March Mehness.

I feel like I should have some sort of list. A list of things I'd like to make so that sometimes, when I can't think of anything and realize I've made stir-fry fifty billion times (last time there were carrots and sometimes there are freshly made chow fan noodles from a local Chicago place. there is no end of joy when reading Halsted on the noodle label) or something like - everyone makes tuna salad or egg salad. Or when I realize I've been eating bread and butter or this pasta bake that my roommate and I love love love (but I keep not taking snaps of it, so I can't exactly post it).

The point here is. I need to branch out! Document better! Try new things!

Which is, of course, one good thing about being so very very poor (due to being so very very unemployed). Creativity is a must. Especially when I've got to keep a tight watch on my allergy and my nickles. So maybe I'll get on that.

Of course, I have been feeling like not doing anything at all (thus eating things like bread and butter as a meal) because my brain is not what you might call "happy" these days.

In other news, Top Chef. Really? Hosea? He's such a tool, much like Stefan, but so much more annoying and so much less talented and so much less of a decent human. Carla was the nicest of the three, though I kept waiting for her to snap suddenly and violently. Really I just wanted Jaime and Fabio to be there, being awesome. Winning. Making everyone else pay. So at least Fabio won Fan Favorite.

And at least Jamie was adorable.

Plus, isn't my new Daring Bakers badge adorable? The Daring Kitchen now hosts all your daring needs!

Honestly, Padma!

You know what is really bothering me about Top Chef this season? I expected so much more. I'm not sure what the deal is, but really - I just expected more. I immediately loved Jamie (oh, Team Rainbow, you and your cute inked lesbian. 'sup chef crush.) but grew to actually really enjoy watching her process. And Fabio won me over as well and I really think they were some of the most talented.

(that said, i totally expect stefan to win, he isn't not talented but he just really sort of was a bit tooooo whatever about it tonight)

And then they booted Jamie off. And kicked Fabio to the curve. Emeril, this is why Anthony Bourdain dissed you so hard. Because you clearly do not get it. For those wondering, "it" is defined as by what I think "it" is in regards to Top Chef. I'm just saying. I just a not into how safe everyone seems to play it, especially when - simultaneously - remaining completely stupid. "Oh, I've never made this before..." and things like that.

But our Top Chef dinner was some mashed potato (with garlic, nom, and believe me I make really awesome mashed taters. "secret" ingredients and everything), french bread (never too many carbs), and this chicken/mushroom/courgettes with a light sauce. Pretty delicious, even though I added some different things to the sauce than usual, but all the flavours really worked well together. No pictures, sorry! I was starving and just wanted to eat food. But I have some things planned that mashed taters would be a welcome side dish too, so who knows!

Top Chef

I don't know about the rest of you, but this season of Top Chef has been pretty disappointing so far. I can't generally remember the very first ones of any given season, so maybe this is typical and I'm really hoping that everyone steps it up. Even with the good moments and the general fun and everything, these contestants are not winning me over.

I do like a few of these guys though. Jamie, for one, as her tattoos and being the sole remaining member of Team Rainbow tend to soften me up. She seems pretty talented and I'm holding out hope that she does well. Carla is mostly just funny, so I like her for her personality more than her cooking at the moment. I think this is mainly because I can not recall anything she's actually done.

I feel obligated to like Radhika because she's from Chicago. Mostly though, she hasn't really wowed me and she keeps falling a little flat with just her personality. Still, the idea that I could pop down to Wicker Park and see what her food is actually like is pretty awesome. I hear there are flower petals on everything. Hm.

I was impressed by Gene building his own cooking apparatus for the Thanksgiving challenge and have been slowly finding Fabio to be more endearing than I would have suspected.

That said, I find Danny to be obnoxious and Ariane keeps annoying me. Padma spit out her food, come on! Though, I mean, she did well last episode, so I guess we will just have to wait and see if she can stick to it. Just so many of the girls this season are lacking in personality - they don't seem to be vivid or passionate. And still, I look forward to Wednesday.

Top Chef Wedneday, where we cook food (once it was just break-n-bake cookies. ha ha ha. blasphemy.) and judge away.