It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?  Having just returned from Mexico, I needed to restock the house and wanted to start off with something tasty and healthy.  I’ve had the opportunity to eat quinoa before, but never tried cooking it.  Naturally, I decided that today was the day.  That means it’s off to Whole Foods to find the things that of course normal grocery stores just don’t seem to carry.

First off, though, what is quinoa?  Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) looks like a cereal or oat, tastes a bit like steel cut oats or so, and is a rather healthy item to have in your pantry.  It turns out it’s not particularly expensive either.  It’s also high in protein, (hint hint) vegetarian readers!  It’s nutty, smooth, and flavors better than most rices I’ve had.

In most of the cases when I’ve eaten quinoa, it’s been in a salad-esque format, and I decided to to try something similar to see what came as a result.  I admit I had no idea how too cook quinoa, so I did have to look that up, but as it turns out, it cooks as easily and as quickly as white rice.  Below I detail my recipe for my Quinoa Salad with Shrimp and Vegetables, which could be used as a model for almost any salad dish involving quinoa.

Quinoa Salad with Shrimp and Vegetables

This salad was light, flavorful, nutty and hearty.  Any of the ingredients could be swapped for something more palatable to you should you like.  If you do, write back and let me know how it worked for you!

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1.5 cup water
• half a red onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 tbsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 lime
• 3/4 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Why the Rangers will win

The Rangers battered and bruised the Yankees in the ALCS, have some pretty fine pitching, and oh-by-the-way, did I mention they hit?  Here’s why they win this World Series:

• Josh Hamilton – Anyone who watched the ALCS should know exactly why Hamilton tops the list here.  All he did was hit so well that he forced the Yankees to intentionally walk him on occasion after occasion.  If he continues his hot hitting against the Giants, he’ll be hoisting the World champion trophy in no time.
• Cliff Lee – To back up the fabulous hitting the Rangers offer some fine pitching, and none better than Cliff Lee.  He mowed down the mighty Yankees in game 3, carving them up like a Thanksgiving turkey.  He hasn’t lost this postseason and he’s looked virtually unhittable, despite Roy Halladay owning this year’s postseason no-hitter, so look for him to dominate the Giants this series.  The Rangers are counting on it.
• Speed – The Rangers don’t feature the fastest baserunners outside of their shortstop Elvis Andrus, but they are very opportunistic runners, and look to swipe bags and take extra bases every time.  Look for them to exercise this against Buster Posey and the Giants’ pitching staff this series.
• Power – To back up the great speed that the Rangers feature is their incredible power.  Virtually every spot in their lineup threatens to hit the ball out so there will be no easy innings for the Giants pitchers.  The Rangers have the ability to put up runs in bunches, and that is likely to continue against even the vaunted Giants pitching staff.
• Road success – Outside of a single road loss in game 5 to the Yankees, the Rangers have been rock solid on the road this postseason, so they really don’t mind starting the series off in San Francisco’s AT&T Park.  If their success can continue on the road, they should wrap up their first franchise appearance in the World Series with a series victory.

Why the Giants will win

The Giants ended the Phillies’ hopes at a three-peat National League Championship, and held the mighty Phillies offense in check, while getting some timely hits against all odds.  Here’s why they win it all this year:

• Tim Lincecum – If Tim Lincecum isn’t a household name yet, he should be.  All he’s done is win the NL  Cy Young award the last two seasons, and has lead a Giants pitching staff that excels at taming the opponents’ imposing offenses.  He’s always just a single outstanding pitch away from getting out of any jam he finds himself in, and he out-dueled Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay, this year’s likely Cy Young award winner in game 1 of the NLCS.
• Matt Cain – Not to be overlooked in the Giants rotation is perennial star Matt Cain, who did Lincecum one better by shutting out the Phillies in game 3.  He is every bit as good as Lincecum and will throw again in game 2 against the Rangers.  If his success continues against the powerful Rangers lineup, he will be the reason why the Giants collect their first title for the city of San Francisco.
• Brian Wilson – The beard delivered the NL championship to San Francisco, and it should continue in this series.  He was outstanding against the Phillies, right up to the final out in game 6 (in which he recorded 5 outs for the 1 run save), and he will deliver late leads for the Giants to the win column, yet again.
• Timely hitting – The Giants offense doesn’t feature any household names, but boy did it look like a team of All-Stars against the Phillies.  Their ability to collect the timely hit propelled them to this World Series.  They may not score the most runs, but they seem to score just enough and score them when it counts.
• Pushing the right buttons – Manager Bruce Bochy seemed to push the right button every time during the series with the Phillies, making changes when they needed to be made, running when extra bases were needed, and pulling his pitchers when they needed relief.  It seemed every time he made it change it worked for him, and sometimes those intangible items find a way to win the series for you.   It did for the Giants against the Phils and it just might be enough to overcome the Rangers this year.

Cut to the Chase: and the winner is…

Ok, so this one’s a doozie.  My head tells me the Rangers bats will demolish the Giants’ vaunted pitching staff and find ways to score runs, and of course they have Cliff Lee for a few games.  That sounds like quite an advantage.  It wouldn’t even remotely surprise me for them to win in 5 games.  But something in my heart says the Giants pitching staff will find a way to get this done.  This is set up to be the most exciting World Series since the Giants last played the Angels to 7 games in 2002, and I’m picking them to do it again this time.  Good pitching can often defuse great hitting; my pick is Giants in 7 games to deliver the championship to San Francisco for the first time.  See you in the spring!

Why the Giants will win

The Giants feature one of the NL’s best pitching staffs, and some timely hitting to back it up.  Maybe not the likeliest of candidates, here’s why they win this series:

• Tim Lincecum – Arguably as good as any starter in the game, this righthander won the NL Cy Young award the last two seasons, so it should come as no surprise if he manages to best even the great Roy Halladay in game 1.  When he’s good he’s unhittable, and you should expect to see him at his best this series.
• Buster Posey – This rookie catcher batted .305 in 108 games this year, belting 18 homers and knocking in 67 runs, earning him a potential Rookie of the Year award.  He continued his success against the Braves, hitting .375 and scoring a key run in game 1.  Look for him to spark the Giants’ offense against the tough Philadelphia rotation during these games.
• Jonathan Sanchez – He is having a fabulous finish to this season, posting a 1.01 ERA over his last 6 starts this season, and struck out 11 Braves in a game 3 no-decision in the NLDS.  Maybe not the household name his opponent Roy Oswalt might be in game 2, but he will be a challenge for the Phillies hitters if he can muster the late season success he has enjoyed thus far.
• Brian Wilson – 48 saves and a 1.81 ERA this season speak to this closer’s ability to nail down games, which will be important in this series if the Giants can deliver him a lead.  Wilson did not allow an earned run against Braves in 4 innings in the NLDS, and anchors a bullpen that has struggled a little against Philly this season.  Look for him to deliver any lead he gets to the win column.
• Heart – No team has done more with less this year than the Giants, and they hope to continue that trend in this series against the Phillies.  They may not boast too many household names, nor an all-star at every position, or the biggest salary, but they find ways to win games, and are never out of the game until the final out is recorded.  Sometimes the intangibles win series for teams, and this could be a big enough advantage in and of itself.

Why the Phillies will win

The Phillies boast a powerhouse starting rotation, and some of the best hitters in the National League.  Here’s why they claim this series:

• Roy Halladay - anyone who starts off their postseason career with a no-hitter deserves top honors here.  Halladay will be on the Vander Meer alert in game 1 as he looks to continue his no-hit success.  Featuring a combination of excellent pitches that he controls with precision, Halladay has been among the game’s best for years, and the Phillies brought him on this season to headline a dominant rotation.  He did just that against the Reds, and expect his excellence to continue this series.
• Shane Victorino – Every great lineup has a spark plug, and the Phillies’ is Shane Victorino.  He rarely seems to get spoken about in a lineup featuring Utley, Howard, and Werth, but his hits always seem to come at the right time, both sparking rallies and finishing them off.  To cap it all off, he covers a lot of ground in the outfield, and ensures most balls don’t get to the wall.  Rest assured he will be in the beginning, middle or end of many more Phillies rallies this series.
• Cole Hamels – If he pitches the way he did in 2008 (he has this season) and the way he did in game 3 against the Reds, the Giants are in trouble.  He will need to step up his game, however, as he struggled against the Giants this season, yielding 9 earned runs in his 2 starts.  Still, he posted a fine season despite only going 1 game over .500, in which he claimed a 3.06 ERA and 211 Ks.  Expect him to continue his recent success in game 3.
• Carlos Ruiz – This unsung hero of the Philly lineup always seems to find a way to extend an inning and get on base, forcing opposing pitchers to work harder than they would like.  He seems especially good at this during the postseason, when it counts the most.  He’s a career .299 hitter in the postseason, but he makes his hits count, knocking in 4 runs in the 3 games against the Reds.  Look for him to continue pestering opposing pitchers in this round.
• Citizen’s Bank Park – There’s something about this park the last few years that (with the exception of last year’s World Series) has caused a visiting team to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory late in the game.  Maybe it’s the spinning towels in the fans, or the lights, or some ghosts, or the smell of cheesesteaks, but the Phillies like playing here and will find a way to take advantage of their home turf this time around.

Cut the to chase: And the winner is…

The Giants feature some good starting pitching and a decent bullpen, but I think the Philly starter and their powerful offense and solid defense wins this series for Philadelphia in 5 games. Game 1 will be the key, but even if Lincecum out-duels Halladay, the Phillies are too strong and deep this season to be denied a chance at the World Series title.

Why the Yankees will win

What don’t the Yankees do well?  They feature a powerful lineup, strong starting pitching, and an excellent bullpen.  Here’s why they win this series:

• Derek Jeter – Derek Jeter hit .270 this year, but don’t try to tell this career .300+ hitter that, because his season is just beginning.  Derek Jeter is arguably one of the game’s best postseason players of all time, and when the lights burn brightest, so does he.  A career .312 postseason hitter entering this series, expect Jeter to be in the middle of everything.  As their shortstop goes, so do the Yankees, and look for him to get hot at the right time of year – again.
• Robinson Cano – this AL MVP candidate hits lefties as well as he does righties, and has been hitting them all year long.  Which is good, because the Rangers feature some darn good lefties.  Carrying the team while even the great Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez weren’t, Cano has had his best season to date, and there’s no indication he’ll be slowing down.  Imagine how potent the Yankees are when Teixeira and A-Rod actually hit!
• The New Guys - Last year, the Yankees spent big money to bring CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Nick Swisher to the Bronx, and it paid off with a World Series title.  This year, their new blood in the form of Lance Berkman, Curtis Granderson, and [the old is new again] Marcus Thames lead the way.  All three Yankees had big hits in the series sweep against Minnesota, and expect their success to continue.  Not to be forgotten, Kerry Wood was also brought in a last-minute trade deadline deal and has been a rock in the end of the Yankees’ bullpen as they bridge the gap to their best…
• Mariano Rivera – Speaking of their best, waiting at the end of the game is the best in baseball: the legendary closer Mariano Rivera.  Ask anyone – fan, manager, player – who they want coming out of the bullpen with the game on the line in the ninth (or eighth!) and I guarantee you’ll hear only his name.  Hitters know its coming, and still can’t hit his deadly cutter, especially in the postseason.  Boasting a 0.71 career postseason ERA, they haven’t yet figured him out, and outside of a blown save earlier this season against these Texas Rangers, Rivera is still the Yankees’ man.
• Yankee Stadium – Despite not having home-field advantage this time around, a first for the Yankees, they still get to play 3 times at the house Steinbrenner built in the Bronx.  The Rangers visited earlier this season and failed to win a game, which explains why they’re so excited to send Cliff Lee to the mound in their first game there (game 3).  Still, in the season the Yankees lost two of their beloved members (long-time PA announcer Bob Sheppard and of course their owner, George Steinbrenner), the Yankees’ friends mystique, aura and destiny will be out in full force when the series makes its way to New York, and the Yankees are poised to take care of business at home.

Why the Rangers will win

For years, the Rangers have featured a devastating offensive attack and this year is no exception.  This year though, they bring the pitching to back it up.  Here’s why they win this series:

• Cliff Lee – is it even any wonder he’s first in this list?  Cliff Lee has become a household name since his 22-3 season for the Indians a few years ago.  He dominated the Rays in the first round this year, and last year won the only two games the Phillies claimed in the World Series against the Yankees.  He’s a top flight starter in every sense of the word and you should look for him to have yet another excellent series here.  Sadly for the Rangers, he won’t start until game 3 in New York, but would be prepared to start a possible game 7 in Texas.  No doubt about this one, Lee is a huge advantage for any team lucky enough to hand him their uniform.
• C.J. Wilson – not to be outdone by Lee, Wilson, the bullpen-pitcher-turned-starter turned in the finest season of his career this year, going 15-8 with a 3.35 ERA.  He looked fabulous against the Rays and will open this series at home.  Probably not the pitcher you’d name if asked to name the top 5 best pitchers in the AL, but he is not to be underestimated.
• Nelson Cruz – this powerful outfielder for the Rangers had a fine season, belting mammoth home runs at key moments time and again.  He is a very tough out any night, and he hits well against the Yankees.  He had a fine series for the Rangers against the Rays, batting an even .400 with 3 homers and 2 doubles.  He figures to be a tough spot in an already vicious lineup.
• Josh Hamilton – But for a brief period in September where he missed some time with an injured ribcage, Hamilton would’ve been the surefire AL MVP candidate this year.  He still managed to win this year’s batting title, hitting .359 on the season, but hit only .111 against the Rays in round 1.  Still, look for him to break out and give the Yankees’ pitching trouble this time around.
• Vladimir Guerrero – What exactly can’t this guy hit?  The Angels regret the day they let him get away, and the Rangers were rewarded for their trust in him with a .300 batting average, 29 HRs, and 115 RBIs this season.  He provides an imposing presence in the lineup, provided some great baserunning against the Rays, and like his teammates before him, will provide a lot of punch in an already powerful lineup.

Cut to the chase: And the winner  is…

In this series which features two strong lineups and some powerful starting pitching, my predicition is Yankees in 6 games. The Yankees scored more runs this season and have better depth in their starting pitching beyond their number 1, not to mention a significantly better bullpen.  The Rangers didn’t win a game at home against the Rays and will have trouble winning at Yankee Stadium.  Look for them to win when Lee starts, but it won’t be enough to get by the defending champs.  Their first World Series appearance will wait for another year.

Ingredients

• 2 large butternut squashes, around 5lbs total
• 1 cup apple cider
• 4 cups chicken stock*
• fresh sage, around 6-8 leaves chopped
• fresh rosemary, around 1 tsp or so
• fresh thyme, around 1tsp or so
• 2 strips bacon (optional)
• 3 onions, diced
• pinch cayenne pepper
• pinch red pepper flakes
• pinch cinnamon
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp creme fraiche**

*I don’t usually like the flavors of vegetable stocks, but if you’re looking for a strictly vegetarian recipe I really suggest you make your own, which I’m sure would be quite good.

**If you are unfamiliar with creme fraiche, let me introduce you.  Creme fraiche, meet Reader.  Reader, meet a touch a heaven.  You can mostly think of this as French sour cream, but it is much much tastier.  I found this at Whole Foods, but any premium market should have it available in the dairy section.  It adds a great final touch to this recipe and I don’t suggest omitting it.

This recipe is actually quite easy.  To start, cut your squash in half lengthwise and place them on a baking sheet.  I sprayed them with a drop of cooking spray as well.  Place them in the oven which you preheated to 400 degrees, and bake them for around 40 minutes or so, until they’re fairly tender.

Scoop out the seeds, and then carefully scoop the pulp of the squash out from the skins, and discard the skins.  Set aside.  Pro tip: maybe let these cool a little bit.  Even with my chef’s hands, these were fairly hot coming right out of the oven.

While the squash is roasting, dice 3 onions, chop the sage, pull the thyme and rosemary leaves off the stems, and heat some oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.  Now is a good time to fry your bacon in a pan as well.  Add the onions and herbs, and saute gently for around 5-7 minutes, until the onions are tender.  Feel free to add some of the bacon grease as well, for a hint of smoke in your soup.  Once the onions are softened, add half of the apple cider and bring to a boil.  You want most of this to reduce out for now.

Once the bacon is crispy, remove from heat and set aside.  Add the butternut squash pulp to the soup, as well as the stock and remainder of the cider.  Bring this up to a boil and then reduce the heat a bit and simmer for at least 5 minutes or so.  Now is a good time to add some seasoning, such as cinnamon.  I also wanted a bit of heat, so I added some cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes, but don’t go overboard there.  Also, be sure and add around a tsp of salt and some fresh cracked black pepper now.  Once it’s done simmering, remove from heat and let cool for around 15 minutes.  Once it’s cooled, use an immersion blender (or regular one, if you don’t have a stick blender) to puree the concoction into something resembling a soup.  Add more salt and pepper to taste.  Once you’ve pureed your soup, it’s time to add some cream, so pour that in slowly.  Also, add around 2 tbsp of your secret weapon: creme fraiche.  Bring the soup to a soft simmer, and you’re ready to serve.

Now normally, I don’t make such a big deal and stand on ceremony as for serving myself my own food, however, this particular soup demands a little final attention.  I suggest dicing a little apple and the bacon you sauteed earlier and putting that in an empty bowl, and then spooning the soup on top.

(if you wanted to go an extra mile, sear a nice sea scallop and place that in the center of your bowl!)  Once you’ve spooned a portion, place a 1/2 tsp or so of creme fraiche right in the center, and complete with the garnish with some sage leaves.  Remember to have your trusty bread handy – I chose a nice rosemary infused loaf for this meal, and it paired nicely.  Grab yourself a cold pale ale from the fridge and sit back – you’ve earned this one!

Note:  Feel free to expand on this recipe.  I might suggest adding a little lemon juice, or even trying it with seafood stock in place of chicken stock.  You could also lighten the soup by omitting the cream and using cider or wine instead.  Or, you could go in a different direction and add some curry, cumin, and turmeric for a something totally different.  Whatever you do, don’t forget the creme fraiche!

I can think of 3 such meals, maybe 4, all of which could qualify as the best meal I’ve ever eaten. In order of least recent to most recent, I will describe them:

L’Auberge Carmel, Carmel, California

This meal featured some of the most inventive cocktails I’ve ever had the chance to enjoy, and that was before dinner even began. Followed by a sumptuous 4-course tasting meal, this meal ranks as one of the most extravagant meals I’ve ever had the opportunity to enjoy. Standing out was the butternut squash soup, and a ‘sugar menu’ served with my coffee, nothing about this meal disappoints. As recently as 2008, it was considered one of the top restaurants in the entire country, and in 2006 it was ranked number 20 in the entire nation! Sadly, though, this meal falls under the category of “I can’t recall exactly all that I ate”, and that upsets me. I suppose I should just go back, and ah, refresh my memory.

CraftSteak, MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Connecticut

Bar none this is the best steak I’ve ever eaten – thank you very much, Chef Tom Colicchio. To be fair, it was wagyu beef strip steak, but even the grass fed ribeye my brother and I shared was no slouch. The appetizers and sides were inventive and inspiring, highlighted by an heirloom tomato soup that was truly special. I ate this meal a little more recently than the meal in California, hence my better memory at recalling the components of each course. If you win at the casino, I suggest blowing some of your winnings here! I know the next time I come away from the craps table a winner I will!

Morimoto, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This wasn’t the most extravagant overall experience I’ve had – easily outdone by L’Auberge and the next entry – but the food I enjoyed still leaves my mouth watering. I was so impressed that despite the fact that the experience isn’t quite as pampering as other restaurants I’ve been too, I still wish I could go back for more of the Iron Chef’s cuisine. Featuring primarily Japanese fare, Iron Chef Japanese made sure I came away appreciating the breadth of what Japanese cuisine could be, ranging from immaculate sushi to lobster to, yet again, Kobe beef. Even dessert, something I don’t ordinarily think of as special at Japanese restaurants, was something to savor. My friends and I still talk about going back, and rest assured, we will.

Daniel, New York, New York

Chef Daniel Boulud is a name I was not familiar with until very recently, but having had the opportunity to savor his three-Michelin-star (this rating is exceedingly rare, held by perhaps fewer than 100 restaurants worldwide!) I was thoroughly blown away. Each course of the meal provided a varied and inspiring approach to classic French cuisine. The signature dishes, black sea bass, and braised short ribs, were some of the best things I’ve ever tasted – period. The experience was the highest class – I felt pampered the entire time. Dessert, which I could usually do without even at the best of restaurants, had me practically licking my plate. This could easily be the best restaurant in Manhattan, and in the city that never sleeps, that’s truly saying something.

What I’m finding interesting though, is that I can’t even recall all the details of each of these restaurants. Yet they all could qualify as having served me the best meal I’ve ever eaten. So if that is true, what then, really comes into play when we describe such an experience? I think what it boils down to is that these experiences have one very important thing in common: none of them are solely about the food itself, but how the meal made me feel and the lasting impression each made upon me. Each restaurant, through it’s food, left an indelible impression upon me and despite the fact that I can’t remember each component of each dish served to me, I would not hesitate to recommend them and even dine there again in hopes that the restaurant could recreate the scrumptious experience. Yep, that’s worth paying for. And that’s what real cooking is all about. Hats off to you chefs, for serving me the meals I’ll never forget.

What then, would you describe as the best meal you’ve ever had?

National League

Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Is there any reason to think the defending National League Champion Phillies won’t get past the Reds and return to the NLCS for the 3rd straight year?  Headlined by a rotation featuring Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels, the Phillies may not need any more reasons to consider this the most lopsided matchup in round 1.  The Reds are no slouch, throwing Edinson Volquez, Bronson Arroyo, and Johnny Cueto, but their task is a tough one: shutting down the mighty Phillies offense, which has been on fire since the All-Star break.  The Reds send likely NL MVP Jay Bruce (really?) to bat against the Phillies big boys, but I’m saying the Phillies powered offense and power pitching staff gets them through this round without much hassle.  I’ll call it Phillies in 4, but even that may be generous (don’t be surprised by a Phillies sweep!).

Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants

Ok, now I think we have a series to talk about.  The Giants are back in the playoffs and even get to claim home-field advantage against Bobby Cox (in his last year as a manager) and the visiting Braves, who will throw Tim Hudson against the Giants Tim Lincecum.  The Giants aren’t known for their offense, but have managed to come from behind quite a bit this season and win close games.  Their lineup featuring Juan Uribe, Pat Burrell, and Buster Posey packs a decent amount of punch.  For Atlanta, Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson will headline a rotation that can keep them in the game any day of the week, and an offense featuring Jason Heyward, perennial All-Star Chipper Jones and catcher Brian McCann, The Braves may prove a difficult opponent for any team to deal with.  Still, the Giants have Lincecum and home-field, and I’ll call them winners in 5.

American League

New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

If there’s a matchup that strangely favors one team over another for no apparent reason, it’s this one.  Since Ron Gardenhire became manager of the Twins in 2002, it seems as if no team has struggled more against the Yankees (no matter what form they take) than the Twins.  This year could be no exception.  The Twins will feature their capable left-hander Francisco Liriano in game 1, and they will be holding home-field advantage with their brand new Target Field, but they’ll be missing their All-Star slugger Justin Morneau, and that’s not going to be doing them any favors in such a short series.  The Yankees meanwhile, will feature C.C. Sabathia, who has been as dominant a starter as you could ask for since coming to New York back in 2009.  The Yankees aren’t without their question marks, as they have played mediocre baseball of late.  Ultimately, though, their lineup features an All-Star at nearly every position, and their bullpen features legend Mariano Rivera at the end.  Despite not having home-field this year, I’m saying the Yankees keep their hopes alive to defend their title in 4 games.

Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Quick – name the best team in the American League in 2010 – would you have guessed the Tampa Bay Rays?  Despite finishing the season with some lackluster performances against some admittedly lousy teams, the Rays claimed the coveted AL East title on the last day of the season, and get to open at home against the visiting AL West champion Rangers, back in the postseason after what seems like an eternity of Angels dominance.  The Rangers made the pickup of the year mid-season in Cliff Lee, the amazing left-hander who dominated the postseason last year in a Phillies uniform.  In a short series such as this, Cliff Lee plus a Texas offense featuring Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, and AL batting champion Josh Hamilton could just about be enough.  But the Rays have proved to be a team far better than the names on their jerseys might suggest.  Their pitching features Matt Garza and James Shields, and their offense is fast, gets on base, and runs a lot.  And when the speedsters get on, Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria knock them home.  This could be the best of the 4 series, and I’m calling the Rays to take it in 5.

What do you think – on the mark, or have I missed something totally obvious this time around?

This recipe is inspired from my college days when one of my fraternity brothers served it for dinner one night.  He was kind enough to share his technique, and now I pass it along (maybe he’ll vilify me for doing so…!) to you!

The Real Number 6 – Spicy Chicken Sandwich

This recipe is exceedingly straightforward, so here goes, starting as usual with the ingredients:

• Chicken breast – sliced in half, so you have two breast halves (or if you have small breasts, you can leave them the way they are)
• Egg – 1 per chicken breast
• Hot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot
• Flour
• Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• Dried red pepper flakes
• Cayenne pepper
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil, for frying.  I usually use vegetable
• Kaiser roll for serving.

Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl with the hot sauce and red pepper flakes.  In a shallow plate, mix some flour with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne powder, and garlic powder.  Finally, in a third shallow plate or bowl, mix the same seasonings with the panko.  Make sure the flour and panko are generously seasoned.  How much, you say?  I don’t have an amount for you, but just make sure you use generous amounts of each, especially the spices that produce heat.  In order, dredge the chicken in the flour, then egg mixture, then the panko.  Place on a plate to set aside.  Repeat for remaining chicken breasts.  Set aside in the refrigerator to cool for at least 30 minutes.  Do not skip this step! The purpose of this is to bring the temperature of the breading and the chicken in sync, so that when you fry them they will fry more evenly.

Heat your oil in a wok or fryer, however you normally fry.  I just use a wok.  When the oil is hot, you can drop your chicken breasts into the hot oil and fry until deep golden brown.  Don’t burn them!  Remove form oil, place on toasted kaiser roll, and serve hot.  You can top them with lettuce, tomato if you want, but I usually just put a dab of hot sauce on there for some extra kick and eat as is.

Simple, easy, and kicks the crap out of the salty lame sandwich they now pass off as the number 6 combo meal at Wendy’s.  Yet another reason to just pass on fast food all together.

Here’s a quick simple salad that’s sure to delight you as summer wanes and autumn makes its ominous return, reminding of the sunny days gone by that you’re sure aren’t going to be returning for quite some time.

Note: this recipe can be considered the master recipe, to which you are free to add or subtract as you like.  I suggest grilled shrimp or marinated flank steak or you could also cook some soba noodles and make a nice Asian themed salad!

Ingredients

• Green leafy veggie – I chose arugula.  See Below
• 3 Large carrots
• 2 zucchini
• handful beansprouts, fresh
• 1/2 onion, red preferred
• 1 can of sliced water chestnuts (optional)
• 2-3 tomatoes, I picked plum tomatoes
• handful fresh green beans, snipped
• 1 large portobello mushroom cap
• handful of cooked, shelled edamame
• handful of cooked barley (optional)
• Shaved nutty cheese – Swiss Gruyere is usually my choice, for garnish (optional)

For this salad, I chose as the base arugula.  If you’ve never had this before, you might just never choose normal lettuce again.  I actually rarely choose normal lettuce (oh, and NEVER EVER pick iceberg lettuce – it’s not good for anything but feeding your rabbit, and even that’s questionable), usually favoring something a bit more flavorful, such as spinach, arugula, or watercress.  If you must pick lettuce, I suggest Romaine.

Now hold your horses, little chef.  Don’t just toss all the veggies in a bowl!  For shame!  Let’s do this methodically.

Wash your greens, dry them, and toss them in a large salad bowl.  Set aside.

Cut the zucchini into bite size pieces and set aside.  Cut your carrots into matchsticks and place with the zucchini.  Slice the onion, and set aside.

Heat a wok over medium-high heat.  Place a tablespoon of sesame oil in there and get it hot.  Stir-fry the zucchini and carrots for about a minute – do NOT overcook them.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.  Stir fry the water chestnuts until slightly tender.  and set aside to cool as well.  Steam the green beans slightly, about 2 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  Roughly chop the tomatoes into bite sized pieces.  Grill or broil the portobello mushroom cap, basting lightly with some oil, if desired.

Now we can assemble our salad by layering our different veggies and tossing lightly, along with the edamame and barley or noodles, if you chose to include them.  To serve, lightly toss with some dressing and garnish with some slices of cheese on top, or some pine nuts if you’d like.  Enjoy!

Wait Wait Wait!  Hold on a second!  Did you just reach into your refrigerator for a jar of Ranch dressing to put on this?  Why did you even bother?

I pretty much never buy salad dressing anymore.  I usually keep something in the house for an emergency, but more often than not it goes bad before I get a chance to eat it.  Why?  Because salad dressing isn’t some mystical thing to be created by master chefs in their ivory kitchens.  A good salad dressing is one of the easiest things a home chef can make and never thinks to try.  There are so few ingredients in a simple vinaigrette and it tastes so much better than anything you’ll find in your supermarket, it begs the question: Why are you still buying salad dressing?

For the above salad, I suggest a simple balsamic vinaigrette dressing, which takes just a few minutes and includes almost all ingredients you already have.  For a simple delicious homemade dressing that will wow your friends and have them asking what brand you buy, mix about 2 tablespoons of high quality balsamic vinegar with 2 garlic cloves grated, a tablespoon of dijon or spicy mustard, and some salt and pepper.  Whisk in around 3/4 cup (slowly) of olive oil.  You may need to add a tablespoon of water to thin it out a bit, if you want.  Add extra salt and pepper to taste!  For some extra zip, try adding some chopped cilantro, ginger, or a bit of fresh chopped chili pepper!  If you want a slightly different take, use red wine vinegar and add some soy sauce, and use some sesame oil.  You can refrigerate any dressing unlucky enough not to have gotten licked off the plate and save it for quite a while.

There you have it!  You can probably have this entire meal done in the time it takes you read this post twice.  Never settle for mediocre salads or dressing again.

I’m going to be frank: I’m in an abusive relationship.  The culprit?  Cablevision/IO/Optimum – whatever the hell my cable company is called.  I’ve put up with this for far too long and I’m ready to try and do something about it.

Basically, every month I fork over a ton of money for cable/internet/phone.  The internet is (obviously, as indicated by this blog) something I don’t plan to live without, and I don’t consider it overpriced for what I’m getting.  The internet stays.  As for the phone,  it’s on the verge of being cancelled, since I’ve recently discovered how to boost my cell signal in my apartment (Pro Tip: turning off the 3G radio on your iPhone can boost your normal cell coverage in weak spots – a great tip especially if you have WiFi for internet at home!), so that’s not really the problem either.  The problem is cable tv.

Ok cable let’s get one thing straight – you’ve got me by the balls here.  As regular readers are aware, I’m a die-hard Yankees fan.  My summer basically revolves around being able to watch virtually every Yankee game.  I can’t get enough.  The problem comes when the Yankees aren’t on.  I pretty much don’t use my tv for anything else.  I really don’t watch any tv shows, and I’m sure hulu or other services would suffice there for anything that catches my fancy.  So it boils down to this: if I could order only the YES network (and local channels to get the remainder of games the Yanks don’t broadcast on YES, such as My9, Fox and ESPN) or through some other means be able to watch all the Yankees games, I’d cancel my cable tv subscription.  Here’s the problem: there is no other way do this! Major League Baseball’s blackout rules make this virtually impossible.  Oh, you’re local to New York, right?  You can just watch on the YES network – you don’t need MLB.TV.  No, MLB, that’s not how it works anymore!  I want to pay you to watch your product and you’re turning me away.  Why?

So what am I to do?  Not watching the games really isn’t an option, and going to every single game is also out.  Am I stuck paying for cable forever until my love of baseball dissipates (not going to happen)?

Suggestions please!