Fact is we connect to others by learning about them. And everyone has something to share (even if it a really embarassing fart story). So to give you yet another reason to procrastinate, we started ‘The Five Questions We Ask Everyone’ (and five just for that one person) because we know whether we’re schmoozing with an A- list celeb or your local bartender, you’ll be equally entertained.

It’s no secret that we CC’ers are addicted to Top Chef. Probably because it gives us hope that one day, we too, will be able do more in the kitchen than microwave a Smart Ones meal and pull out a Skinny Cow from the freezer for dessert. So imagine how excited we were when we got to chat with Top Chef winner (and fan favorite!) Stephanie Izard.

Her personality is adorable, her talent is indisputable and – bottom line – the woman knows how to cook. Even her pork recipes make me salivate and I’m Jewish! I don’t even eat pork! But this Top Chef makes me seriously think that maybe I should.

She was kind enough to share a recipe for all of us to get us out of our Ramen Ruts (below); for more recipes and info on Steph (she twitters!) check out her website:

And for those lucky enough to live in Chicago (ME!) look out for her restaurant The Drunken Goat in the fall.

5 Questions We Ask Everyone:

1. What is your most hysterical or ridiculous college memory, or the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?

I ran naked, with my body painted with Michigan stuff, for the naked mile my senior year. Then saw a clip of myself on the internet a couple weeks later.

2. What are five things you can’t live without?

My recipe notebook, A down comforter, good wine, friends, my sister.

2.5. And we have to ask just for you – what are 5 kitchen ingredients/tools you can’t live without?

A Blender, my knife, pork products, garlic, kosher salt.

3. What’s your motto or the advice that you live by?

Work hard, play hard.

4. What is your favorite song to belt out at the bar?

U B Illin by Run DMC. I know all the words.

In the car?

Alicia Keys.

At karaoke?

9 to 5. Dolly Parton.

5. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Still having fun!

5 Questions Just for Chef Stephanie Izard:

1. What is your favorite dish to make and what is your favorite food to have someone else make for you?

My favorite to make is any sort of scallop dish. To be made for me–anything! I like when other people cook for me!

2. What’s the easiest recipe that every college girl can make no matter how kitchen challanged she is? And what was your go to dish in college that you made for yourself? Ramen is a good place to start! (If you want more of a challenge see the recipe she provided below or her website for more ideas.) Baked potato with broccoli and cheddar was my go-to dish in college.

3. What behind-the-scenes secret can you tell us about Top-Chef?

Tom [Callichio] is pretty cute in person.

4. When did you realize you that this was your passion? And do you have any passions outside of cooking?

When I was really young – around 8 or 9. Scuba and traveling are my other passions.

5. What is your biggest culinary guilty pleasure, something that other chefs would maybe frown upon?

Laughing Cow cheese

Stephanie’s Recipe for Apple Pork Ragu:

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil

3/4 pound ground pork

2 slices of thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 15-ounce can of organic whole peeled tomatoes, smashed, cut or squeezed by hand

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons capers

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Time to Cook!

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook for 5-7 minutes.  As the pork browns, break it into smaller pieces with a spoon. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepot over medium heat, lightly brown the bacon pieces. Add the onions and garlic and sweat them (cook them down) for two minutes. Add the apples and wine and simmer until wine is reduced by three-quarters.

3. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and the browned pork and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

4. Add capers and basil just before serving. Season the ragù with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta.

Ew. Ew. Ew.

I always knew I was consuming extra calories when I had a bar night. But, if you ask me, if you can’t read the “Nutrition Facts” label, the calories don’t count. That’s why I refuse to buy full-fat Ben and Jerry’s, but don’t mind ordering dessert at Olive Garden. What you don’t know can’t hurt you, right?

If that’s your mantra, you may not want to click here.

This lovely little program lets you enter in how many drinks you consumed last night… and then tells you approximately how many calories you imbibed… and then proceeds to tell you how much food would be equivalent to that number.

Let me tell you, I wanted to cry after what was a reasonably low-key night, by my standards. Since I want to lose weight, I’ve been torturing myself with Smart Ones and steamed vegetables. Little did I know, I could have eaten three slices of pizza and a few donuts if I hadn’t downed a bottle and a half of wine last night.

It sucks, because you don’t always get full from drinking, and it’s hard to look at liquids as fatty foods. So many of us brush it off, gain the freshman fifteen, and have new beer guts for bikini season. Well, the new year is upon us, and it’s time for some resolutions. You want some motivation? Click the link.

Yikes, that doesn’t look appetizing.

Let’s be honest: when I get home at the end of a long day of work and classes and studying, the last thing I want to do is whip up a fancy meal for myself. Sometimes, I just need something fast and simple. But after a few months of take-out and pizza and dining-hall food, I realized that I was sacrificing my waistline for the sake of convenience.

What’s a calorie-counting busy girl to do?

Embrace the frozen entrée. I know, I know. Frozen entrees make me think of my Mom and Weight Watchers and scary-looking meat products in soupy liquids. No thanks.

However, there are some delicious frozen meals out there if you know where to look. The best part? Every last calorie and carb and gram of fat and milligram of sodium is right on the box, so you know exactly what you’re getting. To top it all off, they provide us with something this entire country is severely lacking—portion control. You shouldn’t need a hamburger the size of your head just to feel satisfied—frozen meals are a great way to teach yourself what is considered normal (the measurement for a normal serving of protein is the size of your fist…not your head).

Since I’ve become somewhat of a connoisseur of the frozen meal, I thought I’d round up a few of my favorites, for your thawing pleasure:

1. Go classic. Frozen versions of comfort food are always a safe bet. I like Lean Cuisine, where a decent serving of mac and cheese will only set you back 290 calories, and the cheese ravioli, my personal fav, is 240 calories.

2. Go east. Frozen entrees that mimic Asian or Indian dishes are often full of spices, which do a good job of masking the fact that you’re eating just-thawed noodles. Smart Ones makes a Thai Chicken and Noodles that, if you are tired enough, tastes just like Pad Thai. One full serving is only 260 calories—did someone say dessert?

3. Go healthy. Just about everyone is cashing in on frozen meals, even the health nuts at Kashi (makers of all things bran and dried fruit). They have a decent selection and, unlike their highly caloric granola, you get both nutrition AND low calories. Try the Pesto Pasta, 290 calories.

It’s best to avoid frozen entrees that also include a side and a dessert. Why? Well, for starters, if you’ve ever had your apple crumble bubble over into your honey mustard chicken, you know what I’m talking about. Plus, they add a lot of extra calories. You’re better off getting yourself some Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches and sticking to a one-dish entrée.

Happy microwaving, ladies!