Safe From Irene

If surviving Hurricane Irene has taught me anything, it's that a good old-fashioned apocalypse scenario really puts you in the mood to stuff your face.  Am I right, Folks?

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I went into production mode 10am Saturday morning, still drunk from the night before.  By 2pm I had gone shopping and prepped 4qts of red sauce and a VAT of golden Japanese curry w/ root vegetables.

The ensuing 12 hour graze consisted of pasta, cheesy bread, pizza, cookies, goldfish crackers, steak & eggs, a lox bagel, and fried rice w/ golden curry.  From the looks of all the Facebook posts, it seems chicken cutlets were the front-runner this hurricane break.  How did you fuel your hurricane munchies?


© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable - http://www.missioninsatiable.com

Good Golly, Miss Molly!!

Designer cupcakes have never been more popular, and while names like Magnolia or Crumbs are typically the first to come to mind, there's a new player in the cupcake game that you should plot on your radar.

Molly's Cupcakes
228 Bleecker St
New York, NY 10014
212.414.2253

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Chicago confectionery colossus, Molly's Cupcakes, recently opened a NYC outpost in the West Village.  I featured Molly's in my very first post back in 2008, in which I describe the taste of Ron Bennington's "I've got my own cupcake" cupcake as a "Keebler elf orgy in your mouth." -- words I still stand by today.

chocolate cake filled w/ milk/dark chocolate, PB, & butterscotch filling
 topped w/ choc. ganache & crushed butterscotch!

Get in on the ground floor and visit Molly's before all the cupcake divas find out and send the line out the door.

© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable - http://www.missioninsatiable.com

What's the dill, pickle?

I'm obsessed with grilling pickles, and why not?  They're cheap, easily accessible, and make the perfect accompaniment to chicken, fish & pork alike.  Better yet, their salty brine replenishes the body of the electrolytes you've surely depleted while drinking Tecate under the hot sun all day long.

I've experimented w/ several different types of pickles and find that those of the dill variety grill up best. Dill pickles have a distinct tang that stands up to the heat and pairs especially well w/ lean proteins  You could grill the pickles whole, but I prefer them halved, lightly brush with olive oil and grilled over medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes each side.


© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable - http://www.missioninsatiable.com

Sufferin' Succotash

Succotash is an olde-timey dish that is traditionally made w/ corn, lima beans, and bacon.  It was prized during the Great Depression as a cheap, accessible meal that could feed the whole family.  Considering the current down-turn our economy is about to take, it's a dish with which you should become well acquainted.

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Slow-simmered beans and freshly shucked corn push this recipe over the top, but canned products are a fine substitutes if you don't have the time for the beans or the patience for the corn.  If you have the knife skills, try to cut the onion, garlic, and peppers so that they are smaller than the beans and corn kernels -- you want to add flavor, not upstage the main ingredients.

Nothing spices up economic ruin like bold Southwestern flavors!  

Southwestern Succotash

1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15 oz can of sweet corn, drained and rinsed 

1 roasted red pepper, small dice

1 roasted poblano pepper, small dice

1/2 red onion, small dice

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 chipotles en adobo, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

2 limes, juiced

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

salt & pepper to taste

1. combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl.  toss to combine.  taste & adjust seasoning.  let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable - http://www.missioninsatiable.com