Being a foodie, the most common question I hear within the community between fellow foodbeasts is, “What’s your favorite food?” For most, this is a damn near impossible question to answer. For me, I think I may have narrowed down my list to about 45 things, and spaghetti and meatballs is definitely in one of the higher positions.

I also very much enjoy gum, so this Hearty Italian Style Meatball Bubble Gum that was just brought to my attention had me rather giddy all morning. Each piece looks like it should be sitting on top of a big plate of pasta, but it actually tastes like delicious bubble gum. You could play a pretty funny practical joke with these, by switching out for the real thing with this chewy twin brother. ($5 @ Amazon)

With the smartphone revolution on hand, it’s only fitting a few of the apps are getting some serious face time as of late. One of the most popular games spanning almost all mobile operating systems is the highly addictive Angry Birds game. If your phone can surf the Internet and download games, you most likely have flung a bird at an evil pig during an Angry Birds game session.

With all this hype in mind, we were bound to see some talented Bento Artists get to work on a completely edible, savory dish with Angry Birds in mind. Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened and what we’re looking at in this post. The culinary artists at MyMealBox have meticulously pieced together this delicious looking replica of the iconic Red Bird and the Green Pig.

The red bird was made of white rice mixed with tomato sauce, baby carrot for the beak, red pasta for the feather and eyes and eyebrows made from nori and cheese slices. The green pig utilized white rice with edamame and pea-paste to make green colored rice. Edamame was used again for the ears and a sliced cucumber piece was put in place for the nose. Like the red bird, nori and a cheese slice were used for the eyes and eyebrows. Pure genius!

]]> http://foodbeast.com/content/2011/02/17/angry-birds-bento-box/feed/ 0 http://foodbeast.com/content/2011/02/07/blt-pasta-salad/ http://foodbeast.com/content/2011/02/07/blt-pasta-salad/#comments Mon, 07 Feb 2011 06:06:11 +0000 Elie Ayrouth http://foodbeast.com/content/?p=24890

A heavy amount of corkscrew pasta, milk, thick-cut bacon slices, garlic, thyme, mayonnaise, sour cream, grape tomatoes, arugula, fresh parsley, Parmesan and salt and pepper. Hungry? This salad takes note from a BLT sandwich, but takes on a life all its own. If you’re looking…

A heavy amount of corkscrew pasta, milk, thick-cut bacon slices, garlic, thyme, mayonnaise, sour cream, grape tomatoes, arugula, fresh parsley, Parmesan and salt and pepper. Hungry? This salad takes note from a BLT sandwich, but takes on a life all its own. If you’re looking for a more intricate play-by-play of how to make this on your own, check out the recipe here!

]]>

Multi-colored hand rolled pasta squares roll up with ricotta and broccoli rabe, rolled up in sushi fashion, diced up to manageable bite sizes with more cheese on top, and thrown into the oven to bake and garner some added texture. That’s the one-sentence summary of how to make these amazing looking Pasta Rolls. I imagine these rolls inspiring quite a few knockoffs into the coming days and weeks. Head over to Dan’s blog if you want the play-by-play, and until next time, EAT ON!

Yes, you’re reading right. Every bowl of Penis Pasta will legitimately credit your body with 7 grams of protein, 188 calories and 1 gram of fat. Advertised as “perfect for bachelorette parties”, but just as perfect for every-day use (if you like downing penis for lunch; that’s what she said). In reality, this pasta is completely legitimate, made with “the finest durum wheat” and comes with a recipe for “Big Balls, with Steamy Sauce and Penis Pasta”. NOT MADE FROM PENIS, JUST SHAPED LIKE IT. ($10 @ FredFlare)

Some people know how to cook, others say they do and head straight to the Mac ‘n’ Cheese. Once in a while you come across a friend who slaps your appetite in the face and turns you into a lil’ Oliver Twist having you say, “mo’ please”. Ryan Dellorusso, a.k.a. Chef Boy-R-Dell is an Italian Stallion in the kitchen. He will definitely have your taste buds tingling with his pancetta-loving menu. With the knowledge of an Italian and spices and herb straight from the land of the Godfathers, Chef Boy-R-Dell cooks up a delicious lip-smacking meal called Bucatini all’ Amatriciana con Pollo.

Chef Boy-R-Dell’s passion for Italian cuisine is evident in his exquisite cooking. With a thick moustache that puts Mario and Luigi to shame, Boy-R-Dell keeps it fun and exciting in the kitchen. He demands only the best ingredients when he cooks for his family and friends. Here’s the Italian Stallion to tell you guys how to make delicious art in the cucina:

Bucatini all’ Amatriciana con Pollo

Ingredients:

1 lb Bucatini or Linguine Pasta (I prefer Bucatini because it’s a hollowed out type of spaghetti that helps catch more flavor)

1/2 lb Pancetta (Italian style peppered bacon, diced)

1/2 lb Chicken Breast (Diced into bite-sized portions)

1 lb Roma Tomatoes (Blanched, diced, and drained)

1/2 Onion (Minced or diced)

2 Serrano Chile Peppers (You can chop it, or leave whole if you plan to remove it. I cut it into halves so the diner has a choice)

*You can also use Red Chili Peppers if you want a spicier kick*

1/2 cup Olive Oil

1/2 cup White Wine

1 cup of freshly grated Cheese (I use Pecorino Romano because it has more of a cheesy taste, but feel free to substitute in Asiago or Parmesan if you feel like it)

2 cloves Garlic (Although not in the traditional recipe, I think it compliments the meal nicely.)

I also throw in a little bit of Aglio Olio & Peperoncino, an Italian spice I picked up in Rome. It adds a nice spicy flavor to the entire dish and you can really taste it. It isn’t necessary and it is extremely hard to find in America, but if you want to replicate the taste feel free to add more red peppers.

Directions:

1. Prepare all food as noted above.

2. Heat water to a boil, this normally takes a good amount of time so you want to time it accordingly.

3. While the water is heating, you’re going to cook the diced pancetta in a skillet large enough to hold all of the ingredients first. When it’s color starts to change, add the white wine and you can really smell the flavors working together.

4. Once the pancetta is cooked to the desired firmness, remove it, leaving behind a little bit of the grease. (If there is too much, however, you may need to drain a little bit of it but you’re gonna want a nice layer as the grease is going to help cook the chicken.)

5. Cook the chicken. All pieces should be about equal size so it can all cook thoroughly and consistently. Again, you’re going to remove the chicken once it is cooked and set it aside for now.

6. With the meats removed and the pan more or less drained of all the grease, you’re going to start on the onions, peppers, and garlic simultaneously. Pour the olive oil on top and really mix everything together to get a nice uniform color and flavor. (It’s in this step that I add my spices as well)

7. Once the onions start to turn a pretty golden-brown color, you’re going to toss the well drained and blanched tomatoes into the mix. Stir everything up well and give it a few minutes to let the flavors cook into each other, stirring occasionally.

8. After that cooks for a few minutes, add pancetta and mix well before finally adding the chicken. Cook and stir for a few minutes to help reheat the meats.

9. When the pasta is done cooking, drain it well before returning to the hot pot and add your freshly made sauce, stir well. Add your cheese of choice and continue stirring.

10. Once you’ve reached the desired consistency pour all your ingredients into a serving bowl and sprinkle just a little bit of cheese on top to finalize the dish and make it look absolutely irresistible.

Be on the look out for some more Chef-Boy-R-Dell creations in 2011. If you’re hungry like us, we know you’ll love what we have in store. Be sure to take pictures of your own Bucatini all’ Amatriciana con Pollo creations and send them in to tease our stomachs.

FoodBeast’s Chef Boy-R-Dell putting some Italian pizaz into the meal.

Adding some herbs and spices straight from the boot-shaped country, Italy.

Let’s not forget the cheese.

A plate of some mouthwatering Bucatini all’Amatriciana con Pollo.

Did I mention cheese?

Pasta duty.

Cooking up a storm.

Buon appetito from Chef Boy-R-Dell and all of us hungry kids at FoodBeast. Ciao!

My friend Clayton Woodley .aka. PartyWithPanda .aka. re-occurring Foodbeast contributor, just recently spent a month in Australia shooting photos. After the Missy Elliott concert he shot, they all headed over to Rosati Restaurant in Melbourne. Take a look at the gorgeous food Panda and the crew he was with got into, after the jump.

Clayton and all of Missy’s crew give a big shout out to Geremy Lucas for hosting them!

Applebee’s is hitting the Italian game strong and is coming in hot with these two new pastas! Their new Provolone-Stuffed Meatballs with Fettuccine and Florentine Ravioli with Chicken look delicious to say the least! The meatballs are braised with rich marinara sauce with a hint of crushed red pepper for an added zing! The ravioli dish is packed with grilled chicken, spinach and ricotta-stuffed half-moon ravioli in a roasted garlic Alfredo sauce with sautéed mushrooms, bruschetta and red onions! O yeah, and they are both served with toasted garlic bread! Mama Mia!

]]> http://foodbeast.com/content/2010/09/24/applebees-new-fettuccine-and-ravioli/feed/ 0 http://foodbeast.com/content/2010/09/12/veggie-pasta/ http://foodbeast.com/content/2010/09/12/veggie-pasta/#comments Sun, 12 Sep 2010 16:18:51 +0000 Kiera Wright-Ruiz http://foodbeast.com/content/?p=17707

This Veggie Pasta recipe is another recipe from the folks over at Budget Bytes, where food has in mind the economic state of America. Got to love cheap great food.

This Veggie Pasta recipe is another recipe from the folks over at Budget Bytes, where food has in mind the economic state of America. Got to love cheap great food.

]]>