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Yummy Links: From Rachael Ray to Cupcake Wars

partysugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:30:33 -0700

To encourage kids to eat healthier, Rachael Ray is cooking her soft tacos for public schools in New York. - New York Daily News
Your local mixologist may be earning a lot more money than you think. - Grub Street NY
Why not make your own baby food at home?- The Epi-Log
American cheeses are gaining popularity in Europe. - Wall Street Journal
An inside look at the Food Network's new Cook or Be Cooked video game. - Eat Me Daily
El Pollo Loco responds to KFC's free chicken deal with their own free chicken promotion. - Eater
Learn how Heston Blumenthal cooks sous vide. - Serious Eats
Get a glimpse of San Francisco's recent Cupcake Wars. - Chow

Come Party With Me: Vampire Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:50:29 -0700

Halloween happens to fall on a Saturday this year which makes it an ideal night for hosting a party. But don't just throw any party, select a theme, like vampires, and use this to inspire a ghoulish bash.

Start by sending our free vampire invitations specially designed for the online invitation service, Pingg. All you have to do is fill them out and send - how easy is that?

Once you've notified your friends, you can focus on more important things, like the menu. Select an assortment of finger-licking good foods that evoke the vampire culture.

Tomato soup filled test tubes resemble the addictive vampire blood popular in the HBO series, True Blood. Stefan Salvatore, the kind bloodsucker on the CW's Vampire Diaries who loves garlic, would devour a platter of garlic and cheese crostini. Guests will feel like Buffy the Vampire Slayer when they stake steak bites with skewers and dunk them into a bloody Mary dipping sauce. Finally, spicy sriracha doused chicken wings are so hearty they'd satiate even the toughest Cullen brother's hunger. Get these festive recipes when you read more.

Vampire Blood Tomato Soup
From Food Network

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped, about 2 1/2 cups
1/2 large onion, chopped, about 1 cup
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 cups homemade vegetable broth or low-sodium canned
2 cups tomato juice
6 basil leaves, torn
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat.
Add fennel, onion, garlic, salt, fennel seed and crushed pepper, if using, and cook until vegetables soften and brown slightly, about 5 minutes.
Drain and reserve juice from the tomatoes, then crush tomatoes gently with your hands. Add the tomatoes, increase heat to high, and cook until they begin to brown slightly, about 5 minutes.
Add the reserved tomato juice, vegetable broth, tomato juice, and basil leaves. Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until vegetables are cooked through and soup reduces and thickens, about 30 minutes.
Remove pot from stove and puree the soup in batches, with an immersion, regular blender, or food processor. Stir in lemon juice and season with pepper to taste. Serve.

Serves 8.

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Garlic and Cheese Crostini
From Gourmet

Ingredients

24 (1/3-inch-thick) baguette slices (from a baguette at least
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (preferably imported)
5 large garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and brush tops with 3 tablespoons oil.
Stir together remaining tablespoon oil, cheese, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle each slice with about 1 teaspoon cheese mixture, mounding it slightly.
Bake until topping just starts to melt, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and kosher salt to taste. Serve warm.

Makes 24 hors d'oeuvres.

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Steak Bites With Bloody Mary Dipping Sauce
From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup vodka
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1 rounded tablespoon prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper
1 1/3 pounds beef sirloin cut into large bite-sized pieces, 1 by 2 inches
Steak seasoning blend or coarse salt and black pepper
6 to 8 inch bamboo skewers

Directions

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and onions and saute 5 minutes.
Add vodka and reduce by 1/2.
Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce and horseradish. Stir to combine the dipping sauce and return the sauce to a bubble. Add salt and pepper and adjust seasonings.
Heat nonstick skillet over high heat. Coat meat bites lightly in oil. Season with steak seasoning blend or salt and pepper, to taste.
Cook the meat until caramelized all over, about 2 minutes on each side.
Transfer dipping sauce to a small dish and place at the center of a serving platter. Surround the dip with meat bites and set several bamboo "stakes" or skewers along side meat.

Serves 6.

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Spicy Sriracha Chicken Wings
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

10 pounds chicken wings, split
1/4 cup coriander seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup Sriracha chile sauce
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Finely grated zest and juice of 3 limes
3 quarts vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

In a very large bowl, toss the wings with the coriander and cumin seeds, cinnamon, kosher salt and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the wings on 3 large rimmed baking sheets and roast for about 30 minutes, until firm but not cooked through. (At this point, if you don't want to fry the wings, you can roast them for 1 hour longer, until crispy and golden.)
Wash out the bowl. Add the Sriracha, butter, cilantro, lime zest and juice.
In a deep fryer or a very large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil to 375°.
Fry the wings in 4 or 5 batches until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch; drain, shaking off the excess oil. As each batch is finished, add the wings to the sauce and toss well. Transfer the wings to a platter, leaving the sauce in the bowl for the remaining batches. Serve hot.

Serves 10.

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Celebrities and Chefs Converge at New York Food Festival

YumSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:40:43 -0700

This past weekend, Food Network's famous hosts, New York's foremost chefs, and other celebrated figures came together to attend the New York City Wine and Food Festival.

The four-day event was chock-full of demos, discussions, and, of course, parties. Food Network favorite Giada De Laurentiis and actress Alicia Silverstone signed copies of their books. Former President Bill Clinton, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Rachael Ray talked about tackling childhood obesity. Everyone, including fellow network stars Guy Fieri and Giada De Laurentiis, turned out for the biggest event of the festival, Rachael Ray's Burger Bash.

Want to know who else was there - and who took top honors at the Burger Bash? Find out when you keep reading.

Rachael Ray, Ina Garten Nab Daytime Emmys

YumSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:00:22 -0700

Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, and Ina Garten took home top honors at the 36th Annual Daytime Emmys on Saturday night.

For the second year in a row, Rachael Ray won the outstanding talk-show prize for Rachael Ray, her daytime TV spot. Grill It! With Bobby Flay took home the award for best culinary program, beating out Barefoot Contessa, Giada at Home, Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie, and Simply Ming. But Ina Garten had her time to shine, too, prevailing with the award of outstanding lifestyle host for Barefoot, an honor bestowed on Giada De Laurentiis last year for her show, Everyday Italian.

But Giada De Laurentiis didn't go home empty-handed, either. Her newest project, Giada at Home, won for directing in a lifestyle program. Food Network's only Susan Lucci of the bunch? Sandra Lee, who lost both her nods - one in outstanding achievement in hairstyling and the other for makeup - to The View. Judging by her ultrapolished, Barbie-esque look at the awards, however, perhaps the Academy should reassess. Are you surprised to hear who the winners are?

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Top 10 Wackiest-Named Rachael Ray Recipes

YumSugar — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:30:32 -0700

41 years ago today, Rachael Ray was born in Glen Falls, NY. While she's probably not ringing in the year with another skydiving trip, the 30 Minute Meals and talk show star is doubtless just as campy as ever. The words she's introduced to the English language, like "yum-o" and "EVOO," may have you rolling your eyes, but American families' kitchens (and vocabularies) certainly wouldn't be the same without her. Happy 41st, Rachael - here's a salute to your corniest recipe titles.

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Amy and Meryl Take Julie and Julia to NYC

PopSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:30:11 -0700

The cast of Julie and Julia moved cross-country for the NYC premiere after hitting the red carpet in LA earlier this week. Meryl Streep went a bit more casual this time while Amy Adams took it up a notch in her floor-length gown. There were a few famous chefs out for the night, as well as Julie Powell who inspired the title character of the film. Both Yum and Buzz had the chance to interview Julie this week - read about her thoughts on the movie here and her relationship with Julia Child here.

To see a lot more photos including Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray and Sam Rockwell, just read more.

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Images include: Amy Adams, Anthony Bourdain, Chris Messina, Gayle King, Jaslene Gonzalez, Julie Powell, Katie Lee Joel, Martha Stewart, Meryl Streep, Patricia Clarkson, Rachael Ray, Sam Rockwell, Ted Allen, Stanley Tucci

Monday's Leftovers: Penne With Swordfish

YumSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:50:51 -0700

Yesterday I spent a laid-back afternoon outside, and enjoyed a meal of swordfish, hot off the grill, prepared Sicilian-style. While tonight I don't have time for open-air cooking, I'll continue my love of all plates Sicilian (and using my leftover swordfish!) with a penne avvocato. This fresh pasta toss calls for high-quality Mediterranean ingredients, like San Marzano tomatoes, anchovy fillets, capers, and basil, to build layer up on layer of flavor in under half an hour. For a dinner that requires next to no prep, keep reading

6 Simple and Yummy Doggy-Friendly Recipes

PetSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 06:00:21 -0700

The weather outside is no longer frightful, and most of us have freshened up our dinner menus with Summer salads, BBQ and seasonal veggies. If you don't want to just give your dog a bone, whip him up a meal that's decidedly more delicious than his usual bowl of kibble. Here are some of my favorite recipes for doggie vittles for inspiration.

Spinach and Eggy Apps For You (and Your Little Dog, Too)	Create Chinese "Fake-Out" For You (and Your Furry Friend)	Turkey Pot Hold-the-Pie – A Delish Dish For Dogs
Rachael Ray Scoops the Stoup for Doggies' Delight	Happy Birthday! Two Pet Cake Recipes	Doggie Tuna Casserole . . . It's What's for Dinner

Reader Recipe: Raspberry Turnovers

YumSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:00:55 -0700

One of life's pleasures is spotting a mouthwatering recipe to add to your repertoire, reading through it, and realizing you already have many of the items on the ingredient list. This was the case when I came across Syako's recipe for fruit turnovers, which transforms everyday ingredients like cream cheese, puff pastry, milk, and jam into flaky, golden pockets of nectar. Since I happen to have all of these things in my pantry at this very moment, I've decided there's no time like the present, and I'll be making these tonight! To get the recipe, read more.

Submitted by TeamSugar member Syako

Raspberry Turnovers
Every Day With Rachael Ray (adapted from her Guava Turnovers)

I adapted this from a Guava Turnover recipe in the Rachael Ray magazine. It was very easy to put together and bake, and the final product is cream-cheesy-puff-pastry delicious! Of course, in my book, anything with puff pastry will be amazing.

Ingredients

2 frozen puff-pastry sheets, thawed
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut crosswise into 8 equal slices
1/2 cup (roughly) raspberry seedless jam (or any flavor jam)
1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. On a floured work surface, set a thawed puff-pastry sheet on top and roll out the pastry to a 9-1/2-inch square; cut into 4 squares.

2. Lay 1 piece each of the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon jam diagonally in the center of each pastry square. Brush the pastry edges with some of the beaten egg; fold to enclose, forming a triangle. Pinch the edges to seal, then crimp with a fork. Brush the egg all over the top and sides. Repeat with the remaining pastry, cream cheese, and jam.

3. Arrange the turnovers on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until puffy and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, stir together the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled turnovers.

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Rachael Ray's Tips For Saving Money on Groceries

SavvySugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 07:15:56 -0700

Home cook extraordinaire Rachael Ray might not personally shop for the ingredients that go into her 30-minute meals on TV, but the gabby kitchen pro has plenty of tips for stretching your dollar at the grocery store. CNN's chief business correspondent quizzed Ray about what it takes to get more with less, and here are the highlights.

On making yourself a frozen food factory: "Stock up on lean meats and proteins, on veggies that you know your family likes and turn yourself into your own frozen food factory. Every time that chicken breast goes on sale, stock up. Go home, put it in individual storage bags, pound it out nice and thin. It's a quick defrost . . . Even with vegetables. You know, if broccoli is on a great price this week, buy a ton of it, go home, blanch it a little bit of salted water, cold shock it, put it in a plastic food storage bag, done."
On whether or not she's a fan of leftovers: "Absolutely. But I don't think they should taste like the first time. You know, I'm all for cooking a big chicken and then making chicken chili, chicken pasta."

To see her advice about how to approach grocery shopping, read more.

On planning ahead to save money: "I think you've got to go into the store armed with a good attitude . . . and with coupons. And another really simple thing: When you go grocery shopping, do not look at the price on the product. Look at the unit price. Right there on the shelf, it will tell you the price per ounce or unit of measurement. And that's how you find your truest bargains."

Source