Vocab Word of The Day

Even though it's summer and I'd be surprised if any of you had time to look at this post, here is the new vocab word. (By the way, I am going to be pretty busy this summer, just like you probably will be, so I might not be able to write for a while.)

VOCAB #3
June 30, 2009
Mince-- v. to cut or chop into very small pieces (you might mince garlic, as it says in my salad dressing recipe)

Also, because it has been hard to keep up with these vocab words every day, they will now be weekly vocab words. So from now on, you can check up on my blog every week to find vocabs.

Okay, chefs, I gotta go make snickerdoodles (my family is coming over)! Peace out! And remember: always add a pinch of love.

Vocab Word of The Day

Hey guys! Here's today's vocab word (I probably won't be able to write a new one every day but here it is):

VOCAB #2
June 26, 2009
Saute-- adj. cooked or browned in a pan containing a small quantity of butter, oil, or other fat. (Chefs often saute mushrooms, onions, or peppers)

Famous Chefs

Yo, peeps! There are many chefs out there who do many different things. So in this post, I'm going to introduce to you my favorite chefs.

This woman to the left is Rachael Ray. Some of her shows (on Food Network) are 30 Minute Meals and Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels.

The man at the right is Emeril Lagasse. I actually met him and have this picture autographed by him! It said: "Isabel--always add a pinch of love!" That's how I got the idea. Some of his shows (on Food Network) are Emeril Live and Emeril Green.

And finally, the dude at the very top is Duff Goldman. He has a show (on Food Network AGAIN!) called Ace of Cakes. He makes wacky cakes for parties with different themes.

All these cooks are so awesome! You should check out their shows! And remember: always add a pinch of love.

Cooking Vocabulary

ATTENTION ALL CHEFS!

I've decided to have a daily cooking vocab word! In each post, I'll include:

• The number of the entry
• The date
• The word
• The definition

Here's a sample vocab entry, which is also the first one:

VOCAB #1
June 24,2009
Julienne--adj. cut into thin strips or small, matchlike pieces (Usually vegetables would be julienned).

These vocab entries are created with the help of www.dictionary.com

Keep viewing my blog for more vocab words! And remember: always add a pinch of love.

My Latest Recipe: Soup of the Chinese Sides

Hey, everybody! Sorry I couldn't write for a while. The truth is, I've been doing A LOT of cooking and baking. This weekend I made muffins, cupcakes, and today I created an awesome recipe I'm dying to share. It's called...Soup of the Chinese Sides! I was at my friend's house (check out her blog:
keeplivinglaughingloving.blogspot.com) and she ordered Chinese food. I made this random simple concoction out of Chinese sides and it turned out to be really good. So here it is! SERIOUSLY TRY IT!

INGREDIENTS

• Brown sauce--about 2 tbsp. (I'm all about estimating)
  
• Brown rice--about 1 tbsp.
  
• Those little yellow crackers that come with Chinese soup--6 crackers
  

DIRECTIONS
Put 'em all in a small bowl and stir. Then enjoy!

So try this recipe, and I don't blame you if you have seconds. And remember: when cooking, always add a pinch of love.

--Chef Isabel

Good Food Combinations

When you're hungry, try combining some random foods. To make it easier for you, here are some yummy combos:

• Shrimp and clementines
• Strawberries and whipped cream
  
• Grapes and pretzels
• Challah and cream cheese
• Apples and cheese

Try some of these whenever you need a snack! And always add a pinch of love.

My Best Salad Dressing Recipe

Hey, chefs! You people are very special and lucky because you get to see my secret recipe for salad dressing. I call it: Dressing ala Isabel. Try it out!

INGREDIENTS

• Olive oil--1/4 cup
• Rice vinegar--1 1/2 tbsp.
• Minced garlic (minced= chopped really small)--1/2 or 1 cloves, depending on how spicy you like your dressing
• Mustard (honey or dijon works best)--2 or 3 tsp, once again depending on your taste
• Honey--1 tbsp.
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Simple: just throw these in a food processor and blend or, if you don't have one, it also works to stir them together in a little dressing pitcher like the one to the left.

Enjoy! And always add a pinch of love.

Random Cooking Tips

I'm not a very advanced cook, but there are a few things I know about cooking. From safety to recipes, here are some tips to help you improve your cooking, especially if you're a beginner

• Even though I don't like them, use bananas in a smoothie to get an extra-creamy texture.
• When chopping something, make sure you curl your fingers under. (See picture above)
  

• Use salt to bring out the flavor in things, but not too much!
• Honey is a good ingredient to use in dressing. It sweetens the dressing, but dissolves much better than sugar and really blends with the sharp taste well.
• Citrus zest adds a nice zing to a carrot cake or pie.

Try out some of these tips. And remember: always add a pinch of love.

A Great Smoothie

Say it's summer vacation and you're about to die of sweltering heat. You've got to have a nice cold drink, so this is a really good recipe for smoothies:

INGREDIENTS

• Frozen assorted berries--about 1/2 cup
  
• Soy milk (or regular milk if you don't like soy milk)--about 1/3 cup
  
• Vanilla yogurt--about 1/2 cup
  
• Fresh strawberries--about 1/4 cup

NOTE: These proportions are just estimated, so you don't have measure how much you use.

DIRECTIONS
Throw 'em in the blender (in any order) and press frappe if you have that button (If you don't have frappe, you can use blend). Once smooth, pour into a cup and enjoy! Your smoothie should look something like the one to the left. Yields 1-2 servings.

Hope you enjoy this! And remember, always add a pinch of love.
--Chef Isabel

Intro

Hey, everybody! Thanks for viewing my blog. Food For Thought is all about food, of course, and the many things you can do with it. I'll be giving some recipes, good food combos, and things like that. So keep coming to Food For Thought if you're a food fan like I am. Bon Appetit!