Al Dente

What to Cook this Weekend: Cheese Triangles

I've had a few tubes of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls rolling around my fridge for awhile, and this weekend I mean to do something about it. I haven't been in the mood for a plain crescent roll, but fortunately for me, Pillsbury.com has a cool lineup of recipes that use the crescent roll dough. Tasty and easy? It's like they read my mind.

Cheese Crescent Triangles

Ingredients:
One package Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Grated cheese (cheddar, feta, or mozzarella)
Chopped onions
One egg, beaten

Directions:
1. Separate dough in half and unroll in to two rectangles.
2. Slice each rectangle into six squares.
3. Fill each rectangle with cheese and onions.
4. Fold dough over and press edges together. Brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes (see package for oven temperature). Makes 24 cheese triangles.

--AndreaLeigh

Drink Olive Oil, Live To Be 120-Years-Old

Mariam Amash, an active inhabitant of a quaint Israeli village, makes sure to drink at least one glass of olive oil every day. And since she was born in 1888, she's had at least 43,800 glasses--roughly 2,737 gallons of olive oil.

Olive oil can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as regulate blood sugar level and knock out nasty free-radicals. More info can be found here. Apparently it has worked fairly well for Mariam, you know, seeing as she's been around since the Turkish Empire was in control.

With 120 grandchildren, 250 great-grandchildren, and 20 great-great-grandchildren, I bet she spends most of her time making out $10 checks.

--Spanno

Did Robert Irvine Beef Up His Past?

Fans of Dinner: Impossible might feel duped lately amidst allegations that British Chef Robert Irvine made up stories about his past. The Dallas Morning News nicely outlines what facts we do and don't have about the chef. Food Network--host of Irvine's show--is refraining from commenting and investigating the allegations.

It seems ironic now that Irvine had such high hopes--knighthood, royal chef, castles, etc. If the alleged resume doctoring is true, Irvine just might end back at square one.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

A Toothbrush that “Erases” and a Recipe for Short Ribs

What’s a toothbrush got to do with a food blog?  For starters, we all have one and we all need a good one. And, for all espresso loving, red-wine drinking, blueberry-eating folks, it's an essential piece of equipment.

I certainly didn’t think that I would ever wax on and on about a toothbrush, but when I was looking for a new one, I was intrigued by the electric Hydra Brush. It promised whiter teeth because it cleans so well that the stains don’t have time to set. 

In today’s world of day-glo white teeth, if a toothbrush can deliver whiter teeth without any high-peroxide gel, I’m all for it. But the thing that really sold me is that you bite into the brush and the four round brushes on the front and the back of the brush-head rotate to clean the back and front of your teeth like a car wash.

I don’t know if my teeth are whiter, but I do know that they feel clean as a whistle—so good that I’ve been doubling my red-wine consumption. I’m drinking and eating my wine!

Enjoy this recipe for Red-Wine Braised Short Ribs. They’re just the thing to make you feel snug and cozy when it’s cold and wet outside. I serve them atop coarse-ground Garlic Cheese Grits, but they are equally great on old-fashioned noodles or mashed potatoes. Since they taste even better on day 2, this is a great recipe to make in advance!

Un-Happy Meal News

From seriouseats.com, Stephen Colbert's video segment on "People Destroying America" (by denying their children Happy Meals). Click here to watch the video.

--AndreaLeigh

A Decade of Subway's Jared

Subway's formerly endearing mascot has turned the big one-zero. Yes, it's been a decade since we first saw Jared waddling walking to Subway after losing 245 pounds.

Lately Jared has been extremely busy. He's on a "Tour de Pants"--a sort of going away party for his fat pants; he recently starred in a "Got Milk" ad; and is in the middle of an expensive divorce. She reportedly will also get 60% of the proceeds from his forthcoming life story. Incidentally, who doesn't know Jared's life story?

On the bright side, Jared now has a ridiculously hot girlfriend.

--Spanno

What to Cook This Weekend: Oven-Baked Mushroom Risotto

This is my new favorite recipe! My friend Lea made it for me last week--it was so simple and tasty. I can't wait to have it again. Oven-baked risotto is a great weeknight recipe since it doesn't require the constant stirring of a classic risotto. Note that you can leave out the mushrooms for a plain version, or add other ingredients (did someone say butternut squash?) to mix things up. Also, if you didn't notice, this recipe is vegan. However, if your cheese-loving heart so desires, you can add a sprinkling of Parmesan at the end. Though, really, it doesn't need it.

Oven-Baked Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:
1 ounce dried mushrooms, such as porcini (or substitute fresh mushrooms of your choice)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
3/4 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1-1/2 cups boiling water
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley (optional garnish)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Reconstitute mushrooms in a bowl of hot water. When soft, drain and chop. Set aside.
3. In an oven-proof pan (not too shallow), sauté chopped shallots in 1 tablespoon olive oil until translucent. Add chopped mushrooms and sauté briefly. Add rice and sauté about a minute, coating thoroughly.
4. Add white wine, stock, and boiling water. Bring to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Cover pan and place in oven. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until rice is done.
6. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Serves 4.

--KitchenMaus

Treats for Your Sweets, Day 3: White Chocolate Soufflé

I know it's a bit late in the day, but if you're looking to wow your Valentine this evening, this just might be the recipe. If you haven't made a soufflé before, I would suggest being very gentle when pulling this out of the oven. This specific recipes comes from Epicurean.com.

Ingredients:
3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
4 eggs, separated
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon framboise (raspberry) liqueur (if you don't have the raspberry liqueur, try white chocolate liqueur,or increase the vanilla)
Raspberry Sauce:
1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
Sugar to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter 4 individual soufflé dishes, about 8 ounces each. Lightly dust the bottom and sides of the dishes with sugar. Melt the chocolate over barely simmering water; set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the salt and cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of the sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and pale in color. Beat in the remaining 4 tablespoons sugar. Stir in the vanilla or framboise and the melted chocolate. Fold one-fourth of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Fold this mixture into the remaining egg whites. Spoon the soufflé mixture into the prepared dishes. Bake for 10 minutes, or until set and golden brown.

3. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Purée the raspberries in a blender and push them through a sieve, discarding the seeds. Sweeten to taste. Pour the sauce into a pitcher. Slash each soufflé with a spoon and pour in a little sauce.

Happy Valentine's Day!

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Happy Hour Drink Special: Her Sarong Slipped

Ideal for a Valentine’s Day signature mix, Her Sarong Slipped is a sweet-tangy-bubbly combination of brandy, lemon juice, grenadine, and Champagne (or sparkling wine), with a slightly coy name and a lovely taste that fits any romantic occasion.

--A.J. Rathbun

The Wednesday Wrap: Food News to Go

That's Just Offal: When food plays such a vital role in courtship, can carnivores and vegetarians commingle in the kitchen (and in love)? [New York Times]

More Meaty Issues: Relationships can survive food allergies, picky eating, and, yes, carnivores vs. vegetarians. [San Francisco Chronicle]

Adding These to My Bucket List: Seattle faves Salumi (Porchetta) and Paseo (Cuban Meat Sandwich) make the grade as Esquire ranks The Best Sandwiches in America. And that's no typo, the McRib is indeed on the list. [Esquire]

In Local News: All-star omnivore Michael Pollan guest blogs on Omnivoracious, the Amazon book editors' blog. [Omnivoracious.com]

TiVo Alert: In case you missed No Reservations this past Monday, do yourself a favor and track down a replay of Tony's trip to London and Edinburgh where he spends some quality time hunting with Marco Pierre White, eating with Fergus Henderson, consuming all manner of fried delights with mystery writer Ian Rankin, and recording a Shatner-esque spoken-word song with Morcheeba. [Travel Channel]

Bruni Beat: It's one star for the revamped Second Avenue Deli (now located on Third Avenue and East 33rd) as Frank Bruni visits with the "latke-loving" posse of Ed Koch, Nora Ephron, and Laura Shaprio. [New York Times]

--BTP