Progress at 11 a.m.

I think the worst of the storm is over. We lost electricity for about 5 seconds.

The oven is heating for the almost no knead bread. I am going to put the quest muffins in right after, while the oven is still hot. The chocolate zucchini bread is fantastic. But, we are out of sugar! The horror! How am I going to make the chocolate chip banana muffins?

I may have to hunt down an open grocery store.

Hurricane bake o rama

We have the day off tomorrow because of Tropical Storm Fay. I will do what I always do on a storm day. I will bake my ass off.

Tonight's plans: Make some no knead bread dough to rise overnight.

Plans on the agenda:

Chocolate zucchini bread
Banana chocolate chip muffins
Quest veggie muffinsand of course, the no knead bread.

Total Le Crueset Action

I fell in love with a retro flame colored Le Crueset pan almost a year ago. My mother in law was with me when I bought it.

Well, she just gave me her collection of Le Crueset from the 70's that she doesn't use anymore. There are three more pieces not shown, and corresponding lids to almost all the pieces. I am in enameled cast iron heaven!

Thanks Mama J!

Yet I do it again!

OK, I am caught up with the Next Food Network Star. (Thank you Tivo!) Aaron rocked this show! His food has always been consistently great. As has Shane's, and it breaks my heart. I can see why he was eliminated. This isn't Top Chef. It's a show about being a TV personality, and he is not an extrovert. Too bad, because he seems like a phenomenal chef. He should go to France for a few years, then comeback and be their French Iron Chef. You don't have to talk too much on that show.

I am rooting for Aaron now. Out of the final contenders, I think it will be Aaron or Lisa. Adam has the best personality for it, easily, but he just isn't a good enough cook. Kelsey has an OK personality and is an OK cook, but I don't see any of the judges really rooting for her. She is too little and cute, and always seems younger than the 19 year old that was on the show.

Aaron and Lisa are both good chefs. Aaron is so likable when he is just interacting, I hope he can pull it together when he is doing a demo. Lisa is not nearly as likable or adaptive. I guess there is a snobby fusion element to the Food Network audience the she would fill. She would definitely balance out the Nearly Home Made fiasco they have on now.

OK, I swear I am done.

I can't believe I'm doing this

I'm blogging about a reality TV show. *shudder*

I love The Next Food Network Star. I am rooting for Shane. I can't believe he is only 19! He is an incredibly good cook. And, he's a cutie pie. I can't believe he used to be grossly obese. I like some of Lisa's food, and I thought I would hate her designer diva attitude, but she has softened up a lot. I like Aaron's food a lot, but he sucks in front of the camera. Too bad, because candidly, he is funny and unique.

I am really disappointed that I never got to see The Gourmet Next Door. I really liked Amy last season.

OK, I'm done, I swear. I should be sleeping, really. And to top it all off, while I was watching the show and dreaming of taking a year off of school to go on the show, I was eating buttered pasta. Yeah, fancy fancy chef. They should give me a show or something.

Edited to add: Ack! I just went to the food network site to read more about the last season, and there is a link to Shane's exit interview! No!!!!

Islamorada Fish Restaurant

This is my favorite restaurant. Picky and I ate here on a rare private date while we were in the Keys. Thanks, family, for baby sitting!

Picky got a mahi fish n' chips basket. I am not picky (note the name of the blog), but I generally do not enjoy mahi. I am always happy when he can order some fresh mahi when we are out, and this is as fresh as it gets. You watch the boats come in as you eat.

I got blackened Florida lobster tail with roasted garlic, over a Caesar salad. It was divine.

Notice both pictures have bites missing. Whoops! We were hungry and I didn't think of taking pictures until we both had some to eat.

Since we've been back

I made a great spread on the spot when my sister in law and her friend came over with their kids to swim in our pool. I love cooking informal food for a group like this. So much less pressure than dinner, to me.

I made some delicious mojo chicken wing drummettes and sliced mild Italian chicken sausage on my new panini grill pan. (Thanks MIL! It worked great. Works well for bacon, too! Now I just have to make paninis...) We also had shrimp skewers, mostly for S, who has been asking for them.

Dessert was also for S. Mango shortcakes, with homemade vanilla whipped cream. I followed the Cook's Ill Best Recipe recipe for strawberry shortcake. But, Z is allergic to strawberries (which he feels the need to tell me every time we eat) and S loves mangoes. I picked up four beautiful mangoes from Robert is Here farmer's market on the way back from the Keys, and they were taunting me. They turned out so good, even Picky, who normally doesn't like fruity desserts, scarfed his down.

I actually think this is a good photo. Am I crazy? Am I improving? Look back at the photos of the frittata and the boar...not bad, right? (Ignore the biscuits and gravy and the cheesecake...)

Father's Day dinner was good, but suspiciously similar to last year's. Ribs, peppers, shells and white sauce (instead of mac and cheese), chocolate brownies.