We are right at the end of February, can you believe it?! Spring is just around the corner (I hope!). If I had to pick a theme for this week's Tyler Florence Fridays Round-Up, it would be comfort food. I think we all were looking to fill a craving, warm us up and fill our souls; everyone needs a bit of comfort now and then. (Right Linus?!) It seems like Tyler came through once again this week with lots of recipes that will do just that!
Before we get to our recipes, please join us in welcoming our newest TFF member, Hannah of Sweet Cupcake Torture. (Love that Blog Name!)
First up is Pam from Sidewalk Shoes, who made her third Tyler dessert this week, this delectable Berry-Brioche Bread Pudding with Lemon Fondant, and it was another rousing success. Tyler is three for three in the dessert arena for Pam. She found the combo of sweet berries, eggy bread pudding and sweet-tart lemon sauce to be a winner and "really, really good!"
Kristen from Sogkonnite Living tried Tyler's Dad's Meatloaf with Tomato Relish this week. Made with a tomato relish and bacon, Kristen found it "unbelievably moist!" Although she and her husband liked the tomato relish, her kids still preferred Kristen's ketchup, mustard, brown sugar mix, sometimes you just can't beat tradition!
Letting her husband pick this week's recipe proved to be a lesson in frustration for Donna at My Tasty Treasures. After deliberating through each recipe for over an hour and a half, he finally selected his first choice, Ultimate Barbecued Ribs. Her husband wanted chocolate chip cookies for dessert and Donna made two batches, his favorite, and Tyler's Big Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies for her and the kids. Both recipes were definite keepers.
The Berry-Brioche Bread Pudding with Lemon Fondant proved to be a popular choice this week as Kim from Stirring The Pot, also chose this indulgent recipe. Unable to find brioche, Kim whipped up her own. She loved how dense and crisp on top it was and how the berries paired with the lemon. She says this recipe is worth all the calories and blowing the diet!
Karen from Something Sweet By Karen, made one of my favorite Tyler recipes, Coconut Bread with Sweet Pineapple Butter. Attracted at first by the luscious-sounding pineapple butter spread, Kim liked how easy this bread was to put together. Calling the moist bread, "seriously good", she found the pineapple butter to be her favorite part, slathering it on nice and thick.
Craving some green salad, I tried Tyler's Sesame Chicken Salad with Spinach, Cucumber and Cilantro at Kahakai Kitchen this week. I loved the combination of flavors and textures and found the chicken delicious baked instead of pan-fried. I also used some of the panko breading on some tofu, which was equally as good as the chicken on the salad with the flavorful dressing. This one is a keeper!
A Chinese feast with Tyler, (or at least his General Tso's Chicken!), as a guest, was the perfect company meal for Jenny from All Things Edible. She found the dish to be ultra-saucy and a bit much on the soy sauce, (although she felt that it could have been the different brand she used). Next time she will increase the chicken for all that sauce and watch the soy sauce. Although this dish wasn't the star of this multi-recipe feast, it was tasty.
Seeking a warmer climate, at least in spirit, Natashya at Living in the Kitchen with Puppies and her husband decided to have an island themed dinner. Tyler's Curried Cauliflower with Chick Peas and Tomatoes was the perfect accompaniment to her spicy mango jerked salmon. Her normal love for all things hot and spicy might have made this dish a bit mild in Natashya's book, but she appreciated a milder side dish with the salmon and salsa.
Unable to find rice paper wrappers, Andrea from Nummy Kitchen proved her adaptability by adjusting Tyler's Wild Mushroom Spring Roll recipe and egg rolls instead. She found the Wild Mushroom Spring Rolls (or Egg Rolls) with Chinese Mustard Dipping Sauce to be fun to make. Andrea liked the great flavor and the way the garlic and ginger stood out. Served with some of her own Cashew Veggie Stir Fry, it was a family-pleasing dinner and won approval from the kids and her Mom.
Michelle from Big Black Dog, is very possessive of her delicious, homemade pesto sauce and portions it out only for "sponge worthy" dishes. (If you don't know your Seinfeld, you can get the definition of "sponge worthy" on her site!) Michelle took a shot on Tyler's Mozzarella Grilled Cheese, being of that caliber. She loved the crispness of the olive oil grilled crust and it and the homemade chips, won raves from her husband but she is still on the fence as to it's "sponge worthiness". She does think it would be wonderful in July with fresh basil and tomatoes.
Tyler's Chinese food recipes seem to be a favorite pick this week too. Natalia of Gatti Fili E Farina chose his Sweet Chili Tofu Fried Rice as her choice this week. She found it to have a "wonderful Oriental flavor and is so simple and fast you can make it in minutes". Natalia didn't know who Tyler was until she learned about TFF, but is quickly becoming a fan of his simple, flavorful recipes!
Megan from My Baking Adventures hasn't had the best Tyler week, round 2 of the gnocchi battle was a no-go and although she had high hopes for a delicious-looking Ultimate Meatloaf, it turned out to be lacking in flavor, (although she found the tomato relish very tasty). Megan said the meatloaf "wasn't bad, it just wasn't good". Luckily his Pistachio Biscotti, made with little chocolate chips instead of nuts, proved to be a winner and may be her new "go-to" biscotti recipe.
Another fantastic batch of Tyler's recipes this week. Don't forget you still have a little time to make the optional Megan's challenge Potato Gnocchi with Peas, Proscuitto and Ricotta for this month! (What a great Saturday project!)
Have a great TFF and a fabulous weekend!
