This Week’s Discoveries In Cooking

recently consumed

fact: Lisa from Top Chef is Little Pete from the Adventures of Pete and Pete

tasting notes

Top Chef is over and thank GOD Stephanie Izard won. First, her last name is the same as my favorite comedian. Second, her food always sounded delicious. And third, Lisa is a gross-to-look-at, arrogant, nauseating person and there would have been outrage in the fan community if she had won the competition.

I’m really writing this blog for two reasons. One, I needed to put out to the interwebs just how much I think Lisa is the twin of Little Pete from Pete and Pete. And also, I wanted to talk about the fun I am having with my eating challenge for the month of June. I am not go grocery shopping until we make a significant dent in the food we have been ignoring in our cupboards for the past year or so. The reward has been not only piece of mind and a cleaner cupboard, but some very delicious new recipes to add to the books.

Monday:
Spinach, walnut, and apple salad with goat cheese dressing
Wasabi cashew encrusted swordfish over carrots and edamame with a tasty soy glaze

Tuesday:
Black bean and sausage soup with goat cheese sour cream

Wednesday:
Spinach, walnut, and apple salad with goat cheese dressing
Wild boar and steak ragu

Thursday:
Chicken tikka masala (or something similar in nature, equally delicious)

Discoveries:

• Goat cheese is one of the best ingredients to try and “use up”. It’s delicious and goes on anything from salads to soups to snacks.
• If you throw together enough sauce and spices, sometimes it will magically turn into tasty Indian cuisine.
• Packing for a dinner picnic is a great way to save money and stay healthy on an evening out.
• If I encrust enough fish and meats in cashews, I might eventually make a dent in Tom’s wasabi snack collection.
• Ragu is my new Cincinnati Chili for 2008, or as Tom likes to call it “chow” (aka you can eat in large quantities and often).

suggested pairings

• ‘Top Chef’ Contestant Lisa Fernandes Hates Your Poor Blogger Ass