Welcome Carson!

Big news today from the Daly household - Carson is joining the Today Show!!

Remember when I wrote about how my morning has always included this little show?  I am so excited that he is now a permanent part of it.  Little known fact: with all of his jobs and success, he is the hardest working and most dedicated father who spends EVERY spare moment wrestling with Jack and changing Etta's diapers.  Well, when he's not in NY.  In fact, I think she just pooped, could you come back Daddy?  Anyway, we couldn't be prouder over here : )

Today

I'm blogging from my cellular device, therefore please forgive my silly iPhone (talking to you Siri) for any random auto correction.  I wanted to quickly thank you for watching THE TODAY SHOW THIS MORNING!?  Did that actually just happen?  Here are some things I learned...

1. Hair/make-up stylists are magical people.  My baby woke up eleventy times last night, and you can barely see my raccoon eye rings.

2. Food stylists are also magical.  I want that job in my next life.

3. Did I welcome Al to his own talk show?

4. Everyone there is lovely - beyond nice and helpful and I didn't want to leave.

5. That's sort of a lie, I could use a nap.

6. I love you people. 

(7. Sweater from J Crew)

8. Wow...

Siriously Delicious on TODAY

What is your morning routine like?  For as long as I can remember, mine has included the Today Show.  It was always on our TV... as a kid, in college, and now as an adult (although Sesame Street is slowly taking over my life).  There's something so comforting about hearing those familiar voices, if even in the background.  I like knowing that on any given morning I'll turn on my TV, and they'll be there.    

Next Wednesday the 27th, if you turn on your TV in the 9 o'clock hour, I'll be there.
I'll be on the Today Show.

I just wrote that sentence and laughed at myself, like, you silly billy head NO YOU WON'T.

But yes, I will.  So tune in please : )

(image)

I'll be back...

...but for now this is where I am.  Hovering, all day long, over the craft services table at The Voice blind audition tapings.  Do you know how often they change this food over?  Often.  Do you know that sometimes I lie under that table and just grab food with my hand, like a troll?  Now you know.  

Rachael Ray Show

Can we collectively decide to ignore my lazy eye in the photo above, and the fact that there's a giant tiger on my belly, and how tightly I'm clutching my new olive oil dispensers?  Instead, let's focus on the fact that I'm embracing THE Rachael Ray, who by the way gave my those oil dispensers along with various pieces of her cookware.  Let's also focus on the fact that Carson will spend the entire hour co-hosting her show on Monday (check your local listings for showtimes, in LA she airs at 8am on KCAL 9).  They might even mention this little old blog in the cooking segment...

And speaking of that segment, they whipped up these Iowa Style Fried Pork Sandwiches which we were able to taste after the show.  Pork cutlets, pounded thin, breaded and fried, served on a simple roll with onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard.  Amazing.  Tune in Monday to see how they made it.     

It was so nice to meet you Rachael!  Thank you for the swag, the food, the dinner recommendations, and for being the perfect backstage host.  What an awesome (and quick) trip to New York, bye bye for now...

(French Toast Muffins and Homemade Nutella next week...)

the VOICE

Time for some shameless plugging.  

Also remember this cake?

So I turn another year older on Saturday, and do you know what I want on the 10 year anniversary of my 21st birthday??  I want YOU to watch The Voice after the Super Bowl.  It's bigger, it's better, and I sound like a walking car commercial.  But no for real, you won't be sorry.  All season long.  

So make it happen, for a little old lady.  

Enjoy your weekend best friends!!

back in the day...

You guys, I feel like it's been a long time since we've talked...about me.  Ok.

Once upon a time, I was a single gal in my twenties, sans baby, sans food blog.  Cooking dinner for myself consisted of microwaving Trader Joe's Spanakopita and eating it at 9pm when I got home from work (which was at Last Call with Carson Daly where I was a Segment Producer).  But my passion for food still found it's outlet.  I often baked for co-workers and when a food-related guest was booked for the show, they turned to me.  See below.  Hi Padma!   

When Padma was booked, she said she wanted to bring Flautas for Carson, from her new cookbook.  But what she really meant was, I want your chef to make my flautas and then I want your food stylist to make them camera ready and then I will bring them out to Carson.  Well, we didn't have a "chef" or a "food stylist" - we had me.  And our prop guy, Bob.  So I left work mid-day, fried up some flautas, had a couple of panic attacks and a beer, and drove them back to work.  Then, Bob threw them on a plate of lettuce (because green leafy things always make food look fancy) and they were "camera ready."

She tried them in her dressing room pre-segment, in front of me, and made some comment about how they weren't crispy enough.  I almost cried, but thankfully the beer was keeping me calm, cool and collected.  The 'Last Call Chef/Food Stylist' name tag I was wearing helped too.  

I know what you're thinking, What A Fascinating Behind The Scenes Look At TV. 

Here's the second guest trying my-Padma's flautas.  He's a famous football player?  I can't remember.  What?!  I do remember that he ate 7 of them, and I wanted to hug his big body.  (Look at her face, she's all, eh, they should be crispier...) 

In case you're curious, here's a video of Padma actually making them (but Tom Colicchio's does most of the work) and here's the recipe.  Great Sunday football snacks.  Moving on.

My very first producing gig was with these guys, Jon Shook... 

and Vinny Dotolo...

They couldn't have made my job any easier.  I was a wreck, convinced we'd go long and blow up the studio.  They, on the other hand, were prompt, professional, fun, relatable, spectacular chefs and great TV personalities.  If you're ever in LA, do yourself a favor and get to one of their restaurants: Animal and Son of a Gun.  You won't be sorry.

So there you go, that wraps up my gratuitous history lesson all about me.  I'll bake you a cookie for listening.    

Scrabble Cooking

Lookie here! My two great loves got together and made a baby. Precious.