FNCCC Assignemtn #24 - Mary Nolan - Masaharu Morimoto - Melissa d'Arabian

What a Smörgåsbord of chef's we have next week. Mary Nolan, Masaharu Morimoto , Melissa d'Arabian . None of them had many recipes so I figured that I would combine them.

Mary Nolan is an Iowa girl (I was born in Iowa) who went to University of Wisconsin (I LOVE Madison). "She shares her sophisticated yet simple meal ideas and crowd-pleasing tips for memorable occasions on Food Network's Chic & Easy."

Masaharu Morimoto - "While his cooking has Japanese roots, it's actually "global cooking" for the 21st century. His unique fusion cuisine takes advantage of Japanese color combinations and aromas and uses Chinese spices and simple Italian ingredients, while maintaining a refined French style of presentation." Come again? Can we say challenge? Too bad he only has 4 recipes on the FN site....although if you do a Google search you will find many more and they ALL sound like you need to invite guests over to enjoy this amazing feast you just created. You can also search the FN site for just "morimoto" and get a few more recipes.

And on a completely different note is Melissa d'Arabian. "In August 2009, Melissa d'Arabian won season five of The Next Food Network Star, beating out thousands of hopefuls for the ultimate dream job: her own Food Network show. As a wife and a stay-at-home mother to her four preschool-aged daughters, Melissa embodies family home cooking at its finest. On her daytime cooking series, Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian, she shares her tasty recipes and $10 promise: four people, ten bucks, infinite possibilities." Awesome! Can you relate??

We will post recipes on these folk on Wednesday, February 24, 2010. Can't wait to see what you will choose!

FNCCC Assignment # 23 - Mario Batali

Mario Batali! When I think of him I always see his bright orange Crocs. He even wore them when they did the Iron Chef at the White House (which I never got to finish watching - anyone know who won??). He just amazes me in the Iron Chef challenges. Who wouldn't want to be able to cook like that? Makes me want to get in the kitchen and whip up a 5 course meal with quail eggs, a box of mac and cheese, and a jar of pimentos.

"Always eager to educate the masses about Italian cuisine, Mario hosts two Food Network programs, Molto Mario and Ciao America. He also engages in fierce culinary battles in the Food Network series Iron Chef America. Mario splits his time between New York City's Greenwich Village and Northport, Mich., with his wife Susi Cahn of Coach Dairy Goat Farm, and their two sons, Benno and Leo." Don't you just love to know fun facts about the chef you are cooking with? Picture I found on his web site :)

We will post Mario's recipes on Wednesday, February 17, 2010. Can't wait to see what you are cooking!

FNCCC Assignment # 22 - Jamie Oliver

Our chef next week will be Jamie Oliver. He has cookbooks, TV series, awards, and has even helped the UK better their school lunches. His bio is extensive and his recipes look eclectic. Fun, fun!

"Growing up in Essex, where his parents run their own highly respected pub/restaurant in Clavering, Jamie Oliver was frequently found helping in the kitchen. At 16, Jamie left school to complete his training at Westminster Catering College. After spending time working in France and at Antonio Carluccio's Neal Street Restaurant in London, Jamie joined the acclaimed River Café where he worked for three and a half years alongside Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers.
In 1997, Jamie was featured in a television documentary about the River Café. Jamie was then offered his own television show, and The Naked Chef was born. The concept was to strip food down to its bare essentials, and Jamie's hands-on style and general laid back outlook was like a breath of fresh air, inspiring everyone to cook."

We will post Jamie's recipes on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. Can't wait to see what you are cooking!