So a couple of years ago Brad and I decided to make New Year's resolutions we might actually have a chance of keeping or at least would have fun trying to keep. So we resolved that each month we would commit to buying one "expensive" bottle of wine and eating out at a "new" restaurant. The "expensive" bottle simply meant spending more than our normal $20 cut off for wines we typically buy at the grocery store which ended up meaning having to go to a wine shop and likely spending about $50 on a bottle of wine. For a once a month expense that was no big deal especially compared to what we end up spending on one of our wine tour trips. But over time the having to go to a wine shop became harder with our busy schedules so we stopped trying to follow this resolution about 1.5 years into the process. Besides we were doing more wine tour trips so still had plenty of new wine experiences.
The "new" restaurant simply meant going to a restaurant neither of us had been to before. Even after having lived in this area for 22 years there are still plenty of places we have never tried and new ones pop up all the time. Some months the new place would be an inexpensive sandwich shop or pizza joint and some months it would be a high-end steak and wine kind of place. A lot of times our decisions were based on what coupon deals we had found or what our plans were for the evening. Many shopping or errand outings also include planning for where to have dinner in that part of town. And sometimes it included plans with friends especially those that had previously tried a new place in their neighborhood and wanted us to experience it with them. We managed to follow this resolution for nearly 3 years. Sometimes that eating at a new place didn't occur until the last day of the month and sometimes we counted a new place on vacation versus a new place at home. But with the economy situation we tended to frequent more sandwich shops versus steak places and finally with Brad being laid off we also failed to continue with this resolution.
Last year my sister-in-law resolved to make a new recipe each week. At the time I thought it was neat but that it would be quite the challenge for me to also do. For her it was based in part on having acquired a new Kitchen Aid mixer and wanting to make use of it. Well, in spring of this year I also treated myself to a Kitchen Aid mixer on sale and Brad said "I expect lots of things to be made in it". So sometime in April I also started the new recipe a week plan. Being competitive I ended up doing several new recipes a week to try and reach 52 new ones even though I was starting 4 months into the year. I didn't get there but I did have weeks where I made 3 or 4 new recipes then weeks where I didn't do anything new at all.
Trying new recipes is a lot of fun. For years you collect recipes out of magazines and earmark pages in cookbooks but how often do you really try new things? Certainly during holidays you might do something new but often it is best to stick with tried and true recipes. Therefore resolving to do a new recipe a week is a great way to finally try all those that you have clipped and you aren't risking making something bad during a big party event. Not all new recipes are successes. Sometimes the dish is fine but not worth the effort. Sometimes the whole thing is a flop. And then sometimes you find a new favorite. I ended up trying 35 new recipes over the last 8 months and I plan to continue this resolution for 2011. Here is my list from 2010:
Sausage Apple Pancake Casserole - YUM
Vegetable Soup Tuscan Style - needs tweaking
Tuscan White Bean Soup - needs tweaking
Pasta with Peas, Mushrooms and Ham - YUM
Potatoes Savoyarde - No
Spinach Avocado Orange Salad with Honey Poppy Seed Dressing - YUM
Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup - YUM
Pimento Cheese - YUM
Southwestern Chicken Pasta - Okay, not a keeper
Broccoli Sausage Pasta - YUM
Rapid Cold Rise Bread - needs tweaking
Broccoli Cheese Rice - Okay
Spinach Sausage Breakfast Casserole - YUM
Three Cheese Mac and Cheese - YUM
Waffles from scratch - YUM
New Fresh Guacamole recipe - YUM
Creamy Poblano Pepper Strips - YUM
Amish Bread - YUM
Amish Chocolate Bread - Okay
Bucatini Alla Matriciana - YUM
Martha Stewart Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies - YUM
Spinach Goat Cheese Tartlets - YUM
Fettuccine with Endive, Mushrooms, Bacon - YUM
Deep Dish Pizza - YUM
Rigatoni Casserole - No
Pasta Arrabbiata - YUM
Florentine Potato Salad - YUM
Croque Mac and Cheese - YUM
Lasagna Soup - YUM
Drunkin Noodle - needs tweaking
Herbed Cheese from scratch - YUM
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese - No
Christmas Soup - No
Pasta with Mushrooms and Brie - YUM
Angus Barn Crackers - YUM
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Make your own cheese!
I ran across this in Hallmark Magazine of all places and thought it would be fun to try. And I was right! It is kind of like a science project watching the curds separate from the whey. The cheese is basically the same as a cottage or ricotta in terms of texture but with seasonings and pressing the cheese into a mold (i.e. bowl) it can be made into a cheese spread. I did a little on-line research and this is about the only form of cheese you can make without having to have special ingredients such as rennet. I also learned that this type of cheese does not melt and found suggestions that it can be formed into cubes and fried. The recipe indicates traditional flavorings for a garlic herb cheese. If you wanted to have this as a ricotta for cooking or to eat as a cottage cheese then keep it loose and barely season with salt. Now I have something else to add to my list of truly homemade items as I intend to make the ricotta as well as the pasta from scratch next time I bake a lasagna! As for other seasonings - I haven't run across any ideas but I think some variations can be created from this to recreate various cheese spreads (sun dried tomatoes, or lemon zest and thyme comes to mind).
Garlic Herb Cheese
Ingredients:
3 Garlic Cloves – thinly sliced
1 qt Milk - nothing less than 2%
1 cup Heavy Cream - can sub light cream if use whole milk
3-5 Tbsp Vinegar
½ tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
2 Tbsp Chives – snipped
2 Tbsp Parsley – minced
Directions:
Thread garlic onto toothpicks or skewers leaving space between slices. In medium saucepan heat milk, cream, and garlic over medium-low heat until steam is rising and edges show bubbles but do not allow to boil (15 min). Remove from heat and gently stir in 3 Tbsp vinegar and let sit for 15 min (remove garlic). Pull curds to the side, if whey is still cloudy add up to 2 Tbsp more vinegar, allow to settle again. Line strainer with cheesecloth and pour mixture to separate curds from whey (toss whey). Refrigerate curds in strainer over bowl for four hours. Place drained curds into bowl with salt, pepper, chives, and parsley and mix well. Rinse cheesecloth and wrap around the cheese mixture, press firmly to shape (inside a bowl). Refrigerate covered until ready to serve. Can use light cream or 2% instead of whole milk but do not sub both as some fat is needed.
Garlic Herb Cheese
Ingredients:
3 Garlic Cloves – thinly sliced
1 qt Milk - nothing less than 2%
1 cup Heavy Cream - can sub light cream if use whole milk
3-5 Tbsp Vinegar
½ tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
2 Tbsp Chives – snipped
2 Tbsp Parsley – minced
Directions:
Thread garlic onto toothpicks or skewers leaving space between slices. In medium saucepan heat milk, cream, and garlic over medium-low heat until steam is rising and edges show bubbles but do not allow to boil (15 min). Remove from heat and gently stir in 3 Tbsp vinegar and let sit for 15 min (remove garlic). Pull curds to the side, if whey is still cloudy add up to 2 Tbsp more vinegar, allow to settle again. Line strainer with cheesecloth and pour mixture to separate curds from whey (toss whey). Refrigerate curds in strainer over bowl for four hours. Place drained curds into bowl with salt, pepper, chives, and parsley and mix well. Rinse cheesecloth and wrap around the cheese mixture, press firmly to shape (inside a bowl). Refrigerate covered until ready to serve. Can use light cream or 2% instead of whole milk but do not sub both as some fat is needed.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Vodka Sauce - As in fine pasta dish not what's in your martini glass!
A few years back I started trying a wider range of pasta recipes. It didn't take long for me to realize that you can easily make a lot more than basic spaghetti sauce at home, restaurant quality dishes, fairly cheap and without a lot of time and effort. Now for those occasions when you do have time and effort to spare making your own pasta is not hard and elevates the level of the dish and certainly impresses whoever is eating with you.
I ran across this recipe in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine. While Vodka Sauce is not my go to order in restaurants most of the time (I am a bolognese girl at heart) I have enjoyed it many times, often served over a spinach ravioli, at a local hole in the wall Italian place. I was very pleased with how simple this recipe is, very little prep time but very tasty results. And it is perfect for the non-meat crowd yet still hearty enough so that Brad, traditional male who assumes meal must have meat, can eat and not feel he is missing something.
The recipe calls for a can of plum tomatoes but I opted to use two cans of diced tomatoes because that is what I had in my pantry. I used all the liquid from the tomatoes and did not need the reserved pasta water and actually had to let it thicken slightly before serving. I do recommend this with a tube pasta because the sauce can thoroughly coat and nest inside a hollow pasta.
Ingredients:
12 oz Penne or other pasta
1 – 28 oz Can Whole Plum Tomatoes (or two 15 oz cans diced tomatoes)
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Shallots – minced
1 Garlic Clove – minced
¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
½ cup Vodka
2/3 cup Heavy Cream
½ cup Fresh Grated Parmesan plus more for topping
Handful Fresh Basil Leaves - torn
Directions:
Cook pasta and reserve ½ cup water. If using whole tomatoes, dump into a bowl liquid and all and crush with hands. Melt butter over medium heat and sauté shallots until slightly softened (3 min), add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 more seconds, stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vodka, tomatoes, and salt to taste, return to heat and simmer over medium heat stirring often until alcohol cooks off, about 7 min. Stir in heavy cream and cook till sauce thickens, about 3 min. Stir in parmesan and basil. Add pasta and toss to combine adding reserved pasta water if needed. Serve topped with more parmesan and basil.
I ran across this recipe in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine. While Vodka Sauce is not my go to order in restaurants most of the time (I am a bolognese girl at heart) I have enjoyed it many times, often served over a spinach ravioli, at a local hole in the wall Italian place. I was very pleased with how simple this recipe is, very little prep time but very tasty results. And it is perfect for the non-meat crowd yet still hearty enough so that Brad, traditional male who assumes meal must have meat, can eat and not feel he is missing something.
The recipe calls for a can of plum tomatoes but I opted to use two cans of diced tomatoes because that is what I had in my pantry. I used all the liquid from the tomatoes and did not need the reserved pasta water and actually had to let it thicken slightly before serving. I do recommend this with a tube pasta because the sauce can thoroughly coat and nest inside a hollow pasta.
Ingredients:
12 oz Penne or other pasta
1 – 28 oz Can Whole Plum Tomatoes (or two 15 oz cans diced tomatoes)
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Shallots – minced
1 Garlic Clove – minced
¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
½ cup Vodka
2/3 cup Heavy Cream
½ cup Fresh Grated Parmesan plus more for topping
Handful Fresh Basil Leaves - torn
Directions:
Cook pasta and reserve ½ cup water. If using whole tomatoes, dump into a bowl liquid and all and crush with hands. Melt butter over medium heat and sauté shallots until slightly softened (3 min), add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 more seconds, stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vodka, tomatoes, and salt to taste, return to heat and simmer over medium heat stirring often until alcohol cooks off, about 7 min. Stir in heavy cream and cook till sauce thickens, about 3 min. Stir in parmesan and basil. Add pasta and toss to combine adding reserved pasta water if needed. Serve topped with more parmesan and basil.
Mashed Potato Gratin
Although it seems that most of what I choose to cook is somewhat Italian related I am actually of Scotch Irish dissent (at least on one side of the family) and not surprisingly LOVE potato dishes. I have two cookbooks dedicated completely to potatoes which is pretty amazing when you think about it. I mean, really, how many different things can you actually do with potatoes? And when you look at the recipes you learn that many are minor variations of classic potato + cheese and bake dishes. Well, recently I came across what for me was a new twist on things in an issue of Cooking Light Magazine - Mashed Potato Gratin.
I made this dish for the first time recently and it became an immediate favorite. The texture of the potatoes is very similar to the texture of potatoes on top of a good sheppard's pie - very fluffy. And considering the small amount of butter and the use of skim milk the recipe is still very rich and satisfying because of the cheeses. I cut the recipe in half and still had lots of leftovers which reheated really well with a little milk so that they became more of the classic mashed potato dish.
Ingredients:
4 lbs Potatoes – cut into 2 inch cubes
1 cup Fontina cheese – shredded and divided
¾ cup Gruyere cheese – shredded and divided
1½ Tbsp Butter
1 tsp Salt
¼ tsp Black Pepper
1 cup 1% Milk - warmed
Directions:
Boil potatoes 15 min or till tender, drain and return to pan. Add ¾ cup of fontina cheese, ½ cup gruyere cheese, butter, salt, pepper and mash until well combined. Add warm milk and continue mashing until reach desired texture. Spoon into 13 X 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining cheeses and cover with foil. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes, remove foil and set up to broil and broil for 5 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.
I made this dish for the first time recently and it became an immediate favorite. The texture of the potatoes is very similar to the texture of potatoes on top of a good sheppard's pie - very fluffy. And considering the small amount of butter and the use of skim milk the recipe is still very rich and satisfying because of the cheeses. I cut the recipe in half and still had lots of leftovers which reheated really well with a little milk so that they became more of the classic mashed potato dish.
Ingredients:
4 lbs Potatoes – cut into 2 inch cubes
1 cup Fontina cheese – shredded and divided
¾ cup Gruyere cheese – shredded and divided
1½ Tbsp Butter
1 tsp Salt
¼ tsp Black Pepper
1 cup 1% Milk - warmed
Directions:
Boil potatoes 15 min or till tender, drain and return to pan. Add ¾ cup of fontina cheese, ½ cup gruyere cheese, butter, salt, pepper and mash until well combined. Add warm milk and continue mashing until reach desired texture. Spoon into 13 X 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining cheeses and cover with foil. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes, remove foil and set up to broil and broil for 5 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival
This summer we attended the Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival at Koka Booth Amphitheatre for the first time and had an absolute blast! When we were planning to attend we tried hard to get a couple of friends to go with us to take part of a really good deal on four VIP tickets but sadly the friends are not fans of bourbon and at the time there wasn’t much on the promotion site to really indicate what kinds of beer would be available. The claim is “60 beers, 40 bourbons, and lots of bbq” and that is an excellent description of what we encountered. Getting VIP tickets was absolutely the best decision we made as it allowed us early entry (2 hours ahead of regular ticket holders) plus we got a really cool promo t-shirt with the tagline “Brew It. Taste It. Sip It. Pork It.” along with the tasting glass that came with all ticket prices. Note that the VIP ticket sessions sold out online well ahead of the event.
We knew we would be enjoying quite a bit of booze so we checked into a hotel within walking distance of the event beforehand to avoid any risk of drinking and driving and so that neither of us had to play the role of designated driver that gets irritated by all the happy drunk people. We walked over to the gates about 20 minutes before the early entry time and there was a large crowd already present. The organizers were exactly that – very organized. They were going through the crowd doing ID checks as we waited for the gates to officially open so once the clock struck 12 noon the masses really quickly funneled through showing tickets and picking up the programs, glasses, t-shirts, etc.
The venue was well arranged with clusters of tasting tents spread out across the lawn as well as sections under the covered area. Having the program map gave us a chance to look over what was available and how to find it so that the “must taste items” were sought out first. Our only mistake was waiting too late to visit Woodford Reserve because when we did get around to them after an hour or so they had already run out. I think this was due to the timing of their class. In addition to just tasting there were several seminars being hosted by various vendors so I am sure their class prompted rapid tastings at their booth.
A note about the food: This was first and foremost a beer and bourbon event. There were several food vendors doing a nice job of providing bbq and Backyard Bistro was cranking out burgers constantly. But this, in my opinion, was not an event to go to if you primary interest is in the food. Keep in mind that this is a multi-day event and that there was another exclusive tasting for Friday evening where they were doing a pig picking so that might be of greater interest for those seeking a special bbq experience. One other food note: as we were entering the venue we noticed groups of people with necklaces made of pretzels (a piece of yarn with a handful of pretzels threaded through). This was absolute genius! Food is not permitted but obviously this was allowed as jewelry and I am sure it made for great between tastes snacking.
We knew we would be enjoying quite a bit of booze so we checked into a hotel within walking distance of the event beforehand to avoid any risk of drinking and driving and so that neither of us had to play the role of designated driver that gets irritated by all the happy drunk people. We walked over to the gates about 20 minutes before the early entry time and there was a large crowd already present. The organizers were exactly that – very organized. They were going through the crowd doing ID checks as we waited for the gates to officially open so once the clock struck 12 noon the masses really quickly funneled through showing tickets and picking up the programs, glasses, t-shirts, etc.
 |
| view of VIP crowd waiting to enter |
Lots of people brought lawn chairs in order to camp out near the stage for the entertainment but being part of the first mass to enter we easily obtained a table under the covered section and basically took turns going to get tastes when we were ready to just hang out. Having a spot to hang out is essential as it allows you to take the time to enjoy a taste versus pounding down taste after taste from being on foot constantly. And having selected a spot overlooking the main tasting areas we could see when a tasting tent was too crowded or had opened up and had front row seats for watching the silliness of some who had imbibed too quickly.
 |
| view of lawn area looking up towards covered section |
The venue was well arranged with clusters of tasting tents spread out across the lawn as well as sections under the covered area. Having the program map gave us a chance to look over what was available and how to find it so that the “must taste items” were sought out first. Our only mistake was waiting too late to visit Woodford Reserve because when we did get around to them after an hour or so they had already run out. I think this was due to the timing of their class. In addition to just tasting there were several seminars being hosted by various vendors so I am sure their class prompted rapid tastings at their booth.
A note about the food: This was first and foremost a beer and bourbon event. There were several food vendors doing a nice job of providing bbq and Backyard Bistro was cranking out burgers constantly. But this, in my opinion, was not an event to go to if you primary interest is in the food. Keep in mind that this is a multi-day event and that there was another exclusive tasting for Friday evening where they were doing a pig picking so that might be of greater interest for those seeking a special bbq experience. One other food note: as we were entering the venue we noticed groups of people with necklaces made of pretzels (a piece of yarn with a handful of pretzels threaded through). This was absolute genius! Food is not permitted but obviously this was allowed as jewelry and I am sure it made for great between tastes snacking.
 |
| a group of pretzel necklace people |
There was a great mix of bourbon and beers so for those who aren’t bourbon lovers I would say it still might be worth checking out for the beers. I didn’t think I would do much bourbon tasting but the bourbon soaked cherry they offered as we entered the venue was a good subtle introduction that prompted me to go ahead and give everything a try. And for those who enjoy cigars with their bourbon, there were several vendors providing those and although I do not condone it I permitted Brad to enjoy one and for fun posed with it as well.
So when all is said in done here is the list of everything I tasted in order: Jim Beam Red Stag Bourbon, Widmer Drifter Pale Ale, Jeremiah Weed Peach Sweet Tea Vodka, Abita Turbo Dog Ale, Patron Resposada Tequilia, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Sierra Nevada Autumn Brown Ale, Jameson served with ginger ale, Woodchuck Cider, Absolute Acai Vodka with cranberry juice, Sweetwater Blue Ale, Highland Park Scotch, Makers Mark Bourbon, Mikes Hard Lemon Ade in Pink and then a mix of Mikes Cranberry Lemon Ade and the Lime Ade, Jim Beam R1 Rye Bourbon, Buffalo Trace 1792 Bourbon, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel then Gentlemen's Jack Bourbons, Firefly Sweet Tea Peach Vodka, Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, New Belgium Fat Tire Ale, Oskar Blues Old Chub Ale, Shiner Bock Black Lager. And to keep from becoming some of the folks that too quickly imbibed we shared a huge plate of bbq early on and later two of the best tasting double cheeseburgers from Backyard Bistro.
Monday, November 22, 2010
A Thanksgiving Memory
First let me start by saying I am a good chemist ergo I am a good cook. Overtime I have learned, both in the lab and in the kitchen, when it is important to strictly follow a recipe and when you can be more creative. But these skills did not necessarily come naturally and thankfully I have a husband with a good appetite and strong stomach.
Two events during the dating phase of our relationship gave me the confidence to try anything and everything thereafter. First, my sophomore year I had an apartment with gas stove which I never had experienced before plus I was a child of the microwave and had never in my life cooked bacon on the stove. The outcome of this is that I severely burnt the bacon thereafter and forever more referred to as Bristow’s Burnt Bacon. The second occasion was after our engagement when I made an herb escalloped potato dish which upon one bite I decided was not good but for some reason Brad enjoyed and ate tons of - only to be up sick the rest of the night. If a man stays with you after you have given him food poisoning he is with you for life. My first Thanksgiving attempt with Brad was a breeze compared to these previous episodes and I successfully did turkey, gravy, homemade dressing with fresh herbs, creamed potatoes, the whole kit and caboodle all on my own with decent timing. So it was with extreme confidence that I entered my sister’s home to assist with her first attempt at the full Thanksgiving meal experience.
It all started extremely well. We managed to put our sibling rivalries aside to work together with me being careful to remember that it was not my kitchen and my sister actually listening to her older and wiser sister pertaining to planning and execution. There was a moment when we were discussing what should be started when and planning out what item would be served in which of her dishes that it occurred to me that we were reenacting the scene I had watched year after year between my mom and her sister as they tried to determine what needed to be done when and how it was going to be presented.
But like many family events with more than one chef in the kitchen things soon begin to fall apart. But it isn’t the story you expect to hear. We did not argue. No one tried to take over. And in the end no food was totally destroyed or deemed inedible. Where our story gets interesting is that we both made the critical mistake of thinking I was an expert in all things and that my sister should follow all my advice.
I think it began with the melting of her meat thermometer. In my kitchen I have an oven proof meat thermometer and I am a firm believer in this as the means of determining when a turkey is done enough to be safe to eat yet still moist and tender. I also adhere to the leave it alone method, as in don’t keep opening the door to baste, etc. So when my sister asked “Is it okay to leave the thermometer in the turkey as it cooks?” I said “Absolutely yes!” and we stuck it in and forgot about. It was only when an hour or more later that we first checked on the small turkey breast that we found my sister did not have an oven proof thermometer as evidence by the melted remains of a dial attached to the probe. Oops. To the best of our knowledge no toxic acrylic ever made it to the surface of the turkey – that’s my story and I am sticking to it.
Next came the instruction on how to make the sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows. As I am encouraging my sister to load the top of the casserole with almost an entire bag of mini marshmallows she does pause and ask “Are you sure this isn’t too many?” and I respond “This is exactly how much mom uses”. So 30 minutes later we open the oven to find that the marshmallows have greatly expanded and at least half of them are now sticking to the floor of her oven beginning to char. Oops. Well that is easily fixable just be sure to clean your oven after we leave and don’t worry the flames will die down after it is all burned out.
Even through all of this mess and destruction my sister kept her cool. Yes, she even remained calm when after all is said and done and we are getting ready to serve dinner and I manage to kick over my nearly full wine glass which is sitting on the floor next to the couch, breaking one of her new glasses and staining her carpet with red wine. Oops. I have never apologized to my sister so much in my entire life but she was perfectly fine with it all. And really I can see why – after all, big sister has at this stage provided multiple examples of how she is not an expert and certainly not perfect and is now groveling for forgiveness. And it provided her with a wonderful tale to share to convey in a loving manner my numerous shortcomings and best of all – DAD was there to witness everything.
I am glad to have this memory of my sister to share for this holiday. She may not be with us anymore but wherever she is, she is safe in the knowledge that at my house Brad will be fixing lasagna while I am banned from the kitchen.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving no matter how you choose to celebrate it.
Two events during the dating phase of our relationship gave me the confidence to try anything and everything thereafter. First, my sophomore year I had an apartment with gas stove which I never had experienced before plus I was a child of the microwave and had never in my life cooked bacon on the stove. The outcome of this is that I severely burnt the bacon thereafter and forever more referred to as Bristow’s Burnt Bacon. The second occasion was after our engagement when I made an herb escalloped potato dish which upon one bite I decided was not good but for some reason Brad enjoyed and ate tons of - only to be up sick the rest of the night. If a man stays with you after you have given him food poisoning he is with you for life. My first Thanksgiving attempt with Brad was a breeze compared to these previous episodes and I successfully did turkey, gravy, homemade dressing with fresh herbs, creamed potatoes, the whole kit and caboodle all on my own with decent timing. So it was with extreme confidence that I entered my sister’s home to assist with her first attempt at the full Thanksgiving meal experience.
It all started extremely well. We managed to put our sibling rivalries aside to work together with me being careful to remember that it was not my kitchen and my sister actually listening to her older and wiser sister pertaining to planning and execution. There was a moment when we were discussing what should be started when and planning out what item would be served in which of her dishes that it occurred to me that we were reenacting the scene I had watched year after year between my mom and her sister as they tried to determine what needed to be done when and how it was going to be presented.
But like many family events with more than one chef in the kitchen things soon begin to fall apart. But it isn’t the story you expect to hear. We did not argue. No one tried to take over. And in the end no food was totally destroyed or deemed inedible. Where our story gets interesting is that we both made the critical mistake of thinking I was an expert in all things and that my sister should follow all my advice.
I think it began with the melting of her meat thermometer. In my kitchen I have an oven proof meat thermometer and I am a firm believer in this as the means of determining when a turkey is done enough to be safe to eat yet still moist and tender. I also adhere to the leave it alone method, as in don’t keep opening the door to baste, etc. So when my sister asked “Is it okay to leave the thermometer in the turkey as it cooks?” I said “Absolutely yes!” and we stuck it in and forgot about. It was only when an hour or more later that we first checked on the small turkey breast that we found my sister did not have an oven proof thermometer as evidence by the melted remains of a dial attached to the probe. Oops. To the best of our knowledge no toxic acrylic ever made it to the surface of the turkey – that’s my story and I am sticking to it.
Next came the instruction on how to make the sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows. As I am encouraging my sister to load the top of the casserole with almost an entire bag of mini marshmallows she does pause and ask “Are you sure this isn’t too many?” and I respond “This is exactly how much mom uses”. So 30 minutes later we open the oven to find that the marshmallows have greatly expanded and at least half of them are now sticking to the floor of her oven beginning to char. Oops. Well that is easily fixable just be sure to clean your oven after we leave and don’t worry the flames will die down after it is all burned out.
Even through all of this mess and destruction my sister kept her cool. Yes, she even remained calm when after all is said and done and we are getting ready to serve dinner and I manage to kick over my nearly full wine glass which is sitting on the floor next to the couch, breaking one of her new glasses and staining her carpet with red wine. Oops. I have never apologized to my sister so much in my entire life but she was perfectly fine with it all. And really I can see why – after all, big sister has at this stage provided multiple examples of how she is not an expert and certainly not perfect and is now groveling for forgiveness. And it provided her with a wonderful tale to share to convey in a loving manner my numerous shortcomings and best of all – DAD was there to witness everything.
I am glad to have this memory of my sister to share for this holiday. She may not be with us anymore but wherever she is, she is safe in the knowledge that at my house Brad will be fixing lasagna while I am banned from the kitchen.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving no matter how you choose to celebrate it.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Second Wine Dinner at Biaggi's
We recently attended Biaggi's second wine dinner along with Dad and Linda. Things were slightly better organized this time around at least from the standpoint that they did not seat anyone at the tables that bordered the rest of the main dinning room. The four of us were at a table with another couple who were very nice dinning companions throughout the experience.
Once again it was a multi-course meal paired to go with select wines (6 courses, 7 wines, $65 inclusive of tax and tip). The supplier was the same wine distributor as the last wine dinner.
Antipasto Caldo - Creamy Butternut Cappuccino paired with Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio
Butternut squash soup with cinnamon ginger creme served to look like a cappuccino was the hit of the night in terms of food. It was absolutely one of the most delicious things I have ever consumed. Well balanced so it was not too sweet. The wine made from 100% pinot grigio grapes, was light, crisp with a subtle minerality that balanced the sweetness of the soup and was an excellent pairing. Several at the table commented that the wine tasted similar to a riesling and as it turns out this wine is from the very northern portion of Italy which borders Austria and therefore is indeed very similar to German riesling.
Insalata - Field Greens with Warm Pumpkin Vinaigrette, Sweet and Savory Grissini with Allegrini Soave
Mescalin greens tossed in the warm pumpkin vinaigrette with date and fontina wrapped in phyllo dough to form the grissini. The phyllo dough with cheese and date was yummy and I could have ate a plate of just that. The salad was very nice and the pumpkin vinaigrette was very good. The wine is a blend of 80% garganega and 20% chardonnay and definitely had the mouth feel of chardonnay. The fact that it is not aged in oak gave it a light mineral quality. It was not a favorite for most at the table.
Primo - Homemade Roman Gnocchi with Pancetta Alfredo with Tasca Regaliali Rosato
Sweet potato gnocchi with pancetta alfredo was one dish I was really looking forward to and then nothing like what I expected. Large Roman style gnocchi is basically polenta disks. But it was very good and very filling. The wine is 100% nerello mascalese and was blush in color with subtle fizziness. I did not pick up on any of the reported berry flavors. It was not a favorite and Brad did not even drink his glass. It was better with the food which might be a case of a very good dish making a not very good wine tolerable.
Pesce - Halibut Finocchi with Argiolas Vermentino
Broiled halibut with braised fennel, porcini mushroom and baby carrot in a light broth was very nice. However, as the fish course was being served there was an overwhelming fish odor throughout the room. Thankfully, the portions for myself and those sitting near me at our table did not have a strong fish aroma. I was not sure if I had ever had halibut and was pleasantly surprised by it. The broth was a good balance for the broiled fish which was on the edge of being a tad dry. The wine is 90% vermentio and 10% Sardubuab grapes. It had a nice subtle honey and citrus flavor and was light and crisp and paired very nicely with the fish. This wine is reported to be a nice choice for various seafood and Asian dishes including being recommended to consume with sushi.
Secondo - Basil Crouton Crusted Lamb Chops with both Allegrini Pallazzo della Torre and Leone Salice Salentino
Basil crouton crusted lamb chops with truffle mashed potatoes and red wine reduction. This was some of the best lamb I have had in a long time and the seasoned crust was a nice change compared to typical herbed pairings with lamb. However, we were all so very full by this point that we barely ate this dish! Last time we managed to box part of the earlier courses in order to save room till the end but this time most of the courses were not the type that would travel and reheat well so we ate them all. The positive thing is that lamb chops and mashed potatoes travel and reheat very nicely and we ended up with ours and a few others leftovers from the table. The Allegrini Pallazzo della Torre is 70% corvina veronese, 25% rondinella and 5% sangiovese. This wine is quite unusual as 30% of the grapes are left on the vine to dry into raisins before converting into juice so the wine has a strong raisin flavor to it which I did not care for. It was a little better with the food but I opted to pass my glass on to Dad who did enjoy this wine. The Leone Salice Salentino was the preferred red of the two for this dish for most at the table. It is 90% negroamaro and 10% malvasia nera and has a nice smokey, spicy vanilla character. It was good as a stand alone wine and also paired well with the lamb.
Dolce - Panna Cotta with Coppo Brachetto d'Aqui
Panna cotta with fig compote and orange granite was not the kind of dessert I personally like. The combination of flavors was a bit strange with the fig on the bottom, panna cotta in the middle and orange on top. The orange granite was wonderful and that is all I ate of the dish but then I am not a fan of panna cotta. The wine is the first red chilled dessert wine I have tried and is 100% brachetto from Acqui. It has a beautiful red color, nice light fizz, was not too sweet and went well with the portion of the dessert I did consume. This is the only wine we purchased for the whole evening. If we were not being conservative with funds we would have also bought the Argiolas Vermentino and the Leone Salice Salentino.
Once again it was a multi-course meal paired to go with select wines (6 courses, 7 wines, $65 inclusive of tax and tip). The supplier was the same wine distributor as the last wine dinner.
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| "what remains at the end of a wine dinner is a lot of glasses to clean" |
Antipasto Caldo - Creamy Butternut Cappuccino paired with Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio
Butternut squash soup with cinnamon ginger creme served to look like a cappuccino was the hit of the night in terms of food. It was absolutely one of the most delicious things I have ever consumed. Well balanced so it was not too sweet. The wine made from 100% pinot grigio grapes, was light, crisp with a subtle minerality that balanced the sweetness of the soup and was an excellent pairing. Several at the table commented that the wine tasted similar to a riesling and as it turns out this wine is from the very northern portion of Italy which borders Austria and therefore is indeed very similar to German riesling.
Insalata - Field Greens with Warm Pumpkin Vinaigrette, Sweet and Savory Grissini with Allegrini Soave
Mescalin greens tossed in the warm pumpkin vinaigrette with date and fontina wrapped in phyllo dough to form the grissini. The phyllo dough with cheese and date was yummy and I could have ate a plate of just that. The salad was very nice and the pumpkin vinaigrette was very good. The wine is a blend of 80% garganega and 20% chardonnay and definitely had the mouth feel of chardonnay. The fact that it is not aged in oak gave it a light mineral quality. It was not a favorite for most at the table.
Primo - Homemade Roman Gnocchi with Pancetta Alfredo with Tasca Regaliali Rosato
Sweet potato gnocchi with pancetta alfredo was one dish I was really looking forward to and then nothing like what I expected. Large Roman style gnocchi is basically polenta disks. But it was very good and very filling. The wine is 100% nerello mascalese and was blush in color with subtle fizziness. I did not pick up on any of the reported berry flavors. It was not a favorite and Brad did not even drink his glass. It was better with the food which might be a case of a very good dish making a not very good wine tolerable.
Pesce - Halibut Finocchi with Argiolas Vermentino
Broiled halibut with braised fennel, porcini mushroom and baby carrot in a light broth was very nice. However, as the fish course was being served there was an overwhelming fish odor throughout the room. Thankfully, the portions for myself and those sitting near me at our table did not have a strong fish aroma. I was not sure if I had ever had halibut and was pleasantly surprised by it. The broth was a good balance for the broiled fish which was on the edge of being a tad dry. The wine is 90% vermentio and 10% Sardubuab grapes. It had a nice subtle honey and citrus flavor and was light and crisp and paired very nicely with the fish. This wine is reported to be a nice choice for various seafood and Asian dishes including being recommended to consume with sushi.
Secondo - Basil Crouton Crusted Lamb Chops with both Allegrini Pallazzo della Torre and Leone Salice Salentino
Basil crouton crusted lamb chops with truffle mashed potatoes and red wine reduction. This was some of the best lamb I have had in a long time and the seasoned crust was a nice change compared to typical herbed pairings with lamb. However, we were all so very full by this point that we barely ate this dish! Last time we managed to box part of the earlier courses in order to save room till the end but this time most of the courses were not the type that would travel and reheat well so we ate them all. The positive thing is that lamb chops and mashed potatoes travel and reheat very nicely and we ended up with ours and a few others leftovers from the table. The Allegrini Pallazzo della Torre is 70% corvina veronese, 25% rondinella and 5% sangiovese. This wine is quite unusual as 30% of the grapes are left on the vine to dry into raisins before converting into juice so the wine has a strong raisin flavor to it which I did not care for. It was a little better with the food but I opted to pass my glass on to Dad who did enjoy this wine. The Leone Salice Salentino was the preferred red of the two for this dish for most at the table. It is 90% negroamaro and 10% malvasia nera and has a nice smokey, spicy vanilla character. It was good as a stand alone wine and also paired well with the lamb.
Dolce - Panna Cotta with Coppo Brachetto d'Aqui
Panna cotta with fig compote and orange granite was not the kind of dessert I personally like. The combination of flavors was a bit strange with the fig on the bottom, panna cotta in the middle and orange on top. The orange granite was wonderful and that is all I ate of the dish but then I am not a fan of panna cotta. The wine is the first red chilled dessert wine I have tried and is 100% brachetto from Acqui. It has a beautiful red color, nice light fizz, was not too sweet and went well with the portion of the dessert I did consume. This is the only wine we purchased for the whole evening. If we were not being conservative with funds we would have also bought the Argiolas Vermentino and the Leone Salice Salentino.
Monday, October 4, 2010
NC Brewery: Outer Banks Brewing Station
This is part II of our two brewery tour from our trip to the outer banks this summer. For the first part see our NC Brewery: Weeping Radish post.
The second brewery of our tour was the Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills http://www.obbrewing.com/ This spot was an actual planned stop as our lunch for the day and consists of a full scale restaurant. The place was absolutely packed with a wait at 2 PM on a Saturday but there was a beer festival in the area latter that day which might have contributed to the number of folks and Saturday is peak arrival and departure for most rentals. We managed to catch a spot at the bar when a large group was seated. Once again Brad opted just to go with the stout but I opted for a mini tasting where you get a small pour of your choice of four beers. On top of the all the small tastes I had earlier in the day at Weeping Radish this was my limit so I do need to return to try the ones I missed out on this time.
Lemon Grass Wheat Ale – hefeweizen “infused with a potent smack of lemongrass, crisp, tart, and refreshing”: I had wanted to try this beer for such a long time and was not disappointed. You can really taste the lemongrass and I instantly wanted a plate of spicy Thai basil; however, it is not something I would choose to drink on its own.
Altimeter – altbier “dark amber color, some caramel, malty”: a decent amber beer but not a favorite.
Abracadabra Brown Ale – brown ale “mellow yet robust, dark in color but tastes light”: this is a very nice brown ale, highly drinkable.
Junk Shot Porter – porter “Irish style, distinctive roasted barley, assertively hopped with Cascades and Amarillo”: loved it!
Food-wise we shared their fried tuna bites which were jerk seasoned pieces of tuna deep fried – very tasty but something to be shared otherwise all that fried stuff makes you feel funny. We also shared the burger with provolone and bacon which was quite good.
The second brewery of our tour was the Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills http://www.obbrewing.com/ This spot was an actual planned stop as our lunch for the day and consists of a full scale restaurant. The place was absolutely packed with a wait at 2 PM on a Saturday but there was a beer festival in the area latter that day which might have contributed to the number of folks and Saturday is peak arrival and departure for most rentals. We managed to catch a spot at the bar when a large group was seated. Once again Brad opted just to go with the stout but I opted for a mini tasting where you get a small pour of your choice of four beers. On top of the all the small tastes I had earlier in the day at Weeping Radish this was my limit so I do need to return to try the ones I missed out on this time.
Lemon Grass Wheat Ale – hefeweizen “infused with a potent smack of lemongrass, crisp, tart, and refreshing”: I had wanted to try this beer for such a long time and was not disappointed. You can really taste the lemongrass and I instantly wanted a plate of spicy Thai basil; however, it is not something I would choose to drink on its own.
Altimeter – altbier “dark amber color, some caramel, malty”: a decent amber beer but not a favorite.
Abracadabra Brown Ale – brown ale “mellow yet robust, dark in color but tastes light”: this is a very nice brown ale, highly drinkable.
Junk Shot Porter – porter “Irish style, distinctive roasted barley, assertively hopped with Cascades and Amarillo”: loved it!
Food-wise we shared their fried tuna bites which were jerk seasoned pieces of tuna deep fried – very tasty but something to be shared otherwise all that fried stuff makes you feel funny. We also shared the burger with provolone and bacon which was quite good.
NC Brewery: Weeping Radish
So along with the wine tastings we did on our outer banks vacation this year we also visited two breweries. This is our first time of officially make a note of a tasting at a brewery. There are more and more breweries popping up in NC but the vast majority at located in the western part of the state where we tend to focus more on visiting wineries. Obviously we need to travel more so we can do some of both!
The first location we just happen to see as we were looking for the winery in Jarvisburg: Weeping Radish Farm Brewery which is the oldest microbrewery in NC. http://www.weepingradish.com/ This was a really neat place to stop as it is located in an old farmer’s market barn and they have a goat pen outside (I assume as an interest for children in your party or in our case Brad since he is very fond of goats). I did the full sampler while Brad, who is familiar with their beers, went straight for the Black Radish. They brew German style lagers according to the purity law.
OBX – kolsch “golden straw color, crisp hoppy aroma, pleasantly light”: my second favorite
Corolla Gold – helles lager “golden-hued, medium-bodied, slightly sweet, malty profile”: was fine
Fest – amber lager “deep orange-red, medium body, distinctive and complex maltiness, moderate hop bitterness”: was fine
Black Radish – schwarzbier “medium bodied, dark lager with an aftertaste that tends to dry out slowly and linger, featuring hop bitterness with a complementary but subtle roastiness. Black Radish is listed as "one of the 50 beers to try before you die": was my favorite
Weizen - hefeweizen “lots of clove and cinnamon not the typical coriander”: was very interesting in a good way
Radler – half kolsch half lemonade: was very nice
And they let us taste a peach cider which they are not permitted to sale and it was nice. We didn't have any food but the plates coming out of the kitchen looked really good. Would definitely stop and have a beer lunch next time we are down that way. And like Brad I would probably stick with just getting the Black Radish but then we are big dark lager/stout/porter fans.
The first location we just happen to see as we were looking for the winery in Jarvisburg: Weeping Radish Farm Brewery which is the oldest microbrewery in NC. http://www.weepingradish.com/ This was a really neat place to stop as it is located in an old farmer’s market barn and they have a goat pen outside (I assume as an interest for children in your party or in our case Brad since he is very fond of goats). I did the full sampler while Brad, who is familiar with their beers, went straight for the Black Radish. They brew German style lagers according to the purity law.
OBX – kolsch “golden straw color, crisp hoppy aroma, pleasantly light”: my second favorite
Corolla Gold – helles lager “golden-hued, medium-bodied, slightly sweet, malty profile”: was fine
Fest – amber lager “deep orange-red, medium body, distinctive and complex maltiness, moderate hop bitterness”: was fine
Black Radish – schwarzbier “medium bodied, dark lager with an aftertaste that tends to dry out slowly and linger, featuring hop bitterness with a complementary but subtle roastiness. Black Radish is listed as "one of the 50 beers to try before you die": was my favorite
Weizen - hefeweizen “lots of clove and cinnamon not the typical coriander”: was very interesting in a good way
Radler – half kolsch half lemonade: was very nice
And they let us taste a peach cider which they are not permitted to sale and it was nice. We didn't have any food but the plates coming out of the kitchen looked really good. Would definitely stop and have a beer lunch next time we are down that way. And like Brad I would probably stick with just getting the Black Radish but then we are big dark lager/stout/porter fans.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Eastern/Coastal NC Wineries
So one of our "hobbies" is trying to visit any NC winery we are near whenever we travel. In August we did our traditional week at Hatteras and this time we stopped at two wineries during the trek to and from.
On the way out, we stopped at Sanctuary Vineyards in Jarvisburg, NC. http://www.sanctuaryvineyards.com/ This was an interesting stop as the tasting room is just a small part of a large converted cotton gin that is now a clothing/general store/collectibles store. The amusing thing is you have to wander through the entire store which consists of twists and turns and levels going up and down to get to the tiny tasting room at the end of the building.
The following are Vikki's comments:
On the way back we stopped at Vineyards on the Scuppernong. http://www.vineyardsonthescuppernong.com/index.html
I was actually very impressed with this shop which is located in Columbia, NC. It has a lovely tasting bar and lots of nifty wine themed gifts and complementary food items throughout.
Again - Vikki's comments:
On the way out, we stopped at Sanctuary Vineyards in Jarvisburg, NC. http://www.sanctuaryvineyards.com/ This was an interesting stop as the tasting room is just a small part of a large converted cotton gin that is now a clothing/general store/collectibles store. The amusing thing is you have to wander through the entire store which consists of twists and turns and levels going up and down to get to the tiny tasting room at the end of the building.
The following are Vikki's comments:
- Wild Pony White - a dry blend of chardonnay and viognier. This wine was okay for me as it more strongly tasted of viognier which I am not a fan of. I did pick up on the honeysuckle and apple flavors as described by the tasting sheet.
- Whalehead White - semi-dry blend of viognier, pinot grigio, traminette and chardonel. I actually thought this wine was pretty decent and it was described as having exotic citrus notes with a soft mildly sweet finish.
- Coastal Collage - dry bordeaux style blend of petit verdot, cabernet franc, and merlot. I am usually a fan of this type of blend but this one came across a bit empty tasting.
- Sweet Serenity - sweet muscadine. This actually was not as sweet as many wines made from muscadine but had a very strong muscadine nose and flavor and it was not to my liking.
- The Lightkeeper - sweet blend of muscadine and sangiovese. This is a very unusual blend and was actually very interesting to taste. We were told there was only two bottles left and then a couple came in asking for it specifically and as it was so unusual tasting I had to snatch up the last bottle. True to the laws of impulse buying this purchase turned out to be a mistake once we sat down to drink the bottle later on our trip. Well one chilled glass is not a mistake, freezing the remaining and drinking on the beach is a bad mistake.
- Atlantis Meritage - this is actually a wine produced by Martin Vineyards and was Brad's favorite and therefore was his choice for purchase. It is a blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, petit verdot, and malbec.
On the way back we stopped at Vineyards on the Scuppernong. http://www.vineyardsonthescuppernong.com/index.html
I was actually very impressed with this shop which is located in Columbia, NC. It has a lovely tasting bar and lots of nifty wine themed gifts and complementary food items throughout.
Again - Vikki's comments:
- Somerset Special - dry white, not very sweet, muscadine blend was a little better than the Somerset 2009 which was a semi-dry white and a tad sweeter. We bought one bottle of the Special.
- Simply Scuppernong - sweet, muscadine was actually very nice to taste but not the kind of wine I enjoy drinking.
- Riesling - dry white, classic riesling and very good so we bought one bottle.
- Girls of Summer Blush - semi-sweet muscadine that is very light. This seemed to me to be something good to sip chilled on a late summer evening and since I was grasping onto the end of summer and vacation we got a bottle.
- Catawba Belle - another blush, muscadine. I wanted so bad to like this one enough to buy for my Dad based on the name but it simply was not that good.
- Tyrrell 2008 - light red, muscadine. We tasted this one at room temperature and chilled and preferred it chilled. Then we compared it to the 2009 which although more intense in flavor was not as pleasing as the 2008 so we bought the 2008.
- Laurel Point - semi sweet, red muscadine was very flavorful and strongly tastes of the grape. We bought one bottle.
- Barlowe - sweet red, at this point everything was tasting like chilled dessert wines.
- Black Beary - made from 100% blackberry juice had a mild sweet taste with tart finish.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Lasagna Soup
Odd sounding name and truthfully if I had created it I would call it Hearty Italian Sausage and Pasta Soup. But it does remind me somewhat of a lasagna in terms of the layers of flavors. I used hot sausage for a little more flavor and no salt added tomato sauce and low sodium chicken broth. The pasta that it calls for, Mafalda, is like a small lasagna noodle with the ribbon edges. I could not find it in my store so substituted egg noodles as they are similar length and shape and do very well in soups (and probably a lot cheaper than if I had found Mafalda).
This one makes 8 cups and it was easy to cut in half. I actually prepared the recipe through sauteing the meat and veggies, divided that in half and then just used half the liquids and cheese to finish the recipe. Later in the week I took my reserved meat and veggie mixture and made the soup again from that point. The recipe is so hearty that if served with a salad 1 large bowl is enough; therefore, even with cutting the recipe in half I had leftovers. The leftovers heated up really well but it became thicker and more like an actual pasta dish versus a soup.
Lasagna Soup: Cuisine At Home Magazine
Ingredients:
1 lb Bulk Italian Sausage
2 cups Onions – chopped
1 cup Carrots – diced
2 cups Mushrooms – sliced
2 Tbsp Garlic – minced
4 cups Chicken Broth
14½ oz Can Italian-style Stewed Tomatoes – chopped
10¾ oz Can Tomato Sauce
1 cup Mafalda Pasta (never can find so use egg noodles)
2 cups Fresh Spinach – chopped
1 cup Provolone or Mozzarella Cheese – diced
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese – shredded
4 tsp Fresh Basil – thinly sliced
Directions:
Brown sausage in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions and carrots and saute 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and garlic and saute another 3 minutes. Add broth, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Add pasta and simmer till cooked about 10 minutes or according to package directions. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted. Place ¼ cup cheese into serving bowls and pour soup on top. Garnish with Parmesan and basil.
This one makes 8 cups and it was easy to cut in half. I actually prepared the recipe through sauteing the meat and veggies, divided that in half and then just used half the liquids and cheese to finish the recipe. Later in the week I took my reserved meat and veggie mixture and made the soup again from that point. The recipe is so hearty that if served with a salad 1 large bowl is enough; therefore, even with cutting the recipe in half I had leftovers. The leftovers heated up really well but it became thicker and more like an actual pasta dish versus a soup.
Lasagna Soup: Cuisine At Home Magazine
Ingredients:
1 lb Bulk Italian Sausage
2 cups Onions – chopped
1 cup Carrots – diced
2 cups Mushrooms – sliced
2 Tbsp Garlic – minced
4 cups Chicken Broth
14½ oz Can Italian-style Stewed Tomatoes – chopped
10¾ oz Can Tomato Sauce
1 cup Mafalda Pasta (never can find so use egg noodles)
2 cups Fresh Spinach – chopped
1 cup Provolone or Mozzarella Cheese – diced
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese – shredded
4 tsp Fresh Basil – thinly sliced
Directions:
Brown sausage in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions and carrots and saute 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and garlic and saute another 3 minutes. Add broth, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Add pasta and simmer till cooked about 10 minutes or according to package directions. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted. Place ¼ cup cheese into serving bowls and pour soup on top. Garnish with Parmesan and basil.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Baked Risotto with Grilled Asparagus
This recipe came from a Williams-Sonoma catalog. It requires a wide Dutch oven with lid so of course it was listed on a page where they were selling exactly that item (no I did not buy anything this time). A couple of comments about the recipe: I have listed it as is except for substitution of low sodium instead of regular chicken broth and I did not go into detail on how to grill asparagus. My experience is if you use four cups of most store bought chicken broth in this kind of dish it will be very salty which is why I use low sodium instead. The cheese also adds a lot of salt so be careful with adding any additional seasonings if you are salt sensitive. And I do not have a 3½ qt Dutch oven so cooked this in my 8 qt, enamel coated, cast iron Dutch oven. With the larger surface area and the pan consisting of cast iron the risotto cooked faster than the recipe indicated. I checked mine at 15 minutes for the halfway stirring point and it was close to being done so I reduced the final cooking period accordingly. This recipe was very easy compared to physically standing over a pot stirring for 30 to 45 minutes. And I am sure it would be lovely even without the asparagus stirred in or if you opt to substitute other additions such as sauteed mushrooms, peas, etc.
Baked Risotto with Grilled Asparagus: Williams-Sonoma Catalog
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Leeks – halved, then thinly slice white and light green portions
4 Garlic Cloves – minced
1 tsp Fresh Thyme – chopped
1½ cups Arborio Rice
½ cup Dry White Wine
4¼ cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock/Broth - warmed
1½ lb Asparagus – tough ends removed
½ cup Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
3 Tbsp Unsalted butter – cut into 6 pieces
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
In 3½ qt wide Dutch oven over medium heat warm the olive oil, add leeks and cook stirring occasionally until soft (8 minutes). Add garlic, thyme, and pinch of salt and cook 1 minute. Add rice and cook stirring occasionally for 2 to 3 minutes to lightly toast. Add wine and cook 1 minute. Stir in 3 cups of the warmed broth and increase heat to bring to a simmer. Cover and bake at 400 F, stirring once half way through, for 25 to 30 minutes till rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Coat asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper and grill till tender. Cut asparagus on bias into 1 inch lengths. Stir remaining 1¼ cup warmed broth into risotto then stir in butter, cheese, and asparagus and season with salt and pepper.
Baked Risotto with Grilled Asparagus: Williams-Sonoma Catalog
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Leeks – halved, then thinly slice white and light green portions
4 Garlic Cloves – minced
1 tsp Fresh Thyme – chopped
1½ cups Arborio Rice
½ cup Dry White Wine
4¼ cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock/Broth - warmed
1½ lb Asparagus – tough ends removed
½ cup Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
3 Tbsp Unsalted butter – cut into 6 pieces
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
In 3½ qt wide Dutch oven over medium heat warm the olive oil, add leeks and cook stirring occasionally until soft (8 minutes). Add garlic, thyme, and pinch of salt and cook 1 minute. Add rice and cook stirring occasionally for 2 to 3 minutes to lightly toast. Add wine and cook 1 minute. Stir in 3 cups of the warmed broth and increase heat to bring to a simmer. Cover and bake at 400 F, stirring once half way through, for 25 to 30 minutes till rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Coat asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper and grill till tender. Cut asparagus on bias into 1 inch lengths. Stir remaining 1¼ cup warmed broth into risotto then stir in butter, cheese, and asparagus and season with salt and pepper.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Grilled Ham & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Brad grilled this dish for me a few weeks back and it was wonderful. Love that there is a version of chicken cordon blue that he can fix now.
Grilled Ham & Cheese Stuffed Breasts: Betty Crocker
Ingredients:
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
4 Slices Swiss Cheese
4 Slices Ham
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Pepper
½ cup Honey Mustard Dressing
Directions:
Flatten chicken breast halves to ¼ inch thickness between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Place a cheese slice and ham slice on center of each breast and roll up, secure with small metal skewers (soaked wooden skewers works fine). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken rolls over direct medium heat with grill closed (4 to 6 inches from heat) for 15 to 20 minutes (till juice of chicken is no longer pink in center) – brushing with ¼ cup of honey mustard during last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve chicken rolls with remaining honey mustard.
Grilled Ham & Cheese Stuffed Breasts: Betty Crocker
Ingredients:
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
4 Slices Swiss Cheese
4 Slices Ham
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Pepper
½ cup Honey Mustard Dressing
Directions:
Flatten chicken breast halves to ¼ inch thickness between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Place a cheese slice and ham slice on center of each breast and roll up, secure with small metal skewers (soaked wooden skewers works fine). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken rolls over direct medium heat with grill closed (4 to 6 inches from heat) for 15 to 20 minutes (till juice of chicken is no longer pink in center) – brushing with ¼ cup of honey mustard during last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve chicken rolls with remaining honey mustard.
Florentine Potato Salad
I think I got this one from Southern Living. It has a wonderful light citrus kick and is a refreshing change from other styles.
Florentine Potato Salad: Southern Living
Ingredients:
3 lb Small Red Potatoes - quartered
1¼ tsp Salt - divided
1½ cup Fresh Baby Spinach - shredded
¾ cup Mayonnaise
¼ cup Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley – chopped
2 Slices Bacon – cooked and crumbled
2 Tbsp Green Onion – chopped
1 tsp Grated Lemon Rind
¼ tsp Pepper
Directions:
Boil potatoes in enough water to cover along with 1 tsp salt. Cook 20-25 minutes till just tender. Drain and toss with spinach. Stir together mayonnaise and next five ingredients and remaining ¼ tsp salt. Gently stir mayonnaise mixture into potatoes and chill for at least one hour. Can add in up to 1 cup celery slices.
Florentine Potato Salad: Southern Living
Ingredients:
3 lb Small Red Potatoes - quartered
1¼ tsp Salt - divided
1½ cup Fresh Baby Spinach - shredded
¾ cup Mayonnaise
¼ cup Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley – chopped
2 Slices Bacon – cooked and crumbled
2 Tbsp Green Onion – chopped
1 tsp Grated Lemon Rind
¼ tsp Pepper
Directions:
Boil potatoes in enough water to cover along with 1 tsp salt. Cook 20-25 minutes till just tender. Drain and toss with spinach. Stir together mayonnaise and next five ingredients and remaining ¼ tsp salt. Gently stir mayonnaise mixture into potatoes and chill for at least one hour. Can add in up to 1 cup celery slices.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Recipes Now, too
So instead of trying to post actual recipes in the limited space of Face Book comment boxes I am now going to share my new favorites via this blog. First up is one I made for lunch today. It serves 8 but I easily divided it in half (just pay attention to the amounts of milk you are mixing in at different stages). It was absolutely wonderful but very rich tasting. Suggest it as a small serving lunch or if doing for a dinner plan to add a salad or something "healthy" to round out the meal. Had with a glass of Chardonnay. YUM!
Croque Monsieur Mac & Cheese (FoodNetwork Magazine)
½ lb Ziti cooked to al dente
2 cups Milk
2 cup Gruyere – grated
1 cup Parmesan – finely grated
2 Eggs
3 Slices White Bread – roughly diced
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (plus more for greasing dish)
1 med Onion – chopped
1 Garlic Clove – minced
3 Tbsp Flour
8 oz Deli Ham – thinly sliced
cayenne pepper, nutmeg, salt
Toss cooked pasta with ¼ cup milk and set aside. Combine both cheeses in a bowl. Beat ¼ cup milk and the eggs in another bowl, fold in bread and add half of cheese. Melt butter over high heat and add onion and garlic, cook till just brown (2 minutes). Add flour, pinch of cayenne, 1/8 tsp nutmeg and 1 tsp of salt, cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Slowly add ¾ cup water and remaining 1.5 cups of milk. Bring to boil and stir till thickened. Remove from heat, whisk to cool slightly and stir in remaining cheese, then stir in pasta. Butter a shallow casserole dish and layer in half of pasta cheese mixture. Top with half of ham, then remaining pasta and remaining ham. Top with bread and cheese mixture. Bake at 425 F for 20 minutes till golden and bubbly. Let rest a couple of minutes before serving.
Croque Monsieur Mac & Cheese (FoodNetwork Magazine)
½ lb Ziti cooked to al dente
2 cups Milk
2 cup Gruyere – grated
1 cup Parmesan – finely grated
2 Eggs
3 Slices White Bread – roughly diced
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (plus more for greasing dish)
1 med Onion – chopped
1 Garlic Clove – minced
3 Tbsp Flour
8 oz Deli Ham – thinly sliced
cayenne pepper, nutmeg, salt
Toss cooked pasta with ¼ cup milk and set aside. Combine both cheeses in a bowl. Beat ¼ cup milk and the eggs in another bowl, fold in bread and add half of cheese. Melt butter over high heat and add onion and garlic, cook till just brown (2 minutes). Add flour, pinch of cayenne, 1/8 tsp nutmeg and 1 tsp of salt, cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Slowly add ¾ cup water and remaining 1.5 cups of milk. Bring to boil and stir till thickened. Remove from heat, whisk to cool slightly and stir in remaining cheese, then stir in pasta. Butter a shallow casserole dish and layer in half of pasta cheese mixture. Top with half of ham, then remaining pasta and remaining ham. Top with bread and cheese mixture. Bake at 425 F for 20 minutes till golden and bubbly. Let rest a couple of minutes before serving.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Wine Dinner at Biaggi's
So, as a Biaggi Club member we get notices about events that aren't as widely broadcasted including their July Wine Dinner on a recent Friday evening. Six courses - six wines for $65 a person (that is a deal around here). The evening happened to coincide with a visit from Vikki's mom and procrastinators that we are we made this event her Mother's day outing. This turned out to be a huge treat for her as she had never attended any type of wine and food pairing event before, except of course having enjoyed many food and wine meals designed and hosted by the two of us.
All in all it was a wonderful evening, the food was very good and we enjoyed most of the wines. The only possible let down was that the room was very noisy and they should have provided the host a microphone because it was nearly impossible to hear him from our side of the room. However, that may not have been such a down side considering he seemed very long winded at times and when you cannot hear you do not worry so much about having your own conversation versus politely listening!
Six courses and wines as follows:
Antipasto Freddo - Roasted Pepper Bruschetta served with Zardetto Prosecco Brut.
This was a wonderful start for both wine and food. The prosecco had a very crisp, tart-apple flavor and was very dry. The bruschetta was a medley of roasted peppers served with a fantastic basil oil and Parmesan shavings. This course was an A+ for both wine and food.
Antipasto Caldo - Grilled Shrimp & Asparagus served with Falesco Vitiano Rose'
The dish consisted of grilled shrimp and asparagus drizzled with truffle vinaigrette. Asparagus at a wine tasting is a huge risk as it is one food for which there really is no good wine match. The wine is reportedly a red drinkers rose' (30% sangiovese, 30% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon, and 10% aleatico). It was very light with some berry notes but not sweet like white rose'. There were mixed reviews on this course overall. It was hard for Brad to get past the pink color of the wine and truthfully on its own the wine was not very good but he agreed it paired well with just the shrimp. Brad thought the dish was very good but did not care for the wine with the asparagus even when paired with the shrimp. Vikki thought that the shrimp were a bit over done but actually enjoyed the wine with the shrimp and asparagus when the two were in one bite. Trying the wine with just the asparagus was off-putting but when combined with a bite of shrimp and truffle oil it seemed to work (in Vikki's opinion). Food received an A from both and wine a B but only when paired with shrimp.
Primo - Il Tributo Di Maiali (Tribute to Pork) served with La Carraia Sangiovese
Penne pasta tossed with pancetta, prosciutto, bacon, escarole, spinach and scallion Parmesan cream sauce. We have to take a moment to discuss this dish. This dish was the star of the meal. It was a huge hit with everyone and when the manager came to talk with us we inquired as to whether it was on the regular menu. It currently is not but after hearing similar comments from multiple tables the manager came back and asked us to fill out a postcard which he could forward to corporate to request that the dish be added to the menu. And for your information, this is one of the dishes for which they were so generous we requested take out boxes for leftovers and it reheated beautifully. Now the wine, anyone who knows us knows that we currently are huge fans of sangiovese and this one did not disappoint. The description in our wine tasting guide did not do the wine justice using terms such as syrupy, unabsorbed carbon dioxide, green pepper, sappy. Truly, the person who wrote such a description does not intend to sell the wine based on these words. We would describe the wine as a solid sangiovese that was somewhat smokey with a long finish. Sangiovese is a wine meant for food so on its own it was fine but when paired with the pasta dish it was wonderful. A+ to food and wine.
Pesce - Citrus Seared Grouper served with Maculan Pino & Toi
Seared grouper served over lemon roasted potatoes and a citrus relish. This was hit and miss for the table. Brad received a nicely cooked piece of grouper and enjoyed it. Vikki's grouper was a tad oily and had a stronger fish taste which was not appealing. The wine, being a white, was not a favorite for us mainly red wine drinkers. It was very tart and reminded of pinot grigio in flavor and mouth feel (60% tocai, 25% pinot bianco, and 15% pinot grigio). It did go well with the citrus aspects of the dish. Brad would give the meal and wine a higher rating based on his portion being better prepared. A-/B for food and B+ for wine.
Secondo - Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin served with Allegrini La Grola
Herb and garlic roasted pork over scallion potatoes and garlic demi-glace. Another mixed review. Brad loved the pork but is not as sensitive to salt as Vikki, who felt that the pork was significantly over seasoned. The wine (80% corvina and 20% syrah)needed to breath. Very solid, good wine with tobacco and coffee essences. It did go nicely with the pork. Brad gives the food a higher rating A/B and the wine rated A for both.
Dolce - Zabaglione served with Coppo Moscato d'Asti
Honey glazed strawberries and peaches topped with zabaglione (custard). RICH! The wine carried notes of fruit and was typical of moscato meaning pleasantly sweet for dessert. Brad is not a fan of dessert wine and Vikki is not a fan of dessert therefore the trade of food for wine was quite agreeable for both. Brad gives the food an A and Vikki gives the wine an A.
The outcome tells the favorites as we came home with a bottle of the prosecco, 2 sangiovese and 2 of the allegrini la grola.
All in all it was a wonderful evening, the food was very good and we enjoyed most of the wines. The only possible let down was that the room was very noisy and they should have provided the host a microphone because it was nearly impossible to hear him from our side of the room. However, that may not have been such a down side considering he seemed very long winded at times and when you cannot hear you do not worry so much about having your own conversation versus politely listening!
Six courses and wines as follows:
Antipasto Freddo - Roasted Pepper Bruschetta served with Zardetto Prosecco Brut.
This was a wonderful start for both wine and food. The prosecco had a very crisp, tart-apple flavor and was very dry. The bruschetta was a medley of roasted peppers served with a fantastic basil oil and Parmesan shavings. This course was an A+ for both wine and food.
Antipasto Caldo - Grilled Shrimp & Asparagus served with Falesco Vitiano Rose'
The dish consisted of grilled shrimp and asparagus drizzled with truffle vinaigrette. Asparagus at a wine tasting is a huge risk as it is one food for which there really is no good wine match. The wine is reportedly a red drinkers rose' (30% sangiovese, 30% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon, and 10% aleatico). It was very light with some berry notes but not sweet like white rose'. There were mixed reviews on this course overall. It was hard for Brad to get past the pink color of the wine and truthfully on its own the wine was not very good but he agreed it paired well with just the shrimp. Brad thought the dish was very good but did not care for the wine with the asparagus even when paired with the shrimp. Vikki thought that the shrimp were a bit over done but actually enjoyed the wine with the shrimp and asparagus when the two were in one bite. Trying the wine with just the asparagus was off-putting but when combined with a bite of shrimp and truffle oil it seemed to work (in Vikki's opinion). Food received an A from both and wine a B but only when paired with shrimp.
Primo - Il Tributo Di Maiali (Tribute to Pork) served with La Carraia Sangiovese
Penne pasta tossed with pancetta, prosciutto, bacon, escarole, spinach and scallion Parmesan cream sauce. We have to take a moment to discuss this dish. This dish was the star of the meal. It was a huge hit with everyone and when the manager came to talk with us we inquired as to whether it was on the regular menu. It currently is not but after hearing similar comments from multiple tables the manager came back and asked us to fill out a postcard which he could forward to corporate to request that the dish be added to the menu. And for your information, this is one of the dishes for which they were so generous we requested take out boxes for leftovers and it reheated beautifully. Now the wine, anyone who knows us knows that we currently are huge fans of sangiovese and this one did not disappoint. The description in our wine tasting guide did not do the wine justice using terms such as syrupy, unabsorbed carbon dioxide, green pepper, sappy. Truly, the person who wrote such a description does not intend to sell the wine based on these words. We would describe the wine as a solid sangiovese that was somewhat smokey with a long finish. Sangiovese is a wine meant for food so on its own it was fine but when paired with the pasta dish it was wonderful. A+ to food and wine.
Pesce - Citrus Seared Grouper served with Maculan Pino & Toi
Seared grouper served over lemon roasted potatoes and a citrus relish. This was hit and miss for the table. Brad received a nicely cooked piece of grouper and enjoyed it. Vikki's grouper was a tad oily and had a stronger fish taste which was not appealing. The wine, being a white, was not a favorite for us mainly red wine drinkers. It was very tart and reminded of pinot grigio in flavor and mouth feel (60% tocai, 25% pinot bianco, and 15% pinot grigio). It did go well with the citrus aspects of the dish. Brad would give the meal and wine a higher rating based on his portion being better prepared. A-/B for food and B+ for wine.
Secondo - Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin served with Allegrini La Grola
Herb and garlic roasted pork over scallion potatoes and garlic demi-glace. Another mixed review. Brad loved the pork but is not as sensitive to salt as Vikki, who felt that the pork was significantly over seasoned. The wine (80% corvina and 20% syrah)needed to breath. Very solid, good wine with tobacco and coffee essences. It did go nicely with the pork. Brad gives the food a higher rating A/B and the wine rated A for both.
Dolce - Zabaglione served with Coppo Moscato d'Asti
Honey glazed strawberries and peaches topped with zabaglione (custard). RICH! The wine carried notes of fruit and was typical of moscato meaning pleasantly sweet for dessert. Brad is not a fan of dessert wine and Vikki is not a fan of dessert therefore the trade of food for wine was quite agreeable for both. Brad gives the food an A and Vikki gives the wine an A.
The outcome tells the favorites as we came home with a bottle of the prosecco, 2 sangiovese and 2 of the allegrini la grola.
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Beginning
While watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations a comment made struck a cord with us. The comment was about how it is a very French tendency to discuss food while eating food. And it occurred to us, that while we are not French; we do enjoy discussing and planning our next meal while in the very process of consuming our current meal. We enjoy taking the time to make notes about each and every wine when we visit wineries. We enjoy keeping a travel diary of sorts listing the restaurants we visit and what we had and whether it was worth the money. We have done this long enough now that friends and family often ask us for advice on places to eat when they travel to places we have been. So after several beers one night we decided it would be great fun to start a food blog to share our opinions, likes, dislikes, etc. We are not food critics. But we consider ourselves to be qualified for this endeavor if only from the fact that we each have a plate at the Flying Saucer (well, Vikki's is almost done and Brad is on his third time around). Plus Vikki has been to over 67 cities in 11 countries with Brad tagging along on domestic adventures. We are two people that enjoy travel, eating, drinking, and talking. So read along to tag along with us on our Epicurean Adventures! And Brad will throw in some golf course wisdom (at least about courses) along the way.
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