sesame soy vodka chicken over a bed of roasted sweet and hot peppers

This dish was fantastic with a little prep work and just a couple minutes to cook.  I picked up a a flat of chicken thighs from Whole Foods.  They come debonned so its a flat piece of meat much like a thin chicken breast.  An advantage of cooking with the thigh is that it won't dry out but stay nice and juicy.  Throw them in a bowl and cover with about half soy sauce and half vodka* and then add the juice of 2-3 limes.  Let that marinate refrigerated at least one half hour but leave it over night if thats easier.  Next, from the store buy one or two of every pepper you see, long, short, red, green, yellow and orange.  Put them over some foil and in the broiler till they start to blacken (note: they're going to roast at different times since they're different shapes and sizes), take them out and after they cool cut them into strips removing the seeds and stems but keeping the blackened skin and toss with a touch of salt, olive oil, chopped garlic and some parsley. When you're ready, spread some sesame seeds on a little dish, and one at a time take the chicken out of the marinade, coat them in the sesame seeds and gently lay them in a hot lightly oiled skillet.  If you like, for some extra flavor, add a few teaspoons of the marinade over the chicken as it cooks but be careful as it can burn after it caramelizes. Cook the chicken over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until they're golden brown, plate over a bed of the roasted peppers and enjoy!  This goes great also with some seasoned rice, avocados and an Asian salad with ginger soy dressing.  This will DEFINITELY impress!

*one advantage of marinating and cooking with alcohol is that it will bond with the fatty and water based molecules so it can draw the flavors from your marinade deep into the meat.

REPOST: rainbow cupcake... i like these better

I like these better than the last post.  This girl is ridiculous though. 

REPOST: rainbow cake

Interesting idea and fun for a ton of occasions.  Flip through it to get a better idea cause it's kinda annoying to listen to this guy talk. I can smell the milwaukee's best on his breath. 

spicy meatball appetizers

Easy to make and can be done a couple hours in advance since these are fine at room temperature. Get about a pound and a half of lean ground beef (I only get beef ground in-store so I don't have mystery meat body parts coming from a far off warehouse), a cup and a half of bread crumbs, 2-3 cloves of chopped or crushed garlic, some ground black pepper, a handful of chopped cilantro, 3/4 cup of Sriracha (or try a full cup to cup and a half if you want them very spicy), quarter cup of white vinegar, one egg and a light sprinkle of salt.  Mix everything together and roll into bite-sized balls (you can do all of this the night before).  If the mixture is too dry and wont stick add a little more vinegar and if its too wet try sprinkling a bit more breadcrumbs into the mix.  When you're ready heat a pot with about an inch and a half of vegetable oil, gently drop in the meatballs and let them fry till they brown -OR- spread them over a cookie sheet and bake @400 degrees for 15-20 till the brown, turning them gently about half way through (I like them better fried- duh). Serve these on platter with an handful of toothpicks and I like to include another small cup or Sriracha sauce and then another 'cooler' sauce like a ranch or blue cheese for extra dipping. 

food and sex ... hahaha shop organic

stuffed cherry tomatoes

Fantastic for appetizers and you can make them the night before. Wash a pint or two of cherry tomatoes, cut the tops off and with a small melon baller scoop out the inside.  You might need to ruin one or two till you figure out the trick.  Set the tomatoes aside and in a food processor make your own concoction of a chunky cheesy pesto.  If you need inspiration for a start, throw in some fresh basil (at least a fistful of leaves), one cup of parmiggiano, black pepper and half a cup of olive oil.  Start pulsing slowly and add ingredients a little at a time till you have an evenly distributed, loose but still tacky mixture you can spoon in the tomato cavity.  Taste your mixture as you go along till you get the combination you're really looking for and if you want to complicate this even more throw in some roasted peppers or balsamic vinegar. Spoon the mixture in your tomatoes and keep cool till your ready to serve.  I did these for my birthday this year and they made AWESOME garnish for bloody mary's the morning after.

snow and syrup

This is quite possibly one of the funnest desserts you can make ESPECIALLY when you're snowed in.  Literally just [clean & fresh] snow and syrup.  Traditionally we would use vino cotto, which is a syrup we make from boiling grape juice just as it starts to ferment but before you get wine, but feel free to use regular maple syrup, chocolate syrup, or anything you would normally put on ice cream OR if you got throw on a vanilla or camel flavor shot like you're at Starbucks.

boquerones, marinated white anchovies

don't cringe just cause you hear the word anchovy.  These taste nothing like what you're used to finding in a can and are honestly some of the most delicate and delicious savory snacks you may ever come across. Some of you may know these as boquerones and you'll find them at almost every tapas bar in Barcelona. Making them really isn't that difficult, just salting, cleaning and marinating the fish but at this point you can find them at Whole Foods, Dean & Deluca and a couple other specialty or international stores. Think of these to add to your spread next time you have people over for drinks and appetizers.

spicy lime lettuce wraps with peanut, ginger, white beans and minced pork

These lettuce wraps are one of the funnest things you can eat- especially with a small group wrapped around the kitchen table.  Everyone gets in with their hands, its potentially messy, goes great with beer and DELICIOUS.  In a [very] large pan or skillet, sautee a chopped yellow onion, a chopped piece of ginger (about the size of your thumb) and a habanero pepper with some salt and ground black pepper.  Let that cook down for a bit and add 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce, the juice of 2-3 limes, two flats of ground pork (I prefer pork for this but feel free to substitute beef or turkey) and break up the meat as it starts to cook.  While thats cooking throw 2 cups of peanuts into a food processor or chop them by hand.  As the pork cooks add a bit more soy sauce and lime juice then as everything starts to 'dry out', move the meat to the side and crack 3 eggs on the bare bottom of the pan, break the yolk then let them cook.  When the eggs are almost done, scramble them into the meat.  Shut the heat off, and add two cans of drained white navy beans, about half the chopped peanuts and a large handful of chopped cilantro. Add more fresh lime juice to taste and serve in the center of your table with a plate of washed lettuce leaves, a small bowl of chopped peanuts, lime wedges, slices of jalapeños for the adventurous ones, mung bean sprouts  (if you can get your hands on them) and plum sauce. You should be able to figure out the rest: STUFF, TOP, WRAP AND EAT!

Christmas gift ideas?

If you're struggling with that one person who has everything or don't want your $15 tchotchke to be forgotten or regifted, think FOOD & DRINK. A bottle of wine or liquor (stuffed in a Christmas sock is always a great idea) will always be appreciated.  For higher-end friends make your own basket of your favorite cheeses, dried meats and olives, and in the case of an informal Secret Santa or something more casual, you can make you own gift box better than you'll ever find out.  Photographed above was a "Taco Night Kit" that I made for the Komen-DC Holiday party. Other great ideas can be a "Breakfast Box" box of pancake mix, a small bottle of syrup, chocolate chips, raisins, can of whipped cream and a can or two of fresh berries.  Another fun one for coworkers is "The Office Snack Survival Kit."  Instant oatmeal, Top Ramen, Cup-of-Soup, Nuts, raisins, hot sauce, salt and pepper shaker and a box of tea.  Be creative and you'll be surprised. Gifts like this can be lots more fun (and cheaper) than you'd ever expect.