Macy's Come Together...

I'm thinking about doing this...who is in????

http://social.macys.com/cometogether/#/host_party

Butternut Squash

So, I have this nice butternut squash and since it's September I am going to make a dish with it. I know I want to make butternut squash ravioli but what type of sauce should I make?
What do you all think...?

I was thinking about a Veloute...or a mushroom duxelle...maybe even a mornay...or an almond butter sauce?

Give me your thoughts...ideas...

Al

My daughter (Avy) just put water in a hot tea cup (at chinese restaurant) added chinese noddles and shrimp...stirred it up and then ate it...ewww right? Think about it she just made soup...just like dada...

Picking the Right Wine to Complement Your Dinner
Selecting the perfect wine to complement your dinner can be a daunting task. Here are a few suggestions to help you select a bottle of wine for dinner that beautifully brings out the flavor in your wine and your food.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/8297/picking_the_right_wine_to_complement.html

Satisfaction

You know you've done a great job as an artist/cook/chef; when your 21 month old daughter loves to eat your food!

I have to say she is by far my toughest critic and the one I aim to please (other than Christina) in the palette.

I remember when I was really little tasting some pretty yummy stuff and some gnarly things too...Dad's Korean celery soup of some sort...and it reminds me that we create our palettes at a very young age. I thank them for all the things I was given to eat growing up; because I wouldn't have the palette I have now if it wasn't for the celery soups :)

However...you have to make celery soups in order to get better. I know I mentioned the soup dad made...but I will say this he definitely taught me how to learn from you mistakes. After that day he has made some pretty incredible dishes...making up for the celery soup.....................

Al's Margarita Lime Shrimp Recipe - Calorie Count

Here is the recipe for my Margarita Lime Shrimp...
These go great with an Ice Cold Landshark or Corona :)

Al's Margarita Lime Shrimp Recipe - Calorie Count

Whewwww....

Man that was tough...!

Trussing a chicken after boning it without a trussing needle is not easy!

I boned the rib cage and spine from a fryer chicken. Then I cut the wing tips off and stuffed it with sauteed spinach, shitake mushrooms, onion, garlic, fresh ginger and cilantro.

After seasoning the chicken and finally tying the dang thing up...I roasted it in the oven on a bed of chopped parsnips for 1.5 hours...

While it was cooking I made whipped yuca...with chicken stock, butter, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cilantro. MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmm!!!!!

I plated the chicken...let mom cut it up...lol...and then I deglazed the the roaster pot with cooking wine...poured into a saute pan through a chinois. Added tbsp of butter and flour...whisked it until awesome pan gravy was created...then I poured it over the plated chicken.

The fresh asian ginger slaw was good but not neccessary...all I needed was a bed of fresh whipped yuca and then the chicken on top...

It came out VERY juicy...next time I will use some sort of bread product in the stuffing so that there is less water....

Otherwise good learning experience and it still tasted GREAT!

Next Culinary meal (with Chicken)

My next culinary meal is going to be with a Roaster Chicken, shitake mushrooms, spinach, shallots, ginger, garlic, cilantro...

With a cabbage/slaw salad underneath...and whipped yucca...

Wait till you see the pictures of this thing...I have been very fortunate to be able to taste and envision a meal before I even cook it. These things just pop up in my mind and I go to work...lol

mmmmmm...