food Network Hosts You Hate- Page 6

[iHeartMyGeek]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 10:45pm

What is red velvet cake, exacctly?

[DG]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:00pm

Red Velvet Cake

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:02pm

I got the recipe from the Food Network (sticking with the original theme of the thread)

Vegetable oil for the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
Crushed pecans, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour 3 (9 by 1 1/2-inch round) cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.

Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with the pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)

Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Yield: enough to frost a 3 layer (9-inch) cake

Updated On: 6/23/06 at 11:02 PM

[DG]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:05pm

The best is when it's served as an Armadillo, so it looks like you cut into its bloody inards.

Mmmmm-mmm!

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:07pm

AAAAHHHH!!! hahaha.

[iHeartMyGeek]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:07pm

Hmmm...it sounds really good...except for maybe the armadillo thing. Maybe this will be my project for this weekend.

[DG]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:09pm

iheart - you should do that while watching the film of Steel Magnolias.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:11pm

Great idea! So you have the whole southern feel . . . in fact, why don't you have a pig run around your house and hang a confederate flag on your wall to complete the motif (I kidd . . . I kidd)

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:11pm

In all seriousness though, you should try it. It is well worth it!

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:25pm

What's that ladies name? Barefoot Contessa her show is.

She kind of scares me.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 12:24am

Ina Garten

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 7:18am

Flipped on the Food Network this morning and who was on but good ole Paula Dean. She made a carmelized onion and cream cheese appetizer and right before popping them into the oven, she topped each one with a dollop of mayonnaise!!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 7:49am

FYI: Ina Garten's business ventures here on Long Island have all failed. Her "Barefoot Contessa" used to be quite an attraction in the Hamptons but it's now gone.

[iHeartMyGeek]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 8:21am

Turned on Food Network this morning and, since there was absolutely nothing else on, I watched like 10 minutes of Essence of Emeril.

The funny thing is, he was making skewers with swordfish and vegetables annd the way he was assembling them...well, Alton Brown had a Good Eats show a few weeks back where he made kabobs and he said to always make sure that you weren't holding the skewer up in the air and sliding it with one hand and sliding the stuff on the pointy end with the other becuase you could really easily, like, poke a hole through your hand that way. But when I watched Emeril do it..that's just how he did it. I laughed so hard. They all contradict each other.

[Jon]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 8:56am

Say what you will about Rachel Ray - I find her incredibly sexy.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 9:05am

Jon, I agree. She is a little nerdy. The $40/day show usually shows great spots to eat in the various cities. I find it funny that she always has just one drink!

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 9:36am

Ina Garten sold "The Barefoot Contessa" and I guess it didn't do well without her. What were her other business ventures on Long Island?

[quintia]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 9:51am

I just saw a commerical for Emeril live in which other "celebrity" chefs come and cook with Emeril this week, including Alton Brown. Mario Batali kissed Emeril...Icky.

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 10:05am

I love to watch Mario Batali week days at noon. Mario is so knowledgable about regional Italian cooking and history. He is a great teacher and has a great sense of humor. I was looking for a certain wine I had trouble finding and tracked it down to the Italian Wine Merchant off Union Square. The store is so impressive. I spotted a high tech kitchen in the back of the store and asked if it was open to the public. I was told it was for professional tastings for restaurant owners, collectors etc. I was kind of disappointed because I thought I was going to sample some great food. The store is co owned by Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich (Lidia's son) and Sergio Esposito. It's really something to see as each bottle is displayed in a wood enclave and they send down to the cellar for your order. Updated On: 6/24/06 at 10:05 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 10:25am

I like Lidia, that balding Italian lady. She's not on the Food Network either, though.

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 10:56am

I also watch the "Create" channel's cooking shows. Much less shtick and more cooking. I like America's Test Kitchen very much.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 11:59am

Lidia is excellent. I love the way she explains things and then adds a bit of family nostalgia to the description of the food. I've tried many of her recipes and they come out fine.

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 1:03pm

I love watching Lidia cook with her grandchildren.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 6:18pm

Does she use them as ingredients or do they assist her?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 6:25pm