"michelleobama" news and stories

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week.

Memo to the First Lady: That's the nicest-looking gardening outfit we've ever seen! Take this quiz and find out how well you know what the Obamas are planting this year.

A pretty dang delicious-looking milk chocolate and peanut butter cookie recipe.

Edamame in linguine? They make it look tasty over at YumSugar.

A writer is entranced by the simple charms of homemade tortillas. Have you tried it? Take their poll.

McDonald's joins the upscale burger trend with one-third pound Angus patties, coming this August.

Less than two months into her term as first lady, Michelle Obama has emerged as an outspoken advocate for healthier eating. Last week Obama brought eight cases of fresh fruit to a D.C. soup kitchen, where she served steamed broccoli, mushroom risotto and homemade apple-carrot muffins as she talked about her desire to increase access to healthy food all over the country, reports the New York Times.

"We can provide this kind of healthy food for communities across the country, and we can do it by each of us lending a hand," Obama said.

This comes after a speech to the Department of Agriculture last month in which Obama talked up community gardens, followed a few days later by her press tour of the White House kitchen where chefs were preparing healthy items like creamed spinach sans cream. Obama has also talked to various magazines, from Vogue to Parents, about how she's struggled to get her girls to eat veggies and cut out sugary treats.

Apparently Laura Bush also served fresh, organic foods in the White House, but didn't discuss her family's eating habits with reporters. I think it's great that Obama's raising the profile of healthy food - this country could certainly use it. As the New York Times suggests, parents can always use the "But Sasha and Malia eat their veggies..." tactic!

Do you think Michelle Obama's healthy eating campagin will create permanent change in the way Americans eat?

Source

A familiar face from Chicago is joining the White House kitchen.

Chef Sam Kass, 28, who cooked for the Obamas and other families on the South Side of Chicago, has been named assistant White House chef -- one of three assistants under executive chef Cristeta Comerford.

The University of Chicago grad's pedigree with the sustainable food movement seems to be answering the call from chefs like Alice Waters, who wrote then President-elect Obama in November urging him "to set the tone for how the nation should feed itself."

Paula Deen really likes her political figures. She has chilled with Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, and now she's jumping on the campaign trail and itching to party with the potential first wives. The AP reports that Paula Deen is cooking with Michelle Obama in an upcoming episode of Paula's Party, which will air on the Food Network on September 20.

The pair chat about their familes' favorite meals and make super-tasty, super-healthy dishes like fried shimp and french fries. Deen recently said of Obama: "She was getting her hands dirty. I think they are like us -- they like real food, not a bunch of prissy food." But it looks like only the women are allowed to get their hands dirty. Deen says that's she also invited Cindy McCain to cook with her, as well as running mate Sarah Palin. No Barack, no John, no Joe. Hey Deen, Palin is the vice presidential running mate; she's not a potential first wife. I know, this is not the presidential campaign you're used to, but times they are a-changing.

Sometimes I could shake that woman, but instead, I think it'd be more fulfilling to grab that butter drinker and put her in a new reality show -- one where she has to eat all vegan fare and "prissy" foods. Think Survivor, but without the bugs. She spins the wheel, dying to get the Twix, but instead lands on the ... confit! Or the gelee! It'd be great.

As much as I abhor the tradition, Slashfood would be remiss to not cover Family Circle's famous would-be-First-Wives Cookie Bake-Off. 'Cause nothing reflects a man's ability to run the United States like his wife's baking skills! But misogyny aside, the winning cookie recipe has, indeed, accurately predicted the White House winner for four elections running. And, interestingly enough, all four of said recipes have riffed on America's love affair with oats'n'chips. Oh Americans, so set in your ways.

Ever the people-pleaser, Cindy McCain submitted a can't-beat combo of oatmeal cookies with butterscotch chips. (Hopefully this was not another recipe she plagiarized from Giada De Laurentiis.) And what did Michelle Obama do? She opted for shortbread cookies with citrus zest and a pour of Amaretto. Great. *facepalm*

Politics aside, I am predisposed to Obama's Shortbread Cookies. Although the pictures on Family Circle make them look a bit like unappetizing li'l fruit cake slices, the dried fruit is optional, so really, it's just shortbread spiked with zest and almondy alcohol. Um, yes please.

Who are you voting for? Keep it to cookies, please, no need for political drama in a foodie forum!