And Heeerrreee we go! Part 1

I thought I'd do a quick kinda catch you up to speed blog thingie here. I've  a lot going on and my blogging has fallen by the way side...Sooooo...I will, in one blog, show/tell you what's culinary adventures I've been on. Are you ready? Fasten your seat belts and grab that helmet. Kiss your loved ones and prepare for a rush of pictures, recipes and anecdotes...lol...Ready? Herrrreee we go!


Hm where to start...Thanksgiving? Okie dokie!  I didn't really cook for Thanksgiving 2011, it was the first year that I didn't have my kids with me so I was all pouty and went on a food strike...buuut..I had the pleasure of being invited to a dear friend's house(to combat the poutiness) and had a wonderful time! we had all the traditional foods and some that  I have never eaten for Thanksgiving, namely rutabaga, I liked it. It went great with the greens I taught my friend how to cook. Yes that's right I taught my kitchen challenged friend how to cook a mean pot of collard greens for Thanksgiving and she rocked them out if I may say so myself...lol...musta been her great teacher ;P. 

It was a very simple recipe and I totally believe that she's only kitchen challenged because she's let a few "mishaps' discourage her.

3lbs Clean and Cut collard greens,rinsed

1/2 lb smoked turkey meat(or pork if you do that), large diced

1 medium onion, diced small

4 cloves or garlic, diced very small

1/2 small serrano chile, diced(optional)

2 tbsp olive oil

16-24 oz chicken stock(either homemade or bought)

Salt and pepper to taste

You'll need a large pot...6qts??

Rinse Collards

Heat Oil on high heat and saute onion until transparent

Add garlic and saute until soft

Add smoked turkey meat and continue to stir until it is heated through

POur in 8 oz of chicken stock and stir with a wooden spoon to remove any brown bits in the bottom of the pot.

Reduce heat to medium

Add greens in batches. This means add the greens to the pot until it is full then cover and allow to simmer(cook down). when the greens have cooked down add more until all the greens are in the pot.

periodically add chicken stock while the greens are cooking down to avoid scorching.

Once all the greens are in the pot reduce heat to a simmer and let them go for about 30 minutes. Remember to check them and make sure that the stock hasn't evaporated. after the first 30 minutes add the serrano chile if you want a kick and let them go for another 30 minutes. 

After an hour taste them, add seasoning to taste and go for it!

I hope this wasn't too confusing..I  usually cook greens from memory and I've never ever actually tried to write out the recipe.

Ok back to the Thanksgiving food ...in addition to those rockin greens we had a beautiful turkey cooked by my friend's luvbug..he has major cooking skills and I would love to clone his beautiful kitchen and then marry it..yes I said I would marry a cloned kitchen..don't judge me.

There was caprese to munch on while we waited for the food to finish cooking.

And my friend prettied up the table with her decorating prowess!

I even made a sweet potato pie for dessert!

All in all it was a wonderful meal as evidenced but the empty plates...lol.

Whoo that was quite a ride...I'm realizing as I come to the end of this one that my 'quick catch-up" will have to be  done in parts...well you live and learn right? Stay tuned lovelies! I'll be back in a few(days not months I promise) Until then remember,

Make Life Delicious!

Michelle

It's been a while..

Yes, yes it has been a long time since I've come to update or post pictures or an episode. Not a peep. Bad, bad, bad me! Please accept my deepest and most sincere apology! 

Now that we've gotten that out of the way I have sooo much to share about school and life and most of all FOOD!! Although my semester is almost over I've been taking pictures galore and I have tons to tell you about. Then there's Thanksgiving cakes and pies and Christmas is right around the corner. I've started making cheesecakes of various sizes and flavors and I can't wait to share the recipes with you. I have new product collaborations coming up in the near future, because I am surrounded by intelligent, wildly creative people and it's about time we all start working together to bring the world beauty in all it's forms.

So I'm ending this year with a bang and starting 2012 with a great big KA-BOOM!! More recipes. products and sharing. Simply Sinful is taking over so get ready.

Until next time my luvlies, remember,

Make Life Delicious!

Michelle

Simply Sinful in Australia!!

All the world’s a Stage!

Stage (pronounced like the word mirage)::Staging is when a cook or chef works briefly, for free, in another chef's kitchen to learn and be exposed to new techniques and cuisines. A stage normally is used to see how a new chef or cook can adapt to the current environment in the kitchen. When a future chef is seeking an internship, often the stage is the next step after the interview.

Now that we’ve got all that out of the way…I had the opportunity last night to stage in the pastry kitchen at Spago Beverly Hills.

But wait! How did I accomplish this you ask?? Welllll Last Saturday I got to work an event at LA Live for  Los Angeles Food and Wine. What event you ask?? It was Decadence! LA’s sweetest afterparty! It was all desserts, pastries and chocolates. I was in heaven! And if that wasn’t enough I had the honor and privilege to work with the woman who hosted the entire event Ms. Sherry Yard, the High Priestess of Pastry  for Wolfgang Puck!!  She and her staff were wonderful and I had a blast! It didn’t hurt that ?uestlove was the DJ and it was a full blown party when they opened the doors! This event was $125.00 to get into and I got to check it out for nothing AND meet a lot of cool celebrity chefs! Duff Goldman, Zac Young and Lincoln Carson to name a few. I was exhausted after the event but it was well worth the energy. I got Chef Sherry’s number and it took me 3 days to work up the nerver to call her and the rest is history!

 Now back to last night. I was absolutely terrified going in but once I got there it was great. and not difficult at all. They started me out dicing strawberries and juicing lemons. Easy work I know but I did it with a smile on my face. I was in Wolfgang Puck’s kitchen! If they had asked me to babysit boiling water I would have done it! After I got finished with the fruit I got to assemble little date cakes and make toffee sauce…I was thrilled! All the while I was watching the other pastry chefs assemble cakes for birthdays and whip up bases for sorbets and ice cream. I asked as many questions as I could and made sure I paid close attention to the all of the instructions I was given. It paid off when I was allowed to help plate desserts for a large party and then, I was moved up to the line to plate individual desserts for patrons in the restaurant.! Buy the end of the night I was plating desserts by myself and calling tickets.! Wooooo Hoooo!! I killed it all and I’m ready for more. Patiently awaiting the call back and in the meantime I’ll just keep reliving this night in my dreams. Well back to the mundane, stay tuned and until next time remember,

Make Life Delicious!

Michelle

Simply Sinful Dining episode 3

Bread!

As you all know( if you’ve been paying attention) I’m back at school. I’m in introduction to baking which basically means we make a little of everything dessert or bread related under the sun. It’s so exciting! I love love love to bake! I thought it was just desserts but it’s bread too. Oh bread, I’ve been so unfair to you in the past. Turning my nose up at you at dinner tables and say “oh no I don’t eat bread like that, I don’t really like it” This class has made a liar out of me. A happy, slightly worried liar. First the happy. Fresh baked bread is so so very good. so good in fact that I don’t mind eating it at all. I enjoy it. immensely, which brings me to the worried part. I’m not anti carb but I’m pretty sure consuming large amounts of freshly baked breads is detrimental to the waistline. I’m learning a new kind of self control. Wish me luck.

With all the new things I’m learning to make and master my head is brimming with ideas for new items on my menu. My first project will be a cinnamon roll made with brioche dough.

Brioche.., quite simply some of the best bread I’ve ever eaten. It’s rich and buttery and yeasty and I know it’ll go very well in a cinnamon roll. Traditionally it doesn’t but I think this small improvement will be welcome. I made brioche loaves in class and wow oh wow., with some cinnamon and sugar it can only get better. 

I’ve also made French bread. Hand rolled baguettes! And again I'd like to say that before this class I DID NOT eat bread by itself, but I ate this one. And it was goooood!

And Cinnamon rolls

Pizza dough with yummy toppings (my classmates kinda swooped in and devoured it, note the pizza cutter)

As the weeks go by I’ll be sharing my class work with you and some of the projects I’ve been inspired to make at home. I hope you enjoy because I sure am!

Until next time remember,

Make Life delicious!

Michelle

SImply Sinful Dining Episode 2