What do I do with my free time? Well, as crazy as this may
sound, I research recipes. I have a bunch of cookbooks that I love to go
through, and then I search the internet for amazing recipes. I’m super picky as
to what I consider a good recipe, and who I consider a good cook.
There are a
lot of amazing novices or non-professional home-cooks out there, which makes
searching Pinterest really fun.
Then, there’s a lot of “celebrity ‘chefs’” who shouldn’t be
considered chefs at all. When your main ingredient in all your recipes is mayo
(Paula Deen), you really shouldn’t have your own cooking show. Many of these
chefs don’t even come up with their own recipes and most
of them don’t even cook the food that’s on their show. Many of them have admitted
to other’s doing the cooking backstage or during commercial breaks.
There are certain chef’s though that I can admire whose
recipes are generally always delicious, professional and easy to make at home.
Say what you want about his table-side manner or his
anger-management issues, but Gordon Ramsay is a true chef who manages his own
empire in the culinary world. He owns a ton of restaurants around the globe and
has been awarded 15 Michelin stars total (Many chef's are lucky to just have one, they're one of the most prestigious awards you can get in the culinary world)! I trust all of his recipes and his advice. He has a couple YouTube channels as well as many TV shows to his name that have taught me so
much!
I LOVE Curtis Stone!!! I consider Gordon Ramsay to be very
precise and uniform about his cooking which I admire, but Curtis Stone has more
of a laid back approach. Don’t get me wrong though, he is legit! He’s a highly acclaimed
chef as well as celebrity chef, author and TV host. I have not found a recipe
of his that I don’t like! He makes it really easy to understand what it is your
cooking and how to cook it. You can find him and a lot of his recipes on Youtube.
These are my two favorites, not to say that I don’t love
others. If you want to know which chef’s and recipes I recommend and which I avoid, let me
know and I’ll let your know!
And now on to what I made for brunch today:
Curtis Stone: Crispy Vegetable Fritters
1 russet potato, peeled
1 carrot, peeled
1 zucchini, ends trimmed
1 onion, halved and very thinly sliced
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup sour cream
1/4 bunch fresh dill, leaves coarsely chopped (about 1 ½
tablespoons)
Mine turned out delicious, and will definitely become a staple.