Santa Barbara did have a fireworks show

2008_07_04_fireworks_32
Originally uploaded by dsearls.

over the ocean.

Doc Searles took some photos.

Happy Belated "Blogiversary"

to The Ethicurean! They've been "chewing the right thing" for two years now! Congrats!

Dine and Dish has moved

into a delicious new space on the internet(s.)

Food Section Wednesday

The Deseret Morning News is a newspaper published in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is Utah's oldest continually published daily newspaper. Today in their food section, Valerie Phillips writes of her experience covering a Pillsbury Bake-off and the recipe that almost could...

..Outside, a devastating tornado roared through Florida, and there was drama in the judges' chambers, too. I sat next to one of the judges during the press conference the next day and was told in hushed tones that the group had been deadlocked between Mathews' Salsa Couscous Chicken and Edwina Gadsby's Brownie Souffle Cake. They debated the merits of each. Which best fit Pillsbury's "quick and easy" format? Which would home cooks be likely to make? Was couscous too weird?

...When Gadsby accepted a $10,000 runner-up prize and a Whirlpool appliance, she donated the appliance to someone left homeless from the tornado. I got a bit teary-eyed, as she had no idea how close she had come to the big money. She found out later, because several reporters wrote about it. - Deseret Morning News

GADSBY'S ALMOST MILLION DOLLAR BROWNIE SOUFFLE CAKE WITH MINT CREAM

Mint Cream:
2/3 cup whipping cream
3 ounces white chocolate baking bar, finely chopped
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mint extract

Cake:
1 package fudge brownie mix
1/4 cup flour (for Utah altitude; if at sea level, omit flour)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon mint extract
4 eggs, separated
Powdered sugar
Mint sprigs for garnish

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. In a bowl, microwave whipping cream on high 45-60 seconds, or until warm. Add white chocolate and mint extract; stir until chocolate is melted. Refrigerate 1 hour or until well-chilled.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine brownie mix, flour, water, oil, mint extract and egg yolks. Beat 50 strokes with spoon. In small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks foam. Gradually fold into brownie mixture. Pour batter into sprayed pan. Bake at 375 degrees 32-38 minutes, or until center is almost set. Cool 30 minutes. Center will sink slightly. Carefully remove sides of pan. Sprinkle top of cake with powdered sugar. Beat chilled mint cream until soft peaks form. Cut cake into wedges; top each with mint cream. Garnish with mint sprigs. Serves 12.

You can find more Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest favorites over at Yahoo! Food.

Speaking of Pillsbury Bake-Off Champions, one is a fellow blogger! Anna Ginsberg of Austin, TX, who cooks up literary deliciousness on cookiemadness.

In amateur recipe-contest circles, there's an expectation that once you've won the "Big One," the Pillsbury Bake-Off, you can sit back and rest on your culinary laurels.

But not so for Anna Ginsberg of Austin, Texas, who won the 2006 Bake-Off for her Baked Chicken and Spinach Stuffing.

Since then, she's won $7,500 from Family Circle magazine for a chicken and pasta dish, and $5,000 in a Betty Crocker cookie contest. She was also a 2006 finalist in Cooking Light's Ultimate Reader Recipe Contest.

"So I'm still in the game," she said in a telephone interview from her home. "But winning the Bake-Off has taken some of the pressure off. I only enter contests I'm really interested in, and I share more recipes than keeping them secret. I'm becoming more of a cheerleader for competitive cooking as a hobby."

...That morning when Ginsberg answered her phone, she was experimenting with a small-scale batch of carrot cookies. She had made various versions, including some with prune baby food, and planned to report on them in her blog, Cookiemadness.net.

"It's been fun doing a blog. Through the Internet I've met people who are really obsessive about (baking), and we share ideas and recipes. I do a lot of baking. I eat a little and send the rest to my husband's office." - Deseret Morning News

Note to self...must update Blogroll

Meet The Fresh Loaf. Cookie Madness.

One of my favorite cookbooks...

to "drool" over. The Hali'imaile General Store Cookbook. (Yet another fabulous offering from 10-Speed Press.) One word describes this book...lush; just like the Islands themselves. When I saw this book in a used store in Glendale, I just had to have it in my ever expanding cookbook "stable."

I have always had this fascination with Hawai'i. I had such wonderful memories of my visit there, many moons ago, I still fantasize about running away there one day. Perhaps those strong feelings of desire colored my view of "the boyfriend gone horrendously bad"...his parents were from the Islands; his mother from Maui; his father from Oahu. Rose colored glasses...well, I've tossed them out regarding "dating"...but I've kept the positive feelings I have of the Islands' offerings with this delicious cookbook.

Just glancing at some of the recipe offerings bring thoughts of sampling them on a beach with a warm breeze gently caressing the table linens and the locks on your date's forehead. And, although one may presume that Hawai'i is just one long ongoing tourist season, Bev has broken down the recipes to showcase the tastes of the true seasons, Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. (Yes, there reallly IS a Winter in Hawai'i.) Ahhhh, but I desire these dishes ANY season, really! "Crab Cannelloni with Lemongrass-Ginger Sauce", "Sesame-Crusted Mahimahi with Coconut-curry Cabbage and Rum-Baked Bananas", "Crunchy Macadamia Nut Chicken over Tropical Fruit Paella", "Mango-Pineapple Cobbler", "Pineapple Pie", "Pineapple Shortbread Cookies", "Paniolo Ribs with Hali'imaile Barbecue Sauce and Coconut-Sweet Potato Cakes" and "Chocolate Macadamia Nut Pie." (Hungry yet?)

The proprietress of The Hali'imaile General Store is Beverly Gannon, a former road manager for various entertainers, until she ventured off to Le Cordon Bleu in London. Bev then ventured off to other various places, including cooking adventures with Jacques Pepin and Marcella Hazan. She ended up in Hawai'i with her husband, Joe, a lighting designer for rock'n roll band shows, and together they started, not only a family, but a culinary "empire" of sorts. The Hali'maile General Store, Joe's Bar & Grill, Celebration's Catering and her work with Hawaiian Airlines.

I don't know where she finds time, but Bev also has a wonderful blog, "Bev's Blog"...stop by and say "aloha!" and also congratulate her for The Small Business Administration naming her Hawaii's Small Business Person of the Year!

Oh, yeah...and get the cookbook!

Kristin over at Dine and Dish had a great idea

to pare up "old and moldy" food bloggers like me with "fresh out of the oven" food bloggers.

Meet my delicious paring...Amanda who cooks up some delicious entries at "Slow Like Honey" She adds some terrific photos to her posts, too! (I don't think she really needs my help....she's doing great!)

I've been blogging for several years now. I have a couple of blogs....one for politics, one for environmental things...and this one for food issues and sharing recipes. (Although, sometimes they do collide!)...so some thoughts/hints on "blogging"......

I've admired many food bloggers who put up some awesome recipes with blog by blow details for their adventures in the kitchen. Sometimes I wish that I could be one of those, but, right now I live with a roommate who is extremely territorial. She's "pissed" out her territory in the household and she's made it known that she doesn't really want me in the kitchen. (How can you really deal with someone who gets so drunk pretty much every night they eat your food and toss food all over the floor at 2:00 a.m.) So...blogging about making dinner at home is out for me.

Sometimes I find that "foodie" blogs tend to be really snotty. You know, the "Oh, what do you mean you don't cook bone marrow every other weekend" types. It's fun reading them for a bit, but I feel more comfortable with someone who blogs about down to earth things and not necessarily all about food. Life isn't just about food...but there are delicious servings of many things. Fashion. Travel. Family. Etc. I think well read blogs tend to touch upon many subjects. However, not necessarily in a single post.

I hate having to register to make a comment. Call me silly, but I have so many passwords to remember as it is.....I don't need one just to put in a "hello...great recipe....or some little comment."

Sometimes your blogging opens up other opportunites....here's a little blurb/recipes that I shared with our local "indy" weekly, "The Santa Barbara Independent"

The Non Partisan Pistachio

In this presidential election year, keep in mind that the person you vote for may be responsible for creating a new national food holiday. True, other levels of government such as state legislatures, governors, and mayors can proclaim special observance days, but you know you’ve hit the big time when the president makes it so.

Sometimes, however, bipartisan agreement can’t decide which day will be the “official” gustatory celebration. Perhaps that is what happened with National Pistachio Day. Is it January 26 or February 26? Many sources name both days. Perhaps they just broke it down along party lines and the “red” dyed pistachios are honored one day and the “au naturel” beige pistachio honored the other.

In my mind, everyday is Pistachio Day, especially Farmers Market days when I can run down and pick up a couple bags from the Santa Barbara Pistachio Company. The Zannon family developed a unique process for roasting and flavoring their incredibly high-quality nuts. But you don’t have to have flavored pistachios to enjoy their exotic little bits of nutty goodness; you can include them in your healthy cooking lifestyle, too.

Pistachio, Cranberry & Rice Pilaf

(Serves 2)

¼ c. finely chopped Vidalia onion
¼ tsp. turmeric
⅛ tsp. ground cardamom
1½ Tbs. unsalted butter
⅓ c. basmati rice
⅔ c. chicken broth
2 Tbs. pistachio nuts, lightly toasted, cooled, and chopped
2 Tbs. dried cranberries
2 Tbs. thinly sliced scallions

In a small heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, cook onion with turmeric and cardamom in one tablespoon of the butter, stirring until the onion is softened. Add rice and cook, stirring until it is coated with the butter. Add the broth, bring the liquid to a boil, and cover and simmer the mixture for 17 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Stir in the pistachios, cranberries, and scallions and the remaining half tablespoon of butter, and salt and pepper to taste.

My blogging buddy, Fletch

Over at "Smokies Light", is a big Rachel Ray fan. He can keep her....I'll take Tyler.

Fletch...this one's for you!

Say "Hello" to....

Cakespy Postcard
Originally uploaded by cakespy.

Cakespy! and their Flickr Fotos!

Welcome back online

FOODPORNWATCH!

with new editors, Nika, Hande, and Judith!

Creampuffs in Venice

has moved. Not from Venice but from Typepad to WordPress. Go say hello...and drool a little. And make sure you have their Flickr page bookmarked.

Sorry I was remiss in not noting their moving sooner. I've decided to do the dreaded "blogroll" upkeeping....well, "adding" and cleaning up a little.

I'm looking for a new "fresher" blog template too. So don't be surprised if the blog looks a tad "different" in the next week or so.

Oh...and this sounds like a delicious challenge....Muffin Monday Roundup Theme "Childhood Muffins"- Due by August 10. Hosted by Wonder Sophie.

So, it's time to announce the new theme for MM05 ! Considering my tastes, I've naturally thought: "Childhood Muffins". Childhood ? I explain. Muffins of this edition must include ingredients of your childhood : favorite sweets and candies, small cakes of your playground, "Vache qui Rit"... and all others products who make you feel sweet nostalgy when remembering them.

To participate:
Create your muffins!

• Post a photograph and recipe by Friday, 10th August 2007 (please be sure to include a link back to this post).
• Send an email to wonderwoman@wonderwoman.fr, your name, name of your blog, where you are from, name of recipe and a permalink to your post.
• Deadline for this event : Friday, 10th August 2007. All recipes for this event will be posted from August 4th, 2007 with a link to your blog.

Gentlereaders....let's get baking! ;-)

More Tasty Ingredients

to add to my blogroll. (I'm afraid it's becoming more of a blog-drool)

• Well Fed Network
• Starbucks Gossip
• A Slice of Cherry Pie
• Spittoon (for you wine aficionados)
• The Foodie List
• Cheesaholics Anonymous

I'll do some housekeeping this weekend. I've been housesitting for a friend, who, well....isn't internet friendly. (Nor kitchen ware, may I add...)

More Tasty Ingredients

for my blogroll....

Say "Hello" and join in the coversation at TableConversation.com

Conversations are meant to be shared. Through TableConversation.com I will share with you what I've learned during many years of writing about food, traveling to far places and exploring my own city. And I invite you to share with me your own favorite places to eat and perhaps a recipe or two.

More Tasty Ingredients

to add to the blogroll

Say hello to The Porcini Chronicles!

Actually, you would probably have to say "Buon Giorno!" as Susan blogs from Milan, Italy!

Come stai oggi?

Adding some City of Angels "dishy" links

to my "jellyblogroll" cookiesheet....

Eater L.A. and their Flickr page.

la.foodblogging

Eating L.A.

SlowFoodLA

Soul Fusion Kitchen

Looka! The Gumbo Pages

The Delicious Life

Say "Hello" to....

some terrific, tasty blogs to check out.

• Santa Barbara County Wine Notes
• Dine and Dish
• Rurality
• Kate in the Kitchen
• Food Porn Watch
• 360Eats
• Sweet Nicks
• Food Blog S'cool
• Foodblog Blog
  

Slowly rebuilding my delicious linkies since blogger had a "snack attack" on my template and ate everything.