Ok, so everyone is asking me, "Angela - do you eat?  How can you write recipes, teach classes with Baked Brie en Croute, Baklava and Creme Brulee L'Orange and never eat it??  You have to taste as you go if it's going to be any good!"  There seems to be this myth that if you are a chef, you can't be thin.  It's even a myth that if you want to be thin, you can't eat good food - YIKES!   

So, here is what everyone wants to know...are you ready?  Well....yes, I eat!  And yes, I eat the recipes I write, I taste them and test them and those from the classes I teach - how else would I know they are any good?  But, to be 5'9" and just under 135 pounds, it seems impossible, right?  Well, it's not and I'm going to tell you how I do it.  And for the record, 131 pounds is my ideal body weight, but I'm a little over and fine with it.

  Yep...that's another one.  Love yourself! 

Moderation is key.  Yeah, I know.  When you're looking at a large order of fries or a great piece of chocolate cake, you wonder, "How can I NOT eat that?"  Well, my guess is that eating patterns are off.  A day in the "eating" life of the Kook:

1.  Breakfast

Breakfast is KEY.  Start your day off right!  I have two eggs, one piece of whole grain toast and a bit of jam.  Or, I have pancakes I make with wheat flour, flax seed, blueberries and top it with a bit of agave nectar rather than maple syrup and it's SO good - and better for you than maple syrup.

But on a budget?  Flax seed?  Wheat flour?  What will I use blueberries for besides pancakes once a week or less often than that?  Brings me to my next point...

2.  Snacks

You have to snack throughout the day or you will gorge yourself on lunch and dinner.  I eat until satisfied and then snack an hour or two later when I am hungry again.  Those blueberries?  Use your blender or immersion blender (I LOVE mine, btw) and mix a tablespoon of agave nectar with a cup of yogurt, 1/2 c. blueberries and 1/4 c. strawberries and 1/4 c. water.  Delicious and filling AND healthy!  Have healthy snacks ready.  Smoothies, trail mix, crackers with a nice cheese (just enough to take the edge off - we're not eating lunch at 10 AM!)

Doesn't that smoothie look great?!

3. Lunch

What to do for lunch...hmm....Well, don't let that yogurt go to waste if you don't want your snack to be a smoothie everyday!  Use a cup of yogurt, chopped chicken (I poach several chicken breasts at the beginning of the week), chop some grapes and throw in some basil and slivered almonds and you have a GREAT chicken salad for a sandwich or to throw on top of a bed of mixed greens.  Get creative and use what you've got so that eating healthy isn't expensive!

  Healthy DOES taste good and LOOKS great!  Don't you agree?

4. Snack

Again, I might have a smoothie (put it in a thermos to stay cold and keep it in a lunch bag with a frozen cold pack).  Or, have veggies like celery with peanut butter.  Got a craving for a cupcake or candybar?  Eat almonds and raisins instead and you'll be stunned - the craving for those refined sugars and carbs goes away!

  Dried fruits and nuts are filling and help take away your sweet tooth!

5. Dinner

You should keep your meat to 3 ounces (the size of your palm).  Have a cup of green veggies and a starchy veggie (corn or root veggies, for example) and if you like bread, eat just a bit and wait to eat the bread until you are half way through the meal so that you don't fill up on bread.  Eat only until satisfied and snack before bed.

  Even if it's fish - 3 oz!  Even this is a bit too large.  Veggies are perfect!

6.  Snacks before bed?

Yes, eating many times throughout the day keeps your metabolism going and it teaches your body to eat when hungry rather than when you are upset, anxious or bored.  Popcorn makes a great snack or baked crackers with cream cheese and sliced cucumber.  There are so many options!

Also, my habits around eating are very structured.  I never eat in front of the television.  You don't keep track of how much you are eating and often you don't even realize WHAT you are eating.  When I eat out, I ask for a to go box at the beginning of the meal and box half of it immediately so that I'm not tempted to eat more than I need.  Dessert?  I treat myself once a week and I don't eat the entire pint of ice cream, the entire piece of cake or pie.  I eat enough to enjoy it without thinking, "Oh gees...I'm miserable now!" Or I share it!

So, can a chef be skinny?  Of course!  I exercise too, but mostly it's eating in moderation that keeps me the size I am comfortable with and once you get into a routine, watch the pounds drop and you'll start thinking, "Wow, this wasn't so hard after all!"

Chef Wayne Smith

 Began working in professional cooking at age 15

Has served as a chef at restaurants in California, Hawaii and Colorado

Philosophies: Life is too short to not experience new things - including

food - whenever you can; life is too long to eat the same thing day in and day out.

Has lived and worked in western Colorado (Grand Junction) for 14 years;

previously owed Grits Restaurant, which served only Colorado-grown wines and used

almost-exclusively local produce whenever possible.

Teaches culinary arts at Mesa State College.

Recipes
Chef Wayne is a true peach fan. Colorado is one of the nation's largest
peach-producing states, and all the peaches grown in Colorado are grown in and
around Grand Junction. As such, the recipes he'd like to suggest include the
following.

Today's Recipe - and it's FANTASTIC!!

 Peach Semifreddo Croissant Sandwiches

recipe courtesy of Chef Wayne Smith

1 cup + 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
4 egg whites
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
2 ripe Palisade peaches
2 tablespoons Jack and Jenny peach brandy
2 cups heavy cream
8 small croissants
white chocolate shavings
toasted pine nuts

1. In a small, heavy saucepan, stir together 1 cup of the sugar and the water. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is boiling. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Beat the egg whites until foamy, add the cream of tartar and beat to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of the sugar and beat to stiff peaks. Increase the heat and boil the syrup until a candy thermometer registers 248°F to 250°F. Immediately transfer the syrup to a heatproof glass measuring pitcher. Beat the syrup into the whites in a steady stream, avoiding the beaters. Beat at medium speed until cool.

2. Chop one of the peaches into medium-sized pieces and puree the other one with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and the peach brandy. Combine the peaches and set aside.

3. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold the meringue into the peach mixture, incorporating 1/3 of the meringue at a time. Fold the whipped cream into the mixture then place it in the freezer until it is partially set, but can still be spooned out, 2 to 3 hours. (If the semifreddo becomes too firm, leave it out for 10-15 minutes before serving.)

4. Slice the croissants in half crosswise and toast them lightly in a toaster or under a broiler. Layout the croissant bottoms on a platter and place a scoop of semifreddo on each. Sprinkle white chocolate shavings and pine nuts over the semifreddo and cover with the croissant tops. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings

I was the recipe tester and I can't wait to tell you all about it!!

Chef Gio is a fabulous woman, chef and passionate about integrating the most important aspects of life into the kitchen - sex/passion, food (of course!) and rock and roll!  Her philosophy is that people should create intimacy and bonding through cooking, create fun, delicious dishes and rock out while doing so!  Sounds like she's onto something!

Giovannina Jennifer Bellino has often been called a modern day Renaissance woman. Her talents range from the arts of dance and interior design to the traditional skills of vegetable gardening and cooking. Gio teaches her Goddess Dance classes in various locations in Long Island, N.Y. With 30 years of dance and exercise experience, she developed her signature class, conceived for the "Female Form." Goddess Gourmet, Gio's catering business  was started 15 years ago after years of managing and  cooking for Teacher's Luncheons in the Port Washington schools and for events at her local Parish. Her cooking style exemplifies the finest continental cuisine with a "home style" flair. As a result of her entrepreneurial spirit, Gio has launched Sex~Food~RockandRoll as the perfect culmination of her past endeavors. She’s a Baby Boomer with the heart of a hippie and the soul of a groupie who hopes to offer some "food for thought” to the masses.

Chef Gio says, "We’ve perfected the art of having fun. We didn’t care what people thought “then” and we don’t always care “now.” We still tune in. We still turn on. We still rebel. “We” are “me”. The Me Generation is still in your face. We are beats, we are folks, we are greasers, we are hippies, we are bikers. We didn’t die before we got old."  She has her own line of tanks and t-shirts, videos to show you how to do what she does - check it out at www.sexfoodrockandroll.com!

Oh, and did I mention that she served meals to cast members of "The Godfather" and one of her family members taught Al Pacino Italian for his role in the film?  She is just a doll, full of great stories AND cooking advice!  Check out the podcast on my podcast page!

Here are some of her great products you'll find on her website:

The recipe we discussed was her recipe for SEXY Shrimp Appetizers and yes, they absolutely can be sexy!  Here is the recipe:

  SEXY SHRIMP APPETIZERS
 

• 1 lb. shrimp peeled & deveined (medium or large are fine)

• 1 shallot minced

• 5 tbsp. butter

• 1 tbsp. x/v olive oil

• 2 tbsp. sherry (if you don't have sherry, substitute 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp lemon or lime juice)

• 2 tbsp. seasoned flour (salt,pepper,garlic powder,Spike seasoning - If you can't find Spike Seasoning, use Old Bay)

• 1 cup light cream

• 2 tbsp. grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

• 2 packages Mini Phyllo shells (in grocers freezer)

1. Coarsely hand chop half the shrimp and pulse half in food processor.

2. Saute the shallot in 3 tbsp. butter and oil for 2-3 minutes over low heat.

3. Add shrimp, raise heat to medium and saute a min., add sherry and simmer 2 minutes.

4. Remove shrimp and liquid and reserve.

5. Add remaining butter to pan, melt and add flour, whisking to make a roux. Cook 2 minutes

6. Add light cream, whisking and simmer to make a Mornay sauce. If too thick add a little more cream.

7. Add grated cheese, whisking.

8. Add shrimp and liquid, stirring to combine.

9. Let Cool Completely.

10. When cool, add shredded Gruyere cheese and stir to combine.

11. Fill Phyllo shells with a teaspoon. Don't overfill so they won't bubble over when baked.

12. Freeze appetizers.

13. Bake at 375 degrees for 5-8 minutes.

I was fortunate enough to be the recipe tester for this appetizer and was it ever fantastic!  It took me less than 20 minutes to make, was super easy and delivered a 10+ on taste!  They crumble in your mouth, the cheese oozes and makes a wonderful, gooey mess and the taste is just to die for!  Feed these appetizers to your significant other and yes, you have a SEXY shrimp appetizer!!

Remember, we love bringing this show to you every week, so please donate to the podcast to keep us going!  And remember, every donation, no matter how big or small, brings us closer to a cure for Spinal Muscular Atrophy as 10% of all podcast donations benefit The Hope and Light Foundation (www.hopeandlight.org).  Please visit the homepage to make a donation in the bottom right hand corner. 

Thank you!!

And don't forget - subscribe  on iTunes - it's FREE!!!

We were fortunate enough to talk with Liz Edmunds, The Food Nanny, on Kick Back and Kook!

www.thefoodnanny.com

Red and White Mostaccioli
 
1 pound uncooked mostaccioli or other tubular pasta
one recipe Alfredo sauce...recipe below
1 (26oz.) jar meatless spaghetti sauce...I use Barilla or Prego
             or 3 cups homemade sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
 
1.  Preheat the oven to 350
 
2.  cook the pasta according to package directions, drain.
 
3.  Meanwhile, prepare sauce of Fettuccine Alfredo
 
4.  Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce in a 9x13 in. baking dish.  Layer half
the pasta, half the Alfredo sauce, half the spaghetti sauce, and 1 1/2 cups of the
cheese.  repeat the layering with the remaining pasta, Alfredo sauce, spaghetti
sauce and cheese...
 
5.  Cover with Aluminum foil and bake about 30 minutes or until it is hot and bubbly...
 
serve with a tossed green salad and Italian or French Bread...or a green veggie..
 
 
Alfredo Sauce:
1 stick butter
1 3oz. package cream cheese
1 pint cream (2 cups)
1 teasppoon garlic powder
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper
 
 
1.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.  Mix in the crem cheese. 
Stir in the cream and garlic powder.  Use a whisk it is easier....Increase the heat
and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer, stirring often.   Stir the
parmesan cheese into the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.... 

I was the recipe tester!  I have to say that this recipe is super easy, even if you make your own tomato sauce rather than using spaghetti sauce.  It was easy, rich and delicious!  Certainly you would want to eat this in moderation, but for a super easy that delivers a 9 or 10 on taste - you can't beat it.  And children can help make this, too!!

Chef Kevin Gillespie - Co-Owner/Executive Chef of Woodfire Grill in Atlanta, Georgia

(from http://www.woodfiregrill.com)

Chef Kevin Gillespie’s true passion lies in serving his customers quality food every day. This enthusiasm means incorporating the use of fresh, organic and sustainable ingredients in all of his dishes. His goals as executive chef and partner of Woodfire Grill are to increase the usage of local products, make seasonal dishes more exciting, and create a youthful atmosphere at the restaurant.

Gillespie, an Atlanta native, began his culinary education at the Art Institute of Atlanta where he was able to apply several scholarships he had previously earned from cooking competitions and other academic success. During school, Gillespie was determined to gain the experience he needed to become a successful chef. While carrying a full course load at the Art Institute, he worked part time at various restaurants perfecting his craft. After graduating with honors, Gillespie went on to hold different positions at several well-known Atlanta restaurants including chef de partie at Atlanta Grill at The Ritz-Carlton, sous chef at TWO Urban Licks and chef de cuisine at Woodfire Grill. He enjoyed his time at each of these places but found a true connection at Woodfire, where he originally stayed for two years. In August of 2006, Gillespie headed to the West Coast where he went to work as executive sous chef at Fife Restaurant in Portland, Oregon. After a year and a half there, he missed his family and friends in the South and returned to Atlanta. Gillespie came back to Woodfire Grill to continue to work for his friend and teacher Michael Tuohy.

In the summer of 2008, Nicolas Quiñones and Bernard Moussa of Five Senses Restaurants, LLC purchased Woodfire Grill and made Gillespie the new executive chef. They felt that in order to carry on Woodfire Grill’s reputation and mission, he was the most qualified for the position. In early 2009, Gillespie joined Quiñones and Moussa as a partner in the restaurant. Through his training, skill and passion, Gillespie maintains the values and ideas on which the restaurant is based. In addition to achieving this partnership at the restaurant, Gillespie also earned a spot on Bravo’s Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series “Top Chef” for the show’s sixth season in Las Vegas in 2009. Proving to be a top contender by winning several “Quickfire Challenges” and “Elimination Challenges,” he stood out as one of this season’s final three chef-testants who competed for the “Top Chef” title in Napa Valley. Gillespie was also voted “fan favorite” by the viewers of “Top Chef.”

As a rising young culinary star that brings more than just good food to the table, Gillespie was named one of Mother Nature Network’s top “40 Chefs Under 40” in November 2009 for linking farms to forks and promoting better health for people and the planet.

Hello and welcome to KickBack and Kook ! Here we are fortunate enough to talk with some of the best chefs and cookbook authors from around the world and discuss therecipes they've so generously shared with us.  So, if your looking to transform your “cooking” experience into a “kooking” experience, you've come to the right place!

Subscribe to the podcast by clicking below so you never miss a thing!

 <~~~~ Susbcribe now!

 January 21, 2010 Podcast, Welcome Chef Bill Park!

Bill Park started cooking as a child with his Polish grandparents, baking and making traditional Polish foods. And his
grandfather was a spectacular baker who encouraged Bill. He started working in restaurants at the age of 15, bussing
tables and prepping food, but his real love of cooking developed with the Boy Scouts! Cooking in the outdoors and
experiencing teh group effort to pull together and create dishes drew him in. Bill studied culinary arts in Boston at
Newbury College and the moved to Florida for a year to do catering.  Back in Boston, he started working at the
acclaimed Top of the Hub restaurant, honing his skills. Bill did an "externship"" while at Top of the Hub in a "sister"
restaurant in hawaii, The Lodge at Koelle (voted the #1 tropical resort at the time), in Lanai. He then returned to Top
of the Hub, worked with Chef Tony Ambrose at his restaurants, and hopped around a number of top restaurants in the
area before settling down at Legal Seafoods where he is now the well-respected sous chef at LTK (Legal Test Kitchen)
Bar and Grill (http://www.ltkbarandkitchen.com/site/)

Bill is passionate about all things culinary and loves working with and learning from others! 
Oh, and did I mentio that he wrote most of the recipes for The Gourmet Girl Mysteries Series? "Steamed", "Simmer Down",   "Fed Up"  (which I also contributed to!) and many more!

  Check out those novels on amazon here!

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=jessica+conant+park&x=0&y=0

Today's Recipe:  Shrimp and Scallop Sausage with Roasted Tomato Aioli   

Shrimp & Scallop Sausage

1 1/4 lbs Scallops

1 1/4 lbs. Shrimp (peeled deveined and tail off)

3/4 lb smoked bacon

½ lg Spanish onion, diced

1 cup fresh parsley (curly)

2 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning

1 Tbsp ground coriander

2 Tbsp ground fennel seed

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne

Salt

Pepper

Using either a grinder attachment for a kitchen aid mixer or food processor, or finely “grind” the shrimp, scallops, bacon, onion, and parsley.

Fold in spices and let rest for approx. ½ hour.

Make a test patty: Form one very small patty and sauté in olive oil over medium low heat.

When fully cooked, taste to check for seasoning adjustments. (When making this keep in mind that no 2 batches will have the same flavor, so it’s important to adjust to your preference. i.e. salt, pepper, and cayenne.)

When you have corrected your seasoning, form the rest of the mixture into patties, and either grille or sauté in a pan with small amount of oil. (You should be able to get approximately 8 7--oz patties).

Roasted Tomato- Soy Aioli

6 plum tomatoes

2 Tbsp Soy sauce

2 cup Mayo

Split and toss tomatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Place them in a 425 degree oven and cook until they are charred, approx. 20 min. Remove from oven and let cool.

Puree the tomatoes.

Mix together tomatoes, soy, and mayonnaise.

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper

To serve:

Lettuce, tomato, Rstd. Tomato-soy aioli, and patty on a bulky roll, like Kaiser Rolls.

Welcome our recipe tester and apron designer extraordinaire, Peg Mischler!  

This Ain't Your Grandma's Apron!  Peg talks about the importance of feeling good while cooking and how great this recipe is - check out her aprons at the site below:

Welcome to the Kick Back and Kook Podcast!

I am fortunate enough to chat with some of the world's greatest chefs on this show, share their expertise with you, how to simply integrate their philosophies into your "kooking" experience AND share some of their BEST recipes with you.  Thank you for listening and subscribe so you never miss a thing!

    <~~~Click to subscribe now!

Keep in mind that 10% of Podcast donations go to The Hope and Light Foundation to eliminate Spinal Muscular Atrophy.  So make a donation feeling good that it's allowing me to bring this show to you (which I LOVE to do) and you're helping eliminate the number one cause of death in children under the age of two.

So, moving on!

This episode - Chef Hopeton Hibbert - The HIP HOP Chef!

Chef Hopeton is a jack of all trades and they all involve art.  He makes delicious, artful food and creates music that you'll get to hear a sample of on this show!  His culinary talent?  Wow, are we ever fortunate to have him here.  I went to Atmosphere (www.atmospherebistro.com) for dinner this evening and it is now my new favorite restaurant in Atlanta.  And let me tell you, I am PICKY!  And Chef Hopeton - let's talk him into private lessons - he knows how to prepare bass like I've never had it.  Perfectly done, melts in your mouth.  I got a tour of the kitchen! A BIG thank you to the COOLEST Hip Hop Chef in Hotlanta!!  Blog about my Atmosphere experience coming soon...

But more about Chef Hopeton!  Look at his resume!

Chef Hopeton is well traveled with a lifetime of experience (or maybe two!).  From Australia to Belize, cultural delicacies have been his passion.  Most of his culinary training has been in Hotlanta, starting his career at Project Open Hand followed by two ear in Charleston, SC.  It was there he earned an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Whales while mastering the kitchen of Penninsula Grill.  What a ride, huh?

Once back in Atlanta, he began his tour through the Buckhead Life Group of restaurants.  Believe me, these restaurants are among the best in our area.  Chef Hopeton put in two years at Pano's n Paul's, learned the kitchen of 103 West (wow!!), Bluepointe (another wow!  A favorite haunt of Elton John) and Buckhead Diner.  I just dined at Bluepointe a few weeks back and let me tell you...these chefs know food.

Finally finding a home at Eclipse Di Luna (another of my favs here in Atlanta!), Chef Hopeton evolved into the chef he is today. In the interim, he started a small business “Chef Hopetons: The personal chef experience services” and is currently working on his own cooking show, “The Flavor Show”.

Chef Hopeton is a man who loves to taste, cook and experience food from around the world because the world is his pallet.  I love his philosophy!  Currently he works at Atmosphere Bistro and I am SUPER excited about checking it out this weekend!

The recipe that Chef Hopeton provided is a FULL meal for TWO!  Valentine's Day is coming...hint hint...

(if anyone wants to prepare this for me...ha!!)

And our recipe testers are already emailing me, RAVING about it!

Pan roasted Rainbow Trout over Fingerling Potatoes, French Green Beans,

Caramelized Onion and Arugula Sauté

 with a Dijon Cream Sauce

• 4 - 3oz trout filets
• 6 fingerling potatoes (cooked whole, chilled and cut into 1/4 in slices)
• 1 yellow onion, sliced thin
• 10 french green beans (blanched,cooled and cut in half)
• 1 1/2 c baby arugula
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1/3 c dry white wine
• 1 1/2 c heavy cream
• 2 T whole grain dijon mustard
• 1T chopped parsley
• 3 1/2 T olive oil
• Kosher salt and white pepper
• 1 small sauce pot
• 1 lg saute pan
• 1 med saute pan

1. Heat a medium sized saute pan w/ 1 T olive oil and add onions.
2. Cook till onions turn golden brown and begin to caramelize.
3. Add sliced fingerling potatoes season w salt and pepper and continue to cook on low heat.
4. Season trout filets w salt and pepper. Heat large saute pan w 2 T olive oil till pan is hot. Add filets to the pan skin side down (be careful not to splash oil)
5. While trout cooks heat up the sauce pan , add 1/2 T olive oil to pan along with the diced shallots.
6. Cook shallots till soft, deglaze with white wine and reduce till almost dry.
7. Add heavy cream and dijon mustard. Turn down the heat and reduce to sauce consistency, season with salt and pepper and hold till trout is cooked.
8. By this time, the trout and potatoes should be almost done.
9. Add the green beans to the potatoes, raise the heat toss and plate the veggies.
10. Flip the trout to finalize the cooking .
11. Place trout filets atop the veggies.
12. Pour the cream sauce over the dish, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Recipe tester bios coming soon!

 How were your holidays?  Great, I hope!  Mine were nice, but I am SO excited about getting started on 2010.  So many exciting things in the works!  This is the time of year that I start thinking about vacations!  Yes, I plan early.

What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

Bungee Jumping from a Bridge?  Skydiving?  Scuba?

Ok, maybe those are my ideas of a perfect vacation, because I'm just kooky like that!  But, I've been "kooking" since I was knee high to a grasshopper and well, planning to host a Culinary Weekend in Asheville, NC?  Yep, that's a GREAT vacation for me, too!  Teaching cooking classes, live music, meeting new, interesting people, creating delicious dessert samplings, teaching a demonstration cooking class on soufflés and hosting an Iron Chef Competition!  FUN!

   Schedule early because "kooking" classes have a cap of just 25 students!  No cap on dessert sampling or beer tastings!

 IMPORTANT!

Do you know why I chose The 1847 Blake House Inn?  IT IS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE!  Why is that important?  This event supports Angela's favorite charity: The Hope and Light Foundation. Go to their website and read about Aleena Miller and you'll see why I love this foundation so much.  She is a miracle.  This foundation is working hard to find a cure within the next decade for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, the leading cause of death in children under the age of 2.  Click the logo below for more about this incredible foundation.

Oh yeah, I was talking about some of the fun things we'll have at this event and I did say LIVE music!  Beer and great food just aren't complete without great music, right?!  Well, we are fortunate enough to bring you

Davin McCoy and The Coming Attractions!

Brenden, Davin, friend, Madison, myself and my friend, Denise

Now, don't think this band is performing during this Culinary Weekend because I know them.  Not the case!  They are just that friendly, that approachable and wanted to meet all of their fans after the show.  The truth is that they are performing because they believe in contributing to a great cause like The Hope and Light Foundation and I am fortunate enough that a band this talented was eager to be a part of it.  A BIG thank you to Davin McCoy and The Coming Attractions. (www.davinmccoy.com)

Some background on these folks:  When I first saw them perform, the small venue was my first impression.  I thought, "This will be a fun, relaxing evening."  Well, sitting and watching a random show was not on the agenda, like I thought.  Let me tell you, Davin McCoy and his band bring you a folksy, rock sound that will have you dancing, singing and clapping for an encore no matter how long they've been playing!  Even children were dancing and singing along!

Davin is lead vocals and his talent is really incredible.  Now, I'm not typically big on harmonicas, but Brendan could be a one man show!  He can play that thing like it is nobody's business.  I don't know what he does to it, but when he starts playing his harmonica, it's magic.  And Casey on his miniature drum set - there is nothing miniature about that sound!  This entire band has so much talent and nice?!  Let me tell you, these folks are some of the nicest people around.  You'll love their music, you'll love the vibe and meeting them is just gravy!

So, Leslie Kimball, the innkeeper at The 1847 Blake House Inn, and I have been brainstorming about how to bring you the BEST Culinary Weekend EVER and while we still have a tad bit more work to do, we just know you're going to love it!  For more information about the inn, please click the pictures below.

So, what have we come up with?  Here are the details!

   Kick Back and Kook's: Culinary Weekend

Feasting with Brew

So, are you looking for a culinary event to spice up your summer? June 4-6, 2010, the “Kick Back and Kook", Feasting with Brew.” event is taking over The 1847 Blake House Inn! Angela McKeller teams up with local micro-breweries in Asheville (rated second best in the country!) and offers an exploration of taste featuring seasonal, local ingredients and an Iron Chef Competition with prizes!

For weekend packages that include accommodations, please contact the Innkeeper, Leslie Kimball at 888.353.5227 or 828.681.5227.

With Asheville as the backdrop, who could ask for anything more?  Beautiful scenery, delicious food, fun, kooky cooking classes, beer tastings, live music, the Biltmore Estate just around the corner and some of the best microbreweries around; does it get much better than that?

  Again, schedule early because "kooking" classes have a cap of just 25 students! 

No cap on beer tastings and dessert samplings!

Don't miss it!

Schedule: 

Friday afternoon: Beer and Truffles  2:30 – 4:30pm. $29 per person

Think beer and chocolate don't go together?  One of Asheville's most popular microbreweries will come by and explain the ins and outs of brewing, the difference between one brew and another and give a presentation on how to pair beer with chocolate! Angela McKeller of “Kick Back and Kook!” will be offering her recipes for three types of Chocolate Truffles you can make at home, but taste them now, taste the chocolate and beer together yourself to see just how compatible these flavors really are!  Think it's never been done before?  Think again!

photo courtesy of Paul L. Newby
 

Friday Evening: Soufflés Made Simple 6:00pm – 9:00pm. $45 per person

Angela McKeller will take you further down the culinary path, deep into the heart of Paris. Or at least you'll feel like that is where you are! French for “puff up”, Angela will demonstrate just how easy these seemingly difficult, but impressive dishes are for dinner and dessert! On the menu: Shrimp Soufflé with Creamy Dill Sauce; Spinach and Ricotta Soufflé and Dark Chocolate Soufflé. Bring out your inner Julia Child, get ready for Summer and say “Bon appétit!”

Saturday Afternoon: Simple Summer Desserts Sampling and Brew Tasting 1pm – 3pm. $29 per person

Angela McKeller will offer samples of the most delicious summer dessert recipes she's developed and encountered during her culinary career. On the menu: Chef Mike Carrino's Cherry and Apple Tart to Angela's own Flambéd Brandied Peaches to Chef Jerry Solomon's Zabayon, a simple but delicious Italian custard served with mixed berries, you'll experience it all!

And yes, these all go great with your favorite beer! While this is a sampling of desserts and beers, it is also an opportunity to get to know Chef Angela McKeller, ask her as many questions as you can think of about these delicious desserts and become acquainted with one of Asheville's best microbreweries and their brews!

 Saturday Evening: Iron Chef Competition! 6:30pm -9:30 pm.  $65 per person

Who will win? The Salad Spinners or the Wire Wisks?! "Kooky" prizes to the winners!

Paired off into two groups, munching on some of Angela's most popular dips while you “kook”, two teams will go head to head, competing to see who can create the best meal of the evening! Who judges? You do!

Everyone is given a score card to fill out without anyone else seeing. On a scale of 1-5, you try each others dishes and rate them, putting the score cards in a bowl for Angela to tally the scores while you finish dessert. The winning team gets a prize as “kooky” as Angela is!

On the menu:

Team 1:

• Goat Cheese Stuffed Figs in a Red Wine and Balsamic Reduction

• Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli in a Mushroom Cream Sauce

• Lemon Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis

Team 2:

• Baked Brie en Croute with Caramelized Walnuts

• Chicken Provençale

• Crepes with Strawberries and Rich Chocolate Sauce

On your mark...get set...Kook!!!

Jerry Solomon, author of "A Man's Guide to Food As Foreplay", has a fun cookbook for couples - yes, not just men!  Women, if you're looking to spice up your relationships, get your boyfriends and husbands this cookbook!  Loaded with simple yet delicious recipes, Chef Jerry tells fun stories of how food played a role in romance for him (and no, this isn't a romance novel - you fill in the blanks!  It's clean, folks!).  He has pictures of everything you'll need in your kitchen to take the guesswork out of cooking with your partner!

Jerry was particular about who he dated (the women had to have beautiful, unique names, for example!), but he still has plenty of experience that he'll tell us all about.  After all, he did marry the lovely Veda and has been married for three and a half decades.  He's definitely doing something right! 

Food isn't just about putting a meal on the table, it's a way to inspire passion - so just in time for Valentine's Day, ladies; consider getting this cookbook for your men so they'll think about cooking you a fancy Valentine's Day dinner instead of vice-versa!  Please check out his website:

www.amansguidetofoodasforeplay.com

www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/amansguidetofoodasforeplay

http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Guide-Foreplay-Invite-Romance/dp/1608601803/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262916713&sr=8-1

and also available here:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Mans-Guide-To-Food-As-Foreplay-How-To-Invite-Romance-Into-Your-Life/Jerry-Solomon/e/9781608601806/?itm=1&usri=a+man+s+guide+to+food+as+foreplay

and he is also a jack of all "arts", check this out, too!  www.thefluidarts.com

Today we are discussing his recipe for Zabayon - a delicious custard that is so simple, but so delicious, no one would know that!

Zabayon and Fresh Berries

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup Marsala sweet wine
• 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup of whole blueberries

1. Combine (and divide between two wine glasses) the strawberries and blueberries.

2. Here’s the easiest way to separate the yolk from the white! Crack the egg, drop into your palm with your fingers together, and carefully let the

white slip away through your fingers, OR use the shell to shell method.

3. Crack the egg and separate the shell halves, pass the yoke back and forth between the halves, letting the white slip out and the yolk remain.

4. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.

5. Continue beating until it starts to thicken.

6. Add one-quarter of a cup marsala. Beat constantly until the mixture doubles in volume, about four to five minutes.

7. Spoon the warm Zabayon over the berries and serve.

Karin Rindal’s, one of our recipe testsers,  interest in exploring new and different foods was inspired by her father who always sought out the unusual and her fraternal grandmother who let her help in her kitchen. Her solo culinary efforts began early when at 14 she become responsible for cooking all meals for 6 months while her mother cared for her ailing mother in Germany. Her sister was her first taste taster and reminds her of the experience to this day. Undaunted she threw herself into cooking and reading on the subject. 

During college Karin worked as the live-in cook for a family of eight and compiled her first recipe collection. Over the years since then she has taken countless classes in all kinds of culinary subjects ranging from cake decorating to Asian cuisine. She has travelled extensively overseas and lived in Italy for a year, where her landlady would teach her cooking when it was her turn to deliver the rent.

She has a Baking Certificate from King’s Cooking School in Short Hills, NJ where she has also taught classes. She has tested recipes for cookbooks including “Dining Al Fresco:  the Wolf Trap Picnic Cookbook” and continues to be a voracious cookbook and recipe collector.

Karin currently contributes a weekly gardening column to the Millburn/Short Hills Patch online community website which includes her recipes when the article subject warrants. www.millburnpatch.com She just won the award for "most delicious lefse" at the first annual St. Olaf College Alumni Lefse Making event in New York City.

She teaches cooking classes to adults and children, as well as contributes her creations to several volunteer programs including those at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Greenwood Gardens and the Short Hills Home Garden Club.  She aspires to publish her own cookbook one day.

www.krplantinfo.com

Nancy Beeken has over twenty years progressively responsible marketing, communications and event management experience. She has held executive management marketing positions for high-tech corporations and has worked as a consultant helping start up companies determine their positioning, marketing strategies and company launch plans. Her scope of experience includes planning, development and execution of advertising, direct mail, sales promotion programs, public and analyst relations, collateral development, seminars, trade shows, video production, company launches, conferences and major event production, logo & graphic design, and executive speech and presentation writing.

During the past 7 years, she has worked with wineries in Sonoma County providing services including marketing, tasting room management and wine tastings.

 In 2008 she launched SonomaLivingGreen.com, an online boutique offering a wide variety of eco-friendly products. She is passionate about doing her part to ‘create smaller footprints, one step at a time.’

She is on the Board of Directors of the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau and the past president of the Wine Country Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association.

She lives in Healdsburg, California with her husband and is a self described foodie and enjoys being in the kitchen cooking and drinking wine!

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  Welcome to "Kick Back and Kook!".  Thank you so much for joining me as I have the privilege of interviewing some of the best chefs and cookbook authors from around the world!  We talk about some of their signature recipes, how culinary arts became a passion and then later a career and they share with us their favorite kitchen gadgets and advice for how to eliminate fear of getting in the kitchen and putting passion on a plate!

Do you have a well-stocked kitchen?

So, yes, this is a big question.  Good news?  Unlike the picture; it doesn't have to be as tough as algebra, accounting or statistics!

A lot of people think that they don't like to cook because it's too difficult, it takes too much time or they don't know enough about what they are doing.  Does this sound like you?  If so, I once thought that I was all of the above myself, but that wasn't the root of the problem.  The real problem was that I didn't have a well-stocked kitchen!

Now, a well-stocked kitchen can mean groceries, too, of course.  But, what I am talking about here is stocking the best gadgets, most user-friendly cookware and having everything you need to cook with, not just to cook alone.  I mean, we can use a fork to juice a lemon, a fork instead of a pastry blender or food processor, but wouldn't it be easier if you had access to all of this and more?!

I can almost hear you saying, "Pastry blender it is.  Food processors are expensive!"  And if that is what you are thinking, you are absolutely right.  Stocking your kitchen to create a place to play intsead of work is not cheap. 

However, there is a solution to this problem!

It's called a "gift registry".  Yep, it's that simple.  Oh, you aren't getting married, you say?  Well, guess what.  Me neither! 

But who cares!  I've been registering at stores for years, even long before they offered anniversary, birthday and just because registries (which are now options at some stores).  If I had to sign up for a bridal registry despite the fact that I would not be walking down the aisle, so be it!  Here's why you should register and register at every store:

• People are busy and don't know what to buy you for your birthday/anniversary/Valentine's Day.  Help them out!  By making a registry, they know exactly what you want and know you will be happy when you open your gift while still not knowing what you are getting.  Also, they can be thoughtful and get you a gift instead of saying, "I give up!  Here's a gift card."  Win - win!
• You get what you need without the hassle of returns or shopping!  If you tell people on registries exactly what you want, you get what you need without having to drop hints or feeling like you "told" them what to get.  A registry gives them a variety to choose from and they can pick their price range.
• Dream big and choose BIG!  Don't think small here, now!  Do you see a $1200 espresso machine that you would LOVE to have?  What about a kitchen organizer that is $500?  Think one person won't spend that much money, so why bother?  Well, maybe you are right.  But, what if you have 5 friends  or 10 family members that want to go in on a gift for you and get you something amazing?  They might be able to swing $100 or so each and then you have that big item that you never would have bought for yourself!
• Give people an easy way to say "Thank you" or "I love you".  Have you thrown a dinner party lately?  Did you invite guests to stay from out of town?  Did you keep someone's children while they had an emergency to attend to?  Frequently I do favors for people without any expectation of getting anything in return and then, guess what?!  One of my items from my registry comes in the mail thanking me for that favor!  I still cry everytime.  People know I am registered at all of the stores that offer kitchen appliances/gadgets/storage systems and they will go look to see if they can get me a little something from time to time to say "thank you" or simply to say "I love you".

What do I do?

1.  Register at every major store with items I want in all price ranges. (Here are a couple of my registries as an example)

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/registry/2454049/registry-list.html

http://www.target.com/lists/012399101270101

2. Register at the beginning of every year as registries sometimes expire after a year.

3.  List the end date/event date as Dec. 31st ; register once for all of your special occasions (and just because!).

4.  Update your list frequently!  Stores carry seasonal items, so be sure you check back from time to time and add!

5.  Tell people you registered!  Blast it out on fb, twitter, include a link to it in your email signature, etc.  Don't keep it a secret!

6.  And the best part?  Watch your kitchen become your playground without spending the money on it!

From this:                           

To this:      

And beyond!!

Create your registry and let's compare notes!  Tell me how it works for you!