Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

The Red Wine I drink most often is (and has been) Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel.  The price is right, especially when it’s on sale, and it has a nice depth of flavor, thus I was excited to stumble upon Ravenswood’s No Wimpy Wines Assignment just in time.  YOU now have 8 more days to create and submit a video using Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel as the star.  Since we already think it’s a star, it was fun to experiment with Windows Movie Maker and the ideas bouncing around my head.  Wish us luck!

We submitted 2 videos (above and below), as YOU may submit as many as you’re able to create.  Ravenswood looks to purchase at least 4 videos for use — Creators will receive a one-time usage fee of $5ooo for each video chosen.  Enter your video here now.

* In consideration of the pending competition (and embarrassment), the above videos are only posted now on Nibbles of Tidbits — It took a lot to work up to that. 🙂

Who doesn’t love Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce?  I haven’t met anyone.  And after countless years of Steak marination and mixing it into Sauces, for the life of me I still can’t pronounce it, and need to assess its spelling over and over — We all know what I’m talking about, right!?  Regardless, the mysterious concoction of flavors is the best!  And right now Lea & Perrins is asking YOU to Shine at Dinnertime with a Video Recipe Challenge.  You could WIN $10,000 and more.  Just create and submit a home video (under 4 minutes long) showing how easy it is to make a flavorful dish using Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce.  Submit a video today through November 14th.  Unwrap the possibilities, get filming (and editing), then upload your video here.  Voting begins in December.  More will be reported here when it’s happening.  GOOD LUCK!  Hhhmmm, perhaps I should start thinking about this one too.  I invented The Kiwi Game* in my first video and too shy to link my second — Will the third be a charm?  We’ll see.

* Thanks to Zespri and The Kiwi Game, I’m a lucky Semi-finalist in their fabulous contest you can enter here.  Not sure if I can actually call The Kiwi Game an invention. 😉

Bobby Flay was at Williams-Sonoma South Coast Plaza yesterday signing his new cookbook — Bobby Flay’s Throwdown!: More Than 100 Recipes From Food Network’s Ultimate Cooking Challenge.  Since the line was way too long and my patience and available time too short, Jennifer provided her adorable photo for posting above.  Thanks Jennifer (and Bobby).

Just a fraction of the line going in to Williams-Sonoma to see Bobby Flay.

Since the book includes recipes from Bobby Flay and a few hometown challengers, we’ll soon be hosting our own Throwdown!  We plan to make competing recipes and have a blind taste test to see if we agree with what went down at the Throwdown.

Check back to see Nibbles of Tidbits Testdown! results.

I’m excited to tune-in to Digital Happy Hour for the first time — It’s a Live Broadcast that happens from Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza each Wednesday between 5:30-7:00pm.  See you there.  They say…

Each week, Executive Chef Amar Santana & Social Filmmaker Sean Saint-Louis host unique celebrity and social media guests as they unwind with cocktails and culinary delights, while discussing the latest trends in food, film, mixology, sports and fashion.  It’s always progressive, always fun and never predictable.  Wherever you are in the world, you’ll be glad you tuned in to The Digital Happy Hour.

You can learn more from Orange County Films.  And previous Charlie Palmer reviews can be viewed here and here.

Note:  Broadcast times and locations vary, thus check the Digital Happy Hour link above for the latest news.  The video player becomes live each Wednesday.

Does your Vodka bottle speak to you?  Perhaps it will, if you spend enough time together.  MEDEA Vodka is being sold as the world’s first interactive, programmable bottle.  It’s a new Dutch Vodka that I haven’t yet tried, but do appreciate the uniqueness of the bottle.  When I get a bottle, I might program it to say — What are you looking at?  Or, take a picture it might last longer, or back-off.  Or something else fun that’s up to 255 characters long.  We’ll see.  🙂

Circa 10+ years ago, I was subscribing to all the popular gourmet cooking magazines — Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Saveur, Cook’s Illustrated, etc.  And for Christmas my Grandma got me a subscription to Taste of Home.  I hadn’t known of it and remember her saying… “It’s not a fancy gourmet magazine, but I’ve liked it for a long time.”  She was indeed on to something, because it turned out to be one of my favorite magazines too.  My Grandma (now 89) and I have enjoyed many recipes from Taste of Home magazines over the years.  Thanks Grandma.  And now Taste of Home is having a CONTEST you could possibly win.  It’s a Win-Win Contest, as you’ll learn by reading below.

WIN UP TO $20,000 FOR YOUR SCHOOL, PLUS ANOTHER $20,000 FOR YOU!  ENTER THE TASTE OF HOME TEACHERS RECIPE CONTEST PRESENTED BY BOOKS ARE FUN™

Bake sale blockbusters, popular potlucks, teachers’ lounge favorites, fabulous finger foods, delicious desserts, good for you goodies… The stomach often rules the mind at school. Now, Taste of Home, the world’s most popular cooking magazine, and Books are Fun™ have teamed up to put some money where that food goes with the Taste of Home Teachers Recipe Contest.

Books Are Fun will award more than $70,000 in cash and prizes for the best original submitted recipes chosen by the staff at Taste of Home, with $20,000 awarded to BOTH the grand prize winner and the affiliated school.

“Taste of Home is thrilled to work with Books Are Fun to celebrate our teachers and all the wonderful people who help make our schools so special,” said Catherine Cassidy, editor-in-chief of Taste of Home. “We’ve all heard the news stories about budget cuts. This is a chance to do something positive for schools.”

The Taste of Home Teachers Recipe Contest has six categories for submissions: 

• Appetizers & Snacks – Finger foods are always popular in the teachers’ lounge.  Pick the spreads, snack mix, and other savory bites that keep the staff happily munching!
• Soups, Salads and Sides – What recipe do you grab for your potluck?  We’re looking for dishes that travel well and steal the show, like salads and pasta creations among others!
• Entrees – What’s your best main course outside of school?  We want to see your bubbling casseroles, slow-cooked specialties, family-favorite main dishes and even party subs!
• Desserts – Enter everything from cakes and pies to trifles and tortes in this tooth-tingling category!
• Bake Sale – Send us your favorite cookies, cupcakes, bars, brownies, spiced nuts and home-made jams, whatever clears bake-sale tables the quickest!
• Healthy Recipes – Healthy is huge in school these days.  Submit your favorite recipe that is so good, no one ever guesses it’s lower in fat and calories.

 The Taste of Home tasting panel will pick three winners from all of the submissions. The grand prize winner will win $20,000 and $20,000 for the school affiliated with that winner, plus a free one-year subscription to Taste of Home magazine for all paid full-time teachers and staff at the school. The second-place winner will win $10,000, plus $10,000 for the school. Third place will take home $5,000 plus $5,000 for the school. 

Entry forms and rules can be found at www.tasteofhome.com/teacherscontest or www.teacherscontest.booksarefun.com.  Completed entries must be received by 11:59pm (CT) on November 30, 2010.

Learn where to GIVE in Orange County and throughout California during National Food Bank Week and all year long.  Give today for you may need to receive tomorrow.

Tomorrow begins National Food Bank Week (10/09/10 – 10/15/10) — As Orange County Food Examiner, I’ll be posting about what can be done locally to contribute.  Do you have food or time to donate right now?  If local and unsure how to help, the Orange County Food Bank is a good place to start — And Second Harvest Food Bank is another.  More links and information will be reported on Examiner.com.

Be sure to make dinner and/or lunch reservations this week in Orange County.  Restaurant Week is happening now through Saturday.  You can learn more about it here.  In celebration, we attended its Kick Off Party at Prego Ristorante in Irvine.

We enjoyed seemingly endless appetizer platters, Coppola Wine, Agave Tequila and Sobieski Wodka (Polish Vodka).  I had not been to Prego in years.  The service and food was as good as I remember.  We didn’t fall in love with the Kick Off Party appetizers, but our subsequent Three Course Meal for $30 was fantastic.

All were on stand by ready to serve food and drinks — Love that!

I enjoyed the Coppola Wine, while my guest had the Wodka.

As soon as one appetizer platter ran out, Prego staff brought out another.

Jill-FM Radio (92.7) DJ was playing great tunes for the crowd. 

Important people were being interviewed — I don’t know who.  It was a Sunday and I don’t get paid to know, hahaha.  The dining room is beautiful at Prego and the bar is larger than it used to be.  The dessert cart is also pictured below.

After the party, we took pleasure in Prego’s Three Course Meal, which includes a Glass of Wine.  It’s an amazing deal for $30.  And I was thrilled to see Carpaccio Cipriani as an option for the First Course.  I was sold on that alone. 

For the Second Course I had Risotto Mare with Arborio Rice, Shrimp, Scallops, Manila Clams and Black Mussels, and my friend had Costata Di Bue, a Mesquite Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Potatoes and Sauteed Vegetables.  Both meals were excellent, especially the Rib Eye and the Sauce that tops it.  Unfortunately the photo didn’t do it justice, thus it’s not posted.

And dessert includes a choice between Tiramisu and Torta Di Limone.  We got one of each.

We love Orange County Restaurant Week FOOD and prices — As previously mentioned, it’s the best time to dine out in the OC.  Eat now before it ends.

Join OC Foodies to stay on top of the latest Orange County food and restaurant news.

The challenge continues in Morocco, where I’ve mentally traveled the past few days.  As a lucky contender still kicking my way through Project Food Blog, I’m now asked to “tackle a classic dish from another culture” that’s “outside [my] comfort zone” — I can’t wait!  I’m excited to advance to Challenge #2.  Thank you judges, voters, God, family and friends.

During international cookbook immersion, a spark ignited for Kefta with Eggs and Tomato.  I had sought to find a dish we really wanted to eat, one that had unique ingredients, yet not a ridiculous amount, and one that didn’t take too long to make, and it had to be colorful — I initially thought about Rogan Josh, but it didn’t pass the color test.  Another time for that.  Selecting an “ethnic classic” I wasn’t familiar with led me on a journey, as the prompt likely intended.  Before understanding my chosen dish, I thought I’d be dining in the Middle East, then came to realize that I’d actually be in North Africa, most specifically Morocco having the pictured Kefta with Eggs and Tomato for supper with Moroccan friends.  It’s also a classic brunch dish and it’s served as a snack at bus and train stations in between both destinations.

Kefta with Eggs and Tomato (with Ras El Hanout) is pin-pointedly Moroccan and satisfies all self-imposed and set standards of this challenge.  What’s Ras El Hanout?  Last week I had no clue and I’m still not sure how to pronounce it, but now know what it is.  After calling all over town to purchase it off the shelf, I learned one jar was available 40 miles away.  At that moment I realized that it wasn’t necessary to drive there, since [it] is a somewhat subjective spice — Meaning Ras El Hanout is not one spice.  It’s sold in countless spice variations. 

In Arabic, Ras El Hanout means “top of the shop” and refers to the best spices a seller has to offer.  It usually contains no less than a dozen spices and sometimes up to a hundred.  It’s also believed to be an aphrodisiac.  Does it mean that each Ras El Hanout combination magically morphs into an aphrodisiac?  I’m not sure about that, but it’s fun to wonder about.  Since I had all ingredients on hand, I made my own Ras El Hanout to find out.  I found several recipes on the web and chose one that sounded best to me.  I halved the recipe and added two ingredients that were common in similar recipes.  Nibbles of Tidbits’ Ras El Hanout Recipe is posted here:

1 Teaspoon of Cumin
1 Teaspoon of Ginger
1 Teaspoon of Turmeric
1 Teaspoon of Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon of Allspice
1/2 Teaspoon of Coriander
1/2 Teaspoon of Red Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon of Saffron Threads
1/2 Teaspoon of Cardamom
1/4 Teaspoon of Cloves
1/8 Teaspoon of Nutmeg
1 1/2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon

Toast and grind spices if whole, then combine all and keep in an airtight container.  I reused a saved spice jar and slapped a new label over it. 

Kefta is basically ground meat, most commonly Lamb and/or Beef that’s mixed with a variety of herbs and spices — It’s then formed into balls, sticks or loaves, and grilled, fried or baked, etc.  The recipe made here is based on one from The African and Middle Eastern Cookbook (pg. 103).  I stayed true to authenticity, yet made it a little tastier by caramelizing the Onions before adding them to the Meatball mixture, and easier by baking them instead of frying ’em.  In addition, I added Garlic, as seen in many Moroccan Kefta recipes, and I used fresh Tomatoes instead of canned.  Nibbles of Tidbits’ Kefta with Eggs and Tomato Recipe is posted here:

1 lb. of Ground Lamb
1 small chopped Sweet Onion
1 Cup of Bread Crumbs
4 – 5 Eggs
1 large minced Garlic Clove
6 large fresh chopped Tomatoes
2 + 1 Teaspoon(s) of Ras El Hanout
1/4 Cup of chopped fresh Cilantro
1/2 Cup of Water* (1/4 + 1/4)
Flat Leaf Parsley (chopped), a little for Sauce and garnish
Salt and freshly ground Pepper
Olive Oil for baking sheet and Onion sauté

Sauté Onion until caramelized.  Add Garlic, cook two minutes longer and set aside.  Combine the Lamb, Bread Crumbs, 1 Egg, Ras El Hanout (2 tsps.), Onions and Garlic, Cilantro and S & P.  Mix together well, then add Water, 1/4 cup at a time until incorporated.  Form into medium sized Meatballs and bake in a preheated 400° oven for 25 – 30 minutes.  

* Adding Water or Milk to a Meatball recipe lightens them up, whereas they cut like butta.  There’s no reason for a Meatball to be tough, unless you’re a biker named One Tough Meatball.

To make the Sauce, combine the Tomatoes, Sugar, reserved Ras El Hanout (1 tsp.) and a handful of Flat Leaf Parsley.  Simmer until reduced, then add the baked Meatballs to the Sauce.  Form 3 – 4 wells for the Eggs.  Crack ’em directly into the skillet, cover and cook until Eggs are set.  Serve straight from the skillet with Crusty Bread.

For continued authenticity, we served the Kefta with Sweet Mint Green Tea, Orange Juice and Olives, popular beverages and a snack in Morocco.  I properly mixed the Tea too.

Kefta with Eggs and Tomato turned out to be a flavorful, hearty and beautiful dish.  For this challenge, I read 15 – 20 recipes to create an adaptation that kept the dish authentic, yet made it easier to prepare and better to eat.  I can’t help it — It’s all I know. 🙂

Could this post be worthy of (1) of your (200) votes?  I hope so!  I’m exhausted, yet still wanting to line up standby guests for the Discovery Dinner Party, in the event there’s reason to celebrate.  My brain is on the last flight back from Morocco.

You may VOTE FOR ME here.

I made it through!  How exciting.  Thanks to those who voted for me during Challenge #1 of Project Food Blog.  I’m now one of (400) competing in Challenge #2, whereas the task is to prepare an “ethnic classic” dish that’s out of my comfort zone.  Cool.  I’m working on it and shall be eating it soon, as it’s necessary since the deadline is in two days.  It seems I’ve joined a fast marathon — Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.  Overall, it’s a good thing and I have a fantastic recipe selected that’s due here shortly.  Hope it’s as good as it sounds.  We’ll see.

As Orange County Food Examiner, I just posted details and links regarding Orange County Restaurant Week, which starts (again) this Sunday, September 26th.  It’s always the best time to dine out in the OC.  You get more food for less money.

* The pictured Sizzlin Blue Crab Cakes are from Ruth’s Chris Steak House, an Orange County Restaurant Week participant.

Regarding politics I usually preach the importance of voting.  You can’t complain if you don’t vote, I say.  In this instance, I cannot compel voting solely for the benefit of me.  I don’t like to bug.  However, if you’d like to take a minute to log on to Foodbuzz, you can vote for me here in the Project Food Blog Competition.  It can be a win-win.  If looking for recipes, enticing food photos and content, there will be voter satisfaction and potential advancement for me.  Challenge #1 voting commences at 6AM on 09/20/10 and remains open until 6PM on 09/23/10.  400 Winners (of 1,890) will be announced at 12PM on 09/24/10 — All will advance to Challenge #2, where the competition will be cut in half.  Wish us luck and vote if you like. 🙂

Ready, Set, Blog!  It’s time for the first of (10) Challenges developed by Foodbuzz for Project Food Blog, a friendly contest amongst hundreds of talented Featured Publishers to determine the Next Project Food Blog Star.  What an honor that would be!  Oh, $10,000 is the PRIZE too.  Hello.  In Challenge #1 contestants will be put in a colander to see if they make it through to become (1) of (400) selected from (1,850+).  Each challenge eliminates more, until I’m left.  Here the judges want to know WHY I have what it takes to be “the one” and WHAT makes Nibbles of Tidbits unique and sets it apart from other food blog brands.  Good questions.  I hope to answer them clearly here in words and photos.

More about me and WHY I have what it takes to be the Next Food Blog Star*.

Although pictured in my Contestant Profile with my Rocky Mountain Orange Cream Pie at the Fair, I’d opt for Foie Gras in a minute.  And after reserving a slice of the Pie for later, I’d want to smash it in a friend’s face for a laugh, fully deserving retaliation.  If you dish it out, you’ve got to eat it.  Overall, I’m sweet, savory and spicy, and rarely make the same dish twice.  I’ve cooked my way through various classics — Lobster Thermidor, Beef Wellington, Coq au Vin and countless others.  And I’ve explored foods from a number of cultures — Thai, Indian, Greek, etc.  I love to experiment and keen on purchasing ingredients I’ve never tasted and/or used before.  It’s almost as fun as Christmas to determine what to make with them.  Experimentation is how I discovered Parsnips (White Carrots) so long ago and I still can’t believe most I ask haven’t tried them.  I want to taste almost everything.  Too many Americans are missing out by not sampling different things.

More reasons WHY… I’ve been lucky enough to win several ribbons in the Orange County Fair’s Culinary Arts Competitions.  I also won a contest sponsored by Milk, whereas my recipe (Fennel-Cannellini Soup) and photo appeared in Gourmet and Bon Appétit Magazines sporting a Milk Moustache.  I won the Grand Prize in the Soup category.  And another recipe creation (Angel Cake Soufflé) was endorsed by Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen.  Family and friends call me with their food related questions and I love answering them.

Equal to my passion for cooking, I’d opt to eat out day and night until tiring of it.  I haven’t yet tired, but my wallet does.  The restaurant options are limitless.  Dining out is instant gratification, as it provides diverse food quickly, without having to do the dishes.  One of the finest meals out caused me to melt down my chair in excitement with every bite — I was under the table by the end of the meal.  Maybe it was the Wine.

Utilizing all I’ve learned with a fine palate, I like to uncover (by taste) what’s in a memorable restaurant dish to possibly re-create it at home.  I’ve been successful with a few favorites — One example is linked and others can be found in the ‘Copycat Recipes‘ category.  And finally with respect to WHY I have what it takes, I write as the Orange County Food Examiner on Examiner.com and for others as needed by way of I Need Text Co.  I tell people that starting my blog is one of the best things I’ve done, since I walk and talk FOOD all day long anyway.  It’s truly meant to be that I’m here right now.  Cheers.

* I’m not sure about the “Star” part of the title — I’m most interested in the “Project Food Blog” part, because I love FOOD (the true Star), eating, photography, blogging**, cooking, writing and a good old-fashioned competition.

** Are there better words than blog, blogger and blogging?  The terms are just so… not cool sounding.  I guess it’s too late now.

WHAT makes my blog (Nibbles of Tidbits) unique?  And what sets it apart from other food blog brands?

Nibbles of Tidbits is about the GOOD, the BAD & the FUNNY regarding FOOD — From Yikes to Ooo La La, as the heading states.  Having cooked like a maniac for twenty plus years, I’ve learned that some dishes turn out great and others turn out like crap.  And some published recipes and flavor combinations work and others are just plain wrong.  I report about it all.  Since I’ve fine-tuned my cooking skills over time, most meals turn out GOOD, and I’ve come to realize that the BAD can also be FUNNY.  Photos posted for this first challenge represent the good, bad and funny (GBF) regarding food and drinks.

Nibbles of Tidbits is FOOD without limitations — Thank God since I want to experience all aspects of it, especially that from the earth, food events, restaurants, product testing and comparison, easy recipe creation, unique ingredients, copycat recipe development, cooking shortcuts, special finds and all things interesting.  I sometimes find pleasure in fast food and frozen meals, but feel most excellent at a gourmet (non-stuffy) dining establishment with a glass of Wine in hand.  All is reported about with helpful and entertaining insight.

I’m a snob for freshness, quality and value and want to get what I pay for.  Don’t gouge me with inferiority and all should be good — I prefer not to write bad things, but truth is king.  With a few exceptions, I’ve posted daily for almost 2 1/2 years and challenges include… Taking photos before digging in, measuring ingredients before adding them to creations, and presentation (mine looks too elementary school sometimes).  Nibbles of Tidbits is unique for the reasons mentioned herein and we’re (I’m) excited to encounter more, eat well and laugh along the way.

See my Project Food Blog Contestant Profile linked below — MAKE ME YOUR BABY.  I’ll make you proud! 🙂

Happily I’ve never had a bad meal at Benihana — The restaurant chain opened more than 40 years ago.  I’ve dined at several locations across the states and haven’t left any without a smile on my face.  The food is always fresh, cooked perfectly and it’s fun to watch it happen.  And if you join The Chef’s Table, you’ll receive a complimentary meal during the month of your birthday, a $30 value.  It’s a great deal.  If you have a birthday coming up, join now.

This visit we ordered the Land ‘N Sea, which includes Benihana’s Onion Soup and Salad, a Hibachi Shrimp appetizer, Zucchini and Onions, steamed or fried Rice, Ice Cream and Green Tea, as like most meals.  The Land ‘N Sea also consists of Filet Mignon and Sea Scallops that are grilled with Lemon and Butter.  Everything tasted fantastic and the cooking show was entertaining as usual, especially when our chef missed catching an Egg that fell and cracked on the floor — It happens.  Unfortunately that photo turned out blurry.

These photos were taken at Benihana’s Newport Beach restaurant.  We recommend Chef Roberto, who is pretty darn funny and talented.  The service seems extra good at this location.  Management was walking around making sure everyone was happy and satisfied.

Chef Roberto made a heart out of the Fried Rice and a volcano out of the Onions.

Our Filet Mignon and Sea Scallops were perfectly cooked, as usual.

Keep it coming — We’re always stuffed on the way out and have leftovers for the next day.

Although we’ve enjoyed countless meals at Benihana, this is Nibbles of Tidbits’ first report.

We celebrated a couple birthdays at our table, thus appreciated the complimentary photo, beautifully carved Pineapple and song.  Chef’s Table birthday meals are honored without a hitch — Just bring in the printed voucher with an ID and you may redeem it anytime during the month of your birthday.  It’s a terrific deal.

I’m advised that National Chicken Day is Wednesday, September 15th — Although there are plenty of places to find Chicken, El Pollo Loco is one of the best and this year they celebrate 30 years of flame-grilled perfection.  I’ve been going there since day one and have yet to find another “fast food” Chicken I like better.  To include guests in on their anniversary celebration, El Pollo Loco is offering daily coupons that can be downloaded directly from their website.  Guests who visit El Pollo Loco on National Chicken Day with their printed coupon will receive a FREE piece of citrus-marinated, flame-grilled Chicken (leg or thigh), warm Tortillas and fresh Salsa.  No purchase is required.  Print your coupon and mark your calendar.  I did.

I concur with the message in this video by the Bulk is Green Council.  You can save time and money buying certain items in the bulk aisle, rather than elsewhere scattered throughout the store.  I recently experienced its benefits at Henry’s Farmers Market — A great store for bulk.

Above is just a sliver of Henry’s bulk foods selection — Don’t forget to write the item number on each tag / bag sealer, so the checker will know how to ring it up.  Many items look the same, especially the powdered goods.  It can be a fair amount of writing if you get a variety.  This day we tried a little of a lot (about 15 items).  It was entertaining and we did see that money can be saved when needing a little or a lot of certain things.

I’m advised that it’s National Bulk Foods Day on October 23rd — Hhhmmm, it seems there’s a day for everything now.  Did you know it’s National Nibbles of Tidbits Day on December 3rd?  It is!  Until then, buy from the bulk foods aisle.

When cooked, there’s a hidden Spinach surprise beneath each Egg.  This recipe was inspired by one prepared by Chef Jamie Gwen and my love of Eggs Florentine as an alternate to Eggs Benedict, another breakfast favorite — I combined aspects of each, along with Nature’s Pride 100% Wheat Bread to create the best marriage of all.  I’m calling this one Florentine Surprise Eggs & Toast.  They’re easy to make and produce a remarkable presentation of flavor.

This recipe was fashioned for potential Bread Ambassadorship to be bestowed by Nature’s Pride, an official Sponsor of the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco this November.  It would be a tremendous honor to be one of the chosen six — I’ll stress later about demoing it at the Pavilion, if selected.  Can I get a volunteer to dice the Onions and crack the Eggs? 🙂

As shown in photos (l – r) downward, I used Nature’s Pride 100% Whole Wheat Bread, and to be honest I’m not a big Wheat Bread gal, but do enjoy the double-wrapped freshness, texture and taste of Nature’s Pride Breads in general.  In my experience, the one’s I’ve tried have been exceptional — I’m happy to report.  This recipe was developed with it as the base.

The Florentine Surprise Eggs & Toast does rest on the “Toast” — First cut the Bread slices into rounds with a well-sized Cookie or Biscuit cutter, then toast them (light – medium) in the oven or toaster oven.  Both work well if you don’t burn ’em.  No neglect can happen.

Florentine Surprise Eggs & Toast
Recipe Ingredients, Instructions & Tips:

* Nature’s Pride 100% Wheat Bread  * Baby Spinach  * Eggs  * Sweet Onion 
*Deli Ham Slices  * Lemon Zest  * Green Onions  * Olive Oil  * Cooking Spray

Dice and caramelize Onions until golden brown, then stuff the same large pot with washed fresh Spinach.  Cook down the Spinach* and all liquid, stir in the Lemon Zest** and set mixture aside to drain.  Spray Cupcake/Muffin pans with preferred Cooking Spray and place one Toast round in each cup, then arrange the Ham*** slices formed into a cup over each Toast.  Add a portion of the drained Spinach mixture on top of the the Ham, crack an Egg over each, season with Salt and freshly ground Pepper, and then bake all in a preheated oven at 375° for 15 minutes.  Remove and transfer to a serving platter and/or awaiting plates and garnish with Green Onions.

* The amount of Spinach to use is sometimes hard to estimate.  For six Florentine Surprise Eggs & Toast I used about 6 – 7 cups of fresh Spinach.  Add approximately (2) tablespoons of the cooked Florentine mixture to each cup being sure to leave enough room for the Egg.  As a test, I also prepared one Florentine combo (pictured above) with uncooked cut Spinach and Lemon Zest and it didn’t turn out nearly as flavorful, thus it’s not recommended.  I’m always looking for a good tasting shortcut.

** Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of Lemon Zest after cooking the Spinach mixture.  Its addition is meant to bring in the essence of a Hollandaise Sauce, which is usually included with Eggs Florentine and Benedict.

*** Ask your Deli Guy/Gal to slice their finest Ham into medium thick slices (not too thick).  The pictured Ham slices were a bit too thin.  It’s best to use thicker slices, so the Egg doesn’t leak through.  If it does leak a little, it’s not the end of the world.  And believe it or not, the Toast base does adhere to the Ham top for easy removal from the pan.

Note:  I must state the following… As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I’ll receive a coupon good for a package of Bread.  That’s it.  The pictured loaf was on my dime, as I wanted to get started on this fun concoction.  I’ve learned that Wheat Bread is good to eat too.  Thanks for the consideration Foodbuzz and Nature’s Pride.  Enjoy the recipe!

Have you tried Tonnino’s Tuna?  I just did and now I’m hooked.  But for the challenge Tonnino’s is currently hosting, I would’ve never tried their Tuna — Mostly because I’ve never been fond of canned Tuna, Tuna Salad, Tuna Casseroles and alike, nor a fan of unfamiliar jarred products.  After learning about Tonnino’s exceptional quality and the care that goes into their Tuna (and the $5,000 prize), I became interested.  And since they’re in search of video recipes and we’re wanting to experiment, all came together in one great recipe — Calypso Tuna Cakes.  I made our recipe/video entry with the pictured Tuna and the taste was delicious. 

Because the recipe is currently involved in a competition, we’ll post it here later or soon link to it elsewhere.  The instructional video is posted on Tonnino’s site — View at your own risk.  I look goofy, but the Calypso Tuna Cakes are guaranteed awesome.  It’s a winner in flavor.  The Tonnino Tuna Chef Challenge ends October 1st.  Enter here now or wish us luck!

It’s time to submit a video to become the next Chef Ambassador in The Tonnino Tuna Chef Challange.  Tonnino, known for its high quality, hand filleted/packed Tuna is looking for the Next Tonnino Chef.  In addition to the title, the PRIZE is $5,000 towards the advancement of culinary education and a one-year supply of Tonnino Tuna.  I created an amazing recipe and now workin’ on a video (yikes) for a chance to win dinero towards future dinner-O’s.  I hope to fund my varied culinary education through classes, books, events, and all things food related to report on Nibbles of Tidbits — And I’d surely come up with a lot more Tuna recipes.

* The above photo doesn’t do the flavor of our entry/recipe justice — We’ll post more about [it] once our video is submitted.  Good luck all!

The 2010 inaugural OC Foodie Fest officially happened at the Honda Center last Saturday and although I personally was unable to attend, Nibbles of Tidbits sent its favorite Guest Blogger, Bonnie and her trusty photographer, Andrea to enjoy and report about the event.  Somebody had to do it and wish it was me after hearing about it.  Bonnie writes the rest…

The food, the sun and the fun were all perfectly aligned at the Honda Center Saturday afternoon for the inaugural OC Foodie Fest, with over 8,500 people attending the sold out event and 49 gourmet food trucks. No doubt this will be the first of many more Orange County Foodie Fests to come.

Although there were officially declared favorites, the three of us unofficially agreed that the top banana — while bananas are served as an option on top of loukas, which are Greek donuts – should have gone to Louks Greek Gourmet To Go food truck. We think their lamb chops might be the best we have ever had. In fact, they were so good that we decided to take some home with us.

Apparently many others agreed, because while we ran back there at the end of our day, stood in line and paid for the perfectly seasoned and prepared chops, they ran out just one person shy of us.  To their credit, Louks refunded our money and served up an equally tasty Gyro sandwich as a substitute free of charge. Thanks for being so gracious, Louks!

Our next stop was the World Fare Bustaurant, a double-decker with room the top to eat and enjoy the people watching.  Our truffle infused macaroni and cheese balls were mouth watering. And we washed them down with a strawberry-basil-lemonade that was to-die-for. It had just the perfect amount of the basil flavor added to the tasty drink.

The last truck we ate from, Piaggio on Wheels, offered a truly a diverse cuisine. We could not resist trying the water served in a real coconut, empanadas and a bacon wrapped hot dog topped with both chipotle and chimichurri sauce. It was all delicious and truly gourmet food.

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that all of the shopping provided by the Patchwork vendors was top notch and high quality. There was also an art show with live painting from eVocal, plus live local music and an area devoted just to kids. The O C Foodie Fest also gave back to the community, with a percentage of the proceeds going to three local charities, Child SHARE, St. Vincent’s Meals on Wheels and Pretend City.

The OC Foodie Fest was meant to bring exposure to the growing market in Orange County for food trucks, as well as to give the opportunity for LA trucks to branch out into a new area.  It succeeded on so many levels that we can’t wait for the next one!

THANKS to our Guest Blogger, Bonnie Flamm and event photographer, Andrea Stein for the excellent report and photos — I hope to attend next time.  Learn here where the trucks might be going next or follow them on Twitter.

I just posted a Cupcake Report as the Orange County Food Examiner.  It’s a fairly comprehensive report regarding Cupcakes in the OC.  The Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes pictured above were made using a White Cake Mix base.  We added Lemon Zest and Vanilla Bean to the Batter and then frosted 1/2 with a real Strawberry Buttercream Frosting and the other 1/2 with a Lemon Glaze (Lemon Juice and Powdered Sugar) — They’re fresh tasting and perfect for Summer Cupcakes.  We’ll definitely make them again.

Above photos were taken during and after the OC Fair Cupcake Competition — Check out the Examiner links for more information about that competition and Cupcakes in general.

The Project Food Blog Competition starts in September and Contestant Profiles are going up.  We just posted ours that’s captured in the above screen shot.  During the (12) week competition, Contestants will be whittled down through participation in (10) challenges related to food blogging.  The ultimate prize for the last blogger standing is $10,000 and a “special feature” on Foodbuzz for one year.  Wish us luck!

Project Food Blog Contestants

Nibbles of Tidbits Contestant Profile