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Must-Read: Dinner At My Place

YumSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:30:49 -0700

Over the past few months, I've been testing recipes from Tyler Florence's recent cookbook: Dinner At My Place $13.57.

Although Florence has penned several other cookbooks, this one has a particularly intimate feeling because it includes his family's favorite recipes along with great menus for dinner parties.

To find out if you should add it to your cookbook collection,
read more.

Pros:

The book is divided into innovative menus and theme parties. Some examples are Crab Season, Tolan's Birthday Dinner, and Sunday Dinner. There are a wide variety of recipes in each menu, which can be easily mixed and matched.
Many of the recipes offer substitutions in case some of the ingredients are not in season or are unavailable.
The last chapter, Cheat Sheet, has over 20 basic recipes (such as creamy parmesan potato gratin, Japanese beef broth, classic French Vinaigrette) that are fast and easy staples perfect for livening up any meal.

Cons:

Tyler is the father of three children, however, I thought it was overkill to dedicate an entire chapter to baby food. Perhaps a separate book or a smaller section? After all, I'm not making puree of anything for my adult guests anytime soon.
Directions for the recipes are in paragraph format rather than number.

Recipes: There are a wide variety of recipes in each of his pre-planned menus. Here are some that caught my attention.

Garden Puree Bruschetta
Blender Béarnaise
Watermelon Nectar with Lime Salt
Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Relish
Corn Pudding with Poblano
Artichoke Fritters with Meyer Lemon Salt
Beet Cakes with Sweet Greek Yogurt
Chinese Chicken Stock
Bourbon Peach Cobbler

Imagery: There are tons of pictures, which I promise will get you salivating.

Overall Rating: This cookbook has plenty of recipes perfect for a dinner party. It's not filled with lengthy and difficult culinary challenges, but rather tasty comfort foods that an average family is sure to enjoy.

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Name That Dish!

partysugar — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 07:00:38 -0800

Below is a comforting and classic dessert. Do you know what it's called? Hint: It was Radhika's winning dish on this week's Top Chef!

Let's Dish: What Foods Do You Eat When You're Sick?

YumSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:00:47 -0700

There's a nasty cold going around the Sugar office, which makes me want to whip up a big vat of chicken noodle soup. Though honestly, chicken soup isn't something I crave when I'm sick - unless I have a stomach flu, in which case, chicken broth is basically all I can eat.

Assuming you can keep food down and you're not nursing a hangover, what comforting foods do you use to defeat a cold or get over an illness?

Source: Flickr User Robert Couse-Baker

Cheese Please! Some Comfort Foods Span Generations

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:50:15 -0700

Do you crave ice cream or feel comforted by mac and cheese? You're not alone. These classic American treats are considered comfort foods by eaters of all ages. According to a new survey by the Center for Culinary Development and Packaged Facts, certain comfort foods span generations from Baby Boomers to Generation X and Gen-Yers.

The survey of 3,700 people found that sweets top the list of comfort foods, no matter how old you are - and even more so if you're female. But there were also some interesting discrepancies in what different generations consider comforting. Keep reading

Fast & Easy Dinner: Tomato Bisque With Mozzarella Crostini

partysugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:00:09 -0800

When the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside is delightful, there's nothing I crave more than a bowl of steaming hot soup. Tomato soup is the ultimate comfort soup and this rendition is super creamy, but not loaded with fattening ingredients.

In fact, there's no cream, milk, or half-and-half in this recipe; the rich, smooth texture comes from the addition of silken tofu. Sound intriguingly scrumptious? Wait until you read the recipe, after the break.

7 Satisfying Comfort Foods

YumSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:30:59 -0800

On Winter evenings when I come home hungry, fatigued, and cold from the rain, there's nothing I crave more than nostalgic childhood favorites like pot pie, macaroni and cheese, and meatballs. I've compiled my favorite recipes, so you know where to turn if you're craving comfort at your next meal. To make these palate pleasers, read on.

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Your Political Leanings May Determine What's on Your Plate

YumSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:20:37 -0800

Everyone says that you are what you eat. But could your political party affiliation be the driver of what goes on your plate, too? That's what food trend analyst Phil Lempert (of koodie fame) is arguing. Examining 2009 data from Hunch, he found conservatives opt for "mainstream, comfort food staples," while liberals are likely to gravitate toward "international and exotic cuisines."

According to Lempert, conservatives correlated with foods like pizza, macaroni and cheese, and peanut butter and jelly for lunch, plus fried chicken, meatloaf, and steak for dinner, with Italian food being the cuisine of choice.

Liberals, on the other hand, preferred Asian: Thai and Indian for lunch, and veggie burgers and green curry for supper. His findings indicate they also tend to make more nutritionally sound choices, such as eating vegetables more often and fast food less frequently, and making dishes from scratch.

Those looking to toe the bipartisan line should stick to mutually-loved foods such as hot dogs, bacon double cheeseburgers, ice cream sans sprinkles, romaine lettuce, and salt on a margarita glass. Do these findings line up correctly with your political leanings?

Source: Flickr User thebittenword.com

Celebrity Chef Art Smith Scores New TLC Show

YumSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:30:21 -0800

NBC and Fox aren't the only channels trying to nab a piece of the cooking show pie. So is cable channel TLC. Not only does the lifestyle network boast new programming like Cake Boss and the soon-to-air BBQ Pitmasters, but the channel has just ordered eight episodes of a new 30-minute series, Craving Comfort, starring celebrity chef Art Smith.

Rather than demoing dishes in the traditional cooking show sense, Smith will travel the country in search of America's most satisfying eats. Each show will focus on one particular comfort food, such as fried chicken or apple pie. Craving Comfort will debut in late 2010.

Smith, who owns Table Fifty-Two and was Oprah Winfrey's personal chef for a decade, recently starred in the Bravo series Top Chef Masters. I think David Chang is right in saying that comfort foods will be big in 2010, and that this show will take off. Are you a big enough fan of Art Smith to tune in?

Would You Eat This Taiwanese Fried Bread Sandwich?

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:00:28 -0700

Earlier this week, a new study found that different generations have distinct ideas of foods they consider to be comforting. The same goes for various cultures. In Taiwan, this fried-bread-on-fried-bread sandwich, known as sao bing you tiao, isn't just a popular breakfast item - it's also considered the ultimate in comfort food. You tiao (literally, "oil sticks" which resemble long, savory doughnuts) are sandwiched between sao bing, a flaky, sesame seed flatbread. Together, the two make a craveworthy, if greasy sandwich with a carb content that rivals Domino's Bread Bowl Pastas. In Taiwan, they're favored with a great, big warm bowl of Chinese soymilk. Would you try one?

Turkey Meatloaf Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:00:02 -0800

All I've craved since the holidays are my favorite childhood comfort foods, but I'm trying to eat healthy, nutritious, wholesome foods. That's why turkey meatloaf is perfect for this month - it's the best of both worlds. Although meatloaf made with ground beef isn't horrible for you, these recipes, which call for lean, ground, all-breast turkey meat, are even better.

The first recipe, a low-maintenance standby, is perfect for the casual cook. If you want to take your American comfort food to another level, however, opt for the second recipe. It elevates meatloaf with a roasted red pepper sauce, as well as vegetables that are sautéed before they're mixed in for extra tenderness. See both versions when you read more.

Beginner Turkey Meatloaf
From Ellie Krieger

Ingredients

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup skim milk
1 medium onion, peeled
2 pounds ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a small bowl, stir together the oats and milk.
Thinly slice 1/4 of the onion and set aside. Finely chop the remaining onion.
In a large bowl combine the turkey, oat mixture, chopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix just until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches high. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the sliced onions.
Bake for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160ºF.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Makes 8 1-inch thick slices.

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Expert Turkey Meatloaf
From Gourmet

Ingredients

Meatloaf:
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/8-inch dice
3/4 lb cremini mushrooms, trimmed and very finely chopped in a food processor
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ketchup
1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs (from 2 slices firm white sandwich bread)
1/3 cup 1% milk
1 whole large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 1/4 lb ground turkey (mix of dark and light meat)
Special equipment: a meat thermometer or an instant-read thermometer
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:
1 small head garlic (2 inches in diameter)
1/2 lb plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 large red bell pepper (1/2 lb)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, or to taste

Directions

Make roasted red pepper tomato sauce (can be made up to 1 day ahead): Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut off and discard top quarter of garlic head and wrap remainder in foil. Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, in a foil-lined 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan and sprinkle lightly with salt. Add whole bell pepper and garlic (in foil) to pan and roast vegetables in middle of oven 1 hour.
Transfer bell pepper to a bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap, then let stand about 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel pepper, discarding stem and seeds, and transfer to a food processor or blender along with tomatoes.
Unwrap garlic and squeeze roasted cloves from skin into food processor. Add remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste, then purée sauce until smooth. Makes 3/4 cup.
Make meatloaf: Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook onion and garlic in oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Add carrot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and they are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, parsley, and 3 tablespoons ketchup, then transfer vegetables to a large bowl and cool.
Stir together bread crumbs and milk in a small bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in egg and egg white, then add to vegetables. Add turkey and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to vegetable mixture and mix well with your hands. (Mixture will be very moist.)
Form into a 9- by 5-inch oval loaf in a lightly oiled 13- by 9- by 2-inch metal baking pan and brush meatloaf evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons ketchup. Bake in middle of oven until thermometer inserted into meatloaf registers 170°F, 50 to 55 minutes. Let meatloaf stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information: 1 serving meatloaf: 230 calories and 9 grams fat. Sauce: Each 2-tablespoon serving contains about 30 calories and 1 gram fat.

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