LookGirl in the kitchen

Back to healthy recipes!

2008-12-17T12:26:00.000-08:00

STUFFED PEPPERS
Makes 2 servings (but eaten with a side salad, could easily be 4 servings)

Adapted from a HungryGirl recipe and filled with fiber, protein, and veggies, these tasty things are all you need for dinner!

Ingredients:
2 large bell peppers (red is sweetest!)
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1.5 servings of brown rice (even though it's 2 servings, I recommend the boil-in-a-bag)
3/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tsp. chili powder (or to taste)
1/2 cup 2% shredded cheese (Mexican blend is best)

Directions:
1. Slice peppers in half and remove ribs and seeds. Place in a glass baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray, and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
2. While peppers are cooking, prepare brown rice as directed on package.
3. Cook ground turkey in a shallow skillet, seasoning with as much spiciness as you like. Mix in the chopped onion and mushrooms, and saute for a couple minutes. Take off the heat and add in the cooked rice, tomato sauce and cheese.
4. Remove peppers from oven and fill with rice and turkey mixture, top with cheese if desired (not included in nutritional info), and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Recipe of the week: Galicky mashed goodness

2008-11-25T08:39:00.000-08:00

NOLA'S MASHED RED POTATOES
4 servings

This is my favorite recipe for mashed potatoes, and it comes from one of my favorite chefs, Emeril Lagasse — and though some of the comments on the Food Network site suggests it's too garlicky, I would never say such a thing. They're delicious and a perfect addition to any table, but especially a Thanksgiving one.

Ingredients:
• 3/4 lb. small red bliss potatoes, uncoooked, quartered with skin
• 12 whole roasted garlic cloves*
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. butter
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. chopped green onion, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
In a saucepan cover unpeeled potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook just until tender — do not overcook or potatoes will be watery. Drain well, return pan with potatoes to low heat and shake to dry. Squeeze in garlic cloves, cream, butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash together with a potato masher until ingredients are combined but potatoes are still lumpy.

* Make the roasted garlic yourself, it's easy and oh so much better. Just make sure to cook the cloves long enough to really get the sugars cristalized. Yum. (My mouth's watering just thinking about it!)

A creative garnish

2008-11-25T08:27:00.000-08:00

Thanks to The Kitchn blog from Apartment Therapy, my Thanksgiving table is going to have a little something extra on it this year: carrot flowers. These really simple to make veggies make the garnish part of the dish. I'm going to add it into my soup, but it could easily make it into any casserole, stuffing or salad. Click here for step-by-step directions that really mean just an extra two minutes to your normal carrot chopping routine.

The Spice is Right

2008-11-24T15:14:00.000-08:00

As you get ready to make your pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin pie, it's probably best to check all the expiration dates on your spices. Three years is about all the potency will last (check out the chart from McCormick).

Most of the newer bottles have the dates on the packaging, but many of the older ones do not. A good tip is to go to McCormick's Web site, where they have a neat tool to help you check your spices based on a number printed on the bottom of the bottle. (That way you can toss the nutmeg from 1998...)

Happy baking!

Dress to impress aprons

2008-08-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

STAYING CLEAN IN THE KITCHEN: On the topic of fun, funky designs for the kitchen, I have to share the amazing Etsy shop, snappyshop. She sews her own aprons, and they are everything from amusing cartoonish foods to stylish vintage patterns. She even makes aprons for men, though they'd probably have to be pretty secure in their masculinity to wear them... Anyway, they are very reasonably priced, and like most Etsy stores, she could probably custom make one for you.

Fun free designs for the kitchen

2008-08-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

CHIC FOR FREE: LookGirl Entertains just blogged about this great new free designs Web site, and posted a picture of these fantastic recipe cards you can download for free and print out. I also checked out the site and found these cute ice cream recipe cards. Very vintage fun. Also, check out the mouth-watering desktop wallpapers from Nordjus and these DIY dishtowels for a bit of fun.

Healthy recipe of the week

2008-08-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

GRILLED FRUIT KABOBS
Makes 8 servings

Get outside and use the grill with this seasonal favorite — mixing and matching for the best of what's at the peak of pickability. (OK, so I just made up that word, but you get the point.)

Ingredients:
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 2 apples, cored and cut into 1" pieces
• 2 bananas, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
• 2 peaches, pitted and cut into 1" pieces
• 4 kiwi, peeled and sliced into 1" pieces
• 1 can pineapple chunks or one fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
• 16 strawberries, washed and hulled
• feel free to use other fruits, such as watermelon, grapes or plums

Directions:
1. Prepare grill.
2. In a small bowl, combine oil, sugar, lime juice, cinnamon and mint. Mix until sugar is dissolved.
3. If using soaked wooden skewers, thread alternating fruit pieces.
4. Brush kebabs with the sugar mixture then place on grill.
5. Grill kebabs for about 6-8 minutes, turning frequently until fruit starts to brown and is heated through.

Source: Public Health — Seattle & King County

Pick the waist-trimming ice cream sandwich

2008-08-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

Who says dieters have to give up chocolate cookies and ice cream — or even ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate cookies? In these dog days of summer, you don't need to break you diet in order to have a refreshing dessert. Time for another showdown:

SKINNY COW LOW FAT ICE CREAM SANDWICH
VS. SOY DREAM LIL' DREAMERS ICE CREAM SANDWICH
The Skinny Cow makes low-fat versions of your favorite ice cream treats, including several flavors of sandwiches. Soy Dream, which makes all sorts of frozen desserts, is dairy-free and contains the goodness of soy protein. But which of these frozen treats will satisfy your sweet tooth for fewer calories? WINNER: Soy Dream wins the calorie battle. Each sandwich contains a low 100 calories and only 4 grams of fat — and even an ice cream connoisseur probably couldn't tell the difference between this soy version and those made with milk. Skinny Cow's sandwich is only slightly higher in calories (140), but it also contains less fat (1.5 grams), and a surprising find: 3 grams of fiber. Whether you're watching your calories or want to consume less fat while boosting your fiber intake, the choice is yours. Both of these make healthy choices for different reasons.

Source: SparkPeople

Just One Plate, but so much more

2008-08-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

One of the owners of Just One Plate e-mailed me recently and I just got around to visiting the site, and wow, I can't believe I waited so long. The site, which is just starting up and will be greatly expanded as the months go on, takes one restaurant, one dish from that restaurant and interviews the chef with 10 questions about the inspiration. Beyond the amazing eye candy of the gorgeous photography, the recipes run the gamut of simple for the everyday chef to complex new trends in gastronomy. I am definitely going to go home and make some of these creations, namely the marinated skirt steak with avocado corn relish from Border Grill and the tuna tartar cannoli from Charlie Palmer (pictured above).

Final results

2008-06-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I do this: I always wait so long to post that I forget all the good little details. Basically, the finale came down to Richard being disappointed in himself for making mediocre dishes, Lisa surprising people with her slightly more than mediocre dishes, and Stephanie wowing everyone. Stephanie won, by the way, if you don't know by now. There was no quickfire except for a knife pull, which Stephanie won, but I'll give points to either Stephanie or Richard for this, and there was no fight.

So, there were lots of points awarded to those who participated in the last round, with bski getting the only perfect score of 25 for the season. And this put the scores really, really close. But, without further ado, the results for the season are:

Most total points:
1. David - 76
2. tie: LookGirl and LookGirl Eats - 75
4. bski - 53
5. Arielle - 33

Most week wins:
1. tie: David, LookGirl and LookGirl Eats - 4
4. bski - 3
5. tie: Arielle and Kate - 2

I guess prizes go to David, not that I really think he cares that much since I forced him into this (and the secret is that I made most of his picks for him...). I'll send something fun to LookGirl, bski, Arielle and Kate, too - mainly cause they stuck through it with me.

The big finale! (Finally!)

2008-06-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

I am going to have to say that I am glad the season's nearly done. Not that I don't like the show, but sorry guys, I am not really loving this whole blogging about it thing. I say the same thing every week. Anyway, here is a recap and the place to put in your FINAL picks for Top Chef winner.

My girl Antonia sadly got the boot. I am still not sure why because clearly Lisa should not have gotten this far and she was no better than Antonia in this round. Stephanie won her first-ever quickfire and Richard stole the show yet again. No fight broke out sadly. There was almost one, and if someone wants to argue that the final scene where Lisa has a hissy fit because nobody congratulates her, I could easily be persuaded. Somehow I pulled out a victory this week because I was the only one who chose Richard as the victor. We were all totally off, though, on most of our picks. So, Dave, LookGirl and I all have four weekly wins - I guess we're in battle for the finale.

Anyway, because this is a dual purpose post, post your picks for the finale below. I am not going to get rid of the loser on this one even though there will be two - maybe it will spread the points out a bit.

Roll your Rs for Puerto Rico

2008-06-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

WEEK 13: The chefs head down to Puerto Rico (I'm not jealous at all) to go from four to three and into the finals. I can't believe how fast the season went! What am I going to do; there's no good summer programing. I may actually have to go outside... Anyway, I can't wait to see this episode, not only for the drama, but for the dreamy locale and the exotic cuisine.

Which ballgame snack wont add extra pounds?

2008-06-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

We're well into baseball season now, and while the warm weather and ballpark lend itself to loads of calorie-filled beer, there are some better snacking choices you can make. Time for another food showdown:

LARGE HOT DOG WITH KETCHUP VS. BAG OF CRACKER JACKS
A large hot dog has about 365 calories, compared with 420 calories in just one bag of Cracker Jacks. Although the hot dog has fewer calories, it also contains more than 3 times the fat (23.5 grams), 45% of your daily limit of saturated fat, and almost 5 times the sodium (1,150 mg) compared to the caramel popcorn. SATIETY WINNER: Because the hot dog contains a combination of protein, carbohydrates and fat, it'll likely fill you up longer than a sugary snack like Cracker Jacks. But for your health, don't make either a staple of your diet

Source: SparkPeople

Healthy recipe of the week

2008-06-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

GRILLED CORN WITH LIME BUTTER
Makes 8 servings

It's the percent time of the year to get outside and get grillin'. (My favorite time of the year!)

Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp. grated lime rind
• 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
• 8 ears shucked corn
• cooking spray

Directions:
1. Prepare grill or broiler.
2. Combine butter, rind, juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Place corn on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Cook 10 minutes, turning frequently. Remove from heat and brush corn with butter mixture.

Heading into the finals

2008-06-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the delay, I was so wooried about application essays that I postponed my postings. Anyway, I watched on Wednesday, but I honestly don't really remember all the details. If I forget something or get it wrong, just let me know. I do remember the two sexy winner from previous seasons were back, plus Dale, for the judging. That was fun. Anyway, LookGirl won again this week, Picking Stephanie as the winner - she's pulling ahead, guys, we need to catch up!

Recap:
1. Spike had some amazing butchery skills in this quickfire. It was a challenge that seemed to be good for him, but like Andrew, winning first pick at ingredients didn't help him out at all.
2. Stephanie. I think she won. Right? Yeah... with the sweet breads, eww.
3. Spike. Not that I mind him going home, at all, but how in hell is Lisa going to the finals!?!
4. No fighting, everyone was happy happy except for a quick minute Lisa got touchy about the brick oven being open.

Five more to go

2008-05-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

WEEK 12: Wow, this season has flown by, week 12 already?!? Anyway, I don't think I've seen any previews, but I really wish that Anthony Bourdain would come back and judge again, he's just too funny. We're really getting down here to the wire with just five chefs left — two of which shouldn't have made it to week 6, let alone 12. But with just five left, it makes it easier for us to guess, which means more points should be awarded this week and I anticipate some rank changes.

Team Gastro

2008-05-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

Wow, this week was a complete shocker and totally predictable all at the same time. The winning team, well, duh, of course they were going to win. But for Dale to get shipped off when Lisa's still there (how?!?), that boggles my mind. Well, Dave's the clear winner this week, getting three out of the four correct - really, who could have predicted Dale to go home?

Roundup:
1. From watching the quickfire, I would have guessed that Dale was going to win this round, but surprisingly Antonia was picked as the one the restaurant's owner would hired for her line. Either way, that job would suck!

2. Well, the winning team didn't surprise me at all. I don't think the judges had a single negative thing to say about Antonia, Richard and Stephanie's team. Stephanie I think was a good choice as the overall winner because she not only cooked two or three of the team's dishes, she also decorated the restaurant and played hostess very well. You go girl! She cleans up well, too. Very pretty with the makeup and gel in her hair. (Click here for one of the winning recipes, Stephanie's handmade linguine with clams and sausage.)

3. This is where I was a little surprised. Not that I don't think Dale deserved to go home for his really bad food (butterscotch scallops? make me barf!) and his lack of leadership, but Lisa had two terrible dished and Spike didn't do a damn thing. Oh well. I still am in disbelief that either Spike or Lisa got this far.

4. Of course there was a fight, Dale was still there. Of course I may have to say no from now on, the remaining chefs are fairly well behaved. But there still is Spike and Lisa...well, maybe just one more fight's in the cards.

War time, take two

2008-05-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

WEEK 11: Sorry I'm late again with this, and this week I actually have absolutely no excuse. Anyway, I am very excited for this week's episode: it's restaurant wars week! I am hoping the food is better than wedding wars, but wouldn't be surprised if it isn't! I also can't wait for Anthony Bourdain's guest appearance; he's so disgustingly amazing that he makes me laugh.

UPDATE: DCist also informed me that local D.C. chef José Andrés will be a guest judge alongside Bourdain, yay! Read the interesting little tidbit here.

Boxed up and sent off

2008-05-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

I'm doing better today, guys, so not too much over-the-top pessimism. Last night's episode was fun and a bit surprising. I wouldn't be sad, however, if they decided to kick all three of the bottom chefs out in one shot. None of them deserve to be there anymore and they are serious drama queens! Anyway, Dave won this week by choosing Andrew to go home and predicting the fight – which was surprisingly not started by Dale this time! The only other points awarded this week went to Arielle for also banking on a brawl.

Roundup:
1. Spike somehow pulled out a win on the salad quickfire challenge with his Sensual Beef Salad. Which actually looked (pictured at left) much better than the flavor combination sounds: skirt steak, pineapple, radishes and cucumbers. With Spike's quickfire win, he was given the advantage of choosing his ingredients first at the grocery for the elimination challenge, and then the other chef's couldn't use those in their boxed meals for the coppers. You'll see why he was an ass...

2. Spike chose bread, tomatoes, lettuce and chicken as his ingredients, hoping to screw everyone. Nobody really seemed phased by this at all, and in fact, the person who got around it the best actually won. Dale, who wanted to do lettuce wraps, decided to use cabbage instead, and it came out wonderfully. He made Lemongrass Mango Bison Wraps (recipe here) that I actually would want to try to make at home. Plus, bison is half the fat of beef and, if cooked properly, can be very tender.

3. Spike, with his attitude and trying to trip-up everyone, came out near the bottom on the challenge because he didn't use his tomatoes, lettuce and bread well; he just threw them on the plate, practically. But it was Andrew, who didn't follow the directions in a few different ways, and made a bad-tasting dish to boot, that was, well, the one booted. I have to say, those little sushi rolls didn't really look appetizing (see right).

4. Like I said, Dale didn't start the fight, but the drama between Lisa and Andrew was quite hilarious. Andrew might need to get a psych eval at some point; he's a little nuts.

Is that Spike guy still on the show? He's next

2008-05-13T15:47:00.000-07:00

WEEK 10: It's on now that the weakest link (aka Nikki) is gone. Now it's anyone's game to screw up. I am looking forward to seeing what disasters will be produced this week. Sorry for the pessimism guys, I am still in a lot of pain and just want to crawl under the sheets...

The ultimate week: No more Nikki!

2008-05-12T08:50:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys, I got my wisdom teeth out Thursday morning and had a sinus infection on top of it, so I was pretty much in bed the whole weekend and am just getting to this, and I am going to be honest and say it's going to be a lame attempt to catch up since I am still real out of it...
LookGirl and I both won this week with a total sweep of all 25 points. Go us!

Show results:
3. I just really wanted to skip to this one because, well, I have been waiting for this since the first episode: Nikki is finally auf'd (wait, wrong show, but it just sounds right...)! She was so lame this week, not wanting to take the lead when she is known for her Italian cooking and has a history of catering. The food just looked so bad, I am glad that I wasn't on the groom's side.

1. This week was a team challenge relay race — one of my favorites from last season, actually, but it didn't stand up this time — with Richard, Stephanie, Andrew and Antonia on the winning team. I have to say, the past season's onion chopping was way more interesting than than this season's artichoke "cleaning" (is that the right word?). It was really funny to see Nikki fail so miserably at the mayonaisse whipping.

2. Who has won like half of the challenges so far? Richard. Who won this week? Richard. Just keep guessing he'll win and you'll just keep raking in the points. (Here for the winning recipe.)

4. I am going to say there was a fight even though it wasn't all out yelling, there was a ton of hostility and something did get punched. Plus there was a ton of yelling and blaming and finger pointing.

Wedding week, different channel

2008-05-06T14:44:00.000-07:00

WEEK 9: Who can pull out the long hours and big-scale catering needed for what seems to be an extension of Food Network's Wedding Week?

Half way there

2008-05-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

So, this week was a fun challenge. I am glad to see my gal Antonia, who I've liked since day one, pull ahead this week with a double victory. It put Richard back a few steps (though he was TOO cute working with the kids and how he said he wanted to go home and make babies!) Anyway, with Antonia's wins and Mark's loss, both bski and Arielle stole the show this week, but with bski pulling away with the lead. This changed the whole game, folks. (Check the side bar for tallies.)

1. I think it was funny they had to use the Uncle Ben's microwave rice. I love the brown rice and plain white rice, unseasoned, but the other varieties are SO loaded with salt. I'm sure a lot of them didn't realize — they had never cooked with that stuff before — and I saw them adding a pinch of salt here and a pinch there. Talk about over seasoned! But I did like Antonia's win: a simple salad with rice (pictured at left), something I've never tried before, but I think I'd like to. Spike's stuffed peppers also looked mighty good.

2. The winner here was unsurprising since the challenge is Antonia's home life. Cooking on a budget for a family is what she does, so her stir-fried veggies and whole wheat pasta was a given winner (here's the recipe, pictured above). Spike's spaghetti also looked like a big hit, and it seemed like they both got the idea of fun food for kids with healthy ingredients. Fresh produce isn't that expensive and it's really so important to incorporate into your diet. Though $10 at Whole Paycheck doesn't really go very far...

3. Mark finally bit the dust. I really liked his personality and he seems like fun, but he should have gone home already — probably tailgating week when he was dropping his stuff left and right. This week he tried a curry for a family of four — most people not liking curry so much. He also said he didn't need protein, which is inappropriate when you are preparing meals for kids. Plus it looked like a pile of poo (see at right).

4. No fight, again. I think I may have been jaded because they were fighting like crazy on that dumb dance show with Jessie Spano.

Elite Eight

2008-04-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is really late, I kind of forgot about it all...
WEEK 8: We're at the halfway point, getting down to eight contestants by the end of tonight. But who will remain and who will have to "pack up their knives and go?"

Carryall

2008-04-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

A BAKER'S NEW BEST FRIEND: How many times have you made brownies for someone's birthday at work and they're a squished mess by the time you get to your cubicle? Or made cupcakes for a bakesale and the frosting looks anything but appetizing? Well, Bakers Sto 'n Go has attempted to solve that, and I think they're on to something! With more than 10 groves to adjust the shelves to any height, you can take virtually any combination of treats on the road. And the all-plastic design makes it easy to wash, easy to store (the handle comes off for flat storage) and hard to break.

Week 7: All about the improv

2008-04-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

Well, we've lost a lot of our players, so it seems. But it allows those who are playing to catch up. LookGirl has come within one point of my lead by getting 9 points last night for picking Richard as the quickfire winner and there not being a fight. Dave and bski also picked up 3 points each, keeping them in the game.

On to the week's recap:
1. Richard seems to be sweeping this one. All the guest judges love that he comes up with these unique ideas (banana scallops), and they don't even know he does this every week. A lot of those desserts looked mighty good, though, and I'm not even a sweets person!

2. Dale and Richard are the two to beat this season, so it seems. The two are on a roll, kicking out victories left and right! They work amazingly well together and come up with really unique dishes. I am actually jealous of the judges on this one, the Tofu Steak actually looked and sounded amazing. I may just have to try this one at home. I actually wouldn't mind having the recipe for Spike and Andrew's squash and vanilla soup, either. That looked mighty good, as well.

3. Tonight's loser was a bit of a shocker since she's no way the worst chef left: Jen. Though the dish does look disgusting and it was her fault they included the gross bread — which is really what caused them to lose.

4. Fight? No, sadly. I like it when they fight, it bring the drama.

10 fingers

2008-04-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

WEEK SEVEN: (Wow, we're at week 7 already?!?) Like the previews showed: No equipment means they have to go old school on next week's Polish sausage challenge, and it seems some of them can't handle it. Looks like it could be one of the more interesting episodes so far.

Automatic brewster

2008-04-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

THE PERFECT POT?: Both Hostess With The Mostess and O Magazine featured the new super-chic-looking teapot from eco-conscious company The TeaSpot. It's the world’s first Automatic Teapot, which sounds great, but I've heard mixed reviews (like this one from Tea Party Girl). The teapot supposedly has an integrated timer that you can set for the type of tea you want — black, green, or herbal — and then it automatically removes the loose leaves from the water at the correct time so you always end up with a perfectly steeped pot of tea. It sounds great, right? But what actually happens? While I was checking it all out, however, I came across The TeaSpot's line of Steeping Cups and Steeping Mugs in all sorts of fun colors, and I really think this is the better deal and I would assume these actually work. Has anybody tried these products and have a word to add?

Week six: Surprise, surprise

2008-04-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

Arielle was the clear winner here, getting the only points of the week with Ryan as the loser. His loosing totally shocked me, so I don't know how she made the pick! I am too lazy right now to do a total recap of the scores, but I'll do it tomorrow.

Recap:
1. The quickfire was after my own heart, a beer-centric battle. Some of the dishes looked amazing, some I wouldn't touch. Jennifer pulled this one out to prove something after Zoi went home last week. But it my mind she was never the one who had something to prove; she's clearly the better cook of the couple.

2. I love tailgating almost as much as I love the simplicity of tailgating comfort food. Give me a good, well-cooked burger or funky take on a potato salad any day. Dale was the clear winner here with his tandori pork ribs, and I'm happy for him because he seems like a true Bears fan (even though his idols seemed to not give him a second thought...).

3. Every week I get my hopes up because Nikki proves how bad she is, but it's like Ricky from "Project Runway," and she just wont go away! Ryan surprisingly went home for having a dish that wasn't tailgating food: too hard to eat, too pompous. Marc also surprised me by being so sloppy — I mean eating off a spoon you're serving with is just wrong!

4. There was some trash talking, but I didn't see any fighting. I am going to be honest, though, and say I missed the very bigging and the very end... Let me know if I am wrong here and I'll try to catch the episode again sometime this week.

Next week: No equipment means they have to go old school on next week's Polish sausage challenge, and it seems some of them can't handle it (Andrew?).

The odd man out

2008-04-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

WEEK SIX: Now we're really getting down to the chefs and not the home cooks! I am looking forward to Nikki, Lisa, Ryan and Spike to go home next so we can see some real good cooking being done. Speaking of Spike, for any of you readers in the Washington area, he's opening a restaurant on Capitol Hill in May called Good Stuff Eatery, featuring hamburgers, fries and milkshakes. Anyway, same questions, same rules this week.

Bacon wins 5 days in Italy

2008-04-10T07:34:00.001-07:00

We're getting our numbers back up, yay! So, there was a three-way tie this week with Dave, Doria and Kate getting 9 points total for picking Zoi to go home (finally!) and "predicting" the fight. Even though I am still in the lead for total points for the season, it is only by a few. Maybe after next week I'll post all the scores for everyone to see that I'm not cheating! And for overall number of wins: Kate, Dave and I each have two now, and everyone else who has ever played has one.

On to the results...
1. Antonia rocked this one. I am so glad that she finally is getting to show her stuff a little bit, and though her team totally bombed the elimination challenge, it wasn't her fault at all. (Even though Spike blamed her completely!) I was also glad to see that Dale got shot down on the caviar this round; his ego is really getting to me.

2. So if cooking bacon wins you a five-day trip to Italy, get me on Top Chef! Lisa won this one, though complaining and screeching the whole time, because she stood up for what she wanted and I totally have to give her props for that one. Dale's deviled egg idea was terrible and she knew she wanted to do a East-meets-West dish that showcased her skills and the guest judge's palate. I really had to laugh at Gail's comment that bacon adds to any dish, I have a coworker that says the same thing! And the funny thing is that in the dish, Grilled Shrimp with Pickled Chili Salad (shown above and here's the recipe), the bacon was just a side thought. Dale was sure pissed that she won for it!

3. I don't even have to say anything here. Zoi went home after three weeks being in the bottom and you know what, she deserved it even if her girlfriend didn't like it! Bland mushrooms with overpowering rosemary — I don't think I can imagine anything more disgusting! (Pictured at right...) I do have to say that I am also glad to see that Richard's ego was knocked down a couple pegs, though.

4. Of course there was a fight. We all saw it in the previews and I gave everyone a heads up last week. It was three points for everyone.

The tasty Splenda alternative

2008-04-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing about this "Agave Nectar" thing now for a while, and while I was slightly intrigued because I'm obsessed with anything that's a sugar substitute, I was baffled by it. I recently came across a recipe for vegan cupcakes that I was just going to quickly delete (vegan = disgusting in my mind, sorry!), but I read further as I saw that is was made with low-glycemic agave nectar. Anyway, while this recipe didn't really get me too excited, I decided to seek out other such nectar options and see how to actually use the liquid. Here are some great tips I found along the way:

In recipes, use about 1/3 cup of agave nectar for every 1 cup of sugar. For baking, it's not recommended that all sugar is replaced — for most cakes, half the sugar can be replaced; brownies, half; fruit bars, two-thirds; gingersnaps, one-third.
When substituting this sweetener in recipes, reduce your liquid slightly, sometimes as much as 1/3 less.
First mix the agave with the fat or liquid in the recipe. If this is not done, a soggy later will form on the top of the baked product.
Reduce your oven temperature by 25 degrees when using the nectar in exchange for sugar in recipes.

Good sites to check out for recipes: Blue Agave Nectar and Sweet Savvy

UPDATE: Hostess with the Mostess posted this delicious cocktail recipe featuring agave nectar. I am so going to try it!

The dirty dozen

2008-04-07T11:26:00.000-07:00

WEEK FIVE: People seem to like the new question four — Will a verbal fight break out between the contestants? — so we're going to keep it for now. And we're at the same point structure as always, giving only 3 points to that correct answer (and I expect you to all have it correct this week :) ) I haven't gotten any e-mails, so I am assuming everyone is able to comment, even though y'all slacked big time last week. Just in case you do have problems or want to contact me for any other reason, the e-mail is LookGirlBlog@gmail.com. And as I say each week, it is still anyone's game as there are very few points awarded so far.

Equal play

2008-04-03T19:49:00.000-07:00

The repeating Iron Chef America episode this week is from a couple years back, and I have to say, is now (I'd never seen it before) one of my all-time favorites. Each of the chefs get their own mixologist who created a cocktail for each course. And they looked yummy! Anyway, the reason I bring this up now, is that Iron Chef Batali's mixologist was Tony Abou-Ganim, who I interviewed a couple years back — probably right around the taping of this episode, and I didn't even know about it! Tony, among owning his own bar and touring the world teaching his skills, is also the mixologist for Equal, which is how I came to interview him. You're probably wondering why Equal has a "modern mixologist" on payroll, as did I, but surprisingly, you can make a lot of great cocktails using the powder filled packets. My favorite, and the one Tony made for me:

MIXED BERRY MOJITO
Ingredients:
8-12 fresh mint leaves
3-4 fresh blackberries
3-4 fresh blueberries
3-4 fresh red raspberries
1/8 cup lime juice
2-4 teaspons Equal Spoonful or 1-2 packets Equal sweetener
1/4 cup soda water
1/4 cup light rum
1 mint sprig

Directions:
1. Carefully press mint leaves into the bottom of the glass with the back of a wooden spoon to release their oils (do not tear leaves).
2. Mix mint, crushed wild berries, lime juice and Equal in a highball glass.
3. Fill glass with crushed ice (cubed ice will not work).
4. Stir well until the ice is reduced by 1/3 and then top with more crushed ice, stirring until the glass begins to frost on the outside.
5. Pour in rum and soda water and stir again. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Healthy recipe of the week

2008-04-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TACO CHILI
Makes 14 servings

I actually decided to add this today because I made it this morning to have for dinner tonight. I just love my slow cooker: Dinner's waiting when I get home and it makes the house smell simply amazing. This recipe is beyond simple and the end result is so delicious. I make a couple substitutions because I hate anything too salty, which Mexican food can easily become.

Ingredients:
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 16-oz can black beans
• 1 16-oz can kidney beans
• 1 16-oz can corn drained (or bag of frozen for less salt)
• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce (I use no salt added)
• 2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
• 1 1.25-oz packet taco seasoning (I use the 33% less salt, and then only half the packet)
• 1-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
1. Combine everything in the slow cooker except the chicken, stir.
2. Lay the chicken breasts on top and cover.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (recommended) or high for 3-4 hours.
4. 30 minutes before you serve it, shred the chicken and mix all ingredients.
5. Serve either in a bowl with a bit of cheese and sour cream, or with tortilla shells or chips.

Week 4 results: All about the skill

2008-04-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

Wow, going from last place to first in one week, I soared ahead by choosing Richard as the winner and the contestants not fighting. Though with 25 points up for grabs each week, my now total of 19 for the season really doesn't put me too far into the lead. Although, if people keep skipping weeks, it doesn't really help them (Ahem, Julia and prettypants namely since they are still in a tie for second place with LookGirl even though they didn't play this week.)

Also, LookGirl thought it would be a good idea to give everyone who tied in the first week a win, I could go either way, so I'm going for it and as an update from last week: I have two wins and everyone else who has been playing has one win. Basically, long story short on all of this, it's still an open game, so get all your friends to join. And on to the results...

1. The quickfire challenge this week was actually kind of fun and really showcased who the real, trained chefs are and definitely separated the winners from the losers here. They had to prepare a vegetable platter showcasing at least three different techniques and I do have to say, so of them looked delicious. Dale won this one with a vegetable sushimi plate (pictured at left), but with Richard right on his tail (though the guest judge was his former employer...)

2. The elimination challenge was an odd one, with teams of two (and in the case of Andrew, Richard and Dale, three) creating one course in a 6-course meal with each a different movie theme. The movies in general were pretty lame, but latter group pulled it out, even with their terribly odd smoking technique, with "Willy Wonka" and their creative way of combining ingredients you wouldn't normally put together — aka. white chocolate and wasabi, which Zoi said couldn't taste good. Um, she was wrong! (pictured at top with recipe here)

3. Zoi almost got sent home again, and I really wish she would just go home. This time, Manuel unfortunately got the ax — though I don't think it was really his fault and Spike should have been the one to take responsibility here for the Vietnamese dish (pictured at right), Manuel was not ever really a standout chef and would have gone home sooner rather than later anyway.

4. Glad we switched out the question since Gail wasn't on again. But there was no fight. We do see in the previews for next week that there is an all-out screaming match and even tears, so anyone who gets this wrong we know clearly doesn't read this!

Food fever

2008-04-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

Forget "Top Chef," if you want real drama (not really, keep doing the league!), but do check out "Hell's Kitchen," which has started it's third season on Fox. Chef Gordon Ramsay's kitchenside manner isn't for the faint of heart, as he regularly belittles and berates the chefs in his kitchen vying for the top prize. There's no playing with weird ingredients or conversations about the subtleties of the dishes. It's all straight-forward cooking classic dishes during a dinner rush. It's definitely a pressure cooker, complete with crying, cursing and week after week of brutal cuts. Rating: two knives up!

Style on the go

2008-04-02T18:03:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows by now that plastic bottles of water are bad for the environment and possibly bad for you. Reusing them over and over to try to help the environment isn't a good solution, because there's some scientific evidence to suggest that the chemicals in the plastic bottles seep into the water over time. So what's a girl to do if she wants to stay hydrated? We love this bluebird and trees carafe. At one liter it's plenty big enough to get you through your day, and it's totally cute to boot.

The unlucky No. 13

2008-04-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

WEEK FOUR: Sorry again for the late post, but I've actually been working. Surprising, I know. On to this week... There is a new question four for everyone since Gail is not guaranteed to be on the show this season (we are keeping the same point structure as we've been doing): Will a verbal fight break out between two of the contestants. I know this is an answer could be debatable, but we'll face that when we come across it. Also, I know there were some issues last week with posting comments, so if you do have a problem, just e-mail LookGirlBlog@gmail.com and I can hopefully fix the problem and/or post your answers. Still anyone's game as there are very few points awarded so far.

Week 3 results: Throwing daggers

2008-03-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

We totally need a new question four, but nobody's giving me any suggestions. If I don't hear anything by next Monday, I'll just make up a new one and I don't want any complaints from the gallery. Also, I was informed that there was an issue with posting comments, so if you have that problem again, just e-mail LookGirlBlog@gmail.com and I can hopefully fix the problem.

On to the results. This week the only person who got points was Kate for getting the loser correct, Erik. The chef field is narrowing, though, so I think we'll get some better guesses in the coming weeks. So, Julia and Kate each have one week-win and LookGirl, Julia and prettypants are all tied for first place in overall points (but everyone is very close on their heels since not many points have been awarded total). And, I'm basically in last place...

1. I am going to be honest and I missed the beginning of the episode because, get this, I was out for a run — surprising I know. (I felt I had to burn off some of the duck, lamb and yummy cherry-inspired desserts and cocktails I indulged on at yesterday's press dinner!) I came in right as they were announcing Richard as the winner of the quickfire (at left). I checked out bravotv.com to get a bit of an update and am sad to have missed the taco (yum!) challenge, but I'll catch the show on one of its 50 repeats this week.

2. This one I totally thought the Blue Team had an advantage from the very beginning, despite Nikki's complete ignorance of food. All the food the Red Team made, however, seemed so much yummier — and even the neighborhood thought so. But to that end, Stephanie's dessert, Mixed Fruit with Oatmeal-Pine Nut Crumble (pictured above), was the winner, along with her help on the lavender-infused soda.

3. I swear I thought the judges were going to throw Andrew off just for his rant at the Judges' Table, saying he refused to go home because they deserved to win! I was a little sad to see Erik leave, especially since his infraction I don't think was as bad as others (his soggy corndogs are at right), but he really took it well and knew that it wouldn't impact his future as an amazing executive chef.

4. Gail wasn't on this week to complain, so I didn't award any points here. I will come up with a new question.

Narrowing the field

2008-03-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

WEEK THREE: Sorry for the late post, I've been out of town. Anyway, week three is the same rules and point structure as we've been doing, though I did ask for suggestions last week for a new fourth question, and nobody offered up anything... I'm still open to ideas. I haven't seen any previews, so I don't know what to expect this week, but if you need to still catch up from last week, here's my overview. It was all over the place, so I have no clue what this week holds for us! As always, my picks are below.

Week 2 winners

2008-03-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

We have a winner this week: Julia! With 9 points total for getting Mark right on the quickfire and saying no to Gail, Julia won this one, with Rachel and prettypants both coming in at 3 points. Since both of the latter won 6 point in the first week, they are tied with Julia for top overall points.

And on to the show's results:
1. Quickfire — Mark won this 5-ingredient round with his sirloin steak paired with the contrast of turnips and peaches (pictured at left) Though, I think it was just his sideburns that gave him the victory. My favorite part of the round, however, was Richard's total disappointment that his fellow molecular gastronomist didn't love him. They "play in the same sandbox" but didn't share the same vision this week. Richard's a good chef, but it made him swallow some pride a bit and pocket the ego.
2. Winner — A surprise to just about everybody, Andrew pulled ahead with his creativity and execution of jellied glacier and squid ceviche (pictured above, and here's the recipe). I think he has ADHD, however, as he looked like he was having a panic attack at the judge's table.
3. Loser — Valerie brought her whole team down with her soggy pancakes, or blinis or whatever they were (pictured at right, but they look better there than they did on the show). They looked positively unedible ‚ just like the mushrooms from Nikki/Dale.
4. Gail — She was on this week, but didn't really shine in all her usual glory. She didn't complain about anything being undercooked, especially since most things this week were overcooked or cold. Chef Tom did complain about one item undercooked, but alas, that wasn't the question. I may change this since Gail wont be on every week. Any suggestions for a different random question?

Healthy recipe of the week

2008-03-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

Inspired by LookGirl fashion's fabulous homemade pizzas at the Project Runway finale party, I am posting this yummy pizza recipe. (It's a long recipe, but is easy and has really easy substitutions.)

VEGGIE PIZZA ON
WHOLE WHEAT CRUST
Makes 16 servings

Ingredients for dough:
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 2.5 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. yeast

Ingredients for pizza:
• 1 can (Unico Garlic & Basil) Pizza Sauce (7.5 fl. oz.)
• 1/2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Black Pepper to taste
• 55g Onions, chopped
• 185g Red Bell Peppers, chopped
• 6 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 165g Mushrooms, sliced
• 140g Spinach, fresh, torn
• 175g Red Ripe Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 170g Black Olives, sliced
• 120g Feta Cheese, crumbled
• 200g (2 cups) Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• 1 tbsp. Canola Oil

Directions for dough:
1. Combine all the dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Prepare this according to the yeast you're using (instant or active, but I used instant so I could just combine everything together).
2. Knead the dough on a floured surface for a few minutes. Add small amounts of flour as you knead if it's extremely sticky, but otherwise let it be.
3. Place the kneaded ball of dough back into your mixing bowl, which you should coat with oil so it doesn't stick.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm environment for 60 to 90 minutes.
5. Roll the dough out onto an oiled cookie sheet (this recipe makes enough dough for ONE large cookie sheet sized pizza) and let rise for an additional 10 minutes.

Directions for pizza:
1. Pre-heat oven (375F).
2. Sauté all the vegetables for a few minutes (except the spinach and tomatoes) in the 1/2 tbsp. of olive oil with a bit of black pepper.
3. Add the tomatoes and spinach, and sauté for a minute or two more, until the spinach wilts a bit. Remove vegetables from the heat.
4. Onto the layering: Spread the can of pizza sauce on the prepared pizza dough. Top with a bit of the shredded mozzarella cheese then evenly spread the sauteed vegetables. Spread the black olives over the crust then crumble the feta on with the remaining mozzarella.
5. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 11 to 13 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, let stand a few minutes, and slice into 16 equal pieces.

Bakers sale

2008-03-19T13:24:00.001-07:00

For the bakers out there, these decorating pastes are half off at Williams-Sonoma (down to just $6.99), as are several types of spatulas. There are some other fun items to check out, like aprons and baking pans, and all the Easter stuff is on sale, too.

Making an impression

2008-03-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

I uncovered this photo while cleaning out my desktop folders this morning and unfortunately I have no clue where I ever got it from, but the idea is fantastic. Personally, I don't like mushrooms (it's something about that slimy fungus thing), but it's so cute that I may just touch one long enough to slice it up for these sandwiches. Perfect for entertaining, what a great way to jazz up a simple grilled cheese or, well, anything grilled or griddled. You could even do it on smaller, tea-sized sandwiches. Too cute.

15 and counting

2008-03-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

WEEK TWO: Now that we've at least seen one episode and know the "characters" a bit maybe this week the picks will go better. (If you didn't see it, get my overview here.) Same rules and point structure as last week. My picks are below... (P.S. Is it just me, or are you getting Andrew and Spike mixed up a bit? They look too similar!)

A not-so-sticky situation

2008-03-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Daily Candy for letting me know about this new single-use, no-mess honey from Honibe. I am personally a huge fan of single-use products (I know, I know, the extra packaging is bad for the environment), it keeps things fresh longer, keeps you to a single serving and is great for on-the-go, which is the epitome of my life. I am really excited to buy this, and it's not really even very pricey at 20 servings for $11.99. I just wish the blueberry flavor came in this form...

"After searching the world (literally) for nonmessy, all-natural, pure honey to no avail, a young gent decided to make it himself. And the Honibe brand was born.

Each one is made of 100 percent pure dried honey without any additives or binding agents. You simply drop it in tea or coffee, stir, and enjoy the sweetness. If you like lemon in your libation, opt for the Honey Drop with lemon (of the pure variety, of course). Each one is individually packaged, so you can carry them without risking an explosion of goop in your bag."

Week one results, it's quite random

2008-03-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

And this week's winner is ... everybody. All seven entrants got six points for having chosen one of the quickfire winners and nobody chose the winner or loser. Basically, it's still completely anyone's game and we'd love to have more people next week when we're off to the zoo!

1. Quickfire — Since eight people "won" the deep-dish quickfire, I gave points to have everyone who chose, in no particular order: Richard, Mark, Antonia, Erik, Jennifer, Ryan, Spike and Dale. (Richard's tribute to the Georgia peach is pictured.)
2. Winner — Stephanie with a modern take on duck a la orange (Pictured)
3. Loser — Nimma and her salty shrimp scampi (Pictured below)
4. Gail complain? — She wasn't even on today, Anthony Bourdain had her seat. But either way, nobody undercooked anything, most was overcooked. No points awarded.

MY THOUGHTS: This could be a fun season. The previews show lots of fighting and some interesting challenges, and there are some crazy attitudes. Nimma's attitude was really annoying from the get-go, so I'm not sad to see her go. And, reading the bios, I was excited for Andrew, and now I feel like he's just there for entertainment purposes; half funny and half obnoxious. (Who doesn't know that mayonnaise is oil and eggs? Remember that elementary school science project?) Richard could be great or get too into his own ego — remember everyone's favorite Season 1 sommelier, Stephen? And I can't wait to see what we get from Antonia, Stephanie and Spike, my picks for the finale.

Souffle, good and light

2008-03-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

In honor of Erik's near downfall tonight (sorry for the spoiler for those who haven't watched yet), I decided to post my favorite souffle recipe, which is fairly easy as far as souffles go, from Paula Dean, a woman who knows high-calorie cookin' (I know it looks long, but it's easy, I promise.):

CHOCOLATE ORANGE LIQUEUR SOUFFLE WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE
8-10 servings

6 tbsp. (3/4 stick) butter, divided
1/2 cup sugar
5 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp. orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
2 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, melted
3 (1-ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, melted
1/4 tsp. salt
5 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
7 egg whites
Chocolate Sauce, recipe follows

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Coat the bottom and sides of a 2 1/2 quart souffle dish with 2 tablespoons butter, sprinkle bottom and sides evenly with 1/2 cup sugar. Tap out excess sugar; reserve sugar for later use.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Stir in flour and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to bubble. Add milk, orange liqueur, melted chocolates, and salt.
4. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
6. Whisk in beaten egg yolks and vanilla.
7. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add reserved sugar, beating until stiff. Fold whites into chocolate mixture. Gently spoon mixture into prepared souffle dish.
8. Place souffle dish in a baking pan. Fill pan with 1-inch warm water. Bake for 55 minutes.
9. Serve immediately with Chocolate Sauce.

Chocolate Sauce:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 (1-ounce) square bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp. orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)

1. Melt butter and chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler.
2. Add cocoa, sugar, cream, and salt. Bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and add vanilla and orange liqueur.

It's in the bag

2008-03-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

IT'S EASY BEING GREEN: Plastic bags may be convenient and cheap, but they're going to be around a lot longer than the groceries you put in them, and will outlive you as well. Starting April 22, Earth Day (and conveniently Arbor Day, as well), Whole Foods is going to stop offering the bags to shoppers, and many other retailers are curbing their addiction to the Earth-unfriendly bags as well. So now is the perfect time to pick up some canvas bags that are strong enough for your groceries yet stylish enough to tote around town. Keep one in your car and one folded up in your purse and you're good to go, and everyone else will be green with envy.

Healthy recipe of the week

2008-03-12T20:07:00.001-07:00

Now that Top Chef is over, I can blog above the fantasy league post ... so, this week's healthy recipe, a couple days late:

100 CALORIE CINNAMON PANCAKES
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
1.25 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tbsp Splenda No Calorie Sweetener
1 cup Skim Milk
.5 cup Eggbeaters
1 tbsp Vanilla extract
2 tbsp Cinnamon

Directions:
1. Mix flour, baking soda and Splenda in bowl.
2. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla in another bowl, then beat into dry mix roughly, adding air to mix.
3. Stir in cinnamon last.
4. Serving size is 1/3 cup mix. Use PAM on skillet when cooking and sweeten with sugar free syrup and/or fruit!
(Serving size is one pancake. If you use less than 1/3 of a cup batter (like 1/4, or 1/6) you can have two for 100 calories!)

Fantasy League kick-off: The Sweet 16

2008-03-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

WEEK ONE: "Top Chef" returns Wednesday with 16 new personalities, skill sets and tempers — I can't wait! Bring on the cattiness. In the likeness of LookGirl fashion's "Project Runway" league, we're going to try our own fantasy league here, starting with the Sweet 16 (talk about timing!) chefs debuting on "Top Chef" this week. Participating is easy: All you have to do is leave a comment on that week's post by 10 p.m. EST every Wednesday night with four criteria. The first: Pick the winner of the quick-fire challenge. Winning picks are worth 6 points. The second: Pick the overall winner for the week. Winning picks are worth 10 points. The third: Pick the chef to pack up his knives and go home. Winning picks are worth 6 points. The fourth: This one will have a yes or no answer, Will Gail complain about her food being undercooked? Winning picks are worth 3 points, for a total of 25 points each week. You don't have to participate every week, but we're going to try something a little different; there will be two winners in the end: The person with the most overall week point highs, and the person with the total number of points overall. Does that make sense? To get to know the contestants a bit before the first episode airs, check out their bios at Bravo's Web site. My picks are the first comment below.

"Fruit"-filled snacking

2008-03-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

Another food showdown for you, which is especially good right now when I've been talking about snacking! So, which "fruit" snack food is healthier?

BANANA CHIPS VS. CHOCOLATE-COVERED RAISINS
People will add all kinds of things to fruits and veggies to disguise their natural flavors and make them more appealing. Banana chips look healthy and aren't super sweet — basically dried fruit, right? What about chocolate-covered raisins? Raisins are nutritious and chocolate can be healthy in moderation, but how are they together? THE LOW-FAT WINNER: Believe it or not, chocolate-covered raisins are the lesser evil here. Despite the sugar and the chocolate coating, 1.5 ounces of these sweeties contain just over 6 grams of fat and 3.75 grams of saturated fat — that's still 18 percent of you daily value though. For 150 calories, this can be a reasonable treat that won't ruin your diet. But banana chips are much, much worse. Cooked in high-fat oil and loaded with sugar, a small 1.5-ounce serving of these crunchy fruits contains 14.5 grams of fat, over 12 grams of saturated fat (62 percent of your daily value), and 220 calories. Don't fool yourself when it comes to yogurt-covered raisins though. Although yogurt may sound healthier than chocolate, these still pack more fat (8.5 grams) and calories (200) than the chocolate version.

Young broccoli

2008-03-05T13:37:00.000-08:00

Broccolini can be more fun to cook with instead of broccoli, partly because it can be purchased in smaller amounts, and partly because it’s more tender and slightly sweeter. It is grown in the United States in California and Arizona — year round, which makes it a great vegetable for this time of year when greens surely aren’t at their peak.

Do you know what broccolini is? According to Wikipedia, “although often mistakenly identified as young broccoli, it is actually a natural hybrid of the cabbage family, a cross between broccoli and kai-lan (chinese broccoli or kale).” It's been on the market in the United States for about 12 years. The name is trademarked; two California growers produce broccolini, and one of them — SanBon Inc. — calls it Asparation, the original name given to it by the company that developed the plant: Sakata Seed of Yokohama, Japan. Europeans sometimes call it "tender stem.” The entire vegetable as sold, including the yellow flowers seen in the photograph below, may be eaten. The most common was to cook broccolini are sautéing, steaming, roasting, boiling or stir-frying. Nutritionally, it is high in vitamin C, but also contains vitamin A, calcium, folate and iron. RECIPE: Check out this recipe for Chicken Divan from The Washington Post that uses brocollini — it's perfect to bring us into spring (but too long for me to post here!)

Healthy recipe of the week

2008-02-26T12:57:00.000-08:00

THAI NOODLE SALAD
Makes 4 servings

You'll get 100% of your daily vitamin C with this Pad Thai-like dish from the office of Public Health — Seattle & King County.

Ingredients:
6 oz. dried vermicelli
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tbsp. peanut butter
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
1 red sweet pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
3 green onions, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
lime wedges for garnish

Directions:
1. Cook vermicelli according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine soy sauce, broth, peanut butter, lime juice, ginger and crushed red pepper. Cook over medium-low heat until peanut butter is melted.
3. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly.
4. Stir in cooked chicken, sweet red pepper, green onions and cilantro.
5. Serve with lime wedges.

Talk about excess, part duh

2008-02-26T12:49:00.000-08:00

Remember when I featured the amazingly pointless electronic martini shaker a couple weeks back? Just a few minutes ago, I came across a post on Weddingbee that not only joked about the "unitasking" simplicity of the shaker, but also some other ridiculous contraptions. It's pretty funny - I almost thought she was serious at first! Who doesn't need a portable microwave? I could use one in my bathroom to warm up lotion and towels for an at-home spa treatment. Just thought I'd let ya know!

Open That Bottle the right way

2008-02-21T14:19:00.000-08:00

Enjoy Open That Bottle Night on Saturday with some of these fun new wine accessories. They can make any night a special night to open that celebratory bottle.

Crate and Barrel Mara wine glasses ($12.95 each) with dramatic angles and V-shaped bowls

CB2 Ada Smoke stemware ($3.95 each) for that sultry night, a bit of a smoky haze

Sur La Table V1 Vacuum Decanter by Metrokane ($79.95) preserves that special wine that you let "breathe" last just a few days longer, without breathing

CB2 Beaker Glass decanters and funnel ($2.50 - $14.95) help solve that scientific equation that is the right amount to air out a bottle

Sur La Table Riedel O ‘Thumbs Up’ Decanter ($159.95) is a hand-blown, no-drip, safe 'n' secure masterpiece

Open That Bottle

2008-02-21T13:55:00.000-08:00

WINE CELEBRATED: Open That Bottle Night, started in 2000 by two wine writers for the Wall Street Journal, is a fantastic idea to make any day a celebration. Wine lovers and amateurs alike save bottles to drink "later" for a special occasion, but when is that time? And why shouldn't you enjoy a good glass of wine on a typical day? So this Saturday, uncork a cherished bottle and enjoy the contents as Open That Bottle Night gives you that special occasion. The writers argue:

These dear bottles have a special way of retrieving warm and often-forgotten memories, but you have to pop the cork to release them. That's why we invented Open That Bottle Night. So very many of us have that special bottle — from a departed loved one, from a visit to a winery, from a vacation — that we're always going to open for just the right moment, but, of course, that moment never comes.

So, as a treat for that special night, buy yourself some special wine accouterments to help you enjoy the wine. Here is a page that appeared last year in The Examiner for the same occurrence. In just a few minutes, I'll post some updates with brand new products on the market that would make any sip one to remember.

And back

2008-02-19T11:38:00.000-08:00

Sorry y'all. I've been out of commission for the past week or so with a cold, but I'm feeling 100 percent better. I'll get back on my game!

Healthy recipe of the week

2008-02-19T11:24:00.000-08:00

LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP
Makes 12 servings

An easy and balanced lentil soup recipe to warm you up until spring gets a little closer. From Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa book.

Ingredients:
1 pound French green lentils
4 cups chopped yellow onions (about 3 large)
4 cups chopped leeks, white part only (about 2 leeks)
1 tbsp. minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tbsp. minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 cup medium-diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cup medium-diced carrots (4-6)
3 quarts chicken stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 min. Drain.
2. In a large stock pot on medium heat, saute the onions, leeks and garlic with the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and cumin for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and very tender.
3. Add the celery and carrots and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and lentils. Cover and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for one hour, until the lentils are cooked through. Check the seasonings.
5. Add the red wine vinegar and serve hot, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated parmesan.

Healthy recipe of the week

2008-02-11T15:38:00.000-08:00

VALENTINE'S CHOCOLATE CAPPUCCINOS
Makes 4 servings

For a sexy desert to share with your special someone, try this luscious dark mocha desert that's as as easy to make as any instant pudding mix. This recipe makes four small servings at less than 100 calories each, or two very generous helpings at still less than 190 calories. Dust the whipped topping with cocoa, cinnamon or nutmeg for a special final touch.

Ingredients:
1 box Sugar-Free Fat-Free Instant Pudding Mix - Chocolate Fudge flavor
1 tablespoon Instant Espresso Powder
1 1/2 cups Fat Free Milk*
1/2 cup Fat free whipped topping

*Note: The amount of milk called for differs from the amount called for on the box. This is not an oversight, but makes for a richer thicker desert.

Directions:
1. Whisk together the pudding mix and the instant espresso powder in a medium sized bowl. Add the 1 1/2 Cups milk and whisk until well mixed. (You can also use a blender.)
2. Pour the pudding into individual dishes. Chill for at least one hour.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of whipped topping to each dish and garnish as desired.

Pure & Green heaven

2008-02-06T09:28:00.000-08:00

While browsing in Williams-Sonoma this past weekend I came across the company's new earth-friendly homekeeping line, the Pure & Natural Collection. Formulated with essential oils, and made with no toxins, ammonia, phosphate, chlorine or parabens, this is among the cleanest cleaning products I've ever seen. But that's not what draws me; it's the intoxicating scents that actually seem to belong in any kitchen. They are all absolutely amazing, and I may just buy up the whole line - though I question what "countertop spray" is. I love them all, but ranking from my favorite down:

Meyer Lemon Parsley — For clarity and balance choose the soft tones of Meyer lemon, orange and grapefruit with the earth notes of parsley and basil
Olive Oil Coriander — Olives, well known for strength and well-being, bring this to life along with cedar, musk, amber and, of course, coriander (cilantro)
Herbes De Provence Sweet Orange — Revitalize with herbal freshness of mint, basil, bay leaf, clove and lavender, plus hints of citrus and eucalyptus
Ruby Grapefruit Ylang Ylang — Stimulates and energizes with notes of peach, melon and apple along with grapefruit and a bit of sweetness from ylang ylang
Lavender Juniper Rose — Create calm and relaxation in your kitchen with lavender, plus hints of rose, geranium, jasmine, pine, juniper and sandalwood
Asian Plum Mandarin — Decrease stress with plum, orange and bergamot, as well as ylang ylang, marigold and rose

Healthy recipe of the week

2008-02-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

SUNSHINE RICE
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 cups finely chopped celery with leaves
1 1/4 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
dash hot sauce
1 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions:
1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add celery and onions and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add water, juices and hot sauce. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice and bring back to a boil. Let stand covered until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Could be as much as 30 minutes.
3. Stir in almonds. Serve immediately as a side dish for a fish entrée.

Cooking for a crowd

2008-02-01T13:40:00.001-08:00

Williams-Sonoma has a new feature on its Web site, Entertaining: Cooking for a Crowd. The section isn't so bulked up, yet, but does showcase several recipes designed to feed the numbers — with how-to videos — as well as good cookware, serving suggestions, and tips on everything from iced beverages to spices. This is a great addition to the Entertaining section, which is always updating, and has more great menus and ideas for party food, holiday meals and, well, just about everything (even bridal occasions!)

Talk about excess

2008-02-01T12:59:00.001-08:00

Really? Who is really THAT lazy that they can't shake, or even stir, their own beverages? And does that person really need yet another gadget taking up valuable counter space? Really? I introduce to you the Waring Pro Electric Martini Shaker/Stirrer. And it's a savings at only $99.95! You go Sur la Table for having it as an exclusive. (Did any other store want it?)

Silicone champion

2008-01-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

I noticed this fun OXO gadget in Whole Foods a month or so ago, but didn't think twice of it. Then I came across it again in a boutique home store and then again in magazine and blog articles. So I gave it some thought, and thought it kind of genius. It's way better than the silicone steamer I featured recently because it can do that, and also work as a colander. So, you can wash the veggies and then, without dirtying any other dishes, steam them at all excess of temperatures. Plus silicone products are just so easy to wash and this collapses, taking up virtually no space. Needless to say, I'm stopping by Whole Foods on my way home.

Fattening food for skinny people

2008-01-31T07:31:00.000-08:00

The actors may not show up, but those who do will be treated to a feast as celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck announced yesterday his "simple but refined" menu for this year's Governors Ball following the Oscars. The menu, which is all organic and natural, is full of fattening comfort foods which there is no way the celebs are going to eat, especially the gals stuffed into those little dresses. But it sure does look tasty as Puck shaves black winter truffles into a dish of macaroni and cheese. Other food of the night includes passed hors d'oeuvres, a ceviche station, noodle station, shellfish station, pizza station, sushi station and antipasti and a wagyu beef entree. Not to mention all the desserts...

Tomei, Portman dish out fav dishes

2008-01-30T12:58:00.000-08:00

Barilla wrangled up some famous faces — Chris Daughtry, Debra Messing, Natalie Portman, Stanley Tucci and Marisa Tomei — for their annual "The Celebrity Italian Table" cookbook. The quintet contributed their favorite pasta dishes, which Mario Batali umphed up a bit. Party planner David Tutera then took the delicious menus and created a stunning whole dinner party for of them, complete with theme, music, lighting and decor. It's a tad cheesy, but isn't that what you love about Italian cooking? The best part about the book, though, is that it's free, available for download at BarillaUS.com — and, for each copy downloaded, Barilla will donate $1, up to $100,000, to America's Second Harvest.

Pitcher perfect

2008-01-30T12:13:00.001-08:00

I know I'm getting on a more kitchenware than food kick as of late, but I just can't help myself with all the new spring collections coming out. These ceramic teapots with infusers and pitchers are perfect to take you from the winter drolls into spring freshness with vibrants colors (there is also Pomello, Pistachio, Heaven, Bistro and Coco, on top of the Tangerina and Pimento) and sturdy material. And, they're from Target of all places! I'd expect them to be boutique or even from travels abroad, and at $27.99 and $19.99, respectively, you can't beat the price.

Also, on a complete side note, while I was on Target's Web site, I found something else rather interesting. Did you know they have a whole section for recipes (some they claim as healthy, but that is a matter of opinion), and then if you select one or a few you want to make that week it will print out a shopping list for you. Interesting.

Perfectly novel baker

2008-01-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

I just couldn't contain the giggle once I realized what exactly this was: a giant cupcake cake mold. This Wilton cast pan is actually right on mark as the cupcake couldn't be more popular than it is right now, and this is simply a fun take on the idea. For $27.99, it's a tad pricey for such a novelty, but if you have a bridal shower or kid's birthday party coming up, this could be the perfect cake starter.

UPDATE: Surfing around the Sur la Table Web site, I found the cupcake pan there, too. I actually happen to like Target's image better, but here is another pic to demonstrate the creativity of this gadget.

Zesty delicious

2008-01-30T10:43:00.000-08:00

We're still reeling over the fact clementine season passed so quickly. To bring back that sweet, tangy scent to your kitchen — and your hands, just like post-peeling — try out this fantastic new hand soap and lotion from Crate and Barrel ($9.95). Plus, the bottle is just so country chic.

It's not from space, though it looks it

2008-01-30T10:25:00.001-08:00

I've seen silicone used for just about everything in the kitchen as of late, but this is a new one for me: a silicone veggie steamer ($10.95). I would automatically think that this material is to soft and formable to hold your veggies about the waterline, but it walks the fine line an will mold to fit a small or medium sauce pan while maintaining its shape, not collapsing. And, of course, the reason everyone's switching to silicone-based products: it's heat-resistant to 650 degrees. (Plus it's really easy clean, but that's a side point.)

This chef can rescue me!

2008-01-29T14:16:00.000-08:00

Food Network's introduced a few new shows as of late — namely Down Home with the Neelys starting in just a couple days — but we're most excited for Rescue Chef. Hunky Brit Danny Boome will be "rescuing" everyday cooks from their culinary catastrophes in the like of Tyler Florence's old standby Food 911 — and if you think you have a mess in your own kitchen, you can enter here. Set your TiVos, Rescue Chef starts March 1.

Remain nuts!

2008-01-28T09:35:00.000-08:00

SparkPeople, which I mentioned here, e-mails me daily with smart vs. not-so-smart food choices. The one I got today was a great eye opener as I cook with both — almonds vs. walnuts — and much of the time it is easy to swap one out for the other in recipes (if you're trying to be a little more health conscience, that is).

ALMONDS VS. WALNUTS
Nuts have gotten a bad rap as a high calorie, indulgent food that we should decline whenever tempted. True, nuts get more than half of their calories from fat. But the fat in nuts is healthy for you, your heart, and your waistline. But how do different types of nuts compare to each other? Almonds are a healthy source of calcium, and make a great snack alone or in your favorite salad. Walnuts are an excellent source of magnesium and vitamin B6. If you want to get the health benefits of nuts without adding excessive calories to your diet, which of these two should you choose? THE LOW-FAT WINNER: Almonds contain about 182 calories and 19 grams of fat per 1/3-cup, making them a good option when trying to add nuts to your diet. At 261 calories and 26 grams of fat, the same serving of walnuts is a little harder to handle. Of course, moderation is important. About 1 to 1-1/2 ounces of nuts are recommended per day to fall into the healthy category. This is approximately one handful. If you eat much beyond that, you're eating a lot of calories!

Top of the pyramid

2008-01-27T10:12:00.000-08:00

We just love MOMA museum stores for odd, fun innovations for home. The Wedge, in all its simplistic glory, keeps pyramids of beverages from slipping and sliding all over your fridge; it saves space and curbs potential disaster, and that is beyond worth dishing out $12 for two.

And if you're looking for a way to keep your champagne fresh once it's been opened, here's a tip: Insert a spoon into the top, handle down, to keep it bubbly. Thank god for Mr. Wizard!

Smoothing out a nutty situation

2008-01-26T11:55:00.000-08:00

Real Simple revealed another neat gadget this month: the Natural Peanut Butter Mixer ($8.95). Does trying to blend the puree and the oil in natural peanut butter drive you nuts? Replace the lid with this mixer, crank the top a few times to distribute the oil evenly, then slide the stirring arm right out of the lid for easy cleaning. Screw the original lid back on and you're all set for a smooth (or chunky, if you prefer) PB & J.

Slicer goes double-duty

2008-01-26T11:32:00.000-08:00

Egg slicers do so much more than their namesakes offer. Real Simple this month informed me that the gadgets are good to evenly slice fresh mozzarella balls with very little mess. But I have for years been using them for smaller, soft edibles like mushrooms and strawberries. This time saver is beyond priceless, and with most egg slicers going for less than $10, that's well worth the money.

We always liked Ginger better

2008-01-26T10:40:00.001-08:00

Of course we all know that one of the best things you can do for your looks is to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Sometimes it's hard to get down the eight glass a day recommendation, and very easy to reach for a less healthy and sugar-filled alternative.

» Try this recipe to spice up your every day water:
Place one and a half cups of ginger root, sliced but unpeeled, into a pot filled with one and a half cups of water. Add one and a half cups of sugar. Simmer about 20 minutes until the mixture has thickened into a syrup. Add the juice of one lemon and let cool. Mix two tablespoons of ginger mixture into plain or flavored club soda. Let the hydration begin.

Fit to a tea

2008-01-26T10:25:00.000-08:00

Beauty starts from the inside out, so the Republic of Tea's line of Be Well Red Teas help you achieve everything from a healthy glow to a good night's sleep to reduced PMS/bloating. Try the Get Gorgeous tea, which promotes clear skin with antioxidants derived from its blend of chamomile and hibiscus, among other flavors. Cheers to a clearer complexion.

No reservations

2008-01-26T09:48:00.000-08:00

There's no denying it, Bravo has taken the top spot in reality TV. "Top Chef" has come into its own from behind the impressive shadow of "Project Runway." Drawing on the show's popularity, the cable channel has a host of bloggers charting the episodes, from season two cutie Sam Talbot to host Padma Lakshmi. But the best blogger is definitely Anthony Bourdain. The author, TV star and, most importantly, chef, writes about the food and frolics of the competing chefs every week, sparing nothing. His ascerbic style has many fans, and probably many more enemiies, but it's always entertaining. Check out the war of words between Bourdain and Rocco DiSpirito to see how sharp knives can get in the kitchen.

A delectable duo

2008-01-26T09:22:00.000-08:00

Gwyneth Paltrow's minor "gastrointestinal situation" this week that put her in the hospital (she's OK now) only slightly pushed back the shooting of "On the Road Again in Spain." But this isn't her typical role — she's on the road with celeb chef Mario Batali for a new PBS show. They have two weeks of filming left and will resume shooting in March in Majorca, Valencia and Madrid, Batali told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. We are beyond excited about this teaming; hurry up and get better Gwynie so we can live vicariously through your palettes as you dine on sorts of Spanish dishes, while the camera captures it all.

» As a preview, check out this WSJ article about Spain's "hot potato," potatas bravas. Molto magnificent!

Healthy recipe of the week

2008-01-26T08:41:00.000-08:00

POPPY SEED BREAD/MUFFINS
Makes 36 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup sherry
1/3 cup poppy seeds
1/2 cup canola oil
1 pkg instant fat free, sugar free vanilla pudding
1 pkg yellow cake mix

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together and pour batter into sprayed bread pans or muffin tins (2/3 full).
2. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes (less if muffins) or until inserted toothpick to the center comes out clean.

Pomegranates please

2008-01-26T06:57:00.000-08:00

This yummy treat has been popping up in just about everything for the past year or so. Stores are carrying the fruit in bulk, so take advantage of its availability and take one home. The seeds of the pomegranate are what you eat, and you can get them easiest by cutting one in half and knocking the back hard so the seeds fall out and into a dish. Pomegranate is best as an accessory, like in a salad, or sprinkled over the top of hummus. To enjoy the flavor year-round, try pomegranate balsamic vinegar and prepare to be smitten. Plus, as an added bonus, researchers say pomegranates may have even more antioxidant power than cranberry juice or green tea.

Food for thought

2008-01-25T18:53:00.000-08:00

What you eat is as important to staying healthy as working out. But eating healthy doesn't have to mean boring food, some of the healthiest foods are also the tastiest. Here's a quick substitute you can do immediately to make a big difference in the nutrition and flavor of your food: switch from butter to olive oil. Our olive oils of choice? Those from Tuscany.

Because of the climate, which is colder than other regions where olives are grown, the olives are picked early in the season from the tree, which gives the oil a slight green tint and a herby, earthy flavor. Buy a nice high-quality brand to put in pasta, on bread and vegetables, but by a more utility brand for cooking. No need to use the good stuff for stovetop cooking. Bueno appetito!