Daily Loaf

As most of you have seen from last week’s preview and from the pictures being passed around the ‘net, Padma and Nigella Lawson (popular English cookboook author and TV chef) are in bed together for this week’s Quickfire Challenge. Okay, maybe not in bed together, but in beds that are right next to each other (I’ll leave it up to your imagination as to what’s under those robes though). They’re demanding breakfast in bed from the cheftestants- they want it hot, and they want it now.

From the looks of the preview video below, Eli is attempting some god-awful sounding sauce concoction, Robin makes like eggs and frantically scrambles her way around the kitchen, and AngryBro (Mike) curses up a storm (surprise) and blames Robin for wasting 5 minutes of his precious time.

For the Elimination Challenge, each cheftestant has to cook a dish inspired by one of the big hotels in Las Vegas. It’s great to finally see them do a Las Vegas-themed challenge because I think many of us forgot where they were this season.

In the preview for the Elimination Challenge, we get to see HotBro (Bryan) and AngryBro (Mike) visit the hotels that will serve as the inspiration for their dishes. AngryBro states that he will be paying homage to firefighters (his hotel is New York, New York) with his dish but still “cooking it his way”. I hope that means he’s going to light something on fire – that would surely blow his brother’s creation out of the water (you’ll get the bad pun if you watch the video below).

Tune in to Bravo tonight at 10 pm EST/9 pm C, check out our own live Tweets during the show (Jeff: @TheStew, Katie: @culinarypirate), and listen to our podcast here tomorrow! (You can now download on iTunes and check out Jeff’s Top Chef Flickr page.)

Videos after the break.
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My most recent baking project has become creating the perfect crumb cake. There are so many elements that come into play here- texture, topping, density, and overall taste are all vital in formulating a masterpiece. I’m happy to say that I just may be onto something with this recipe.

Fall is high time for all things apple. Nothing makes your house smell better when baking or adds more moisture to your goodies. I choose Granny Smith as a rule, because they have a great tartness about them and retain their texture even when baking for substantial periods of time. Plus, if I have any left over they make the best snack when sliced and served with a baked round of brie, a drizzle of honey and some fresh baguette.

You are probably familiar with the classic pastry technique of incorporating very cold, cubed butter into streusel toppings, to create a divine crumb for these types of cakes. I’ve found amazing results instead, in melting the butter and using it to partially dissolve the sugars, bring out the essence of spices, and bind your crumble topping. This way, by the time you are ready to top your batter, the butter has semi-hardened once again, and it’s easy to crumble it into perfection. The pecans add fantastic crunch, and the richness of the brown sugar is the perfect companion to the buttery cake below. Read the rest of this entry »

Although Lenny’s (in Clearwater) has dominated this Best of the Bay Readers’ Poll category in recent years, current vote totals peg this race as one of the closest in the Food and Drink category. Lenny’s, Frog Pond, Daily Eats, Nicko’s, Pach’s Place, Pink Flamingo, Pinky’s, Skyway Jack’s, and Village Inn are all neck-and-neck for second place, while national chain First Watch has a commanding (but beatable) lead.

Are Tampa Bay’s morning-food fans going to let a chain (albeit one that started in Florida) win this award? And where is Lenny’s notorious get-out-the-vote campaign?

There’s still two weeks to propel your favorite spot to the top in this hotly contested race (the poll ends Aug. 31).

Vote now, and tell your personal Best Breakfast restaurant to get out the vote!

(Photo from Fin Fahey/Flickr.)

She was a smokin’ hot babe. Er… dish.
Savory egg filling. Legs a mile long. A real hot potato.
Er … filled with potato.
And herbs, cheese. A melt in your mouth kind of beauty.
She got me fueled up for the day, and we had that long, slow burn that just sticks with you.
I never went hungry when she was around.
I’m not the jealous type, either. But when she was on my plate … I finished every last bite. No point in sharing a dish this good.
Quiche? Not for a real man. But frittata?
Well, I’m no sexpert, but Rome could give Paris a run for its money romance-wise. And this Italian dish? Frittata? Always the way I want to start my day… Read the rest of this entry »

There’s nothing better than a warm slice of banana bread for breakfast slathered with some butter, and maybe even jam. Or peanut butter. I love the two tastes together in a sandwich, so why not put them in bread form? I decided to go a little nutty and combine the two for this quick bread concoction.

Quick breads (like this one) are very versatile and super easy to make, even for you novice bakers, and for those, like me, who are lazy and hate to measure out a jillion ingredients and wait for dough to rise, etc., etc. They also make a great treat for breakfast or a snack.
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When you take the flavors of classic french toast and marry them with the techniques used to make bread pudding, the result is quite magical. It’s also super convenient, as you can prepare it the night before then bake and serve hot from the oven in the morning without any fuss. All you need alongside is a good cup of coffee and some crisp, salty bacon to start your day off with a smile.

Although many recipes turn to french baguette when making a bread pudding-style dish, my preference is for a richer and more delicate selection in the bakery aisle. I used buttery brioche for this batch, however I typically reach for challah bread if I’m able to find it. Your bread selection will make the difference between a more flaky, puffed result vs. a more crumbly and dense pudding.

Here are some ideas on how to add another dimension to the dish, and customize it depending on what you’re in the mood for:

~Mix in chopped pecans or walnuts before baking to add some crunch

~Toss julienned apples in with the bread mixture and serve with cinnamon infused whipped cream

~Macerate fresh strawberry or peach slices with a sprinkling of sugar, and spoon over the top after baking

~For a rich topping, whip mascarpone cheese with vanilla bean and sugar until sweet and creamy

The recipe: Read the rest of this entry »

Bread pudding is one of my favorite throw-together, quick and easy recipes. If you have at least these three items on hand, you can make the base pudding: bread (preferably day old and dry), eggs, and milk or heavy cream. It’s also a great go-to because it works for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert. It just depends on the extra ingredients you throw in: sweet for breakfast or dessert, savory for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Plus, prep time is ten minutes or less. How great and versatile is that?  Read the rest of this entry »

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, no matter the time. For this recipe, my inspiration was the wonderful produce available this time of year and my deep affection for egg-based breakfast/brunch foods. I hit up my local produce stand, then got in the kitchen and got my frittata on!

This frittata recipe is super simple, even easier then making an omelet and without all the flipping and fuss. I love the array of colorful vegetables that are now available at the produce stands and just about all of them would be great in this dish. I used almost every color in the rainbow in my frittata: a yellow tomato, red cubanelle pepper (comparable to a bell pepper, but a bit sweeter), verdent spinach and arugula, and red (actually, purple) onion. Read the rest of this entry »

Having seen tons of pictures of delicious-looking pancakes last week on my food porn sites, it put me in the mood to make some. I am not a fan of plain ol’ regular pancakes, though, because I find them to be dry, dull, flavorless and only good as a vehicle for syrup.

While looking in my pantry for inspiration, I spotted my neglected (but not expired) box of yellow cornmeal. Ta-da! Thus, the cornmeal pancake idea was born and executed. They are a heartier, more substantial versions of a regular buttermilk pancakes, with a texture similar to buckwheat. They’re also pretty filling, so a few go a long way.

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Great way to start hump day… free coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts. According to television ads, the remaining Wednesdays in February, Dunkin’ Donuts will be handing out a free medium coffee with no additional purchase required.

Mark your calendars… 2/11, 2/18 & 2/25

I haven’t personally confirmed this in Tampa, but many Chick Fil A’s across the nation are offing a free breakfast promotion of sorts during February, including down in south Florida.

Examples of the promotions in other markets: return of the free Wednesday offer (chicken biscuit or one of the new options) and a free breakfast item weekday mornings (this is the south Florida deal).
Anyone want to comment back with a confirmation?

With a high fat content and universal likeability, quiche defines Christmas morning decadence. You have the whole day to burn off the calories and it’s hearty and satisfying enough to hold you over ’til dinner. The smoked salmon adds a little class and the dill a dash of earthy green.

Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche

3 eggs
1 ½ c. heavy whipping cream
Dash salt, pepper
¾ c. chopped smoked salmon
2 T. chopped dill
1 refrigerated, prepared pie crust, like Pillsbury 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place dough in a deep dish pie pan and mold it to form the pan. Crimp sides with flat side of fork. Bake ten minutes. Allow to cool.
3. In a small bowl, beat eggs with whisk until fluffy. Add cream, salt, pepper and stir until combined.
4. Evenly sprinkle salmon and dill into the baked pie crust. Add egg mixture.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the quiche is firm and doesn’t jiggle. It should be puffy and lightly browned. 

* receipe adapted from Silver Palate Cookbook