The Perfect French Fry

This is a Top Chef recipe - restaurant quality french fries! It does take a bit of extra work but you won't believe how crispy they come out. You don't even need a deep fryer!

Recipe:
Russet Potatoes
Vegetable Oil
Salt

Begin by peeling potatoes (if you want, the skins have flavor/nutrients!) and slicing to desired thickness. Then rinse the sliced fries in water to wash off excess starch.

Heat a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Add about 3 tablespoons of salt. Blanch the potatoes in the boiling water and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from water and strain, then lay out in a flat layer and place in the freezer to cool and firm. If you have the freezer space you can do this on a cookie sheet - I don't, so I used paper plates and piled the plates on one another, which also worked just fine.

Have a Dutch oven filled 2/3rd of the way up with oil heated to 350-360 degrees. If you do not have an oil thermometer, I would just recommend heating the oil on high for about 10 minutes before using it to fry. Fry in batches so as to not overcrowd the pot and fry potatoes for just 2-3 minutes. The first time frying is to help develop a super crispy exterior. The fries will not be brown yet, but don't worry about that. Place back in the freezer to cool again. (At this point, you can stop and keep the fries in the freezer for later. If so, simply store in an airtight bag once frozen.)

Now the final step! Once the fries are firm (about 10-20 minutes) remove from the freezer and fry in the oil 4-5 minutes, until golden brown and super crispy. When done, remove with a wire strainer (or tongs) to a paper towel lined plate and season with salt immediately.

Tips: Use oil with a high smoking point, like canola oil, vegetable oil or peanut oil. Cut your potatoes to the same size, so they cook evenly, and make sure the potatoes are dry before putting them in the pan.

This is how restaurants do it. The best thing about it is that you can make these up to the last step, store them, and then enjoy the perfect french fry whenever you want!

The Love of Film - Movies with Personal Reviews

For Christmas last year, Kyle and I made a creative gift for a friend of ours whose film collection, and viewing experience, was woefully limited.  We came up with a list of shared favorite films that we knew (or discovered!) that she hadn't seen, and each wrote reviews.

  

Then we bought the movies, attached a color review with each one, and presented this gift to to her, along with a popcorn maker (The Magic Popper, to be specific), and a selection of popcorn toppings.  It was a fun project that we put a lot of thought into, and she really enjoyed the gift!

  

The Darjeeling Limited

By Kyle - A road movie, of sorts, which chronicles the travels of three dysfunctional brothers.  The film captures the spirit of adventure found in the best travelogues, along with the deep emotional exploration of the best dramas.  And it's funny.         4 Stars

By Leah - If you haven't already experienced the haunting beauty of Adrien Brody's nose, this is a great place to start. This is a well written movie filled with unexpected laughter, melancholy, and fully realized characters, who remind you of the importance of friendship, family, and the fleeting joy of train travel.          4 Stars

Big Fish

By Kyle - A story of dreamers, lovers, fathers and sons, Big Fish is masterfully directed by the usually macabre Tim Burton. A story about storytelling, the film gracefully walks the line between fantasy and reality. This one is easy on the eyes and hard on the heart.  4 Stars

By Leah - At it's core, I think this movie is about love. Love of adventure, romance, family, and most importantly, life. I've never watched it without crying, and it always leaves me with a profound feeling of wonder and hope. Unique, moving, and beautiful both visually and emotionally, this movie is pure art.     5 Stars

The Departed

By Kyle - A damn good “cop movie” which transcends an often cliché genre. The story is told at a perfect pace, allowing the actors to develop realistic bonds and immersing the viewer in the world. A simple concept with great emotional complexity and depth.      5 Stars

By Leah - This film is a compelling character drama with great performances from all of the actors, even the caveman-faced Matt Damon. The movie moves along briskly, giving us nuanced characters, none of whose intentions are completely black and white. Leonardo DiCaprio gives the best performance of his career.    4 1/2 Stars

Amelie

By Kyle - Whimsical and spirited, this film will appeal to the poet in you. Not your typical story, Amelie follows a girl with a very active imagination and desire to help others. This is a fun and romantic film worth reading subtitles for. And you can't discount the presence of the lovely Audrey Tautou.    4 1/2 Stars

By Leah - This movie had me at hello. A suicidal goldfish, a traveling gnome, and a handsome Frenchman who rides a motorcycle; how can you go wrong? The movie is funny, sweet, incredibly romantic, and makes you want to immediately move to Paris and meet a beautiful stranger.      4 Stars

Raising Arizona

By Kyle - Off-beat, quirky, oddball, these are all words that could be used to describe this early gem from the Coen Brothers (The Big Lewbowski, Fargo, No Country for Old Men), but none of those words do it justice. Nicolas Cage plays the pitch-perfect dumbass husband, while Holly Hunter tongue lashes him in her role as his demanding wife. The writing is smart and inarguably hilarious.  As the film progresses, the laughs give way to genuine emotion, but it never loses sight of its own absurdity.    4 1/2 Stars

By Leah - You may think that Nicholas Cage is a terrible actor, and these days you would be right, but in this film he gives an amazing comedic performance. This is one of the most intelligent, ridiculous and hilarious films around. I can never see it on television and not stop to watch a few minutes. Holly Hunter is also incredible as the type A, insanely needy, predictably desperate to procreate wife, who loses all interest in both law enforcement and housekeeping.  I love it.     4 3/4 Stars

I Heart Huckabees

By Kyle - A film that asks the deepest questions about life, and also tries to show you how those questions can be so damn funny. A break out performance for Mark Wahlberg, who steals the film despite the best efforts of the other excellent actors. Funny and philosophical.    4 Stars

By Leah - The movie is fresh, funny, and creative. Seasoned actors like Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin are finally given screen time, ageism be damned, and the movie is so well written that Jude Law almost seems like a real actor. This movie is undeniably hilarious.   5 Stars

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

By Kyle - Steve Martin and John Candy at their finest. Hilarity from the first seconds, this is a classic around our household. Packed with memorable and quotable scenes. Especially good around the holidays.    4 1/2 Stars

By Leah - The first time I saw this film, it was about 10 years after it came out. I'd never heard of it, never seen anything like it, and literally fell out of bed in ecstatic belly laughter. This is one of my favorite movies, so perhaps I'm a bit biased, but I think it is one of the funniest films of all time.   John Candy is pure comedy butter, and no one has ever used the word fuck in a more entertaining way than Steve Martin.    I hope you love it as much as I do.      5 Stars

Being John Malcovich

By Kyle - A brilliant film unlike anything you have ever seen. Cool, dirty, weird, hilarious, this film certainly marches to the beat of its own drummer, in a good way. When it came out, this movie was seen as something exciting and new. To date, I can still see its influence on other films and television shows.    4 1/2 Stars

By Leah - If this movie doesn't make you laugh, someone has stolen your funny bone. Charlie Kaufman, the writer, is a genius. The story is brilliant, incredibly inventive and endlessly entertaining. It is a true original.         4 3/4 Stars

Seven

By Kyle - Dark and dank, Seven is a psychological thriller with a heavy atmosphere. The real success of the film lies in the duality of Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as the two lead roles. Smart and engrossing, this is a film that stays with you for a while.   4 Stars

By Leah - This is one of the first films where Brad Pitt began to be respected as a real actor. The moment the movie begins, you are lost within the madness. Thought provoking, intense, and inexorably headed toward a painful conclusion, this is a movie that is hard to turn away from, and hard to forget.       4 Stars

Waking the Dead

By Leah - Some people, especially those who live in my house, might call this a maudlin film.  I believe it is heartfelt, and beautifully romantic. Regardless, any film that features the blue eyed, black haired, gorgeous duo of Billy Crudup and Jennifer Connelly has something going for it.

Billy Crudup is a brilliant actor and gives a compelling performance as a man who may or may not be losing his mind. The first time I watched this film, I cried a river of tears and then sat right back down and watched it all the way through again.  3 3/4 Stars

Note - Kyle Masterson refused to review this film, citing irreconcilable differences.  

But he wanted me to mention that he edited these photos himself to add an artistic touch to the gift.

Jalapeño Margarita

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Kyle's father, a Sir Gary Masterson, recommended this recipe to us, and we found it to be quite tasty.

Ingredients:

1 fresh jalapeno pepper

1 oz tequila

1 oz agave nectar

6 oz sour mix

dash of lemon or lime juice

lime wedges for garnish

salt to rim the glass (if desired!)

Cut a thin slice from the jalapeno pepper and dice it finely. The final call will be up to you - the more pepper, the more heat!  Drop the pepper into a cocktail shaker, add the tequila, and muddle.  Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice, then shake the ingredients until cold.  If desired, salt the rim of a chilled margarita glass.  Pour contents, with ice, into the glass.  Garnish with a lime wedge.

Tips:  A margarita is usually made with triple sec, but Gary recommended the agave, to cut the sweetness.  I didn't have any agave on hand (though I plan to get some to try this correctly), so I used triple sec, and it was still plenty tasty!

This just makes two margaritas - if I know you like I think I do, you'll want to triple the recipe to make a pitcher.  Enjoy!

Roasted Garlic Bread

As much as I cook, I only recently started making my own garlic bread.  I just always thought, how much better can it be than the frozen kind?  The answer is, a lot!  And it's easy to make!

Recipe:

3 bulbs garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 loaf fresh French bread

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the tops off of the garlic bulbs so that the tip of each clove is exposed. Place the bulbs on a baking sheet, and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until garlic is soft.

Once the garlic is done cooking, let it cool a bit and then squeeze the cloves into a mixing bowl. They should pop out quite easily, just be sure to remove any of the outer skin that may fall into the bowl. Smash the garlic cloves into a paste, then add the butter, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Stir until well blended.

Set the oven to broil and slice the loaf of bread in half horizontally.  Place the cut side up on a baking sheet and spread the mixture evenly onto each half loaf of bread.  Broil for about 5 minutes, until toasted and nicely browned.

Tips:  Don't skimp on the garlic - 3 bulbs may seem like a lot, but we're making garlic bread here, it needs to be a lot!  If you have fresh thyme, it will substitute nicely for the oregano.  Adding cheese, Parmesan or other, is always a plus.  Oh, and if you have the bright idea to melt the butter to make this easier to spread, like I did, don't do it.  Yes, it will be easier, but it makes the bread soggy.  Much smarter to let the oven, and your wrist, do a bit more of the work.  Enjoy!

Scavenger Hunt Pub Crawl

For Kyle's birthday, I planned a scavenger hunt pub crawl.  It was a legendary night!

I got the birthday boy a tiara, pink feathered boa, and microphone so that he could make speeches.

I planned the pub crawl down a particularly bar infested street, and asked everyone to meet at the first bar.  I handed out the scavenger hunt instructions, the route, and assigned teams.  We had 3 teams of 4 people each.  I didn't play so that I could keep track of the game as it progressed.

In a lucky twist of fate, while shopping at the dollar store, I happened upon the most amazing insect backpacks.  I bought 4 of them and assigned each one to a team leader, to store their scavenger items.  It also made it easy to keep track of our group....

I printed out the instructions, scavenger hunt list, and trivia questions to be completed at each bar for extra points.  And, of course, included plenty of embarrassing photos of Kyle for everyone to enjoy!

The instructions were - 

Proceed to each bar on the list.  Complete as many photo and trivia challenges as possible.  Gather scavenger items as you go along.  Avoid arrest.  Arrive at the last bar by 11PM for dancing, drinking, and debauchery.  Prizes await - good luck!

Earlier that day, I went to each bar on the list and hid bonus scavenger hunt items that were heavily weighted in points.  I placed them in unexpected areas (behind the bar, in the men's bathroom, etc).

It is important to make the`scavenger list long and varied, as no team will "find" all of the items.  As you can see from the list, there were some very odd items to locate.  I was taken aback by how competitive everyone was, and how hard they worked to gather all of the items and complete the list of photos!

I assigned point values to the items and photos according to difficulty.  Each page of trivia was worth a flat number of points.

Example of items to be gathered:

Toothpick                      Red lipstick                   Shot glass                     Sugar Packet

Newspaper                   Tampon                         Postage Stamp            Leaf   

Pencil                            Fork (not plastic)          Q-Tip                             Drink Coaster

Illinois quarter                Paper Airplane              Grey hair (plucked)       Envelope

Roll of toilet paper (it did not occur to me that we would be walking away with an entire bar's supply of TP - until I was handed 4 hefty rolls.  Whoops!) 

Original ink drawing of birthday boy, phone number from a stranger... you get the point!

The photo challenges were a lot of fun, and pretty much tell the story of the evening:

Take a photo of:

A person with a mullet
An unidentifiable body part

Your team jumping, everyone in mid-air

An animal tattoo or tramp stamp

A bartender tossing a bottle into the air, Cocktail style

Your team imitating The Beatles crossing the street (Abbey Road)

An unshaven female leg

Pose with someone in uniform

Team spelling a word with their bodies

A live pigeon

The clock at 10:32 PM

A man (or woman) with a handlebar mustache

A team member on someone else's shoulders

Your team name spelled out in ketchup

Someone eating something seductively

Your team leader giving a stranger a lap dance

The entire team line dancing
A male team member wearing lipstick

A same sex kiss

Someone doing a body shot

An open mouth with at least six fillings

A group hug

A team member sitting on a toilet

Someone with a strange hat

A police officer

Team members playing dead

Paying for a beer with change
Someone moonwalking
Chugging a beer with a stranger

All team members with shirts on inside out
A solar eclipse
Team lifting their captain into the air

Someone drinking a margarita

Team with spoons hanging off their noses

Someone playing a pin ball machine

And, finally, someone with a wet t-shirt.  Luckily I chose to wear black that day, as I had no idea I was going to have a drink thrown on me.

The bonus scavenger items I hid at each bar were the oddest (and cheapest!) things I could find - a bat mobile hot wheels car, a wind-up chicken, a stuffed milkbone, a plastic dagger, and the ultimate prize, worth more points than anything, the Mama Bear!

That bear may look innocent, but Mike ran through the pouring rain and captured it just before the other team, winning the game by just a few points!

The length of the total pub crawl was 1.5 miles.  I estimated it would take us 3 hours to complete... It actually took around 4, and we didn't even make it to the final bar!  But that didn't stop us from celebrating.

Dancing and debauchery was had by all!

I made prize bags with miniature bottles of champagne, bubbles, candy necklaces, personalized photo keychains with pictures of Kyle, noise makers, etc.  And of course, one top prize bag, with bigger, better versions of everything.  The group tore into them like rabid beasts, which is I guess what happens when you distribute snacks & beverages to drunken adults.

The birthday boy in all his glory!

Spicy Garlic & Jalapeno Shrimp

I found this recipe online, made a few changes to it to suit my own tastes (more garlic, more heat, more, more, more!).  It's fantastic!

Recipe:

1 pound large raw deveined shrimp 

1/2 cup olive oil

3 jalapeños, NOT seeded, coarsely chopped

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon butter

In a large bowl, combine the shrimp with the olive oil, jalapeños, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and lemon juice and toss well to mix. Cover and marinate the shrimp at room temperature for 20 minutes, or in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours.

Preheat the oven to broil and place a baking sheet in the oven for at least 10 minutes so that it gets extremely hot.  Remove the hot pan from the oven and spread the shrimp across it in one layer.  Pour the remaining marinade and bits of garlic and jalapeño over the shrimp.

Roast the shrimp until they turn bright pink, 8-10 minutes, without stirring.  Remove the shrimp from the oven and slice the butter into a couple of pieces and drop onto the baking sheet.  The heat should melt the butter and make a nice sauce.  Mix well and remove from the pan.  Serve the shrimp and sauce with warm French bread for dipping.

Tips - Be sure to buy the raw, frozen shrimp because it will be more tender.  This recipe is usually made with the head-on shrimp but I personally don't like seeing the little beady eyes. Feel free to substitute, it might taste better, so long as the eyes are not a problem for you!
Next time I make this, I am going to try omitting the butter and using it for shrimp tacos!
Also, for less heat, use fewer jalapeños and/or remove the seeds.

Chuck Roast over Mashed Potatoes

I was planning to make a chuck roast in the crockpot, when I happened to see a cooking show on television where they were making a beef stew, and adding bacon to it.. and the wheels in my brain started to turn.

I decided to serve the roast on top of mashed potatoes, which made it even better!

Ingredients:

One 2-3 pound chuck roast

3 ripe tomatoes, cores removed, cut into quarters

1 red bell pepper, core and seeds removed, cut into slices

1 green bell pepper, core and seeds removed, cut into slices

1 lb package of bacon (don't worry, you can remove most of this after stewing!)

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 bulbs garlic (yes, bulbs!), skin and peel removed.

3/4 cup red wine

1 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Gravy (after meat is cooked)

1 cup beef broth 

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Season meat all over with salt and pepper, then place in the bottom of the crockpot.  Slice the bacon in half, peel apart and add to crockpot.  Place vegetables on top and season lightly with salt, pepper, and cayenne, then pour the red wine over the top.

Cook this on low for 10-12 hours or on medium for 6-8 hours.  Once you are ready to serve, skim the fat from the top of the pot, and remove the roast.  Depending on your own preference at this point, you can either remove all of the bacon, or just the fatty bits (some of it will have already dissolved into the liquid).  Once you have done that, remove about half of the sauce and transfer it to a sauce pan on low heat.  Add the beef broth and flour, and whisk to make a gravy.

To serve, slice the roast (it should fall apart easily) and place over a layer of hot mashed potatoes, with the vegetables and gravy drizzled over it.  Enjoy!

Tips - If you are lazy or don't have a lot of dishes, you can make the gravy directly in the crockpot, after removing the roast.  It will just be a little more difficult to stir!

Also, you can chop the garlic or leave it in whole cloves, it's up to you.  Either way it will get really soft and much of it will dissolve into the sauce.

Macaroni & Cheese Trifecta

I wanted to make mac & cheese to bring to a party, and couldn't decide what cheese to use, when I had a brilliant idea. Why not make 3 types, and assemble them side by side? I thought it would be fun for people to try each one individually and/or mix them together.  It was a bit of work but a huge hit at the party!

I decided to make a traditional Velveeta and cheddar version, a blue cheese version, and one with Gruyère, so I looked up a bunch of different recipes and modified them to my liking.

You will need 3 baking dishes for this. I made the pasta first, then the cheese sauces, assembled the three dishes, and baked them in the oven all at once.

Gruyère Mac and Cheese 

 
4 tablespoons butter
1 and1/2 cups milk
1 and1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
2 cups grated Gruyère
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3/4 cup Panko crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

3. While whisking, slowly pour in the milk and cream. Continue cooking until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 12 minutes.

4. Stir in the salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 2 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyère, and mix until melted, then turn heat to low.

5. Cover a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni until slightly underdone, about 5 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir the macaroni into the cheese sauce.

6. Pour the mixture into a casserole or baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses and Panko crumbs over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes (you may need to turn the heat up at the end, to really get it brown).



Velveeta and Cheddar Mac and Cheese

4 tablespoons butter
1 and1/2 cups milk
1 and1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes
1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3/4 cup Panko crumbs


Follow cooking directions above, making sure to reserve some of the cheese to sprinkle over the top.



Blue Cheese Mac and Cheese

4 tablespoons butter
1 and1/2 cups milk
1 and1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 1/2 cups blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 pound Penne pasta
3/4 cup Panko crumbs

Follow cooking directions above, making sure to reserve some of the cheese to sprinkle over the top.


Finished! Once all of the macaroni and cheese is cooked, removed the casserole dishes from the oven. I chose to serve them side by side on a serving dish (see below). I also considered serving this layered in a trifle dish.

The nice thing about macaroni and cheese is you can serve it hot or cold (though personally I think it tastes better warm!), so you can bring this to a party or BBQ, or serve it as a main dish at home.