#foodrevolution Balsamic Butternut Squash Bisque

This soup is So easy. Here ya go y'all.
1 Large Butternut Squash
- Quarter and core it, season it generously with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, nutmeg and balsamic vinegar. Roast it on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 60 min. (until soft).
Let cool.

4 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 large onion
2 large carrots
5 stalks of celery
-Dice the "Mirepoix" evenly then saute in the bottom of your soup pot. Season each layer with salt, pepper, and olive oil...until brown.

1 Full Container of Chicken Stock (32 oz.)
-Deglaze the bottom of the pot with the stock. Then let this simmer with the veggies.

1/2 of a package of Neufchatel Cream Cheese.
-Leave this in the fridge until the last minute. Then dice up in 1"squares and feed into the soup. Stir until it had melted, then let simmer.

Skin and chop up the squash and mash into the soup, let simmer.

Then, after 20 minutes. Blend the soup up in a blender until smooth...this is what makes the soup into a "bisque". If it's to thick for you then add more chicken stock.

Garnish: Smoked paprika, scallions (green onions), and shaved pickled radishes. (shave radishes and let soak in rice wine vinegar as you make the soup)

Let me know what your think.

Pair this with a green garden salad with a vinaigrette dressing vs a creamy dressing to balance your palette, or else this entire dish will be to rich.

Enjoy.

The Tavuk Doener (Turkish Gyro)

Alright ladies and gents I am back for yet another food blog. I really appreciate the quality of the time that I have spent coming up with a creative classic. Since my last blog I have been pondering about what I should do to elevate my knowlege of food and simplify it all. I know that made no sense at all however...I know you under stand.

So...now to the story behind this creation.
I have been complaining to my mother that not a lot of people that I know, watch the reality shows that I watch, so I can't really talk about them. I felt the same about the food that I like, to a certain degree. Becky my sister will kinda understand, simply because they went to Germany and have eaten what is called at Doener. I have raved about this simplistic turkish street food since I came home from Germany in 2002. However, I have been wondering if I would ever taste it again. Well, I must tell you, thanks to the Super Bowl, I forced myself to reasearch the Doerner and try and recreate it, this little piece of heaven.

As you all know, I am a foodie. I love food. If there is a family get together and we are suppose to have a BBQ, or Sunday diner, or even if it is a Holiday...or even if it is Wednesday night and I have been watching Diners Drivin's and Dives, I have to create something a little on the special side to really get the creative taste buds flowing. I love to create it cook it and let everybody or as many that are willing, except Kendall from time to time, taste it. :) So, three days before the super bowl I look in to this Doener thing over the web, and I wasn't really impressed. Because I wasn't finding really anything. Then I landed upon a couple three recipes that if I combined them and simplified them...it just might work.

Let me lay it down for you....
There are 4 components to this dish that make it DIVINE DIVON (as my mom would say).

1. The Marinade.
It is very simple, take one medium to large purple onion,(because of its savory flavor and dynamite color) dice it and throw it into a bowl. Then some oregeno, the fresher the better, but if you are beginning or in a affected from the 2008 economy, then just do regular dried stuff from your spice cabinet. Put anywhere from a 1 to 2 tablespoons this is one of the main flavor components in the marinade so don't be shy. Then about 3 to 4 table spoons of olive oil, and about a teaspoon full of diced garlic. Season it with a couple of teaspoons of kosher salt and about 5 to 8 grinds of freshly ground pepper. :) yum. Now, stir it up and then once all is nice and coated throw it in to the blender and blend it until it looks like a purple onion smoothie. (you might have to add a 1/4 cup water to get it there)

Then take you chicken breasts tenderize them a little bit, and throw them into a ziploc bag with the yummy marinade you just put together. OH, now this part I threw in, just because of a little brightness...squeeze a half a lemon in there to marry all of the flavors together, and to have the acid penetrate the chicken...now stick that in the fridge for about an hour or two.

Then, just take the sucker out, grill it, use the left over marinade to baste while you are grilling, and then after the chicken is done-zo like Kristen, let it rest for about 2 to 3 min. before you slice it up.

Killer...so far huh?

2. The Flat Bread (Bazlama)

This is a simple dough that you really wont get wrong but for baking exactness purposes I simple do a copy and paste for ya....fo sho!

If you need to figure out the conversion btw metric and american...follow this link.

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/gram_calc.htm
or

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/cvcookix.html#met

180g strong flour
¾ teaspoon salt
20g fresh yeast (less if very active yeast)*
100ml lukewarm water
Method
1. Sift flour and salt together in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. 2. Dissolve yeast in the water then add to flour mixture and mix until a soft dough is formed. 3. Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead for 4-5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. 4. Place in a lightly oiled or floured bowl, cover with lightly oiled plastic film and leave to rest for about 30 minutes. 5. Divide in four and press or roll out to 10cm rounds. Heat a large flat-based pan over a medium heat. 6. Lightly oil the pan and cook bazlama for 4-5 minutes. 7. Turn over and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. 8. Serve warm.

Follow this above portion exactly...and you will not go wrong. As you can see in the pic, I choose to make the dough a little fat because after it is cooked I cut it up and serve it like a pita.
But, if you don't want to spend that much time cutting the bread before you eat...just do it like a Gyro...or a Taco...the bread no mater how you eat it makes it bwarm and gozy.

3. Taziki (Yogurt and Dill Sauce)
This is the most simple part you are almost done, and we can eat together in peace and harmony.(re-read that sentence in a russian accent and it will sound alot better I promise..;)
Alright get Plain yogurt and dump about a quarter to third of the medium container into a bowl, add a table spoon of fresh diced garlic, table spoon of dill (maybe even little bit more), then peel a large cucumber, slice in half, take out the seeds with a spoon and discard them, cut off one or two slices simply for a snack while you are shredding the rest. Yumski! (by this time you should be speaking Turkish perfectly) Then, squeeze all of the excess water out of the shredded cucumber and put that shredded flavor maker (the cucumber) in the bowl. Season with Salt, Pepper, and a couple pinches of Sugar, mix together and you are ready to start compliling. (if you want to make the sauce a little more dense...then mix a little sour cream in it...as Rachel Ray would annoyingly say...Yummo!)

4. The fresh veggies.

Simply slice tomatoes, onions, and lettuce
This fresh bit of yummy to your tummyness will have you begging for more...MONA!

Compiling instrucionas!

Now...you take the bread.
You put the chicken in the bread.
Take a couple of spoonfuls of Taziki on the chicken.
Layer the tomatoes, onions, and lettuce like you are on Iron Chef America.
And Munch!

This post is dedicated to all who have ever Ate a Doener. And to those that are striving for Heathly goodness, in a street food mentality.

There you have it...The Doener!

I would like to take this time to dedicate this post the most wonderful, most beautiful, most tremendous, most awesomeest and attactivenessest. UTAH UTES FOOTBALL TEAM.
This team put together the most perfect playcalling performance along with the most electirfying effecicent execution ever. And toppled the entire BCS scam by defeating # 4 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Holy craporundo ! Seriously, that game was pretty intense to watch, and experience. I would have to say after the first 3 TD's by Utah, and them going up 21 to 0 in the first 8 minutes of the first quarter was unlike anything I have ever seen.
I am still freaking out right now....so please join me all in saying.

U...T...A...H, U..T..A..H...FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT !!!!

13-0
The only division 1 football team in the USA to have a perfect record, for 2008 season.
In my book, They are # 1!


- B-Radd Goonieman

My First Tomato Soup

This is my first post in quite awhile. I know all you fans out there have really been missing out on me shareing myself with you. I has been quite a whirlwind for the past few months, and I think its safe to say, no that the Fall season is here. Let's cozy up and have bowl of soup.
This is my first tomato soup. I was sitting on the couch today spending a normal Sunday with my NFL on the tube, when the thunder starts up and the rain comes a tumblin' down. My bro in-law, Aaron, comes and joins me, and while we are "Veggin" on the couch; Sabrina, his wife, brings up the "convo" of lunch.
OH...Lunch! That's what time it is! Aaron pipes up and says, so what about the grilled cheese and Tomato Soup thingy. DING! The cozyness of the soup and crunchy/cheesyness of the grilled cheese sets in. Yummm!
But who in there right mind wants plain ole' from the can Tomato Soup. Especially after watching Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives the night before? Seriously!
So, I saunder on back into the pantry and see what we have in stock...:
Green Chiles
Onions
Then off to the fridge I caper...: *hmmm let's see*
Garlic
Green Onions
Sour Cream
Purple Cabbage
Tomatos: Roma, Beefsteak, Capoli, and Green Tomatos.
Perfect, I found my base for the soup.
Let's head off to the spices to see what inspires me!
Paprika
Chili Powder
Red Pepper Flakes
Chicken Boulion Cubes
Kosher Salt
Cracked Pepper
Now! Let Friggin COOK! *In a scotish accent of course*

Prep Work:
Dice 1/2 of a small onion
Mince 3 to 4 cloves of Garlic
Finley dice 3 to 4 Green Onions
Rough Chop The Roma's, Beefsteak's, and Capoli Tomatos
Throw it in to the saute pan and start acting like you are on Iron Chef America!
Let you onions be your guide. As they turn translusant then all you sauteing is done.
Add about a 1 tsp and a 1/2 of the Chili Powder and Red Pepper Flakes, if you like it spicier then 2 tsp of the Red Pepper Flakes.
Add 3 tsp of the Paprika, eye ball it. If it feels like to much then hold back a pinch or two.
Now let all that just get real good and mixed, married, and smelling up the house. Just enough so your wife will come down the stairs and ask..."Um, Brad, what are you cooking?" with a puzzled look on her face. :)
Then, unwrap the boulion cubes, 2, to be precise. Chop them up and throw them in.
Then add 2 cups of water and let it simmer down and reduce until about 1/4 of the liquid is gone. That will give the base enough time to get just right. Taste it a couple of times, season with the salt and pepper to you liking.....
Then dump all of it in to a blender. Cap it and put it on "mix". Then dump 2 a couple of cans of Tomato soup in as you blending, and then put it up to "puree". Check the soup it should be soupy, and cozy, and simply delicious. I would taste it again while it is in the blender, and salt & pepper to taste.
Then make up some grilled cheese sandy's, make it pretty with your sour cream, green onion, extra rough chopped tomatos especially the green ones (they are so tart and cold compared to the hot soup and taste so good to bite into), sliced purple cabbage, and your off like prom dress!
This is pic is how I did it...Enjoy.
I would like to thank a few people for inspiring this creation, Becky because of her fettish with blogs, with out her I wouldn't publish such a thing, Aaron and Sabrina for bring up the perfect cozy comfort food idea, and my wife for being the offical Taste Judge, she liked it!

Sitting next to the most beautiful women in the world...

The house is so quite right now. My wife went to bed early, I have my labtop out and I am just loving her presence. She is so peaceful right now. A little warm under the covers, so she just stuck her leg out to so it will assumingly cool the rest of her body down. I love her. She is a person or awarness in my life that really continually keeps me present. We have had family in town recently, and it has just been a blast. However, ya know when you have company in your home you see more of you company than you do you wife. Yeah. So, it has been about 2 weeks with family in town and I am finally getting some time with her. I love this because I get to just be with her and let my thoughts return to the first time we met. I remember that night, where we just talked and talked and enjoyed each others presence. I remember I told her that she has the most beautiful heart....and she is smooth familar peace in my soul. That feeling is what I still feel now with her.

The past little while I have been diving into the book A New Earth, and the podcasts that go along with it. It has been quite a ride for me to see and experience. She has been lead other directions in her heart, and interestingly enough it is so the same thing. I kinda freaks me out a little bit. She has been studing this past lives path for a little while now and it has just been amazing. To observe from my stand point to see her really be open to the Truth that lies with her creator, and that 100% of her life is his. She is learning so much about the traditions/belief systems that she has agreed to throughout her life and lives, and to see her start to introduce true creation and awareness/conscienceness into her life. I see these belief systems, be it physical, emotional, social, ect. just fall to the wayside with thankfulness in her heart regarding them and the experience that they have lead her to. Yeah, it is isn't all "bunnies and flowers" with each experience, but the breakthrough is much more of the memeory rather than the breakdown.

So wifey, I gots to tells ya a little sumpin.

I love you. From the bottom of my soul, with all of my heart and entire energy and awarness I know that we are one with Father....our creator. Life has been alotted us to share and dwell together in. Thank you for holding to the presence of Creation. Through you vuneralblity you arise in infinte strength. Thank you, my baby, thank you. I praise my Father, the originator of us and our family, for you with every breath of "Live" that I take.

I love you.

your hubby...mmmright?....mmmright!

"that is what the lonley is for"-Dave Wilcox (track 19)

Today is a day of speechlessness...you know how you have that pit in you solar plexus that just tells you somthing is heading your direction and you don't know what. It is just "Something". I has caused me just to sit and think...all day. I returned to the Dave Wilcox Songs & Stories Album on my Ipod today. It was just one of those days. Peaceful...but full of observation and consideration. I am sure that this will be flushed out on a later date.

Let there be BLOG....*heavenly music*

Yes, it is true the very large genus blog has begun. And there is no telling where it will end up. So, I say to you as the creator of this Blog. Let the blogness begin.