Recipe: Cat Cora's Watermelon Gazpacho

Close-up of our gazpacho
with a dollop of sour cream

I'd been wanting to make a watermelon gazpacho all summer long and thought my opportunity had passed since it's September and the watermelons haven't been looking so good at the store.  We were at Central Market this past weekend, and yay. . .  the watermelons looked great -- beautiful red and ripe.

We decided to try this Watermelon Gazpacho recipe from Cat Cora's cookbook Cooking from the Hip. It may be one of her favorite recipes because it's mentioned many times in various articles and features online.

We made half the recipe;  left out the celery hearts and parsley and used sour cream instead of creme fraiche (I know, I know, they're not the same).   Two tips:  I think I'll use a little less onion next time and will dice up the vegetables more finely.  I should also probably make the dish 'correctly' and use the celery hearts, parsley and creme fraiche. 

Tonight, I'm going to try blending up our leftover gazpacho to try a non-chunky version of it!

Recipe: Chicken & Golden Rice

Chicken & Golden Rice 
Food and Wine Magazine, August 2012, p. 24

I totally forgot to take a photo of our meal, but you can see what it looks like when you click on the recipe link above.

This recipe takes so little time to prepare, particularly if you have leftover chicken.  If not, buy a rotisserie chicken to make this quick, weeknight meal. 

What I love about this dish is its simplicity, yet it's packed with flavor . . . the tumeric in the rice, the basil, cilantro, onion, lemon, Sriracha sauce.

One tip:  Use 1 1/2 cup of chicken broth instead of 1 cup when making the rice.

Recipe: Fresh Corn Grits with Shrimp

Fresh Corn Grits with Shrimp

I really liked this dish by Top Chef Season 5 contestant Jeff McInnis.  It was featured in the Top Chef Challenge section (it's the market basket challenge) in the Aug 2012 issue of Food and Wine Magazine (p. 111-112).  I think the pecan butter makes the dish ~ it gives it a nice nutty subtle flavor.

Healthy and really easy.

Here are some tips:

• Because we made this during a weeknight and wanted to speed up the process, we didn't make the grits from scratch but used instant grits.
• I also didn't want to wear out our mini food-processor, so didn't actually didn't process the pecans and canola oil for 2 minutes until smooth.  Instead, I used a small handful of pecans and a tiny splash of canola oil and processed it for 20 seconds.
• For the shrimp saute, I used 2 tablespoons of butter instead of 6.
• We added red pepper flakes for a little heat.
• I used about 3/4 cup of lager.  I didn't want it soupy like it looks in the photo on p. 112.

Macaron vs. Macaroon?

I was reading an article about Thomas Keller in the September 2012 issue of Vogue.  I thought that the word "macaron" was spelled incorrectly, thinking that the delicious treat I love to get when we go to Keller's Bouchon Bakery should've been spelled "macaroon."  I looked it up on Wikipedia and learned something:

From Wikipedia: 
A macaron is a sweet meringue-based confectionery made with egg whites, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food colouring.  The macaron is commonly filled with ganache, buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies. The confectionery is characterised by its smooth, domed top, ruffled circumference (referred to as the "foot"), and flat base. It is mildly moist and easily melts in the mouth.

Since the English word macaroon can also refer to the coconut macaroon, many have adopted the French spelling of macaron to distinguish the two items in the English language. However, this has caused confusion over the correct spelling. Some recipes exclude the use of macaroon to refer to this French confection while others think that they are synonymous.

Here is Macaroon vs. Macaron Primer for more clarification and photos!

Recipe: Crispy Pork, Shrimp and Cabbage Imperial Rolls



We made Crispy Pork, Shrimp and Cabbage Imperial Rolls (Food and Wine Magazine, Sept 2012, p.68), a recipe from Valerie Luu and Katie Kwan who are 2 young and hip Vietnamese street vendors who run Rice Paper Scissors in San Francisco. 

While I forgot the potato/taro root (oops!), it was a great recipe we'll definitely make again.  We had a revised version of Broccolini with Spicy Sesame Vinaigrette on the side, using regular broccoli.

Tips for Next Time:

• Use about a 1/2 tablespoon less of the fish sauce
• Add minced serrano (I love a spicy kick!)
• Add jalapeno for flavor
• Make 1/3 of the sauce
• Remember to add the potato

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Blackberry Passion Fruit Tart and Apple Cinnamon Crisp Ice Cream

Yogurtland has introduced 2 new flavors:  White Chocolate Macadamia Nut and Blackberry Passion Fruit Tart.

From their press release:
For the White Chocolate Macadamia Nut yogurt, Yogurtland uses hand-picked macadamia nuts that are double roasted to bring out the flavor, then ground into a smooth butter and gently folded into the yogurt. The macadamia nuts add additional protein, potassium and various vitamins.
  
For the Blackberry Passion Fruit Tart yogurt, Yogurtland sourced passion fruit from South America and blackberries from Oregon that are known as the “American super fruit.” Both of these fruits are packed with Vitamin C, high levels of antioxidants, beta-carotene and potassium. An 8-ounce serving of this yogurt flavor provides a full day’s requirement of Vitamin C.
  
Combining authentic flavors with real milk gives Yogurtland yogurt its creamy, smooth taste that’s also good for you. Naturally occurring calcium and Vitamin D make Yogurtland yogurt a healthful, refreshing treat. Fruit flavors are also fortified with Vitamin C. Yogurtland yogurt also has six probiotics and the live and active yogurt cultures your body needs for a healthy balance.

Makes me feel good about eating the stuff. 

Baskin-Robbins has introduced its September flavor of the month:  Apple Cinnamon Crisp.

From their press release:

Featuring cinnamon-flavored ice cream with apple and oat chunks, plus a buttery brown sugar cinnamon swirl-flavored ribbon, Apple Cinnamon Crisp combines classic autumn flavors into one delicious frozen treat.

 

For a more decadent treat, guests can enjoy the new Apple Cinnamon Crisp Waffle Bowl Sundae. The sundae features two scoops of Apple Cinnamon Crisp ice cream in a waffle bowl, topped with warm caramel praline topping, whipped cream, almonds and is finished with a cherry on top. Baskin-Robbins' new Apple Cinnamon Crisp is available by the scoop in a cup or cone at participating Baskin-Robbins shops nationwide in September. The flavor is also available in fresh-packed pints and quarts, so ice cream lovers can bring the flavor home to enjoy with family and friends.

 

Sounds delicious but probably not so healthy.

How to Separate an Egg Yolk from the White

I bet you've never seen this method before!

Check out this video (it's less than 2 minutes):
How to Separate an Egg Yolk from the White

Recipes: Mac & Cheese, Green Beans with Gorgonzola Butter and a Warm Chocolate Budino

Not the prettiest plating, but oh well

Again, not the best plating
nor the best roasted almonds

Lovely dinner with friends this past weekend.  Surf & turf (sirloin and lobster) with four-cheese mac & cheese, green beans with gorgonzola butter, and Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages and Ramey Chardonnay; followed by a warm chocolate budino for dessert.

The Four-Cheese Mac and Cheese recipe was interesting.  It was in Food & Wine Magazine's June 2012 issue (p. 114) and is a recipe from Slows Bar BQ in Detroit.  In interesting I mean that it called for extra-sharp cheddar cheese, Muenster cheese, Swiss cheese and cream cheese -- AND Tabasco sauce and ground mace.  What's ground mace?  It's a spice obtained from the dried aril (net-like sheath) which covers the nutmeg seed.  The recipe was good, but I really prefer my America's Test Kitchen Classic Mac & Cheese recipe.

I found this Grilled Asparagus with Gorgonzola Butter recipe, but since I wanted to serve green beans, I modified the recipe.  We blanched the beans, and in the future, I would actually saute the beans in the mixture of butter, Gorgonzola cheese, lemon juice, basil, and garlic altogether.  Nix the olive oil because the butter is enough.  And make sure to add salt to taste.

For dessert, I wanted to try out the Warm Chocolate Budino recipe (Food & Wine Magazine's April 2012 issue, p.56)  because I had ordered one at Private Social a couple of weekends ago.  This one turned out pretty nicely -- I love the flavors of chocolate, roasted almonds, vanilla ice cream and olive oil altogether.  (Note: Private Social's dessert had an olive oil ice cream, but this recipe calls for vanilla ice cream with extra-virgin olive oil drizzled on top.)

Bon Appetit!

Would you pay more for a prime time restaurant reservation?

When It Comes to Reservations, Time is Money

I just saw this article today in The New York Times about some restaurants charging more during prime time seating and less during slow days & times.  It's an interesting thought since theaters, airlines and hotels have been doing this for years. 

Savored.com is the site many restaurants are using to achieve this -- where you can get up to 40% off food and drink in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, NYC, Philly, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

According to a study done by a professor at the Cornell School of Hospitality:  “People were O.K. with different prices by time of day and day of week, but what made that even more pronounced was the way you framed it.  If you said it’s 20 percent cheaper to come during the week than on the weekend, people thought that was more acceptable than if you said it’s 20 percent more expensive on the weekend.”

What do you think?

New Fried Foods at the State Fair of Texas

9/3/12 Update

And the winners of the 8th Annual Big Tex Choice Awards are. . . Deep Fried Jambalaya for the "Best Taste" award and Bacon Cinnamon Roll for the "Most Creative" award!



The 2012 State Fair of Texas is right around the corner. . .
Sept 28th - Oct 21st

Here are the finalists for the fair's 8th Annual Big Tex Choice Awards.  Two winners will be announced tomorrow (Monday, Sept 3rd), one for "best taste" and one for "most creative." 

• Chicken Fried Cactus Bite
• Deep-Fried Divine Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
• Deep Fried Jambalaya
• Deep Fried Mac-N-Cheese Slider
• Fried Bacon Cinnamon Roll
• Fried Mexican Fire Crackers
• Picnic on a Stick
• Fried Pork Wing

Who do you think will win?

Check out past winners:  http://www.bigtex.com/sft/Nav/foodinformation.asp

While it didn't make it as a finalist, there will be Fried Samoa Girl Scout Cookies this year as well!

Chicken Fried Cactus Bites: Fairgoers will stick with these hand-picked prickly pear cactus pads, thinly sliced, chicken battered and deep fried to perfection. Served with a combination of sweet & spicy secret jalapeno ranch, and agave nectar dipping sauce.

Deep-Fried Divine Chocolate Tres Leches Cake:  A slice of chocolate tres leches cake soaked in buttermilk batter, and fried to perfection. A light sprinkle of cinnamon, topped with whipped cream, fresh strawberry slices and peaches are drizzled with a yummy syrup.

Deep Fried Jambalaya: A State Fair spin is given to this Cajun classic. This "from scratch" jambalaya is created using shrimp, cajun sausage and seasonings, then coated in lightly seasoned flour and fried to a golden perfection. This deepfried Southern delectable will be served with a side of "made in house" spicy ranch sauce.

Deep Fried Mac-N-Cheese Slider: This three-cheese mac is baked until golden brown, battered in bread crumbs, deepfried until crisp on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside. Placed on a slider bun with a griddled beef patty, this southern-style invention almost calls for a rocking chair and a front porch.

Fried Bacon Cinnamon Roll: Deliciously fresh cinnamon roll dipped in a special sweet pancake batter, rolled in crispy fried bacon crumbles, deep fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It’s a main course and a dessert all in one.

Fried Mexican Fire Crackers: A yummy, spicy chicken, cheese and jalapeno mix wrapped in fresh-made masa dough and deep fried to a crispy, crunchy, explosion of flavor. OLE, JOSE! Served with fiery TNT sauce.

Fried Pork Wing: This juicy morsel is slow cooked for six hours then lightly deep fried, rolled and tossed in a smoked bacon chipotle glaze. Accompanied by old-school homemade potato chips lightly dusted in barbecue seasoning, it’s a sure crowd pleaser.

Picnic on a Stick): Pieces of delicious spicy fried chicken alternate tater tots and slices of dill pickle. Repeated three times on a stick then dipped in batter, rolled in bread crumbs, and fried until golden brown, this picnic wouldn’t be complete without its choice of BBQ sauce, ranch, or honey mustard. BYO ants.

Recipe: Hearts of Palm Dip

I love hearts of palm.  Give me a salad with hearts of palm in it, and I'm extra happy.  It's a special ingredient to me since I don't see it often.  I love the texture and flavor it adds -- crunchiness and a unique subtle flavor that I can only compare to artichokes.

What is it?  It's a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees.  You can find them in the canned vegetable aisle in the grocery store next to the artichokes.

I just made a dip that is simple, relatively healthy and is perfect as a snack with pita chips.  The recipe is from Food & Wine Magazine's March 2012 issue (p.80).  All that's in the dip are hearts of palm, extra-virgin olive oil, a garlic clove, and salt & pepper.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/hearts-of-palm-dip

Turning Coffee Grinds Into Laundry Detergent

 

I think this is really interesting and shows how Starbucks is committed to sustainability efforts worldwide.

Starbucks turns coffee grinds and old muffins into laundry detergent
August 27, 2012
Source:  NY Daily News

Coffee giant Starbucks in Hong Kong is testing out an innovative recycling process that turns old, stale baked goods and coffee grinds into bio-plastics and laundry detergent in an attempt to lessen its environmental footprint.

The project, led by scientists at the City University of Hong Kong, is being tested at a new food ‘biorefinery,' that diverts food waste and transforms it into viable, usable products.  The project was presented at a meeting of the world's largest scientific society, the 244th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia this week.

Like oil refineries which covert petroleum into fuel and other ingredients for use in consumer products, biorefineries transform corn, sugar cane, and other plant-based material into bio-based fuels and other products.  But using raw food staples to produce fuel has been a thorny subject, as environmentalists say it's a shortsighted solution that would drive up food prices and contribute to food shortages.

Recycling food waste, however, to make other viable consumer products has the potential of diverting tons of garbage from landfills and reducing the need to manufacture goods from virgin, raw sources, scientists say.  Starbucks Hong Kong produces about 5,000 tons of used coffee grounds and unconsumed baked goods that end up in the garbage bin every year. Currently, most of the waste is incinerated, composted or disposed of in landfills.

'How it works'
The food biorefinery process, meanwhile, involves blending the stale baked goods with a mixture of fungi that help break down the carbohydrates into simple sugars. The blend is then fermented in a vat where bacteria transform the sugars into succinic acid, a key material that's used to produce everything from laundry detergent, plastic, to medicine, scientists explain. 

Baked goods have also been used to create livestock feed.  British supermarket chain Sainsbury's, meanwhile, is the largest retail user of anaerobic digestion technology which turns food waste into energy -- a process that has generated enough electricity to power 2,500 homes.

Recipe: Chocolate-Espresso Snowballs

Chocolate-Espresso Snowballs

[I forgot to take a photo!]

 

I found this recipe I'd flagged in Food & Wine Magazine's December 2011 issue (p. 120).  I had all of the ingredients at home (butter, sugar, vanilla extract, flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, nuts, confectioners sugar) and thought I'd try it out since I needed to bring a dessert to a little get together this past week.  I substituted hazelnuts for pecans.

 

If you love Mexican Wedding cookies but wish there was a chocolate version, you'll absolutely love this recipe!  These are perfect with a cup of coffee . . .

 

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chocolate-espresso-snowballs

Are you a super-taster?

Are you a super-taster? 

I'm not based on the first test below : (

Take these two tests to find out.
1. Take one packet of artificial sweetener and combine it with two-thirds of a cup of water. If the water tastes mostly sweet, you’re an under-taster. If bitterness dominates, you’re a super-taster. If you experience both flavors, you’re a normal taste.

2. Using a Q-tip dipped in blue food coloring, swab your tongue’s surface. In general, the bluer it looks, the fewer taste buds you have. The more pink spots (densely clustered), the more sensitive you are.

Source:  http://www.parade.com/health/2012/07/29-are-you-a-super-taster.html

Turning a $43 Box of Wine into a $600 Burgundy

I recently read the article "Trading Up: How I turned a $43 Box of Wine into a $600 Burgundy" in Food & Wine magazine (September 2012, p.74) -- at first, thinking that it was an essay on how to take a box of wine and age it to taste like an expensive Burgundy.  I was mistaken. 

It's a fun article on how the writer (who works at Christie's in their wine department), was given the challenge by Food & Wine to take a $43 box of wine and trade it up for more expensive wines until he reached his goal of obtaining a wine 1) he had never tried before and 2) one costing at least $500.

After 6 smart trades, he ends up with . . .  well, you'll have to read the article to find out!

Check Your Phone at the Door in Exchange for 5% Off Your Bill

Would you check your phone at the door of a restaurant in exchange for 5% off your bill?

Half the restaurant patrons at Eva Restaurant in L.A. do.

Owner and chef Mark Gold says, "For us, it's really not about people disrupting other guests. Eva is home, and we want to create that environment of home, and we want people to connect again.  It's about two people sitting together and just connecting, without the distraction of a phone, and we're trying to create an ambiance where you come in and really enjoy the experience and the food and the company."

I understand his point but still wouldn't check my phone at the door.  I like having it with me; plus, I often take photos of my food (don't worry, I do it discreetly and not at all at fine dining establishments).

L.A. restaurants pay customers to put away their phones

Drink Recipe: Blueberry Ginger Cocktail

This is my new drink of choice -- and I feel "healthy" drinking it because it has blueberries which are full of antioxidants.  Ginger is supposed to be good for you too.

• Take about a 1/4 cup of frozen wild blueberries (or regular blueberries), thaw them and place them in a glass.
• Add 1 1/2 oz of light rum
• Add a teaspoon of light brown sugar (you can omit this if you want to cut down on the sugar)
• Fill the glass with ice
• Top with Ginger Beer -- I recommend the Fever Tree brand
• Squeeze a little lemon on top
• Pour back and forth into a mixing tin or another glass

Enjoy!

I've also tried this with dark rum and dark brown sugar which give the drink a richer and deeper flavor which I like as well.

Food Dichotomy

Dinner tonight = a dichotomy. 

Filet mignon and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

Julia Child's New Biography "Dearie"

Julia Child was born August 15, 1912 and would have been 100 years old today.  She was the first "celebrity chef."

A new biography on Julia called Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child was released this month, and while I haven't read it, it's now on my list!

PARADE has published a long excerpt (the prologue) from the book to give us a taste.

Happy Birthday, Julia

Hatch Chile Festival

Dallasites, it is Hatch Chile Festival time at Central Market until August 21st!

Now, I've never cooked hatch chiles before and am not exactly sure how I would cook them; however, Central Market has recipe upon recipe of really interesting dishes.  Check it out here.  I'm going to try Tash's Hatch Chile Chicken Enchiladas recipe this week. . .

I did purchase some Hatch Chile tortillas (delicious) and also a Hatch Chile Chocolate bar just for kicks today.   (I was in the chocolate aisle looking for some interesting dark chocolate since I was reminded recently how chocolate has been linked to lower BMI.  The greatest news ever!)  I had really low expectations of the chocolate bar, thinking I wouldn't be able to taste the chiles, but wow - it was spicy and flavorful.  Really nice, rich chocolate -- and only $2!  Give it a try and let me know if you have any great hatch chile recipes I should try.

Happy National S'mores Day

In honor of National S'mores Day today, try this martini recipe -- one of my favorites!

Ingredients:

• Ice
• 1 1/2 oz Vodka
• 1/2 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
• 3/4 oz Monin Toasted Marshmallow Syrup
• 1/2 oz Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
• Splash of Half & Half
• Crushed Graham Crackers (for the rim)

Recipe:

• Take a martini glass and create swirls in the glass using the chocolate syrup.
• Dip the glass rim into a small plate of chocolate syrup or simple syrup and then into a plate of finely ground graham cracker crumbs (crush the graham crackers yourself or buy pre-crushed ones).
• Fill a cocktail mixing tin 2/3 with ice and pour in the ingredients above and shake.
• Strain into your pre-prepared martini glass.
• Garnish with a marshmallow on top ~ you can skewer it with a toothpick or stick.
• Enjoy!

Recipe: Tomato and Watermelon Salad

If you love watermelon and avocado as much as I do, you will LOVE this easy and refreshing summer salad we made last night.  It basically calls for watermelon, avocado, tomatoes, cucumber, fresh herbs (we used cilantro and basil), a pinch of ground coriander, and olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt & pepper.

Try it before watermelon is goes out of season!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tomato-and-Watermelon-Salad-352389

Innovative QR Code

This is old news, but we were talking about QR codes with our friends last night, and I mentioned Taco Bell's code made of avocados in an ad I'd seen in one of our food magazines we subscribe to.  They also have one made of lemons.  Use your QR code scanner on your phone and scan the image right here on my blog -- it works! 

By the way, Taco Bell's new Cantina Bowl (try the chicken one) is pretty good for what it is, being fast food.  However, I still prefer Chipotle.



Recipe: $4 Spaghetti That's Almost as Good as $24 Spaghetti

I was reading Food & Wine's August 2012 issue last weekend and came across the recipe on p.56 called '$4 Spaghetti That's Almost as Good as $24 Spaghetti.'  It's Lesson 8 in the article called Summer School:  Easy Chef Lessons.  It sounded intriguing. 

"'The $24 spaghetti from Scott Conant's Scarpetta in NYC is so delicious,' says Roy Choi of L.A.'s Kogi empire.  'My $4 version tastes almost as good.'  Roy's trick:  flavoring tomato sauce with a quick mushroom broth and slow-cooked garlic."

What does $24 spaghetti taste like?

The recipe was delicious, but not $24 per serving worth delicious.  Maybe $10 per serving.

A few tips:

• The recipe itself is really easy -- it just takes a lot of TIME. Make sure you have 2 and a half hours to hang around the house and cook. Or, if you make this during the weekday, prep the mushroom broth and garlic the day before.
• We used bucatini pasta instead of spaghetti.  I just love bucatini.  There's something about long, hollow pasta that is fun.
• We added meatballs (obviously from the photo) stuffed with mozzarella to add some protein to the dish.
• We were scared to use so much garlic.  We should've used all 4 heads and will do that next time.  We used about 3, and I couldn't taste much of the garlic.

OpenTable's Top 100 Scenic View Restaurants

Yesterday, OpenTable announced the Top 100 Scenic View Restaurants in the U.S.

Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck (one of my favorite restaurants in Dallas) was a winner.  And I'm not surprised that Seven Glaciers in Alaska makes it on the list every year.  Blog contributor the woman who ate everything and I dined there a while back, and the view is amazing.

Happy National Tequila Day!

Today, July 24th, is National Tequila Day.  Tequila is not exactly my favorite spirit, but I do like it in the occasional margarita or other cocktail. 

Just a quick primer on this spirit:

• Tequila comes from the blue agave plant
• It must be produced in the state of Jalisco in Mexico to be called tequila  (Note: There is a city called Tequila in this region)
• There are 3 main types of tequila you'll see in the liquor store:
• Blanco (white)/Plata (silver):  un-aged or aged less than 2 months; is usually clear in color
• Reposado:  aged a min. of 2 months but less than 1 year in oak barrels; not clear but has a slight yellow tint
• Anejo:  aged less than 3 years but a min. of 1 year;  usually dark yellow tint and complex in flavor because of the aging

What is your favorite tequila?  Do you have a favorite margarita or cocktail recipe to share?

Recipe: Toast for Dinner

Friday night. . .we were trying to figure out what to have for dinner, and I didn't feel like a major cooking endeavor.  I flipped through a few of our cooking magazines and had marked p.16 of Bon Appetit's July 2012 issue.  It was Adam Rapoport's editor's letter called 'The Toast of Summer' where he recalls a backyard dinner party where he forgot to prepare an appetizer/munchies to eat pre-dinner.  So, he frantically rummaged through his kitchen and ended up grilling some bread and layering the toast with avocado, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt and red pepper flakes.  This simple dish was the highlight of the meal.

This was the inspiration for our dinner which included the grilled toast below -- as well as burrata (didn't get a photo of that since I ate it with a spoon).  All of the toast was lightly rubbed with garlic.

Ricotta, lemon zest,drizzled with honey

Avocado, extra-virgin olive oil,
sea salt, red pepper flakes
Next time, we'll dice up the avocado.

Tomatoes, basil, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt

Ricotta, lemon zest, figs

Truluck's Carrot Cake Haiku

I'm not a poet, but dessert last night made me want to write this haiku:

Truluck's Carrot Cake

No other dessert compares

Each bite is heaven

If you even remotely like carrot cake, you must go to Truluck's to try theirs.  It is an amazing, craveable dessert -- one of the best desserts in Dallas.

Defending Wine Snobs

I love this article by Lettie Teague at the Wall Street Journal that defends wine snobs:  Think While You Drink: In Defense of Wine Snobs

Foie Gras Retaliation

I thought this was interesting  -

California foie gras ban prompts French call for California wine expulsion
Source: Just Drinks by Stuart Todd 7/4/12

"A politician in France has called on retailers and restaurants in the country to stop offering Californian wines to their customers.

The call to arms follows California's ban on the production and consumption of foie gras in the state from 1 July. A law passed in the US state in 2004 declared that the act of gavage - the force feeding of corn to geese and ducks - was harmful to the animals' well-being."

Recipe: Double Cheeseburgers with Caramelized Onions

Our single (not double) cheeseburger
with caramelized onions

The Fourth of July. . . you have to have a burger (or a hot dog), right?! 

I had flagged the 'Double Cheeseburgers with Caramelized Onions' recipe in Food and Wine Magazine's June 2012 issue (p. 32), and only upon closer reading, realized that this is a recipe from Chef Ron Boyd who works at Daniel Patteson's Plum in Oakland, CA.  Plum is a wonderful restaurant that I dined at and blogged about back in September.

After making this burger and the Triple Smoke Burger , I just can't bring myself to order a burger in a restaurant anymore.  These recipes are out of this world, seriously, and beat any restaurant burger I've ever had.  Try them and you'll understand why.

For this recipe:

• We left out the cornichons and the fresh flat-leaf parsley, but I think we should include them next time to add additional flavor dimensions.
• As you can see from the photo, we made these with single, not double patties.  (Trying to be healthy!)
• We grilled the burgers instead of cooking them on a griddle.
• We used just a little EVOO -- the 1/4 cup isn't necessary.
• The fresh brioche buns and the mix of cheese along with the paprika mayonnaise make this burger incredible.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/double-cheeseburgers-with-caramelized-onions

Recipe: Spiked Pretzel Chocolate Caramel Martini

Just a commentary about the dessert situation in Dallas.  Last night, we wanted dessert but not just any dessert, a phenomenal dessert that was worth the calories.  We racked our brain, thinking of all the places we've had dessert in Dallas;  looked at the Dallas Observer and D Magazine dessert "winners" (from their annual polls);  read suggestions on Chowhound. . .

The only phenomenal desserts we could think of were Truluck's Carrot Cake and their Chocolate Sack, La Duni's Quatro Leches Cake and the desserts at Fearing's, Abacus and Marquee Bar & Grill.  While we haven't been to Lucia or Bolsa (for dessert), both won many best dessert awards from Dallas publications recently.

Our big realization was how mediocre and unmemorable the desserts in Dallas are.  For instance:

• Stephan Pyles:  Heaven & Hell Cake;  Coffee & Doughnuts
• R&D Kitchen:  Carrot Cake;  Ice Cream and Banana Sundae
• Ocean Prime:  Carrot Cake;  Baked Alaska
• Wolfgang Puck's 560:  Sour Cream Apple Crumble
• Toulouse:  Beignets & Coffee;  Pear Tart
• I can't even think of other desserts we've had since they weren't memorable at all.

If you know of any desserts that are amazing, craveable, memorable, and all in all phenomenal here in Dallas, please post a comment with your reco!

All of that to say that my hubby suggested we resort to making our own dessert and try recreating the spiked milkshake that he had at The Cheesecake Factory recently -- Twisted Salted Caramel Pretzel made with ABSOLUT Vodka, Licor 43, caramel, pretzels and ice cream.  Using the provisions we had at home, we made our own version using vodka, Godiva Caramel, pretzels, chocolate ice cream and milk.  It was worth every sip.

Sushi on Fire

Pink Panther Roll
(tuna, salmon, avocado and cucumber
topped with salmon and tuna and served on fire)

We love sushi so much and have tried lots of restaurants around town.  One of our favorites is Hibashi near the Galleria across the Tollway.  The restaurant is very large so we never have a problem getting a seat, though it's always pretty busy (which is a good sign);  prices are reasonable;  they have a nice drink list; and their rolls are very fresh and flavorful.  Service was a little off last night, but we think the server was brand new.

We tried the Pink Panther Roll pictured above which was presented in a fun, non-kitschy way.  I'd never had a roll served on fire before.

A few other things about the restaurant -- they offer hibachi (they have 14 tables), they're in a very large and what they call 'Texas-style space' so it feels a little Vegas-y, and their lunch menu is completely different, having reasonably priced bento boxes and power lunch bowls. 

I've been to the restaurant about 8 times and haven't been disappointed, so I highly recommend it.

http://www.hibashi.com/
13465 Inwood Rd #100
Dallas, TX 75244

Recipe: Ice Cream Cake

I made an ice cream "cake" for Father's Day ~ didn't really use a recipe except for the crust.

The crust recipe is from epicurious.com:

Crust Ingredients

21 chocolate sandwich cookies (I used mint Oreos)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature

Crust Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Finely grind cookies in processor. Add butter and process until mixture is evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan to form thin crust. Bake crust 5 minutes. Transfer crust to rack and cool completely.

After the crust cooled completely, I took Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream that had softened, swirled in some Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream and then topped it with more vanilla ice cream.  After freezing the ice cream again, I topped it with mint chocolate ganache, quickly sprinkled it with chocolate chips and then froze it again.  The ganache was made by melting a bag of milk chocolate chips over a double broiler, adding half and half and a splash of creme de menthe. 

 

I think next time, I'm going to add a cake component so that it's not just solid ice cream.

 

Note to Food Fiend:  Perhaps you should make this for Steve -- I think he liked the dessert a lot!

 

 

Recipe: Spinach Salad with Pear and Avocado

Spinach Salad with Pear and Avocado

5 stars

Start the week off right with this DELICIOUS salad!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 6-ounce package ready-to-use baby spinach, stems removed
• 1 ripe Anjou pear, peeled, cubed
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, cubed
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about 2 ounces)

Preparation

Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Mix spinach, pear, avocado and onion in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola cheese. Serve, passing any remaining dressing separately.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spinach-Salad-with-Pear-and-Avocado-985

Rare BLUE Lobster

A blue lobster was caught in Canada last month.  According to the University of Maine Lobster Institute, blue lobsters are a one-in-2-million phenomenon. A genetic variation causes the lobster to produce an excessive amount of a particular protein that gives it that azure aspect.  Interesting!

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/11/a-catch-straight-out-of-the-deep-blue-sea/?hpt=hp_c2

Recipe: Easy Cheese & Steak Enchiladas

This evening, we made enchiladas based on a recipe from a friend, Tracy G.  Here is my take on the recipe which is super simple.

Ingredients

• flour and/or corn tortillas
• 1 medium white or yellow onion
• 2 serrano peppers (I like heat)
• mozzarella and monterey jack (and/or pepper jack) shredded cheese
• can of black beans (optional)
• jar of Rick Bayless' Frontera salsa -- tomatillo or roasted tomato works great
• cotija cheese
• 1 small white onion
• cilantro
• avocado
• 1 1/2 lb of skirt steak

Preparation

• Marinate the skirt steak using this recipe from epicurious.com (Note: I'd add more salt) and grill the steak 10 minutes before the enchiladas are done  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beef-Fajitas-13589
• Saute a medium white or yellow onion in olive oil
• Mince 2 serrano peppers
• Mix the shredded cheeses, sauteed onion and serrano peppers in a bowl
• Take fresh flour and/or corn tortillas and fill with the cheese/onion/pepper mix and roll and place in a baking dish that has been lightly greased with olive oil
• Top it with the salsa and black beans
• Bake at 400, covered with foil about 20-25 minutes until the cheese inside the enchiladas has melted and is bubbling
• Garnish with crumbled cotija cheese, cilantro and avocado and sliced skirt steak

I 'liked' KFC on Facebook . . . to get the free downloadable autobiography of Colonel Sanders

If you saw that I liked KFC on Facebook, I debated for over a week whether to like the page or not (I try to keep my brand fan pages I like to a minimum), but I was just too curious about the Colonel Sanders autobiography & recipe book that launched exclusively on Facebook  . . . I just downloaded the entire book for free.

The book is called "Colonel Harland Sanders: The Autobiography of the Original Celebrity Chef” and was written by the Colonel himself in 1966.  The original manuscript was found recently by accident. 

The book is centered around the Colonel's passion for food, his work ethic, and his thoughts on the importance of home-style country cooking and includes 33 never-before-published recipes.

I do like autobiographies, so I'll eventually read it -- it's on my list, and I'll write a review at a later date.  (But quite honestly, I think the fact that the book is FREE and isn't available in bookstores or even via online booksellers was a little intriguing and made me want to download it just to have it.)

I'll probably end up cooking something from the book before I actually read his story.  The French Fried Parsnips and Cauliflower looks interesting, and the Upside Down Peach Cobbler sounds delicious.  Maybe I'll make a Colonel Sanders dinner sometime soon.

Recipe: Three-Cheese Mushroom and Spinach Calzone

Massive calzone

Again, I was looking for a quick recipe for dinner this evening that used ingredients we already had in the house.  I found this recipe (4 forks on epicurious.com) for a Three-Cheese Mushroom and Spinach Calzone.  It was good, but not 4 forks-worthy with the recipe written as-is.

Here are my tips:

• Strain the mushroom and spinach mix.  I'm shocked the recipe didn't say to do this.  There was so much water from the spinach, the calzone would've have been soggy had I not strained it.  I think I strained out a half cup of water!
• Instead of just pressing the garlic, mince the garlic so someone doesn't bite into one of the 2 garlic cloves and to add a stronger garlic flavor.
• Spread some cornmeal on the parchment paper under the calzone.
• I added some cooked spicy Italian sausage.
• I was afraid to overfill the calzone so I had some leftover filling.  Overfilling it was not a problem, so next time I'm going to fill it to the max.
• The recipe calls for making one massive calzone, but next time, I'm going to make 4 smaller ones.
• Prepare a marinara sauce on the side.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Three-Cheese-Mushroom-and-Spinach-Calzone-359251

Cupcake Camp 2012

Here are photos from Cupcake Camp today which was so fun and benefitted a great cause! 
http://cupcakecampdallas.com/

Become a fan of their Facebook page to get updates on Cupcake Camp 2013 and to sign up to bake next year:  http://www.facebook.com/cupcakecampdallas

Our table - I think ours was one of the best
amateur baker tables if I say so myself

A close-up of our table

The cupcakes I made: Hot Cocoa Marshmallow

Meyer Lemon with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Champagne Cupcakes
with White Chocolate Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

Food Fiend's Peach Bellini Cupcakes

Cupcakes we got to taste

Fancy cupcakes from a professional baker

Cupcakes from another professional baker

Cake pops seem to be the 'new thing'

Recipe: Asian Salmon Bowl with Lime Drizzle

We wanted fish for dinner this evening, so yesterday I searched epicurious.com, and under their Quick & Easy recipe section, this recipe for Asian Salmon Bowl with Lime Drizzle came up that was rated 4 forks by 2 reviewers.  I was a little wary of the recipe because 1) there were only 2 reviews and 2) it's attributed to SELF magazine. (While I believe in cooking and eating healthy foods, I don't usually cook recipes from 'health' type magazines because their recipes seem to always cut out significant flavor or texture -- and they tend to use low fat/fat-free and artificial sweeteners which I refuse to use.) 

This recipe turned out quite nicely and was definitely FAST and healthy.

Tips:

• Because we love spice, I added double the amount of red pepper flakes. 
• Instead of 4 salmon fillets, I bought one large fillet, so it took longer than 12 minutes to cook.
• I used butter to cook the spinach instead of canola oil.  Butter makes everything better!
• We had white sesame seeds on hand, so I used those instead of buying black sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Asian-Salmon-Bowl-with-Lime-Drizzle-51101210