Cookfest 2010

Last night I had this idea: I was going to cook ALL day. I had a bunch of food in my refrigerator and pantry just waiting to be turned into a masterpiece of deliciousness. This morning I woke up sore and groggy (I must be a violent sleeper). But I managed to get myself out of bed, into my car, down to Starbucks, and into my local supermarket. Upon my return I prepped my ingredients and began what I have christened-Cookfest 2010.

First up, bruschetta-simply delicious bites! I cooked the baguette slices in a stick of melted butter lightly toasting the outside leaving the inside soft. The topping was your traditional tomatoes, chopped fresh garlic, red onions, and, unfortunately, dry basil (gotta work with what I got!). I ate most of the bruschetta, but for good reason I ran an hour earlier and was starving.

While the bruschetta was settling inside my stomach I started preparing my famous chicken vegetable casserole. This time I decided to make my own cream of mushroom sauce (one of the key ingredients of my casserole). I finely chopped the mushrooms, sauteeing them in butter and the crusty bits from the chicken. I created a rue and added whipping cream slowly stirring this lush, rich sauce finally seasoning for my taste. I mixed all the ingredients and left my creamy mushroom sauce for last. I slowly folded the sauce into the mixture making sure every piece of vegetable was covered in my succulent rich sauce. Baked off into the oven and on to my next dish...tacos al carbon.

The epitomy of Mexican street food. In between polishing off five pieces of bruschetta and prepping for my casserole I marinated beef flank steak with a generous portion of olive oil, soy sauce, salt, pepper...and the rest shall remain confidential. The only way you get these recipes are a) sign off on a non-disclosure form or b) I'm feeling generous enough to share them with you! After the marinating I grilled the steak. The most simple recipes are the most delicious and my tacos al carbon fit that description.

I was going to start on a third dish, but the people I was cooking for were too stuffed. My mother was about to burst from eating too much. My brother was too full to enjoy my tacos al carbon (I was shocked he has a bottomless stomach-I guess it found bottom). Well, I have seven days to create a new recipe until then savor every word morsel...