Spinach Brownies, Asparagus Lemmongrass Cappuccino...and other things that just shouldnt be

Its sad that a rant had to bring me back to the blog, but it did, so lets not make too much of a fuss about it.

I am currently finding my way through the 1000+ Google Reader entries listed on Tastespotting.com after having neglected my reader last week due to the AAPAs. Most entries look amazing. Some have ingredient lists so long that I will never try them and instead bow down to the masters who have, others have 42 steps or marinading times that exceed 12 minutes. These too I will likely never try because of my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants cooking technique that I picked up from my mom, who also makes amazing food but with less ingredients and over a shorter period of time. These recipes are, of course, accompanied by stellar titles and drool-worthy photographs.

728 entries to go.

Then, there are the few that absolutely boggle the mind. I really dont mean to put down the chef, rather their editor. Seriously, spinach brownies, WTF??? Spinach brownies dont exist people! Its not spinach disguised within a chocolaty concoction...not even a pseudo-brownie. Its a damned quiche for the love of christ!

Here is another that chapped my hide: Asparagus Lemmongrass Cappuccino. If your editor thinks they are being funny, they really have missed the mark. Its not a cappuccino. There isnt a hint of coffee in the recipe nor does mere use of a cappuccino frother make said food a cappuccino. Its soup.

My comments have nothing to do with the quality of the recipe, though I have made better quiches in my day, my beef lies with misrepresenting a food. Call it what it really is. If people dont go to your blog its probably because the recipe is uninteresting, the food is bland, or there are already 200 blogs loaded onto their reader. Tastespotting does us all a favor - it hosts a slew of pretty food photos from blogs around the web so that we dont have to do the searching ourselves. If you photo makes it up there, its because the image is gorgeous and the food looks interesting, if not tasty. My point is this: you dont also need a catchy title.

Here are a few other entries that cause me to raise my eyebrow:
Red Pepper Marmelade
Sweet Potato Donuts
Buckwheat Ice Cream
Falafel-burgers Between Tortillas - 'nuf said
Homemade, Low-carb Cadbury Egg

And to think, I still have 577 enteries left for fodder...

This Year's Wish List

Its that time of year again and I have a list all my own. Some of these items are affordable, others useful, and still others are hugely expensive (but soooo wonderful). Enjoy!



Even after all this time I still dont have a glass pie pan. These are completely practical in that you dont leave dents in them if you use a knife to cut out a piece of the pie.






I am dying to try these rainbow boba. I am a huge fan of the stuff and when I have the boba drinks its like I get to play with my food. Oh! I need the thick straws too!!









This is a double-walled french press. I do love coffee from a french press but find that it cools down before I can get to the second cup. This is the perfect solution.

















Since I like getting mail that isnt bills and I like reading about clever ways to fix up the house or quick-fix meals, Real Simple is on my list (I already get Savuer and LOVE it!).





Although my J is not really a meat eater (I am working on it), I would still love a dutch oven. The faculty have been raving about making bread in a dutch oven, and it is perfect for braizing once J comes around...








Yup, so some of these items are for my new place. Here is a pot rack that hangs on the wall rather than overhead. It seemed less reminiscent of an old dungeon in this model.












And when I wish upon a star that star has this totally awesome butcher block island to give me!

















And last, but certainly not least. I would love some pepper corns. I got a peugeot pepper grinder from my mom a few years back and I am finally running out of substance to grind. I am always dubious of the quality that I find around Lafayette (I should get over it already) but I think that some from William Sonoma would do the trick!

St. Andre

I picked up something different during my last Trader Joe's run. I decided to splurge a bit and opted out of my usual low-fat feta purchase and moved in toward an aged double-cream. It was a brilliant decision!


The flavor was full and nutty and the texture was creamy yet firm. The St. Andre is a welcome addition to any cheese plate and goes well with mild-flavored crackers or toasts.