Now it’s up to the public (that’s YOU!) to help me win! There’s a few wonderful prizes, but most of all, this will be a huge chance for me to continue with my dream of sharing food creativity and education with the masses! Please go to the Girl Scouts of Western Washington Food Blogger Recipe Contest page and VOTE for my “Samoa Curry Arancini” recipe now until March 1st! (I copied the recipe below for your convenience and to make your mouth water!)

In case you’re busy doing your taxes, watching the Grammys, or living under a rock, allow me to remind you – it’s almost GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME!!!!! I know, I know, it’s exciting! Before I get to my super exciting recipe and contest news, let me first give you the most important details: cookies go on sale SOON – March 2nd – 18th.

How could you NOT want at least one sleeve of Samoas? If you drink a cup of coffee with them, it counts as breakfast, I promise!

You can learn more about the best sale of the year by visiting the Girl Scouts of Western Washington website here. And because the Girls Scouts are hip and keeping up with the times (I mean, they are the future leaders of America after all…) there is an awesome cookie locator, as well as an app, that tells you exactly where girls are selling cookies in your neighborhood! They won’t be updated until closer to the sale, but are very good to keep handy! (and to learn about the origin of the Girl Scout Cookie, check out the full history!)

This year, as an added bonus, the Girl Scouts turned to food bloggers in Western Washington to see what we’d do when turned loose with boxes of our favorite sweets. That’s right – a contest – with food bloggers – and COOKIES. It’s dangerous kids, and I’m getting serious….seriously excited. The contest is to use the cookies in a recipe of our own making. And you know I love a challenge. Without further ado, I present to you my savory AND sweet appetizer – Samoa Curry Arancini!

A little sweet, a little salty, a LOT addictive!

What in the heck is Samoa Curry Arancini you ask? That’s a great question – to which I answer: I made it up.

In “old world” Italy, people would take their left over risotto the next day and roll it into balls, then deep fry it into crispy, heavenly balls of fried deliciousness. I decided to take this old Italian recipe to India, to warm it up a bit. The recipe that follows IS EASY – I PROMISE. If it looks complicated, then take a deep breath, it’s smoke and mirrors, and you can use this to your advantage the next time you have company. This is the perfect appetizer to prepare ahead, and fry up at the last minute:

Samoa Curry Arancini

Ingredients

• 1 Cup White Rice (sticky rice like Niko Niko)
• 1 Cup Coconut Milk
• 1 Cup Water
• 1/2 Tbsp. Yellow Curry Powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Salt (plus more for dusting the arancini after frying)
• 1/2 Cup boiled then chopped chicken
• 1 box Girl Scout Samoa Cookies
• 1 Cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves
• 1 Tbsp fresh mint leaves + a pinch of salt

Coating

• 4-6 Samoa cookies, pulsed into crumbs in a food processor
• 2 Tbsp panko bread crumbs (or regular bread crumbs – plain)

Directions

1. First get your rice and chicken prepared, this can be done at the same time. Get a small pot of water boiling and add your chicken breast (I use a frozen one). Boil till cooked through (about 15 minutes). While that’s boiling, get another small sauce pan for the rice.
2. Combine the coconut milk, water, curry powder, 1/2Tsp. salt and rice in sauce pan. Put on medium heat and stir constantly, THE WHOLE TIME, with a spoon, till it boils. Continue stirring constantly for 2 minutes while boiling. After 2 minutes, turn heat off, cover with lid and remove completely from heat. Set a timer for 20 minutes and do NOT remove the lid.
3. Meanwhile, prep your coating of Samoa crumbs and bread crumbs (I like panko bread crumbs – which are Japanese, but can be bought at any old grocery store). I put this mixture in a bowl and keep it in the freezer till I’m ready to roll the arancini and fry them. This prevents the chocolate from burning in the hot oil.
4. Take 4-5 Samoas and chop each into 4-6 chunks, set aside. You’ll stuff a chunk of Samoa into the middle of each arancini.
5. When your rice and chicken are done, stir them together and refrigerate until chilled completely. Once chilled, use a tablespoon to create evenly sized arancini balls (“arancini” means “orange” in Italian). As you create each ball, stuff a Samoa chunk into the middle and then roll in the crumb mixture.
6. I like to pop the whole batch in the freezer for a few minutes, to chill them down before frying (again to keep the chocolate cold).
7. To prepare your dipping sauce, just toss the greek yogurt, basil, mint and pinch of salt into the blender. Puree it and stick it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
8. When guests arrive, get a small sauce pan ready with 1-2 inches of canola oil hot on medium high heat (I set it around 7-8). To test your oil, drop a tiny bit of your rice mixture in and see how long it takes to form a crispy outer crust (this should be no more than 1 minute).
9. To fry, drop the arancini (up to 3 at a time) into the oil and let fry for 1 minute max – this will create a brown, crispy crust (that’s right, it’s a SAMOA CRUST).
10. Plate them up with a saucer full of your basil, mint yogurt sauce, and serve hot. When you bite into the arancini, you’ll get the added surprise of a warm, melted center!

Don't blink, or someone will grab up that crispy, crunchy, melty ball of perfection before you do!

As the arancini fry to a golden crisp, that Samoa chunk you stuffed into the center is liquefying into a caramely, chocolatey, coconutty surprise. The warm flavors of coconut, curry and salty chicken are wonderfully balanced by the sweetness of chocolate and mint, and refreshing basil and yogurt.  Better make a big, BIG batch, because after the first bite, you’ll want to hoard the whole batch to yourself – and so will your guests! Enjoy, and if you have any questions about the recipe, just leave me a comment!

It is such a treat to participate in a wonderful contest that will benefit the Girl Scouts of Western Washington by raising awareness not only of their fundraising activities, but also by keeping the community aware of all the great work they promote in local communities. To find out more, please visit http://www.facebook.com/GirlScoutsWW and https://twitter.com/#!/GirlScoutsWW and the Twitter hash #GSCookieRecipe. DON’T FORGET TO VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! https://girlscouts.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5vfxi5D0DTx0KKE

I have completed our random winner drawing with random.org and the winner is Aubrey Bach from www.yay-today.com! Congratulations Aubrey, and to everyone who entered, thank you so much!!!

In celebration of Leap Year (I know, any excuse to celebrate) I’m going to do a fun giveaway next week as well, so come back next Friday for a grab bag giveaway! That’s right, I’m dumping a TON of freebies I have collected recently into a bag and the lucky winner takes the whole bag-o-loot home!!!!!

Happy Friday friends, and Happy cooking!

-Siiri

++++++++++++++

Just when you thought your splurge mode from the holidays was complete, Cupid went and shot a stupid arrow right into your, well, you know….But honestly, who can resist a day that celebrates the people you love?  Yes, it may be full of cheesy commercials (that honestly make me gag and yell at the dumb woman saying a choked up “YES!” on a jewelry commercial), but I will gladly take a day to remind those loved ones how much I care!

Beautiful "Paris Red" Fair Trade roses with the most seductive black, velvety tips. LOVE!

These beauties have been making my apartment smell heavenly (dare I say even a little Parisian???) and now I just can’t wait for Valentine’s Day! Of course, I’ll be traveling for work, and will most likely be dining with clients and colleagues, who are great – but still….I’m celebrating early (and late when I get back) to make up for my absence. To find what my fave pick is for Valentine’s Chocolate and win some awesome swag for post-Valentine’s Day chocolate withdrawals, click through and read the rest!

Just when you’ve started recovering from the holiday spending spree (that includes your wallet AND your belly – which if you’re like me, now actually does vaguely resemble a bowl full of jelly…sad face), Valentine’s Day is knocking. In the spirit of enjoying something decadent without (a) burning another hole in your pocket(book), (b) adding another unnecessary 5lbs, or (c) leaving half the dessert on your plate at the overpriced restaurant you had to make reservations for 9:45pm at because everyone and their mom is also there for Valentine’s Day – Whole Foods sent me some goodies to try and share! YAY!

My wonderful Valentine and I stopping off for a warm cup of joe on a cold, wintery night.

What’s more is each of the chocolatey treats will boost your karma (because they’re responsibly soured, grown and traded) and give you that warm fuzzy feeling you’re really looking for on this heart warming holiday.  After all the tantalizing descriptions and pictures, check out how you can enter to win a HUGE bag of these goodies for yourself (or re-gift to your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day, we won’t tell!)

Whole Foods Market™ Organic Tanzanian Schoolhouse Project Milk and Dark Chocolate Bars – These Whole Trade, single origin chocolate bars are made entirely from cocoa purchased directly from farmers in the Kyela, Mbeya district of Tanzania and are Fair Trade. Your Valentine will love these milk and dark chocolate treats even more because a portion of the proceeds from ever bar supports education programs for school children in the district.

365 Everyday Value™ Organic Dark Chocolate Bar with Almonds – This Whole Trade bar is sure to deliver rich cacao flavor and texture with just a hint of bitterness (the good kind). The intense flavor of cacao is balanced effortlessly with a wonderful organic vanilla extract from Madagascar and organic cane sugar from Brazil, both ethically sourced as well.

Medley of Whole Trade Drinking Chocolates from Allegro Coffee Company^® – Your sweetie can drink up with a clear conscious, because these Whole Trade products help to put more money into the pockets of producers and ensure sound environmental practices. ***The Dominican White Chocolate is my number 1 pick for this Valentine’s Day, because I’m obsessed with white chocolate. ENJOY!

 Whole Trade™ Roses –These beautiful blooms come in all shades to fit any relationship — from romantic red to friendly yellow. And, by purchasing Whole Trade roses, you’re helping to ensure more money to the producers, better wages for workers and sustainable farming practices in Colombia and Ecuador, where the roses are grown.

Theo Chocolate Bars in three classic flavors – Orange Dark Chocolate, Cherry and Almond Dark Chocolate and Chile Spice. Fair Trade, organic cocoa; local mint, cherries and almonds; recyclable (and beautiful!) packaging are just a few of the choices Theo’s has made to make the world better for producers, the planet and chocolate lovers everywhere.

Divine Chocolate Milk Chocolate Hearts and Bars – Divine’s cocoa beans are carefully fermented and dried by the farmers who co-own the company. When consumers purchase Divine Chocolate products for their loved ones, they’re supporting farmers in Ghana by ensuring that they receive a Fair Trade price for their cocoa beans.

WANT SOME?!?!?!?! DUH, of course you do! It’s melty, warm, chocolatey and there’s enough to share with all your Valentines!  Here’s how to enter for a big old bag of goodies:

1. Between 2.10.12 (that’s today!) and 2.17.12 check out any of the fantastic chocolatiers above by visiting their site, and find (at least) one product you wish you had unlimited supply of (if you can narrow it down).

2. Come back and leave me a comment below this post, telling me what you want, and leave a link!

3. Wait for me to draw the lucky choco-freak’s name who will be the lucky winner! (Drawing will take place on or around 2.20.12)

That’s it!!!! Good luck and Happy Valentine’s Day! -Siiri

Cream Cheese stuffed lychee with exotic fruits and basil oil

The column, which runs every Tuesday online here: http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/voracious/three-way/, focuses on preparing one ingredient three different ways:

“When your fridge starts to moan and groan from the monotony of the same lame ingredients, it’s time for a culinary three-way. Turning a tired stovetop into a weekday workhorse, Voracious columnist Siiri Sampson brings a fresh, seasonal, or obscure ingredient to life with three treatments: decadent, healthy, and quick-fix.”

So a couple of weeks ago I decided to embark on demystifying the lychee – a true pearl of the South Pacific.

I won’t get into the crazy nitty gritty, for that you can check out the full article, “Exotic Three-Way for Summer with Lychee.” But I did want to show you a couple of pictures like the one above. I did not alter the color, so when you see that bright pink shell/skin on the left, that is truly what the inside looks like. The lychee nut is fleshy and white with the smallest, slender pit that reminds me of a quarter of a walnut. I was able to pry them out relatively easy with a pair of tweezers.

Go check out the article to see how I prepared the lychee and if you’ve got time, stop by your local Asian market to see if they’ve got any. The prime time is about a week or so ago, but you can still find them fresh and always canned – which are almost as good.

Enjoy and happy weekend!

So, what’s the loot? It’s a SIGNED copy of the fabulously composed “Sips & Apps” book that’s just busting at the seams with great ideas for the summer!

Copyright Kathy Casey 2009

Kathy is just wonderful, warm and fun to be around, and of course it doesn’t hurt that she’s a killer cook that never fails to impress me with the great treats (liquid or otherwise) she offers up.

Want to enter to win? Click through to the full post for details!

Copyright Kathy Casey

To enter:

1. simply go check out Kathy’s website, http://www.KathyCasey.com, go to her recipes page, blog and look up a cocktail or appetizer you want to make for all your lucky BBQ and cocktail party guests this summer! (of course the book has WAY more and newer ones as well)
2. Then, come on back and leave me a comment on this post with the Sip or App name and link of the recipe!
3. Do this before Friday, June 10th at 11:59pm Pacific time and you’ll be entered to win the signed book that will make you the official fabulous bartender and cook among your friends.

GOOD LUCK!

It’s time for a pick me up.

Here we see a tasty little glass of celebration, no?  It’s hard to be in a bad mood with something sweet, delicate and made to order in your hand. It’s basically liquid couture – to my taste buds anyway.

Spring Sunset Spritzer

• 2oz. Snapple Mango Madness Cocktail (or if you’re fancy, make some fruit juice with your juicer)
• 3oz. Bubbles (I used Spumante that I bought in a baby bottle)
• 2 slices fresh (I used Organic from my CSA bin, thankyouverymuch) Strawberries, dipped in sugar

Enjoy, and stop being such a Debbie Downer, sheesh!

French Summer Black Truffles from Marky's

If you like salt, and by “like” I mean you (like me) have a salt lick next to your bed, and dream about your cupboard being stocked full of a rainbow presentation of worldly salts, then this place is for you. 

Of course this place would be in Miami.  But thanks to the wonderous series of tubes formerly known as the Interwebulars, you and I can buy the best the world has to offer in 000 caviar and $200/lb truffles that some pig snorted up on the French countryside. Thanks pigs. We owe you one.

So let’s cut to the chase, here’s some succulent food porn from Marky’s to whet your appetite.

Got $360 laying around? Splurge on some Kaluga Caviar. (picture via Marky's. click to go through)

Caviar isn’t usually my first option when it comes to food indulgences, but that’s because I’m too poor to even entertain the idea.  I usually go for something greezy and cheap, like that guy I dated during college….*shudder*

They also have 10, yes 10, different classifications of Foie. That includes their own brand, which is  – big surprise – sold out.

Block of Goose Foie Gras for $125? Sure! I'll bring the wine, thanks Marky!

And this is just the tip of the iceburg.  Here’s a list of all the other departments they have online:

Deli Meats & Pate
· Basturma · Bresaola · Chorizo
· Duck Breast · Prosciutto Ham
· Salami · Sausages · Serrano
· Canadian · Italian · Spanish 
 
  Butter & Creme Fraiche 
· British · French · Normandy
· Devon · Echire · Isigny
· Salted · Unsalted · Goat
· Creme Fraiche · Fromage Frais 
 
  Cheese
· Danish · Dutch · English
· French · German · Italian
· Norwegian · Spanish · Swiss
· Blue · Brie · Fondue · Smoked
· Buffalo · Cow · Goat · Sheep
 
  Olive Oil and Gourmet Oils
· Almond · Argan · Avocado
· Grapeseed · Hazelnut · Olive
· Pinenut · Pistachio · Pumpkin
· Safflower · Truffle · Walnut
· French · Italian · Spanish 
 
  Vinegars
· Aged Balsamic · Apple Cider
· Banyuls · Champagne · Fig
· Red & White Wine · Sherry
· French · Italian · Modena
 
  Belgian Leonidas Chocolates
· Dark · White · Ganache · Milk
· Candy · Marzipan · Pralines
· Solid · Truffles · w/Liquor
 
  Gourmet Tea Forte
· Black · Green · Herbal · Oolong
· Loose Tea · Samplers · White
· Tea Gifts & Accesories
 
  Kosher Deli
· Butter · Caviar · Cheese
· Mustard · Smoked Salmon
 
  Accoutrements de la Table
· Knives · Servers · Spoons
· Mother of Pearl Plates

 
  Disposable Tableware
· Cups · Cutlery · Mini Dishes
· Plates · Skewers · Trays 
 
  Molecular Gastronomy

Oh, and of course top that off with specific sections of the site for their Russian, Spanish and French goods. OY!

This was by far one of the most exciting little food experiences I had on my Asia trip, enjoy the fry! (and sorry in advance, i forgot the video camera wouldn’t adjust when I changed from holding the camera horizontally to vertically. my bad!

Quite the combo here; a green tapioca ball with molten sugar inside, rolled in coconut flakes in one hand. Deep fried tofu sandwich with sprouts and veggies in the other. No wonder I'm smiling!

I wanted to bring you all a little taste (no pun intended, honestly!) of what a typical day was like for us on the road in Central Java. 

This series of photos was taken by Paul when we were on our way back to Temanggung from Singapore. We tried several treats in a city called Yojakarta, and took them back home with us. Enjoy!

Me and my freckles biting into the first tapioca ball!

Why I felt the need to try both at the same time and insist on holding them like it was the last food I'd ever see is beyond me.

Yeah, I look real, real good in these shots. But let’s be honest, I wasn’t filming Eat, Pray Love, so I wasn’t wearing make up. It was way too hot and swassy for that!

Yogurt smoothy - you weren't that good, but Paul said "Smile!" when he took the picture, so I did.

I hope you enjoyed a little time and hemisphere travel with me! What will I come up with for next week? I have NO idea! I better get on it!

Copyright Siiri Sampson 2011.

I took this last night, while visiting some local bars, pubs and restaurants for the Seattle Weekly. 

I caught them during final prep, and all these cheese plates were sitting out, boasting their unique aroma and appeal against the sizzle and pop of all the chefs behind the bar, cooking up the first batch of the nights menu.  I love the beautiful meats poking out at the end of the bar…I’ll have to go back to the Harvest Vine on another night and experience all they have to offer.

A view from our table on the patio, while we sipped French 75's.

Now, I wanted to boost the mood for you all, with some fabulous summer shots of a local Seattle favorite restaurant of mine, Maximilien in the Pike Place Market.

The full spread of appetizers in all their glory. Definitely the best bang for your buck at Happy Hour.

For those of you not from here, it’s a fantastic little French place at the edge of the market with a killer patio, great service and of course the food is to die for.

Fabulous frites with a touch of truffle oil are just the right indulgence on a hot summer afternoon.

These pictures are from a little get together with some of my girlfriends from my days at Reed College this past summer.  Between the frites, the succulent sauces and the sunshine, this’ll get me through at least another week of this awful weather we’re calling winter this year. Hope you have a warm food memory to latch onto right now….I hear we’ve got over 70 days of winter left. Super.