Latest news with #Garten
Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
Diego Morales: 'I will not apologize' for overseas trips, no-bid contracts for campaign donors
A defiant Secretary of State Diego Morales is defending himself to lawmakers against criticism after Morales' no-bid contracts to campaign donors, spot bonuses to a relative, overseas trips, absence at a crucial legislative budget hearing, alleged election law violation, and $90,000 taxpayer-paid luxury SUV. Morales, who appeared before the State Budget Committee on June 18 to request budget augmentations totaling more than $10 million from various state funds, faced a grilling — and criticism — from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. "I will not apologize to anyone because my work ethic is unmatched," Morales told lawmakers. "I'm going above and beyond the call of duty." Morales said he's been "criss-crossing the state" in record time by visiting all 92 counties, as well as arriving at the Statehouse daily around 5 a.m. He also asserted he's never used taxpayer money to fund any of his overseas travel, and that he purchased a new luxury SUV because he had put too many miles on his previous vehicle. He defended missing a legislative budget hearing earlier this year to go on an overseas trip by saying he was "not the first secretary of state who has missed one of these." Those explanations didn't appear to satisfy lawmakers on both the left and right. In fact, some of the most pointed questions and comments came from Republican state Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown. "I just want to be on the record as saying you have a vehicle that cost almost twice as much as the average salary of a Hoosier," Garten said. Garten then pressed Morales about whether any of the expenses slated to be funded by the budget augmentations were to financial contributors to Morales' campaign. The biggest augmentation request was for $8.1 million to fund IT upgrades and personnel, subject to sufficient revenue from the Electronic and Enhanced Access fund. "A lot of people contribute to my campaign," Morales responded to Garten. "It's a yes or no," Garten said. "I think Indiana Hoosiers deserve to know that. ... I would like them to be identified." Morales acknowledged that some firms with contracts were campaign donors, including contractor MTX, which donated at least $80,000 to Morales and has been paid more than $2.5 million in the 2025 fiscal year, according to secretary of state records. But he defended the deals to companies as experts who are "getting the job done." Meanwhile, state Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, criticized Morales for failing to meet his basic duties or being transparent with taxpayers. "I'm disappointed in your leadership," Qaddoura said. "I'm disappointed in the way you're leading your office. Please do better for the state of Indiana."
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Three People Ina Garten Calls Her ‘Dream Dinner Guests'
The Three People Ina Garten Calls Her 'Dream Dinner Guests' originally appeared on Parade. The right group of people seated at your table can make or break a dinner party, whether you're a regular old person like you and me or a TV star like Ina Garten. The Barefoot Contessa has built a career around recipes that are perfect for entertaining, so she knows a thing or two about having people over. She recently opened up about her 'dream dinner guests,' and it's an interesting mix. Garten shared her ideal guest list during the most recent "Sunday Sitdown Live" hosted by Today's Willie Geist. The session was done onstage in front of a live audience in New York City. The dynamic duo sipped cocktails and arranged a dessert platter while they answered questions from the crowd. 'Who are the three people, living or dead, you would like to have dinner with?' wondered one audience member. Garten didn't hesitate with her response. Here's what she shared. Related: For the record, Ina Garten says she has already hosted one dream dinner guest:. As Garten told Geist and the audience earlier in the interview, Taylor Swift came to Garten's East Hampton barn 10 years and the two of them made pavlova. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ina Garten (@inagarten) But three people still remain on Garten's dream dinner guest list. In answer to Geist's question, Ina responded: 'How about Julia Child, Eric Ripert from Le Bernardin, and Jacques Pépin?' In case you're not familiar with Garten's guest list, just know they're not your average Joes. Julia Child is a legendary American chef, TV personality and cookbook author who is known for introducing French cuisine to the American public. (And not to make it all about us, but Julia Child was Parade's very first food editor.) Related: 😋😋 SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & more in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter. 🍳🍔 Eric Ripertis a French chef and cookbook author who is the executive chef and co-owner of New York City's famed Le Bernardin restaurant, where he and his team turn out exquisite seafood dishes. Jacques Pépin is a celebrated French chef and author, TV star and the winner of many awards, including several James Beard Awards. He's another food personality who is loved around these parts. (You have to try his French toast, scrambled eggs and quiche recipes.) For his dream dinner guests, Geist listed off Dolly Parton, Martin Short and Geist's great-great grandfather, who played in the National Hockey League. If Geist and Garten brought their dream guests together, it would be one epic dinner party. Related: During the conversation with Geist, Garten also shared her advice on things to avoid at a dinner party. 'There are two things that I don't think you should ever bring to a dinner party—and they're so common—is something that the host feels like they should serve," she said, calling out Jell-O salad. "What are you going to do with that?" she adds. Garten also recommends against bringing loose flowers. 'Don't ever bring flowers that aren't in a vase,' she said. 'You're there. You're like, everyone's arriving, and then all of a sudden you've got these flowers and you have to figure out what to do."The Three People Ina Garten Calls Her 'Dream Dinner Guests' first appeared on Parade on Jun 2, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hindustan Times
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Ina Garten's number one dinner party rule revealed: ‘Don't bring…'
Ina Garten joined Sunday Today's Willie Geist last month for his Sunday Sitdown Live. Ahead of the interview's June 1 release, the 50-year-old journalist revealed to People the best piece of advice he received from the Food Network icon. In the article published Saturday, Geist revealed to the outlet the important dinner party rule guests should follow, according to Garten. 'Don't bring something that disrupts the plan that the host had. So in other words, I show up with chips and guacamole and [the host] is like, 'Okay, I [already] had a plan for what we're going to do before the dinner,' ' Geist said, adding that Garten says it is better for guests to 'bring coasters or bring something that's just a gift that they can use later.' Also Read: Who is Anupama Nadella? All about Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's philanthropist wife During their May 19 sitdown, Garten shared another dinner party faux pas - loose flowers, per Elle Decor. 'Don't ever bring flowers that aren't in a vase,' she explained to Geist, adding, 'You're there. You're like, everyone's arriving, and then all of a sudden you've got these flowers and you have to figure out what to do.' This is not the first time that the beloved cookbook author has given dinner party suggestions. In 2022, the Barefoot Contessa host taught Today co-hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb how to set a table for a dinner party. 'The first thing about a dinner party is it can be four people,' Garten said at the time, adding, 'It doesn't have to be 12; it's overwhelming, even for me.' 'For the centerpiece, you can do something as simple as — a bowl of lemons. Get it at the grocery store,' the 77-year-old explained.
Business Insider
29-05-2025
- General
- Business Insider
I tried one of Ina Garten's easy sandwich recipes. It took 10 minutes to make and tasted way better than takeout.
I started by gathering my ingredients. Garten's recipe says to use imported canned tuna packed in olive oil, so I chose two cans of Genova yellowfin tuna instead of the water-based ones I normally use. It was also shockingly hard to find Swiss cheese that wasn't in the form of sandwich slices at my Jewel-Osco — let alone the Emmentaler that she suggested. I decided to use a Swiss Gruyere AOP instead, which had a similar flavor. I also picked up celery, scallions, fresh dill, a lemon, anchovy paste, and bread. I already had avocado oil mayo at home, so I used that for the recipe. The recipe also called for microgreens, but I left them out since I'm not a fan of their grassy flavor. My receipt ended up coming out to about $35, or roughly $8.75 per serving — which I found to be a little pricey for a tuna melt sandwich. I began by draining the oil from the tuna and flaking it with a fork. Even though I drained most of the oil, the tuna seemed to have a creamy texture and flaked easily. I chopped the celery into ¼-inch pieces, diced the green onions and dill, and added them to the tuna mixture. Next, I cut a fresh lemon and squeezed out 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. I then added 1½ teaspoons of salt and ¾ of a teaspoon of pepper, mixing to combine the ingredients. I added the mayo and anchovy paste to make the mixture creamy. I added the mayo, which made the mixture creamy, and the anchovy paste, which looked a little unappetizing at first. However, it quickly assimilated into the tuna mixture. I preheated the broiler and toasted two slices of bread. After the bread was done toasting, I put the slices in a baking dish and spread a thick layer of the tuna mixture on each piece. Although Garten suggests using about a quarter of the mixture for each slice of bread, I added a little more tuna since it otherwise seemed to be a small serving. After grating cheese over the tuna mixture, I popped the sandwiches in the oven. I grated the cheese on top of the tuna mixture, then placed the open-faced sandwiches in the oven to broil for about three minutes. I waited until the cheese just started to melt and brown before taking them out of the oven to serve. My first bite of Garten's tuna melt was heavenly. The combination of olive oil, melted cheese, and creamy mayonnaise made the tuna taste much richer than what I'm used to. The fresh lemon juice cut through some of that richness, while the green onions, fresh dill, and diced celery added some flavor and texture. I also liked that the bread didn't get soggy, even after I finished up some emails before eating my second slice. I think this was probably because the bread was toasted. The sandwich was delicious, but I'd make a few changes next time. The anchovy paste added a little extra savory umami flavor to the sandwich, but it also made it saltier. In the future, I'll reduce the amount of salt I use. I also think that adding a briney element like capers could make this sandwich even better, even though it was already delicious as is. I really didn't miss the microgreens, thanks to all the fresh ingredients and crunch in the sandwich, and I think it would have just been an expensive throwaway topping that added to the cost of the meal. My main complaint was that Garten's tuna sandwich recipe didn't yield as much filling as I'd expected. I was disappointed there wasn't more of the tuna melt left after my boyfriend and I scarfed it down — especially given its relatively high price tag and the fact that it's supposed to be enough for four portions. However, considering how quick it was to make and how delicious the results were, this tuna melt sandwich will definitely become a regular in my lunch rotation. Next time, I'll just make some adjustments to make it a little more budget-friendly.
Business Insider
22-05-2025
- General
- Business Insider
My Greek parents tried Ina Garten's Greek orzo salad, and now they can't stop making it
I made Ina Garten's Greek orzo salad for my Greek parents. The light and refreshing salad features feta, orzo, chickpeas, kalamata olives, and red bell pepper. My parents loved the delicious dish, and now they can't stop making it for dinner. I love reviewing Ina Garten's recipes, and often have my parents help test them with me. When the pandemic hit and the US went into lockdown, Garten inspired me to finally improve my skills in the kitchen. And when I briefly moved back in with my parents, they were more than happy to sample my creations. It's since become a tradition, and I whip up new "Barefoot Contessa" dishes for my parents every time I come for a visit. When I saw that Ina Garten had a Greek orzo salad, I knew my Greek parents had to try it. My parents immigrated to the US from Greece in the 1980s, and they made sure to teach me about Greek culture through food. My dad made his delicious pastitsio (like lasagna, but better) every week, and whipped up avgolemono soup whenever one of us was sick. Every Christmas was celebrated with a big pan of baklava, and youvetsi was a dinner staple. But my parents are always willing to try something new — they tested 15 different "Greek" products from Trader Joe's to see which tasted authentic! So, when I told them Garten had a Greek orzo salad, they were super excited. Garten's Greek orzo salad is packed with fresh ingredients. To make Garten's Greek orzo salad, which serves six, you'll need: 1 cup of orzo (about 8 ounces) 1 cup of canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 cups of baby arugula 4 ounces of Greek feta, ½-inch diced (not crumbled) ½ cup of good olive oil ½ cup of diced red bell pepper (¼-inch) ½ cup of diced red onion (¼-inch) ½ cup of kalamata olives, pitted and halved lengthwise ¼ cup of freshly-squeezed lemon juice, plus extra for serving 3 tablespoons of capers in brine, drained 3 tablespoons of minced fresh dill Garten's Greek orzo salad appears in her most recent cookbook, "Go-To Dinners," and was inspired by Round Swamp Farm, a third-generation family farm in East Hampton. "Their prepared food and baked goods are simply outstanding," she writes. "This recipe was inspired by one of their salads; it has all the Greek ingredients that I love — orzo, olives, feta, lemon, and dill." The first step to making Garten's salad is prepping the orzo. I added the orzo and one tablespoon of salt to my saucepan. Once you've added the orzo, Garten says you should return the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for eight to 10 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the orzo is al dente. While my orzo cooked, I began cutting my veggies. I diced the red onion and red bell pepper, per Garten's instructions. I prepped my chickpeas and capers. I rinsed and drained the chickpeas and made sure to drain my capers. I also halved my kalamata olives, minced the dill, and diced my feta cheese. Garten's Greek orzo salad comes together quickly; the only real work is cutting all the veggies and herbs. I had my dad helping me, so it took even less time. It didn't take long to make the dressing. I just whisked together the lemon juice and olive oil with two teaspoons of salt and one teaspoon of black pepper, and voilà! It was ready. When the orzo was ready, I drained it and transferred my pasta to a large bowl. First, I poured the vinaigrette over the warm pasta. I made sure to stir it well so the orzo would absorb all that delicious flavor. Then, I added the chickpeas, onion, and bell pepper. Everything was already looking so colorful. I topped it off with the capers, dill, olives, and feta and gave everything a big stir. I stirred in the arugula just before serving. Garten says you can enjoy her salad either warm or at room temperature, but hold off on adding the arugula if you're making it the day before — no one likes soggy leaves in their salad. Once you're ready to serve, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and taste for seasoning. I should also note that Garten advises serving this with sliced lemon. My parents didn't love the idea of whole lemon pieces in the salad, so we decided to nix them. Garten's Greek orzo salad looked fresh and vibrant. I always love serving a salad full of color, and Garten's Greek orzo salad has plenty. The pop of red from the bell pepper, the fresh green from the arugula, and the bright purple from the onion all worked together to make a beautiful plate. My parents looked impressed as I brought the salad to the dinner table. But would it taste as good as it looked? Garten's Greek orzo salad was super delicious — and now my parents can't stop making it. The orzo soaks up so many delicious Mediterranean flavors that are familiar to any Greek — salty chunks of feta intertwining with the rich kalamata olives, the texture of crisp bell pepper and red onion dancing together, that pop of fresh lemon brightening every bite. Even though there were so many different components to the salad, everything was perfectly balanced. The light and refreshing dish is also easy to make and still tastes great the next day. It's perfect as a barbecue side dish or a main dish on a hot summer night. My dad recommends pairing it with some grilled meats or fish. My parents now love whipping up Garten's Greek orzo salad, and I'm not surprised. The dish tastes like something we would've eaten while watching the turquoise waves of the Aegean Sea during our summer trips to Greece.
