Country Bob's Cookbook

Earlier this week, I received an unexpected package in the mail from the folks at Country Bob's. The shape of the package was too flat, so I knew they didn't send me some more bottles of Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce so I could make some more meatloaf. When I opened it up, I found that Country Al, my fellow FoodBuzz foodie, had sent me another lovely gift -- a copy of Country's Bob's Cookbook!

The cookbook is divided into four sections: Appetizers, Soups, and Snacks; Grilling; Main Dishes; and Desserts. Yes, desserts! A quick peek at that section revealed that only two of the dessert recipes actually call for Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce -- the "Fruit Cocktail Cake" (page 88) and the "Incredible Fudge" (page 94). Most intriguing! I never would have thought to add a steak sauce-like ingredient in a sweet dessert.

Brunch at Friend of a Farmer

Friend of a Farmer

77 Irving Place
New York, NY
(212) 477-2188 | Map

Typically, a line forming outside of a restaurant in New York is a good thing. The line can seem encouraging, offering assurance that the food being offered past the line and inside the doors is worth the wait. And, typically, a line forming outside of a restaurant in New York for Sunday brunch is an even better thing. With the being said, a line can also bring with it some high expectations.

Cheesy Mashed Potato Cakes

There's a gray sky over New York this morning. I must have sensed in my sleep that it was going to be a gray day because I didn't roll out of bed until after 10am! When I finally allowed myself to escape from the warmth underneath my comforter, I wanted a breakfast that would be comforting and deliciously bad for me. Then I remembered I had some leftover Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potatoes from earlier in the week.

FoodBuzz / Electrolux Event with Chef Brad Steelman of The River Cafe

(Photo courtesy of Sue, Food Network Musings.

Pictured: Yolanda, Kosher Soul Food; Chef Brad Steelman,
The River Cafe; Michelle, Taste As You Go; and Grace, Grace[is]Full)

Less than a week after I was welcomed into the FoodBuzz Featured Publishers program, I received a last-minute invitation to a Featured Publishers event, co-sponsored by Electrolux, at Relais & Châteaux on East 53rd Street. Not wanting to miss out on attending my first official event, I RSVP'd almost immediately in the affirmative.

First FoodBuzz Food Publisher 24, 24, 24 Event

I absolutely love being part of the Foodbuzz community, and life has certainly gotten quite interesting for me, a budding food blogger, in the last 24 hours. Last night, I attended the Electrolux product/cooking demonstration with Chef Brad Steelman (review to follow, hopefully, later this week) and managed to win the coveted gift certificate to The River Cafe, where Chef Steelman is the Executive Chef! I also had the opportunity to meet some fellow NYC-area food bloggers and to chat about my experiences with Taste As You Go thus far. So much fun!

The Secret's in the Sauce Meatloaf

Not too long after I created my FoodBuzz foodie profile, a fellow foodie, Country Al, contacted me with a request to try Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce and to blog about it if I liked the product. I'm not one to turn away the opportunity to try something new, so I told Al to go ahead and send me complimentary bottle of the sauce. Last week, not one bottle arrived, but two! After giving the second bottle to my coworker Aaron, I tried to decide how to incorporate the sauce into one of my recipes. And then I had it. Meatloaf!

Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potatoes

Those who know my eating habits really well can talk about my strong dislike for sour cream. Just the thought of it topping any food I'm about to ingest makes me a bit queasy. The funny thing is, if it's mixed into a dip or a sauce, I'll more than likely eat it. I just can't deal with it being used as a condiment.

With that being said, for me to come up with a recipe that calls for an entire container of sour cream is practically unbelievable. I've been trying to revisit foods I once cast off in order to give them another try. (I survived the olive revisit, but I'm still not a fan.) Given my love for sour cream and onion potato chips, I figured a potato dish would be the best way for me to revisit sour cream. And, I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed these mashed potatoes! Especially paired with the meatloaf I made on Sunday. There's hope for me and sour cream yet.

Roasted Eggplant Dip with Pita Chips

(Photo courtesy of World Community Cookbooks)

I originally made this recipe for Roasted Eggplant Dip for a party I threw over two years ago celebrating my, then, upcoming move to New York and the beginning of my doctoral studies at Columbia University. My, how times have changed. Between then and now, I've moved three times and have left Columbia for the "Real World." Amazing.

Spicy BBQ French Fries

(Photo courtesy of CookwareCoupons.com)

Some say "great minds think alike." Right around the time I decided to cash in some bank card rewards points for a Metro 7-in-1 Mandolin Slicer, my friend Cory over at Zesty Cook posted a recipe for Healthy Homemade French Fries prepared with the aid of a mandolin! So when my mandolin arrived yesterday, I couldn't wait to try it out when making my own French fry recipe and to use some tips I learned from Cory.

Fingerfood™

(Photo courtesy of Fred & Friends)

Two consecutive weekends away from home has caused my Google Reader to explode, so I'm just getting around to playing catch-up. In my attempts to do so, I came across this article, dated October 1, 2008 and published in The Food Section, discussing cocktail party gadgets. More specifically, Josh Friedland talks about a new gadget called Fingerfood™ manufactured by Fred & Friends.

Brunch at the Blue Sky Cafe

Blue Sky Cafe
22 West Fourth Street
Bethlehem, PA 18015
(610) 867-9390 | Map

One of the most sacred times during any visit with my boyfriend is Sunday morning, when we can enjoy being lazy until our growling stomachs tell us otherwise. Our laziness is typically paired with a late brunch at one of our go-to spots in the Lehigh Valley. On the last several trips I've made down to Pennsylvania, we've chosen the Blue Sky Cafe to satisfy our cravings.

Rocky Point Clam Chowder

(Photo courtesy of WarwickRI.gov)

As the Major League Baseball slogan goes, "There's only one October." Luckily for me, this October means watching the Boston Red Sox battle it out for a chance to play in another World Series. October also means cooler weather, warm and vibrant colors, and deliciously comforting food that makes you want to take a nap immediately after the meal is over. Yet, despite all of that, despite knowing that Thanksgiving will be here before I know it, I'm still longing for the days of summer.

Spaghetti Squash with Chunky Beef and Tomato Sauce

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer awareness is a cause that hits tremendously close to home for me, as I've lost several family members, including my mother, to the disease. Partly in recognition of the cause, I decided to consult my Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book Special Edition Pink Plaid tonight and make a recipe I tried for the first time back in March. I loved how the dish turned out when I followed the recipe to the letter, but one of the greatest things about cooking is taking a recipe you love and adding your own spin to it.

Cooking Classes at Manducatis Rustica

Announcement!

Faye Delicious, a local NYC chef who typically teaches cooking in Italy, will be hosting cooking classes at Manducatis Rustica in Long Island City, NY on Mondays at 6:30pm. Classes begin tonight!!

Tonight's class is being offered at the introductory price of $50 and will feature instruction on a starter of roasted butternut squash on bruschetta with mascarpone and Parmigiano Reggiano, a classic Bolognese sauce with fettucine, a seared whole chicken stuffed with fresh herbs and garlic, and a salad of zucchini papardelle with currants and pignoli. Subsequent classes will be $75 per session.

For general information about the classes or for information about the schedule and future classes, please email Faye directly.

Apple Potato Pancakes

As soon as I discovered that my Gordon Ramsey cookbook had arrived this morning, I began to think about what I wanted to make for dinner. I had to restrain myself from flipping through the whole thing as I drank my morning cup of coffee and can't wait until I have some time to explore the recipes Chef Ramsey has offered.

Red Banner Day

(Photo courtesy of Textbookx.com)

Through the power of Twitter, I was made known of a cookbook giveaway sponsored by Food Network Canada. For correctly answering the question "What is Gordon Ramsey's country of birth?" two Grand Prize winners would each be awarded a copy of Gordon Ramsey's Fast Food. Guess who was one of the lucky Grand Prize winners?? That's right! Yours truly!! I received the news yesterday, and in a few weeks, I'll be receiving a lovely package from Canada with a cookbook inside. I can't wait!