I sort of let this blog go, but it just came up in conversation for about the 5th time this month, so I thought I'd add a post. It isn't that I don't still love to cook and want you all to know how to do so. I very much do. It's just that my heart wasn't behind the seduction aspect of things anymore. I'm personally looking for something more "real" in my life.I mean, to the point that I had dreams of holding hands last night. If I can't be with someone I care about, I don't want to settle for second best. But enough of my sappy, I'm done with cheap thrills crap. You came here for sweet, sensual food.
An earlier post to this site about how to make soup was based on an ex writing to me saying that even after many years, she still craved it. Well, today she contacted me, begging for the recipe. I remembered the Bachelor Pad Kitchen and sent her the link.
It made me think that the Bachelor Pad Kitchen may still be able to fit into my new way of life. I mean, this wasn't some cheap seduction. We were so very much in love then. She worked in film and I was going to school, hours apart from each other. We found a weekend to escape together to her parent's lakeside cabin. It was all very sweet, which I will now ruin the image of by telling you that I got more head for this soup than most men get in their entire relationship. But hey, this is the Bachelor Pad Kitchen. That's the sort of thing I need to divulge.
This isn't a healthy soup, by any means. But it is absolutely delicious. And simple. She wants to know how to make the basic Cream of Mushroom. Which today I would suggest adding a dash of nutmeg as a garnish, and maybe a little shaved apple. But, this soup can be adapted readily to any cream soup. I recently made it with crab. I'm considering trying a pumpkin curry variety this week. You can adapt it so very many ways. The original recipe post is here. May your kitchens be warm with love.
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Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
We Like Sex and Candy
Want to impress a lover with a sweet tooth? Candy, especially chocolates can be extremely sensual. Today's bachelor pad kitchen will give you two easy chocolate candy recipes for seduction.
First, the easiest of all: Chocolate Covered Strawberries.
Melt a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, on high for about 45 seconds. Be prepared to go a little longer depending on your microwave. Stir that stuff like crazy.
Dip a dozen strawberries into the chocolate, and roll them around until covered. Using a shallow spoon, put them onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet and in the refrigerator. Let them sit at least for a half hour.
Easy. Right? So, lets kick it up a notch and make peanut butter bonbons, using the same principles.
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine in a good sized mixing bowl. Stir in 1 cup of peanut butter (creamy) and 2 cups of confectioners sugar. Stir the shit out of that mother fucker. You want it smooth and creamy. Use a teaspoon to measure out, and roll this mix into 1 inch balls. Set them on that wax papered cookie sheet in the fridge to cool for a half hour.
Make the same chocolate chip melt as for the strawberries, but put your balls in it instead. Refrigerate for at least a half hour. Bam! Awesome candy.
Now, tempt her tongue with your sweetness.
First, the easiest of all: Chocolate Covered Strawberries.
Melt a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, on high for about 45 seconds. Be prepared to go a little longer depending on your microwave. Stir that stuff like crazy.
Dip a dozen strawberries into the chocolate, and roll them around until covered. Using a shallow spoon, put them onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet and in the refrigerator. Let them sit at least for a half hour.
Easy. Right? So, lets kick it up a notch and make peanut butter bonbons, using the same principles.
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine in a good sized mixing bowl. Stir in 1 cup of peanut butter (creamy) and 2 cups of confectioners sugar. Stir the shit out of that mother fucker. You want it smooth and creamy. Use a teaspoon to measure out, and roll this mix into 1 inch balls. Set them on that wax papered cookie sheet in the fridge to cool for a half hour.
Make the same chocolate chip melt as for the strawberries, but put your balls in it instead. Refrigerate for at least a half hour. Bam! Awesome candy.
Now, tempt her tongue with your sweetness.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Easy & Cheesy
This collection needs another sweet-tooth entry, and I've got the perfect one for you. Not many women can resist coming up to your bachelor pad for homemade cheesecake and coffee. Most women LOVE cheesecake, and with any luck, will love you for being able to make it.
Ingredients: (aprox $15)
40 ounces of softened cream cheese (that's 5 packages, usually)
a cup and a half of sugar
2 large eggs
Pint of Sour Cream
tablespoon of lemon juice
teaspoon of vanilla
pinch of salt
stick of butter, firm
Preheat the oven to 375° and prep a large spring form pan as follows: Place a sheet of parchment paper over the inside bottom of the spring form pan, fit the rim and lock in place. Trim excess paper from the underside of the pan. Place a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil on counter. Place the locked pan in center and raise up the foil to top rim. Crinkle around the outer top of rim. Using some firm butter, fill in the inside lower rim of pan, using your finger to form a smooth lining. (like caulking a bathtub). Place in freezer while you make the batter.
Beat cream cheese and sugar till smooth. Add sour cream, then eggs (one at a time). Add remaining ingredients. Mix on medium speed until well incorporated (about three minutes), scraping down sides of bowl several times while mixing to prevent lumps).
Remove the spring form pan from freezer. Place pan onto a dishcloth onto counter and pour batter into pan. (So it's not 'loud' when you temp it). With your palms around the outside rim of the pan, GENTLY lift and drop down pan onto the towel. Rotate an inch or so and repeat a few times to raise and release air bubbles from batter. (this will help keep your cheesecake from cracking).
Set the spring form pan into a water bath. (A water bath is a baking pan or heat proof container larger than your cake pan with about an inch or two of water above the bottom of the cake pan). This is for even cooking and to preserve moisture). Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. WITHOUT opening oven door, reduce temperature to 250°F and continue to bake for an additional two hours or until center of cake registers 150F with a digital thermometer.
Remove from oven, water bath, and outer foil. DO NOT unlock the spring form pan! Place on cooling rack for 30-60 minutes. Loosen cake from sides by going between the cake and the pan with the edge of a knife. Refrigerate for at MINIMUM of four hours but overnight is best. (NOTE: If you are using a topping, you can place it onto the cake about 2 hours after refrigerating the cake). Unlock and remove the side of pan. For easier slicing, use dental floss. Taut between your hands, press down over cake, then let go of one end, and slide out from side.
I like to top it with fresh berries at serving, but you can add chocolate, fruit or anything you like.
Suggested drink: Irish coffee.
Ingredients: (aprox $15)
40 ounces of softened cream cheese (that's 5 packages, usually)
a cup and a half of sugar
2 large eggs
Pint of Sour Cream
tablespoon of lemon juice
teaspoon of vanilla
pinch of salt
stick of butter, firm
Preheat the oven to 375° and prep a large spring form pan as follows: Place a sheet of parchment paper over the inside bottom of the spring form pan, fit the rim and lock in place. Trim excess paper from the underside of the pan. Place a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil on counter. Place the locked pan in center and raise up the foil to top rim. Crinkle around the outer top of rim. Using some firm butter, fill in the inside lower rim of pan, using your finger to form a smooth lining. (like caulking a bathtub). Place in freezer while you make the batter.
Beat cream cheese and sugar till smooth. Add sour cream, then eggs (one at a time). Add remaining ingredients. Mix on medium speed until well incorporated (about three minutes), scraping down sides of bowl several times while mixing to prevent lumps).
Remove the spring form pan from freezer. Place pan onto a dishcloth onto counter and pour batter into pan. (So it's not 'loud' when you temp it). With your palms around the outside rim of the pan, GENTLY lift and drop down pan onto the towel. Rotate an inch or so and repeat a few times to raise and release air bubbles from batter. (this will help keep your cheesecake from cracking).
Set the spring form pan into a water bath. (A water bath is a baking pan or heat proof container larger than your cake pan with about an inch or two of water above the bottom of the cake pan). This is for even cooking and to preserve moisture). Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. WITHOUT opening oven door, reduce temperature to 250°F and continue to bake for an additional two hours or until center of cake registers 150F with a digital thermometer.
Remove from oven, water bath, and outer foil. DO NOT unlock the spring form pan! Place on cooling rack for 30-60 minutes. Loosen cake from sides by going between the cake and the pan with the edge of a knife. Refrigerate for at MINIMUM of four hours but overnight is best. (NOTE: If you are using a topping, you can place it onto the cake about 2 hours after refrigerating the cake). Unlock and remove the side of pan. For easier slicing, use dental floss. Taut between your hands, press down over cake, then let go of one end, and slide out from side.
I like to top it with fresh berries at serving, but you can add chocolate, fruit or anything you like.
Suggested drink: Irish coffee.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Get Sauced Again
Though tomatoes aren't exactly in season right now, I wanted to follow up last week's COMFORT FOOD FRIDAY recipe with the alternative, fresh tomato sauce recipe.
Like when using canned, there are endless possibilities to adapt this to your tastes. I make sauce nearly every week, and never make it the same way twice. We call this particular sauce "quick sauce" in my family, and it's generally adapted to what vegetables are fresh that day. It's just about every Salamone's favorite sauce. This is my adaptation of Grandma's. She's magical and does everything to taste, without recipe, based on what's fresh from the garden. I'm getting there, and you will too. For now, here's some proportions...
Ingredients:
6-8 tomatoes, chopped (8 if they're small, 6 if they're big)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 whole onion, thinly chopped
1 whole garlic, minced
8 oz mushrooms
2 red peppers, chopped
1/8 cup white wine
salt, pepper, sugar to taste
In a large pan, over medium heat, mix all ingredients, and stir for 30 minutes. Serve over Todd's fresh pasta recipe from this website, or whatever pasta is handy. Have a nice slice of garlic bread and glass of red table wine.
Like when using canned, there are endless possibilities to adapt this to your tastes. I make sauce nearly every week, and never make it the same way twice. We call this particular sauce "quick sauce" in my family, and it's generally adapted to what vegetables are fresh that day. It's just about every Salamone's favorite sauce. This is my adaptation of Grandma's. She's magical and does everything to taste, without recipe, based on what's fresh from the garden. I'm getting there, and you will too. For now, here's some proportions...
Ingredients:
6-8 tomatoes, chopped (8 if they're small, 6 if they're big)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 whole onion, thinly chopped
1 whole garlic, minced
8 oz mushrooms
2 red peppers, chopped
1/8 cup white wine
salt, pepper, sugar to taste
In a large pan, over medium heat, mix all ingredients, and stir for 30 minutes. Serve over Todd's fresh pasta recipe from this website, or whatever pasta is handy. Have a nice slice of garlic bread and glass of red table wine.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Don't be a Cream Puff
One of the easiest things you can make to make your meal look more complicated than it really is, is the use of the puff pastry. Best known for use in a cream puff, it can also be a great appetizer or side dish shell.
Guys, this is why I wanted you to have the recipe: You can fill that pastry with anything. Chocolate mousse, whipped cream, chicken salad, salmon or crab mousse, ice cream or sorbet, seafood salad, vanilla pudding, flavored hummus, Baba ganoush, cream cheese and veggies, broccoli and cheese, smoked Gouda and ham, you name it. Get creative!
I've served a tuna salad filled puff over a salad as a meal and received wonderful compliments. It took me 10 minutes to throw together, because I already had made a batch of puff pastries for something else. I needed something fast, and it worked.
So, you decide what you want to put in these bad boys, but here's how you make the pastry:
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
4 eggs
Boil the water and butter. Remove from heat, and whisk in the flour, beating until you get a nice dough ball. Let that cool. Then, beat in the eggs, one at a time, until you get a smooth consistency. Use a teaspoon to drop the dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.
After they cool, you'll have nice, little, hollow, pastries for you to do whatever your imagination leads you to. Cheers.
Guys, this is why I wanted you to have the recipe: You can fill that pastry with anything. Chocolate mousse, whipped cream, chicken salad, salmon or crab mousse, ice cream or sorbet, seafood salad, vanilla pudding, flavored hummus, Baba ganoush, cream cheese and veggies, broccoli and cheese, smoked Gouda and ham, you name it. Get creative!
I've served a tuna salad filled puff over a salad as a meal and received wonderful compliments. It took me 10 minutes to throw together, because I already had made a batch of puff pastries for something else. I needed something fast, and it worked.
So, you decide what you want to put in these bad boys, but here's how you make the pastry:
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
4 eggs
Boil the water and butter. Remove from heat, and whisk in the flour, beating until you get a nice dough ball. Let that cool. Then, beat in the eggs, one at a time, until you get a smooth consistency. Use a teaspoon to drop the dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.
After they cool, you'll have nice, little, hollow, pastries for you to do whatever your imagination leads you to. Cheers.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
What's IN that pot? Cannabis Cooking
Today's post is going to link to my favorite newspaper, Denver's Westword, for a piece they ran today on cooking with marijuana. You can make your inferences to why this might be handy for a bachelor.
http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2010/01/pot_luck_creative_cooking_with.php
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