Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy Birthday Ryder


Born 12/31/05

Ultimate Recipe Showdown - Comfort Food

This post is from URS-2, the second season of Ultimate Recipe Showdown from 2009. For current information on the show, click here.


Back, left to right: Rick Massa, 58, from Simi Valley, CA; Guy Fieri; Michaela Rosenthal, 51, of Woodland Hills, CA
Front, left to right: Emily Hobbs, 23, of Ozark, Mo; Diana Davis, 33, of Sherman Oaks, CA

Comfort Food Competition - Sunday, January 4, 2008

It was Massa's Cheese Lovers 5 Cheese Mac & Cheese that Food Network chose as a contender in the comfort food round.

My daughter is the one who pushed me. I kept saying "No, no, no." But for whatever reason I blew it off until the last day and the last hour, entered a bunch of different categories, and lo and behold, Food Network calls me and says I made the cut.

I built it on paper; I didn't make it before I entered it. That's what was so bizarre. After I was notified I made the cut, I was making that mac and cheese for everyone in the neighborhood.

The cameras and the lights, that was no big thing. The thing where it became nerve-racking is where you're in front of the judges; that's intimidating.


Rosenthal is already in the Cooking Contest Central Hall of Fame, and this is her second appearance on Ultimate Recipe Showdown. This year, she created her signature dish, Cream of Parsnip Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.

Hobbs invented a Baked Butternut Four Cheese Farfalle with Sage. Farfalle is a type of pasta. Commonly known as "bow-tie pasta."

It was amazing to get that call that I had been chosen to be on Ultimate Recipe Showdown. They flew me and my mom out to the studio. She was totally excited. I couldn't believe it because I'm such a fan. It was like a dream come true.

I knew it was going to be tough. The day before, I had a two-hour interview. The day of competition, we were there at 6:30 a.m. until 6:30 or 7 at night. It was a long day with interviews, cooking.

The first round was the signature round and that is our best dish. Then we went on to the speed round where we had to cook a dish in 30 minutes. Mine was a panini with pumpernickel, pastrami, caramelized onion, cheese and apples. The speed round went so fast. I wanted to make the best dish I could in 30 minutes. I had 30 seconds to spare at the end.

I was really nervous. I'm a shy and quiet person, but when we got up there to cook, I was fine because I cook all the time. I was really nervous when Guy would come up to me. He was really nice. He's just like how you see him on TV. He has a really big personality and he's loud and outgoing.


Davis' signature dish is La Soupe du Cinq Mai; I was unable to contact Ms. Davis for an interview.

Massa interview
CCC Hall of Fame
Hobbs interview

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Guy's Recipe for January 2009

Slow day in the Guy Fieri news department. So I'll share with you his recipe for January 2009, posted from his website.


*pictured above with roasted red bell peppers replacing the red onions*

WATERCRESS & CITRUS SALAD

2 cups watercress, large stems removed
2 medium oranges (peeled and cut into segments)
1 cup jicama, fine julienne
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Honey and Lime Vinaigrette, recipe follows

In a medium bowl, combine watercress, orange segments, jicama, red onion and salt. Drizzle in 1/2 cup of Honey and Lime Vinaigrette. Toss well to combine. Divide the salad equally between 4 salad plates.

Honey and Lime Vinaigrette

1 Tablespoon honey
2 Tablespoon lime juice
3 ounces olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk honey and lime juice together. Continue to whisk while slowly drizzling olive oil until all of the oil is incorporated.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 0 minutes
Ease of preparation: easy

Sunday, December 28, 2008

In Honor of Oakland's win today over Tampa

As I've said elsewhere, we're fans of football in my home too. Guy is a fan of the Oakland Raiders, who dashed Tampa Bay's playoff hopes today. It was a stellar victory. In honor of the Oakland Raiders, here is

Guy's Oak Town Garlic Vinegar Chicken

Ingredients
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium yellow onions, julienned
2 Anaheim chiles, cleaned and julienned
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup minced garlic, divided
8 ounces beer
8 ounces chicken stock
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons green onions, sliced

Directions
In large saute pan over medium heat add 2 tablespoons oil, onions, chiles and saute for 3 minutes until translucent. Add chicken thighs and lightly brown. Add 1/4 cup garlic and saute. Deglaze with beer and chicken stock. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until chicken is 3/4 of the way cooked. Remove chicken from saute pan, and let cool, reserve pan and braising broth.

In medium saute pan heat another 2 tablespoons olive oil and lightly caramelize remaining 1/2 cup garlic. When done, remove from heat, and let cool.

In medium mixing bowl, combine, flour, salt and pepper, oregano, paprika, and chili powder. Combine thoroughly, add cooked garlic and mix into a paste.

Take cooled, cooked chicken and press paste on to the chicken. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in garlic pan, and gently place chicken in the pan. Lightly brown chicken on both sides.

Simmer reserved braising broth and add red wine vinegar. When chicken is cooked on both sides, pour vinegar broth over chicken and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.

Garnish with green onions.

Cook Time: 30 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Southern Shrimp Soiree (GI0510H)

Guy's Big Bite - Southern Shrimp Soiree - Aired: 12/28/08

This Southern shrimp feast is not for shrimpy appetites! Feed the masses at your next party with Guy Fieri's shrimp boil, peach cobbler and cool kiwi berry cocktail. It's finger-lickin' good, just be sure to supply extra napkins!

Cin-ful Peach Cobbler - dessert recipe


Southern Shrimp Boil - recipe


Chug a Lug Kiwi Berry Cooler - cocktail recipe


Garlic Bread - recipe


Keywords:
peaches, almonds, cranberries, andouille sausage, artichokes, Old Bay, corn, shrimp, kiwis, strawberry, blackberries, white wine, Cointreau, baguette

Related Guy Fieri Recipes
Desserts
Main dishes with shellfish
Cocktails with wine
Breads and crackers

-> more on Guy's Big Bite <-

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Fieri may participate in B.R. Cohn Charity Events in 2009

More philanthropic work for Guy ahead
On December 26, 2008, The Sonoma Sun reported that Guy Fieri attended a meeting at the B.R. Cohn Winery in Sonoma Valley, California. "No one can wake up a room like Food Network star Guy Fieri, complete with spiked bleached blond hair, tattoos, heavy leather and silver jewelry, skater pants and a big voice and heart."

Arrangements are being made for Fieri to participate in next year’s 23rd Annual B.R. Cohn Charity Events Fall Music Festival and Celebrity Golf Classic, Oct. 2-5, 2009. Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, CommonBond Foundation and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley are some of the recipients from the charity events.

Guy continues to make news in West Virginia
The Herald Dispatch reported today that Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives made several pit-stops in the Huntington area, positively impacting the area's economy.

Guy's show featured Smokey Valley Truck Stop in nearby Olive Hill, Ky., Central City Cafe, 529 West 14th St., Huntington, and the original Lesage location, of Sonny and Sharie Knight's Hillbilly Hotdogs.

Fieri, whose father, Jim, is from Wheeling, also put two recipes from Hillbilly Hotdogs into his new cookbook, and flew Sonny and Sharie out to Cali in December to tape a "best of" episode for Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

In their article, they continue to comment that, "As if that wasn't enough culinary spotlight, Cabell County native Katie Lee Joel (armed with her grandma Dora Harshbarger's Logan County Hamburgers recipe), beat out 17 other cooking teams including many of the top chefs in New York City and celebrities such as Al Roker of NBC's "Today" show to win top honors at Rachel Ray's Burger Bash."

Here's Guy at that very event.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Guy Fieri visits Disneyland, again!

*Update*
For information on Guy Fieri at Disney's California Food Wine in 2010, click here.

Guy Fieri with Cheryl, of Mira Loma, CA

At Disneyland
There's a buzz all over Anaheim - Guy Fieri and Food Network film crews were spotted at Disneyland on Sunday, December 21, 2008 (yes, just the day after he was signing books in Sacramento, followed by a Metallica concert in Oakland), shooting a holiday special due to air in December of 2009.

Guy's Disney Holiday

Busy boy!

Guy visiting with Hunter (?)
Photobucket

Guy and Ryder
Fieri at Disneyland

The Fieri Family
Fieri Family at Disneyland
From left to right: Ryder (almost 3), Hunter (12), Guy, Lori

Photos from The Wong Chronicles

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Holiday Cheer and Ultimate Recipe Showdown Viewing Party

Dorable Award
This young lady wins the Dorable Award for her blog post Birthday Books.
Keep Cookin' !!

Ginger Bling
Still looking for the perfect Holiday Cocktail? Try this ...

Ginger Bling

View the particulars on how to mix this lovely drink below. Is it just me? Or does he look rather slender in this video? Hmmm? Guy, you've been working out?



Or try my favorite rum drink,

Mary Ann's Revenge
2 shots quality Carribean sugar cane rum
1 shot Manderine orange juice
3 shots ginger ale
1/2 teaspoon juice of fresh ginger (approximately)
Garnish with slice of orange; serve over ice

"Ginger will never know what hit her!"

News on the Ultimate Recipe Showdown
Sunny Anderson reports that she'll host viewing parties each week. She and her party friends will "dish" after each episode on FN Dish.
Ultimate Recipe Showdown premiers January 4, 2009.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Night Out with the Boys, and Metallica

At Metallica Concert
Sent to me by a fan, at the Metallica concert in the Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA.

Guy has taken the month of December to spend time with friends and family.

Here's a nice Interview with Guy Fieri by Brett Moore, who does a finer job than I ever could.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Guy Fieri interview on Ultimate Recipe Showdown

TGIF
On December 17, 2008, I learned of a conference call with Guy. He was on his cell phone, sitting in his truck outside his house in Santa rosa. A film crew was inside, shooting interviews with family and friends.

Cynthia Boris of SheKnows.com commented, "I don't think he knows how to be anything but loud -- in an 'I'm so excited, I could burst' way." He spoke of his upcoming second season of The Ultimate Recipe Showdown, premiering on January 4, 2009.

This season began with 12,000 recipes that a panel of judges narrow down to 24, in categories of Comfort Food, Burgers, Hot and Spicy, Desserts, Cakes, and Hometown Favorites. Each week the winner takes home $25K and a chance to have their recipe featured on a T.G.I. Friday’s menu. Co-host Marc Summers is not helping Fieri this time, and while he claims to be bummed out about that, Fieri is ready for the challenge of hosting it alone.

“This second year is remarkable,” Fieri said. “There is a real in-depth view of the contestants. It’s not just about the food on the plate and how it’s presented. Producer Art Edwards really got more of a compelling background piece on the show contestant’s giving the show much more depth.” He then adds, “The folks this year were a fantastic group and many of them had that one signature piece that just blew the judges away.”

See Premium Hollywod for a more in-depth article.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Fieri Cooks for Rock Fantasy Camp

Fieri With Hagar Guitar
Pictured in front of Tex Wasabi's, with sushi on a Sammy Hagar-signed guitar.

Found on Billboard.com, Guy Fieri, slated as Rock n Roll Master Chef, has signed on to cook the opening night meal in next year's Hollywood edition of Rock'n'Roll Fantasy Camp, which will take place April 29 - May 3.

Registration has opened at RockCamp.com. Cost?

1. HOLLYWOOD CAMP PACKAGE - $7,999 per person
SAVE $500 when you sign up before 12/22/08

2. HOLLYWOOD SPOUSE PACKAGE - $699 includes all Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp evening activities, nightly dinners, access to master classes, and ticket to the concert at The WHISKY A Go Go.

Oh my.

Fieri, no stranger to rock concerts, was joined by Sean Penn, plus wife Robin Wright Penn and their kids, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and his family at an AC/DC concert after-party, Thursday, December 4 in Oakland. The rockstar of the kitchen made sushi and pulled pork for the party.

It's been said Fieri plays drums. Let's hope he doesn't take on a full-time job singing? Check this out, from August 1, 2008, in California.

Monday, December 15, 2008

FN Dish contest


Visit the FN Dish to enter for a chance to win a autographed Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives book.

Guy's Big Night airs February 25, 2009. The show was taped in early October.

Recently (on December 11, 2008), the associated press reported that the DDD book is #15 on the TRADE PAPERBACKS section of the "BC-Best-sellers-Books-PW" (whatever that is).

As far as I can tell, Guy has had a small number of book signing events: at the NY Wine and Food festival (just minutes after Bruce Seidel's interview pictured above), at two locations on the east coast in late October, at two locations in Southern California in early November, and at two cooking demonstrations in Cleveland, Ohio and in Des Moines, Iowa in mid-November. He's also had two book signings in his home area of Sonoma County, at his restaurant Johnny Garlic's in November and at Copperfield’s Books in Santa Rosa mid-December.

Not a great video below, but I like his last statement on meeting fans, "Best part of my life ..."



Here, Guy Fieri with fans Masato and Cori of Rohnert Park, CA,
at the book signing in Santa Rosa, 12/13/08

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Yes, and Football too


A friend sent me this picture of Guy at the NY Jets at Oakland Raiders game, from October 19, 2008. Oakland won that day, 13 to 16. Guy brought some luck? The Raiders have only won three games this season, against the Kansas City Chiefs (no brainer there), the Jets, and the Denver Broncos of all teams.

We're avid fans of football in our house, and Sundays always mean tons of friends and tons of food. It's usually some kind of meat that's cooked low and slow; this week, Pot Roast.

Dorable Pot Roast
Ingredients
1 3-lb chuck pot roast
2 T kosher salt
1 T fresh ground black pepper
1 T Italian seasoning
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 cup bold red wine (burgundy or cabernet)
1 cup beef broth
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 turnips, 1-inch cubes
2 carrots, 1-inch slices
1 yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, halved
3 T butter
3 T all-purpose flour

Directions
Combine spices in a bowl and rub on both sides of roast. Let rest about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On stovetop, sear roast in a hot roasting pan, about 10 minutes each side. Add wine, broth, rosemary; cover and roast in oven 90 minutes. Add vegetables; cook another 30 minutes and remove from oven. (can be done one day ahead and refrigerated)
Pour juices into a 3-cup measuring cup; remove everything from the roasting pan and set aside. On stovetop at medium heat, melt butter in roasting pan; add flour and cook, constantly stirring, about 10 minutes until the roux is no longer yellow, but rather a light tan in color. Slowly pour in the juices, constantly stirring, to make a gravy.
Slice the roast against the grain; add roast and vegetables back into the pan*, cover and keep warm until you're ready to eat.
*easily transferred into a Crock Pot, if you're traveling.

Serve over Crunchy Potato Slices

Crunchy Potato Slices
Ingredients
3 medium russet potatoes, not peeled, sliced into 1/4-inch chips
2 T kosher salt
2 T cracked black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil

Directions
Preheat broiler on high.
Rinse potato slices well in very cold water. Drain thoroughly, and pat dry if necessary. Toss in a large bowl with seasoning and oil.
In a sheet pan (or cookie sheet) place slices in a single layer and broil about 10 minutes, or until just beginning to brown. Flip the chips over and broil again until a nice dark golden brown, about another 7 minutes.

Welcome

Welcome! Click on an area of interest below or scroll through the topics listed in the right-hand margin. Plenty of information here! If you can't find what you're looking for, feel free to comment below, and we'll get back to you just as soon as we can.


Guy has hundreds of thousands of fans, probably just as many who don't like him, and even more who've never heard of him.

"You know who Guy Fieri is?"
"Uh no, who's that?"
"You watch the Food Network?"
"Uh no."
"Oh, well he's the guy that does Diners Drive-Ins and Dives." Blank stare. "The guy with the blond spiky hair?"
"Oh! Minute to Win It!"
"Yeah! That's him ...."

But for those of us who love his humor, energy, and love even more the food he makes, this is the place for you.

I'm nobody, just a midwestern housewife. I'm a good cook; I make a killer meatloaf, a pork roast that melts in your mouth, and a cheesecake that'll give you shivers down your spine.

I'd never cooked with chipotle peppers, I was still using table salt instead of kosher salt, and my spice rack stayed pristine in the cupboard. That is, until I started watching some of Guy's cooking shows.

"Why his shows and not the others?"
Flavor, baby. It's all about the flavor.

Cuban Pork Chops with Mojo

Fan Site Homepage

Big Props for Chops (GI0511H)

Guy's Big Bite - Big Props for Chops - Aired: 12/14/08

Guy Fieri loves surprising people, especially at the holidays. This year, follow his lead and switch out your ham or turkey for Guy's shockingly tasty Pork Rib Eye, bacon-blessed Brussels Sprouts, and, of course, a festive drink.

Root Gratin - recipe


Lamb Loin Chops with Mint Pesto - recipe


Das Pear Pineapple Strudel - dessert recipe


Keywords:
parsnips, sweet potato, celery root, potatoes, Gorgonzola cheese, lamb loin chops, mint, basil, pineapple, pears, puff pastry

Related Guy Fieri Recipes:
Side dishes with potatoes
Main dishes with lamb
Desserts

-> more on Guy's Big Bite <-

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Guy's Holiday Spread (GI0508H)

Guy's Big Bite - Guy's Holiday Spread - Aired: 12/7/08

Guy Fieri loves surprising people, especially at the holidays. This year, follow his lead and switch out your ham or turkey for Guy's tasty Pork Rib Eye, bacon-blessed Brussels Sprouts, and, of course, a festive drink.

Boneless Pork Loin with Red Wine Cranberry Glaze - recipe


Bumped-Up Brussels Sprouts - recipe


The Barrer at Ruth Lake - recipe

Keywords:
juniper berries, boneless pork loin chops, Red Wine Cranberry Glaze, Brussels sprouts, pine nuts, currants, raisins

Related Guy Fieri Recipes:
Main dishes with pork
Side dishes with vegetables

-> more on Guy's Big Bite <-