Best speech yet?

Wow. The President begins around 15:00 but the whole service is worth watching. Do they have Aaron Sorkin from 10 years ago locked in the basement of the White House? Or is Jon Favreau as obsessed with President Bartlett as everyone else from my generation? I'm actually guessing that, just like the breath-catching speech on race delivered during the campaign, this one is a solo writing credit for Obama. Either way, it'll be worth revisiting when health care politics are driving you crazy.

Fall TV Review: "That's how I make my horsey go"

Okay, this show is hilarious. Since my TV world is usually full of procedural dramas, cooking competitions, and depression addled 1960s housewives, Wednesday has become a light-hearted night full of pop culture references and witty banter thanks to Glee and ABC's Modern Family. I was hooked after the first show and then I realized why. The show's co-creator, Christopher Lloyd, has a great track record.

In this clip from last night's episode Cameron (one half of the gay couple who adopted a little girl from Vietnam) is trying to tone down his gayness per Mitchell's desire to blend into the toddler play group. Making fun of straight men dancing is always funny.

Hiatus

I'm crawling into a literary hole for the next few days due to what arrived in my mailbox yesterday:

Not even the return of fall tv can keep me away. I may be posting a blueberry oat bran muffin recipe, but no promises. Until my return I recommend perusing my recent less then 300 hundred word reviews at Goodreads.

Ta-da!

Here is my chocolate showpiece (jazz hands optional):

And it made it home in one piece!! I think it's an attest to the pink line when you're carrying a 2 and 1/2 foot tall chocolate sculpture on a Friday night and no one did a double-take. Which is fine, it's not like I wanted to talk about how I made it and it's pure chocolate or try to hawk it to a complete stranger or anything. According to the Chef, I could sell this for $150. Any takers? I can't guarantee delivery...

Okay, it's official

Wednesday night is my new favorite night. First Top Chef, then the wonderfulness of Glee: DeVoe's Poison, Color Me Bad's I Wanna Sex You Up?!? Best. Show. Ever. Oh, and Jane Lynch? The greatest comedianne/actress evah.

Sue: Iron tablet? (Offering some to him.) Keeps your strength up while you're menstruating.

Will: I don't menstruate.

Sue: Yeah? Neither do I.

A Recipe and A Promise

Pictures of my recent adventures in pastry are coming soon, but until then here is a non-pastry related recipe of deliciousness.

Chicken and Couscous with Onion and Apple

(adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

1/4 C flour

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 red onion, sliced thin

1/2 C couscous (I like the whole wheat version available at Trader Joe's)

1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced

Curry

1/3 C apple juice

1/3 C chicken broth

Dried mint

Time Saver: Slice the onion while the chicken cooks and mince the garlic while the onion cooks.

Prep Oven: In the lower middle position place a baking dish (for the chicken) and heat to 200.

Cook Chicken: While heating 1 Tbsp of oil over medium-high heat, rinse and pat dry chicken and season with salt and pepper. The oil should just be smoking. Dredge chicken through flour and shake off excess. Brown lightly on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to oven dish and cook until 160 or no longer pink in center. About 15 minutes.

Cook Couscous: Add 1/2 Tbsp o oil to skillet and return to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and a dash of salt; cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in couscous, garlic, and pinch curry, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1/3 cup of apple juice and broth. Bring to simmer, cover, and let sit off heat until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Seasoning: When couscous is done, fold in some dried mint and season with salt and pepper. Dish up!

In Memoriam

Best Chippendales' dancers ever.

Happy Birthday Helen!

In honor of her 89th birthday. The good stuff starts at 1:32. And Helen will rock your socks off beginning at 3:35.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Stephen for Press Secretary
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Tasers

Nooooooooooo.

Broadway's '9 to 5' closing Sept. 6; tour to launch in 2010

2010 can't come soon enough. Field trip! Although, it won't be the same without CJ Cregg...

Oh and for those who have never been to Dolly Parton's website, brace yourself. I'm pretty sure it's a Lisa Frank template. And I'm jealous.

Chi-town vs. The District

So I am very grateful to be back in the Midwest although my tune might change when winter hits. Which will probably be in a couple of weeks...But there are some things I miss about our nation's capitol.

Here's what D.C. currently has in its favor:

-Driving. Traffic circles are fun, as is yelling at inept Marylanders/Virginians confused in "the big city." Chicago drivers are going to kill me.

-Walkability. I walked everywhere in DC.

-Escalators. Stand on right, walk on left. Stand. On. Right. Damnit.

-WaPo. Chicago's newspapers are dead. And I'm actually nonplussed by Sunday's NYTimes. Do I really care about a day in Kim Kardashin's life? No. And that's what E and US Weekly is for. Although this pretty much made my initial subscription worth it.

Here's what makes Chicago so much better:

-The "L". Besides the lack of escalator conduct, I love not having to travel 500 hundred miles underground to ride the train. Daylight is a good thing. And the doors will not close on you so your "friend" can't ditch you by running quickly into the train and allowing the doors to slam in your face.

-Tall buildings. I actually prefer a nice skyline to monuments. Historical, shmistorical.

-Neighborhoods. Three words: summer block parties.

-The Bean. (Sidenote: I've talked sh*t about the Bean in the past. I'm sorry, Bean. It was undeserved. It was a small misunderstanding and, turns out, you are not the tourist trap I thought you were.) And the new modern wing at the Art Institute. If only everything was free...

And I can't get Ryan Adams' Dear Chicago out of my head.

Boozy brownies! (My first Chicago recipe)

So this was the first thing I baked in Chicago and one of the last pre-culinary school recipes. I basically made brownies and added whiskey. It was amazing. I don't have a camera yet but the above collage gives you an idea. (Collage is a funny looking word.)

Boozy Brownies

(adapted from Mark Bittman)

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, soft

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1/2 C flour

pinch salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 C whiskey

(*technically the recipe called for 1/4 C but I got a little over zealous)

Oven to 350; grease a pan

Melt butter and chocolate in microwave. Add sugar. Stir. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, salt, vanilla.

Pour into pan and bake 25-35 minutes (depending on how much booze you added) but they should only barely set in the middle. Burnt brownies = groseness. Cool if you can avoid eating delicious smelling and scaldingly hot brownies. Consume within one day!

Welcome

This is basically a way for me to burn off the sugar highs that I will experience for the next six months while in pastry school. And a way for me to stay in touch with people without actually interacting with them. And a way to avoid becoming a troll by refusing to use technology.

Bring on the scathing commentary.