Bobby On The Brain

Sure, he made an ass of himself on Iron Chef but the man has a killer mussel recipe. I just made them on the stove and will serve with some sourdough toast.

Steamed Mussels with White Wine, Tarragon, Shallots, Butter, and Grilled French Bread

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Level: Easy

Serves:4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the bread
• 2 shallots, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups white wine
• 2 pounds cultivated mussels, scrubbed
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 baguette, halved lengthwise

Directions

Heat grill to high. Sprinkle garlic with a pinch of salt and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear the garlic to a coarse paste. Heat the oil in a stockpot on the grates of the grill, add the shallots and garlic and cook until shallots soften. Add the wine, bring to a boil and stir in the mussels. Cover the pot and cook the mussels until all of them have opened, about 6 to 8 minutes, discard any that do not open.

Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer and whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and stir in the tarragon. Pour the mixture over the mussels and serve immediately with grilled bread.

Brush cut side of baguette with oil, season with salt and pepper and grill, cut side down until lightly golden brown.

Cornflake Chicken

In middle school and high school I would go to A's house to study. There are 2 delicious dinners I'd look forward to while I was there: Parmesan and olive oil pasta and cornflake chicken. I use corn flakes from Whole Foods that don't have high fructose corn syrup in it.

Cornflake Chicken
Preheat oven 350 degrees. A's mom would use chicken tenders but this time, I used skinless boneless chicken thighs. Remove fat and cut into uniform pieces in terms of size and thickness. In a plastic bag crush cornflakes and add kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Shake chicken in bag to coat. Butter glass/ metal pan and place chicken. Drizzle with melted butter and pop into oven for 20 minutes or until done.

Take That Food Network BBQ Special

M likes to watch TV on mute when she's working at night so I put on the Food Network. It is not something one should watch after dinner. First we wanted ice cream, then cookies and then "Best Thing I Ever Ate: BBQ." I was drooling and decided I will definitely hit Hill Country when I'm back in NY.

To satisfy my craving today (now!), I took out 2 of our thin cut rib eyes and marinated them in Montreal Steak seasoning and Worcestershire sauce (ignore the high fructose corn syrup, it's not really there). Made O's lemon dressing (lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, fresh cracked pepper, salt). Made potato salad (4 baked potatoes, mayo, shallots, rice vinegar, celery salt, fresh cracked pepper). Cooked the steaks on a super hot cast iron grill (awesome if don't have or are too lazy to do that whole charcoal grill thing). Let the steaks rest and then plated steak, salad (arugula, dressing, parm cheese) and potato salad. Apartment BBQ.

V.H., MPP

Congratulations, V! It was an inspiring ceremony and Arianna Huffington was funny, brilliant and an amazing speaker. I also really loved the live organ playing.

LA Landscape

Gorgeous windy drive through Topanga (I always think of Boy Meets World). I did the same drive last year when I went to C&C's wedding. And of course, LA traffic. Gotta love it! Oh, and no one told me about June Gloom. Brrr and sticky.

LA In My Belly

V and I are all about food. Before we visit each other we send each other the food schedule. From the airport, she took us to gr/eats (delicious fried oyster plate) and Volcano Tea (shaved ice with red bean, condensed milk, almond jello and taro pudding) on Sawtelle. Then we headed to Abbot Kinney Blvd for tea at Jin Patisserie. We met up with M & H at Sagebrush Cantina for an awesome taco tray and live music that we sang along to (oh oh oh OH Sweet Child O' Mine....). And last but not least, the awesome sushi chef who made me a special uni sushi with a dollop of wasabi, lemon, salt and no nori. Delicious!

Banh Hoi

These fresh rice rolls are M's favorite meal in the whole world (she once ate 15 at 1 sitting). Her mom made it last night and we are attempting to recreate it (it'll be my first Cambodian recipe).

Banh Hoi
- Beef: slice eye of round thinly, chop half an onion and 1 garlic clove. Heat canola oil in wok, add garlic, then beef, oyster sauce, and onions. Add half cup of water. Stirring frequently, cook until beef is brown.
- Rice vermicelli: soak in warm water, nuke, toss with olive oil and sprinkle with scallions or fried garlic
- Rice summer roll wraps (aka Vietnamese Rice Paper): soak in warm water and lay on these plastic circle things with holes
- Special fish sauce: boil 7 cups of water with 2 cups of sugar and then take off heat. Soak chillies in 2 cups palm vinegar. Combine with 1 head of garlic chopped, 1 cup fish sauce (3 crab brand). Fill 2 liter soda bottle and keep in fridge.
- Various fresh herbs and mints (I think 2 are spearmint and thai basil - wish I knew what the others were)
- Green leaf lettuce
- Cucumber

Pour out some special fish sauce into individual bowls and add 3 spoonfuls of sauce from the cooked beef. Take rice wrap and add beef, vermicelli, herbs, lettuce and cucumber. Make into roll and dip into sauce.

*Teasim, Dukem & DC Tourist Day 2

After cooking and eating another breakfast smorgasbord (eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, pancakes, hash browns, fresh fruit), we headed out for my DC Tourist Day 2 and Dr. Do and A's Day 4. I was a bit disappointed with the Freer and Sackler - my favorite piece was basically a big fun house mirror. We could've played with that exhibit all day. We had a huge lunch at Teasim, who knew that healthy food could be so filling? Found our countries at the Navy Memorial and headed to the Museum of American History where I promptly passed out from a food coma. After Dr. Do and A took in their muppets and ruby red slippers, I took them to Dukem, my favorite Ethiopian restaurant. Special Tibs never let me down.

*Dancing Crab

We took the fam to our favorite crab restaurant in DC - The Dancing Crab. M's mom kicked our butts by devouring 6. I beat M 3 to 2.5. I also had my first hush puppy - it reminded me of shrimp toast topping. Oh delicious fried carb, where have you been all my life?

Cambodian Yumminess

M's mom cooked dinner for us... I love bok choy and shitake mushrooms and her ginger chicken stew.

The Creature Nightmares Are Made Of

Despite the everlasting precipitation (is it time to build the ark yet?), Dr. Do, A, C and I went forth to the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH). I have not been jam packed in a place with so many people and children in a very long time. Apparently, DC is chock full of children between June and September. Now you tell me.

Regardless of the hordes, Dr. Do and A's enthusiasm was infectious and we saw the ENTIRE museum plus the 3D IMAX movie Deep Sea. That was really incredible. Imagine being surrounded by moon jellies and having them float right into you! A loves squids so we saw the male and female giant squids on exhibit. We were incensed that the Deep Sea movie called the Humbolt Squid "the creature nightmares are made of." The new bones/ forensics exhibit was so cool. Hello CSI! I liked the fossil of the fish with the fish skeleton in the stomach. The cafeteria was yummy. Any opportunity for chicken tenders and fries is welcome.

Full House

What ever happened to predictability? The milk man, the paper boy, evening T.V...

We got Dr. Do, A, M's mom and bro. Good thing our IKEA dishes are a setting for 6!

Dr. Do and A in town!

Dr. Do and her best friend A are in town for the week! We took them to our little neighborhood gem, Hinode. Dr. Do got the beef rose. I love the sushi there.

We discovered the amazing aquarium store next to Hinode and then headed to Yogiberry to continue the Korean frozen yogurt taste test. Dr. Do liked the berry flavor but Red Mango still reigns supreme.

Level 5, Bring It

I haven't danced since April and am going through major withdrawal (and feeling out of shape). Now that the apartment is on its way, I am starting the networking, job search, volunteering, and getting back into dancing. I found a studio a couple of metro stops away called Goddess Fitness (www.goddessfitness.com) and will be trying out for the level 5 class. Hope I pass! The other good thing is that classes are only 50 minutes and thus, $18/ class instead of $60. Nice.

The Manchego Experiment

M and I went on a post dinner constitutional through our area. We picked up some organizational items at the Container Store (so pricey!) And then went to town at Whole Foods (or Half Foods as I like to call it because it is tiny!). We got rambutans that were delicious and put together a little wine and cheese picnic to have in the living room while we watched Law and Order. I had been doing well with Parmesan and decided to go crazy and eat manchego sans Lactaid. Success! I will experiment with feta next!

Obama Proclamation on June Pride

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

___________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 1, 2009

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2009
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.

LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country's response to the HIV pandemic.

Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration -- in both the White House and the Federal agencies -- openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.

The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.

My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.

These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

BARACK OBAMA

The Priority?

That we are able to watch TV from the kitchen, dining room, living room and loft! Sleeper couch came today and it is perfect!

So Long Jersey Girl

Hello, Maryland ----- er, person! Marylandian? I am the proud new owner of a cute Maryland driver's license - 2 photos, crab and little red heart and all. I got a new license and registered to vote in a record 30 minutes. I was watching the news and saw a segment about how you're not allowed to smile when taking the photo. So it looks like a mug shot. M says, that segment was about a different state. Oh. Petunia will also be a Marylander as well. I sent in for her new dog license and to get her microchip changed.

Don't worry, you can take away the Jersey license but you can't take the Jersey out of the girl.