Shelbyville Times-Gazette: Life : Food

Food

Potato soup a perfect winter warm-up (11/08/09)
About a month ago, I had a message on my phone at work from an anonymous caller asking me if I knew of any great recipes for potato soup. She had a craving. I know all about those and, though I had plans for the food page already in place for the next couple of weeks, I knew I wanted to help this nice lady feed her craving...

Chili brings out a hungry crowd (11/05/09)
The side streets around Peoples Bank of Bedford County were lined with parked cars Wednesday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and nobody seemed to mind at all. People were walking down the road, calling out greetings to those sitting on the porches, and they were all lining up for lunch. There were lawyers and farmers, mechanics and doctors, politicians and grandmothers of all colors and backgrounds...

Move over, stuffing: panade is an upscale alternative (11/01/09)
"Having reached age 30, it's not often that I find a food so amazingly delicious that it forces me to wonder why I've never had it before. Sure, I'll sometimes have new variations on pasta or risotto or veggies that are so good they're worth remembering. But rarely do I find a dish that is both unlike anything I've had before and so, so scrumptious that I want to eat all five servings of it in one sitting."...

Sweet taste of success follows cooking show (10/25/09)
If burning, red eyes with dark circles under them are indicators of success, I'm OK with that -- today. That's how most of my friends at the Times-Gazette, including myself, look and feel this morning, which happens to be the day after our sold-out relish® Cooking School and Expo...

A night of fun and recipes as chef wows cooking show crowd (10/21/09)
It's hard to tell who was having more fun Tuesday night at the sold-out Times-Gazette/relish® magazine Cooking Show and Expo with chef Jon Ashton -- the crowd, or Ashton. "It's really, really lovely of you to believe in me and believe in the magazine and let us in your life and have a bit of a laugh," the English cook said at the event, staged at the Calsonic Arena...

Cooking show recipes (10/20/09)
Sofrito is a rich sautéed mixture of onion, peppers and garlic that makes for a great tomato sauce. It is used in many Puerto Rican dishes. Use a lean ground beef, but not the leanest, so that the meatballs will be tender. Sofrito Sauce:...

relish®/Times-Gazette Cooking Show will be high-energy fun, says chef Ashton (10/18/09)
"Lots of culinary entertainment." That's what folks coming out to see Tuesday's relish®/Times-Gazette Cooking Show and Expo can expect, said relish® chef Jon Ashton, in a phone interview Friday with the Times-Gazette. And who better to explain the evening's venue than the British rascal himself -- the star of the evening's comedy-filled culinary show....

Not your average pumpkin pie (10/18/09)
When it comes to food and fall, apples, pumpkins and squash seem to be the staples. From savory soups to sweet pumpkin lattés to deep dish apple pies, I love every bit of what food offers each fall. But when you're ready to move on to something just a little different, pumpkin crunch cake is the perfect dessert for you. ...

Calsonic Arena crew members are quick change artists (10/16/09)
When Calsonic Arena opened in 1989, 20 years ago, officials from the Celebration and from the arena's benefactor and naming sponsor, Calsonic Manufacturing Corp. (now CalsonicKansei North America), said they hoped it would be not only a place for equestrian competition but also for a wide variety of events to benefit the community...

Food expo star offers delicious fall treat (10/11/09)
In anticipation of the upcoming cooking school and expo Oct. 20, sponsored by the T-G and relish® Magazine, I perused through the recipes relish® chef Jon Ashton is planning to prepare for the Shelbyville Cooking Show. I was able to see pictures of the dishes as well and by the time I had finished looking through Ashton's recipe plan, I was starving...

Salmon cakes with glazed sweet potatoes make dinner delightful (10/04/09)
I've been in the kitchen a lot these days, and I've got a few Band-Aids on my left hand to prove it. I don't know what my problem is, but when I cook during the work week I tend to rush; hence, I burn myself. You'd think I'd learn by now, but the oven rack and me just don't get along well...

Relish Review: Food expo promises mouth-watering delights (09/30/09)
Each month, I look forward to receiving my copy of Relish, a food magazine that T-G subscribers receive once a month. I receive my copy a few days before it goes in the paper, which gives me a couple of days to try out some of the great recipes the magazine features and review them for you...

Delicious, filling dinners are easy and quick (09/20/09)
Months back, I received an e-mail from Andrea Bolden of Unionville. Having been a field editor for Taste of Home magazine for 10 years, Andrea loves to cook. She has contributed to several cookbooks -- regional, local and family -- and has also earned awards for her cooking...

Learn your kitchen mathematics (09/20/09)
We were making pear preserves the other day and the recipe called for 3/4 pound of sugar to each pound of pears. We were using our postage meter to figure out how many cups of sugar to add to our 10 pounds of pears. That's when it dawned upon me how nice it would be to have a handy chart of equivalents...

Fabulous French toast is stuffed, and you will be too (09/13/09)
Crunchy, creamy, zesty and sweet ... all at the same time? Yep, that's what you'll taste if you try this week's Simply Delish recipe. If you take a bite without knowing the ingredients in crunchy bran French toast, I'd bet you'd never guess you were eating something healthy...

Quick spinach salad is tasty and nutritious (09/06/09)
I am really not much of a salad person, so it's sort of odd that I have featured a few salads in this column this summer. If you notice, however, the salads came from sources other than myself (Whitney Danhof made a chicken caesar recently and another friend of mine had me over for jicama salad)...

Yum! Optimist donuts are still a-round (08/31/09)
There are only a few things in life that you can be sure of -- death, taxes, and someone claiming the Optimist Club doughnuts don't taste as good as they did last year. "It happens every single year," said Travis Spivey, laughing. Spivey was manning the Optimist booth Thursday night. "Someone always says they don't taste as good, or we've changed the recipe. Nope. Same recipe as always."...

Spice up your life at Relish/T-G cooking school (08/30/09)
Celebrity chef Jon Ashton brings his audiences to life every time he begins his cooking demonstrations with two parts entertaining banter for every recipe ingredient. And Ashton's show is coming to Shelbyville Oct. 20 when Relish magazine and the Times-Gazette team up to bring the renowned British chef's dynamic blend of cooking techniques and showmanship to Calsonic Arena...

Penne a la vodka is simple yet sophisticated (08/30/09)
I think I have become inspired by the new movie "Julie and Julia," even though as of now I have only seen the previews. Once overwhelmed by my growing pile of recipes I've collected over the years, I now feel driven to organize my recipes and put them to good use. ...

Neighborshare garden provides harvest of fun and food (08/23/09)
Have you ever wanted to reap the benefits of a garden, but haven't had the time to care for it? If so, perhaps you should consider sharing a garden with a friend. Several years ago, a small group of friends living in Ledgemere Estates in Shelbyville started a neighborshare garden. None of them, individually, are able to keep a garden but collectively, they're enjoying the fresh food their garden provides as well as the therapeutic effects of the work it entails...

Charleston on Main celebrates 10 years (08/16/09)
If there is one thing Barbara Smith has learned in the last 10 years, it's that the restaurant business is no easy feat. "You're on your feet all day," she said, as she took hot corn nuggets out of the oven. "You don't get a break." Still, pushing through the physical, financial and many other challenges restaurants bring with them, Barbara and her partner Becky Staton have managed to keep their heads above water and avoid the all-too-often heard about restaurant curse...

Meat mallet makes meals in no time ... flat (08/16/09)
When you hear a lot of pounding coming from my kitchen, you know it is chicken for dinner. My meat mallet gets a lot of use in the kitchen to pound out boneless, skinless chicken breasts. After pounding them flat they can be used for sautéing. Top the chicken with a Dijon mustard sauce, coat it and fry it and serve it with gravy and mashed potatoes, or dust it with blackening seasoning and pan fry in butter to top a salad. For a quick and easy meal nothing beats a pounded chicken breast...

Relish Review: Zucchini bread (08/12/09)
There's nothing that says summer sweet treat like zucchini bread, so when I saw a recipe for the versatile bread in Relish Magazine I knew exactly what I'd be making over the weekend. Each month, a few days before you receive Relish inside the Times-Gazette, expect to see a column previewing one of the recipes included in the upcoming insert...

Author loves fresh food -- and chickens (08/09/09)
Upon arriving at the farm on Uselton Road, I could immediately smell, feel and see warmth, and I knew my cooking lesson would include much more than how to make cabbage. My first "Dinner with Sadie" features Marie Lane, a wife, mother, daughter, sister, folk artist, author, farmer, and cook extraordinaire. A few weeks ago, it was brought to my attention that Marie makes "the best cabbage in the world...."

Simply Delish: Apple, and more, for the teacher (08/02/09)
Last year, I wasn't able to get as involved with the PTO at Liberty School where my 6-year-old, Tessa, attends as I wanted to so when PTO president Dana Curtis sent an urgent plea for help via Facebook, I knew I wanted to contribute. She was going to be preparing lunch for Liberty teachers on their first day back to school July 23. She needed desserts and asked for any Liberty parents to help out...

Simply Delish: Southern food and Rocky Road Pie (07/26/09)
I decided to change Simply Delish up a bit this week. Rather than prepare a recipe in the T-G kitchen, I decided to put someone else in the cooking spotlight. The person I chose was most appropriate for the assignment. I mentioned in Sadie Says, my other column, that I'm expecting my first child. I figured I'd ask my husband, Jack, to prepare me a meal. Since I'm pregnant, Jack's role now includes pampering me, right?...

Hot cucumber number (07/19/09)
With summer heat in full force, I wanted to follow up last week's refreshing jicama salad with another unique summer salad. In all honesty, I really wanted to make a creamy cucumber salad, the kind with sour cream, vinegar, and dill (Yummy!) but I figured that just about everyone has tried cucumber salad and has their own version of how to make it....

Chili cookoff, cars highlight city fair (07/12/09)
People from all across the country came to Shelbyville for the Historic Uptown City Fair Saturday. The Tennessee State Chili Cook-Off Championship brought couples from Mississippi and California to Shelbyville to sweat it out for the state chili cook-off title...

Simply Delish: Refresh with jicama salad (07/12/09)
A couple of years ago, I was assigned to take a photo for a local business' donation to the Habitat for Humanity Ball. Angelica Wortham, whom I'd never met until then, represented Habitat in the photo. Angelica was so friendly and I remember once we got talking that day we had quite a bit in common. Neither of us were from here. We had both moved here from out of state during the same month of the same year. And we had both met southern men, with strong ties to this area, and gotten married...

Clipping coupons saves grocery costs for this Shelbyville family (07/05/09)
Ann Haney of Shelbyville used to spend $260 at the grocery store each week to feed her family of eight, but since attending a couponing workshop in Chattanooga, that bill has dropped to $60. "Sixty dollars feeds six children, ranging in age from five to 21, and also my husband and myself," she said. "We've cut our bill by 2/3."...

Relish Review: A sizzling summer snack (07/05/09)
Homemade pesto, ripe and juicy tomatoes and a variety of cheeses ... a summer snack with those ingredients just doesn't get much better. "Pan Del Campo," known as the original cowboy or camp flatbread, features a cilantro-nut pesto, tomatoes, Parmigiano Reggiano, goat, and Monterey Jack cheeses; all atop a warm and crispy crust...

Sizzling sweetness: desserts for the Fourth (06/28/09)
As an alternative to our annual T-G summer picnic, held a weekend in June or July at a local park, the Times-Gazette celebrated Independence Day early last week by having an indoor barbecue at the office. I have been on a major hot dog kick this month, and started off lunch by eating my third hot dog of the week! I am not sure what's up with my addiction to hot dogs, but I am loving them ... ...

Thyme for backyard herbs (06/14/09)
One of my favorite things to do when I get home is to go to the herb garden outside the back door and brush up against the plants, releasing their fragrance into the air. The piney smell of rosemary, the citrusy freshness of lemon verbena and the grassy greenness of the flat leaf parsley -- all enticing with their aromas -- inspire me to rush to the kitchen and whip up a flavorful dinner...

Relish Review: Corn and tortellini toss (06/07/09)
When browsing through the latest "Relish," which will be included in the June 12 Times-Gazette, I was immediately drawn to the first two recipes, which were both quick pasta tosses. I love quick and I love Italian, particularly pasta dishes with lots of cheese. After a long day at work, who's in the mood to fuss over a complicated dinner? Not me. Yet, most of the time, I still want to enjoy a homemade, comforting, fresh, and flavorful meal...

Yee-haw! It's cowboy caviar (05/31/09)
With Memorial Day taking away one of the three days we (normally) have to put together Life & Leisure, it was essential for this week's recipe to seriously be simple, quick and easy. I began racking my brain this morning about what to make -- but it didn't take me long to figure this one out. ...

Holy guacamole! Dip will send your tastebuds to heaven (05/24/09)
I learned to cook at an early age, and when I was old enough to work, I got a job washing dishes at a Victoria Station restaurant in Altamonte Springs, Fla. I soon worked my way up to salad bar prep, then to fry station, sautée and grill. After about a year, I was learning to carve bone-in prime rib to order -- not an easy thing to do...

Fully loaded potato casserole takes to the airwaves (05/17/09)
Just prior to making this week's Simply Delish recipe, I worked up an appetite when talking to Geneva Smith. Geneva had me as a guest on her radio show, "Ma's Kitchen," and I had a blast! Geneva asked me to bring in about five recipes that remind me of growing up, or recipes that carry a special meaning of some sort...

Simply Delish: Serve Mom a breakfast worthy of a queen (05/03/09)
Calling all kids -- and dads -- who want to do something special for mom next Sunday! (Yes dad, Mother's Day is next Sunday). If you're a mom reading this, stop reading this column -- but make sure you cut it out and leave it somewhere for dad to find!...

Irvine returns to 'Dinner: Impossible' (05/03/09)
Robert Irvine is back. Irvine was the original subject of the Food Network show "Dinner: Impossible," but was let go in 2008 after questions surfaced about whether he had padded his resume and claimed achievements that were not accurate. He was replaced by Michael Symon, one of Food Network's "Iron Chefs," but viewers just didn't like Symon as well as Irvine, and now Irvine and Food Network have put their differences behind them and Irvine is back on the show...

A quick dish in the slow cooker (04/26/09)
When I was asked to fill in for Sadie Fowler and do the "Simply Delish" column this week, I thought about shrimp gumbo, Philly cheese steak sandwiches or minute steak. Then, I decided my husband worked hard enough, and I probably should do the cooking for this one...

Hold the flash: 'America's Test Kitchen' sticks to the basics (04/26/09)
"America's Test Kitchen," which airs Saturdays on WNPT-TV, Channel 8, bills itself as "public television's most-watched cooking show," and justifiably so. It's not as slick or flashy as the cooking shows on Food Network or other cable channels, but it's both pleasant and informative, something that seems to be a low priority for Food Network at times...

Canned biscuit dough can be the basis of recipes (04/19/09)
My husband is the cook in the family and I'm more than happy to award him that title. If there's anything I have to chop, slice, dice, skin, sauté or simmer, I'm just going to grab a Hot Pocket instead. I don't mind cooking, it's just not a passion for me as it is for Terry. Baking, on the other hand ...

Wondermous wings (04/05/09)
I confessed my addiction to chicken wings a while back. Yes, I love all types, tender, crispy, barbecue, vinegar-based, etc. I like dips, salads, quesadillas and more. You say blue cheese and wing sauce, and I'm there. Yes, there. I'm there because you won't be here for wings, unless it's wing dip...

Reserve an hour for Chef Bourdain (04/05/09)
I can think of only two TV chefs who've inspired sitcoms: Emeril Lagasse and Anthony Bourdain. Neither sitcom lasted very long. Emeril played himself in an eponymous situation comedy from "Designing Women" producers Harry Thomason and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. The plots were silly, and they treated Lagasse as the one sane man working among eccentrics -- which seemed like a waste of the flashy, larger-than-life TV personality from "Emeril Live."...

Co-workers give a tasty boost to Carney's mission trip (03/29/09)
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. We at the Times-Gazette love to eat! We have typical company holiday parties and birthday celebrations on occasion, but in between those traditional parties, we make up our own excuses to gather and feast...

'Iron Chef' a heaping helping of cheesy fun (03/29/09)
"Allez cuisine!" If that phrase -- which I've been told is not actually proper French -- means anything to you, then you're obviously a fan of "Iron Chef" or its American spinoffs. "Iron Chef," for the uninitiated, is a cooking competition in which two chefs try to prepare the best dishes based on a surprise ingredient announced at the start of the show. ...

A soup to warm your heart (03/22/09)
This week's recipe may be a soup, but don't underestimate its ability to fill you up and leave you satisfied. My broccoli noodle soup is an old family favorite, and just making it last night brought back lots of happy memories, as food often does. My mom's version of the soup is so hearty, that we always ate it as 'the main course' on a cold or rainy afternoon or evening...

Food Network picks style over substance (03/22/09)
Food on television used to mean one of two things -- low-budget shows on public TV, usually on Saturday mornings or afternoons, or cooking segments on local morning or midday shows. I used to love watching the food shows on Saturdays. It was the late "Frugal Gourmet" Jeff Smith who inspired me to buy a garlic press and start using fresh garlic in recipes. ...

Artichoke dip is sure to disappear (03/08/09)
Who doesn't love fresh, grated Parmesan cheese? Add a bunch a mayonnaise, garlic and another very special ingredient, and you have got a little piece of heaven that will have your mouth watering -- and your friends begging for more. Through our new section, Life & Leisure, the Times-Gazette will be delivering several food-related features each month, on this page. Sometimes, I will whip something up here in the office and other times, I will feature some of your recipes...

Serve your Valentine a gourmet meal (02/12/09)
Several people in Bedford County will be having romantic, home-cooked dinners Saturday night -- Valentine's Day -- thanks to Whitney Danhof and Gay Ervin. The ladies of the county's University of Tennessee Extension School of Gourmet Arts taught their second class in the latest gourmet cooking class series Tuesday, and the theme was a "Sweetheart Dinner."...

Savoring the fellowship of the wing (02/12/09)
I have come to the sad conclusion that I will need to break down my walls and join a recovery group, because I've lost all control. I am addicted ... to chicken wings. It's not so much the drums or wings that get me, but rather, the irresistible flavor of Frank's Red Hot sauce combined with cooling and creamy blue cheese dressing. Is there anything better than that? I don't think so...

Champagne wishes and tiramisu dreams (01/29/09)
I really start going stir crazy this time of year, itching to get out, go on vacation and try new things. For example, last week I committed to running a half marathon in May -- and I joined a new club. I had really wanted to spend my birthday in Napa Valley this February, but February is not a good time to enjoy the fruits of California's wine country. But after Friday, I am confident that my new club membership is indeed the next best thing...

Cooking classes will tempt chefs' taste buds (01/05/09)
Loaded potato skins, beef pot pies and beef braccioli, all followed up with chocolate bread pudding and ultimate hot chocolate ... what's better during the cold winter months? Probably not much, as 25 people who sign up for a "Winter Comfort" cooking class this month will probably learn. The class is part of a five-part series sponsored by the University of Tennessee Extension's School of Gourmet Arts...

Local woman's recipe included in Gooseberry cookbook (12/17/08)
Shelbyville resident Julie Marsh was recently featured in a well-known cookbook published by Gooseberry Patch, a company that prides itself in cookbooks, crafts, gourmet goodies and other unique items. "I'm a huge fan of Gooseberry Patch," said Marsh, who works at Jostens in Shelbyville. "I love all of their craft books and cookbooks. I also love to cook, to try new recipes and bake."...

Cream of tartar is not a soup (11/21/08)
The holidays are officially here, and if I manage to lose any weight over the next month and a half, it will truly be a miracle. Last week I wrote about our penchant for bringing food to work here at the T-G, and Wednesday was no different as we held our Thanksgiving dinner...

Chili, fixins too good to pass up (11/07/08)
We held a chili cook-off at work Thursday, with Teresa Ward winning first place out of six chili entries. Many others brought desserts, hot dogs, chips and other fixings, and everybody said they really enjoyed it. Of course, I ate four small bowls of chili and three desserts. And a chili dog. And some chips and guacamole. Now stop that chuckling! You know I had to try some of everything .....