St. Regis Rocks!

Just in case you haven't heard the buzz in town - we are getting a beautiful new St. Regis Hotel in Buckhead. I had the pleasure of working with the opening team on Friday night, for Iron Chef Battle: Sage. Kicked off by General Manager Simon Rusconi and led by an obviously talented Executive Chef,  the food that this innovative group creates is amazing - even in an hour! Our venue at the Cooks Warehouse Midtown was perfect for the three creative teams to devise their menus. Using beef tenderloin, veggies and potatoes, each band of conspirators produced a beautiful plate and presented it to the judges. The final verdict was made on the basis of Taste, Originality, Presentation and Teamwork. All 3 teams grabbed a high score in at least one category, but the winner who just squeaked by the others was Team 3.

Celebration Cake

I will be the first to admit that this cake is one of those items I just hate to put in my calorie log. But its worth it - and sometimes you just have to celebrate! In my book that means Dark Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting. This is one of my favorite recipes, and after I mentioned it in a cooking class last week, I got so many requests for the recipe, I promised I'd share. (You'll notice that I use ingredients like whole wheat flour, fruit, nuts, skim milk and reduced fat buttermilk along with my butter and sugar. That's because I believe in "Eating Better", substituting ingredients or adding ingredients if it doesn't make a difference in taste - but it helps "Eat Better"). Here it is - hope you enjoy it just as much as I do!

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting

1 Cup Butter 

2 Cups Sugar 

1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour

½ Tsp Baking Soda 

½ Tsp Salt
½ Tsp Espresso Powder
6 ounces Good Unsweetened Chocolate 

1 Tsp Vanilla 

1 Cup Dried Cherries, coarsely chopped and soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, OR Chopped Dried Dates, coarsely chopped and soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
½ Cup Finely Chopped Toasted Pecans
2 Eggs 

1 Cup Reduced Fat Buttermilk
Non Stick Cooking Spray and Parchment
Step One
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cut out 2 parchment circles for the bottom of two 8 or 9 inch cake pans, and spray the pans – then place the parchment in the bottoms and spray again.
Step Two
Melt the unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water. Remove from the heat.
Step Three
Cream the butter and sugar - beat them in an electric mixer until they are smooth, a pale ivory color, and looks like it has been whipped.
Step Four
Sift the flour, baking soda, espresso powder and salt into a bowl.
Step Five
Add the eggs to the butter/sugar mixture one at a time. Add the melted chocolate. Then add the vanilla.
Step Six
Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk in three additions to the butter sugar/chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Drain the dried cherries, (or dates) and add to the cake batter. Add the toasted nuts.
Step Seven
Spoon into the prepared baking pans. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out dry.

Deep Dark Chocolate Frosting

1 ½ Cup Unsalted Butter
1 Cup plus 2 TB Unsweetened Cocoa
½ Tsp Expresso Powder
4 Cups Confectioners Sugar
½ Cup plus 2 TB Skim Milk
1 ½ Tsp Vanilla
¼ Cup Finely Chopped Toasted Pecans

In a standing mixer, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter well. Add in the remaining ingredients and beat well. If the frosting is too stiff, add a little more milk. After frosting the cake, sprinkle with the toasted pecans.

Eat Like There's No Tomorrow

Isn't that a great book title? Hans Rueffert, a Georgia Chef and all around wonderful guy has published his first cookbook. If you are a foodie, you may remember him as a contestant on the show "The Next Food Network Star", but he is much more than just another pretty face:) After competing, he returned home to discover that he had stomach cancer, and has been dealing with it and the after effects for several years now. He hasn't let it stop him - he has been hosting a PBS show on the North Georgia affiliate and writing his book among many other culinary pursuits. Here's a picture of me and my "spice-maven" friend, Kristin at a book signing and reception for Hans last week at the Piedmont Cancer Wellness Center. I made the Honey Cumin Shrimp and Okra from his book for the guests - and WOW is it good. Click here to learn all about Hans and his beautiful new cookbook: http://www.hanscooks.com/

Everyday with Marcus and Lisa

Another fun appearance on Everyday With Marcus and Lisa. Kathy came along to assist me - and boy was it nice to have help. Marcus and I made 3 appetizers in less than 10 minutes - and had lots of laughs... Here are the quick, easy and delicious! recipes for those of you who couldn't catch the show.

Smoked Salmon Rice Crisps
1 3.5 Oz Package of Rice Crackers
¼ Cup Light Mayonnaise
¼ Cup Light Sour Cream
2 TB Chopped Dill
1 TB Whole Grain Mustard
4 oz Sliced Smoked Salmon
Kosher Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper to taste
Dill Sprigs for Garnish

In a medium sized bowl, stir the mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped dill and mustard together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place a small dollop of the mixture on a rice cracker, top with a slice of smoked salmon and garnish with a dill sprig.

Maryland Miniature Crab Cakes
1 LB Back Fin. Claw or Special Crabmeat
1 TB Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 TSP Kosher Salt
¼ Cup Light Mayonnaise
1 TSP Yellow Mustard
2 TB Worcestershire Sauce
1 Large Egg, Beaten
1 TSP Baking Powder
24 Saltine Crackers
¼ Cup Parsley, Minced
¼ Cup Canola or Vegetable Oil

Makes about 18 small crab cakes.

Step One
Place the crabmeat in a bowl and add the salt and pepper.

Step Two
In another bowl, mix the mayo, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and egg together. Gently fold mixture into crabmeat. In a third bowl, toss the baking powder, parsley, and about 1/4 cup of crushed Saltines together. Add to your crabmeat; mixture and again fold in very gently.

Step Three
On a plate, place the remainder of the crushed Saltines. With the help of a large spoon, make a crab cake from the crab mixture with your hands. Coat with the crushed crackers - just enough to cover the crab cake. Put the crab cakes on a plate or cookie sheet, and place in the frig for at least 30 minutes.

Step Four
In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and gently place crab cakes in the oil. Brown evenly on both sides. Crab cakes are ready when brown on both sides - a few minutes per side. Drain on a rack set over paper towels.

Far Northeast Tartar Sauce 
3/4 Cup Light Mayonnaise

4 TB Minced Dill Pickles

2 TB Minced Scallion

2 TB Minced Capers
1 TB Minced Cilantro
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Step One
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate until the flavors blend - at least 30 minutes.

Dried Cherry and Pecan Goat Cheese Toasts
1 5 oz Log Goat Cheese, room temperature
1 Cup Dried Cherries, Chopped
½ Cup Chopped Pecans, Roasted
1 Baguette, in 1/4'’ slices

For Garnish: ¼ Cup Chopped Pecans, Roasted
¼ Cup Chopped Dried Cherries

Step One
Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Slide into a 400F and toast until golden brown - about 4 minutes on each side.

Step Two
In a large bowl combine the goat cheese, dried cherries and pecans. Spread the mixture on the toasts, garnish with additional chopped roasted pecans and serve.

Dragon Boat Atlanta

I had the pleasure of attending the 2009 kickoff meeting of Dragon Boat Atlanta on Sunday afternoon. It's a group of breast cancer survivors and supporters who want to increase the awareness of breast cancer, share the belief that there is quality of life after breast cancer, and believe that exercise plays a role in helping to achieve the highest quality of life. Sounds great, doesn't it? And the group that advocates this mantra is too! We zoomed up to the Lake Lanier area to join them, our saddlebags packed with a bottle of wine and this rice salad. I promised I'd pass on the recipe:

Eating Better Potluck Rice Salad

The Salad

1 Package *Wild and Brown Rice Mixture, prepared with low fat, low salt chicken broth

1 Cup Shredded Carrots

1/2 Chopped Pecans, Toasted

1/2 Cup Chopped Dried Apricots

1/2 Cup Raisins

1/2 Cup Craisins

1/2 Cup Dried Blueberries

1/4 Cup Chopped Green Onions

Juice from 1 Lemon

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

Finely Shredded Romaine Lettuce

The Dressing

1 Garlic Clove, mashed to a paste with 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 TB Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tsp Curry Powder

1 Tsp Dijon Mustard

1/4 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

Step 1 

While the brown and wild rice mixture is cooking, make the dressing. Mash the garlic together with the kosher salt to make a paste. Add the garlic paste along with the remaining ingredients to a jar and shake. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 2  

To the warm rice mixture, add the carrots, apricots, cranberries, raisins, blueberries and green onions, toss gently. Add the lemon juice. Finally, add the dressing, a little at a time.(You will not need all the dressing.)  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Serve the salad on top of the shredded romaine. (You can make it dinner by tossing the rest of the dressing with boneless skinless chicken breasts. Salt and pepper the breasts, and grill or broil them - slice the cooked chicken on top of the salads.)

*My favorite rice mixes are Lundberg. They are widely available at most grocery stores.

To find out more about Dragon Boat Atlanta: dragonboatatlanta.org

Perfect Soup and Sandwich

Headed over to Roswell today to check out a new lunch spot. Tough to find and tucked away at the end of a long street of restaurants and cafes is Artisan Bakery. The great news is that it is worth the hunt. My friend and I both chose the daily special, a shrimp and avocado stuffed pita accompanied by 5 bean soup. The pita was incredibly light and fresh, the sandwich overflowing with veggies and fat, pink shrimp and the soup was "beany" and hardy. We checked out the surrounding tables to spy on other entrees and they all looked wonderful. For dessert we split an order of lemony hot powdered sugar beignets - 3 big boys that disappeared quickly. A hot and foamy and strong cafe au lait is the quintessential partner, and the Artisan version did not disappoint.

A Slice Well Worth the Drive!

Who doesn't love New York Pizza? Eureka! We've discovered an authentic New York slice here in Atlanta. Well...not exactly Atlanta. Alpine Bakery lives in Alpharetta - about a 30 minute drive from the city. We celebrated the warm weather today by cranking up the bike and cruising OTP, (that's outside the perimeter for you non-Atlantans). It was a beautiful sunny day, and we took backroads up to the burbs, giving us lots of time to get hungry. We arrived to find the New York style bakery and pizzeria in a strip mall. The bakery was pristine and sparkling, packed with case after case of temptations. We ordered our pizza, and tried not to drool as we chose a dessert to share. In 10 minutes we had our pie. There is no dining here - so we sat outside on a concrete bench and enjoyed the warm fresh tomato sauce and melting cheese. Heaven in a box!