one person's attempt to cook

lonny magazine

2009-12-23T21:37:00.001-08:00

One of my new favorite magazines is actually only available in digital form. It's Lonny Magazine. When Domino Magazine ended, it was a sad day. But then... some of those that contributed to the magazine decided to come up with Lonny. It was no longer a sad day. Now, it's glorious and happy again. So far, they've come out with two issues. I'm particularly fond of the second issue, too.

One of my favorite articles features the renovation of a Manhattan home by interior designer, Brad Ford. In particular, I keep turning to pages 159-160. It's a close-up of a table place setting. I love the organic feel. I love the simplicity. I love the non-traditional use of some of the pieces. When I'm grown up and I host dinner parties, I want my table to be this beautiful.

I recognized the appetizer plates coming from Crate & Barrel. From there, I started to recognize more pieces. Growing up may happen sooner than planned because I can afford this stuff. Hurray!

marble salt and pepper cellar $6.95
slate board (used as a placemat) $24.95
acacia appetizer plate (used as a bread and butter plate) $4.95

pack your own lunch

2009-09-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

(Life has been crazy busy and when I had to sacrifice something, it was going to be blogging. I am happily back and hope I can get back to regular posting. Sorry for my lengthy absence.)

To my surprise, Rachael Ray has inspired me to blog again. I'm not a huge fan of hers either. I've been given a couple of her books but they have never been touched. Recently, I've been given a year's subscription to her magazine- Everyday with Rachael Ray- and I got my first issue (September 2009) in the mail last week. It has been such a good read, too. I have been inspired by so many of the ideas and love all the suggestions to make cooking easy, fun, and good! This magazine is my latest guilty pleasure (don't tell anyone).

Even though I'm not finished reading the magazine, my favorite article thus far is "Food A to Z: 2nd Annual Addition." It's so good I have to share it with you... in particular- L for lunch break. I want to try (almost) every idea on this page.

I try to pack a lunch daily because cafeteria food is for the pits and ordering food for delivery takes its toll on my wallet. At the same time, I can eat a salad or a sandwich for so often. This article takes the common to a not so common place. It actually gets me excited to pack lunch. Here are the ideas. Maybe you'll want to try one or two of them, too.

(direct from the magazine)

Turn your go-to salad into a pasta: Toss your usual Caesar, chef's or Greek salad with penne. (It's either a leafy salad or pasta for me; never thought of combining the two.)
Give mayo the day off: Make tuna salad using mashed avocado and lemon juice, then serve as a sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and red onions. (YUM!... except sourdough for me)
Graze: Nibble on assorted berries, roasted almonds, some cheese, and dried apricots and figs over the course of a few hours. (I keep telling myself to pack some healthier snacks.)
Make it the main meal of the day: Serve the heartiest meal for lunch (mmm, braised chicken in wine sauce with roasted veggies) and eat light at night. While you're at it, invite people over for a lunch party!
Make the world's fastest French onion soup: Simmer beef broth with caramelized onions; top with garlic croutons and Swiss cheese. (I was just talking to someone about how easy French onion soup is to make and I should do it more often.)
Turn a routine sandwich into a kebab: Thread lunch meat, cubes of cheese, and chunks of raw veggies onto skewers and pack with ranch dressing for dipping. (Gonna have to try this one fo sho.)
Take a nostalgia trip: Pack a lunch of deviled eggs and gherkin, just like Mom used to make. (Um... my mom didn't make this for me but sounds yummy.)

Can't wait for the October issue!

cilantro lime dresing

2009-07-28T18:31:00.001-07:00

Oh man... I'm a huge fan of salad. I can eat it everyday. Awhile back I had this delicious cilantro lime dressing at the Nordstrom Cafe and I had to have the recipe. Tonight I chose to make it. It's easy, refreshing, and simply amazing. It was the perfect compliment to my salad of arugula, watercress, cherry and grape tomatoes, and cucumber.

To make the dressing, you need: 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (or rice vinegar), 2 minced or pressed garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper pureed, about 1 tablespoon honey (or more for added sweetness), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup salad oil (I used sunflower oil), and 1 bunch chopped cilantro.

I cut corners and bought some chiptotle pepper salsa. It was made of the same ingredients as the chiptotle peppers but it was already pureed and in a smaller can. If you use chiptotle peppers, puree it in a mini food processor. Then combine all the ingredient minus the cilantro.

Mix well. Refrigerate until you're ready to use it.

Before serving, mix in the cilantro. It's best used within a day as the cilantro will change over time.

The salad accompanied a very delicious roasted chicken with potatoes. I found the chicken and potatoes on Gwyneth Paltrow's website- GOOP. I'm a email subscriber of her new posts and when I saw the recipe and the video that went with it, I could tell it was a winner. I think I'll be making this regularly. Thanks, Gwyneth!

enjoying sangria

2009-07-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

Oops... I didn't realize I let a week pass by without a post. So sorry!

Last week, my friend Laura and I met up for happy hour at Sangria Tapas y Bar. What are they known for? As you've already guess... Spanish tapas and sangria. Sangria is a great place for happy hour with a variety of sangria for you to enjoy. My favorite is sparkling sangria. They've also got a decent menu for happy hour tapas, too. Though Spanish tapas are not my favorite, I always enjoy the opportunity to try out a bunch of little things.

Spanish flat bread

patatas bravas (YUM!!!)

calamari (With such small portions, we had a hers and hers.)

mushroom croquettes

pan con tomate

Chef Mariano's paella del dia

the best mexican dinner ever

2009-06-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite dinners to make EVER. Everything is so tasty and fresh. This dinner includes guacamole and chips, steak tacos, and Mexican corn. It can't get better than that.

Like most people I'm a huge fan of tacos- soft tacos, hard tacos, steak tacos, fish tacos, any tacos on your mind! When I discovered this version on the Food Network, it showed signs of greatness. It has chili-rubbed steak, crunchy shredded cabbage, and an amazing salsa with cucumbers and avocados. Am I making your mouth salivate?

Tonight, seemed like the perfect night to make them. I just happen to have fajita meat and flour tortillas.

To make the steak (and feed four), you will 1 1/4 pound fajita meat, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 4-5 garlic minced, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 ground cinnamon, and oil.

Combine the chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic, and salt in a bowl.

Spread the spice mixture on both sides of the meat. Baste with oil to help spread the spice mixture evenly.

Grill the meat about 8 minutes on each side. Then take it off the heat and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

Slice the meat thinly.

Now comes the avocado lime salsa. Once you've made this, you want it all the time. Not only is it great on the steak tacos, it's also perfect dip for tortilla chips.

To make the avocado lime salsa, you will need an avocado cubed, half of a cucumber peeled and diced, 1/4 red onion diced, 1 lime, salt, a small bunch of cilantro chopped, and 1 jalapeno chopped.

In a bowl, mix the cucumber, avocado, and onion. Then mix in the lime juice, salt, cilantro, and jalapeno. (As you can see, I forgot the jalapeno.)

Okay... almost done. You also need to shred a quarter of red cabbage.

This is a great meal to allow everyone to self-serve. I line up the meat, flour tortillas, salsa, and red cabbage. Just add as much as you want on top of your tortilla.

When you're done, you'll have this delicious and tasty taco. Be warned- this is pretty much a guaranteed hit for all.

Now, I bet you want to learn how to make the Mexican corn and quite possibly, my guacamole. Well... let the first picture be a teaser. Recipes are to be continued...

get your indian on

2009-06-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Indian pastries are samosas. I think I could eat them everyday. With some tamarind or mint chutney, I'm in food heaven. They're flaky, filling, and delicious. Plus, you can't go wrong with potatoes.

My love for them got me thinking- I should learn how to make them. When I started to do an internet search, I found some YouTube demonstrations of how to make them by Manjula and a whole new can of worms was opened.

Manjula is this awesome woman who's decided to share her knowledge of Indian cuisine. Her husband is her food critic and her camera man. If he deems the food worthy, then they share it with us. I'm very excited about all the different recipes (and about sharing her with you).

Okay... so back to samosas. Watch these videos and get inspired. Let's learn how to cook Indian together.

meatloaf with mashed potatoes and broccoli PART 2

2009-06-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

This should almost be titled cooking 101 because I'm going to sure you how to make amazing mashed potatoes. It's something simple to make but also easy to mess up.

Back in Christmas 2004 (I think), my family had a reunion in California for my grandfather's book opening. On one of those nights, my uncle, who is also a chef, hosted a dinner of some amazing food. One of the foods I found mesmerizing was the mashed potatoes. They were perfectly seasoned, light, and oh so creamy. I have since requested his recipe and now I'm going to share it with you.

To serve four, you will need 2 big potatoes baked and mashed, 1/2 stick butter, 1 cup half and half, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, and white pepper.

Bake the potatoes in 450 degree oven for a minimum of 30 minutes. While the potatoes are in the oven, you can combine the butter, half and half, salt, and pepper in a sauce pan over low heat.

When the potatoes are ready, mash them and put them in the food processor.

Add the half and half and butter mix to the potatoes and blend until smooth.

You'll end up with divine mashed potatoes.

cosmic cup

2009-06-22T20:53:00.001-07:00

Cosmic Cup has been a favorite dining spot for me for many years. Actually, they call themselves Cosmic Cafe now but I like to keep it old school. It's a vegetarian restaurant with an Indian influence. They also offer various activities including yoga, meditation, and poetry readings. I haven't partaken in any of these activities but I was quite surprised how many people were there for poetry tonight.

An interesting fact about the restaurant is that everything on the menu equals nine. For example, my chai tea was $3.06. Until dining here, I never realized there were so many meanings for the number nine- one of them being completion.

There's seating inside and out but I'm always sitting on the porch.

I always start with pappadam. I love that their's is a bit spicy. It comes with mint and tamarind chutney.

I LOVE samosas. I'm going to have to do a separate posts about them but for now, here is a picture of their samosas... so delicious.

I always have to get a cup of chai when I'm here. I buy the teabags but it's not the same as the real thing.

I ordered a Fold in Thyme. It's a nan sandwich with cheddar, avocado, sprouts, onions, tomato, zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, and honey mustard. I have tried many things here and I always come back to a fold in thyme. It used to be served with tortilla chips and pico de gallo but they've since ditched the chips and replaced it with some pappadam. I kind of prefer it that way.

He always order the Buddha's Special (now called Buddha's Delight). Instead of getting dahl, he asks for a second samosa. The Buddha's Special comes with curried vegetables (today, it was spinach and artichoke), dahl, samosa, pappadam, rice, and nan. The curried vegetables is usually potatoes, peas, and cauliflower. The artichoke was a nice change of pace.

This place makes dining vegetarian style doable. Everything is delicious.

spices are good

2009-06-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

It took long enough but I discovered the best way to buy my spices and herbs. Instead of buying a bottle of spices that I will only use a handful of times before they start to lose their taste, I should just go to Central Market or Whole Foods. They have a great selection of spices and herbs in their bulk bins. I buy just what I need and it's fresh every time. But there has to be something a little bit nicer to store them in besides the little plastic baggy that you buy them in.

... So I have been wanting a spice rack for some time. While checking out Design Sponge, I saw the ideal spice rack. It's made up of test tubes. I love the fact that they hold a small amount, they don't take up much space, and have a clean presentation.

This Design Sponge post led to the search for something similar and then I found The Tubular Spice Company. They have the exact spice rack here. It comes with a metal stand and 40 spices and is $141. That's more than the spices I need, I want to be able to pick the spices I want, but most importantly, that's too much money.

Then they also have this. It holds 20 spices which is more like it but it's still $91 and comes with spices.

Finally, I saw this. It comes with 20 empty glass tubes in a wooden rack. I kind of like the wooden rack a little bit more. The best part of it is that it's $47.

All I have to do now is buy it!

meatloaf with mashed potatoes and broccoli PART 1

2009-06-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I decided to make meatloaf with mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli. The recipes are going to come to you in three parts. Let's start with the main course- meatloaf.

This is the BEST meatloaf in the entire world. It's a strong statement but I'm ready to back it up. The flavors are so unique and untraditional. The cloves and allspice are the perfect companions for the tomato sauce. The lemon gives the meat a nice kick. I've made it a ton of times and it's divine every time.

You will need 1 1/2 pound ground beef, 4 slices of dried bread cubed, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup onion finely chopped, 1 egg beaten, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.

Today, I used Italian white bread because I got it free from Central Market. Any bread will do though. I also used more onion than directed. There are a few things I believe never hurts to have a little more. That includes onions, garlic, and cheese.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the ground beef, bread cubes, lemon juice, onion, egg and salt in a large bowl.

Mix well.

Put the meat mixture in a loaf pan. I'm using a meatloaf pan but any loaf pan will work. The meatloaf pan gives you the convenience of allowing the fat to drip. Bake for 15 minutes.

While the meatloaf is in the oven, prepare the tomato sauce. Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, allspice, and cloves.

Mix well making sure to break up the brown sugar as best you can. Don't worry if you still have lumps. It will melt perfectly once in the oven.

Here is the meatloaf after it's been in the oven for 15 minutes.

Cover the loaf with the sauce.

Bake it for 30 minutes longer.

Here it is done and out of the oven. Give the loaf a few minutes to cool so it can hold its shape.

Try it and tell me what you think. Would you agree that it's the best meatloaf?

adapted from The Junior League Centennial Cookbook

awshucks

2009-06-19T17:00:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite places to eat is Awshucks. It's laidback and casual. There's no pretentiousness here. It's just plain good seafood.

You go to the counter to order and you find a table. They have a counter for indoor seating but most of the people sit at the outside tables. Then, you just wait for your name to pick up your food. Here, they practice the honor system so before you leave, you let the cashier know what you've ordered and pay.

Be warned if you try to come here on the weekends. The place gets über packed. It's every man for himself when finding a table. You're like a lion on the hunt. You see people start leaving and you jump. Luckily, the staff is watching, too, and they are right behind you to clean the table.

I'm addicted to the summer platter, fish tacos, and fries. Next time, I'm going to order their hot wings (has nothing to do with seafood but I've been told they are amazing).

Since we arrived during happy hour, oysters were half price. We ordered a dozen. I don't usually partake but I enjoyed a couple. An oyster atop a cracker with hot sauce, lemon, and ketchup is not half bad.

Here's the summer platter. YUM! YUM! Don't be mislead by the name because it's available year round. It's a mix of crab legs, shrimp, and sausage. We usually ask for more crab legs for the sausage. They put the perfect amount of seasonings and spices. If you share this with me, don't be mad if I hog the crab legs.

bo luc lac

2009-06-14T20:10:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes growing up- bo luc lac. It's literal translation is shaking beef. You can say it's a kind of comfort food for me. Luckily, it's also very easy to make.

I've looked online and found many recipes for it. Each one has been very different from the next. This one comes from my mom. I consider her a reliable resource.

The recipe comes in two parts: a marinade and a dressing. To feed about four, you will need a pound of beef cubed (the cut is your choice; I used top sirloin) and one bunch of watercress. For the marinade, you will need Maggi, 4-6 garlic crushed, and cracked pepper. Maggi is a type of seasoning. It's very similar to soy sauce but, in my opinion, much better. This bottle is imported from Europe.

Since this recipe comes from my mom, I don't have exact measurements for the ingredients. I just shake enough Maggi on the beef so that it's covered. Then, I mix in the garlic and lots of cracked pepper. I prepared it early so that the marinade has time to be soaked in by the beef.

With about two tablespoons of olive oil, I saute the beef for about 5-8 minutes over medium heat.

For the dressing, you will need about 1 part olive oil and 1 part vinegar to about 1/2 to 1/3 part Maggi. The Maggi pictured below is what is readily available in the States. You will also need crushed garlic, sugar, cracked pepper, and yellow onion sliced thin.

You'll add the sugar and garlic as needed to balance the dressing. You can also add water to make it suit your taste. At the last minute, add the slices of onion. It will look something like this.

When it's ready to serve, place the beef on top of the watercress and pour some of the dressing on top. It's also great with sliced tomatoes. Like every other Asian dish, I like to compliment it with some steamed rice, too. Enjoy!

cheese please

2009-06-10T18:05:00.000-07:00

I was shopping in Highland Park Village and I decided to stop into Molto Formaggio, a local cheese shop. I wish I had my camera because I had so much fun looking at everything. I even left with some cheese and olive oil. I already let them know that I'll be back with my camera.

Besides carrying a plethora of cheese, they have an olive oil buffet. I picked up a bottle of filtered EVOO that's good for cooking. They have plenty of condiments to compliment your cheese purchase. They have crackers, flatbreads, breadsticks, and biscotti. They also have a ton of tools and accessories including a girolle (which is something I really want because of LuxiRare).

Look forward to a future post with pictures.

the magic bullet

2009-06-08T08:18:00.001-07:00

Last summer, my family had a reunion in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. For the last few days of the trip, I stayed with one of my aunts in a timeshare. They packed a crazy amount of stuff including food and appliances for the kitchen- rice cooker and the Magic Bullet. During the whole time, my aunt would use the Magic Bullet to make all kinds of drinks- margaritas, piña coladas, etc. I wanted to watch every time she used it. It would quickly crush ice and make drinks. I also love the idea of making a drink just the right size for me (and pulling out my heavy blender is just no fun... it either stays out on the counter forever or in the cabinets forever).

When I was finally back home, I looked up this miracle appliance but forgot about it as soon as I thought about it. Well... recently I was in Macy's picking up some sheets and I saw the Magic Bullet. Suddenly, I remembered the days in Mexico and my need for the Magic Bullet. It got me looking it up again. The reviews are mixed. People either love it or hate it. Knowing that it's a mere $60, I don't expect it to do everything in the kitchen or that it will last forever. I do expect it to make a quick smoothie. I know it's been around for awhile but I've never been one to be sold on "As Seen on TV" products.

What are your thoughts? Am I dork for wanting one? If you have one, what do you love about it? Is it a guilty pleasure?

stir fried scallops

2009-06-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

I feel like this is 30 Minute Meals by Rachael Ray, the Asian Edition. This meal is so simple and easy yet very tasty. It's reminiscent of meals my mom would make as a child. She would often stir fry with shrimp, baby bok choy, and garlic. I'm stepping it up with scallops.

You will need about 10 oz scallops (or shrimp), 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3-5 cloves garlic, about 10 oz. baby bok choy, and 1 tablespoon oyster sauce.

In a wok, heat up the oil in medium heat. Add the garlic and allow to slightly brown. Notice I like a lot of garlic.

Add the scallops and stir fry for two minutes.

Add the baby bok choy and oyster sauce and stir fry for another three minutes.

I accompanied it with a Vietnamese style omelette (eggs, fish sauce, sliced onions (I used a yellow onion but it also works with green onion), and pepper) and rice. I think the stir fry and the omelette would also be great would some heat.

making tea can be fun

2009-05-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

I picked up this kettle about two weeks ago but didn't start using it until this week. It's pretty awesome. It has 5 different temperature settings so you can brew the ideal temperature for various teas or French press coffee. It came with two different kinds of tea so I tried out the jasmine white tea by Rishi. Accustomed to the jasmine tea that you can find at the Asian grocery store, I never realized that jasmine tea could taste so good. So... now I'm hooked on two new things- the kettle and the tea.

I still have love my traditional kettle by Le Creuset but I think it's going to become kitchen decor. If you enjoy all kinds of tea, then this electric kettle is a kitchen must have.

Breville variable temperature kettle $150

fancy mac and cheese

2009-05-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

If you like pasta, cheese, garlic, and basil as much as I do, you need to try this mac and cheese. Your mouth will be so delighted but don't make any plans to get up close and personal with anyone.

I call this fancy mac and cheese because you need two different cheeses that cost at least $12 and $16 a pound. I went for the middle of the road variety so you're welcome to spend more if you wish.

To serve 2 (pictures show servings for 4), you will need 2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped; a sprig of basil, thinly sliced; 3 tablespoons of oil; 6 ounces of green and yellow tagliatelle; 1-2 ounces of freshly grated of dry Jack cheese, and 4 ounces of Manchego cheese, shaved.

Before cooking the pasta, prep all the ingredients. Once everything is chopped, grated, and sliced, start to cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. While the pasta cooks, combine the garlic, basil and olive oil in a large bowl.

When the pasta is ready, drain and reserve some of the water. (You can toss in some of the water later if the pasta seems dry.) Then toss the hot pasta with the garlic, basil, olive oil, and dry Jack (save some to top off before serving). Finally, toss in the Manchego.

Enjoy!

adapted from Macaroni & Cheese by Marlena Spieler

shrimp bisque

2009-04-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

I LOVE soup. I could eat it everyday (with bread, cheese, salad, and french fries). In particular, I LOVE bisque- crab bisque, lobster bisque, you name it! Every time I go out to eat and I see that there is some kind of bisque on the menu, I ALWAYS order it.

I decided it was about time I try to make it on my own. I am so glad I did because it was DELICIOUS! The only downside is all the prep. I wish I did it all a bit earlier because the whole experience would have gone much smoother. I ended up using a second pair of hands so it would be finished within dinner time.

Here's what you need (and prep it before you plan on actually cooking it): 3 tablespoons butter, 1 yellow onion (thinly sliced), 1 carrot (peeled and thinly sliced), 4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced), 2 pounds of shrimp (shelled and deveined; save the shells intact as much as possible; save 24 shrimp and cut them into 1/2 inch pieces), 4 Roma tomatoes (coarsely chopped), 4 cups of chicken stock, 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons dry sherry, salt, cayenne pepper, and Italian parsley for garnish (finely chopped).

In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes.

Add the shrimp shells and continue to saute for about 5 minutes. The shells will turn bright pink and the vegetables will continue to soften.

Add the tomatoes and stock. Cook for 5-8 minutes. Remove the shrimp shells and throw them away. (Notice I changed pots; I kept switching between two different pots.)

In a blender, process the mixture in batches until finely chopped. Pass the mixture through a sieve or food mill. Discard the solids.

When all done, you are left with a smooth mixture.

With the 24 shrimp set aside, add the rest of the shrimp and the bread crumbs to the pot. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and, with the blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth.

Return the soup to medium heat and add the cream, sherry, salt to taste, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Cook for about 2-5 minutes to blend the flavors. Add salt if necessary.

When the soup is ready, add the 24 cut shrimp and cook for a couple minutes more. Before serving, garnish with the parsley. Oh, so good...

who is claire robinson

2009-04-18T07:19:00.001-07:00

source: www.commercialappeal.com

I woke up early this morning (to my dismay), made my necessary coffee, and turned on the TV. As I flipped through my favorite channels, I decided to stop at the Food Network. The title "5 Ingredient Fix" caught my attention. This Claire Robinson was making french toast, maple candied bacon, a fruit smoothie, and asparagus topped with scrambled eggs. The whole time, I kept thinking:

Does this really taste good?
Who is this person?
What are her credentials?

It became necessary to know more so I go to the Food Network site. I learn this is her third episode, she's worked in media, she really wanted to pursue her interest in food, and she's produced other Food Network shows. I started to check out her other recipes and their reviews. They were actually interesting read- people reviewing the food before even cooking it, someone named Aggie raving about the food but making some serious alterations to the ingredients, and someone named Marsha who ripped Aggie for her comments and who ripped the recipes for getting high marks for doing not much.

I'll keep watching this show out of mere curiosity. Maybe, I'll even try some of the things she made. Claire, just stop getting excited about everything you've cooked after you have a bite but it's just a bit annoying. Really... the mini orgasms that these people get after trying their food is much.

baked shrimp scampi

2009-03-22T18:40:00.001-07:00

Being a fan of Barefoot Contessa, I was happy to receive latest book Back to Basics as a gift. When I got it yesterday, I immediately started to look through it for tonight's dinner. I like how each chapter starts with 10 Things- 10 no-cook things to serve for dessert, set a table like a pro, etc. The pictures are beautiful and every recipe looks DELICIOUS.

For my first 'back to basics' attempt, I made baked shrimp scampi. Looks pretty good, eh! I don't think I've had shrimp scampi before. At least, I wasn't aware of it.

Luckily, I already had all the ingredients (even 2 pounds of shrimp) so no trips to the grocery store were necessary. I was missing the fresh herbs (NOTE TO SELF: start an herb garden) but for some odd reason, I had their dry counterparts. For every tablespoon of fresh herbs, you can substitute with 1 teaspoon of dried herbs. Don't attempt this if you are worried about fat intake either... it's loaded with butter.

You'll need 2 pounds shrimp (peeled, deveined, and butterflied with tails left on), 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons dry white wine, salt and pepper, 1 1/2 sticks softened butter, 4 teaspoons/ cloves minced garlic (if you're like me, you add a little extra), 1/4 cup/ 4 minced shallots, 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 XL egg yolk, and 2/3 cup panko.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of butter.

In another mixing bowl, combine the butter, garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

In a baking dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and toward the center of the dish. Pour any remaining marinade over the shrimp.

Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Then bake for 10-13 minutes. I like the top browned so I placed it under the broiler for a couple minutes, too.

Here's the finished product. Doesn't look quite like Ina's but I'm sure it's because I didn't have the 14 inch dish the recipe called for. All in the same, it was amazing and I'll definitely have to do it again. With my Asian nature, I ate it with steamed white rice. I do that with almost everything.

heaven in a jar

2009-03-09T16:20:00.001-07:00

Someone introduced me to the phenomena of aloe tea. She brought me a cup on one of the recent hot days we've had. It was so cool, refreshing, and light that I had to find out more about it. All I knew was that she got it from a Korean grocery store. Today, she brought me a jar and finally, I understood what I was drinking- honey aloe tea. It's so yummy that I want to consume it all.

It just takes 2 spoons to a cup (whatever that means) and mixed together. Teaspoons, tablespoons, 8 oz. cup, what? I just played around until I got it right.

If anyone knows how to make it from scratch, do share.

battle of the bolognese, part 2

2009-03-09T15:39:00.001-07:00

I made not just one, but two bolognese sauces yesterday. I found two recipes from two different books that were very different from each other. Call me crazy but I just couldn't choose. What if I picked the one that wasn't quite as good? That would be a catastrophe. So... I made both.

This one comes from The Best Recipe by Cooks Illustrated. I had a feeling that this would be the best recipe (funny ha ha... choice of words was not intentional). They spent almost two pages just explaining the process of how they even devised the bolognese.

You need 3 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons minced onion, 2 tablespoons minced carrot, 2 tablespoons minced celery, 3/4 pound of ground beef (or mixture of beef, veal, and pork), salt, 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup dry white wine, and 1 28oz can of whole tomatoes packed in juice (chopped fine). (Ignore the olive oil in the picture; my oversight that was too late to correct)

Heat 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery.

Sauteé for about 6 minutes.

Add ground meat and 1/2 teaspoon salt. As you crumble the meat, cook for about 3 minutes.

Add milk and bring to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Add wine and bring to simmer for 10-15 minutes (as the wine evaporates).

The next two shots are rather random. I posted once about this great can opener and I promised pictures of the next time I would use it so here they are. The can opener is amazing. The edges of the can are smooth and danger free.

Add tomatoes with their juice and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 3 hours (until the liquid has evaporated).

Here is the final product. The noodles are tossed with the remainder of the butter and topped with the sauce. We had it for an early dinner today.

VERDICT: My husband and I both enjoyed the bolognese from yesterday SO MUCH MORE. He felt the flavors were more cohesive and this one was too acidic. I have to agree. Try either and let me know what you think.

battle of the bolognese, part 1

2009-03-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

I've been craving some bolognese so I decided today was a good day to make it myself (for the first time). I remember watching Martha Stewart and she was featuring "30 Things Everyone Should Know." One of them was to make a bolognese sauce. 2-3 years later and I finally decide to try it.

I wasn't very interested in trying her recipe because I need to use my cookbooks more. So... I looked in The Silver Spoon and The Best Recipe (among a few other books). Both the recipes were so different that I couldn't decide. Should I attempt the recipe from the classic Italian cookbook or the recipe from one of the "be all end all" magazines, Cook's Illustrated? Well, I decided to try to cook both tonight. Hopefully, one has to turn out right.

I started with The Silver Spoon. Out of the two recipes, it was the least complicated and took the least amount of time.

You need 3 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped celery stalk, 1 chopped carrot, 9 ounces of ground beef, 1 tablespoon of concentrated tomato paste, and salt and pepper.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a pan. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix well and cook over low heat for a few minutes until the vegetables soften and the meat browns.

Add the tomato paste (diluted with water) and mix well. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 1 1/2 hours. You can add a little hot water if the sauce starts to dry out.

I decided to eat it with tagliatelle but you can also use timbales, fettuccini, or spaghetti noodles.

Here's the finished product. No, I do not usually garnish food that I cook but some green helps to make a prettier picture.

We enjoyed it for dinner tonight with some garlic bread. It was delicious. I think my husband liked it, too, because he had two helpings. I also made the recipe from The Best Recipe tonight but that will have to wait until tomorrow. It was still cooking when we were ready for dinner. The final verdict on the better bolognese to come.

nothing like brunch at taverna

2009-03-01T14:19:00.001-08:00

Surprisingly, my husband suggested getting brunch today. Even though he didn't wake up until after noon, we still had plenty of time.

Since I knew we were having brunch for the past few days, I haven't been able to get Taverna out of my head. We had brunch there once and it was DELICIOUS. Before we left, I called about the wait and possible reservations. No reservations and a 45 minute wait. It's okay because it was worth it.

I had a bottomless bellini, we both had eggs benedict with crab meat, and we shared French toast with fresh fruit. I also noticed that some of the tables were being served focaccia bread so I inquired. They normally serve focaccia during lunch but our waiter was happy to get us some (as he did for other people). Damn... that was good bread.

are you a ho or a pimp?

2009-03-01T08:34:00.001-08:00

These glasses are sick. I love them.

Ghetto pint glass $8

top chef disappointment

2009-02-25T20:15:00.000-08:00

source: popwatch.ew.com

I'm so disappointed in tonight's Top Chef Finale. What the f*** happened?

I have bee a fan of the show since Hung one a few seasons back. Though last season kind of sucked with ho hum chefs, I have eagerly watched every episode of this season. I seem to love the a**hole chef. I love the well-deserved arrogance (um... maybe I'm seeing a bit of myself) so Stefan totally fed my need to see a talented chef. Slowly, I started to love Carla, too. She shows such passion for cooking that you can't help but find her endearing. To say the least, I was happy to know that Stefan and Carla were in the final three. It was almost perfect!

The third chef was Hosea... a guy that should have been kicked off awhile back. There has been a few episodes that I was shocked someone was kicked off before him (say... the farm episode). He didn't start showing any potential until they all went to New Orleans and I'm sorry but that's a bit too late. So how the hell did he win? (sorry, Hosea)

Yes, Carla flopped. She temporarily lost her way. We all felt for you, Carla.

But Stefan... he had to cook freakin' alligator! Plus, they said he made the best dish of the evening. How do you lose after that? I'm disgruntled.

not just another can opener

2009-02-22T16:41:00.000-08:00

I've gone through my share of can openers. I remember the cheapie one my mom always bought as a kid. You know... the one that looked like this. Your fingers would hurt as you cranked it around the can.

So... most of you must be thinking a can opener is a can opener. But if you are like me and have a fascination with kitchen tools, then no it's not.

Meet the Rösle can opener. It's beautiful in design, as well as, efficient in the kitchen. Unlike traditional can openers, it cuts cans along the outside rim of the lid so touching the can is safer and your food doesn't touch the can opener at all. Oh... and it's so easy to use. Don't be taken aback by the price tag because you'll be so happy once you own one. Suddenly, it will all make sense. (I'll add a picture of it in use as soon as I use it again.)

Rösle can opener $37

Ina Garten's pot roast with baked potato

2009-02-22T08:46:00.000-08:00

While I was watching tv yesterday, I noticed that Barefoot Contessa was on the Food Network. She was making pot roast with baked potatoes. Now, I rarely eat pot roast but I couldn't help but continue to watch as I started to develop an appetite for some. Having to go to the grocery store, I decided that pot roast was going to be the night's dinner.

Four things came to realization as and after I made it. One- easy does not mean it's not a life sucker. I was so tired after all the cooking. Two- Ina Garten really likes salt and in the future, I will half the amount she says. Three- sometimes, it's much cheaper to go out and have someone else make it for you (the meat was $20something and the wine was $20something aside from all of the other ingredients). Four- don't start making pot roast at 6PM. It took me about 4 hours when all was said and done.

And on with the cooking...

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. You need a 4-5lb boneless beef chuck roast (tied), salt, pepper, flour, and olive oil. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt (but use half) and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper; and dredge the whole roast in flour.

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear until nicely browned on all sides for about 5 minutes each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.

While the roast is searing, coarsely chop 4 carrots, 2 yellow onions, 4 stalks of celery, and 2-4 leeks. Also, peel and crush 5 cloves of garlic (I added more because, well... garlic is yummy).

Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to the Dutch oven and cook all the vegetables, 1 tablespoon of salt (half, really), and 1 1/2 teaspoons of pepper over medium for 10-15 minutes, occasionally stirring.

Now, you will need 2 cups of burgundy wine, 2 tablespoons of brandy, 28oz can of whole tomatoes, 1 cup of chicken stock, 1 bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons of salt (half), 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 3 branches of thyme and 2 branches of rosemary tied.

Add the wine and brandy and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, salt, pepper, and tied herbs. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender or about 160 degrees F internally. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees F after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.

Here it is out of the oven.

Remove the roast.

Finish off by preparing the sauce. Remove the tied herbs. In a blender or food processor, puree half of the vegetables and liquid. Add it back to the pot with 1 tablespoon of room temperature butter and 2 tablespoons of flour that have been mashed together. Cook for another 2 minutes.

When all is done, slice the roast and top with the sauce.

Per Ina's suggestion, I accompanied the pot roast with a baked potato covered in a yogurt and sour cream topping. The potatoes were baked in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. They were split open and sprinkled with salt and pepper (note: you can leave out the salt). The topping consists of 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt (half again), 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and chives mixed together.

Enjoy!

crème brûlée is nice on valentine's

2009-02-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

Usually, we go out to dinner for Valentine's Day but this year is different. It was an adjustment to go back as a two person household when my in-laws were here for about three months (so I didn't know if we would celebrate the holiday). But everything is semi-normal and I decided to cook dinner. I'm pretty excited about it, too. The menu is lemon chicken stuffed with garlic, mashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus. For dessert, I've made crème brûlée. Something that should be made in advance, I started it tonight. It's a relatively easy dessert to make. The most complicated part is getting it in the oven.

The first time I made crème brûlée, I used Ina Garten's recipe from Barefoot in Paris and it's the only recipe I'll ever need. It's simple and yummy so what more could I ask for?

You need 1 extra large egg, 4 extra large egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 cups of heavy cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of Grand Marnier.

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Mix the egg, egg yolks, and sugar.

Heat the cream until hot but not boiling (I turned off the burner just in time but as you can see, letting it sit there a second for a picture shows otherwise). Then add and mix to the egg mixture. Next, add the vanilla and Grand Marnier.

Pour the mixture into ramekins. For some reason, I like the more shallow ramekins. Place the ramekins in a bath of boiling water in a baking dish. It'll go in the oven for about 40 minutes. Be careful not to get the water into the ramekins (it doesn't hurt but it isn't a happy experience).

When it's done, the custard should be set.

Remove it from the water bath so it can cool and then go into the fridge. Why did I make six? Well, I don't know how to half an egg (going down a size in eggs doesn't really help) so we'll just have dessert for a couple additional nights.

Right before you're ready to have dessert, evenly sugar the top with 1 teaspoon of sugar.

With a torch, caramelize the sugar.

Once cool, I like to add fruit to the top.

what's an ebelskiver?

2009-02-09T16:13:00.001-08:00

My husband was looking at a Williams-Sonoma catalog that we had gotten in the mail and was taken by the ebelskivers so... on Friday, I purchased the pan and the mix. Ebelskivers are Norwegian pancakes shaped into a ball and filled with whatever you like.

In the future, I will make it from scratch but since it was my first time to make ebelskivers or to use such a pan, I decided it was best to start with the mix. On Saturday, I made a huge breakfast with bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and ebelskivers. I filled the ebskivers with Nutella. It was delicious. I will make it again this coming Saturday (I only make time to eat breakfast on the weekends) and share with you.

be warned

2009-02-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

Dim sum doesn't look so good in pictures but damn, it's so good in the stomach. A friend told me that her family would be celebrating her mom's birthday with dim sum and my immediate thought was- I need dim sum. So, my husband and I went to Maxim, a great place for dim sum in Dallas, yesterday. I had gorged myself with the food that I had a dim sum belly the rest of the day. It was so good.

chicken feet (I don't eat it), pork spare ribs, and squid

shrimp in a rice crêpe-like roll

mussels

chinese broccoli

stir fried noodles (asked for half rice/ half egg noodles)

beef tendon

almond jello with fruit cocktail and evaporated milk

chinese bread (don't know how to spell it) in a rice crêpe-like roll

when i'm in the mood for delicious molten cake, i go to...

2009-02-03T18:53:00.001-08:00

Penne Pomodoro. It's a decent place. The guy that owns it must be making a buttload. He has seven different restaurant concepts with some of them having multiple locations. Most of them are in Dallas but there's one in Austin and another in Las Vegas. Penne Pomodoro is probably the cheapest and basically more family oriented. I keep going there because I'm addicted to the molten cake (and I'm not even a huge fan of chocolate). We went to a different location just to check it out. Same restaurant but tastes kind of different. Here's what we had:

I love caesar salad. I could eat it everyday.

My husband had one of the specials. It was mahi mahi with shrimp, mashed potatoes, and vegetables.

I had pesto fettuccine. I had it the last time we went but it wasn't so good here as it was at the other location. I was a little sad.

I can have cappuccino any time of the day. It doesn't keep me up. Surprisingly, he got one, too. The guy doesn't like coffee.

And here is the delicious molten cake! I'm glad it's not crack because then I would have a problem.

fabulous french toast

2009-02-01T08:43:00.001-08:00

In my last post, I mentioned French toast. Here's the best recipe to make your own. First, I will write the ingredients and directions as in the Junior League Centennial Cookbook and then I will share pictures and my slight variation.

ingredients (to serve 4)
1 loaf of white or French bread
1 c milk
1/4 c granulated sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c bacon grease or vegetable oil
confectioner's sugar for garnish
Maple syrup

directions
Cut the bread into 3/4 inch slices. Heat the milk in a saucepan; add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Remove from the heat; cool slightly. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt; mix well. Dip each slice of bread into the milk mixture until well coated. Place in a flat baking dish and pour the remaining liquid over the bread. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

In a heavy skillet, fry the bread in very hot bacon grease until golden on both sides. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Serve hot with maple syrup.

VARIATION: Add 2 tablespoon of Grand Marnier to the milk; decrease sugar to 1 tablespoon and vanilla to 1/2 teaspoon. (I should try this next time; I forget I keep Grand Marnier but it surely sounds delightful.)

I just do it slightly different.

First, I half all the ingredients since I'm only cooking for two.

I use butter instead of bacon grease or vegetable oil. Who keeps bacon grease?

I do not refrigerate the coated bread overnight. I don't have time for that (or space in my refrigerator). Maybe it makes it better, maybe it doesn't.

Here is the final result. Though I keep Maple syrup (as you can see), it's never been opened. I only use syrup for pancakes. This French toast is already perfectly sweetened by the sugar added to the batter.

Try it. It's GOOD. Usually, my breakfasts are really big... eggs, bacon, and hash browns but no time today. Enjoy!

junior league centennial cookbook

2009-01-31T18:23:00.000-08:00

I have MANY cookbooks, too MANY cookbooks. Most sit within the closet shelves. Of course, that isn't the intention. I think I buy them because I like the pretty pictures. There are a few that I pull out every once in awhile. One of them is the Junior League Centennial Cookbook. I have used two or three of the recipes and each of them turned out brilliantly. No longer can I eat traditional meatloaf. I will only eat mine. My mom taught me how to make French toast when I was little but the recipe from this cookbook showed me that missing ingredient(s). When I make it, I don't even touch syrup. I'm hoping my lazy ass will make some French toast tomorrow morning. I bought the French bread tonight so best not to let it go to waste.

Okay... this post just created a new New Year's Resolution. It's not too late is it? I'm going to pull out a new cookbook each time I want to make something new. That way, I can share more reviews with you. Oh, and I should probably try some more recipes from the book in discussion!

korean food isn't half bad

2009-01-20T20:08:00.000-08:00

I've never been a fan of Korean food (aside from kim chi). I had a narrow-minded view that it was all about sweet bbq. When my cousin and his family came to visit around the holidays, they were adamant on having Korean. They believe Korean food is better in Dallas than Houston. That's a new one... if you're Asian and you live/ been in Dallas or Houston, you know that Houston far surpasses Dallas in good Asian food.

Anyways, we went out one day for lunch to a Korean cold noodle house on Harry Hines. I wish I could remember the name but it leaves me at the moment. I'll have to call my cousin or wait for their next visit. Because, I know we'll be stopping by there again.

It seemed like a several course meal. Food was coming at us one plate at a time. It all started with potato pancake thing... very YUMMY. I enjoyed it a lot. Then, we had dumplings. They were pretty good, too. Next was some bbq beef with all kinds of condiments to compliment it. I never knew I liked tofu skin. I didn't know tofu had skin. You see that small bowl of bean sprouts? It was pickled in something that I will just say- GROSS. Finally, we had some cold noodles. I don't know what I think of it. It was definitely interesting. It was definitely pretty to look at. I just don't know if I like cold noodles. Final verdict, I like Korean food.

6 starbucks gift cards and counting

2009-01-20T17:49:00.000-08:00

For some odd reason, I'm a magnet for Starbucks gift cards. People keep giving them to me for Christmas, for birthdays, etc. They give them to my husband, too. Out of the gazillion different gift cards out there, why do people think that Starbucks is the perfect choice? At first, I used them. They did come in handy when I ran out of coffee at home. But now, they are just starting to collect. So far, I have found 6 of them but I think there are more lingering around my home somewhere.

So why do I keep getting them? Yes, I love coffee. You probably figured that out being it was my first post. But, I don't like Starbucks coffee. It kind of tastes like dirt to me. If I go there, I lean towards the frou frou options.

What am I to do with all these cards? One suggestion was to regift them. That was a thought that ran through my mind for a second. At the same time, I didn't want to continue the torment of "Why another Starbucks gift card?"

At first thought, I wanted to use them for stainless steel travel mugs. After months of trying to find a similar one to the one I already love, I have lost hope. The options pretty much suck.

Now, I have a new plan. I'm going to use them to get a coffee or tea press or both. I'm just not sure which one to get. Here are the options I'm considering:

Assam tea press tea pot $24.95

This one has a black plastic handle. I kind of like that.

Assam tea press pot $39.95

$15 more and I can get it in stainless. Do I really care?

Assam cast iron tea pot $89.95

$65 more and it can be cast iron. It has a nice aesthetic to it. I have enough gift cards to cover the expense. If I'm going to get a press, might as well go all out, right? Oh, and it's got that Asian thing goin' on. Maybe, it will make me feel more Asian.

Columbia thermo press $79.95 or $99.95

I'm leaning towards this option because it's perfect for tea or coffee. Plus, it will keep it hot for a few hours (so they say). I just don't know what size to get? The smaller one is more than enough. The larger one would serve guests we never have. Hmmm?

I would love to hear what you think I should get. This, that, or this and that? Why?

pass the soap

2009-01-19T20:05:00.001-08:00

What does soap have to do with cooking? Well, nothing really (aside from washing hands frequently while cooking, HOPEFULLY). But I saw these two devices in my recent Sur La Table catalog and I like them a lot.

So... there are two options. You've got your more traditional pump-style contraption. Then, if you are seriously too lazy to use the pump and you have another $20 to spare, you can get the sensor/ touch-free version. I might be one of those people. Oh... and I forgot to mention, the latter also has a timer so you wash your hands the appropriate length of time. Um, that might be a good thing (if you haven't read Washing Hands for Dummies).

I have always been a fan of simplehuman. I've got one of their trashcans and I'm even planning on replacing it with a new one because I was graciously given a Crate and Barrel gift card. You can rely on simplehuman to be just as they are called- simple. Yet, the design is still sleek and modern. So as I head to C&B for my trash can, I'll accompany it with one of these soap pumps (or maybe both because I don't really like to see my dish soap in the plastic bottle it comes in).

simplehuman precision soap pump $20

simplehuman sensor soap pump $40

coffee, please

2009-01-18T13:41:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I didn't do this sooner. I've wanted a food blog. I'm no amazing cook but I do like food (don't we all?). So here is my first entry...

I don't see the point of denying myself of coffee. We all need our vices and this is one (among several). I love the stuff (practically since birth). It must come from having a French influenced family. We want our cafe sua da.

I remember being a very, very little girl and my mom forcing coffee down my throat. I think she thought it would help her sick little daughter so coffee-soaked french bread was pushed down my throat. Of course, I didn't enjoy it at the time... you can't make me do what I don't want to do. Anyways, the coffee bug stuck...

I know it's not the best thing for me... the caffeine, the teeth staining, etc. So what? I don't really care. It tastes good and it makes me happy.

Over the years, I've always had some form of a coffee maker starting with the cheap crap that will do in college to what I have now. I'm going to be using the one I have now until the thing dies on me.

When I first saw the machine, I was in awe. It seemed like the perfect kitchen appliance for me... a single cup coffee maker and a nice one at that. I'm talking about the Breville single-cup coffeemaker. It didn't take long from the time I saw it for it to land in my kitchen. Of course, I wasn't going to have such a nice coffee maker without accompanying it with an equally nice coffee grinder- The Breville Ikon burr grinder.

Then I started to use it. When it says you have 4 sizes, it doesn't just mean 4 sizes. It also means coffee strength because you need to fill the K-Cup thingy with 2 tablespoons of coffee no matter what. Once I figured out what size I want (which was the largest; I know, I like my coffee on the weaker side), I've been in coffee heaven.

The machine is beautiful to look at, it's easy to operate, and it makes the perfect cup of coffee every time (amount and strength). I'm equally happy with the burr grinder. I don't know what I was thinking buying my coffee already ground. It's just not the same.