Fluffy Belgian Waffles Made 2 Ways

Making homemade brunch on Saturday mornings has quickly become one of my favorite things to do - as it breaks the weekly routine of simple, no frills cereal breakfasts.  Given that we have an awesome Belgian waffle maker gives me all the more motivation, as I decided to make sweet Belgian waffles two ways - one gluten free and the other regular, for us wheat lovers.

While I usually make these waffles on the savory side (see my previous preparations), these particular ones were going to be sweet and indulgent - topped with homemade apple compote that I made with leftover Rainier apples.  The method is quite simple and something I already used when I made these pancakes the other week, simply involving thinly sliced apples sprinkled with cinnamon and some brown sugar and then cooked on low for about 15 minutes.  I threw in some toasted pecans on top too, infusing a bit of texture into each bite.

Here's the simple recipe I used that comes from the Food Network website by way of Emeril Lagasse.  For the gluten free variety, I simply substituted the all purpose flour for Bob's Red Mill corn flour and it worked just fine.  Hope you enjoy it during the weekend - or anytime!

Bear's Valiant Effort on Chopped

Tonight was a big night on TV for Astoria, as Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky of Bear Restaurant was yet again featured on Food Network's Chopped.  Making her debut back in August and fighting her way into the final round, Natasha came back tonight in an attempt to seize a second chance at victory.

Watching the program, Dan and I waited with baited breath, as we rooted for Chef Natasha's success.  Unfortunately, while I can't report back a win, Natasha fought til the end for what was a very tight match and held her own next to some fierce competition.  

Extremely proud of this talented lady, I wanted to feature her creative eats she constructed on tonight's episode with some pretty obscure ingredients.  Congrats on a great competition, Natasha!  Looking forward to seeing you back in the kitchen.

Course 1 - Celery, prosciutto & lime bisque with crostini

Course 2 - Fried snapper ribs with tartar and pan-roasted snapper filet Course 3 - Deep fried cheesecake with dulce de leche cappuccino 
Bear - 12-14 31st Avenue, Long Island City NY 11106
917.396.4939
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bearnyc.com

Watch Bear's Chef Natasha on Chopped

In case you haven't yet heard, I wanted to make sure you guys tune into some Astoria culinary goodness on the Food Network tomorrow.  Astoria's very own, Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky from Bear will be featured on the popular Chopped program tomorrow at 10:00 p.m.  I'm so excited to see Chef Natasha competing on the show for many reasons, one being that she's the only female competitor in the episode, the other being that she's really talented and also because she accurately represents the culinary prowess found in Astoria and LIC.  

Chef Natasha will be competing with 4 other national acclaimed chefs, all with diverse backgrounds.  For those of you familiar with the show, their given list of ingredients they have to cook with tomorrow include lemon bars, acai juice, upland cress and whelk snails.  Have a go at that guys - can't wait to see what Chef Natasha comes up with.

If you'd like to get a little preview of what's to come tomorrow, take a look at this preview clip.  Tune in tomorrow at 10:00 p.m. on The Food Network.

Bear - 12-14 31st Avenue, Long Island City NY 11106
917.396.4939
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bearnyc.com

Braised Short Ribs Anyone?

Given that the weather has been quite chilly lately, it's presented the perfect opportunity to cook hearty, comforting foods such as short ribs.  Believe it or not, I've never actually made them before (I've just gotten good at ordering them at restaurants), but I wanted to change that by taking a crack at them.

I first looked into braising them in a slow cooker, but the process was simply too long, and I needed more instant gratification, so I settled on braising them in the oven.  The best part was all the flavorful mirepoix that served as a base for the braising mixture, along with a generous helping of sun dried tomatoes.  Even though the recipe called for pureeing all of this at the end, to make a creamy sauce, I just couldn't bring myself to do it and left the veggies chunky.  Dan and I loved the whole combination, and the meat turned out incredibly tender and was flavored deeply by the braised veggies.  Coupling the meat with the leftover garlic mashed from our Valentine's Day dinner, it was big home run that we can't wait to repeat.

Braised short ribs recipe, courtesy of The Food Network

Pistachio Crusted Salmon Weeknight Dinner

Still trying to maintain healthy eating, especially when cooking at home, I made the above pictured easy salmon dish this week that was tasty, healthful and satisfying.  Buying the salmon fillets ahead of time, there is some pre-planning required, but all else I managed to put together from the ingredients we had on hand.  

Fully stocked with a big bag of salted pistachios, I decided to make them the star of the show by chopping them up, combining them with Italian breadcrumbs and a little bit of olive oil to form the crust.  Although the middle layer was supposed to be made up of stone ground mustard and lemon juice, I didn't have this and used 2% Greek yogurt instead, which worked just fine.  Serving the whole thing on a bed of whole wheat cous-cous, studded with raisins, chopped onions and green peppers, Dan and I loved chomping down on it and felt really good and fulfilled after - and not overly stuffed.

Here's the easy recipe, courtesy of the Food Network, but you can feel free to change it around as you wish.

Pistachio Crusted Salmon Recipe

Returning Back to Routine with Roasted Salmon and Sweet Carrots

After two weeks of not being on a regular schedule due to our power being out, I'm finally getting ready and excited to return to normal life.  A big part of that means cooking , as I'll have full access to my kitchen again - and returning to making healthy foods, not just indulging in comforting dishes, as I've been doing recently.

The following are two great recipes I borrowed from the Food Network website and altered in my own way.  The first is a baked salmon, which is cooked and steamed in aluminum foil, and dressed in white wine, fresh lemons, capers and rosemary.  The end result is a really fresh and healthy tasting dish that's wonderfully flaky and moist on the inside.

A nice side, which is lovely around this time of year are roasted carrots, on the sweet side, with cranberries, red onion, cilantro, lemon and some sunflower seeds.  It pairs really well with the salmon, adding a sweet element, which comes naturally from the carrots as they caramelize but also from the craisins, which puff up when baked and also soaked in some water ahead of time.  The whole meal takes about 40 minutes to make, so it's really weeknight friendly.  Here are the recipes for you to enjoy:

Salmon with Lemon, Capers and Rosemary 
Roasted Carrots

Havana Hideout – Delicious Treasure Found

As we were vacationing in South Florida this past week, I always take the opportunity to try something new as far as restaurants are concerned. And even though Havana Hideout was on my list of places to try for quite a while, we never actually got there till now, since it’s a little bit of a trip from where we were staying. Well now after going, I’m happy to say that we’ll definitely be back to this fabulous and somehow yet still subdued hideaway.

Atmosphere:
Before I get into Havana’s relaxing atmosphere, I must caveat this review with the fact that this place has been featured on Guy Fieri’s popular, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives program on the Food Network, which Dan and I are big fans of. So we kind of knew that we were in for something good.

Walking up to its building (or more accurately described as a shack), Dan was a bit skeptical, but I had high hopes. We walked in, confronted by a really laid back vibe with some current alternative rock jams, a waitress at the bar and some casual stools to sit on. We ordered from the menu, and of course noticed that it had a special section citing the choices Guy tried when he came to visit.

After placing our orders, we headed outside to the picnic area that made you feel almost as if you were at the beach. There were picnic tables, casual metal chairs, beach umbrellas and even a sandy texture to the ground. The tunes we heard inside carried through and we immediately felt relaxed and happy to be there.

Food:
Since our eyes gravitated to Guy’s choices right away, I went with the spicy fish tacos and Dan chose the Triple D, which sounded fabulous, and I knew I’d have some of it to sample.

Grilled Achiote Rubbed Fish Tacos – I adore fish tacos and was hopeful for something yummy. It was great to see that Havana delivered, and then some, with their large fish tacos, dressed with a sweet fresh pineapple and red pepper salsa. Never seeing something like this on a fish taco, I welcomed their creativity and think it worked really well to balance out the spice used in the fish. I also liked the crunchy cole slaw at the bottom of the taco, which gave it yet another element of uniqueness - overall, a home run and something I’d highly recommend.

Triple D – Dan’s Triple D plate was gargantuan, and besides including one of the fish tacos identical to mine, it also had a half of a Cuban sandwich and a generous piece of pionono (a Puerto Rican layer dish with ground beef, sweet plantains, raisins and olives sealed in a hearty sauce). I had a few generous pieces of the latter two dishes and my favorite by far was the Cuban, which was beautifully toasted on the outside and had the most flavorful contents of tender roast pork, smokey ham, beautifully melted cheese, and a crunchy pickle. They also used a really creamy, spicy mayo, which we adored—serving as the binder for all the ingredients.

The pionono was really amazing as well, the sweet plantains being really soft and almost dessert like. I loved taking a huge forkful of the meat and the plantains together, enjoying this expertly sweet and savory marriage.

Service and Cost:
Although Havana Hideout has only one waitress and another person who cooks the food, they do an absolutely bang-up job. Our waitress couldn’t be friendlier and made sure we were taken care of to the T. She was warm and welcoming but not imposing, as some of our waitstaff at other restaurants that week.

Costs are really wallet friendly and for the above mentioned food we ordered (at huge portions), as well as two 8 oz. craft beers, we paid about $34 total. You did well Guy – thanks for the awesome find!

3 Mmmms

Havana Hideout – 509 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth, FL 33460
561.585.8444
www.havanahideout.com

Prosciutto Wrapped Fig Goodness

Last week, while at my parent's house, I must admit that we pilfered a bit from my neighbor Kim and Ken's garden (Kim and Ken, if you're reading, we thank you!).  Actually, let me rephrase that...my parents were taking care of their garden while they were on vacation and they offered for us to take advantage of their ripening fruits and veggies.  The figs were especially gorgeous and totally ready to eat, so we picked a whole bunch, not yet knowing what we'd do with them.

After some deliberation, as I thought about how to prepare these (I originally wanted to make a fig crostata), I found an easy recipe on the Food Network website for prosciutto wrapped figs.  Not only did they sound absolutely scrumptious, they were also pretty easy to prepare and needed only three simple ingredients including the figs themselves, goat cheese and prosciutto. The rest was left to the oven gods who made this into a warm, decadent and savory creation.  

I brought this to a Labor Day BBQ at my brother and sister-in-laws and they literally disappeared in about 5 minutes.  Even picky eaters couldn't resist.  I hope you won't either.

Prosciutto Wrapped Figs Recipe courtesy of The Food Network

My 15 Minutes of Fame at Koliba

As mentioned to you earlier in the week, this past Friday was a big day for my beloved Koliba Slovak & Czech restaurant.  Reason being is that they were being taped for a segment of a new Food Network pilot, hosted by no other than Aarti Sequeira of the Next Food Network Star and her show, Aarti Party.  My mom was the first one to recognize Aarti, and quickly struck up a conversation with her (as did I).  Long story short, just a few minutes later, we found Aarti sitting at our table, chatting with us and interviewing all three of us, Mami, Oci and me.

Naturally, we were pretty excited, as we let all our enthusiasm and love for Koliba and the Slovak culture pour out of us, answering all of Aarti's questions with a lot of elaboration and gusto.  She was loving it, I can tell, as toward the end of the interview she remarked at just how proud we are to be Slovak. It's true - no secret there, now let's let it spread to other eager foodies too! I hope we make the show.

Besides chatting with Aarti and enjoying all the hooplah of the taping, we also sat down to a delicious dinner of homemade Slovak cuisine that we simply never tire of.  While I'm notorious for always getting spaetzle with sheep's milk cheese and bacon, this time I opted for something ligther...

Chicken in Natural Gravy with Mushrooms - Even though this dish sounded really simple, I knew it would be flavorful and interesting - and quite frankly, anything with mushrooms is always an easy sell for me.  When it arrived, I was happy, as it was a beautifully browned piece of meat, topped with chunky mushrooms and plenty of gravy.  Gravy that I knew would be awesome for dipping the knedlik or bread dumplings that we ordered on the side.  As you can see here, the portion was quite large, and I took half of it home for Dan to devour.

Vepro Knedlo Zelo (Pork with Cabbage and Dumplings) - This is my dad's favorite meal in any Slovak or Czech restaurant, so naturally he ordered it again.  A few new things that were thrown into the mix was a combination of red and white cabbage - usually you can only get one variety, but they've now mixed the two which is innovative (it's still served separately but you now get the best of both worlds).  The other new thing is that you can also get a side of smoked ham as your second protein, so again, another combination platter option, which we all enjoyed.  I had a bite of the ham, and it was slightly sweet but with a smoky aftertaste. YUM!

Palacinky with Nutella and Bananas - As we were waiting and waiting for the Food Network peeps to arrive, we had to get dessert to keep the meal going and went for the palacinky (or crepes). Traditionally stuffed with jam, we chose the Nutella banana variety this time, which was indulgent and delicious.  The palacinka differs from a traditional French crepe in that the batter is a bit thicker and fluffier, giving it that distinct Slovakness.

Service and Cost:
We couldn't sing our praises louder for the outstanding service that night, even more so given that the restaurant was completely packed and we were being taped.  Our waitress was sweet and very attentive - after we told her that we were interested in staying to check out the Food Network activities, she was happy to let us linger as long as we wanted.  The gesture didn't go unnoticed and we tried to tip generously to show our gratitude.

For the above mentioned meal, including a round of beer and coffee, the bill came out to $90 including tax and tip.

Oh and one more lovely thing I must mention - I ran into one of my readers and her boyfriend as we were leaving.  It was such a pleasant surprise, and I was happy to chat with her about our mutual Astorian food experience. Thank you for introducing yourself!

3 Bready and Delicious Mmmms

Koliba - 31-11 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105
718.626.0430
N/Q Train to Ditmars
www.kolibarestaurant.com

Koliba on the Food Network!

I wanted to share a really exciting opportunity that's happening at my all-time favorite restaurant in Astoria, Koliba.  Many of you have no doubt heard me rave about it on many occasions, as this unassuming gem boasts some of the best homemade Slovak and Czech specialties that are so near and dear to my heart.

Well I was floored when I read that a Food Network special is being filmed there this coming Friday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. I may just have to come by when Food Network's staff will be on hand with Koliba's head chef, Jano, as they explore the inner workings of authentic Eastern European specialties such as spaetzle, goulash, bread dumplings, schnitzel and more.  Everyone is welcome to join and hang around when the Food Network folks come by - you may just end up on camera with your favorite dish.  I hope I do!

Food Network Taping: Friday, March 23rd from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Koliba - 31-11 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105

718.626.0430

N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.kolibarestaurant.com

Healthy and Flavorful Eggplant Pesto Pasta

While watching one of my favorite favorite Food Network shows, Giada at Home, I got fixated on an eggplant pasta dish she was making.  I always admire Giada's pasta creations and this one involved a combination of eggplant and pesto.  The idea of it was appealing to me because it used fresh vegetables and a homemade sauce instead of anything processed.  I liked how she thinned out the pesto with some pasta water that made it more saucy.

Using eggplant in this dish was great since it's such a hearty and satisfying vegetable.  Cooking it on medium - high heat for about 10 minutes really softened it up and the texture reminded me of a good caponata.  You really have to love eggplant to enjoy this dish, and if you'd like to incorporate a non-veggie spin, you can certainly add ground turkey, beef or chicken.  I put  some Pecorino Romano cheese on top but I used a lot less of it than what the recipe called for.  Giada encourages you to use it in the pasta before adding the eggplant, but I just put a modest amount on top.  It's a good way to cut out unnecessary calories and fat. 

Enjoy the recipe and feel free to come up with your own variations.  The key is to use really good, fresh ingredients.

Foodista Interviews The Ace of Cakes

As I mentioned yesterday, another big highlight of last weekend's Great American Food & Music Festival was having the chance to meet and chat with the Ace of Cakes himself, Duff Goldman from the popular Food Network show, Ace of Cakes.  For those of you who watch the show, you'll know that Duff is famous for his extreme cakes involving really funky designs and sometimes explodable qualities (literally explodable, as you'll often see him blow up a cake).

Duff and his team, including his right hand man Geof Manthorne were just as laid back and hilarious in person as they're on the show.  I felt like I was talking to one of my friends rather than a food celebrity - they were that cool and nonchalant about everything. 

You'll find the interview below in Q&A form but you can also catch some of it on video.  You'll see my mom in there too, as she happily asked some questions of her own and Duff was happy to oblige. You go Mom!  I see a future in this :)

Interview with Duff Goldman AKA The Ace of Cakes:

Before I even get to the interview, I must tell you that Duff prefaced all the food talk by showing off his motorcycle wounds.  He had a couple of fresh gashes on his hands and forearms and he seemed quite proud of them.  It certainly showed his adventurous side, but I hope he's more careful in the future - we don't want his precious cake instruments out of commission even for a second.

And now for the interview...

Me: You're known for your exciting showbiz cakes such as the Harry Potter cake.  Are there any super high-profile Hollywood cakes that are currently in development?

DG: Yes! We're actually working on another Harry Potter cake for the 7th movie.  We had to break this project into two parts, one cake for a premiere in London and the other one for the States.

Me: When you started Charm City, you worked primarily with your buddies including the man on your left, Geof.  As your operation has grown over the years, how do you recruit new talent and keep things fresh?

DG: (answer on video) *Duff and Geof look at each other and laugh.* It's usually just through friends and when we hear that someone needs a job and has good talent. Geof just hired a sous chef, so you know...his neighbor.  It's really great for Geof (Duff turns to Geof), I'm talking for you. It's a great way for him to get help with this stuff. When we started, Geof used to do every single cake that needed construction and this way, it makes things easier.

Me: Do you have any tips for us home cooks on Duff-affying an ordinary cake?

DG: (answer on video) *Duff turns to Geof again and they smile* I mean really it just takes a lot of practice. Patience and practice and don't be afraid to make a mistake. Do it again and again, try things out and if it doesn't work out, start over. Umm...I think the best thing to do would be to just call me!

Me: Would you ever do a cake off with the Cake Boss?

DG: It must be said that Duff's expression completely changed to really, really grave after I asked this question.  It obviously struck a nerve and he said "No. I don't want to have a part in that."

Hmmm...I obviously uncovered a touchy subject. Will we ever see these two cake masters in one room? While I'll end things here, I'll let you chew on that.

Foodista Interviews Paula Deen & The Neelys

After my interview with Food Network's Sandra Lee, I was pretty much on cloud nine because not only did I get to meet one of my favorite Food Network personalities, but I also got some great press out of it.

This past weekend however, delivered more high-profile food interviews, as I got to speak with some of my favorite Down South cooks - the Mama of Southern Cooking herself, Paula Deen and the adorable BBQ-lovin' couple, Pat & Gina Neely from Neely's BBQ and the show, Down Home with the Neelys.  I also met with the Ace of Cakes, Duff Goldman and his creative team from Charm City Cakes, but I'll save that for my next post.

What's the Occasion?
The interviews were held at this year's Great American Food & Music Festival, which aims to showcase the best regional food throughout the country.  In addition to the talent I mention below, you had restaurants from all over the country, featuring signature dishes that put them on the map in their particular market.  Restaurants such as:

Al's Beef, Chicago, IL
All Star Sandwich Bar, Cambridge, MA
Anchor Bar, Buffalo, NY

Dandy's Don Ice Cream, Van Nuys, CA
Goldie's Churros, Los Angeles, CA
Harding Lee Smith's, The Front Room, The Corner Room, Grill Room & Bar, Portland, ME
Hell's Kitchen, Minneapolis, MN

Jim's Steaks, Philadelphia, PA
Johnson's Boucaniere, Lafayette, LA
Louis Lunch, New Haven, CT
Neely's BBQ, Memphis TN

Pizzeria Uno, Chicago, IL

Southside Market BBQ, Elgin TX
Ted Drewes, St. Louis, MO
Tony Luke's, Philadelphia, PA
Turtle Alley, Gloucester, MA
Tuscon Tamales, Tuscon, AZ
Willie Mae's Scotch House, New Orleans, LA
Windy City Eats, Weymouth, MA

Zoe's Cupcake Cafe, Teaneck, NJ

The Interviews:
I met with Paula Deen and The Neely's after their respective meet & greets, where they graciously took pictures, signed cookbooks and chatted with their biggest fans.  It was so nice to see them interact with eager audiences who not only loved them, but truly admired their work. 

Both Paula Deen and the Neely's had the most wonderful energy and had the infectious power of electrifying the room as soon as they came in.  And after speaking to them on a one-on-one basis, I was duly impressed by their enthusiasm, sense of humor and sincerity in answering my questions.  While the Neely's were more playful and jovial, Paula's interview was heartfelt and inspirational.  It really gave some insight into her soul and how she's gotten where she is today.  Oh and don't worry, she answers some questions about butter too!

Paula Deen Interview
The Neely's Interview

Just for Laughs - Alton Brown Disses the Food Network

Image by www.foodnetworkhumor.com

Nothing brightens up a dull day like some good ol' fashioned Food Network humor.

Vicky sent this over and it had me rolling with laughter - hopefully it'll make you giggle and look at the Food Network in a whole new way. The video shows a clip from a radio show interview with Alton Brown, the Food Network's quirky, science-food guy who blatantly disses a lot the network's most popular personalities.

A taste of the topics discussed:
Giada's weight - "I've personally never seen Giada eat."
Barefoot Contessa - Is it fishy that Jeffrey only comes home on the weekends?
Bobby Flay - "He's the nicest guy at the network."
Sandra Lee - "You mean semi-sane, semi-freak-out-of-her mind. She wanted to show me this bad mole that she had taken off her chest."

There's more juice...click here. Don't know about you, but nothing will ever be the same again. What happened to the Food Network family? Apparently they don't even know each other - sniff, sniff, snicker, snicker.

Food 2 Launches - I Meet Top Chef Former Astorian

Last week I had the great fun of attending a party at the Food Network kitchens, which celebrated the launch of their new blog, Food 2. Already on my go-to blog list, Food 2 caters to a young, professional crowd with a passion for food. Most recipes on the site require only a few minutes to prepare and there's even a post about cubicle cooking. Weird? I call it innovative and whimsical.

At the party, we got to see the Food Network test kitchen, which is huge and very state of the art. We even sampled goodies prepared by their friendly staff, which included mutton burgers, veggie arepa minis, grilled cheese sandwiches, blue fish pickled onion sandwiches as well as country smoked ham on buttery biscuits. Some of the nibbles were better than others and I preferred the interesting mutton burger, which was tender and flavorful, albeit a bit undercooked. I also liked the mini arepas with their sweet, savory flavor and a nice crunch around the edges, packed with corn, cilantro, tomatoes and onions. Yum!

Another highlight of the party was meeting Spike Mendelsohn, Top Chef contestant and star of Food 2's video series Kelsey and Spike Cook. I like this show because it portrays two culinary perspectives, one (Kelsey's) is more traditional yet still modern and the other (Spike's) is unconventional and provocative. I tend to like the latter but you can see for yourself. In their latest episode, they show how to grill steak two ways.

Spike was real cool and friendly, revealing that he too lived in Astoria at one point and relished in all of the amazing food choices that our neighborhood offers. He's Greek so naturally, he felt right at home.

Enjoy Food 2 and check out Spike's show to get some good food ideas.