I'm back!

Well, a giant move across the country, a couple of new jobs, a house and a new (er) baby, and here we are! I hope that anyone that was reading this will come back and I hope that those who didn't know this site existed choose to stop by and try one of my recipes. It's interesting to think of how my recipes may change over time as my children age.

...the last of a warm breeze and a bottle of Door County wine

I managed to go on one vacation this summer to Door County and let me tell you, the wine is delicious!  I have never been to that part of Wisconsin (that I can remember) so when I heard that there were wineries I was determined to make it to at least one.  We decided to hide from the rain (being that we were staying at a "cottage" on Lake Michigan) at the winery on Saturday and I came glass to taste buds with some of the yummiest flavors to cross paths with my palate.  When I returned home I was delighted (after the few bottles I had purchased ran dry) to find that the local liquor store carries and/or will special order the kinds that I like.  I recommend Blackberry Merlot and Razzledazzle to start with.  Whether you are enjoying the last warm winds of early fall with friends around a patio or a crackling weekend fire there are very few occasions not perfectly suited for a glass of tasty Door County wine.

Leftover Lunch Delight

If you have left over Salmon loaf one great way to make it into a quick and easy lunch is to mix a slice into a bowl of egg noodles, drizzle a little olive oil over the top and a pinch of salt and pepper.  A quick and delicious way to get your brain boosting omega fatty acids.

NOTE: only use half the liquid!

During my walk this evening I had planned on making  the salmon loaf recipe which was the very first recipe that I ever cooked on my own.  I found the recipe in my mother's old, worn Betty Crocker cookbook.  I distinctly remember it was from this cookbook because it was my favorite one.  I was disappointed when I got home and found that it has been omitted from the version that I have.  I went through my bookmarked recipe pages and found a suitable recipe (though I was sure it had too many liquids) and gave it a try.  The recipe called for the salmon and the liquid, 1 beaten egg, plus another 1/2 c. of milk.  Against my best judgement I put it all together and substituted Panko bread crumbs over crushed saltine crackers (I don't think that would make a huge difference). Forty-five minutes later I was spooning up a slightly mooshy slice of Salmon loaf.  


My recommendations: reserve three quarters of the liquid from the salmon and omit the milk.

Shanghai Bistro, Hudson Wisconsin

I recommend eating at the Shanghai Bistro if you live or commute around the Hudson area.  It has a nice ambiance for a romantic duo or just the right amount of light for an intimate group of friends.  The Shanghai Bistro does offer a diverse selection of dishes from delicious cuts of sushimi, beef, pork, chicken, seafood, and vegetarian dishes.  My boyfriend was enthusiastic about the beef dish he ordered (though he said next time he would order something different), and I was happy with the texture and flavor of my sushi plate (I have had bad luck finding good sushi in this area).
Luke and I were pleasantly surprised with the unique dining experience and the grand finale of hot rags (just like I remember in Japan) and a small bill for two; that had each ordered appetizers, a beer, and two main dishes.  We would both recommend Shanghai Bistro for your next dining experience!

It is that time of year again when the snow melts and the nights frost caves way to the sugary flow of the great maple's blood lines.  Rod pulls out his syruping equipment and drills holes in the trees where he pounds in a tap.  Luke hangs a bag on the tap to collect the sap which will be collected and boiled down into the delicious maple syrup we know and love.

LA Ice-Cream Wars

Raspberries & Cream
I made a rich and creamy vanilla based ice-cream with fresh raspberries.  It wasn't too sweet and had an undertone of bitterness from the raspberries that, I thought, was a nice compliment to the smooth creaminess.

Butterscotch Cookie Dough
Luke put a lot of work into his ice-cream (he always picks the hard flavors).  He had to make a custard on the stove (I am not a huge fan of custard) before he could add the other ingredients and put it all together.  He realized after his trip to the store that he had forgotten to pick up a bag of chocolate chips so he found a bag of butterscotch chips to use instead.  We tried the experiment right out of the mixing bowl which was a little too milky for me, but after it was frozen overnight and the flavors could settle it was pretty good.  Maybe a little on the rich side, but interesting.

Winner of this round: IT'S A TIE!

Delicious Dessert
I made a coconut macaroon recipe the other day using the recipe on the coconut bag.  Interesting to know, being I am always experimenting with ways to use alternative ingredients, is that if you are trying to form firm glossy peaks in egg whites, honey will defeat the egg.
The idea of using honey in place of sugar turned into a sloppy  (the honey and egg separated) mess.
Regardless of the consistency of the mixture, which was runny, I topped them with almonds and baked the concoction.  After a few minutes of cooling I coated them in dark chocolate and refrigerated them overnight.  The next day I was rewarded with a finger licking, bite-sized treat. MMM! MMM!

Luke baked a whole chicken propped over a can of beer for dinner tonight.  He used a sweet onion to block the hole by the head and rubbed a mixture of robust and savory spices on the skin (which I try to avoid).  The chicken turned out so moist that the breast tore off like fresh mozzarella. This is only my second time trying chicken this way (my dad used the chicken wrack with a coke on the grill), but it seems to leave the meat undercooked around the bone.  Maybe baking it for a full two hours is key (we are going to try root beer next time).  Good job Luke!

Catching up

Wow it has been awhile since I have written on here.  I have been so busy with everything else that I have put my love for cooking on the back burner so to speak, and have been resorting to manually adding favorite toppings to frozen pizzas.
 I did, however have the pleasure of eating some amazing cream of mushroom soup this weekend.  I was up north in Hayward, WI and stopped in for a beer at a quaint little place called the "Angry Minnow."  I asked for a cup of soup and a tap beer and was surprisingly delighted by the smooth robust flavors of the dark brew and the buttery richness of the brothy cream soup paired with dime sized chunks of portobello mushrooms.  I would recommend stopping in if you find yourself in Northern Wisconsin.

Valentines Day should be tasty this year!  We purchased two meaty cuts of t-bone for the grill and some arm length king crab legs; pair this with some baked potatoes, and a bottle of  pinot grigio.  I think we have a winner dinner!

So my little hot dog idea (which is awesome for most people) acquainted  me with a long forgotten memory.  I HATE hot dogs.  I forced myself to eat beyond my comfort level as I began to pine over all the ingredients I had just purchased, (beef hot dogs literally make me gag...woops), shopping up each isle (hmmmm do I already have some Gray Poupon)? Hoofing them home (last time I nearly broke my hip when the seams of my brown bag ripped open pouring my eggs from the gaping hole, causing me slip across the ice like a new born giraffe), cooking time (fresh dressings, bacon fried crisp, sloppy Joe for your bacon fried frank?).  The first three bites into my sculpture of  frankfurter food were heavenly...until...ahgg..I began to shove the over-sized  hoagie stuffed with floor meat and fat, mayo flavored with pickles and garlic, ketchup, and mustard against my bull headed teeth, fighting to save the tongue and belly from the irritation it would later cause (I am having hot sweats from the flashbacks).   Finally three bites from the end my brain, mouth, and belly aligned.  I set the dog down and walked away.  I HATE hot dogs!

How about that hot dog?  What better to serve on  Super bowl Sunday than one of football fans most beloved staples, the good old frank?  After watching yet another delicious episode of Man vs Food I think the best approach is to bring everything up to the table..including the kitchen sink.  The more weird the assortment of ingredients, the more your hungry house full of  foot ball watching friends can be creative.  I think I am going to walk up and down each isle and just pick a random ingredient to see what works of frankfurter art pile up.  Here is my delicious five bite salute to the game.

GO SAINTS!!

Chicken-IN-the-biscuit.  I had some left over chicken from making chicken mushroom and brown rice soup as well as buttermilk so I  made some buttermilk biscuits with (this is really decadent) buttermilk gravy.  I used chicken broth to make my gravy and then added the cold buttermilk in the end.  It incorporated surprisingly well and complimented the buttermilk chicken biscuits.  I will try this recipe again.

I haven't been to a lot of places outside of the United States, but can the people that have traveled extensively abroad compile a hearty list of places they have seen, in their own country?  Can they say they have overlooked the splitting Earth at the edge of the Grand Canyon, or stayed up all night while camping in the mountains, paranoid about mountain lions; have these people tasted the salt of California's cold sea, or the burning spice of a shrimp creole in the back alley somewhere in Louisiana?  Regardless of who has been where, for now I can just live vicariously.  I was sad to see, what I considered, a flagship amongst a shining sea of food magazines, "Gourmet" go out of business.  I used to resource the recipes printed across their pages when I was looking for an "exotic" fix.
Yes, sure, it is nearly impossible to locate a plate of sushi (especially were I live) that compares to the fresh cuts one can find in Japan....the freshness...the price, but it is here.  Being from America has some enormous perks.  We are all different!  Different cultures, religions, ideas, and my favorite..family home cooking.   Food show hosts, such as Andrew Zimmerman, Anthony Bourdain, and Adam Richman, just to name a few, are happy to point out....good food can be found, we just have to look around.

MMMM....this weekend has been delicious!! Our neighbor apparently bought too much at the farmers market, they must be trying to get rid of things, so he brought us a box of vegetables and two boxes of pie crusts. THANK YOU JEFF!   Luke was in middle of making his new favorite recipe-buffalo chicken, ranch sandwiches (which were super delish) and I made fresh raspberry ice-cream (which will be better than whatever Luke has planned next).  I used the pie crust to make a French Silk pie...ANYONE WANT TO COME OVER....ANYONE?? The pie is so good, rich and creamy like silky mouse with a hint of coffee and fresh whipping cream. MMMM!!  We better take Jabba for an extra long walk today!

Start your day off with a kick!

Packed with antioxidants, rich in vitamins, this light and tasty omelet is sure to power up your day.

Ingredients:

Filling:
...to taste.........
baby bella mushrooms
spinage
shallots
red onion
garlic
potatoes (cut into Julienne strips and sauteed in olive oil)
pesto
capers
pinch of sea salt & cracked pepper

all rolled into:
four egg whites 1 yolk mixture

topped with:
cottage cheese (pureed until smooth)
plain yogurt
pinch cayenne pepper

I am so lucky, my man can cook! Comfort food is his specialty, and there is nothing better on a cold Midwestern day than some comfort food.  I was greeted at the door by a rich alluring smell of what I would consider a gourmet version of mac & cheese.  He must know that I have a soft spot (literally...my grandma calls it my toosh) for mac & cheese!  He cooked multi-colored pasta (spinach, whole grain, and tomato) and two chicken breasts.  Tossed the diced chicken breast with diced red onion, sliced garlic, a little flour, cream of mushroom soup, LOTS of sharp cheddar cheese, a couple pours of milk, a pinch of butter, and topped it with French's onions. Then baked the concoction for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.   It was so good I had to paddle lock the refrigerator door.

 P.S Need a little green, add broccoli florets.

 Jabba has us well trained.  He wakes up Luke every morning when he is ready for breakfast by climbing onto his belly like a mountain goat and peering into his face.  I always yell, but Luke will quickly explain that he was about to get up anyway.  Luke and I sleep like dead bodies crammed into coffins on either side of our bed as Jabba sprawls out in the middle sucking the heat off of our bodies.  Jabba gets fed 1/3 cup of food three times a day, I am convinced he knows how to tell time.  If I am late on one of his feedings he will circle around his dish until his bowl is filled.  For any fellow Pug owner, one would know that a Pug is born with the knowledge of what kind of power their eyes have over their "owners."  They use this tool to manipulate, guilt, and trick at all times.  I can not eat a snack without first having dark beady eyes staring up at me, little round wishing wells drowning me deep under their spell.  Even though I am strict on what I feed my dog, he still is the boss.

To resurrect mac & cheese (from the box) the next day, add a little butter and milk before it is heated in the microwave.  Tastes almost like it was freshly made.