Tuesday, October 20, 2009

What I Had for Linner: Mystery Meal, FN Mag-Style

Hey there! So, I got word that Food Network Magazine wanted me to participate in one of it's features in the magazine, 'He Made, She Made'. Have you seen this in the mag? Well, basically two people are given the same subject and are asked to create their own ultimate recipe for it. I love the feature and a good challenge, so of course I agreed to participate. Now, I can't tell you what it is and I can't even tell you who the He is, but I can tell you some of the process. I immediately went into brainstorm mode. I made a mental list of ideas, recipe titles and ingredients then for a day tossed the ideas around. I was familiar with the subject, but wanted to make sure my definitive recipe reflected what I like most. Thing is, I change my mind from week to week as to my favorite thing sometimes, so I hope this recipe rings true longer than that.

Ok, after thinking and writing a couple of rough drafts of the recipe in my notebook, I made a list yesterday and checked it twice. Then I looked in my pantry to get an inventory and headed out to shop. That was about 9AM. Shopping is pretty fun in my 'hood because not one store has everything. I usually have to make a few stops and I like this because I get to look at new set ups and ingredients at each stop. Really keeps your mind open when you are constantly bombarded by new stuff. So, after a few stops my total for groceries was $60.47. This is pretty low considering I had enough for six or eight runs of the recipe and then some. I never feel like any recipe is complete though, they are all works in progress I continue to think about forever. Anyway, around 11AM yesterday I got to work in my kitchen and around 5:30PM I stepped out of the kitchen with the last and final run of the recipe. It was as good as it could get, as far as taste and ingredients. It only took me a few different variations before I was happy. This was something I make often, so really the trick was picking something unique to my point of view. Next, I recorded the changes in my starter recipes and typed up the final and sent it around 6ish via email to my peeps at Food Network Magazine. Since I ate this basically for lunch while I was working the recipe and I had plenty of ingredients left over, I remixed it and had it for dinner as well. Linner never tasted so good, work done and tummy full. Want to see pics of a few of the ingredients? I can't tell you what they turn into, but you can guess ... you have until April 2010 though, because that's the projected issue. I know ... long time, eh? That's how it works in mag-world. Here are the hints ...


Any guesses?

17 comments:

Mary | Deep South Dish said...

Ooooo, I love that feature. And yes! I am a subscriber. Ingredients look like a good start to me! Can't wait to find out what the mystery recipe is, though I got a feelin' who I'll be rooting for. ;)

Anonymous said...

hmm...you got me! i can't wait to see what it is in april! thanks for stopping by my spot -- it was great to hear from you and was a very pleasant surprise to my day : )

Cassandra said...

Hi Sunny, I'll take a guess, I love to play games. It looks like three different types of beans (pinto, black, & cannellini) the ingredients for Salsa Verde (onions, tomatillos, & jalapenos) and Spanish chorizo. It looks like the makings of some type of Spanish food which is my favorite type of food. Keep up the fabulous work. I really enjoy the blog and the show.

The CDM said...

Looks like it could be Tex-Mex. I say that due to the chariso and beans, namely the black beans.

Sunny Anderson said...

mary, i like the feature too ... a friendly food battle where everyone wins! i'm up against a good one ... can't wait to see what he made

erin elizabeth king, i can't wait either, really. want to see the picture of my recipe after the pro food stylists give it a go ... welcome to the blog :-)

cassandra, i'd say you were the fly on my wall in the kitchen, but that sounds gross. lol ... you are abso-right on the ingredients, kinda ...save for just one word. good stuff, hope you like how i brought them together for the recipe!

complaint dept. mgr., dude, if i may say dude, "tex-mex" is in the title of the recipe!!! argh ... am i that see through? teeheehee ... hoping this comes across well in the mag!

Selenasking said...

Nice new profile pic Sunny and good luck in the upcoming contest.

Anonymous said...

Not that I am not in love with your recipes....but this is actually a clothing q! I was watching your chicken and dumpling with the creamy jello fluff show and I was really loving the shirt you were wearing. I actually think you might be wearing it in the profile pic at the top of this page. Would you mind sharing the brand of the shirt with me?

Thanks,
Katie R.
Pasco, WA

Sunny Anderson said...

selenasking, thanks! i just changed it over the weekend ... gotta keep the photos in line with the new wig lol ...

katie, thanks sooooo much for watching!! on the tag it says "Sweaterworks" ...hope that helps, i don't know what store we got it from, but macy's, nordstrom and the like are a good start! thanks again!!!

egyptianpearl542 said...

Sunny, I have been watching you since you started on FOOD NETWORK! I loooove your new hairstyle...it fits you! I have a special request...I am a 35 yr. old black female & I am in need of some great recipes for getting a man! I have tried every trick in the book EXCEPT going through the stomach ;)
I am in need of those southern favorites that will let that man know that I am a keeper! I live in Indianapolis, Indiana & my mother is from mississippi, so she still makes the GOOD DOWN HOME meals. I do not have alot of practice when it comes to these meals & to be honest, I would LOOOOVE to learn some short cuts to them anyway. My mama stays in the kitchen & I would rather enjoy my dinner date than to be a slave to the kitchen. "KEEPING IT EASY IS WHAT YOU ARE ALL ABOUT"....make it easy for me....PLEASE! Although I am in the midwest, the men here still love that down home southern meals FILLED WITH LOVE!

Sunny Anderson said...

egyptianpearl542, i totally feel your struggle girll.... i am 34 and no chef, so if i can do it, i promise you can too. look up a few of my recipes, they are all listed as easy or intermediate, never difficult. try classic rockin oxtails, spicy macaroni and cheese and vegetarian collard greens ... these are pretty simple and flavor packed ... i used to have a rule that i didn't cook for guys until we dated for a minute because, cooking changes it all ... girl ... get in tha kitchen!!! it's easy, promise. just read the recipe a few times, get familiar, set out all your ingredients and be sure to take it slow, no need to rush it. just follow the directions. even if your first time isn't so tasty, you'll get there ... promise ... just reeeeeeeeeelax :-). thanks sooooo much for watching! btw, i used to live in indianapolis! ft. ben harrison! back in 93 ...

Anonymous said...

Hi Sunny,
I love your show! Your choice of recipes are always great.

I also love the fridge on your set with the glass door. What brand is it? We are building a new house and it would be perfect in our new kitchen!

Thanks
Krystal

Nicole said...

Chorizo and beans? Whatever it is, its going to be delicious no doubt. Can't wait to see it in the mag, which by the way, is my favorite magazine. Love your style Sunny(cooking, and otherwise) You are a permanent record on my dvr. I come home each day and check to see if there's a new one. Thanks again for making food that "real" people love to eat!

ken said...

hi miss sunny .......

whats up ....... u been on mine mind lately ....... i thought i would check in on u and mess with you ....... i see ....... you have been ....... a busy little cooky ....... so so happy 4u ....... i no u miss mee ....... ken aka i miss u more .......

o'yeah i seen ur kinfolk video ....... Any Guesssessss .......









SUNSHINE ANDERSON .......

Selenasking said...

Sunny, besides just voting here in N.J., I had my "main meal of the day", as I call it, because that's what it is even though I'm having it by noon, lol! Ummmm, here in the very northern most part of the state I've seen my share of dairy cows around and at the County/State Fair, as well, in August. The point is this: Three guesses. What did my just finished meal most resemble 1. a typical Food Network dish? 2. a green and white flag? or 3. a "cow pie"? Oh yeah, the ingredients were instant mashed potatoes and a can of spinach mixed together in perfect proportion ~ a little milk stirred in to get there then microwaved. I can include a pic next time if you desire. And should I serve this to myself only or others as well? Yeah, I've been preparing these dandies for myself. I don't know if someone else would appreciate them, lol. But that actually is a recipe I'll repeat! Don't worry, it's not my only one though.

Sunny Anderson said...

krystal, thanks so much for watching! sorry it took a sec to reply. so, the fridge... one of the top questions. :-). it's a sub zero. ok, here's the deal though ... we rigged it. so the frosted glass door is our creation, we bought film and put it on the inside. then the lights stay on when the door is closed because we rigged that too. hope this helps! if we can do it, you can do it!!!

nicole, yes ... yes. very good. hope you like what i added to it and what it turned into! ita about the mag, it really is something i'd buy if i didn't get it as part of the gig. they send one every month and i devour it like that piece of cake that was on the last cover lol.

ken, hey, long time ... hope you've been well.

Anonymous said...

Do you have a cookbook?

Sunny Anderson said...

anon, not yet ... i'm actually working on it now and hope that i finish in time for next year's holiday season. thanks so much for watching!