Kevin White

We’re going there.

Wouldn’t be fall without another chili recipe! Come on. I know you want to try a new one. I can barely even use the same one each time. What is it about chili that just makes you want to do whatever the heck you want?

In this case, make a quick spicy chicken version.

Then cover it in beer biscuits. Not just any beer biscuits. PUMPKIN beer biscuits.

(Just be glad I didn’t make pumpkin spice latte biscuits or something.)

Steamy Monday shots. This is just the epitome of autumn for me. Right here. RIGHT HERE.

I’d cannonball in but I might burn my head off.

I’m on a quest. A quest right this second to find the best pumpkin beer. And if you didn’t think I was already basic enough, well… there you go. I want your pumpkin beer suggestions (or perfume beer, as my dad calls it) because it’s October and we can drink it for five minutes.

I’ve never been into pumpkin beer ever – but last year the fact that I couldn’t drink it made me dying to find one I love this year. So far, I’ve only done the leinenkugel harvest patch and the jack o’ traveler and both kind of left me with, like “hey, why doesn’t this taste like pie” questions.

Which yes, I realize is beyond ridiculous.

But is it too much to ask?? That my beer taste like pie?

Shhhhh. Don’t answer that.

Look at that though. Comfort food for the win. (I just wrote “for the WINE.”)

It’s kind of like a biscuit chili pot pie!

I didn’t even want to say that because I already made something similar. And I almost made that recipe because I was craving my biscuits dropped down in my chili, but I knew it needed a spin and needed to be in one big ass baking dish for mass consumption.

Think game day or Halloween weekend or something. Ooooh speaking of Halloween, since it’s on a Saturday are you going to make something fun? Please share because I’d like to make something, but apparently don’t want to put the work into looking for said thing. #millennial

The thing with chili is that it’s allllll about the toppings. At least for us. Right? I mean, the chili itself should be delicious of course but sometimes I wonder how much it even matters considering that we have cheese and red onion and and salsa verde and tortilla chips and cilantro and sour cream and cheese.

And did I mention cheese.

Not that it needs a mention, it’s a given. Especially since it’s in the biscuits too. Ooooooops.

My OTHER favorite thing about chili is how customizable is it. I used chicken but you could use ground beef, turkey or chicken, pulled pork or even short ribs. So much room for possibilities! I realize that I’m asking a lot to have you make soup and then essentially, bake soup with biscuits. So you totally don’t have to do all that – make the biscuits while the chili is simmering and pop ’em on top.

Oh yes. So how would you do it?!

this is exxxactly what I want to see on a Monday.

©How Sweet It Is.

South Carolina residents face uncertainty as they cope with major flooding after record-settings rains. As many people start the cleanup, others prepare for the threat of floodwaters moving toward the coast. Seventeen people died in the state, and the damage to infrastructure was devastating. -- By Leanne Burden Seidel

Flooding around Aberdeen Country Club, on Oct. 6 in Longs. S.C.. The Carolinas saw sunshine Tuesday after days of inundation, but it could take weeks to recover from being pummeled by a historic rainstorm that caused widespread flooding and multiple deaths. (Janet Blackmon Morgan/The Sun News via AP)

I was a skeptic at first, but I'm going to say it now: When done properly, ribs cooked via sous vide are every bit as good as traditional barbecue, if not better. Not only that, but they're far more replicable, they take much less effort, they take less practice, and, to top it off, they can be cooked year-round, indoors. Read More

There are a lot of initiatives around hunger lately, with World Peace Day just behind us and a long winter ahead, but when one happens to involve dumplings, I cannot sit idly. The New York Dumpling Festival (#dumplingfest2015) is this Saturday, and it benefits one of my favorite charities, the Food Bank for NYC. To salute this group and shout-out the event, I thought I’d go orange with this dumpling recipe, a blend of hearty vegetables from my CSA.

Not “vegetarian dumplings”—which is a moniker that can be as specific as saying “not-dumpling food article”—but dumplings with shredded fresh vegetables inside. Growing up, vegetarian dumplings were usually an indiscernible hodgepodge of minced cabbage, firm tofu, and glass noodles. It just so happened that this week’s harvest (the last week of summer, as it were) had dealt me a motley crew of vegetables that created a sunny, yellow-orange hue.

I wanted to see how well you could incorporate vegetables that are not necessarily associated with dumpling-making (or Chinese food, either) to make a satisfying filling for some crispy potstickers, a crowd-favorite dumpling variety. And once you’ve toyed with the likes of Cheeseburger Dumplings and Broccoli Cheddar Dumplings, this seemed like a pretty safe and moderately conventional bet.

What happens at the New York Dumpling Fest is yet to be seen: it’ll take over the Sara D. Roosevelt Park this Saturday from noon to 5pm, and with dumplings from over 8 cultures representing, it’ll probably feature much more wild versions than these. There’s also a dumpling eating contest, which may or may not happen by default should you attend (and will most likely happen with you and your friends when you make a batch yourself). I’m looking forward to seeing the festival, and some of the musical performances like the local dragon dance team.

But if you’re not in town and just craving a new twist on a classic, these dumplings make a fun occasion on their own. I made them with a friend last weekend to freeze and save for when she has her hands full with a new baby soon arriving. With a few hands to help out, we made quick work of the folding (using store-bought wrappers as a time-saving crutch); and we got to eat a spare panful at the end. I was curious about how the butternut squash would turn out—these dumplings had a medley of shredded summer squash, carrots, scallions and cabbage along with that just-in-season fall vegetable. Adding a little sweetness, they cooked just enough to help bind the stuff inside the wrapper and give it a vibrant glow.

You’ll want to squeeze out most of your shredded vegetables very well, especially the summer squash, before mixing it all together. (Wateriness is the enemy of keeping dumpling skins sealed.) I seasoned the mixture very minimally, with only a bit of sesame oil, ginger, garlic, white pepper and salt. Give it your own take with a dash of curry powder, or chilies for some heat. Or use what’s fresh in season around you, maybe some thinly shredded bell pepper for instance.

Whether eating for a cause or just the cause of eating, I can’t think of any occasion that isn’t fit for at least some kind of dumplings. Share it with friends and make an afternoon of it (hopefully outside, during this early-fall warmth), and freeze the fruits of your labor for a lazier occasion.

Shredded Vegetable Dumplings
(makes 35-40 dumplings)

1 pack round, white dumpling wrappers (usually about 35-40)
1 zucchini or summer squash, grated with a box grater
2 carrots, grated with a box grater
about 1 cup very thinly sliced cabbage, packed
about 1 cup peeled butternut squash, grated with a box grater
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable or neutral cooking oil

Set aside the grated vegetables individually and sprinkle well with salt. After 10-20 minutes, squeeze each out well, draining excess liquids. Combine all the vegetables in a bowl and toss well. Add the sesame oil, ginger, white pepper, and any additional salt to taste.

Placing a round dumpling skin flat on your hand, drop a tablespoon of filling into its center. Dip your finger into a small bowl of water and trace the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half and make a pinch at the top; next, bring a piece of the edge about half an inch to the right of the pinch over to the pinch. (This will cause the wrapper to fold diagonally on the right hand side of the dumpling.) Bring a piece of the edge half an inch to the left over to the pinch next. Pinch the pieces you brought to the center shut and continue to seal the edges to the left and right until the dumpling is fully sealed. From an aerial view, it should be shaped like a crescent.

Heat the oil in a large skillet that comes with a lid. Once the oil is hot, line the dumplings in a circle around the edge of the pan. Fill the center with as many dumplings as will fit – do not squash them against one another too much (you will probably need to cook in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your pan). Let cook on high for about 2 minutes. Add enough water to the pan to cover about one quarter of the height of the dumplings (about 3 cups, again, depending on the size of the pan), reduce heat to medium, and cover. Let cook covered for about 4 minutes. Lift cover, and cook until all the water has evaporated. Remove the potstickers from the pan with a spatula (they will stick) and serve with soy sauce (or soy sauce mixed with vinegar) and/or chili sauce for dipping.

Cost Calculator
(for about 38 pieces)

1 pack dumpling wrappers: $2.99
1 summer squash: $0.75
2 carrots: $0.50
1 cup shredded butternut squash: $0.50
1 cup shredded cabbage: $0.50
2 scallions: $0.50
1-inch piece ginger: $0.20
2 teaspoons sesame oil: $0.25
salt, white pepper, 2 tablespoons oil: $0.25

Total: $5.94

Health Factor

Four brownie points: Think of it as a crispy, wrapped salad in bite-sized pieces. Thanks to those orangey ones (carrots, squash) you’ll get plenty of Vitamin A, and the cabbage adds more antioxidants and fiber. All the vegetables are lightly steamed inside the pockets, so no nutrients can get away.

Green Factor

Seven maple leaves: These vegetarian, vegan dumplings are easy to make in any season, with green cabbage and carrots around all year, and you can use whatever bits and pieces of veggies are around the rest.

Michelin, Europe's best combination tire-maker and tastemaker, revealed its annual list of the finest restaurants in NYC yesterday. And it looks pretty similar to last year's guide, with celebrated eateries like Eleven Madison Park, Le Bernardin, Masa and Jean Georges taking top three-star honors—Daniel Boulud's Daniel, which was downgraded from three to two stars last year, is still stuck playing second fiddle, while Danny Meyer's The Modern got bumped up from one to two stars. [ more › ]

Nobody likes a snitch. Snitches, after all, get stitches. But what do you do when somebody calls the cops on you, and it turns out the snitch is… yourself? Well, that’s exactly what happened to a 22-year-old Ohio resident last Friday, who…

The post Super-Stoned Dude Calls Cops on Self; Officer Finds Him in the Fetal Position Surrounded by Snacks appeared first on First We Feast.

An immense wave crashes against the Felgueiras lighthouse in Porto, Portugal. Your Shot member Marco Nuno Faria says the image wasn’t easy to capture, but with some tenacity—and a bit of luck—the shot was his. “I studied the waves’ behavior for several days before this shot,” he writes, “and realized this spot was particularly interesting since I could, if I was lucky, get three simultaneous waves smashing into the breakwater. And I did it! But I had to wait for about two hours or a little more.”

Faria’s shot was recently featured in the Daily Dozen.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Two weeks ago, Pizza Rat lugged his slice down to the subway. Now he's fighting for his right to eat that slice.

Last night, New York's favorite pizza-loving critter was minding his own business down on the subway tracks when a rival tried to steal his slice.  The pizza tug-of-war was captured on Instagram by Blue Bottle's Jonathen Liu:

I win today, interwebs. #subwayrat #teampizza #pizzarat #pizzaparty

A video posted by Jonathen Liu (@jonathenlewd) on Oct 8, 2015 at 5:11pm PDT

Here's a little history courtesy of Off the Grid (via The New York Times):

In 1965, after a difficult month on a steamship, a spiritual leader named Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada arrived in New York convinced that if Americans would embrace his conception of Krishna consciousness, the other countries in the world would follow. In 1966 he founded the International Society of Krishna Consciousness at 26 Second Avenue, near 2nd Street.

On October 9, 1966, Swami Prabhupada led a group of followers to the nearby Tompkins Square Park. Under the leafy canopy of an American elm tree they began to chant a distinctive 16-word mantra: ”Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.” It was Swami Prabhupada’s first outdoor chanting ceremony outside of India and it was the birth of the Hare Krishna religion.

Read more of the tree's history here.

EVG correspondent Steven took the above photo this morning of Vani, who was here to mark the anniversary.

There is an increasingly fine line between "genius" and "asshole," especially when it comes to those of a more entrepreneurial spirit. The Bindle Bros, for example, tied cloth to a stick and got a NY Times profile out of it. Is it parody or product? Both. And now this guy from Boston has stepped in to commodify Autumn. [ more › ]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has placed online and extensive digital collection of late 19th and early 20th century watercolors of fruit varieties that were commissioned both as a botanical resource and as illustrations for the department’s publications.

“Pomology” the study of fruit breeding and production.

There are over 7,000 images of watercolors by two dozen artists, almost half of whom are women. Essentially botanical illustrations, the paintings are beautiful and sensitively rendered in delicate detail.

Many of the fruits are represented in various stages of decay, presumably to illustrate specifics in the articles they were to accompany, as well as providing visual documentation of the varieties themselves.

There is an introductory page and a search page from which you can explore the collection.

I found it easiest to browse by clicking on “Limit your search: Artist” in the left column, and then simply clicking on the artists’ names to bring up their work. They are listed in order of number of images in the database.

There is an article on Slate (by Rebecca Onion, no less) that focuses on the portrayal of less familiar apple varieties. More than 3,000 of the watercolors are of apples.

(Images above: Charles Steadman, William Henry Prestle [with detail], Bertha Heiges, M. Strange, Harriet L. Thompson, Ellen Isham Schutt, Deborah Griscom Passmore, L.C.C. Krieger [with detail])

[Via Slate]

If Jersey City is considered "the sixth borough" now, just think of what will happen if the dream of a footbridge that connects to lower Manhattan is actually realized. [ more › ]

By the time I'm done typing the sentence, an estimated five independent bookstores in the New York metro area will have cashed in their chips and announced their defeat. By the time you're done reading it, the marvelous structures that once housed them will have already reopened as a chain of Lululemons for cats. [ more › ]

 

Photo outside the Pyramid on Avenue A today by Derek Berg

“The effect is entirely natural but decidedly surreal as the swirling tannins of the Santa Fe River mix with clear spring water,” writes John Moran, who captured this view of a diver at Devil’s Ear spring in north Florida. It’s estimated that the state is home to more than 900 freshwater springs.

This photograph was submitted to the 2015 National Geographic Photo Contest. Submit your best photo for a chance to win.

Download this and other wallpapers >>

Browse galleries of editors’ favorites >>

Pete Rose may never get into the Baseball Hall of Fame due to his gambling ways, but will he get into the culinary hall of fame? It’s actually a possibility now, given that baseball’s all-time hits leader is launching his…

The post Pete Rose’s New Las Vegas Sports Bar Features Cheese Steaks and Poutine, But No Gambling appeared first on First We Feast.

Billy Welch, a solider with the National Guard, stopped by at a Kentucky Waffle House on Sunday morning. Welch was floored when he found out the restaurant held a “no firearms” policy. Despite being a solider with the National Guard, a waitress…

The post Kentucky Waffle House Refused to Serve a National Guard Solider Because He Was Armed appeared first on First We Feast.

While some of the city's ice skating rinks won't open 'til November, our centerpiece slab of ice at Rockefeller Center will open for blade business this weekend. Weren't we just drinking iced coffee and swimming at Fort Tilden last week? Trampling over our fellow New Yorkers for a sweet spot on the Bryant Park lawn? What time is Autumn? Where are our pants? What's a scarf? Whatever happened to taking things slow, seasons? Happy New Year, 2016 is gonna rock. [ more › ]

Nosy urban explorers too skittish to trespass, get ready: Open House New York has released its list of locations for this year's sites, and there are plenty to choose from. [ more › ]

$50/week for third spot in tent, now through end of November trial period, Golden Gate Park.

About us: Two working males, one works day shift in service industry, other works night shifts in tech, both of us work part time as paid yelp reviewers for some extra spending money, so yea, we're both career oriented you could say. Looking for a third tent mate who is equally driven to help keep us mentally sharp.

About the tent: Second generation, made for two people but one of us is relatively small and both of us stay fairly still while asleep so should be enough space for your liking, we measured and you should have about 3'x5' (~15sf) to do what you please with. Tent moves location throughout the week to keep fresh. Nearby cafe's usually for use of wifi. Usually short walk to public transport.

You might be thinking to yourself, "Hey, if your tent is set up in a park, then you guys aren't even paying weekly, why should I? Why don't I just buy a tent and not pay you? Don't you just want another friend to chill with while each other are at work? What am I getting out of this?"

Our answer, "Yes, Yes, Yes."

Sure we might not be paying for our rental location, but fairness is in the details.
What will your $50 be getting you?
*24/7 on site security provided by us.
*Guaranteed life lessons, at least 2 per week.
*Community atmosphere.
*Networking opportunities.
*Again, cannot be stressed enough, we will be able to protect you most likely.

Required qualities we're looking for:
*Toughness
*Good credit score
*Heart of a champion
*Generally a good heart
*Drama free
*Someone who won't bring the party home
*Respect boundaries and personal space

If interested, contact us by email. Only serious inquiries please. In response, provide a brief bio and why you think you would be a good fit. First and last week plus one weeks worth of tent deposit will be expected up front. Applicants must provide credit check, proof of income, and previous landlord or tentlord references.

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by It’s the Tie

2015 has most definitely been the year of the Oreo. First Brownie Batter Oreos were announced. Then Oreo Thins took calorie counters everywhere by storm. Earlier this summer, Key Lime Pie Oreos started showing up in stores on the sly. And, of course, who could forget Nabisco’s pièce de résistance: Cinnamon Bun…

The post ANOTHER One? Nabisco May Release “Filled Cupcake” Oreos in 2016 appeared first on First We Feast.

We live in the greatest city in the world for exemplary pizza and on Wednesday evening, that bounty will be on full display at Slice Out Hunger, the annual charity event that offers $1 slices from the city's top pie slingers. Fifty pizzerias have been tapped to participate in this year's event and they'll be brining an estimated 1,000 pies to St. Anthony's Church, where attendees can mix-and-match up to 10 slices to eat. In fact, it's one of the only opportunities to nab single slices from spots like Roberta's, Di Fara and Grimaldi's, none of whom let diners at their restaurants get away with anything less than a full pie. [ more › ]