Culinary Friday

Ah, Friday. Last night, whilst I was reading my Cook's Illustrated (get it! get it now!), I was thinking, maybe I would like to do a weekly foodblog. Like, hey guys, I found this recipe, it rules. Or, hey, here's the kitchen experiment of the week.
But guess what I'm eating?
If you said McDonald's, you're right.
But at the risk of being hypocritical, I'm still gonna say some stuff about food.
Lately, I've been trying some new desserts. Hence, the Lemon Schaum Torte (meringue thing) last weekend, which is very delicious and, I'm sure, tres fattening, and some crazy peaches and cream ambrosia type of deal (jello...non fattening. whipping cream...well...). I feel most comfortable with desserts, because they usually turn out all right even though I don't always have the right kitchen utensils. Because I am lacking in kitchen space, my kitcheny plans often turn out a little smaller that I'd like.
But I've been wanting to try some more adventurous main dishes, too. The recipe I was reading last night was for peppercorn encrusted filet mignon. The experiments in the kitchen were very interesting to read about, and the end result dish sounded fantastic. It involves peppercorns in oil and a process of searing and baking that sounds pretty great. I want to do it! It didn't seem too difficult, and would be a tasty, expensive-looking dinner.
One of the things I love about Cook's is that they test expensive and inexpensive products, and their findings often coincide with one of my philosophies, which is that middle-of-the-road, on the lower end, is often a better bet than something expensive with little reason. Be a normal person. Avoid the pretense. They did a good review of mail-order vs. store steaks, and found that a good 20 bucks a pound steak from the butcher was a-ok.
This subscription, by the by, is a Christmas gift from my sister. It is pretty darn awesome, and it came with a bunch of yummy good spices; of recent use, the Bouquet Garni to kick up some gravy. Mmmm. Gravy.

And now, the kitchen lady's necessary tool of the week:
A jello mold.