I have to introduce you to a blogger that I have selfishly kept to myself. Vanilla Sugar. Now, I cannot eat a lot of the things that she makes without major revision to the ingredients, (there’s a challenge to you Dawn!) but her stuff is off the hook.

You should visit her blog and definitely drop a line on the crazy inventions she has going on over there.

An example, Espresso-Cream Cheese Rice Krispie Treats. Just. Plain. Evil. I can’t eat it, but damnit, I might just double dose just to get a taste.*I sound like a junkie!

I had to send that one to my pastry chef. A good nudge here and there never hurt, eh?

How about the crazy Lox and Glazed Donut? You know what? As sick as it would sound, I know it would be good.

I remember back to a post with Toffee Bacon Scones. That was the one that introduced me to Dawn’s blog. I still remember the look on my cook’s faces when I pulled that bad boy out of the oven. Sigh, good times.

Yes, I have tight control over the diet these days, but I recognise talent when I see it, and Dawn deserves accolades.

Vanilla Sugar – A super blog of Awesomeness!

There is a LOT of information out there on Diabetes. A lot of conflicting information that is. Who do you follow? ADA (American Diabetes Association), CDA (Canadian Diabetes Association), or somewhere else?
After a LOT of searching, I finally have come to where I think has the best impartial information.

Honestly, the site is not very pretty to look at, by today’s standards. What do you want though, a nice flashy interface? Or the best information?

The site is run by a woman named Janet Rhul, a possible MODY diabetic.

What I like about the site is the no-nonsense approach to the facts about Diabetes. I don’t think the author has anything to gain from the information presented on the site, other than helping people. I suspect the same cannot be said about the other sites one may go to, including the “official” sites.

I have been counseled by nurses to “ensure I am eating grains and carbohydrates” in my diet, only to be testing at super-stupidly high levels.

I even had a nurse council me to NOT test my sugar as much. Is she mad? I would like to know what the hell is going on with me thank you.

Thanks to the site, I now have some advice from someone I know understands. Test! Test! Test! is the advice given. Duly noted, and done.

I spent a few days just reading, trying to find the magic formula for managing Diabetes. What diet do we eat? There is so many answers out there! Like snake oil salesmen though, full of holes.

The answer is, you need to find out for yourself. If you have Diabetes, or pre-diabetes, or are insulin resistant, get thee over to the site today. Read, and follow the information. You will not be sorry you did.

What They Don’t Tell You About Diabetes

I read a lot of blogs. Okay, I usually sometimes get overwhelmed about every Tuesday and hit the “read all” button. (I mean, when you are following over 100 blogs, it can get difficult to keep up.)

Like a pack rat, I cannot seem to drop any of them. There are so many good tidbits out there that if I let them go, I might miss something.

There are two of them that stand out though; I think you should run (click) and visit:

SippitySup!

Serious Fun Food is the tag line. Greg’s posts are awesome, and are usually accompanied with history and other great tidbits of information. He has really ramped up his food lately. It is tough to impress me, and Greg definately fits the bill. Go on over to his site, and check it out.

Joe Pastry

A seriously cool site full of information that a food geek like me would like. You know that dude, Alton Brown? Joe Pastry is like Alton on steriods, and better in a lot of ways. His site is the go-to site when you need to know about things. Joe is thourough, and that is something you can definately sink your teeth into.

I hope you have enjoyed that little appetizer, now go over there and get the main course!

image courtesy of dps of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

I did not post my links last week, so that is why this list is huge. I want you all to know that I have been watching your posts, and salivating. All you out in WDC land need to see these money posts! –The Well Done Chef

Alcohol

Rosemary Gin Fizz by Sassy Radish – How can I not love this drink? Rosemary happens to be my favorite herb. In fact, Gin is one of my favorite drinks, and so is club soda. Quick what’s that? <Downs drink while you are not looking>

Red Snapper Shooter by Sippity Sup – Love it. Need I say more? <hick!>

The Red Eye Monster by Savory Reviews – Love this shot! We used to have those daredevil shots when I was a bar hopping lad myself! Prairie Fire anyone?

Bread

Rustic Rolls by Macheesmo – Okay, here’s the thing: no knead bread is everywhere. Why? Because it is freaking amazing! Nick shows mastery over this trend with these freaking awesome rolls. Nick, curse you, but I need about another 12 hours in my 24 hour day to make everything you do. Blast you! (Keep it up man!)

Cranberry Bread with White Chocolate and Ginger by The Salty Cod – Serve this quick bread at the table for your guests that you are entertaining, and you will be the talk of the party. They will want to know where you got this money cake. You could tell them, or not. Either way, The Salty Cod has hit it out of the park here.

Date Nut Spice Bread by Brown Eyed Baker – This bread should be your go-to staple for entertaining. It is versatile enough to serve with whatever you have on the go. I personally like a hard sauce, but that is just the way us cooks roll.

Main Dish

Ham Steaks with Hazelnut Sauce By The Bitten Word – The dish may have not been for the boys, but it did transport me back to a time when my own grandmother used to make something like this. Christmas is about family, and nostalgia. Thank the boys for this one. Try it, and you will experience what holidays were like back in my time!

Plantain Chili by The Food In my Beard – Make the cold disappear with this lovely chili. There is not a recipe per se, but the technique for the chili is golden. That is what counts. Extra money for this dish for the sweet, spicy and savory flavors that meld for gooey *(That is a word!) goodness of this dish!

Pasta and Rice

Chili Cheese Rice by Savory Reviews – This fare is simple, but satisfying as well. When you just do not have the time to go all gourmet, simplify your life and go for the comfort zone. That is what winter is all about, right? The warming chili flavors with the goodness of the melted cheese mixing together with the rice makes you forget that cold blasting air outside.

Pasta with Scallop Sauce, Olive Oil, Garlic, Hot Pepper by Spinach Tiger – Make this dish. That’s an order! Forget winter, and start cooking Italian. Did you say there was another cuisine? Angela shows her stuff with this pasta. I had to go and make it for my nightly meal after reading her post.

Ravioli with Walnut Truffle Cream Sauce by We Are Never Full – I believe this is one of the first times I have featured a recipe from WANF site, and the first one is a doozy! How sick is a dish tht features all things good and great about truffles? If you can get your hands on some of this expensive ingredient, try the dish at that post. If you have a significant other you would like to woo, watch it with that dish, you might end up in marriage!

Pastry

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (Homemade Oreos) by Brown Eyed Baker – Do I have to tell you why these are so cool? Anything they can sell you as convenience, you can do better. Give these cookies as a gift, and they will be the bomb!

Fig Tart with Vanilla Scented Frangipane by The Purple Foodie – This is the first time that Shaheen has worked with figs. Talk about a touchdown! The picture is gorgeous, and the recipe itself is money! Put that tart in front of me, and I will unabashedly ask for seconds!

Marshmallows by Ezra Pound Cake – Everyone should make these little treasures. They are a bit tricky, but with Ezra’s tutorial, they become easier. From that start point, you can take your creation to the furthest lengths of your imagination. That is a very good thing.

Nut Crescents by Brown Eyed Baker – My wife’s Grandmother used to make these every Christmas until she reached the golden age of 91. Fortunately, you can find the recipe at Michelle’s site. If you make them, make a triple batch, because trust me, they will not last long.

Spiced Wine Poached Persimmon by Bouchon for Two – This is a lovely dish, highlighting a perfect multiple course dinner for your guests. Scratch that, the dish is all about using what is in season, and using your skill to ramp it up to rockstar status! I would be amazed if served this dish, so check it out!

Toffee-bacon scones by Vanilla Kitchen – To Vanilla Kitchen: Good god! There is bacon flavor mixed with sweet salty flavor of toffee. I am supposed to be maintaining weight this Christmas season. Take those scones away from my site, and we both win. I won’t eat them all, and you will have some to share with your friends. Well… could I have, just one? Puuhhlease???

Pizza

Deep Dish Pizza with Ricotta and Olives by Macheesmo – Yes, Nick gets his own category! Nick has again shown his mastery over the stove. He comes to us with this money pizza. He even understands the philosophy that less is more when it comes to pizza. Nick says that he is just getting comfortable in the kitchen. Indeed, he is!

Side Dishes

Mushrooms with Bacon and Sage by The Purple Foodie – Okay, you twisted my rubber arm. I will have to have these as a side dish to almost anything. Imagine what these little babies would be like beside the roast turkey for Christmas. Better yet, imagine what they would be like on their own. Mushrooms with bacon are golden. Hmm… maybe I will skip the turkey and just a bowl of those?

Roasted Brussels Spouts with Bacon and Apples by The Bitten Word – If you prepare your brussel sprouts this way, I can almost guarantee that your guest will mop up the serving dish with their bread. Brussels sprouts are the scorned vegetable, which is too bad, but prepared this way, well – money!

Soup

A Spiced Chickpea Stew with Feta Toasts by Sippity Sup – One could call this a “stoup”. Whatever you choose to call it, the guys have come up with a winner. Delish!

Chicken Tortilla Soup by Good Life {Eats} – When you come in after having shoveled a mountain of snow, you are pissed off at the plough drivers for depositing even more snow on your misery. Take up a bowl of this hearty soup. The high notes of the lime and coriander coupled with the tart tomatoes and the crunch of the crispy tortillas will remind you of summer. You will still be pissed at the snowplow guy, but you will have a full, satisfied belly!

Thai-Spiced Tomato Soup by Sassy Radish – This soup will take the heat off, and zip up an otherwise boring offering of tomato soup. You have to change it up from time to time, and this soup is perfect for that.

image courtesy of bitshaker of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Sorry folks, I have been so busy tasting my own creations this week, I have not even been able to breathe, let alone read about what all the other fine folks are doing out there.

I expect that this Christmas season will be a busy one, so I am anticipating a little pudge around the waist for me. I hope to get around to samping those great posts out there. For today though, I need to focus on what brings in the bacon.

See you next week!

image courtesy of ricardo.martins of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

We are finally at the end of November, and all there is to do is wait until December comes. This time of year is when we all settle into the holiday schedule of baking, partying, and forgetting a bit about active summer days. Now we spend more time with friends and family, and of course, tasting more good items. Grab your mulled wine, and let’s go taste! Today’s Post will be for what our house is dong a lot of – Drinking, baking, and well, getting rid of turkey!

Alcohol

Southern Comfort® Barn Burner by Ezra Pound Cake – Another great recipe with Southern Comfort. This time it is a drink. Nothing wrong with that – especially to get the holiday spirit flowing.

Pastry

All Butter Pie Crust by Craftzine – You will need this crust to make the flat cranberry pie recipe below. The recipe strikes a chord in my heart, as it is made with butter. Only lard tops it!

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti by Brown Eyed Baker – I love biscotti. This version has the savory taste of pistachios, with the dark tones of Dutch chocolate. In a word, Money!

Cranberry and Walnut Celebration Bread by Macheesmo – Simply put – amazing. For a guy who is “just getting comfortable in the kitchen”, Nick has pulled another wonder off. Nick, you know what would be money with your bread? Making it into French toast!

Flat Cranberry Apple Pie by Good Life {Eats} – Katie has gotten over her pie crust aversion, and good thing too. Two things that are in right now – apples and cranberries. Try out this pie, done the old fashioned way. I am going to try tonight!

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins by Joy the Baker – Oh! Just the thing to start the morning. The lemony flavor of these muffins will get you into work. What you do for the rest of the day is up to you. I plan to eat some more of these muffins. Mmmm! Good!

Orange Cranberry Mini Bundts by My Baking Addiction – Bundts are awesome. Having your own is even better. Check out this scratch-made bundt and see if you can resist it.

Savory Palmiers by Ezra Pound Cake – One may be used to the sugary versions of the Palmier, but this one is money as well. Not only does the post make me hungry, I can also envision what I would like there. Great as a first course.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Pie with Chocolate and Graham Cracker Crust by Palette to Pen – If the picture is any indication, this pie is beyond money! They need you rhelp as well, as this is the entry for the Bon Appetit blog envy contest. Go over and give her your vote! She has mine!

Turkey Trimmings

Chestnut Stuffing by Macheesmo – Step by step, an amazing post on chestnut stuffing. How you make it through this post without getting up to cook/devour a turkey is up to you. Pork, sausage, chestnuts. Oh, turkey, I guess.

November has set in, and all there is to do is wait until winter comes. Okay, screw that! This time of year is when we all settle into the holiday schedule of baking, partying, and forgetting a bit about active summer days. Now we can spend more time with the family, and of course, tasting more good items. Grab your cider, and let’s go taste!

image courtesy of sophiecarney of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Alcohol

Homemade Coffee Liqueur by Macheesmo– Nick is at it again, mixing up some moonshine homemade coffee liquor. Check out his post, and do it. Your family will love it as gifts.

Breakfast

Belgian Waffles with Nutella Sauce by Sugarlaws – This post should be illegal. It does two things: Makes me want to dust off the waffle iron, and scape out my nutella. Total money, I tell ya!

Eggs

Sweet Pea and Prosciutto Frittata by Spinach Tiger – I hurried home to try ths recipe out last Sunday, and it was a hit. My two year old was all over it. You should try it too.

Fruits

Baked Apples from Food Loves Writing – Apples are not gone completely. When you make this dish, it will be money. This dish solved my apple leftover problem at work!

Korean

Bipimbap by Rasa Malaysia – I have a love affair with Bipimbap. I have always wanted someone out there to post the recipe. Well, there it is, courtesy of my all-time favorite Asian Food Blog.

Pasta

Chestnut Ravioli by Macheesmo – Nick, you nailed it! The dish here is not only money, he was hardcore by doing it without a pasta roller! The ravioli is sweet, with the crunchiness of the chestnuts, rounded out by the Macarpone. Is there anything Nick won’t do?

Vidalia’s Macaroni and Cheese by Best Bites – Oh, Mac and Cheese the way it was meant to be. I am so hungry right now. I think I know what to make.

Pastry

Basic Crème Brule by Joe Pastry – A wonderful post on one of my favorite desserts. If you are looking to solve your brulee problem, look at this expert’s site.

Biscochitos by Gabriela’s Kitchen – Any cookie that begins with Lard is money in my books. There is another dimension on white wine and cinnamon going here. All in all, it reminds me of when my Grandmother used to do all the baking around the holidays.

Blackberry Peach Topped Muffins by pickycook – Blackberries are out, and so are peaches. Thing is, some people still have them around. These muffins remind me of – better times. Summer. Ahh.

Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Crisp Squares by Brown Eyed Baker – If she was to make these, and I was around, she would have a problem. There would be no more. She would have to keep making them. They are delicious, and I plan to make some tonight.

Cranberry Crumb Bars by My Baking Addition – Anything to do with cranberries this time of year gets my vote. I love these, and they will be featured on my Christmas table.

Crumb-Topped Apple Pie by Our Best Bites – Okay, how can this be fair? You are combining my two favorite desserts with apples into one item? How will your pie ever survive in my house? More like in my belly!

Southern Comfort® Pecan Pie by Ezra Pound Cake – Caramel pecans with Southern Comfort. The holidays are here at last. Excuse me, can’t talk – too busy eating.

Nuts

Salted Cocoa Roasted Hazelnuts by Joy the Baker – Hazelnuts are coming in. I love them to death, and I cannot wait to see this item go out for our VIP amenities. I thank Joy for the inspiration!

Vegetables

Beet, Leek and Goat Cheese Tart by FormerChef – Oh, man! The pictures alone make me salivate! Beets are a weird vegetable. Make this tart, and get out there and make some friends.

Borscht by Kalofagas – Okay, we have a money soup made of beets and cabbage, and it’s done by a Greek? I tell you, this soup will make you a believer!

Duck Fat Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Cranberries by Local Lemons – I don’t really have to tell you why this recipe is listed, do I?

November has set in, and all there is to do is wait until winter comes. Okay, screw that! This time of year is when we all settle into the holiday schedule of baking, partying, and forgetting a bit about active summer days. Now we can spend more time with the family, and of course, tasting more good items. Grab your cider, and let’s go taste!

image courtesy of Sifu Renka of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Broccoli

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli by The Purple Foodie – I used walnuts, but the dish was a hit!

Chicken

Chicken Parmesan by Macheesmo – The pictures and recipes were so enticing, I made them when I got home that evening. Sometimes you have to go further than just tasting!

Individual Buffalo Chicken Pot Pies by Food in my Beard – Well, the pies were so good, unfortunately a camera got axed in the session. It’s all for the food, right?

Chili

Buffalo Chili by Macheesmo – There would be a long lineup to this pot of chili. Nick gets hardcore and makes his own chili powder. Money!

Chocolate

Ultimate Hot Chocolate by Our Best Bites – The ultimate guide on hot chocolate. I believe they are responsible for my son’s demanding “choclit!” all the time.

Cookies

German Christmas Cookies by Brown Eyed Baker – My Oma used to make these cookies. I am glad to have found a recipe to try this year.

Greek

Gyros and Pita Bread by Kalofagas – By far my favorite Greek street food is the Gyro. This post features a craft way to make Gyros using a paper towel holder. I’m drooling just thinking of the homemade pita bread with the tender Gyro inside.

Pastry

Halloween Candy Bars by Food in my Beard – I know, Halloween is past. Thing is, nougat is a tough recipe, and Beardie deserves a mention here. The recipe is money, and so is the end product. Yum!

Shrimp

Grilled Cajun Shrimp Po Boy by Ezra Pound Cake – Oh, the delightful Cajun shrimp tossed with a spicy remoulade stuffed inside a crusty baguette. How can anyone go wrong with this dish?

Squash

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stuffed Squash by the Healthy Everythingtarian – A delightful dish that sounds more complicated than it actually is. I liked the idea of this dish so much; I put it on my banquet menu as a vegetarian item.

Sweet Potatoes

Rosemary Roasted Sweet Potatoes by Ezra Pound Cake – No marshmallows! Seriously, these went on the menu at home as soon as I saw them.

Due to internet issues, I am late by 1 day on this post. Here it is in it’s full glory!

The end of October has passed. We get another hour of sleep, and Autumn is in full swing, and so come the cold days. Grab with a good beer, and join me as we sample the fare that this week past brought us for November.

Beef

image courtesy of rick of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Braised Boneless Short Ribs by formerchef – I like this recipe for a cold day. I just wish it had the bones in it, but I would still probably likc the plate clean.

Cabbage

image courtesy of net_efekt of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Fresh Pasta with Brussel Sprouts by Food in my Beard – Not a recipe, but a nice set of pictures detailing a scrumptious pasta dish. Brussels routs are in season, so giver!

Corn

image courtesy of r-z of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Stove Top Kettle Corn by Our Best Bites – Okay, this is not really a seasonal item, but the recipe is awesome. I am going to try this as soon as I get home!

Chicken

image courtesy of ~mvi~ of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Mild-Mannered Chicken Curry by Blue Kitchen – While it is not complicated like most curries are, this chicken would hit the spot. Get ready for winter folks, warm yourself up with this kind of fare!

Lamb

image courtesy of fiskfisk of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Pan Roasted Lamb with Juniper Berries by Spinach Tiger – While the dish may come out of the oven looking unappetizing, the end result is melt-in-your mouth amazing. In the end, half of it is about flavor.

Pastry

image courtesy of jlastras of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Macaron Madness with the Daring Bakers by Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy – Lovely process learning how to make macarons. I thank my stars that I have a pastry chef. You hear that Ana?

Daring Bakers Macarons
by Chez Us – Money dark chocolate and ancho macarons!

S’mores Icebox Candy Bars by Joy the Baker – Forget the orange leotards! Just make this recipe, and you will be happily surprised!

Pork

image courtesy of fooey of Flickr fame under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

There Will Be Blood (Sausages) by Endless Simmer – A post on the adventures of eating blood sausage. Before you cringe, try something like this. It is an experience, and there is a reason the sausage has endured the test of time.

Saffron

image courtesy of fesoj of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Swiss Saffron Harvest by FXCuisine – Finally! Another post! This post is a must see for where those fine threads of saffron come from. An eye opening experience that should change the way you treat the next batch you get your hands on.

Squash

image courtesy of Cindy Funk of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes by Macheesmo – A nice recipe with a touch of nuttiness from brown butter!

Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad by Bitten Word – The pumpkin is bland, but the rest of the dish saves the day. Try it, and you will see.

Squash Turkey Chili by Food in my Beard – What a nice recipe using butternut squash. I could have that chili anytime.

October is a month where we can expect to see the harvest come to fruit. Autumn is here, and so come the cold days. Curl up with a good book, and help yourself to some of the past week that showcased the fare of October:

Apples

image courtesy of Pink Sherbert Photography of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Apple Galette Kissed by Rosemary by Spinach Tiger – Kind of like an old fashioned pie before the pie tin, this recipe has two of my favorite things inside: apples and rosemary. Delish!

Did I say Devon? by Joe Pastry – Not exactly a recipe, but a good set of pictures on the cider making process.

Apple Raisin Cake by The Duo Dishes – Okay, so it is not their recipe, but from the Barefoot Contessa. So what? The pictures look ravenous!

An Apple a Day Ends with Roasted Duck by Sippity Sup – The two brothers finished up a week long affair with apples with this scrumptious dish.

Beef

image courtesy of rick of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Corned Beef Hash by The Food in my Beard – While beef doesn’t grow on trees, I suspect that I would have this with something else here, sure…

Beets

image courtesy of Darwin Bell of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Venigret – Russian Beet Salad by Sassy Radish – A great take on the classic. I would omit the canned peas though. Yuk!

Cranberries

image courtesy of vieux bandit of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Cranberry Crumb Bars by goodlife {eats} – Awesome! They are using fresh cranberries as well. I am forwarding these to my pastry chef! I need these in my kitchen for the morning!

Nectarines

image courtesy of waferboard of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Nectarine Golden Cake by Sassy Radish – While there may be no frosting on this cake, there does not need to be. It is delicious!

Plums

image courtesy of lepiaf.geo of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Wine-Stewed Prunes & Mascarpone by Sassy Radish – While technically not a plum anymore, this recipe still fits the profile. Plus, prunes are not just for old people folks. This dish would be great after a hearty pork roast!

Squash

image courtesy of Cindy Funk of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting by Sassy Radish – The pictures say it all, and the cupcakes look like they need to be in my belly!

Stuffed Acorn Squash by the Healthy Everythingtarian – The squash photo is money! I just wish there was a recipe to go along with it.

Butternut Squash Casserole by Ezra Pound Cake – Part of the Meatless Mondays, this casserole looks really enticing. I am not sure if it would pass over the staff or my wife in the place of meat… maybe as a side dish though.

Tomatoes

image courtesy of yomi955 of Flickr under Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0

Homemade Fresh Roasted Tomato Soup by Chez Us – What a beautiful soup! The photo is stunning, and I can almost smell the sweetness and the distinct smell of the tomato coming right off the vine. I would order 3 bowls of this soup if it were in a restaurant.

Breadless B.L.T. by Endless Simmer – The last of the tomatoes with some artisan bacon. Nothing says loving in your mouth like real bacon rashers that you cut yourself!