Style Lush

Date Night Ideas: Cooking Classes and Wine Dinners

by Maura

Date nights can be more of the same over and over. Dinner? Movie? Why not turn up the heat with a cooking class (with wine!). Last summer I went to a cooking class at De Gustibus Cooking School at Macy*s. The chef was 2005 Food and Wine Magazine Best New Chef winner Daniel Humm, chef from four star restaurant Eleven Madison Park. They have also had Mario Batali, Anthony Bourdain, Giada DeLaurentiis, Michael Chiarello, Ina Garten ... and tons of other amazing chefs.

At the class, the chef prepares the food at a long table in the front while you are served champagne and wine. You get to eat what he is cooking ... prepared by his executive chefs from his restaurant. You also get copies of the recipes to take home!

[Image credit De Gustibus]

The price can be a little steep, but the talent is undeniable. For you Top Chef fans, Spike Mendelsohn will be at De Gustibus on June 2nd and Carla Hall (Season 5) will be there on June 14th! Wylie Dufrene, the molecular gastronomic wiz himself, will be there June 14. Tickets are $95 per person.

For those of you who don't live in New York, like me anymore, check out this website, Cooking Schools of America, or surf the web for some local cooking classes. Stores like Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table also have cooking classes.

If you're more of a "just feed me, booze me and let me go home" kind of couple, try finding a wine dinner that focuses more on wine pairings and less on food preparation. This website, Local Wine Events, is a great place to start for wine events in your area. (Also great for singles events!) Next week I'm going to a wine tasting dinner featuring the wines of Spain at the World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. 

Cheers!

Spring-Summer Corn Salad

By Amy

I don't mean to be bragadocious, but here in California, it feels like spring and I just can't even tell you what a difference it's making in my life because I just want to be in the sun all day long.

Maybe this makes me a weirdo, but I am definitely a person who categorizes foods into categories by season. So, during the winter, I prepare certain foods and then in the summer,I eat completely different things. One of my rules in the summer time is minimal preparation and/or use of an oven or anything that slightly heats my tiny apartment. Thankfully, this salad fits the bill: it requires little prep, and is cold and delicious. The first time I prepared it for my boyfriend, he said he felt like he was "eating summer" which sounds like a compliment to me.

Spring-Summer Corn Salad

• one package frozen corn (I prefer Trader Joe's Roasted Corn) OR three ears of corn, kernels removed
• one zucchini, sliced thin
• one red pepper, diced
• one tablespoon dill (fresh or dried)
• olive oil
• seasoned salt

Thaw corn if necessary, and cut other vegetables.  Combine in bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil until all vegetables are lightly coated. Add dill and mix well. Add seasoned salt to taste. Cover well and refrigerate for at least three hours, until well chilled.

I recommend serving with other summery items, like barbecue and a mojito, and enjoying in the backyard!

How to Feed a Vegetarian: Summer Barbecue Edition

By Beth

I've been a vegetarian for about ten years now.  It isn't really that big a deal, everybody chooses their own diet and mine does not include meat.  It does however, sometimes pose a problem for kind and friendly people who would like to invite me for dinner.  In case you ever find yourself wondering what to feed a vegetarian, I'm going to give you some suggestions.

First off, since I have Spring on the brain this week, we are going to talk about the big summer barbecue. Burgers!  Hot dogs!  Ribs!  Vegetarian nightmare, right?  Well, it can be, but it doesn't have to be.  Start with throwing a couple of veggie burgers on the grill.  Those thing are actually good, I promise.  I'm partial to the Morningstar Farms spicy black bean burgers, myself.  Or, skip the veggie burgers and grill some portobello mushrooms.  All you need to know about portobellos is that, prior to cooking, you need to turn those bad boys over and scrape off the black gills with a spoon.

Next up is side dishes.  These are usually pretty vegetarian friendly, just leave the bacon out of the baked beans or warn your vegetarian guests about it.  Or, if you need some inspiration, try this delicious and easy edamame salad:

1 cup shelled edamame (soybeans)
2 cups corn, cut from kernel or frozen
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 small tomato, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, mashed to a paste
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro salt and pepper to taste

Now - get out there and invite a vegetarian to dinner!

Writer Round Up: Favorite Drinks

by Elizabeth

This week I'm thinking fond thoughts about some day being able to drink an adult beverage again, and so I thought I'd ask the writers if they have a favorite drink - and now I'm kind of wondering if it'd be inappropriate to have a pitcher of martinis and a big jar of olives on hand in the delivery room.  Too much?  Perhaps, perhaps.

1.  Corona.  "I am a tried and true beer girl, and that beer would be Corona.  I'll add a lime to go upscale when the occasion calls. Ha ha." -- Elisabeth.

2.  A Sidecar.  "Hennessey, Cointreau and lemon juice, shaken and then poured into a martini glass that's been rubbed around the rim with lemon and sugared." -- Amy. 

3.  Another beer drinker..."I'm a Miller Lite girl, or whatever someone's willing to buy me!" -- Kristie.

4.  Scotch.  "When I am getting my drink on, I favor Scotch. Scotchy, Scotch. Scotch. Get in my belly. I love Scotch! (sorry) Which you probably already knew from my post about it but it's true." -- Raven.

5.  There really is nothing like a gin and tonic.  "My go-to is a Sapphire tonic. (Double. In a short glass.)" - Sarah.  "ALSO a Sapphire tonic. Right now I need four." -- Maggie (who is trying to sell her house while living in it at the same time. With two toddlers. Better make that five.)

6.  Mojitos!  "For summer, I'm a mojito girl all the way... lots of mint, please! For winter, wine. Not too picky over here." -- Natalie. 

7.  And we have multiple fans of the Whiskey Sour as well.  "If I had to pick one signature, it would be a whiskey sour, easy on the ice and with extra cherries." - Leah. "I have two favorites! I'll take a whiskey sour (with Jack Daniels) or a margarita on the rocks with lots of salt. Obviously I love sour drinks!" -- Katie. 

8.  And more beer.  "I'm primarily a beer girl. It's in my genes! My maternal great, great grandparents owned a brewery and my dad's family owned a beer distributor. We keep the tradition alive (and classy) by playing beer pong at family gatherings.  My favorite beer is Guinness, although I only order it at places that pour a lot of it." -- Maura.  

9.  Wine.  "Red wine for me, and I have no taste so I don't care what kind.  I almost never drink liquor, but when I do it is a vodka tonic." -- Beth.

10.  The Martini.  "I'm a martini gal -- extra dry (no vermouth for me), extra, extra dirty, with extra olives. Like, half vodka, half olive juice, with five olives at LEAST. And if they're stuffed with blue cheese, you might as well peel me off the floor later." -- Jonna. 

11.  Don't forget the margarita!  "My favorite is a hot toddy with a splash of fresh squeezed orange in the winter but my all the time drink is a regular old Margarita on the rocks, lots of salt and 2 limes." -- Christina. 

12.  A Dirty Vodka Martini.  (As well as my personal laundry list of high maintenance specifications.)  "In the winter, I like to drink dirty vodka martinis but with onions instead of olives (technically a Gibson). In the summer, gin and tonics.  And when I'm pregnant, fizzy water mixed with cranberry juice and a twist of lime." -- Elizabeth.

{photo credits:  wikipedia.org, josecuervo.com, cocktailtimes.com, bourbonbuzz.com, recipezaar.com}

Pasta Salad Remix

By Sarah

Pasta salad is one of my favorite side dishes; I like to make a whole mess of it to snack on throughout the week. However, since I make it so often, I feel the need to mix it up a bit, using different pastas and vegetables and whatnot. Here is a recipe, inspired by my mother-in-law, for a delicious pasta salad that's currently my favorite.

What You'll Need:
1 package of dried or refrigerated tortellinis
1 jar of marinated artichoke hearts, halved
1 jar of sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Shaved Parmesan cheese
Your favorite bottled Italian dressing (I used Newman's Own Family Recipe Italian Dressing)

What You'll Do:
Cook the tortellinis according to the directions on the package. While they cook, slice and dice all the vegetables. Once the cooked tortellinis have cooled a bit, mix them with all the vegetables and enough salad dressing to coat. Top with Parmesan cheese shavings and enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread

By Katie

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, here is my go-to recipe for Irish Soda Bread. Even if you've never made bread before, this is the perfect recipe to get started on because there's no yeast involved making it very baker friendly. It's best served warm with a generous pat of butter on top!

IRISH SODA BREAD

(recipe and photo found at www.landolakes.com)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold butter
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup currants or raisins

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F. Combine all ingredients except buttermilk and currants in large bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk and currants just until moistened.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead gently 10 times. Shape into ball. Place onto greased baking sheet. Pat into 6-inch circle. Cut 1/2-inch deep “X” in top of dough with sharp knife.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Elizabeth's Giant Salad Cheat Sheet

by Elizabeth

Although I am not one of those people who will ever complain about eating salad - I LOVE SALAD - I have noticed it can be one of those things (also see: sandwiches) that are a lot better when someone else makes it for you.  I once worked practically next door to a bagel store and I found myself eating their salads all the time - it was one of those places where you could walk along a counter and point to a staggering array of add ons - and that's when I realized the difference between my sad home attempts at delicious salads and what you get at a restaurant. It's not the lettuce - it's all the delicious extras. 

Some extra time at my boring office job combined with my deep love of the checklist (seriously, I have a mega crush on this guy) meant I had a lot of time to come up with an exhaustive list of all the good stuff you can combine (maybe not all at once) to make yourself a truly stupendous salad in the comfort of your very own home.  I try to have some, if not all, of this stuff on hand most of the time so I can just toss this together at a moment's notice, and I keep a print out of this list on my fridge so I can consult it when I'm feeling uninspired.  Viva la delicious salad!

Download Elizabeth's Giant Salad Cheat Sheet

Elizabeth's Giant Salad Cheat Sheet

GREENS
Romaine
Spinach
Spring Mix
Napa Cabbage
Mache
Iceberg Lettuce
Butter Lettuce
Shredded red or green cabbage

EXTRA VEGGIES
bell peppers
artichoke hearts
tomatoes
carrot shreds
snow peas
jicama
celery
peas
jicama
celery
peas (frozen and thawed)
sprouts
mushrooms
olives
cucumbers
roasted red peppers
sun dried tomatoes
canned corn
red onions
broccoli
cold cooked green beans
mint
cilantro
jalapeno

FRUIT
oranges
mandarin oranges (canned)
craisins
raisins
apples
pears
mangoes
pineapple bits
strawberries
avocado
pomegranate seeds
diced fresh peaches

PROTEIN
grilled chicken
poached egg
sliced turkey or ham
Parmesan cheese shavings
sunflower seeds
cheddar bits
asiago cheese
Mozzarella
beans of any kind
walnuts or pecans (plain, toasted, or spiced)
almond slices
tuna
feta
shrimp
hard boiled egg

MISC EXTRAS
sesame seeds
croutons
chinese noodles
rice noodles (cooked)
soba noodles

DRESSING
oil and vingar
Annie's raspberry vinaigrette
balsamic vinaigrette
maple vinaigrette
honey mustard
home made ranch
Kraft ceasar
Kraft italian
asian sesame dressing
peanut sauce

Did I miss anything you just can't live without on your salad?

{photo credit: Yours Truly}

Writer Round-up: The best pizza you ever ate

By Jennie

Do YOU watch The Best Thing I Ever Ate? Well, you should, that's for sure. Today, we're letting that show inspire our writer round-up while we poll our writers with the question: what's the best pizza you ever ate?

(Also, bookmark this post for future travel plans!)

1. Yia Yia's Pizza and Beer in Lincoln, Nebraska. "I still dream about their pizza to this day and I had to get one to go the day we moved away, that's how much I loved it." -- Elizabeth.

2. The pear and Gorgonzola pizza from California Pizza Kitchen. "Caramelized pears, Gorgonzola, Fontina and Mozzarella cheeses, caramelized sweet onions and chopped hazelnuts. Topped with field greens tossed in Gorgonzola ranch dressing." -- Raven (whose mouth is watering? just mine?)

3. Zelda's pizza in Sacramento, Calif. "The waitresses are grumpy and it takes forever, but the deep-dish pizza is out of this world---I've never had anything better, even in Chicago." -- Amy

 

4. Hideaway Pizza in Tulsa, Okla. "Their Chicken Florentine is divine." -- Elisabeth

5. Zachary's in Berkeley, Calif. "The first meal I ever had when I moved to Berkeley was Zachary's stuffed chicken pizza (that's deep dish, yo), and it's still way up there on our list of places to take visitors to the Bay Area." -- Leah

 

6. Mellow Mushroom in Auburn, Ala. -- Emily

7. Crossroads Hotel in Hellertown, Penn. "Super-crunchy crust, plain-ish tomato sauce and a proprietary cheese blend that I've never tasted anywhere else." -- Jonna

8. Gino's East. "I'm a huge fan of thin crust, as far as Im concerned, its just the vehicle to get the cheese to my pie hole; one bite of this and I never wanted to eat any other kind of pizza again! Super thin crust, inches thick cheese and so much sauce you didnt need any extra for dipping." -- Christina 

 

9. Home Slice Pizza in Austin, Texas. "It's traditional New York style pizza, but they offer so many toppings I can't even begin to name them all. There's everything from broccoli to chopped clams, which sound horrible but are strangely delicious." -- Natalie

10. Plain cheese pizza from Pagliacci in Seattle. -- Maggie

11. John's Pizza in New York City. "Great brick oven pizza with perfectly cooked thin crust." -- Maura

12. Rusty's Pizza Parlor in Bakersfield, Calif. "Their pizza is the bomb (the perfect amount of cheese all melted and crispy-like on the crust), plus they have potato wedges with ranch dressing!" -- Sarah

13. Papa Del's Pizza in Champaign, Ill. "I crave this place in my old college town called Papa Del's. You could call in and order your pie ahead of time .... good idea because it took about an hour to be ready!" -- Manda

14. Pizza a'fetta in Cannon Beach, Ore. "Everything is made frsh, and you can buy a slice as big as your head. They're also nationally ranked for their yum factor." -- Kerri Anne

15. Papa John's. "Give me a no cheese, extra sauce, extra veggie pizza on thick crust and I'm a happy girl. But I can't even think of any pizza I love more than Papa John's pizza." -- Kristie

16. Bottom's Up Pizza in Richmond, Va. "You wait hours for a table on the weekends, but it is so worth it. The barbecue chicken pizza is divine (homemade BBQ sauce, sweet onions and fresh chicken topped with cheddar), but for something amazingly different, try the Chesapeake (fresh crab-meat and sweet onions seasoned with Old Bay)." -- Katie

*****

Tell us, what's the best pizza you ever ate?

Transform your sandwiches! Clog your arteries!

By Jonniker

I had another post planned for today, but I have to tell you guys, I could NOT keep this in, so delicious was this discovery. Since having my daughter, I make a lot of grilled cheese. A lot. A LOT. I've become an expert at it, if you will, and frankly, I'm bored out of my skull making them: butter skillet. Put on bread, cheese. Flip. Serve to tiny ingrate who throws half of it on the floor for dog to eat. Repeat. 

So! My friend Jen, whose husband is a chef, casually mentioned that he uses MAYONNAISE to crisp the bread in their sandwich maker. Mayo! Gross, right?

WRONG. DELICIOUS. And very effective if you're out of butter, as I discovered. But that's not why I'm here! There is MORE! And maybe you already know this, but MAN, you guys, if you want to kill yourself with high-calorie joy, this is the way to go.

Let's say you're making steak sandwiches. Or burgers! Or chicken sandwiches! Or something kind of bland and boring!

Take a tablespoon of mayonnaise. Mix with an equal part of plain old parmesan cheese (FROM A CAN) and some fresh black pepper. Spread on some nice rolls and lay them down on a hot skillet until crisp and brown.

Put your sandwich toppings on bread. Wait for arterial hardening to set in, but totally enjoy the ride nonetheless. 

DIE HAPPY. 


(It's lowbrow crap, but man, is it delicious.)

{Photo credit: Kraft.com, baby}

Stuff I Love: Horta Wine Glasses

by Elizabeth

So, these wine glasses? All the reviews talk about how breakable they are. And I don't need wine glasses. And I'm 25 weeks pregnant, which means I can't even drink wine. And they're REALLY girly, which means my husband will probably hate them. (Not that I would let him use them anyway. AS IF.) Also they're TWELVE DOLLARS each. 

Which is to say, there are a lot of reasons why I don't need these wine glasses, and why I totally shouldn't buy them. But oh, aren't they still just so lovely? 

Someday, somehow, they will be mine. 

{image credit:  anthropologie.com}