Help wanted: Sous Chef

We are going camping.
With a vegetarian, so I wanted to make a yummy vegetarian chili for a camp dinner. I've made vegetarian chili using my standard from my head recipe just without meat. Once or twice I've used TVP (texturized vegetable protein) with some success, but this time I thought I'd find a new recipe.

I love the internet.

The recipe has many reviews, all raving, and it uses portobello mushrooms to give a meaty (chewy) feel. It has corn (which I don't like in soup or stew or chili), but I figure I am maybe being unfair and should give it a try. I found his Vegetarian Chili by Emeril Lagasse on the Food Network using google. It has over 200 reviews, mostly 5 stars. I am sure it will be delicious (it's cooking as I write), but there is one LIE in the recipe. It says 25 minutes prep time.

maybe if you have your own Sous Chef!

There are chopped onions and red peppers, minced garlic and serrano chiles, diced zucchini, 2 pounds of cubed portobello mushrooms, and 3 cups of fresh corn kernels cut from the cob.  I did 1.5X the recipe to make more for a crowd, but still!  And this does not count the 6 fresh large tomatoes that I should have peeled and cubed. At that point I resorted to canned diced tomatoes.

I still need to chop cilantro and avocados for the garnish and cook some brown rice to serve it over. But it does smell delicious!

Kitchen explosions!

Lot of cooking going here in the past 24 hours!  Last night an old friend from graduate school visited, and I invited several other friends and family who know him to come for a dinner party. I am hooked on epicurious.com and made a recipe I'd already tried for Scallop Ceviche, then a new one for a Grilled Tri-tip (with Tequila Marinade) and a Tomato Relish.  YUM!

I would make the marinade again and maybe the relish too (easy and tasty, but not essential for the meal).  The good thing about having friends like these over is that they couldn't care less that your kitchen looks like a bomb hit it and you didn't vacuum and the bathroom is sort of grungy looking... as long as the food is good, you are all set!

A "mini-reunion" of some grad school friends. (sorry for tiny picture - I'll get better at the logistics of bloggin)

Today is all about making a blueberry pie for my dear Megan - we're going over for a visit this afternoon and what is more healing than a fresh blueberry pie?  So the kitchen is a mess again, but it sure smells good in here!

Still in the oven...

kaboom!