ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onions and Feta + Chipotle Salsa

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Well, ladies and gentlemen, here I am with my fourth Rick Bayless recipe from his book, Mexican Everyday. I suppose one of the advantages of an “everyday” cookbook is that you can truly cook from it everyday without it being a “thing.” That’s why I was more than happy to take on this double-recipe: Swiss chard tacos with caramelized onions and feta as well as a chipotle salsa ditty on the side.

Results after the jump! Continue reading “ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onions and Feta + Chipotle Salsa”

ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Chipotle Shrimp Edition

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The journey through Mexican Everyday continues. Yes, I am here with my third Adventure in Domesticity in about a week’s time, and I’m continuing my journey through Rick Bayless’s aforementioned cookbook. For those keeping track at home, the results have been largely positive, save for the Pollo Pulquero dish which I evidently screwed up (and erroneously blamed on the recipe). Nevertheless, even as a miss, the Pollo Pulquero was still pretty good, and let’s not even talk about the Avocado and Mango salad that I made earlier this week. I whipped it up again today with leftover ingredients from the first go around (ie. the bacon, pepitas, dressing, etc), and I swear, it’s a big time winner.

Nevertheless, after having sampled Mexican Everyday’s chicken and salad recipes, I was eager to move on to seafood. My motivations were twofold. Or perhaps threefold. Many folds were had. First, I wanted to make a shrimp dish because, well, I love shrimp. Second, shrimp is a healthy option. Third, I had just bought a deveiner that I was eager to test out. And thus I recruited my dear friend Sly to take pictures of me as I tackled both this latest Bayless recipe as well as my new kitchen gadget.

Pics after the jump. Just a warning, what you are about to see includes graphic images of both deveined shrimp and my messy kitchen.

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REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA PHOTOCAP: Calling All Reunion Fans

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Well, the Real Housewives of Atlanta kicked off yet another raucous reunion this week, and to the surprise of no one in particular, it wound up being the Kenya Moore show. That’s pretty much the way it’s been all season, and Kenya did not disappoint (unless we’re talking about all aspects of her personal and professional career, in which case, yes, she most likely has disappointed everyone in her life). With a fan in place and many sneers at her disposal, Kenya once again brandished her overly-deliberate psycho bitch persona, and while it’s such a patently obvious play for camera time, I can’t help but be entertained by it. Hey, it’s like watching professional wrestling: we know it’s fake; so, why not go along for the ride? And yes, I do truly believe the spirit of Andre the Giant carries on with these ladies (if not the fashion sense).

The big topics of this first hour mostly revolved around Kenya. There was Kenya vs. Porsha, Kenya vs. Phaedra, and Kenya vs. any semblance of sanity. Most of the squabbling went in one ear and out the other, but big ups to Phaedra who managed one of the best lines of the night: “Single white female, black delusional Kenya.” Along the way there was a nifty awkward moment as Porsha defended her now defunct marriage. Plus, we enjoyed a small tiff between Kandi and Nene, who took the time to revive their annual “You’re mean to me / I’m just sharing my opinion / Well, it’s mean / Well, I’m sorry. I never intended it to be mean” argument. All fun times.

Next week, the return of Kim. C’mon wig! But until then, check out the photocap after the jump…

Continue reading “REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA PHOTOCAP: Calling All Reunion Fans”

ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Avocado-Mango Salad with Fresh (or Blue) Cheese, Bacon, and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

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I recently purchased Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless, which promised a small tome of easy, healthy, and flavorful recipes. My first outing was a bit of a misfire with a decent but not amazing slow-cooked chicken and tomatillo stew. Surely I could do better.

For my second attempt at Mexican Everyday, I decided to take on the very first recipe that caught my attention: Avocado-Mango Salad with Fresh (or Blue) Cheese, Bacon, and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds. Not the shortest of names, but intriguing nonetheless.

Would my second attempt at a Rick Bayless recipe bring vindication? Or was I doomed to culinary failure yet again? Answers after the jump…

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Keeping It Cute at Mignon

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The Downtown Los Angeles renaissance continues (minus the occasional corpse found in a water tower), and nowhere is that more apparent than at the corner of 6th and Main where a variety of bars and restaurants have sprung up over the years. Between Artisan House, Cole’s, The Varnish, The Association, Las Perlas, and the new Black Sheep. Slightly hidden behind all these spots is the cute, grab-your-date-and-go French wine bar, Mignon. Of course, I’m loath to call Mignon cute because, well, that’s so literal (the name truly means “cute” in French), but the truth is that Mignon is just so damn… CUTE.

A former dry cleaners-turned-watering hole (look for the chandeliers formed from hangers dangling above), Mignon is first and foremost a wine spot. It’s helmed by Santos Uy, who curates an extensive wine list (keep an eye out for an Austrian wine night on April 11th, call for details: 213-489-0131) and features bistro food designed by Chef Tim Carey of Papilles in Hollywood. Recently I was fortunate to enjoy a media-comped dinner at Mignon where I was able to sample many of the dishes magically conjured up behind the bar (there is no kitchen). After the jump, check out pic of the meal…

Continue reading “Keeping It Cute at Mignon”

ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Pollo Pulquero Edition

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For about nine months I’ve been toying with the idea of finally buying a Mexican cookbook. It had seemed like a glaring omission in my ever growing collection, which at this point includes Jamaican, Irish, Swedish, and even Trinidadian cuisines. Heck, I even have a hilarious cookbook titled “A Passion for Mushrooms,” which I may have purchased at a library sale based on the name alone. The point is this: I needed a Mexican cookbook, and who better to turn to than Rick Bayless, the preeminent American master of Mexican cuisine?

I originally was going to snatch up Bayless’s seminal book, Authentic Mexican, but then after reading Serious Eats rave about his simpler Mexican Everyday, I had a change of heart. Turns out Mexican Everyday had been penned with healthy eating in mind, and as some of you may know, that’s been my mission for 2013. And so while I’m not often a fan of the “fast and easy” cookbooks, I decided to go this route anyway (after all, Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick & Easy Indian Cooking rocks my world, and that’s of the same ilk).

For my first attempt at a recipe from Mexican Everyday, I opted for Pollo Pulquero, or “Slow-Cooked Chicken with Tomatillos, Potatoes, Jalapeños and Fresh Herbs.” It’s a very simple dish requiring only a handful of ingredients, and according to various other bloggers across the interwebs, it’s an out-of-the-park winner. Naturally, I was intrigued. Would this recipe live up to the hype? And would Pollo Pulquero prove to finally be the first dish to come out of my slow cooker that’s truly amazing? Answers after the jump…

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In Case You Were Wondering…

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The blog isn’t the only thing I’ve been ignoring.

Thank you all for your patience. I know my posts have been spotty, but I’m truly hoping to have more consistent content soon. I regrettably have to do hideous things like work because shockingly, blogs don’t really earn that much money. Still, I hope to find a proper balance soon enough…

Gracias!

-Ben

LIVE BLOG: I’m Cleaning My Keyboard

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I did this once a few years ago, and I’ve decided to revisit the topic: cleaning my keyboard. You see, whenever the idea strikes me to clean my keyboard, my laptop is always on, and it’s so annoying to log out and turn the whole thing off so I can wipe down my keyboard. So instead I figured I’d share all the excitement of the cleaning with all of you. After the jump, check out all the wonderful keystrokes that occur when I clean my keyboard. Yay!

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PRESSING QUESTION: Is This Man Smiling or Frowning?

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There are many pressing questions in this world: is Carnival Cruise Lines actually run by carnies? Is Carnie Wilson related to Owen and Luke? And does Owen get jealous that it’s called Luke warm and not Owen warm?

I know what you’re saying: “Ben, you are INSIDE MY BRAIN.” Well, you’re welcome. But I’d like to add another puzzling question to the list.

Is the man in the above photo smiling or scowling? It sort of looks like a smile, but it also looks vaguely angry. Maybe he’s “smizing.” I really can’t tell, and I welcome all input on this VERY. PRESSING. ISSUE.

Thank you.