Iron Chef Challenge
There’s a new dynamo in the culinary industry! And, while they are relatively new to cooking, they come from a long line of established chefs, line cooks, and sous chefs. Their journey began in their Macedonian grandmother’s kitchen, making all kinds of confections for holiday gatherings, and this love of cooking (and eating) has clearly grown over the years.
Their other influences include their Papa (with his Southern roots), their Mama (who has learned to finally cook out the box), and Rachel Ray (whom they were forced to watch–twice daily–through their Mama’s pregnancy in 2006).
Chef Mikey’s true test was back in 2005 when his mother was struck with a serious virus that left her weak, for a day, in her bed. He brought to the table his clear knowledge of the toaster and the microwave that day, and he served three square meals to his siblings. When his mother was able to pull herself out of bed she was shocked to find a spotless kitchen and three happy bellied children.
Chef Livey has become known in various circles as the “Mistress of Peanut Butter Sandwiches”. Made to perfection, she has mastered the right amount of peanut butter and offers different ingredients to go along. Sometimes it’s sliced bananas and honey, other times it’s sorghum molasses, maybe even pretzel sticks, or –the most simple and best– plain old all-fruit jams and jellies.
Today, I welcome them to Kitchen Stadium as they battle . . . Iron Chef Fury.
VS
[This is a simul-post with The BusyDad Blog. Visit his site for concurrent play-by-play commentary as he and Chairman Kaga's newest Iron Chef (IC Fury) battle Team Lane in Kitchen Stadium.]
AND NOW, TODAY’S THEME INGREDIENT… CHEESE!
Allez Cuisine!
Fukui: Chef Livey is off to a quick start, prepping her ingredient. It looks like a block of processed cheese . Let’s go to our commentator on the floor, Ohta for some play-by-play.
Ohta: Yes, yes, it is processed cheese product, indeed! I asked the chef what brand of cheese she preferred and she said it was a store brand and that she prefers it.
Fukui: Ohhhhh how interesting, choosing a store brand over the name brand…
Ohta: Fukui-san! It appears that Chef Mikey is coming in for a taste. He doesn’t believe that this store brand cheese is the same as that “other” name brand one.
Fukui: What seems to be the verdict from Chef Mikey, Ohta?
Ohta: He says, “You can’t even tell it’s not that “other” one,” and then he gave his sister a pat on the back and a thumb’s up sign. What a team!
Japanese female star of stage and screen: I played on a team once. It was such fun. *blush*
Fukui: Now what is the chef doing?
Ohta: It seems as though she is dropping in a diced tomato and jalapeño mixture, one spoonful at a time.
Fukui: Ohta, is that a name brand can of diced tomatoes and jalapeño?
Ohta: Yes, Fukui-san, it is! She says that her southern grandmother would be disgraced if she used a store brand. She says that some things are ok to use generic, but others just don’t cut it.
Fukui: Like ketchup?
Ohta: Yes. Like ketchup.
Fukui: What else has the chef added to the mixture of cheese and diced tomatoes and jalapeño?
Ohta: Let’s see…she’s added Cumin and a few good dashes of Chili Powder. This is going to have some kick.
Japanese female star of stage and screen: Bam! Isn’t that what Emeril says? Teehehehehhe.. Oh, I’m so silly!
Fukui: Ohta, do I see Chef Mikey taking over the kitchen now?
Ohta: Yes. Chef Livey’s contribution is completed and now her team mate is taking over. He’s got some ground sirloin cooking up. The main course is something he calls “Cheesburger Ring”.
Fukui: Ohta! Why’s he making that face?
Ohta: He says that when he cooks meat on the stove top he feels a surge of power come over him through the spatula. I’ve never seen anything quite like it really. Wow.
Fukui: Ohta, is that ketchup and mustard being added to the ground sirloin?
Ohta: Yes! After seasoning the meat he has added a few good squirts of each condiment to the meat. The smell is intoxicating–in a happily intoxicated way.
Japanese female star of stage and screen: Kind of like when I go out with all my girlfriends and we …oops… hehehehhe! I can’t tell that story, my grandmother is watching!
Ohta: Fukui san!
Fukui: Yes Ohta, go ahead.
Ohta: Chef Mikey has told me that this is his favorite part in preparing the Cheeseburger Ring, because he can play with the crescent roll dough.
Fukui: Is he using the same no-name cheese product that his team mate used, Ohta?
Ohta: Yes, indeed. His final step is to add the cheese. He says that he’s used various cheeses, but that this kind proves to be the tastiest!
Ohta: Fukui san!
Fukui: Yes Ohta, go ahead.
Ohta: Chef Mikey’s assembling the ring and once that is done he says he will place it in the hot oven until the crescent roll puffs up around the meat.
Japanese female star of stage and screen: Oh I love when things puff up, especially around meat! Teehehe *blush*
Fukui: And the contestants are plating their final dishes and 5-4-3-2-1… the cheese battle iiiis ooooovvvvvaaaaa!!!
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Scroll all the way down for the THURSDAY THIRTEEN!
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Mikey: This cheese dip has kick to it, Livey! You did good. Real good!
Benny: What is that in there? Tomatoes? I don’t like tomatoes.
Mama (behind lens): Just try it, Benny; you might like it!
Mikey: Cheeseburger Ring is my favorite with HOTSAUCE!
Benny: I just like to eat it, as is. It’s so cheesy and meaty, it’s awesome.
Livey: Well, there’s only one way for me: with ketchup, and lots of it!
Davey: Well, I prefer this Macaroni and Cheese Dinner with a crescent roll, on the side!
Sadie and Summer: What about us, guys? No love for dogs?
Mustn’t forget….
The Cleanup Left for Mama
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XXXI
Ingredients:
1. Ground Sirloin/Beef (Turkey or Chicken; your call)
2. American Cheese or Velveeta or Store Brand (again, your call)
3. Ketchup
4. Mustard
5. Cumin
6. Chili Powder (if you like a little BAM!)
7. Crescent Rolls (Pilsbury makes it the best)
Directions:
8. Preheat oven to 325° F.
9. Brown the meat and drain. Once browned, mix in the cheese and spices. You can go above and beyond the ketchup and mustard and add in relish, onions (anything you might put on a burger) into your mixture if desired.
10. On a large pan, arrange the croissant roll dough in a sunburst shape (see what Chef Mikey did up there in the Iron Chef Competition)
11. Place the meat and cheese mixture around the dough and then wrap the corners over and tuck in under.
12. Put in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the dough is nice and golden brown in color.
13. ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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43 Responses to “Iron Chef Challenge”
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What a great photo story! I love photo stories! And thanks for putting the recipe up! I’m going to write it down. I probably won’t add a lot of chili powder, I don’t like “kick.” You are so lucky that Davey still eats jar food. Emma won’t touch the stuff and it would make eating out sooo much more convenient!
Davey actually refuses jar food now. He refuses a lot of food, actually, but I think it has a lot to do with i-teeth and molars coming in — full force. Yogurt, Kix, Cheerios, Applesauce and Bananas. That’s his diet the past week. LOL
Nothing cuter than kids in the kitchen :)
Happy Love Thursday!
Haha! That “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry” photo is great!! It looks like they had a great time and got to have something yummy to eat too.
I’m not sure if we’re supposed to pick a winner but I’ve got to go with the burger ring for plating.
I licked the computer screen and strangely Fury’s Pizza tasted exactly like Livey’s cheese sause–it’s a toss up.
That was fabulous! I loved it, and I have a feeling that my little chef’s are going to be dying to try it!
Happy TT
Such a great TT! I loved the running commentary and pictures to accompany it. Thanks!!
Excellent recipe, and great commentary….you better talk to that silly Japanese gal though ;)
I had fun visiting your TT.
Mine is at The Cafe.
Hope you’ll drop by.
looks very tasty! i only wish i could cook! i suck at it!
Big hi-five!! We pulled it off Mishi! It was a delight to battle Team Lane. If only we lived closer, we (the parents) could enjoy the spoils of battle. Because man, that cheeseburger ring is making me hungry! Curse this w8Loss Wednesday thing! I’d be making that for breakfast!! You and your kids ROCK. Tell them that Fury sends a big hi-five too.
yum
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That was so cute and hilarious and yummy looking. I’m still stuck at the part where Mikey fed everyone but then cleaned up the kitchen while you were sick. That’s amazing. Fun 13!
I don’t see no green in there anywhere!!! Veggies mama? No veggies mama? ROFL!!!
Boy that looks good! Your kids are so cute. I bet they had a great time doing this.
Happy TT!
Can I volunteer my kitchen as an “away” stadium? Please send those chefs over here!!
Cholesterol. Heart attack. But yummy, nonetheless. I got fatter just looking at it.
Mmm… I will definitely be trying out the cheeseburger ring! Looks delicious!
That is one of the best entries ever!
That looks great — especially since I didn’t have any ideas for dinner tonight. ;)
I think I’d have to submit my kids to Iron Chef America, though. I have a huge crush on Alton Brown. ;)
The chef blow by blow really cracked me up. We have a similar recipe the kids love called beef foldover. Pretty much the same except it get totally enclosed by the crescent rolls. Which is sometimes very hard, so I may try the Sunburst technique next time.
SO worth the wait. I want to do an Iron Chef with you someday!
I’ll pay for the gas if you can bring your kids down to Orlando to make me some dinner. I’ll pay them in video games.
ROFL!!!!! You and BD crack me up :) What an awesome simul-post challenge. Your photos are spectacular, and Mikey’s face is hilarious!
This looks so yummy! Thank you for posting the recipe :)
I’m new here….but the Iron Chef Showdown was great. Between you and Busy Dad………..I almost wish I would have had some children. God Bless, Mike.
looks like they had so much fun!!!
And WOW those sound soooo yummy…
great pictures.
great post.
oh what fun they had… I love the commentary. i was laughing out loud!
That is asuch a great post!! I love the idea. and the food looks good too… for kids… not sure I’d like it :)
This was wonderful… I loved the ‘simul-cast’ with BD and Fury… thanks for including the recipes too.
i think that was my most favorite post of the day!!
xoxo
Michelle,
That is one of my favorite posts that you have done.
Congratulations, Mikey and Livey on a very enjoyable Iron Chef competition. Your food looks so delicious! YUM!!!
An excellent competition.
Sorry, that comment posted before I meant it too. Anyway, these are great photos of a very funny contest. Thanks for all the giggles.
alrighty – in the cheese smackdown – team livey/mikey gets my vote! (high-5′ing) – good job .. good job!
i call dibs on the results if you do one with mr lady and all 3of3. seriously. y’all are gonna make me fat.
sooo funny, though, i was actually laughing, like, with noise coming out of my mouth and everything!
awesome T13 – I loved it – I really liek the 2nd photo and Iron chef challenge recipe – yum
but waht si crescent roll?
Crescent Rolls
That looks like so much fun. I was LOL. It seems really fun at your house!
It looks like they had a ton of fun! We have a Chef Livy here too, but she doesnt like things so spicy!
MMMMM…looks great! (And I *love* the Iron Chef-itude you added to the play-by-play! They don’t play that show enough anymore!)
What a fun post! That cheeseburger ring looks tasty… I bet my kids would love it.
This was SUPER cute! I love it. thanks so much for linking. I think you have proved that I could make both these recipes. YEAH.
Well done.
I have been looking for someone to battle in the kitchen for a while… but most aren’t up to it.
You wanna battle, yo?