Skirt Steak, Caramelized Shallots, Red Wine Jus
To begin. I really wanna say something, but I am afraid I’ll jinx myself.
What the heck. Okay, here it goes! I think 2010 is going to be pretty much ridiculously awesome. Now, that the proclamation is over, I want to tell you about my trip to Portland for anniversary/food tour/new years eve celebration which started off the ridiculous awesomeness.
Portland is my new favorite city to dine. Okay, okay. It is no Paris, but I truly was impressed. I mean, my brain was on oh-ver-load with the amount of restaurants I wanted to try from many, many recommendations. Basically, our conclusion at the end of the week, as Erik and I gnawed on red vines driving north on I-5, was that Portland rocks when it comes to food. It was totally worth the new fat roll I gained on the trip. I think. Read the rest of this entry »
Hamachi Crudo, Marinated Mission Figs, Lavender, Prosciutto
I thought this recipe was doomed for failure after the morning I had today. It was one of those mornings were plans change, the dog doesn’t want to pee but needs to, I am late for work because my muscles are so achy that I cannot get out of bed, and Napolean White Balsamic Vinegar spills all over my duvet cover, feather bed, and soaks into my 1000 thread count sheets and memory foam mattress because the cap is broken.
It was that kind of morning. Read the rest of this entry »
Bouchon’s French Lentil and Feta Salad
I have to give Twitter credit for this recipe. Yes, reader. Twitter. Did you know that if you ask someone on Twitter to give you inspiration for an ingredient, such as Lentils, that you will get more responses back than you can handle. Try it. Inspiration will come.
I was given recipes for a Mujadara, a magical Lentil soup, a Masoor Dahl, and finally the recipe that I decided on which is this French Lentil and Feta Salad.
Halibut Steaks with Braised Leeks
I know, I know. Where have I been? Well, I am actually house sitting for my Moma while she is in Costa Rica. She is retiring there, so visiting may times BEFORE she retires is a must.
I wasn’t invited (boo!), but she does have a hot tub which is an added “vacation-like” bonus. It is also good for Cashew because he does have a major love interest in my Moma’s teacup poodle, Zoe. But, alas, the excitement dwindles when we are stuck with dismal rain here in Seattle. Being in a hot tub just isn’t as fun when your head is cold. Read the rest of this entry »
Braised Lamb Shanks with Curried Lentils
I get far too excited to have dinner parties. I think it is because every time I have one, I remember when my Mama used to throw her famous dinner parties when I was a child. I would watch her prep all day long and be in her bathrobe until 15 minutes before the party started. She knew that when she said 7pm, people would show at 7:45 at the earliest. Maybe it was that they knew she would never be ready. But, it was unspoken, and it worked.
I was raised in small town in Virginia, but Mother grew up in California and Boston. She threw a great party, with people drinking, eating, and laughing until the wee hours of the morning. We would always go to the recycling center the next day and just chuck wine bottle after wine bottle into the glass bin. She had a dinner club just like I do, but she also loved to entertain her co-workers, girlfriends, and family. I feel that I now carry that torch. My Mom doesn’t remember the last time she threw a dinner party, but she truly enjoys when I have her over for dinner. Oh, how the roles reverse. She also promised that when I get a bigger house she will give me her cookbook collection. And by collection, I mean small library.
Smoky Ham and Corn Chowder
Sunday Night Dinner. A weekly tradition. A bunch of hungry boys over six-feet tall. And me.
This is a recipe from a cookbook that I got from my mother in law, Colleen, for Christmas. I love it because it is titled “Big Night In”, which is of course right up my alley. Every single recipe in the book could be cooked for Sunday Night Dinner. And will be.
What you see to the left of the soup is a popover. Yes. I know, it looks nothing like a popover. I used popover batter and ended up putting it in muffin tins. Delicious, but definitely not “popping” over the muffin tin. Rob, however, made me make a second batch. Read the rest of this entry »
Pressed Chicken with Yellow Squash and Tomatoes
This past weekend we shipped the kid (Cashew) to my Mom’s, drank as much water as we could, and headed to Sonoma to celebrate Erik’s 30th birthday. We rented this amazing Italian Villa with a huge gourmet kitchen which I had planned to cook in. But, I actually did not saute or dice the entire weekend (thanks to Dane, Michael, and Eddie). We did many wine tastings, spent hours in the hot tub, and it turned out to be one of the best weekends I have ever experienced.
Well, last night, even though I was itching to cook again, my exhaustion got the best of me, which means Erik cooked. And by that I mean, he ordered a pizza.
Tonight, however, I made no excuses. I went to the grocery store to see what inspired me, and this seemed like my last salute to summer. Summer squash, corn, and grape tomatoes. I had also seen this “pressed chicken” by many of my favorite chefs, and I felt that at some point, I needed to jump on that bandwagon and try it. Enjoy!
Pork Tenderloin with Bing Cherry Reduction
“My picture today is not particularly amazing (hahah! to say the least), but that is because in the past two days I have broken both of my memory cards in BOTH of my cameras. I am obviously doing something wrong. Thank goodness for the camera on my iPhone!” *(I updated the picture this evening because the photo was BEYOND horrible)
This recipe stemmed from many different people. The first person is one of my best friends and fellow-foodie, Kylee. She is the master at making pork tenderloin. The other day she said that she made a dinner where she stuffed it with goat cheese! Delicious. I knew I had to try it. The second person who inspired me for this recipe is my fellow Seattle food-blogger friend Matt Wright. He made dandelion greens about a month ago, and I knew I just had to try them, after seeing his delicious post. Lastly, I adapted a recipe that I found on another blog I love called Closet Cooking(and he adapted it from a recipe on Food Network). So, Thank you to all of my inspirations. The dinner was a success. I served this with the Truffle Potato Mash with Mascarpone that I made the other night. However, I left out the truffle oil:)
Beet Green and Goat Cheese Pasta
Yes, I know what you are thinking. What are beet greens?
They are actually the leafy greens that grown on top of the beets, and YES, they are edible! Beet greens taste a lot like any dark leafy green such as Kale, Swiss Chard, or even Spinach. When the beet greens wilt down though, they are not as bitter as chard, or kale, and they pair very nicely with cheese, and cream. They are also incredibly good for you because they are nutrient rich with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and lots of fiber.
I got this recipe from one of a fellow food blogger, Susan. Her blog is not only written well, but the recipes and photos are to die for. If you have not checked it out, you must! After trying two of her recipes tonight, I am very impressed.
Blueberry Prosciutto Pizza
This pizza is one of the most surprising dishes on my blog. It is beyond elegant for a pizza, and more delicious that I can possibly describe or photograph. The pizza consists of four cheeses, prosciutto, aged balsamic, and BLUEBERRY jam. I know, it sounds weird, but just imagine a gourmet cheese plate on your pizza!
This pizza is impressive enough to entertain with, and is a crowd pleaser every time! If you love sweet and savory, you will LOVE this pizza! This will be my signature dish for years to come.
