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A Cup of....Ugh...

It's Aug. 26th and brisk, chilly day in the city. I need a jacket. Preferably a classy trench.

So I decided to get coffee on the way to work. I stopped at Chock Full o' Nuts Cafe inside Madame Taussaud's Wax Museum. I know..weird..but it's still a bonafide coffee shop. or so I thought. Chock Full o' Nuts supermarket coffee has pretty good reviews and I thought the coffee from the cafe should be good. I was wrong.

Which brings me to one of my pet peeves: bad coffee. Bad, muddy tasting, weak, burnt, cold, disgusting coffee; that cannot be saved by any amount of creamer or sugar. What makes me mad is that in a great food city such as New York (or so it's known to be, I don't exctly agree), anyone can sell coffee. And 99.9 percent of the time it's bad coffee. If I was a lawyer, I'd sue them for bad coffee and shut down these places for passing their stuff off as "coffee".

And then there's the size. My two choices were medium or large. Medium being a whopping 15 ounces. I wouldn't even want 15 oz of coffee, even if it was good coffee. It's just over the top. I don't care if it's a better deal or I'm saving money. Stop supersizing me against my will. Is it any surprise that the a growing number of people in this country are defined as obese?

For those coffee fans out there, I highly recommend making you coffee at home, for so many reasons.
1. It costs pennies, as opposed to nearly $2+ it costs to get a cup of coffee these days.
2. It tastes MUCH better and is much fresher,

A few tips from Cook' Illustrated:
-- Drip coffee makers, the machines most people have in their kitchen, are useless. The water doesn't get hot enough to be at the optimal temperature for a good cup of joe. Opt for a french press and bring the water to a good boil before pouring it over the coffee. Let steep for a full four minutes.

-- Purchase whole beans and grind at home. The best coffee flavor is released by grinding coffee right before using it. When you buy pre-ground coffee, it is vacuum packed, so it still remains fresh when you open it for the first time. But once you open that package, it loses it's flavor over the course of just a few days.

Oh and when you make your fresh cup of coffee, remember to invite me over to share it with you.

Sameera

Me vs. Corn Syrup

(this is a repeat blog from my own blog)

Salaam ladies,

So lately everyone around me is dieting..which I consider to be impractical, unreasonable and unrealistic (for me). Hence is is forbidden in my dictionary.

You can guess how I feel about dieting. But why is it so hard to eat healthy and moderately? I ate some sushi for lunch, which felt pretty good about it; I wanted to eat something else since I had a small serving. So I went to the cafeteria at work and against every fiber of my being walked past the (awesome) onion rings.

I wasn't feeling salad. I know salad is really good for you, but it's cold, and light, and I never feel like it can be my meal. I wanted something hot but nothing was appealing, so I though...great, cereal. Grains and dairy. Wrong. Every cereal, Total, Special K, raisin Bran, and even healthy Start had high fructose corn syrup in it. What a shocker! These are the healthy cereals, or so I would think to put all those on that list.

What's my beef with corn syrup:

Read this. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/does-fructose-make-you-fatter/
It's just one of thousands of articles on the Internet about corn syrup.

And then start looking at labels; there's almost nothing (and I mean NOTHING) you can find without corn syrup. It's surprising some of the things it's in.

And my other beef with corn syrup is it's so secretive and most people don't know the truth about it but take in obscene amounts of it in every day foods, under their very own nose. It's completely unhealthy, unnatural and does not exist in nature!

on another note; most diets are based on avoiding foods high in preservatives, corn syrup and unrefined flours. These are things that are highly bad for you. But that's exactly why diets are so hard. There are very, very , very few foods that do not have these ingredients. Just pick up something as simple as a loaf of bread and read the ingredient list. How many of the ingredients do you recognize?

What are some foods you can recommend as easy healthy eats? What are some things I should watch out for?

Bliss from Bliss

I know...long time.

So I recently placed an order with Bliss...yeh the spa and body products company.

It was pure...Bliss. I'm a sucker for marketing and pretty packaging.

It came in a beautiful box. You must admire it with me.

Oh and do I love samples!

They came aplenty, and everything came with adorable cloth Bliss bags, which should come in handy when traveling.

So since the products seemed great, I thought the spa should be great too! I checked out the website to see what facials they offered. Did I mention I am in desperate need of one. So they had many options, but all of them $200+. Ouch.

Well maybe when I'm rich. Or we're not in recession/inflation/whatever excuse for the economy.. Or gas doesn't cost more than my car. Or rice and flour don't cost more than twice they did last year. Ouch again.

Dear future president/eight ball/ tomkat (Umara's special navigation system):
Will I be rich?

Sameera

Chicken Pulao Rocks!

I heart chicken pulao that I get at my friend's pakistani homes, especially Amina Chief with her very spicy, very flavorful, absolutely dreamy pulao. Yesterday I decided to try my hand at it and found a good recipe online that I made several adjustments to. The end result was delicious!

I'm posting the recipe with my adjustments here:

Chicken Pulao

3 cups rice

1 cup natural, low fat yogurt

1 whole chicken

1 large tomato, diced

2 medium onions, sliced fine

2 potatoes, diced into 1 inch pieces

2-4 green chillies, chopped roughly

chili powder to taste

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 star anise

2 tsp whole cumin

2 inches cinnamon

2 large bay leaves

3/4 teaspoon coriander seeds

2 cardamom pods

1 inch ginger and 4 garlic cloves, pureed

3 tbsp sunflower oil

Salt to taste

Handful chopped cilantro

Handful chopped mint

---

In a large pot, bring the oil to heat over a high flame. When it is hot, add the whole spices.

As they sizzle up in seconds add the onions and fry for five minutes until golden brown.

Then add the ginger and garlic and fry for another five minutes until the whole mixture goes a darker shade of brown. Add the turmeric, chili powder (optional), the chillies and the chicken.

Stir vigorously for five minutes until the chicken is brown all over. Now, add the yogurt and leave the chicken to cook on a high flame, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. If it does, add a little water.

When chicken is halfway cooked, add potatoes and tomatoes.

After 10 minutes, stir in the rice and fry for a minute or so.

Add about 4.5 cups to cook the rice.
(Very important: If the yogurt has let out a lot of water, then adjust how much water you add here; you don't want to end up with too much liquid or mushy rice.)

Once you have done this, don’t stir the rice because it will get all mushy.
Turn heat down, cover and cook until rice is cooked through. Take a peek to make sure there is enough water once or twice.

When the water dries up and the rice is cooked, the pulao is ready.

Add cilantro and mint and serve with raita.

Next up on the book club list...

The next book club read is "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan.


Here is the review from Amazon.com:

Amazon Significant Seven, January 2008: Food is the one thing that Americans hate to love and, as it turns out, love to hate. What we want to eat has been ousted by the notion of what we should eat, and it's at this nexus of hunger and hang-up that Michael Pollan poses his most salient question: where is the food in our food? What follows in In Defense of Food is a series of wonderfully clear and thoughtful answers that help us omnivores navigate the nutritional minefield that's come to typify our food culture. Many processed foods vie for a spot in our grocery baskets, claiming to lower cholesterol, weight, glucose levels, you name it. Yet Pollan shows that these convenient "healthy" alternatives to whole foods are appallingly inconvenient: our health has a nation has only deteriorated since we started exiling carbs, fats--even fruits--from our daily meals. His razor-sharp analysis of the American diet (as well as its architects and its detractors) offers an inspiring glimpse of what it would be like if we could (a la Humpty Dumpty) put our food back together again and reconsider what it means to eat well. In a season filled with rallying cries to lose weight and be healthy, Pollan's call to action—"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."--is a program I actually want to follow. --Anne Bartholomew

A Near Perfect Food

Not many people may feel the way I do about falafel. Perhaps it's because it's vegetarian and therefore feels healthy. Perhaps because it's Middle Eastern, therefore lending an exotic air to it. Perhaps because it's deeply seeded in my childhood, with weekly meals of falafel with all the works prepared by my mom and dad together in the kitchen; the family then gets to sit around and assemble our falafels. It was one of the more functional moments of growing up. Just kidding. Really.

For those who don't know what a falafel is (do you live under a rock?), according to Wikipedia:

Falafel (Arabic: فلافل‎ falaafil (help·info), Hebrew: פָלָאפֶל‎; also known in Egypt and Sudan as ta'meya, Arabic طعمية), is a fried ball or patty made from spiced fava beans and/or chickpeas. It is a popular form of fast food in the Middle East, where it is also served as a mezze (snack or tapas).

The best way to eat it is as we did growing up; I suspect this way of eating it is Saudi in nature as we lived there for several years.

Split pita pocket..stuff with falafel, lettuce, pickles, fried eggplant, fries, top with tahina and hot sauce...unfortunately if you don't do this for yourself at home (or head to the restaurant I mention below) you'll only come across the dry or pasty falafels served in most Arab places here.

This weekend I found my dream falafel restaurant. It's an international chain...slowly expanding in the U.S. It's called Maoz Falafel and you can visit there website here at http://www.maozusa.com/

They served it just the way I love...with the fried eggplant..and Belgian fries (yummmmm) on the side..with amazing sauces. The place is small but known for the salad bar, which is a selection of pickles and salads to top your falafel with. It's really delicious. How I found it was quite fortuitous...we headed into the city for the farmer's market in Union Square and on the way I was mentioning to Moustafa that I've been wanting to try this place (since I heard about the fried eggplant). We parked our car, came around the corner and Subhanallah there it was.

True love indeed...

If you love falafel, or don't love it yet, you MUST MUST MUST visit Maoz.


Take me with you. Please. Pretty please.

Sameera

In Search of Bliss

In my own search for happiness, I chanced upon the book "The Geography of Bliss,", recommended by Abeer. It's the latest read for our paltry book club of four.

So far it's a fantastic. During a car ride through Bhutan, the author chances upon this billboard:

When the last tree is cut,
When the last river is emptied,
When the last fish is caught,
Only then will Man realize that he cannot eat money.

I think that verse speaks volumes about our outlook on money..and how frivolous it is. Your toughts?

Sameera

A Night in France

I'm starting to appreciate the beauty in French cuisine...it's touted around the world as the fanciest and best tasting, most sophisticated cuisine. In America we can't appreciate the full beauty of it...French restaurants are hard to come by, very expensive and off limits for Muslims...they cook with a lot of pork and/or wine.

Lately I've been reading the autobiography of a New York magazine restaurant critic...every few months she goes on an eating tour of France. She writes mostly about French restaurants, in New York and in France. Reading her book, I'm compelled to think French food is the epitome of food. And that's not just her opinion, she's been working since the 1970's and that is what's going on in the food world around her. But her to each his/her own. I wouldn't put it at the top of my list.

So I revisited out salad nicoise and french onion soup, (see last month's post for the recipes).

Our main dish was Chicken with forty cloves of garlic, and trust me, you'll want every last clove, because it's absolutely delicious. And yes, I went out and bought a Dutch oven for this occasion. We're in love, my dutch oven and I. It's a beautiful red Tramontina from Target and was highly rated by Cook's Illustrated. I'll try more dishes and keep you posted on our relationship.

Here's the recipe for the main dish, which should be served with a great loaf of bread to sop up all the amazing sauce. It's from Ina Garten of Food Network.


Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
User Rating: 5 Stars

Copyright 2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved
3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into eighths
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
3 tablespoons Cognac, divided
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.

Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don't want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.

Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.

3 Cups of Tea

One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace...One School At A Time

That's the subtitle of my latest read "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

This book came highly recommended to me by my friend Lina who drove down from Virginia just to meet Greg Mortenson.

This is the story of a regular white guy, Greg, who's a mountain climber. When he fails to climb one of the world's highest peaks, K2 in Pakistan, he lands in the impoverished village at the base of the mountain, Korphe. From this point on his entire life changes.

Without going on forever, this book was, simply put, amazing. And the most amazing part of it that it's a true story. Every mountain (figuratively) Greg faces in his mission to build simple schools for the children in the villages he comes across will blow you away.

You will never encounter a more selfless group of people as the Americans and Pakistanis who help Greg's mission. The generosity, sincerity, and absolute selflessness is heartwarming and motivating.

If you've ever thought you could not help people (you're just one person), or that perhaps whatever little money you can donate to a cause couldn't possibly help much, this will change your mind.

Greg Mortenson has a website, where you can read more about his cause and how you can help.

I hope you read the book and purchase it from his website so that some of the profit can go towards his cause.

If you're looking for the next great read, next on our book club list is "The Geography of Bliss : One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World" by Eric Weiner. I've heard great things about this as well and can't wait to get started.

Happy reading,

Sameera

The age old question

How can a college MSA balance the deen and student life?

There's no answer, but there is a great article that explores the issue.

While I do think some of the MSA's mentioned here went too far with the gender relationships (such as co-ed dodgeball) I think most MSA's do a good job of balancing the two worlds and accepting the fact that Muslims are to fall types. The point is that after all they are an MSA and Islam is their main objective.

Read this New York Times article for a good look at the both sides of the conversation.

Let me know what you think of it and what your own experiences have been in your MSA.

Sameera

Late Night at work

Good Day friends,

Last night I worked until 10:50 pm...not bad but I was supposed to be out at 10. We were covering the latest primaries and the plan was to wait until Wisconsin was closed and the winners called. Hawaii also had their primaries last night but seeing that they only have 20 delegates and polls didn't close until hours later, ABC News didn't deem it necessary to wait around.

Rather early in the night the Republican side was called for John McCain who had a rather haughty victory speech, now certain the presidential nomination would go to him. He said "I may not be the youngest candidate but I am the most experienced," which has actually been on my mind. When I look at him I see an old man, and that doesn't represent change or the future to me. I mean it's true Bush was old, but when I looked at him I just saw a _______ (insert insult of choice here) man.

Shortly after 9:30 the Democratic winner Barack Obama stepped up to the podium. Still tasting the fresh victory of 9 straight primaries, I guess Obama was feeling very chatty. Usually I find him a charismatic speaker, despite the recent copycat allegations (yes this is what politics has come down to- see the article here).

But tonight Obama would not stop talking. He talked about ALL his plans for the presidency, from the war, to economy, health care and education. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but this was just ONE primary. He spoke for over 40 minutes (I'm guessing since I stopped watching the clock after 20). Our election coverage was thrown for a loop and we had to let guests go left and right rather than have them sit around that long. The night ended rather disastrously when we lost the video of our anchor from Washington D.C. and ABC News Now became a gaping black hole for a few seconds.

Obama, if and when you get the presidential nomination, how long will that speech be?

Of the Political Process

I find that most Muslims are not inherently against voting...they're just too lazy.

My bottom line is this : if you don't want to have anything to do with America..then just leave.

For anyone who really questions whether they should vote here is what I found on Islamonline.net.

Dr.Anwar Hajjaj, President of the American Islamic Information Center, writes:

Muslims should be active wherever we are. When we as Muslims unite as a community, our chances of being heard regarding the issues that are relevant and important to us are far more significant than when a small number of us are trying to make a difference. By being politically active, we can seek to better the lives of all Muslims living in the United States.

Our involvement within the political system is also a great way to present to the public an accurate image of Islam, and of Muslims as supporting the issues that are important in our lives, and maintaining high morals and standards. For example, we can show our deep concern over the decay of the family system in America by supporting candidates for whom family values is a high priority.

Muslims speaking out, showing up in numbers and being involved in the political process will enable our vote to be sought-after by political nominees. We will then be taken seriously, and considered a vital consituency by candidates of all political parties; thus, requiring them to address issues of great concern to our community. American Muslims are increasing in numbers; hence, we stand to make an increasingly significant difference in the outcome of elections.

We need to become educated about the governing process, and the laws and issues that affect us as this will allow us to understand American political proceedings, and encourage our participation in a vitally important activity that greatly impacts our lives as well as the way we are viewed by non-Muslims.

Being able to vote and participate in the political process is a privilege that no one should forsake. If we as Muslims feel we are not being treated fairly, or that important issues are being neglected, we must exercise our right to participate and vote. We can then progress and make a difference in our lives, and in those of our families and communities.

As Muslims, we must take advantage of our rights, and become involved - as members of school boards, in mayoral offices, on city councils, and running for government positions and offices - while maintaining our duties and obligations to Islam. Imagine the great status this will bring to us, and the great message we can send to others!

Not taking any sides..

I'm not endorsing anyone (not that anyone would care)...but this is a cool video we premiered on ABC News Now (remember, the place I work...)


Read about the exclusive release :
ABC News Now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY

Watch the video here on you tube:
Video
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=4231523&page=1

Nothing to report here

Hello,

It's been a few days since I've updated my blog...it's been an uneventful week...

So there's really nothing new to report here..

Except that my Sprint phone was cancelled this morning due to non-pament..Oops.

Here's to being an adult.

Ciao,

Sameera

Heath Ledger's Death..and Gaza

Good Afternoon Friends,

You may wonder what the two events could have in common..the only answer to that is that they're both newsworthy.

Heath Ledger's death was breaking news across the board. Every major cable news network, including us at ABC News Now broke into our regularly scheduled program to report this news- even though at the moment the only detail known was "Heath Ledger is dead".

It's a constant battle in television, trying to determine what's newsworthy, what's not. Although my bosses think that O.J. Simpson's preliminary trials are so television worthy that we show the entire proceedings in court for hours, I would have to disagree with it.

But Heath Ledger...there's no arguing with. He's young, he's a movie star, and drugs (albeit prescription) were involved. And although I like to think I have lofty journalistic principles, this is news, even in my book.


Now onto Gaza...here is a news story I wrote on that today:

FOUR PALESTINIANS WERE KILLED IN AN ISRAELI AIR STRIKE LAST NIGHT...
MEANWHILE A BULLDOZER HAS WRECKED A NEW PART OF THE FENCE BETWEEN EGYPT AND GAZA.

THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS FROM THE IMPOVERISHED STRIP OF GAZA ARE RUSHING TO STOCK UP ON GOODS IN SHORT SUPPLY. ONE-POINT-FIVE MILLION PEOPLE RESIDE IN GAZA.

THE WAVE OF PEOPLE BEGAN WEDNESDAY AFTER A BARRIER WAS BLOWN UP BY MILITANTS.

ISRAEL SAID IT HAD TIGHTENED ITS BLOCKADE LAST WEEK, MAKING IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR FOOD, MEDICINE AND SUPPLIES TO REACH RESIDENTS OF GAZA.

--

It's short because it's for a news brief. I felt it was fair. Later on I came across an ABC package by a reporter in Israel, who interviewed Palestinians crossing into Egypt and buying items such as cartons of cigarette, laundry detergent, and motorcycles. What's going on? What happened to the humanitarian crisis I was hinting at? Don't these people need food and medicine?

What's really going on in Palestine?

My co-worker Rehab helped me feel much better about the situation by explaining that some reporters are fixating on the smaller, more visually novel aspect.

That made me feel much better. Once again, with ease, I can dismiss the motion that the media is Anti-Muslim. I still stand by my belief that it is not.

She further explained the situation by saying that the media is so heavily entrenched in Israel that they have trouble seeing it any other way. In short they're Israel oriented because they haven't had as much exposure to the other side.

What are your feelings on this?

au revoir,

Sameera

Today's Blog

I am cold. Very cold.

Closer to Allah

Salaam friends,

I'm sick, yes again. Apparently me and old man winter do not get along. I woke up with a terrible, terrible head cold, and it came out of thin air.

So I spent a few hours feeling bad for myself, then I remembered there were at least three deaths in my community in the past two weeks; I remembered my dear friend whose daughter was recently diagnosed with leukemia (unfortunately I could not visit her due to my cold); and I thought of my friends going through major tests in their lives...a friend who is pregnant with complications, and others who sad that they are not yet pregnant.

And then I remembered my dear friend who had a beautiful little girl last week (see the pic of Amira above and please say Mashalah), and another good friend who just found out she's pregnant with her second child.

Life moves much faster when you're older. Life and death comes full circle at a faster pace and things change in the blink of an eye. Is this what growing up is really about? Because I am not sure I like it..it's too scary.

The upside to growing up is I remember Allah a LOT more..His name is constantly on my lips and I feel more connected, as I know how much more I need Him now, Alhamdulilah.

And if anyone is in need for some inspiration, Amira's mom had her last week and is requesting that we hold our weekly Halqa at her home tomorrow, less than a week after giving birth. Now that's dedication and Iman, Mashalah. May Allah always keep her family under His shade.

Let this be a reminder to all of us to make dua'a for every event, no matter how small, in our lives, and the lives of those around us. And even for those who we may not have met yet but are in need of dua'a.

With my love and duas for you all,

Sameera

A Culinary Tour De France (revised)

Salaam Friends,

Ever wonder why all the great culinary schools in the world are French? And why every cook, no matter where he or she is from, studied French cooking and techniques and talks about French food constantly. Why is French food known as the ultimate food experience? Could it really be all that?

My fellow foodie, Samina, and I had a brief tour De France, culinary style, this weekend..we prepared 5 French dishes...four were successful...one not so much :(

It was a fun experience and going all out with one cuisine really made it feel new and exciting..I really recommend it...next up..Moroccan night!

I'd like to share our recipes with you...I hope you try them (and invite me over). They may seem labor intensive but they're well worth it!

We made French Onion Soup, Salad Nicoise, French Fries (from scratch and trust me it is a big deal!), Steak (the only failed dish) and chocolate mousse (SO worth the effort).

SALAD NICOISE (from Recipe Source with our OWN variations)


Serving Size : 8

Ingredients:
8 oz green Beans -- green, top and tail cut off (or one can green beans)
16 Potatoes -- new, small, peeled
4 Eggs -- hard boiled, sliced
1 tuna steak, simply seasons with salt and pepper and seared or grilled to your liking.
3 Tomatoes -- cut in wedges
1/2 ts Mustard -- dijon
1 Garlic clove- finely chopped
2 tb Vinegar
1/2 cup Olive oil
1 tb Parsley- finely chopped
1 tb Chives -- fresh chopped
8 Anchovy fillets (opt- prefer to omit)
16 Olives -- black

1. In pot of boiling water,add green beans and boil till tender crisp, about 2-3 minutes. Refresh with cold cold water and dry. Or do what we did- use one can of french green beans.
2. In large pot of salted water, bring potatoes to a boil. Cook till tender, about 8 minutes.
3. Combine green beans, potatoes, tomatoes in large bowl.
4. In small bowl, whisk together mustard,garlic and vinegar. Add oil slowly, then parsley and chives. Season with pepper and pour over ingredients.
5. Top with eggs, tuna, anchovy fillets and olives.
---

French Onion Soup


Serves 4

2 Tbs. butter OR margarine
4 med. white onions - sliced
3 cups beef or chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
½ Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 dash fresh or dried thyme
1 dash fresh or dried rosemary
½ loaf Sourdough or French bread
1/2 cup sliced provolone, mozzarella cheese, Munster or Monterey jack

1. Melt butter in saucepan over low heat
2. Add onions and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
3. Add beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and thyme to pot
4. Increase heat and bring to boil, then reduce heat
5. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes
6. Divide into over safe bowls
7. Cut the bread slices into the size of the bowl and toast
8. Top the soup bowl with bread, then cheese
9. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, in the oven or toaster oven (alternate: broil bread and cheese on a baking sheet then top soup with it)

---

French Fries


4-6 russet potatoes (do not substitute this kind of potato for another- these are fantastic)
Salt
Oil for frying

1. Rather than peel the potatoes, you want to keep some skin so cut off one slice from each side of the potato, resulting in almost a rectangular shape.
2. Cut into 1/2 thick slices, then cut into matchsticks.
3. Fry in hot oil for 3-4 minutes, until it's almost cooked through.
4. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool down for 10 minutes.
5. Fry one more time, this time allowing them to brown and crisp.
6. Drain again and season with salt and pepper.

---

Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse
from Cook's Central



Dark Chocolate Mousse

When developing this recipe, we used our winning supermarket brand of dark chocolate, Ghirardelli bittersweet, which contains about 60 percent cacao. If you choose to make the mousse a day in advance, leave it out at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with very lightly sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings. A hand-held mixer can do the job of a standing mixer in this recipe, though mixing times may vary slightly.

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped fine
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
6 tablespoons water
2 large eggs , separated
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1 cup heavy cream , plus 2 additional tablespoons (chilled)


1. Melt chocolate, cocoa powder, espresso powder, water, and brandy in medium heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk egg yolks, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, and salt in medium bowl until mixture lightens in color and thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Pour melted chocolate into egg mixture and whisk until combined. Let cool until just warmer than room temperature, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 1 minute. Detach whisk and bowl from mixer and whisk last few strokes by hand, making sure to scrape any unbeaten whites from bottom of bowl. Using whisk, stir about one-quarter of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it; gently fold in remaining egg whites with rubber spatula until a few white streaks remain.

4. In now-empty bowl, whip heavy cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 15 seconds more. Using rubber spatula, fold whipped cream into mousse until no white streaks remain. Spoon into 6 to 8 individual serving dishes or goblets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set and firm, at least 2 hours. (The mousse may be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)