Food
Old School 80′s Reese’s PB Cup Ad is Strangely Sexual
Sep 7th
This old school Reese’s Peanut Butter cup is strangely sexual…the way the two of them so casually share each other’s chocolate and peanut butter. The way the old dude is watching them partake in this blissful moment. Mmmm. Creepy goodness.
UPDATED: Wait. I watched this commercial again and noticed the mention of crunchy PB cups?! What the heck is that all about? It was topped with chopped peanuts? I don’t remember ever seeing that as a kid…and I don’t recall them ever adding that option since. That sounds awesomely delicious- PB cups topped with chopped peanuts.
FLN to Become Cooking Channel on May 31
May 28th
On May 31 (Memorial Day), FLN (Fine Living Network) will be rebranded as the Cooking Channel.
Looks interesting…Trying to go for the younger, hipper crowd who love food.
Check out the NY Times article for more.
I saw this while watching FLN earlier, and got all excited.
Doesn’t the FDA Have Better Things to Do Than Warn Cheerios?
May 13th
Stupid of the day. The FDA has sent a warning letter to General Mills, saying that the claims that Cheerios can lower cholesterol by 10 points in a month makes the food a drug, and no drugs can be sold without the proper FDA drug application. They have given the company 15 days to explain how it will change the advertising.
They’re not disputing the claims that it helps lower cholesterol (the science seems to be on Cheerios’ side), but it’s all about making health claims. A food product maker is apparently not allowed to make truthful claims about its products!
This is what happens when government gets so big and so powerful, you get career idiots in there, living off of large sums of taxpayer dollars in posh offices, totally clueless as to how the real world works. This is why we fight for smaller government. It makes people go mad when they have too much power. This is the sort of thing you hear and you just have to ask yourself, “what on earth are these fools thinking?”
The Not So Recipe-ish Recipe for Garlic and Onion Mashed Potatoes
Sep 27th
I think I’m pregnant. I must be. The last week at work I was sitting there and I kept craving french fries from McDonald’s. I don’t even care much for fries…they’re like the side you take for granted with the sandwich which is what you look forward to. But last week I must have went to get a large order of fries from McDonald’s on five different occasions. I went for lunch just to get fries and a large powerade with no ice. Before class I got a large order of fries. After class 4 hrs later I so again. What other explanation is there other than a baby in my nonexistant oven?
Maybe I’m the death throes of some horrible disease? I sure hope not.
Anyway…
I’ve always found myself fixing potatoes a lot at home. Here’s what I’ve been doing lately to make mashed potatoes.
5lbs red potatoes
salt/pepper/garlic (garlic salt or pepper or cloves of garlic)
1 large onion chooped
butter (3-4 tablespoons)
optional- 1 package of skinless smoked sausage
Cut the potatoes into small pieces. Boil them. Near the end, when they’re soft, add the chooped onions. I salt and pepper the water with the potatoes itself. Drain off the water, mash the potatoes with a large spoon, masher, whatever you’ve got handy. Add garlic in some form (I had garlic pepper the other day on hand). I decided last time to add that skinless smoked sausage that comes in the crescent shape in the package of 2 sausages. I cut them up into narrow pieces and put them in a skillet with some oil to brown them a little and to add a nice crust to the skin. Add that to the potatoes after it’s all done and in a new container. Add butter to the potatoes at some point and maybe a little milk if you want it less thick. I like it really thick myself, so I leave out any milk.
Works as a meal if you ask me.
Of course, this isn’t rocket science, and it’s not much of a recipe per se, but I had these items on hand (left over potatoes from making beef stew), and I tossed them all together and it worked well as a meal, so I thought I’d share.
Big Daddy’s House With Aaron McCargo- Sunday at 1:30PM ET
Jul 29th
Next Food Network Star winner, Aaron McCargo’s new series starts this Sunday at 1:30 PM ET on Food Network. According to the TV Guide synopsis:
I assume they’re sticking with the pilot title for the series, and they’re making it a family affair. At least in the first episode. Looking forward to this…Food Network already has a page up for the show on their site.
Next Food Network Star Aaron McCargo Jr.!
Jul 27th
I happened upon the Food Network “Reality” series, Next Food Network Star at the start of this season. I had never seen the previous seasons, and I had never been at all interested in the show. I had no idea Guy from Diners and Drive-Ins and whatever that show is called was one of the winners from a previous season (I think he’s great and he has a really entertaining show.)
But, I happened to watch the first episode of this season, and I’ve been looking forward to each new episode every Sunday. The second week, I took a liking to Kevin, but once he was voted out, I took to Aaron McCargo Jr. He seemed so genuine, he had such a nice personality, great energy, and he really made you feel good. His great charisma just flowed out, and you had little choice but to feel good about him feeling good. I kept sitting here week after week hoping he wasn’t the next one voted out. The truth is, he didn’t do all that well in a number of the challenges. He actually did very poorly a number of weeks, but he kept hanging out- I think they all saw that he had something underneath all the nervousness, hidden under the timidity in front of the camera that would shine through at some point and carry him into his own Food Network show. You really couldn’t say enough good things about the guy- seemed like a hard worker, a good family man, dedicated to making each apperance better than the last. He really nailed it in the overall scheme of things.
So, tonight is the season finale, and the three finalists did their own 4 minute pilot with the help of producer extraordinaire, Gordon Ramsey (his show Door Knock Dinners rocked!) to guide them into a basic idea and direct them through the process.
Lisa did beautiful basic. She took a fancy looking dish and made it with ease, something that could be accomplished by any cook at home in around 15 mins. It was okay, but I have to say I didn’t like Lisa at all. She seemed snooty and abrasive, and that hair…what was with that hair? It was probably her elitist attitude from the start of the season that turned me off immediately (the judges in the first few challenges kept saying she came off as not being accessible- I’d say!)
Adam was next with a unique idea- he wanted to connect to viewers via the internet, having them talk to him via webcam as he made a dish his own way. He would use that as something the others didn’t have and would hopefully help him win. As always, he used comedy to his advantage and played well to the camera. I would definitely watch his show if they chose him. He’s some damned likeable, how could you not watch?
Finally it was Aaron’s turn, and his constant uneasiness lead to him having to do take after take after take. He seemed very nervous and unsure of himself, not totally able to let the real Aaron shine. When we saw the final product, it turned out very well. He did steak with plantains and greens. His show was Big Daddy’s kitchen, as this was a nickname the others gave him during the season. It was all about big bold flavors and spices. Aaron got a number of laughs from the studio audience watching his pilot, but more than anything it seemed like most of them had the same feeling I did. You wanted more than anything for this guy to do well. He’s sort of the underdog but not so underdog-ish. He held his own, but the behind the scenes stuff where he describes his fear of not being able to connect with the camera…when he pulled it off you just had to smile.
So, Bobby Flay is about to annonce the winner, and I’m thinking the whole time “Aaron simply nailed it. He’s the Next Food Network star. No doubt. If they don’t give it to him, I’m boycotting the network altogether. I feel like a hyper teenager on a date waiting for the results…I know it’s just a TV show, but when you invest two months into a small part of these peoples’ lives, you can’t not want them to be successful. When they announced what I had already decided was the call- Aaron is the next star, I’m in tears. I’m no longer in control of my tear ducts, and this is a food network contest for heven’s sake- goes to show you the power of the medium, I guess.
I couldn’t be happier for Aaron. According to the president of the network, he will start his show the day after the finale (it had to have been pretaped before last week, as they had footage from the finale in last week’s ‘next time’ promo). But, I guess, from what Flay said, his show starts in exactly one week. I kept telling myself throughout the season, if they give the show to Aaron, I’ll watch every show, I’ll DVR them, I’ll mark it on my calendar. Heck, I’ll start an Aaron McCargo Jr. fansite if I have to. One week from now. A star is born. Here’s one fan he can count on to be there from the very start.
Food Nazis: Banning “Junk” Food in Schools
Mar 16th
I think that kids should be given a bit more credit in their choices. Food nazis are, and have been, in the process of trying to make sure that kids don’t have a choice at school when it comes to whether or not to eat junk food. Banning candy and sodas from schools, demanding that kids bring healty lunches from home, spending far too much money on gourmet “healthy” meals served in the cafeteria. Newsflash- students are completely brain dead. We had coke machines and candy machines at my high school, and we’re all still alive. The world didn’t end, we weren’t put under a nazi state so we were content, and we’re still kicking.
Well, food nazis are horrible, but sometimes they can be downright ludicrous.
Here’s a case of an honor student in Connecticut who was, get this, suspended from school, stripped of his student vice president title and banned from an honors dinner for…buying skittles from another student! Yes, those evil skittles brought down another poor kid. The school district has a complete ban on selling any types of “junk food”…they won’t even allow bake sales or candy sales for student fundraisers! They demand that the school only offer “healthy snacks” and they have even banned gatorade (somehow I’m puzzled as to how gatorade is in any manner lumped together with junk food….you can’t even buy DIET sodas within this school district.)
The administrators say that kids can trade candy, but they’re not allowed to exchange cash for candy or anything else for that matter. Security concerns (they claim there was a student attacked and his money taken)…ya know. Let’s throw the baby out with the bathwater and all of that fun stuff. Kids being able to exchange certain items for money isn’t a bad thing, and it sure as heck takes some stress out of life to be able to, oh I don’t know, make your own decisions every now and then! Apparently, school officials don’t trust even their best students to make any of their own decisions in school. At least not when it comes to what they do with their own money or put into their own stomachs.
It’s so silly that one has to even spend time to point out who insane this stuff is, but apparently some of us have lost our minds completely, and the way things are looking- there’s no turning back unless we fight the nazi-like tactics togethers. Demand an overthrow of the nanny way of life. Sure, people, especially kids, need some guidance in life, but the nanny-state is certainly not the solution.
Proof God Answers Prayers: The Return of the Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger
Nov 21st
I was driving to work this morning when I passed Hardees. What did I see gleaming like a beacon from the window? A gorgeous burger piled high with philly cheese steak. It was the return of the Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger.
I have prayed for it’s return, and now…alas…
Yes, I went there and had one for lunch.
Fast Eddie’s Bon-Air
Aug 27th
I saw this restaurant, Fast Eddie’s Bon-Air on FEASTING ON ASPHALT…need to make a trip out there. It’s not that far away (around 4 hours, I think). They only have 7 items on their menu, but it’s all very cheap (it’s a roadhouse, and they want people to buy booze- I don’t drink, so cheap food works for me). Also- it looked really good too. The steak kabobs and the half pound burgers. Mmm.
Who’s going with me?
Homemade Big Macs
Jul 22nd
I’ve told a few people lately that the world’s greatest sandwich is none other than McDonald’s Big Mac. I grew up on it…in the 80′s, when you went to McDonald’s, it seems that was THE sandwich. You ordered a super value meal (or whatever they called them at the time), and you got the Big Mac meal.
Don’t ask me why, but I’ve been thinking it would be great to cook these things at home. Sounds silly when I think about, as an actual Big Mac from McDonald’s costs less than $2.50 per sandwich. Buying all the ingredients to make them at home will cost much more than this in the end. It just sounded like a fun idea.
I also sort of wanted to see if I could find a version of the Big Mac that is lower in fat and had fewer calories…as it stands, when going to Mc D’s, you’re getting nearly 30 grams of fat and I don’t even remember how many calories (way too many). Not much luck with that search…google just brings back low-fat and low-calorie alternatives to eating fast food.
So, maybe it’ll just be a test to see if I can make one from a recipe online and have it taste just like a sandwich from the fast food place itself. I’d settle for it tasting halfway like the sandwich at first. Maybe I can play around with the ingredients and make it taste closer to the real thing? Who knows.
I’ll post the recipe and all of that information later. Then, after I get the stuff and try to make them, I will post the results.
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