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Yummy Link: You Ready For Top Chef 3?

YumSugar — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 10:48:39 -0700

The official start to Top Chef season 3 airs tomorrow night, but what do the upcoming contestants think of their experience so far, and are they ready to be seen by thousands of people? - They Cook. We Dish.

Yummy Links: Top Chef 4 Casting Now!

YumSugar — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:00:01 -0700

Are you watching this season's reality cooking shows and thinking to yourself, "Hey, I could do that?" Well, if you are, then pack your knives, even though season 3 just started, Top Chef 4 auditions begin soon. - via They Cook. We Dish.

Top Chef News Roundup - Season 3 is coming up!

YumSugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 11:08:00 -0700

There's a bunch of Top Chef related news going on right now - timed to go with the new season I'm sure - so I thought I'd just save some time and post them all at once, here we go!

First of all, Top Chef Season 1 winner, Harold Dieterle, opened up his restaurant Perilla this weekend. His grand opening is tonight - I want to try the Okinawa Yam Dumplings and Spicy Duck Meatballs...
Good ol' Padma (TC host) is heating things up in the current issue of Maxim magazine.
Don't forget, you can chat with Marcel (TC 2) Vigneron tonight at 7pm PT.
Remember how I said to set your tivos on June 13? Well, you better make that June 6. Bravo has a mystery Episode 300, entitled "4 Star All Star" - the first number usually means the season number so what does this sneaky 4 star all star title mean?

Bravo's launching a new site called TopChefOnline.com - they're hoping it will be a year-round destination for TC fans. It will also contain a web show called "Miami Spice" featuring Elia Aboumrad (TC2).
And finally (for now), several of our fave TC faces - Judge Tom Collichio, host Padma Lakshmi, former host Katie Lee Joel, TC 2 winner Ilan Hall and guest judge Ted Allen) - were out last night at the Bon Appetit Magazine & James Beard Foundation's Chef's Night Out. I always wonder if Katie & Padma talk to one another...

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Source: They Cook. We Dish.
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Yummy Link: Chat Live with Marcel

YumSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 06:28:19 -0700

You either love him or hate him, but now's your chance to tell him what you think. Next Monday, May 7th at 7pm Pacific Time, you'll be able to chat live with Marcel "Top Chef" Vigneron. - They Cook. We Dish.

Last Chance to Enter Our Thanksgiving Giveaway!

partysugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:16:47 -0800

From our free downloadable planner to our favorite recipes for stuffing, sides, and desserts, we're dedicating November to all things Thanksgiving. We're taking it one step further by partnering with our friends at Williams-Sonoma® to bring you the ultimate turkey day prize! There's everything you need to host the perfect Thanksgiving.

We're sending you the bird, a free-range organic Willie Bird turkey from California. Then, we're throwing in all the necessary tools for creating a juicy and flavorful roast turkey. There's a stainless steel roaster, a baster, turkey lifters, brining bags, and probe thermometer. We couldn't forget about the side dishes, so there's a kitchen timer to ensure everything cooks properly; a potato ricer is a must have for smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes; and a ruffled pie dish and Fall forest piecrust cutters are essential for picture-ready pies. All of these products form a giveaway package that's worth more than $500!

To enter to win, you must log in and take the quiz below by 1 p.m. EST on Friday, Nov. 20. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct; completing the quiz once you are logged in makes you eligible to win. You do, however, need to be a PopSugar Network member before taking the quiz. If you're not already a member, register here for an account. One quiz entry per person. See the official rules here.

Take the quiz

Top Chef Vegas: Episode 11

partysugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:00:55 -0800

After a brief hiatus with last week's Fabio-hosted reunion dinner, we went back to Vegas - and into Padma's hotel room - for this week's episode of Top Chef.

The final six chefs started things off by cooking breakfast in bed for their fearless hostess and her celebrity chef friend Nigella Lawson. For the elimination challenge, each contestant created a dish for a party, drawing inspiration from different casinos on the strip. Who was playing to win? Let's talk about it when you read more.

I love how Nigella said Eli's dish "would be" good hangover food - you know, in theory. Whose quickfire dish would you want to eat if you were hungover?
How did you feel about Nigella as a guest judge?
What casino do you think would be hardest to base a dish around?
Kevin's dish looked great, but can anyone explain what it had to do with the Mirage?
Why do you think Jennifer has seemingly lost so much of her confidence?
With all the focus on Bryan's son and family life, did you think he might get kicked off?
Isn't it odd that the remaining guys are sharing a room? Shouldn't they be able to spread out by now?
What was up with the wind in that party venue?
Are buffalo wings something you associate with New York City? What iconic NYC food would you riff on in Michael's position?
How do you feel about who won and lost?

Photo courtesy of Bravo

The Basics: Mashed Potatoes

partysugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:00:54 -0800

My mother can hardly be described as a home cook, but there are a few dishes she makes and excels at. Basic mashed potatoes are one of her specialties. When it comes to mashed potatoes, she prefers them as pure and simple as possible.

"I don't understand why people stir in garlic, herbs, and other things that make mashed potatoes taste like something other than potatoes. This recipe is for when you want mashed potatoes that taste like potatoes," she explained when teaching me the technique.

Her method is easy, but she employs a hand mixer to give the potatoes a light, pillowy, and incredibly smooth texture. Half and half is her liquid of choice, although heavy cream or milk make good substitutes. To look at the recipe, read more.

Mom's Mashed Potatoes
From Ellen Sweeney

Ingredients

4 medium-sized russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
salt
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup half and half
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Fill a large pot with cold water. Add the potatoes and season the water with salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, boiling at medium high heat, until potatoes are fork tender, 15-20 minutes.
Drain potatoes in a colander and return to the hot pot.
Add the butter. Using a hand mixer, beat the butter and potatoes to combine about 30 seconds.
Add the half and half and beat until potatoes are whipped and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Print recipe with images | without images

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Do you have an amazing Thanksgiving recipe? Please participate in our Thanksgiving recipe challenge. All you have to do is upload your recipe, an image, and a brief description to the Kitchen Goddess group. If you're lucky, we might just feature your recipe here on YumSugar!

Burning Question: What's the Difference Between Stuffing and Dressing?

YumSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:04 -0800

It's arguably the standout dish at Thanksgiving, yet at the same time shrouded in ambiguity. What's the proper way to refer to it: stuffing or dressing? Is there even a distinction?

Some believe that if it's cooked inside a roast, it should be dubbed stuffing; if it's prepared outside the bird, then the proper name for it is dressing. But go south of the Mason-Dixon line, and cooks will call it dressing, regardless of whether its preparation, citing the term "stuffing" as an unpleasant-sounding word. Likewise, northern states and New Englanders generally refer to the dish as stuffing across the board.

So, much like the soda-pop debate, whether you term that beloved side of seasoned starch and vegetables stuffing or dressing is really a matter of where you're eating. But we can all call it one thing for sure: delicious.

Got a burning question? Join the Burning Question group in the YumSugar Community! It's your place to post the most pressing questions about the culinary world.

Reader Recipe: Black Bean Tortilla Soup

Yum Community — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:50:10 -0800

This story was written by member SweetPeasMom and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community. The soup looks like it would make a wonderful cold-weather dinner. It's quick, simple, and perfect for busy weeknights. Check out her recipe when you read more

Announcing Our Thanksgiving Recipe Challenge!

partysugar — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:00:34 -0800

Calling all home cooks: Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we want you to share your tried and trusted recipes in the community. Just join the Kitchen Goddess group and go hog wild! Does your giblet gravy get rave reviews? Do people fight over the last of your sweet potato casserole? Is everyone always asking for the secret to your green beans? Now's your chance to show us what you've got. Upload your recipes along with a photo and a brief description of the dish to the Kitchen Goddess group. All month long, we'll be selecting our favorite recipes and featuring them here on YumSugar. Imagine the satisfaction you'll have on Thanksgiving dinner when you sister-in-law says, "this stuffing is the best I've ever tasted," and you coolly reply, "I know. It was featured on YumSugar. I'll send you the link to the recipe." So what are you waiting for? Start typing up those recipes now! To learn how to post recipes, check out this guide.