Why I love Food Network (unpaid but heartfelt endorsement)

Sunday, February 20, 2011

I practically live on Food Network (it's at least 50% of what I watch on TV). You probably guessed that. There are some big reasons why I love it, and why I'm applying to compete for a chance to be there:

1) Few of the women are toothpicks. Ina Garten, Paula Deen, Aarti Sequeira -- curvy women, all. And even the thinner ones look healthy and not starved.

2) I don't know another network, broadcast or cable, that gives as much to charity. At Christmas Iron Chef America had an all-star competition, with $25,000 going to Meals On Wheels (the winning team's charity of choice). For Chopped All-Stars, it's going to be $50,000. And they actively support an initiative to abolish childhood hunger in the US by the year 2015. Seemingly every time you blink they're making another donation.

3) It doesn't buy into the youth-obsessed culture a lot of entertainment does. Quite a few of their regulars are "silver foxes." I'm looking to be another one.

4) A certain blue-eyed redhead that you KNEW would be on my list!

Time to go learn how to make risotto -- I am definitely going to need to do that if I'm going to join the crew there!

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My quiche recipes

Saturday, February 19, 2011

In response to (at least a few) requests, here are the recipes for the quiches I made this week. If anybody would like to try them, I'd be interested in any feedback.

Spinach-Prosciutto Quiche

Pastry for 10-inch deep-dish pie

Filling:
I0 oz. box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 oz thin-sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup finely grated Provolone cheese

Custard:
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup half and half
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the crust:
Fit the pastry into a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan. Trim and decorate edges as desired. Line with parchment or foil, weight with dry beans, and blind-bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, allow to cool.

Prepare the filling:
Place the spinach, prosciutto and cheese in a mixing bowl. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and stir to combine thoroughly.

Prepare the custard:
Place the eggs, egg yolks and half and half in blender. Process on lowest speed until thoroughly combined. Add to the mixing bowl and combine thoroughly.

Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Serves 10-12 as an appetizer or 4-6 as a light entree.

Spanish Quiche

Pastry for 10-inch deep-dish pie

Filling:
4 oz (approx. 3 slices) double smoked thick bacon, diced
2 large shallots, finely diced
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, finely diced
1 cup finely grated Manchego cheese

Custard:
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup half and half
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the crust:
Fit the pastry into a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan. Trim and decorate edges as desired. Line with parchment or foil, weight with dry beans, and blind-bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, allow to cool.

Prepare the filling:
Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp and brown. Remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towel to drain. Pour off all but two tablespoons of the drippings. Saute the shallots slowly in the drippings until caramelized. Remove and allow to cool. Place bacon, shallots, peppers and cheese in a mixing bowl and stir to combine thoroughly.

Prepare the custard:
Place the eggs, egg yolks and half and half in blender. Process on lowest speed until thoroughly combined. Add to the mixing bowl and combine thoroughly.

Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Serves 10-12 as an appetizer or 4-6 as a light entree.

I'd love to hear what you think!

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Rewards or obstacles? (And a few necessities)

Friday, February 18, 2011

It's Friday night, end of the workweek. After a horrible day yesterday, I feel better today but I'm still tired and drained out. On top of that, it's a cold night with pouring rain here. So as I wrapped up business at the office tonight, I thought, "I need to stop at the store and get some beer or wine for tonight. Oh, and some sausage to have with cheese scrambled eggs for breakfast for tomorrow. I've EARNED it."

Reward? Or bricks in the wall keeping me out of the Food Network studio? I forced myself to drive straight home.

I have to be able to stand, walk and run if I'm going to enter. And (silly stuff alert) I want to be PROUD if I ever get to meet Bobby. If I'm being perfectly honest, if I saw him on the street today I probably would be ashamed to approach him because of my size. I'd watch him walk past and wish I dared to say anything.

I don't want to be ashamed at all, in any circumstance, any more. I want to be strong enough to meet the challenges of life and the Food Network competition. I want to look terrific on camera and in the mirror.

I won't lie, it still feels weird not buying the beer or the sausage. I grew up in a family where these things were the norm, and a lot of shame would be dished out to anyone who tried to do it differently. Not to mention, I can just imagine what I'd come in for if they could know about my dream. I once used the metaphor that I felt like Frodo trapped in Shelob's web, but without his sword to chop my way out. Well, maybe I've found my sword:




I've also started a mental list of what I need to learn before I do apply for the show:

Knife skills. Mine are rudimentary at best. I've heard just about every TV chef I watch say that this is probably the most important kitchen skill to have.

Folding egg whites. I tried to make Sacher torte once. I got a chocolate doorstop because I don't know the proper technique for folding in the egg whites.

Filleting a fish. My big problem here is that it's a bit expensive to get fish to practice on!

Pie crust. If I took out a frozen pie crust in the Food Network kitchen, I'd be booted before the freezer door shut!

I know I'll be adding to this list. There's a cooking school near me that offers a class on the basics. It's 3 1/2 hours for $75, which is actually not terribly expensive as these things go. I need to be able to stand a little longer than I can right now, but it's on the reward list with the chef jacket I've been coveting. Those are probably better rewards than breakfast sausage!

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Why do I even try? (A bit of TMI)

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Sometimes I think they're trying to force me to quit at my job. My boss was on my tail all day riding me about how I handled a claim for another department (their person hadn't worked the claim in FIVE MONTHS. She thought my note last month was inadequate and was all over me for it). Then she emailed me at A QUARTER TO FIVE and demanded that I have one of my claims finished by the end of the day! I told her I was working the item and to please read my notes. She told me I'm not handling it well enough. Meantime, her boss calls me into her office periodically to tell me people complain I'm not clean enough. I shower every day, wear clean clothes and use FSD several times a day. What's next, bleach? Now she has HR sending me a form for my doctor to fill out, saying I need ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accommodation!

I want out so badly I can't see right, but where do I go? I feel trapped. Nobody is going to hire someone my age in this market. I don't see a way out.

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Am I over-sensitive?

Monday, February 14, 2011

Valentine's Day is kind of sad for people like me who are alone but wish they weren't. I never say anything, because most of the people around me are in (more or less) happy relationships or marriages. Meantime I'm imagining that I'm giving a Valentine to my dream guy.

This morning when I got to the office I saw that one of my co-workers had gotten roses from her husband. She saw me, brought the roses over, practically stuck them up my nose and said, "See my roses? Aren't they beautiful?"

Yes, they're gorgeous. I hope they wilt. I hope you're allergic. Now go away. (No, I didn't actually say that.) I just replied that they were beautiful and went to my desk.


I'd like to think she wasn't being deliberately snarky, but it's no secret I'm alone and she's never liked me. Some people can be so mean.

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