cavender's is also fantastic on squash - steam it, a little butter and some greek and you're set with a quick, easy and cheap side - i usually prep when grilling fish and don't have much time at the stove.

I like to warm mine up just to heat up the blood and then add salt.

stop

don't you realize how hungry I am

Considering the last post I read before yours was timmy talking about heating up blood, all I could think of was that that post was what was making you hungry.

Then that thought made me nauseous.

What, you like your blood cold?

Beef Filets with Asparagus and a Roasted Shallot and Tarragon Sauce would be the classy choice for V-Day. It's subtle, and the presentation can look very elegant. Grilled Filet Mignon Steaks with Pomegranates and Red Bell Pepper Polenta is alot of prep time, but it shows in the final product when she says... you made the polenta???

The shallot and tarragon sauce is complex but still mild. The pomegranates have that tart and sweet thing going on, but those are the two most intensive and impressive memories. It's easier to pair sides and desserts with the shallot and tarragon sauce. With the pomegranates, i'd grill a side of mixed peppers, or make a soup or bisque with red peppers and smoked gouda, and make a pomegranate sorbet. Sorbet is actually pretty easy to make, you should get one of those cusinart ice cream makers. Trust me on that one.

Although, the coffee and pepper crusted strips are easy, and pair well with alot of dishes.

Grilled fruit marinated in a honey and bourbon sauce makes for a great dessert. Save the marinade, reduce over heat, and serve over vanilla bean ice cream. You'll be a hit.

God i sound gay.

No, you don't! Do you realize how many girls would kill to have a guy like you around to cook for them?

(I'm lucky in that my husband does at least 50% or more of the cooking in our house too)

Gina likes that i cook. She's better in the kitchen than any other previous girlfriends, but i still slay her. She says i look gay in the kitchen, what with the hands on the hips and shit like that. And saying things like "you'll be a hit". C'mon, that was pretty gay.

I really have to work on that.

<--- does 99% of the cooking in the house, but so far not a single solitary woman has killed anything to have me around.

you know, that's a good point. I'm now much sadder than i was. I'll go drown my sorrows in the kitchen.

I get the feeling I really really would enjoy knowing more about how you would go about that, if it's at the front of your mind.

I only think I ever really do to steak is marinate & cook it with some crushed tomatoes and diced white onions. Then I pepper the shit out of it.



i do most of the cooking in my house, too. Cooking is one of the most relaxing thing in the world to me and if i wasn't riddled with bacteria right now i'd be throwing a little something together for dinner.

Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Soup

4 cups chicken broth

2 jalapeno chiles, halved lengthwise, deveined, seeded

1 large red potato, peeled and chopped

4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced


2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

4 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated smoked gouda (make sure to get wax rind completely off)

Zest and juice of 1 lime


1 cup sour cream, garnish

Chopped fresh cilantro, garnish

some grated smoked gouda, garnish



Combine broth, jalapeno chiles, potato, and tomatoes in large saucepan. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until potato is tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the chiles from broth. If you like, save them for the garnish, but warn people in case they don't want to eat those. I usually just eat them myself in the kitchen.


Brush peppers with oil on both sides. Roast in oven for 10 minutes, medium low heat. Pull peppers out before skin blisters and turns black.

Heat remaining oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and bell peppers; saute until tender. Transfer mixture to a blender. Working in batches, add broth mixture to the blender with bell peppers and process until smooth. Transfer soup to the large saucepan. Stir in milk and cream and gouda. Rewarm soup over low heat (do not boil). Add lime zest and juice. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.


Ladle soup into serving bowls. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro and shaved or shredded gouda.

Soup is easy, you want another wild recipe? Ditch the tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and chiles, and add celery, apple and a very little bit of bacon if desired.

Really, you can adapt this recipe to almost any combination of vegetables and fruits, and get acceptable results. Just don't ever boil a cream based soup, your flavors get out balance once something on the bottom burns (usually pototatoes or cream).

Cool?

love,
Phil

I'm just curious. Do you have all these recipes memorized or do you have this carefully organized database set up so that you can reference recipes depending on what you're in the mood for?

I just think it's cute.

You and Josh should trade notes. He used to be a cook at one point in his life and he does most of the cooking now at home. He's wonderful.

Usually I just look at your recipies and say, yum but I think I'm going all the way with this one.

Drool.

Thanks.

I've got a cookbook of recipes i've collected. When i cooked for a fraternity, i'd try new things out, and keep the hits. Some of the boys would bring me their favorite recipes from their families. When i'm out and i like something, i'll try and talk food with the chef. Pay him a compliment, buy him a drink.

Most of the time though, it's really easy to make shit up. All that measurement stuff? You just get a feel for it, you know? You learn to add strong flavors in small amounts, cause it's hard to undo it once it's done, and you learn to cook over a low flame, cause a lot of stuff taste's horrible when it's burnt. Just basic stuff.

I've been cooking since i was in 2nd grade, out of necessity. Mom's a nurse, dad's a doctor, and i had three incessantly hungry little brothers, so sometimes it fell on me. Then my parents realized i liked it and had a knack for it, so they got out of the way, unless it was indian food, and then i got to help, but never helm.

And grilling is probably my favorite. I've done a good amount of it, and love to try out new things.

Shelley, let me know how you like your soup, cool? Smoked gouda is my favorite cheese, feel free to sub in your favorite.

oh hon, if you're in keystone colorado, stop at The Goat, Soup and Whiskey off of Rasor and 6. Scot is the owner, and he makes fantastic everything. His soups are especially out of site. I'm going to weasel his corn chowder and his creamy artichoke recipes out of him. And his chicken green chili. He's an awesome guy, he loves fantastic music, great food, and is the best host on the planet.

Period.

Ok, now you're gay.

(welcome back, btw)

HA! Thanks for the suggestion - I was leaning toward that one as well.

And bro - you don't sound gay. I didn't mention it in my "retired" post, but, truth be told, I'm getting out of "music" for "food" (I'm working for a company called "Super Suppers" and my fiancee' and I are also opening a franchise here in Austin).

You have to remember, I grew up in Southern Louisiana where "real men" know how to cook (and apparently "love jesus" (or at least that's what the bumper stickers say)). I boiled 80 lbs. of crawfish, made a chicken and sausage jambalaya, and baked a king cake for my dad's Superbowl Party this weekend. I'm all about food m'friend --- I mean, you don't think I got to 240 lbs. by just looking at it do you???

Thanks again daddy-o,

Trev

Damn you aaron.

Thanks Trev... let me know how it works out for you.

And what's that Super Suppers thing all about? I could use a change of career some days too...

It is a "meal assembly" school. Most of our customers are ladies who either don't know how to cook and/or feel guilty about feeding another Happy Meal to their kids.

They go to supersuppers.com, register for a session at a location close to them. We have all the ingredients for 12 entrees (professionally designed by Judie Byrd and her staff of professional chefs at our parent company, The Culinary School of Fort Worth) set out, separated, cleaned, washed and ready to put together.

Ladies go through the various prep stations, "assemble" their entrees in freezer safe containers, put a label on each (for that recipe) that has cooking instructions and suggested side dishes and then take it home and put it in the freezer until they are ready to eat.

We do all of the "mopping, shopping and chopping", so, it saves "the family cook" about 20-30 hours per month and they get to feed their families good (and healthy) meals that they prepare.

Its a really cool concept and growing quickly. We've sold about 50 in the last 4 months and we'll probably sell another 20 this month.

Illinois is a "franchise registration state", so, we're waiting on approval, but, the guy that handles that territory said he has about 15-20 people ready to roll. . .

boy do i ever

Phil -

Heading to market now to pick up the ingredients for the Valentine's dish! Wish me luck!!!

Trevor

let me know how it goes.

Hey polly, did you try the soup?