* What if there’s something in my teeth?

* What if I fart?

* Calling the co-host the wrong name.

* Accidentally swearing.

* Burning myself.

* Cutting myself.

* Tripping.

* Forgetting the recipe.

* looking fat.

So far, in all three of my debuts, I have realized only 3 of the above fears.  While making the Zucchini Linguini Panini I burned my arm on the George Foreman.  When I made Ratatouille, I initially forgot to add the onions and the garlic. And  when I went to open the oven, my tush looked more double digits than the size 4 I pretend it to be. And for all of you haters out there, the answer is No. I have yet to pass gas on television, but I wouldn’t hold your breath if I were you. Pun intended.

Rad Roasted Ratatouille

Ingredients:

1 globe eggplant or several Japanese eggplant(1 lb), peeled and cut into ¾ in cubes

2 medium zucchini or summer squash (1 lb), cut into ½ in cubes

1 red onion, halved and sliced ¼ in thick

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained, with ½ cup juice reserved (or use fresh)

1 (14 oz) can medium black olives

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 garlic cloves, sliced thin

1 tsp minced fresh thyme, or ¼ t. dried

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 ½ Tbsp red wine vinegar

Method:

1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375.

2. Combine all ingredients except vinegar and mix well. Spread the mixture into a 9×13 pan.

3. Roast until the vegetables have softened and are browned in spots, about 1 hour, stirring thoroughly halfway through the cooking time.

4. Sprinkle with vinegar before serving

This recipe is adapted from the America’s Test Kitchen Best Recipes Cookbook.

Cheddar Cheese Crackers

Ingredients:

1 8-oz. block extra sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded

1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons ice water

Method:

1. 
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cheddar, butter, and salt until soft and uniform. Add the flour and mix on low speed; the dough will be dry and pebbly. Slowly add the water and continue to mix until the dough has formed a ball.

2. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 375˚. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.

4. Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each into a very thin (1/8 inch or less) 10×12-inch rectangle. Using a fluted pastry cutter, cut the rectangles into 1-inch squares, or use cookie cutter to make shapes, then transfer to the baking sheets. Use a fork to prick each cracker to help with even baking.

5. Bake for 12 minutes or until puffed and browning at the edges. Watch carefully so they don’t burn. Immediately move the crackers to racks to cool.

*** TO mix things up, add a ny variety of cheese your heart desires.  Just make sure that the dough has the consistency of play dough (by added more/less butter), and it will work out fine!

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=204&sid=20028306

http://studio5.ksl.com/?nid=71&sid=20023994

After you watch it, register for the FüD Feud! It’s delicious fun, and way easier than cooking on t.v. I have made a few changes to the Feud this year that are going to make things even easier and more fun for participants; new location- Gygi’s, later start time – 11:30am, no tickets needed for friends and family, t-shirts in the goody bags, lower registration price – no living social/groupon deals needed, medals for the winners (Olympic style!)  Registration closes in just 10 days, so don’t delay! Sign-up today!

I am sure many of you füdies have some fantastic cookbooks. Might I suggest adding two to your collection: Delish was just published in January of this year and contains the favorite recipes of a wonderful culinary diva friend of mine, Ashlie Little. The cover is adorable, and the contents are delicious! Cross my heart!

Another new favorite fab cookbook is written by Ali Eisenach, a popular Utah blogger. Her book is called Blogging for Fishes and isn’t about deep sea delights but was written to help generate money for the “Fish” family, who are struggling with some medical bills and some very sick children. It contains wonderful full color pictures and awesome recipes from some of Utah’s favorite food bloggers. My famous “Sego Lily Salad” is even in the book, so you know it is fantastic!

Both of these books can actually be WON at the FüD Feud… but you have to register to participate so get on it! Only two weeks left till sign-ups close! If you simply can’t wait for May 12th to arrive, and to have a chance at victoriously winning either book, you can order them directly at:

www.delish-cookbook.blogspot.com
or
www.lemonpoppycake.com/2012/03/blogging-for-fishes-buy-now.html

Today I took a stroll through the Orson Gygi Company showroom kitchen. With my camera in my hand, and a party on my mind, I mapped out where everything is going to be located at the Füd Feud. The check-in table, the awards stand, the judging station, the place to photograph each delicious entry.  This is seriously going to be the most  wonderfully enjoyable, crazy delicious, fantastically entertaining amateur food competition in the entire world.  Join the fun! Sign-up right now for the FüD Feud!  Seize the day! REGISTER! COOK! WIN!

I love peanut butter, crunchy or smooth, loaded with sugar or natural.  There is one thing, however, that I hate about my favorite nut butter: The container.  Once you get down near the bottom of the jar, you are expected to either hold on to the half an inch of knife that isn’t inside the jar, or rub your hand in peanut butter.  As much as I enjoy Skippy, I’d much prefer to skippy doing gymnastics with my knife or getting my digits covered in peanut butter.

Don’t fret though, I have not only one solution to the problem, but two: All of the Peanut butter companies in the entire world could simply fill their brown bliss into short, fat, wide mouthed containers.  I can’t imagine the costs associated with such a change, but since they created the problem….  The second option is a little more American in that it comes with designing a new product to fill an obvious need, a product I like to call the PBK – Peanut Butter Knife.  It’s like a butter knife… only the blade is like three inches longer.  Ingenious, I know.

Update: Just checked the Internet.  The PBK is already out there.  Snap! I know what’s going on my Christmas wish list.