Donuts and mussels. You'd never think that a man who knows his seafood would be into pastry but bam, Chef Zac Young of Flex Mussels really understands his dough!
Starting October 26th, Chef Young brings his doughnut prowess to Grand Central Station. Flex Donuts is popping up to ease the hearts of weary (and hungry) travelers until the new year, with amazing flavors such as Pumpkin Spice with Maple Glaze, Mulled Cider & Blueberry with Chocolate Frosting. Traditional doughnuts retail for about $2.00, while more exotic frosted doughnuts can be purchased for $3.50.
Stop by the Zocalo take out section of Grand Central from 11:30am-7:00pm for freshly made, seasonal munchies. If you can't make it to the pop-up shop, stop by Flex Mussels on West 13th Street and receive 50% off Chef Young's signature donut sampler with the purchase of any entree.
Take advantage of this great taste of New York City and head to Flex Donuts before those seasonal bites are history!
It's not every day that you get to take happy hour on the road, and what better way to do it than with some killer frozen treats courtesy of Grey Goose? These sweet, sour and tart temptations will delight your taste buds with just one lick. At Behind the Burner, we tend to like our cocktails on a stick, not stirred. Here's our favorite:
Grey Goose L'Orange Frozen Summer
4.5 oz Grey Goose L'Orange
1.5 ox Licor 43
24 oz orange juice (fresh squeezed would be delicious!)
Combine chilled ingredients in order listed. Stir vigorously with whisk for 8 seconds. Pour liquid into molds and place in freezer for 18-24 hours. Re-whisk before pouring.
Tip: Substitute your orange juice with orange seltzer or fanta for a fizzy, frozen happy hour.
These were originally created in a mold by Grey Goose, but if you do not have those molds you can use doubleshot glasses, ice cube trays, and more to create these cooled down cocktails. Nothing says the end of summer like a refreshing lick of your favorite Grey Goose concoction.
For those of you who find yourselves experiencing the final stages of S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder), do not despair because I have one last thing that might make the chillier weather slightly more tolerable. One dessert that may help you face the gray sky with a smile is Spiked Cheesecake Lollipops by Canard, Inc. Of course can make these luscious lollipops during the summer, but they are not built to stand heat. Spiked Cheesecake Lollipops tend to melt quickly, but if you can enjoy them before they do, you are in for a delicious treat. Who doesn't like Cointreau infused balls of cheesecake dipped into chocolate?
They are most definitely a rich dessert, and probably shouldn't be consumed in mass by those trying to fight heart disease or weight (I mean we are talking chocolate, cheesecake, and liquor), but because they are scooped into balls and made into small servings, having one little lollipop really can't hurt. Plus they combine your cocktail and dessert needs into one. In my book that's a job well done!
Tip: Following the recipe is easy! Make your own Spiked Cheesecake Lollipops at home before it gets too hot.
The transition can often be hard to notice, but somewhere towards the end of spring, the seasons officially click, and all of a sudden it's summer. During this time of year, it's great to make use of the fresh fruit we have in season and begin to get creative, especially with our desserts. Instead of indulging in the rich, heavy desserts that we enjoy during the winter months, we can take advantage of some seasonal fruits and create lighter desserts that will leave us feeling refreshed. If for no other reason than to make sure your body is ready for the beach, incorporating fresh fruit into a dessert will lower the amount of calories and add in new flavors that you might have missed during the winter.
Merry Berry Parfait, created by Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa is a 100 calorie dessert that relies mainly on berries and mangoes for fresh and exciting flavor. Anthony cooks the fruit with a small amount of Splenda to bring out the sweetness. The parfait made out of sour cream, vanilla extract, and Splenda is light and airy, with a sweeter taste than yogurt. When combined together, you have a refreshing dessert perfect for a warm summer night and even better if you're watching your calorie intake.
Merry Berry Parfait
Ingredients
1 cup fresh raspberries, cooked at medium heat on stove with
1 tablespoon of Splenda till thickened
1 cup fresh blueberries, cooked at medium heat on stove with
1 tablespoon of Splenda till thickened
1 cup diced mangoes, cooked at medium heat on stove with 1 tablespoon of Splenda till thickened
3 cups fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Splenda
Garnish: 9 sprigs of fresh mint
Preparation
1. Whip together sour cream, vanilla extract, and Splenda, using a wire whip, until smooth.
2. In each martini/parfait glass, put a layer of raspberry mixture, then a layer of sour cream mixture, and finish off with blueberry and mango mixture.
3. Chill. Serve garnished with a sprig of fresh mint.
Tip: If using Splenda freaks you out, you can always substitute with a slightly smaller amount of sugar in the raw.
Slacking and baking don't commonly go together but when the goal is to impress with a crispy (at the edges) and chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and you don't want to wait, here are some techniques and a recipe to produce a cookie that no one will believe that you practically did it while you were sleeping.
Traditionally, butter is just softened and then creamed with sugar, eggs, and vanilla before the dry ingredients are mixed in. I couldn't be bothered to wait to soften butter so I got out a saucepan, melted the butter (over LOW heat) and poured the butter into my trusty stand-up mixer, creamed in the rest of the wet ingredients, and incorporated my dry ingredients. Most importantly, the chocolate chips and cacao nibs were mixed in last. Using a mixer is totally optional but I used one because it was easier and this recipe is not about hard work.
White whole wheat flour and molasses and barley malt syrup spike the cookie with heartiness and the addition of a banana gives them a wholesome sweetness, without being cloying. They just sweet enough but the chocolate chips give them a boost!
Tip 1: Melt the butter over LOW heat; you do not want to cook your egg.
Tip 2: Combine all of your dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well so you don't end up with a chunk of salt
Tip 3: Use kosher or coarse grain sea salt. If you use conventional or fine grain salt you may want to scale back a bit so they are not too salty.
Tip 4: If you dont have barley malt syrup (found in Whole Foods or other natural food stores), just use all molasses.
Tip 5: Flatten your cookies to produce a crispier cookie.
Tip 6: Half the amount of chocolate chips and add some dried fruit and/or toasted nuts/coconut.
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