. Cover and stir every so often to make sure they don't burn. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes more.

 

 

3. Cook rice according to instructions. Serve cabbage & sausge over white rice and enjoy!

 

 

Beef Burgundy

Again, searching through America's Test Kitchen and came across this slow cooker favorite.

For Christmas, we got a new slow cooker and I've been trying to find recipes to use it. Who doesn't love coming home to a fragrant kitchen!? It took a little bit of time in the morning, but I chopped up and had all my ingredients ready the night before, so all I had to do was heat the pan!

Beef Burgundy

Ingredients

• 8 ounces bacon , chopped
• 4 pounds beef stew meat (preferably chuck)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large onion , chopped fine
• 2 carrots , peeled and chopped fine
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 1/2 cups Pinot Noir
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons Minute Tapioca
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

• 1. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate and refrigerate. Pour half of bacon fat into small bowl; set skillet with remaining bacon fat aside.

• 2. Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels. Season beef with salt and pepper; place half of beef in slow cooker insert. Heat skillet containing remaining bacon fat over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook remaining beef in single layer until deep brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer browned beef to slow cooker insert.

• 3. Add reserved bacon fat to now-empty skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and stir until beginning to brown, about 45 seconds. Transfer mixture to slow cooker insert.

• 4. Return now-empty skillet to high heat and add 1 1/2 cups wine, chicken broth, and soy sauce. Simmer, scraping up brown bits, until pan bottom is clean, about 1 minute. Transfer wine mixture to slow cooker insert.

• 5. Stir bay leaves and tapioca into slow cooker insert. Set slow cooker on low, cover, and cook until meat is fork-tender, about 9 hours.
• 6. When ready to serve, discard bay leaves and stir in reserved bacon. Bring remaining 1 cup wine to boil in large skillet over high heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir reduced wine and parsley into stew and adjust seasonings. Serve.

The Final Touch
In addition to the rich flavor of the wine, many people consider a garnish of sautéed onions and mushrooms one of the hallmarks of a great beef Burgundy. We think this little bit of last-minute kitchen work is worth the effort.

Instructions for the Garnish:
Before reducing wine in step 6, bring 2 cups frozen pearl onions, 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 cup water to boil in large skillet over high heat. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, and cook until liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add 10 ounces white mushrooms, quartered, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are browned and glazed, about 5 minutes. Stir onions and mushrooms into stew and proceed to reduce wine in now-empty skillet as directed in step 6.

#87 DZP: 3/5 Done!

Tuesday Taste Buds: Pasta E Fagioli

Found this recipe on America's Test Kitchen and fell in love! This Italian pasta and bean soup sounded so comforting and when I read the ingredients I knew I had to try. It also seemed easy to do, a plus for me!

Pasta E Fagioli

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
• 3 ounces pancetta or bacon, chopped fine
• 1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium rib celery , chopped fine (about 2/3 cup)
• 4 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 anchovy fillets , minced to paste (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with liquid
• 1 piece Parmesan cheese rind , about 5 inches by 2 inches
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans , drained and rinsed
• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Salt
• 8 ounces orzo or other small pasta
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Ground black pepper
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)

Instructions

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. *Your kitchen smells wonderful too!*

Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and anchovies; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add cheese rind and beans; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, 10 minutes.

Add chicken broth, 2 1/2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt; increase heat to high and bring to boil. Add pasta and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (refer to package instructions to better estimate pasta cooking time).

Discard cheese rind. Off heat, stir in 3 tablespoons parsley; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls; drizzle each serving with olive oil and sprinkle with a portion of remaining parsley. Serve immediately, passing grated Parmesan separately.

#87 DZP 2/5 Done!

#89 DZP: Eat at a restaurant that was featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives"

#89 DZP: Eat at a restaurant that was featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives"

Now this was as random as they come.

Story: Our good friends Vince & Shanna were going on a trip to Arizona.

I made cake pops for them, and for their trip.
Thought it would be a tasty treat for the drive out there.

Next thing I know Bebe, Petite Bebe, and I were in Chandler, Arizona... at Chino Bandinos.
(and yes, that's Ryan in the picture)

When Shanna came to pick up the cake pops, she mentioned why they were all going to Arizona: to go to a restaurant: Chino Bandinos. It's a delightful mix of Mexican & Chinese food. It was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, that's what sparked the inspiration to go and visit Arizona. And the unlimited combinations are endless.... ok, maybe not endless, but you get the idea.

I unfortunately did NOT take any pictures of my awesome combination, but I had a carnitas quesadilla with jade red chicken, jerk fried rice, and cuban black beans. Let me tell you: jerk fried rice and jade red chicken... that was my favorite! *drool*

Fun times were had and it was a great FIRST family road trip!

(Special thanks to our wonderful friends who let us come with them on their family adventure!)

Here's apart of the DDD video I found on YouTube in case you were interested:

  

Thirsty Thursday: Mint Lemon-Limeade

Mint Lemon-Limeade

Remember back when I posted the Mojitos that I said I love mint with my lime....??? Well Stylish Cuisine posted this other drink and I dubbed this my summer drink for 2012! Alex got us a mint plant earlier this month and we have our lime tree (and the neighbor's lemon tree that hangs over into our yard)... so we're SET! (Oh and doesn't that picture just make your mouth water!?)

Recipe adapted from Stylish Cuisine

For one pitcher:

2 large lemons, or enough to make 1/2 cup of lemon juice
2 limes, or enough to make 1/4 cup of lime juice
2 large sprigs of fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup superfine sugar
cold water

Make a simple syrup by putting 3/4 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of water into a small pot over medium heat. Add the mint sprigs. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the pan from the heat. Leave the mint leaves in the syrup until you are ready to use it.

Squeeze the juice from the lemons and limes over a strainer into a glass measuring cup. You should end up with 3/4 cup of juice. Strain it into a pitcher. Remove the mint from the sugar syrup and add the syrup to the pitcher. Add 7 cups of water to the pitcher and stir. Taste for sweetness. Add additional lemon juice, lime juice or sugar as necessary to suit your taste.

Pour into tall glasses filled with ice and enjoy!

Yes, thoroughly enjoy!

Tuesday Taste Buds: Two Tomato Pasta

 

Two Tomato Pasta with Mozzarella, Basil &Pine Nuts

I spotted this off Pinterest (of course) and yes, the picture was stunning but it had me drooling.

So I had to try it!

It's simple ingredients make it an easy weekday meal!

Recipe from The Italian Dish

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces of grape tomatoes
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• salt & pepper
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 10 ounces spaghetti
• 14 ounces very small tomatoes (about 8 to 10), cut into chunks
• 4 ounces mozzarella, cubed
• about 10 basil leaves, julienned

Instructions:

For the slow roasted tomatoes: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Slice grape tomatoes in half and place on baking sheet with the garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with some salt and pepper. Toss well. Bake for about two hours or until the tomatoes are reduced down and have lost a lot of their moisture.

Toast the pine nuts: Place pine nuts in a small skillet. Cook over medium high heat just for a few minutes, until lightly toasted.

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta just until al dente. Remove with tongs and place in a large serving bowl (don't drain- you want a little pasta water still on the pasta so it doesn't stick). Add the slow roasted tomatoes, the toasted pine nuts, the fresh tomatoes, the mozzarella, 4 tablespoons olive oil and the basil leaves. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss well.

#87 DZP 1/5 Done!

Thirsty Thursday: Pomegranate Berry Smoothie

Pomegranate Berry Smoothie

Recipe from Stylish Cuisine

1 cup of pomegranate juice
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup of ice cubes
honey to taste

Put all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Say "yumm!" after one sip!

Thirsty Thursday: Watermelon Punch

Watermelon Punch

Recipe from Stylish Cuisine

1 8–10-lb. seedless watermelon

3–5 limes, quartered
1/4–1/2 cup granulated sugar

If you happen to find any rogue seeds in your seedless watermelon, remove them. Purée the pulp in a blender or food processor. Strain into a large wide-mouth pitcher to catch any stray seeds that you might have missed.

Squeeze limes into pitcher, adding the rinds. Add sugar and 6–8 cups water and mix well. Adjust flavor with more sugar or limes, if you like. Add plenty of ice, then pour into tall glasses.

Little Note from Sylish Cuisine:

This recipe makes A LOT of punch, so if you’re not sure you’re going to like it, either halve or quarter the recipe. I had so much punch that I ended up making ice pops out of it because the boys weren’t drinking it fast enough. It will only keep for a day or two in the refrigerator before it starts to get that funny, overripe watermelon taste so only make as much as you think you’ll drink.

#43 DZP: Make Sushi

#43 DZP: Make Sushi!

{& we sure did!}

I went to the Japanese market and bought all the necessities for making rolls!

I only got salmon & tuna for the fish... I couldn't find real crab so we had fake crab haha!

It's fun making sushi, a little difficult to us beginners, but fun nonetheless!

Thirsty Thursday: Green Leprechaun Smoothie

Now I know most of us do NOT drink something that is green, especially a smoothie. Some of us do take wheat grass shots, or drink spinach out of their juicer... but that's not me.

I caught this recipe from Pinterest (where else right!) and it actually sounds good.... hence why I'm sharing!

Green Leprechaun
Thank you Alkaline Sisters!
Yield: 1 serving approx 10 oz

1 green apple
1/2 pink grapefruit
1/3 bunch fresh spinach
3/4 large English cucumber or one small
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger
1 stalk celery

Method: Run all ingredients through juicer, stir, test for flavor, enjoy. Garnish and make look pretty!

Tuesday Taste Buds: Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cheesecake Filling

Red Velvet Cupcakes

with Cheesecake Filling

& Cream Cheese Frosting

Pin It

Thanks to Pinterest and Sweet Little Details, I now have a wonderful new red velvet cupcake recipe! I made it for Valentine's Day and they seem to be a hit! Yeah!

"Surprise Red Velvet Cupcakes" makes 2 dozen cupcakes (and then some)

Filling
I doubled the recipe like the Jen @ Sweet Little Details Blog said she does, and I had plenty extra left over, so next time I'm going to try just the one batch.
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
8-10 ounces of white chocolate chips (I think next time I'm not going to throw these in, just the cheese)

In a small bowl, blend cream cheese, egg and sugar. Beat until smooth. Add white
chocolate chips.

Red Velvet Cake
Jen also said she used a boxed Red Velvet Cake mix, so I did too! Just prepare as normal.
If you want a recipe, click the link above... she has a recipe on her blog too.

Fill prepared pans 2/3 full and top with heaping teaspoon of filling. Bake at 350 for 20 -25 minutes.
If you choose to frost these cupcakes, cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 pounds confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream together cream cheese and butter. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, add confectioners sugar a little at a time. Once all sugar has been added increase to medium speed until frosting is creamy.

1/5 Done on #88 DZP!

#98 DZP: Julie & Julia

In 2002, Julie Powell is a young writer with an unpleasant job at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation's call center, where she answers telephone calls from victims of the September 11 attacks and members of the general public complaining about the LMDC's controversial plans for rebuilding the World Trade Center. To do something she enjoys, she decides to cook every recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961) by Julia Child in one year; Powell decides to write a blog to motivate herself and document her progress.

Woven into the story of Powell's time in Queens in the early 2000s is the story of Child's time in Paris throughout the 1950s, where she attends Le Cordon Bleu to learn French cooking and begins collaborating on a book about French cooking for American housewives. The plot highlights similarities in the women's challenges. Both women receive much support from their husbands, except when Powell's husband becomes fed up with her excessive devotion to her hobby and leaves her for a short time.

Eventually, Powell's blog is featured in a story published in The New York Times, after which her project begins to receive the attention of journalists, literary agents, publishers, and a dismissive response from Child herself. Although Child's book is rejected by Houghton Mifflin, it is accepted and published by Alfred A. Knopf. The last scene shows Powell and her husband visiting Child's kitchen at the Smithsonian Institution and Child in the same kitchen receiving a first print of her cookbook and celebrating the event with her husband.

via Wikipedia

I have to say this was such an adorable movie, and it was a shame I didn't see this back in 2009!

I watched this with my Mother, and it was a great movie to watch with my personal baking inspiration (thanks mommy!). Now after watching this movie, I want to tackle a chef/cook/baker of today and cook/bake my way through their cook book! Maybe Alton Brown's Good Eats (part 1, 2, OR 3). Or Giada De Laurentiis' Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California and learn all her Italian cooking. Or Anne Burrell's Cook Like a Rock Star. Or Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen: Cookin' for Trouble! All great books and I would love to cook a recipe a day from those Kitchen Masters. Alex and I watch plenty of Food Network and Cooking Channel, and yes indeed we "stay hungry". But now being inspired by Julie Powell's love for cooking and love for Julia Child, I want to embrace a cookbook and learn something new and maybe one day teach it to Ryan!

Iron Chef Zakarian

Ok, let me just say that I LOVE THIS SHOW!

Whew, glad I got that off my chest. See, most of America has American Idol, or the X Factor... Alex and I have Iron Chef America. And last night, the hunny and I watched the finale of Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs. He wanted Alex Guarnaschelli (second from the left), and I wanted Anne Burrell (third from the left), but when it came down to just two chefs: Chef Elizabeth Falkner & Chef Geoffrey Zakarian... sorry Elizabeth, but Geoffrey had our vote.

Both Alex and I were very excited (I was probably more nervous though) for the finale. Sunday morning I woke up and announced "OMG Iron Chef finale is TONIGHT!!! Ahhhh!!!" That's how excited (and maybe a little nerdy) I was for the finale.

It's usually taped in the DVR so when we got home after dinner, put the baby to bed and off to bed we went to watch it. It was an amazing episode, no... an AMAZING episode! The DVR couldn't fast-forward fast enough during the commercials! Chef Falkner had awesome dishes, and I'll admit, she's pretty bad ass in the kitchen. But our Chef Zakarian ROCKED it with his overall meal.

And who do you think won? Why else would I be blogging about this if it wasn't...

IRON CHEF ZAKARIAN!

When the Chairman proclaimed this Hello Kitty band-aid lover the next Iron Chef, Alex and I jumped up and down and was screaming happiness for our Chef Z! We were a tad excited that he won, just a tad *enter sarcasm*.

Don't believe me on the Hello Kitty? One of the many episode shots of him with many band-aids on (yet another reason I wanted him to win):

Congratulations Iron Chef Zakarian!

(can't wait for next Sunday's episode where he has his first battle as the newest Iron Chef!)

Ravioli With Peas and Crispy Bacon Recipe

I tried this recipe the other day and I have to say it's pretty good, if you like the ingredients for it. I was craving peas (due to veggie of choice to feed my son that night) and I found this from RealSimple.com.

Ravioli With Peas and Crispy Bacon

Serves 4 - Hands-On Time: 25m - Total Time: 25m

Ingredients:

16 to 18 ounces fresh or frozen cheese ravioli
6 slices bacon
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup grated ricotta salata

Directions:

1.Cook the ravioli according to the package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water, drain the ravioli, and return them to the pot.

2.Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Let cool, then break into pieces.

3.Add the garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

4.Add the peas and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

5.Gently mix the ravioli with the peas, reserved pasta water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with the bacon and ricotta salata.

#34 DZP: No Fast Food for a Month (Part II)

Okay, so back in January I set out to start the new year without fast food, for just a month tho. Seeing how that was difficult (craving cheeseburgers and fries sooo didn't help), Alex made the suggestion of waiting till Lent to give up the greasy goodness of fast food... and I agreed and dove into an In & Out burger with animal-style fries!

Now that Lent is on, it's not as difficult, but I still crave the stuff. But the part that I didn't think about back then is this... not only will I be fast-food-free for a month, but 40 DAYS!!! I added on extra days without even thinking about it! WTH is wrong with me!?! (Yes I know I'm not a devoted Catholic, but seeing how my baby-daddy is I'll be supportive for the cause!)

But at least Alex is suffering along with me... teamwork ya know. On top of the fast food we gave up sodas too. So lots of water (which I'm supposed to consume like 6-8 bottle waters a DAY) and juices (my favs are apple juice and cranberry-combo juices)... oh and milk!

I keep telling myself I should have given up alcohol/beer for Lent... I've gone more than 40 days without that stuff already, another 40 would have been a breeze!

Once again... wish me luck!