Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

DC ON HEELS and TOP RANK VINTAGE are proud to announce the winners of the Holiday Recipe Giveaway contest. There were so many tasty recipes to choose from. This contest  showcased what a multicultural and flavorful city we live in--from Filipino chicken stew to a Peruvian Pisco Sour, the flavor profiles came from all across the map. Winners will command their style in the European military inspired coats pictured below by Top Rank Vintage. 

 Cocktail recipe winners will stay warm and cozy in this winter army hat. 

Lorenzo Sevilla of Washington D.C. will be sporting his new coat thanks to his winning chicken stew recipe.

Ginataang Manok is a chicken stew simmered in coconut milk and spices. Yum! One of the most favorite Filipino ingredients is coconut milk, or known to all the locals as "Gata" or "Ginataan." See we're not only going to be eating and trying out a new recipe, but we're learning all about the Filipino culture and language as well. It's a win win situation. 

Ingredients: 

3-4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips or cubes



1 Tbsp crushed ginger 



1 Tbsp crushed garlic



1 Tbsp fish sauce (patis)



1 Tbsp fresh ginger, julienned

1 small onion, sliced very thin

1 stalk lemongrass, chopped or 1/2 tsp dried

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper



1 can coconut milk



1/2 each red and green bell peppers, sliced into strips

Coarse ground salt.

Method:

1. Wash and pat dry chicken thighs; rub with crushed garlic, crushed ginger and patis. Let stand in refrigerator for about an hour.

2. Heat 1-2 Tbsp of canola oil in a wok or large sautée pan at medium-high heat. Sautée onions and julienned ginger until soft and fragrant. Do not let it get too browned.

3. Add chicken and cook on med-high to high heat until thoroughly done and meat is nicely browned. Add lemongrass and crushed red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute.

4. Add coconut milk and bell peppers and gently simmer, covered, on low-med heat for about 10 minutes. If you prefer a thicker consistency, simmer uncovered to reduce coconut milk.

5. Salt to taste and serve over steamed rice.


Karima Puche of Burke, Virginia is our women's coat winner. Her fried chicken and onion recipe uses special spices like rosemary, curry and paprika to vamp up her pollo.

Fried Chicken with Onions

Ingredients:-

Cooking Oil

3 medium sized Onions (cooking Onions)

1 Chicken (cut in 8 pieces without skin)

2 Garlic cloves

Spices:- Rosemary, Curry, Paprika & Salt (to taste)

2 cups of cold Water

Tomato paste

Method:-

• Peel onions, then chop.
• Cut Chicken pieces into “eatable portions”, remove white colored fat then wash & remove slimy guts.
• Place pot on fire, pour some Oil. Allow Oil to heat. Add Onions into pot then stir from time to time until golden in color.
• Add Chicken into pot then stir to mix.
•  Chop Garlic, add to pot then stir to mix.
•  Add half a small spoon of Rosemary into pot (by crushing & grinding using hand), half a small spoon of Curry, 1 full table spoon of Paprika & 1 small spoon of Salt (to taste). Stir to mix.
• Increase fire, add 2 cups of cold Water into pot, stir then cover & wait until boiling point. Reduce fire then cook for 40 minutes.
• Add 1 spoon of Tomato paste then stir until boiling point
•  Serve hot. Goes nicely with Rice (optional).          

 COCKTAIL RECIPE WINNERS:

Cheers to Lauren DeSantis of Capital Cooking who shared with us one of her favorite winter cocktail recipes  appropriately titled 7 Swans A Swimming. 

Ingredients:

1 shot 360 Chocolate Vodka

1/2 shot DiSaronno Amaretto

1 shot Bailey's Irish Cream

1 shot cream

Preparation:

Combine all of the liquors in a shaker full of ice. Strain liquor into martini glass.  It's that simple and it's that good! 

Our final winner is Marcella Villanueva of Washington, D.C. who sent us a tasty Peruvian Pisco Sour recipe. 

The pisco sour cocktail, invented in Peru around 1900, uses a pico (Peruvian grape brandy) that has a bit of bite to it---to create the balance in this creamy, flavorful frothy lime flavored drink.  

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (2 oz.) pisco
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon pasteurized egg whites

Preparation:

In a blender, whirl 3 ice cubes, pisco, sugar, fresh lime juice, and egg whites. Whirl until you no longer hear the ice cracking against the side of the blender and serve straight up in a martini glass with a dash of aromatic bitters and a wedge of lime. 

Congrats to all of our winners and Happy Holidays from DC on HEELS. 

That's all from DC ON HEELS "Bringing you the best in food, fashion and fun in the metro area."

   Besos xoxoxo Vanessa

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TBD recap, Turkey tutorials and Test your Thanksgiving IQ

If you missed out on any of last weeks spectacular events then don't worry, you can catch up right here! Check out the segment on TBDTV with Morris Jones. This week Markette and Vanessa choose their HEEL OF THE WEEK from Shoe Dazzle. Markette rocks out "The Beverly" while Vanessa dazzles in moulin rouge colored heels called "The London." The dynamic duo were also at WTT Smash Hits charity tennis tournament captained by Elton John and Billie Jean King. The two hosts were then off to ArtJamz in Crystal City,Va. where they "unleashed their inner artist" and painted the night away.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 
DC ON HEELS is wishing everyone a  Happy Thanksgiving. This year we  have soooo many things to be thankful for. THANK YOU  to all of our fans, viewers, colleagues, friends and family. Without all of YOU-- DCOH would not be the success that it is! So many thanks. This is my favorite holiday of the year. It's all about family, reflecting and helping others in need and having a good meal.  And speaking of food.. how the butterball am I going to get my turkey from THIS...

to THIS...

Thanks to technology and the good ol' World Wide Web, the pressure is off. OK well not completely since I still have to pull off a fabulous feast, but there are so many online tutorials, blogs, and forums to help ease the process and discounts that you can find online! I found this easy tutorial all about thawing your bird from Butterball's Website.

OK that looks pretty simple, now on to the basting, stuffing and cooking tutorials.

And remember, nobody's perfect, you have to march to the beat of your own drum and set your own holiday traditions. I won't be  complaining though if a little beginner's luck is thrown my way. And yeah mom's stuffing may still  be the best, or nobody can top Nana's pumpkin pie but at the end of the day it's still all about reflecting on what you are most thankful for whilst being surrounded by friends, family and FOOTBALL of course. And the BEST part of it all... falling asleep on the couch thanks to all that tryptophan.

And while there will always be mishaps and things that don't  exactly go as planned. (Just ask Paula Dean, remember when she got smacked in the face with a giant Butterball that was tossed directly to her noggin'!!! That wasn't exactly part of the plan, but even the queen of cooking had to roll with the punches (no pun intended.)



And remember if it doesn't quite go as planned..then there's always next year!


GOOGLE TRENDS AND TURKEY DAY QUIZ: FACT OR FICTION?

According to Google Trends the most searched topics for today are:

1. christy martin 2. how long to cook a turkey 3. iowa road conditions 4. thanksgiving quotes 5. happy thanksgiving wishes

6. turkey cooking times per pound 7. iowa dot 8. butterball turkey 9. deviled eggs 10. green bean casserole recipe

11. apple pie recipe 12. sweet potato casserole 13. macy s thanksgiving day parade 2010 14. sarah palin north korea 15. turkey gravy recipe from drippings

16. marcus jordan 17. cranberry orange relish recipe 18. candied yams 19. sweet potato pie recipe 20. newegg black friday

And now it's time for our Thanksgiving Quiz. I went to History.com to learn some important facts about this special holiday. Test your knowledge with a little quiz titled FACT OR FICTION?

Fact or Fiction: Thanksgiving is held on the final Thursday of November each year.

Fiction. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving. However, in 1939, after a request from the National Dry Goods Association, President Franklin Roosevelt decreed that the holiday should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month (and never the occasional fifth, as occurred in 1939) in order to extend the holiday shopping season by a week.

Fact or Fiction: One of America's Founding Fathers thought the turkey should be the national bird of the United States?

Fact. In a letter to his daughter in 1784 Benjamin Franklin suggested that the wild turkey would be more a more appropriate national symbol for the newly independent United States than the bald eagle. He argued that the turkey was a "much more respectable Bird," a true original Native of America," and "though a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage."

Fact or Fiction. Native Americans used cranberries, now a staple of many Thanksgiving dinners, for cooking as well as medicinal purposes.

Fact. According to the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association, one of the country's oldest farmers' organizations, Native Americans used cranberries in a variety of foods and also as a medicine to treat arrow punctures and other wounds and as a dye for fabric.

Fact or Fiction: In 1863, Abraham Lincoln became the first American president to proclaim a national day of thanksgiving.

Fiction. George Washington, John Adams and James Madison all issued proclamations urging Americans to observe days of thanksgiving, both for general good fortune and for particularly momentous events (the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, in Washington's case; the end of the War of 1812.)

And did you know?

John F. Kennedy was the first president to pardon a Thanksgiving turkey? President George H. W. Bush was the first to officially pardon one? And remember when Obama pardoned the Thanksgiving turkey  "Courage" in 2009? 

 Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

That's it from DC ON HEELS. "Bringing you the best in food, fashion, and fun, in the metro area."

Besos xoxxoxo Vanessa

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We the Pizza and Capital Cook Book Winner

WE THE PIZZA: SPIKE MENDELSOHN'S NEW YORK STYLE PIZZERIA

We the Pizza of the United States in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility....ok I'll stop. The only part you really have to know is WE THE PIZZA--officially opening July 19th.

WTP is DC chef Spike Mendelsohn's newest Capitol Hill restaurant venture. If your in the mood for burgers get the good stuff at his eatery GOOD STUFF, but if not go right next door to We the Pizza and nosh on some great italian fare like homemade spaghetti and meatballs, Italian-style deli sandwiches and homemade gelato and don't forget the sodas infused with fruit purees. (I tried the cherry soda--it was tart, crisp and refreshing) Then I bee-lined it straight for a nice cold Peroni beer after chowing down on the wild mushroom pie--wild forest mushrooms, truffles, mozzarella, and fresh thyme (the crust is crisp, chewy and sweet.) We the Pizza will seat about 90 patrons in a three story, 3,000-square-foot space with black and white tiling and red accents. I loved the wall decor too!

I like how Spike keeps it simple, relaxed, edgy and goes for the comfort foods we all know and love focusing on regional, farm-fresh ingredients. I guess there is something to be said of the adage "KISS." Keep It Simple Stupid--and it works!

The red carpet was rolled out for the soft opening

It's amore

Upstairs

Love love the fedoras

Hey I know him( pictured right) is Greg of www.gregslistdc.com --best site ever!

You can have whateva you like...

Don't stop til' you get enough

Hot Italian Lauren DeSantis of Capital Cooking was on-hand tasting the gelato

And speaking of Lauren ...... The winner of her Capital Cooking cook book is DC on HEELS fan

Tanya Sharma

Congratulations Tanya your name was picked in our random drawing! Let us know which of the 90 recipes from this book you plan on making! Lauren showed us how to make a really great Tzasiki dip (p93).

You can get her cook book @ https://www.createspace.com/3374156

ciao for now

Vanessa xoxoxxo

Hot in the kitchen with Lauren DeSantis and Fashion Disaster and Darlings

M&V WITH CAPITAL COOKING'S LAUREN DE SANTIS:

We had so much fun in the kitchen with DC's favorite culinary gal from the hit show Capital Cooking with Lauren DeSantis.

We were basting. chopping, cutting, boiling...ok not really, Lauren did most of the work since cooking is neither my or Markette's strong suit. (Look out for our segment titled "Kitchen Confessionals"--where the three of us share our kitchen disaster stories) Lauren showed Markette and I how to make a delicious Tzaziki dip from her new cook book.

Lauren's hit show Capital Cooking takes viewers on a gastronomic journey and her NEW accompanying cook book contains over 90 different recipes including appetizers, main entrees, cocktails, and tons of cooking tips. The best advice Lauren gave us was: keep it simple, prep your ingredients, don't be afraid to dig in, and of course have fun! YOU can win an autographed copy of Lauren's cook book too. "Like" DC on HEELS, post your favorite cooking tip on our wall, and voila you will be automatically entered to win Lauren's new cook book.

You can also buy her cook book from www.amazon.com which retails for $29.99

We kept it fun of course!

All smiles here

Eating the Tzatziki dip that Lauren showed us how to make

And lets not forget about the cocktails we made: Mango Margarita and the Flirtini

To check out more photos go to our FACEBOOK page. Stay tuned for our interview with Lauren. Only on dc50tv.com

FASHION DISASTERS AND DARLINGS: FOR EVERY MISTAKE YOU ARE FINED $100

Brown shirt, red bra showing, brown skirt, and running shoes??? Fined $300

Only one mistake here, one BIG mistake--Is it a boot or a sandal? Not loving these at all

Fined $100 buckaroos

Ok this isn't sooo bad, I just didn't know helmets had "hair flair"-- It's kind of rock and roll though so I get it. Partially fined $50

Thank goodness I ran into Yanee from Alexandria, Va.

Love the floral skirt and strappy sandals!

Yanee is picture perfect in this flirty mini skirt and tank. The tank is form fitting and the fun floral pattern on the skirt keeps it young and fresh. The yellow strappy sandals by Steve Madden add the right kind of "flair" to her look and black sunglasses and an oversized boho bag keeps things urban.

Yanee's three favorite bargain stores to shop are:

Steve Madden (for shoes, like her sandals pictured above)

H&M

Urban Outfitters

Yanee says it's important to keep things light and comfortable for the hot summer, that's why skirts are the perfect choice. She says to steer clear of jeans, as they can look cute but leave you feeling like a hot sweaty mess.

xoxoxoxo

Vanessa