PF Chang's - Woodland Hills, CA

I am in California, Woodland Hills to be exact and it's a little on the chilly side. I guess it could be worse, I could be home in the new snow that fell last night. I am here with Ryan and his mother and stepfather, we are here to get him settled in to his new California groove.
We decided to eat at PF Chang's for dinner last night since it's just across from the hotel. The dinner was as good as it always is, if you eat at one PF Chang's, you've pretty much eaten at them all. The only reason that I decided to post about this place was because of the waiter we had. I overheard him telling the older couple at the table next to us about how long the wait can be on Friday and Saturday nights. He told them that he would never wait over a half hour to eat there, it's only Chinese food after all and you can get that anywhere. I'm sure his manager would not have been happy to hear him say that.
The restaurant is located at 2182 Oxnard St. Woodland Hills, CA 91367 818-340-0491.

Heading For California

Now that I have found my cell phone, I am headed out the door and on my way to the airport. I am going to L.A. to get Ryan situated in his newest life venture. I am becoming quite the traveller. I will return on Monday.

Haricots Verts with Lemon and Garlic

I was trying to come up with something other than green bean casserole to prepare this Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love green bean casserole, but I was ready for a change and did not want to take up precious oven room for another baked dish. This dish was inspired by the wonderful green beans that you order in Italy, but they never taste quite the same here. This one turned out great and everyone really liked it, they did, they really, really liked it.



Haricots Verts with Lemon and Garlic

2 bags (12oz) frozen Haricorts Verts, thawed
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon

In a large skillet, melt butter; add olive oil. Stir in beans, garlic, juice and zest. Cook until beans are heated through. Serve.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

I prepared this recipe last week. It's a pretty simple weeknight recipe, but I think it could have been better if prepared the night before and baked the next day. It could also stand the addition of a can of black beans, rinsed, and added when you add the corn and some fresh green onion added as a garnish would be good. This recipe comes from Tables of Content from the Junior League of Birmingham, Alabama. My friend, Stacey, gave me the book and this is the first recipe that I have attempted from it. It's one that I would make again.



Chicken Tortilla Casserole


1 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
15 (6 inch) corn tortillas
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish



Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken, onion and garlic. Saute 8 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and reduce heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375. Combine the sour cream, 2 cups of Cheddar, Montery Jack and 1/4 cup cilantro in a bowl and mix well. Line the bottom of a lightly greased 2 1/2 to 3 qt. baking dish with 1/3 of the tortillas, tearing as needed to completely cover bottom. Layer with 1/3 of the chicken mixture, 1/3 of the corn and 1/3 of the sour cream mixture. Repeat the process 2 more times. Sprinkle with 1 cup of Cheddar cheese and bake for 25 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Oreo Balls

My sister made these for Christmas and they are just a little sinful, because you can't eat just one. I think, however, that they will become a Christmas staple at our house.

Oreo Balls

1 package regular size Oreos, crushed
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 package white almond bark

Using a blender or handheld mixer, mix Oreos and cream cheese. Roll into walnut size balls. Chill for 1 hour. Melt almond bark. Stick a toothpick in an Oreo ball and dip into almond bark, repeat until all balls are dipped. Allow to cool on wax paper.

Pumpkin Pie

This was my first attempt at a pumpkin pie and it turned out well. The only other pie I have made was pecan and they are simple too. I haven't tried to make my own crust, I just used a frozen one for this recipe. It seemed to take forever to finish baking, but the end product turned out well.

Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice

2 large eggs

1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin Puree

1 can (12 oz) Evaporated milk

1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie crust

Mix sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mix. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees, bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Cake Mix Cookies

This is one of those recipes that are so simple that even I can make it without screwing up. All you need is a box of cake mix, a few refrigerated items and you're pretty much there. You can use any type and any flavor and come out with some pretty tasty cookies. I used a banana cake mix and iced the cookies with Betty Crocker's Whipped Fluffy White Frosting, then sprinkled them with colored sugar.

Cake Mix Cookies

1 box cake mix

1 egg

1/2 cup milk (I used Skim)

1/2 stick butter, softened

Mix ingredients together. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year!

Dan's Chex Party Mix

Dan has been trying to make his mom's Chex mix just a little different, something he can call his own. This is the recipe that he has come up with and it's really good.

Dan's Chex Party Mix

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

6 Tbsp. butter, melted
4 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
6 cups Chex cereal (wheat and rice work well)
1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts
1/2 cup lightly salted cashews

Pour melted butter onto shallow baking pan. Stir in Worcestershire, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Add cereal and nuts, stir to coat all. Heat in oven 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.

1924 main Kansas City, MO

I finally made it 1924!! Last night, Dan took me there for dinner and was it ever good. I have to say that it was one of the best meals that I have ever eaten, this place really has it going on. The menu was set up into 3 courses for $36 or $56 with wines paired with each serving.
I chose the Saffron Arancine with Chorizo Bolognese for my beginning. This was 3 fried risotto balls in a wonderful, spicy bolognese with olives and Parmesan cheese. The wine that was served with this was a 2004 Paneretta Chianti Classico from Italy. Dan had the Butter Lettuce Salad with sarta chorizo, radish, sherry vinaigrette and polenta croutons. This was served with a 2005 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc from Clarksburg. Both of our starters were wonderful, but Dan's salad was the best.
For my middle course I had the Forever Braised Short Ribs with Parmesan polenta, balsamic braised radicchio and crispy fried onions. This was paired with a 2006 Torbeck Wood Cutter's Shiraz from Australia. This dish was incredibly good. The ribs were cooked to perfection and the combination of flavors was awesome. Dan had the Ribeye with garlic potatoes, pancetta creamed chard (YUM), fried green tomatoes and a Cabernet sauce. This was paired with a 2005 Castle Rock Cabernet from Napa Valley. The combination of flavors and textures in both of these dishes were wonderful. We also loved that fact that the amount of food was just right, no overloading the plates here.
For my ending I had the Espresso Pot de Creme with chocolate shortbread, cinnamon creme fraiche and chocolate Kahlua sauce. This was paired with a wonderful Rutherglen Muscat from Australia. Dan chose the Pineapple Spiced Rum Crepe Suzette with cream cheese ice cream and a coconut macaroon. This was served with a Chateau Hallet Sauternes from France.
Very good service, wonderful atmosphere and great food! This was a great holiday dining experience that was ended with a drive through the Plaza to see the lights. I could not have had a better gift for Christmas.
The restaurant is located at 1924 Main, Kansas City MO 816-472-1924.

Sunglow Family Restaurant-Bicknell, Utah

If you ever find yourself in Bicknell, Utah, make sure you stop in and eat at the Sunglow Family Restaurant. This was by far the best meal I had in Utah. The owner, Patty Krause was in the night we ate, along with her children. They were all cooking, waiting tables and running the food. And the food was glorious.

I started my meal with a cup of the Ham and Potato soup, which was a creamy soup with chunks of potato and ham. They also brought out a plate of bread which they called scones. These scones seemed to be deep fried bread or biscuits and were to die for, especially slathered in honey butter. My meal was a nice piece of Chicken-Fried Steak($10.99), home made garlic mashed potatoes covered in country gravy and corn. The meal was perfect and I could not eat all of it, because I had to save room for pie.

Ryan had the Sunglow Burger($6.79), six ounces of ground beef mixed with chopped jalapeno peppers, topped with cheese, a side of chipotle sauce and a side of fries. Judy's husband, Kim, ordered the same meal as me and Judy ordered the Ground Round ($9.99). The ground round was a half pound of fresh ground beef that was grilled and topped with grilled onions and brown gravy. The entrees are served with scones, veggies, your choice of potato and soup or salad.

For dessert, I had a slice of Pickle Pie. It sounds strange, but it was actually quite good. It's a blend of sweet pickles and spices and is similar in taste to a pumpkin pie. Judy tried the Pinto Bean pie, which was made with red pinto beans and looked like a pecan pie. It was not as good as the pickle, but I would order it again. You can find a recipe for the pickle pie at their website www.sunglowpies.com. Perfect for serving at your holiday table!!

The location of the restaurant is 91 E. Main Bicknell, Utah 84715 435-425-3701. They also have a 15 room motel on the property.

Back From Utah

Well, I am back from Utah and will post more on my trip there. The state is beautiful and at times it is quite magnificent. It was so good to see Ryan, but more on that later. For the most part, the food I ate was pretty bad, except for one bright spot. Stay tuned and I will post more tomorrow.

Heading to Utah

I am heading out to Utah for a few days to visit my son Ryan. I will be back on Thursday to post again.

Catalina Chicken

I came across a recipe amongst some old recipe cards that I have collected along the years. The recipe called for a 3 pound chicken cut up, an 8 ounce bottle of creamy Russian dressing, an 8 ounce jar of apricot jam and an envelope of dry onion soup mix. I could not find the Russian dressing, so I decided to try out this recipe instead. It tasted great, but next time I would use boneless-skinless breasts and thighs in order to keep the some of the fat out of the dish.

Catalina Chicken

3 to 3 1/2 lb. chicken, cut up

1 (16 oz) bottle Catalina dressing

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

Place dressing and soup mix in large resealable plastic bag and mix. Add chicken to coat, place into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting the chicken with the sauce a couple of times.

Poco's on the Boulevard Revisited

Friday night, we met out friends Paul and Chris at Poco's On The Boulevard - Kansas City, MO . We were there at 7:00PM and the place was deserted. All I can say is that people are missing out on a great chance to try some excellent food. There are a few misses at Poco's, but overall the food is very good and it's priced well. Plus with the fact that the owner is back in the kitchen preparing the food, you know you are getting what she intends for you to get.


We decided to start out with a sampler starter special, that included crab cakes, shrimp, empanadas and ceviche. The ceviche was killer and not something that I would usually order, but in my book it was pretty much perfect. Each of the starters came with their own sauce and each was unique. She actually made 4 separate small crab cakes for each of us, that is the type of service you can expect here.


Before we ordered our meals, Chris asked the server about their mole sauce. She brought him out a sample of the rich , thick, chocolaty sauce to try. He loved it and ordered the chicken mole. The mole was served with pieces of boneless breast meat, which was little on the dry side , but the sauce and sides were very good. Paul ordered theYucatan tacos de puerco, and like Dan on our first visit wasn't all that wowed with them, he expected them to have a little more orange flavor to them. Dan ordered the salmon encrusted in tortilla and loved it,. The fish was cooked as ordered and the tortillas added a nice crunchy bite. I ordered the best meal of the evening, the cherry tenderloins. This was a very large serving of sliced pork tenderloin, cooked to perfection and covered in this amazing cherry sauce. It was served with asparagus and some really good polenta. We ended the meal by sharing a good piece of tres leches cake.


Overall, it was good experience. Great food and wonderful company are what it's all about. Check out Poco's for dinner sometime. They serve it on Thursday , Friday and Saturday nights only and it definetly worth it. They are located at 3063 Southwest Blvd. KCMO 816-931-2526.

Grandpa's Favorite Ozark Apple Cake

My maternal grandfather was from a family of Ozark hillbilly's. Everyday he ate an apple and I can still see him sitting there slicing one with his pocket knife. My Granny was an excellent cook and this is one of her recipes.

Grandpa's Favorite Ozark Apple Cake

2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. nutmeg
4 cups apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cream together sugar and shortening; add eggs and vanilla. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture. Add apples and nuts, mix. Place in a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Pat's Shrimp Dip

Typically, I would not eat a dip with shrimp in it, but I could not stop eating this stuff. Yesterday we had a department meeting and Pat brought this wonderful shrimp dip. I was eating it before I knew what it was and for once I'm glad that I just dug in.

Pat's Shrimp Dip

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 can tomato soup
1 package unflavored gelatin
1 cup green onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
3 cans tiny shrimp
1 cup Miracle Whip

Add cream cheese and tomato soup to a small saucepan and melt together. Add gelatin and mix. Take it off the heat and add the rest of the ingredients, mixing well. Serve chilled.

Sour Cream Icing

Here is the recipe for the sourdough cookies. This works well on all types of sugar cookies and gingersnaps.

Sour Cream Icing

1 box powdered sugar
1 stick butter, soft
3 oz. cream cheese, soft
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla and slowly beat in sugar. Mix until smooth and creamy. Add milk if too thick. Add food coloring if desired.

Asunta's Famous Sourdough Cookies

Okay, I don't know who Asunta is, maybe I did at one time, but it escapes my mind now. I first had these incredibly good cookies at my cousin Keri's house ( maybe Asunta was there). Anyway, these are very easy and they taste so good. These are great holiday cookies, because you can color the icing and use sprinkles and such on them and they are perfect to bake with kids.

Asunta's Famous Sourdough Cookies

1 cup butter, soft
2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add sour cream, vanilla and eggs. Mix thoroughly; add flour and baking soda. Drop by the teaspoonful on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 -15 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Volpi Chianti Red Wine Salami

Our friend Alicia sent us some wonderful salami that she purchased at Trader Joe's. They are both from Volpi Foods, one was a Chianti Red Wine Salami and the other was a Pinot Grigio White Wine Salami. Both of them are 8 ounces and are all natural with no nitrates. They are actually made in St. Louis, MO, which is another bonus.
You can check out Volpi foods at http://www.volpifoods.com/ and you can purchase the salamis at http://www.amazon.com/ or another great site, http://www.ditalia.com/.

Toasted Cecchi, Almonds and Pistachios

I was looking for a different type of nut mix to serve at our house on Saturday and found this one at www.foodtv.com. Since it was a Giada DeLaurentiss recipe, I figured I couldn't go wrong. The flavor was good, but the texture was a little strange. The garbanzo beans, although toasted, stay soft. Plus, if you serve it warm, the nuts are stale tasting. The mix is much better served at room temperature. This would be an excellent mix if you left out the garbanzos and added some other nut.

Toasted Cecchi, Almonds and Pistachios

1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. olive oil, + 3 Tbsp.
1 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup raw almonds
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place the garbanzo beans on a foil-lined baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread the beans in a single layer. Place in oven and bake until golden, about 30 minutes.
Remove the beans. Add remaining ingredients and carefully stir to coat beans and nuts. Spread mixture into single layer. Bake for 10 more minutes. Let cool and serve.

Semolina Bread

In the past, my baking abilities have been somewhat questionable. Just this weekend I threw out a batch of cookies that I messed up and my coconut macaroons ended up tasting like amaretto cookies. But for some strange reason, my breads have been coming out perfectly. I made this loaf yesterday. It uses both all-purpose and semolina flours. Semolina is the flour used for making pasta and you can typically find it at the grocery store. This is a fairly simple recipe and will make one oval shaped loaf. If you have a heavy duty stand mixer, you don't even have to worry about the kneading part, you can let the machine do the work for you.

Semolina Bread

Sponge:
1 cup warm tap water (about 110 degrees)
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Dough:
All the sponge above
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup semolina flour
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil

To make the sponge, place warm water in a mixing bowl and stir in yeast. Stir in flour and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside to rise at room temperature until dough doubles, about 1 hour.

For the dough, stir the sponge to deflate and add flour, semolina, salt and oil. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead by hand to form a smooth, elastic, slightly sticky dough, about five minutes.

if using a stand mixer, place all the ingredients into bowl of mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low to form a smooth, elastic and slightly sticky dough, about 5 minutes.

Transfer dough to an oiled bowl. Turn the dough so all sides are oiled. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Turn the risen dough out of the bowl to a floured work surface. Press the dough with the palms of your hands to deflate. Shape the dough into an oval loaf, tucking the long sides under. Place tucked side down on the baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

When the loaf is almost doubled, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Hold a sharp knife at a 30-degree angle to the loaf and use the blade to slash lines on each side of the loaf.

Bake the loaf for 30 to 35 minutes. or until well risen and a dark golden color. Internal temperature should reach 210 degrees. Cool on a wire rack.

Tomato Sauce for Meatballs

I never make my tomato sauce the same way twice, but have been trying to keep track of the ingredients now that I have started blogging. My Mother makes the best sauce and I have been trying to replicate her's ever since I started cooking. She never used a recipe, but I would stand there with her as she cooked, so I picked up some of her skill. I made this sauce in the the same skillet as the meatballs, I just drained the fat and went from there. The meatball recipe can be found here Meatballs in Tomato Sauce . If I had made this sauce without the meatballs, I would have cooked the garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.



Tomato Sauce for Meatballs


1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper



Add the garlic to pan and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 30 more minutes.
Note: Tomato sauce always tastes better the next day. If you have the time and energy make the sauce a day ahead and then reheat it.

Beef and Noodles

This is one of those easy kind of recipes that Sandra Lee would prepare. I almost redid my kitchen to match my outfit while I cooked it. Since I was home getting ready for the party, I decided to find something I could stick in the crock pot. After going through my cabinets and freezer, this is what I came up with.

Beef and Noodles

1/4 cup all-purpose

2 lbs. beef stew cut in 1-inch cubes

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 (18 oz) can Creamy Mushroom Soup (like Progresso)

1 (12 oz) jar fat-free beef gravy

1 cup milk

1 envelope onion soup mix

1/2 cup red wine

1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

hot cooked noodles

Place flour in large resealable plastic bag, season with salt and pepper and add beef. Toss to coat. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, brown beef in batches. Transfer to 5qt. slow cooker. Add red wine to skillet, stir to de-glaze pan and add to crock pot. Add soup, gravy, milk and soup mix to crock pot and stir. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Add thawed vegetables and cook another 15 minutes. Serve over noodles.

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

This is a great dip for chips or veggies. This is another recipe that I will be serving Saturday along with Dan's Mexican Corn Dip, Easy Cheese Ball and White Bean Dip .


Sun-Dried Tomato Dip


1/4 c. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped (about 8)
8 oz. 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup lite sour cream
1/2 cup lite Miracle Whip
10 to 20 dashes hot red pepper sauce
1 tsp. Pickapeppa sauce
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced, green and white parts

Combine all ingredients in food processor, except for green onion. Puree until smooth. Place into a bowl and stir in onion. Garnish with a chopped sun-dried tomato if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Since today was a snow day, I took a personal day from work. When you live north of the river and work in Lee's Summit, the drive can be a little on the scary side. Plus I need to get ready for a party we are throwing on Saturday for some of our neighbors! I decided to make my meatballs in tomato sauce. When they were done I put them in the freezer, so all I have to do Saturday is thaw them and place them in the crock pot. This recipe is one that I adapted from my mother.



Meatballs


3 lbs. lean ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
3 Tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the ingredients in a large bowl, roll into 1-1/2" balls. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs, in batches, cooking until browned on all sides. Remove meatballs to baking dishes. When all the meatballs are browned, place into heated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove to plates lined with paper towels to drain. Add to prepared tomato sauce.

Panettones

I love making these wonderful mini panettones! I'm not a fan of fruit cake, but I do like these fruited Italian breads. You can use pretty much any fruit that you like, but I prefer to use candied citron, lemon and orange peel and cherries. This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook with a few differences in my recipe. She uses vanilla and I use Fiori di Sicilia, a citrus vanilla flavoring that I get from http://www.kingarthurflour.com/. The Fiori di Sicilia is also great in sugar cookies and cakes. This year I purchased my candied fruit from the grocery store, but the stuff you get from the King Arthur people is much better. The recipes calls for using 2 panettone molds, I buy the mini wrappers from King Arthur and divide the dough into 12 balls. They are great for dessert or breakfast and make great gifts. When I got my yeast packets out, I only had 1 active dry and I quick rise. I used the quick rise in the first step and it worked out just fine.

Panettones

1/3 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 envelopes active dry yeast
4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
2/3 cup sugar
4 large eggs, plus 3 large egg yolks
1 tsp. Fiori di Sicilia (or pure vanilla extract)
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups mixed candied fruit
1 Tbsp. milk

In a medium bowl, sprinkle 1 envelope yeast over warm water. Stir with fork until yeast is dissolved and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup flour and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.
Pour warm milk into small bowl and sprinkle with remaining yeast packet. Stir with fork to dissolve and let stand until foamy. Meanwhile, whisk together sugar, whole eggs, 2 egg yolks and Fiori di Sicilia. Whisk in milk-yeast mixture.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, salt and remaining 3 1/2 cups flour on low speed until mixture is crumbly. With mixer on low, slowly add egg mixture and beat on medium until smooth. Add the water-yeast mixture; beat on high until dough is sticky and elastic and forms long strands when stretched, 6 to 9 minutes. Beat in fruit. Transfer dough to buttered bow and cover with buttered plastic wrap. Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
Generously butter 2 panettone molds; set aside (if using disposable molds, you don't need to butter them). Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface; knead a few times, turning each time, until smooth. Divide dough in half (or into 12 pieces) and knead into balls. Drop balls into molds. Place on rimmed baking sheet; cover loosely with buttered plastic wrap. Let rise in warm place until dough reaches just above the top of the mold, 45 to 60 minutes. preheat oven to 400 with rack set in the lower third.
In small bowl, whisk together remaining yolk and milk. Brush tops of dough with egg wash. Using kitchen shears, cut an X in top of each ball of dough. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 350, continue baking, rotating sheet halfway through. Bake until golden brown about 45 minutes ( if baking smaller breads, bake for another 15 to 20 minutes). If tops brown to quickly, tent with aluminum foil. Transfer to wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. Loaves can be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for 3 days.

Asparagus-Radicchio Risotto

Saturday night, while Alicia and Shazam were here, I decided to fix dinner. I thought a nice veggie risotto would be nice since we had been eaten so much during their visit. I shredded a head of radicchio and sauteed it with some sliced baby bella mushrooms in a little olive oil. I cut up a bunch of asparagus and blanched it , adding the heads to the water about a minute after I dropped the other pieces in. Once the asparagus was cooked to my liking I added it to the risotto. I finished it off by adding about a cup of grated Pecorino-Romano cheese and served it with bread and salad. My basic recipe can be found here: Risotto.

Zuk's Pacific Tango Sauce

A few weeks back, Green Acre's Market celebrated their 1 year anniversary at Briarcliff Village. One of the vendors sampling their wares was the creator of Zuk's sauces, Wendy. We tried them all and bought the Pacific Tango sauce, although we liked all of the one's we sampled. It's a very thick, garlicky-ginger sauce that I thought would be great on grilled chicken. I basted my grilled chicken with the sauce at the end of it's cooking time and was pleased with the results. The sauce has a very nice flavor and if you like ginger and garlic, you'll love it. You can check out the website at http://www.zuksdelights.com/.

Dining Out in Kansas City

This was a very busy weekend for us. Our friend, Alicia, came to visit from Phoenix with her new boyfriend, Sherrod (we call him Shazam!). We had a great time with them and really enjoyed getting to know Shazam. They also got to enjoy our crazy weather and some great Kansas City food.


On Thursday night we went to PizzaBella. This was like my 3rd visit there in the last 2 weeks, but I have a slight addiction to the Brussels sprouts. We ran into our friend Stacey, who had just finished dining with a friend and while we were leaving, we ran into Paul and Chris.


Alicia and Shazam ordered the crispy Brussels sprouts, fingerling potatoes and the calamari salad, all of which they loved. I had the sprouts and the mushroom pizza, while Dan ordered the green salad and the biancoverde pizza. Both of us were happy with our meals, too.


On Friday afternoon, we headed over to JP Wine Bar to meet up with Lisa and Karen. The place was much different than it was last Saturday. This time it was packed and noisy, which ruined the atmosphere for me. They had the music turned up way too loud to compensate for the human noise and that only added to the problem. We found a booth in the back and settled in for some great conversation, drink and food. We ordered the bruschetta , hummus and antipasto and enjoyed them all.


From there, we headed over to The Mango Room for dinner. They were also busy and there was live music. We had an excellent server and really had a great meal. Alicia ordered the fried chicken with mac and cheese and the fried green bean bundles. Shazam had the ox tails with the cheddar peppa' grits and fried green bean bundles. Dan ordered the salmon along with the grits and the green bean bundles and I had the pork chop with Brussels sprouts and the grits. All of the food was good and the company was excellent.



On Sunday morning we went to The Cafe at Briarcliff Village. While the food was good, the service is still a little questionable. Our server did not know the menu as well as she should have and that caused some problems with the ticket in the end. Dan and Alicia ordered the farmers breakfast and Shazam and I had the skillets. This place could be really good if they could just train the servers. We find ourselves opting for other places to eat, even though they are so close to home.

La Posadita - San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

While we were in San Miguel, one of my favorite places to eat was La Posadita. We sat up on the roof top deck, where you get some of the most incredible views of the city. Dan and I went there in the late afternoon with Dan and Larry for drinks and appetizers. We ordered cheladas and some of the best guacamole I have ever eaten. As you can tell by the pictures they do a great job with their presentation. The second plate had cactus, cheese, grilled onions, avocados and tomatoes and was actually quite good. We also ordered a dish of jicama and cucumber sticks that were tossed in lemon juice and coated with salt and crushed red pepper. We also had queso and these little spinach filled burritos that were very good.

The great food and the spectacular views made this place a favorite. They are located at Cuna de Allende No 13, Centro San Miguel de Allende Tel. (415) 154-8862.

Tower Tavern- Kansas City, MO

Last night we met up with Andrew and Charlie at Tower Tavern located at 401 E. 31st, part of what is called Martini Corner. It was described to us as a sports bar with an emphasis on Italian food and that is pretty much what it is. Nothing fancy here, just good bar food that stands out from the crowd. The place has a "everybody knows your name" kind of vibe, which is always nice and the exposed brick walls and high ceilings add to the charm.
They have a nice selection of tap beer, including my favorite Guinness. They don't have Stella on tap, but they do have it in bottles, so that is what Dan ordered. We started out with Spinach Dip which was very good and served with nice warm pita bread.
Dan and I both ordered the Italian Meat Stromboli with fries and they were awesome. The dough was very good and they were filled with pepperoni, Italian sausage and cheese, with a side of marinara for dipping. Both Andrew and Charlie ordered the Tower Sliders, which are supposed to be incredible. They both love them and they did look good. Three mini burgers with all the frills and fries, what's not to love there.
I would definitely go back, the food and the service were both great and the atmosphere is nice.

Cream of Brie and Leek Soup

The guy who did all the remodel work on our master bath noticed all the cookbooks and cooking magazines laying around the house and asked me who the cook was. When I said it was me, he asked if I would like some old Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines of his. I said that I would like them and he brought over quite a few. I have just started going through them and there are some really good recipes in them. This recipe came from the March 1988 Bon Appetit. I made some alterations to the original , but this is based on their recipe. This is a wonderful, creamy cheese soup and just a bit decadent with all that Brie.

Cream of Brie and Leek Soup

1/4 unsalted butter, divided
4 large leeks (white parts only), coarsely chopped
1 (14 oz) can fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half and half
3/4 lb. Brie cheese, well chilled, cut into small cubes (with rind)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Melt 2 tablesppons butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until translucent, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Add broth and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until leeks are tender, about 20 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Add half and half 1/2 cup at a time; whisk until smooth. Add 1/2 of cheese and blend until smooth and melted. Repeat with remaining cheese. Strain soup through fine sieve, pressing with back of spoon. Add to leek mixture. Stir until warm, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

JP Wine Bar and Coffee House

Dan and I did a little shopping on Saturday, starting in the Northland and then heading to Westport, before ending up in the Crossroads. We decided to check out JP Wine Bar, our friends, Dan and Larry, had told us that they enjoyed going there. I sometimes feel intimidated when I walk into a wine bar, but this place is far from intimidating.

It's actually a pretty big place, with a large bar, lots of booths and numerous other seating places to sit and enjoy a glass of wine with friends. If you aren't into wine, they have full bar and also serve coffee drinks. We sat at a table close to the bar and were promptly greeted by a server who brought us ice water and menus. She explained the wine menu, which features many different wine flights as well as wines by the glass and bottles.

We both decided on the World Cup Whites ($12), which consisted of four white wines. The two that we really enjoyed were the 2006 Balbo Crios Torrontes from Argentina and the Chauteau de Valmer Vouvray from Loire Valley France. You get about a 2-ounce pour of each, which seemed to be the perfect amount.

We decided that we wanted to try one of the cheese flights, but did not really know what to order. The waitress suggested the French Cheese Flight ($16) so we ordered it. They tray featured Boucheron goat milk cheese, Ossau Iraty Brebis Pyrenees sheep milk cheese and Moriber cow milk cheese. They were all very good and I typically do not like goat milk cheese! The tray was dizzled with honey and had grapes, dried cranberries, candied pecans, capers, crackers, sliced pears and apples and those little french pickles.

This was the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon! The service was very good and all of the servers seemed to be very willing to help their customers, there did not seem to be a hint of pretentiousness in the place. JP Wine Bar is located at 1526 Walnut KCMO 64108 816-842-2660. They have Happy Hour from 4pm to 6pm Monday through Friday, featuring special bar food, $1 off wine flights, $2 off domestic bottles and $3 Boulevard beers.

PizzaBella, Again!!

On Tuesday night, Dan and I went to PizzaBella . He was a little jealous of the fact that I went with the girls while he was out of town and had heard nothing but rave reviews from everyone at work, so he wanted to try them out. Tuesday night was a lot different than Friday night, there was no wait and we were told to sit where ever we wanted, nice.



The waitress brought water and we ordered a couple of beers while we pondered the menu. I was bound and determined to try those Brussels sprouts and did not care about anything else on the menu. When our server returned with the beers I asked if they had the sprouts and she said they did!! I ordered the crispy Brussels Sprouts and they were incredible. I could order a couple of those for my meal and be totally satisfied. As it was, the dish was loaded with perfectly cooked sprouts covered in a very nice pancetta vinaigrette with cranberries, hazelnuts and shredded cheese. If you like sprouts, you will go crazy for these. Dan started with the mixed green salad and loved it.



This time, I tried the Potato pizza ($10) which was covered with sliced potatoes, Gorgonzola cheese and shredded radicchio dressed in balsamic vinegar, very nice. Dan had the Prosciutto pizza ($10) which was a nice red sauce topped with a generous amount of thinly sliced prosciutto, cheese and fresh arugula. He liked it his pizza, even though he wasn't sure if he like the arugula on it.



I like this place a lot and hope they succeed. The wood fire ovens intrigue me and I love watching those guys cook. They are located at 1810 Baltimore KCMO 816-421-7492.

Cranberry Tomato Salsa

This salsa is the perfect accompaniment with the Roast Turkey w/ Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste . I'm not a huge fan of cranberry sauce, I usually only put it on turkey sandwiches the next day, but this condiment is really good. It's a nice switch up on the Thanksgiving table and it looks beautiful in a nice glass bowl. This recipe comes from that same Bon Apitit from 1994 and makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Cranberry Tomato Salsa

2 cups cranberries
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Cook berries in pot of boiling water until skins just begin to burst, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain well. transfer to bowl. Add the rest of ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
(Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover, chill. Serve at room temperature.)

One Year and Still Going

Yesterday marked one year of blogging for me and it's been quite a year. Thanks for reading and I will see if I can make it another year!

Roast Turkey w/ Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste

Since Thanksgiving is almost upon us, I thought I would post one of my favorite turkey recipes. I have been using this recipe for over ten years now, I adapted it from Bon Apitit. I'll be using a different recipe this year which I will post after preparing it, which I will not be doing until after Thanksgiving when my Mom is in town. I typically stuff this turkey with a quartered onion and some celery stalks, leaves and all, sometimes I will add a halved lemon and pour a can of chicken broth in the roasting pan.

Roast Turkey w/ Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste

3 large heads garlic
3 large ancho chilies, rinsed, stemmed, seeded, torn into pieces
1/2 olive oil
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. honey
1 17 to 18 lb. turkey, neck and giblets removed

For paste: Preheat oven to 350. Wrap garlic in foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Peel garlic and remove hard tips, place into 1/2 cup measuring cup to fill. Reserve any remaining garlic. Blend 1/2 cup in processor to form coarse puree.
Meanwhile, place chilies in small saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Simmer over medium low heat until soft and most of water evaporates, about 15 minutes. Add chili mixture, oil, cumin and honey to garlic in processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (This can be made 1 week ahead.)
For turkey: Rinse turkey and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Slide hand under skin of the breast to loosen. Spread 1/2 cup of paste over breast under skin. Run 2 tablespoons of paste over turkey. Reserve any remaining paste for the gravy. Tie legs to hold shape. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan.
Position rack in lowest third of preheated 325 degree oven. Roast turkey for 30 minutes, remove from oven and loosely tent with foil. Continue roasting until thermometer inserted in thickest past of thigh registers 180( about 2 hours and 20 minutes). Place turkey on platter. tent with foil and let rest for 30 minutes.

PizzaBella - Kansas City, MO

Last night, Stacy called and wanted to know if Dan and I would like to join her and Tracy for dinner. Dan was out of town and I had already ordered a pizza from Papa John's , so I declined. She said they were going to go to PizzaBella, a place she had tried earlier in the week and knew that I would love. That was all the coaxing I needed. I grabbed the dog, got in my car, picked up the pizza, came home, made myself presentable and waited for Stacy to come and get me.

PizzaBella is located in the Crossroads at 18th and Baltimore. The restaurant is small, so we had a little wait, but it was well worth it. The inside is very nice and has 2 wood fired ovens and all of the cooking is done out in the open. The menu is simple and straightforward and also serves as your place mat. They have a nice beer and wine selection, but it's the food that shines. I wanted to order one of everything on the menu and that does not happen often with me.

All of the antipasta dishes are $6 and there were some unique items to choose from. Stacy and I decided to share one of the Brussels sprout dishes , but they were out! I can't wait to try them, the waitress said they were incredible. We decided on the cauliflower gratin and it was very good. Tracy had a mixed green salad that was dressed in a mustard vinaigrette. The salad was great with cranberries, hazelnuts and cheese.

For my pizza, I ordered the Biancoverde ($10) which consisted of fresh mozzarella, ricotta, perorino Romano and arugula. Stacy had the Margherita($9) which was topped with a nice red sauce, basil, fresh mozzarella and roasted garlic. Tracy ordered the Mushroom($10) which was mushrooms, onions, thyme and tellegio. They were all fantastic! This is my now my favorite pizza in Kansas City. The crust is light and crispy and the toppings all work so well together.

I highly recommend PizzaBella, you won't be disappointed! They are located in the Crossroads district at 1810 Baltimore KCMO 816-421-7492.

Orzo w/ Chicken and Asiago Cheese

This is one of my favorite pasta recipes, I have been cooking this forever it seems. Orzo is that little pasta that looks like rice, I have actually accidentally used it before in a risotto recipe. This is a simple recipe that will have your friends and family thinking you worked really hard prepare.

Orzo w/Chicken and Asiago Cheese

1 cup water
1 can fat-free chicken broth
12 oz. skinless-boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dry thyme
1/8 tsp. black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper

Combine water and broth in Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Add chicken and pasta; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 12 minutes. Stir, remove from heat. Stir in peas, 1/4 cup of cheese and the rest of the ingredients. Serve topped with remaining cheese.

The Mango Room, Garth Brooks & The Sprint Center

Last night, Dan and I were fortunate enough to see Garth Brooks at the Sprint Center. The morning the tickets went on sale, Dan sat down at the computer and within 4 minutes he had purchased two tickets for the original concert. The fact that Garth was able to sale out 9 concerts after being away for 10 years still amazes me, but seeing him live makes me understand. The concert was incredible, one of the best I have ever seen. Dan and I are not country music fans, but thought that it would be a great way to experience the new arena and spending only $30 for the tickets.



Garth Brooks is truly one of the greatest entertainers around. He really puts himself out there and does not rely on special effects prop himself up. The audience was great , also. They knew the words to every song and sang them all. Garth seemed to be truly touched by that fact and by his fans reactions. The only bad thing was not seeing Trisha Yearwood perform. They had travel problems and got the show started a little late.



The Sprint Center is pretty spectacular, too. The lighting and the sound in the arena were great, making for a good concert experience.



We had dinner before the show at The Mango Room . It was great seeing the place packed! I hope that people enjoyed it as much as we do and will continue to support Thelma's restaurant. I had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and some pretty tasty Brussels sprouts. They were sauteed in olive oil with garlic and seasoned with nutmeg. I would never have thought of that combo, but enjoyed them immensely.



It was a perfect way to spend an evening in Kansas City! Thanks Garth!

Leek Potato Soup

This is a great soup recipe that I adapted from Alton Brown. I was cruising the Food Network's sight, www.foodtv.com, looking for a simple recipe when I found this one. I added a few things and changed the vegetable cooking times (he seemed to cook the veggies much longer than actually needed). The soup turned out very flavorful and silky and is one I would make again.

Leek Potato Soup

1 lb. leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed, chopped into small pieces
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Heavy pinch of kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and small diced
1 qt. vegetable broth
1 cup half and half
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley, chopped

In a 6-qt. saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease heat to medium-low and cook until leeks are tender, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add garlic, potatoes and broth, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and gently simmer until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.
Turn off heat and puree mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in half and half, buttermilk and white pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Mix

Our best girlfriend, Alicia, sent us another Trader Joe's care package. This box contained baking their Matcha Green Tea and Chocolate Truffle as well as 2 new flavors, Cranberry Orange and Pumpkin. Dan made the Pumpkin Bread the other night and it awesome. As far as boxed mixes go, the people at Trader Joe's really know what they are doing. I can't wait to try the Cranberry Orange, maybe we'll hold off until Thanksgiving.Or maybe we can wait until Alicia comes at the end of the month. Anyway thanks Alicia, you're the best.

Cafe de la Parroquia - San Miguel de Allende

We walked past this wonderful restaurant, Cafe de la Parroquia, many times on our way to the center of town in San Miguel de Allende. It was just up the street from Dan and Larry's and we were told it very good. We decided to eat breakfast there one morning and were very glad we did. You walk in through the large doors and enter a beautiful courtyard filled with tables. There were also covered areas for dining, but it was all very open. The owners were very present, which in my book is usually a good sign.

After we were seated, our waitress brought the bread, butter and an amazing tomatillo sauce pictured above. The sauce was a mixture of tomatillos and avocados with just enough heat and a hint of cilantro. Dan ordered incredible whole-wheat pancakes that had just a hint of cinnamon in them. They brought him a side plate with banana and papaya. I mistakenly ordered Mexican style heuvos rancheros which were scrambled eggs with diced tomatoes, onion and peppers and a bowl of black beans. The food was so good that we decided we would come back the next morning and then I would order the correct thing...hopefully.

The next morning Dan ordered the same thing and I correctly ordered the heuvos rancheros, 2 fried eggs over corn tortillas that was all covered in a nice spicy red sauce. It was very good and definitely worth the trip back.

It's a nice place to eat and the prices are very good. They are located at Jesus 11, Centro Historico, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Tequila Pork Chile Verde

Here is another quick and easy recipe from Cooking Light. The flavor is quite intense and tasted as though it had cooked all day. I served it with refried beans and heated flour tortillas on the side as suggested by the magazine.

Tequila Pork Chile Verde

2 tsp. canola oil

3 Tbsp. yellow cornmeal

1 Tbsp. ancho chile powder

1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut in 3/4" pieces

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh tomatillos (about 12 oz)

1 (14 oz) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 (4.5 oz) can chopped mild green chiles, drained

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp. tequila

1/4 tsp. salt

Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.

Combine cornmeal and chile powder in a medium bowl. Add pork, tossing to coat. Remove pork from bowl, reserving any remaining cornmeal mixture. Add pork to pan; saute 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in remaining cornmeal mixture; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in tomatillos, broth, chiles, and jalapeno; bring to simmer over medium low heat. Cook 8 minutes or until tomatillos are tender. Stir in onions and remaining ingredients; simmer 1 minute.

Raglan Road Irish Pub - Kansas City, MO

Raglan Road Irish Pub is coming to the Power and Light district in Kansas City. The only other location in the States is at Disney World in Orlando. The pub is the creation of Chef Brendan Behan and is built in Ireland, then shipped over here. It will be interesting to see what the food is like. I still think that it is disappointing that a chain BBQ will be going in, instead of one of KC's outstanding places. You can go to http://www.raglanroadirishpub.com/ and check out their website.

***** I incorrectly listed the chef as Brendan Behan, the chef is actually Irish Master Chef Kevin Dundon.*************

Casa Katalina - San Miguel de Allende

While we were in San Miguel, our friends Dan and Larry were staying at Casa Katalina. They were in a very fun and funky 2 bedroom casita that sits above Kathy Leutzinger's shop. The casita consists of a full kitchen, 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a sitting room and a nice large balcony with views of the beautiful church in the town center. The space is decorated in a very fun and functional style, with great splashes of color in places that you would not expect. I believe that Kathy said the place rented for $500 a week or $1500 for the month, but you would have to check with her on those prices.

Her shop is full of one of a kind vintage Mexican art pieces, jewelry, home decor and custom made furniture. Kathy scours the Mexican countryside to find items for the shop. The shop is as eclectic as the space for rent above and worth checking out.

She is located close to the town center and within walking distance of many restaurants, galleries and other shops. The address is Jesus #26 Zona Centro 37700 San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico Tel (415) 150-0061. You can e-mail Kathy at katherineleutzinger@yahoo.com.

Red Beans and Rice w/ Smoked Turkey Sausage

This was a recipe that I adapted from Cooking Light and prepared for dinner last night. The liquid never got as thick as I wanted, but the flavor is actually quite good. It's a pretty simple recipe so it's perfect for a weeknight and actually pretty cheap to make.

Red Beans and Rice w/ Smoked Turkey Sausage

2 cups dried small red beans
2 tsp. olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves , minced
10 cups water
2 Tbsp. salt-free Cajun seasoning
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 lb. smoked turkey sausage, thinly sliced
3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
Chopped green onions

Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let soak for 8 hours. Drain and rinse beans.
Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for 4 minutes. Stir in beans, water and next 4 ingredients (through sausage); bring to boil. reduce heat , simmer 1 1/2 hours or until mixture thickens. Serve over rice; garnish with green onion.

Poco's On The Boulevard - Kansas City, MO

Saturday, Dan and I were out south and trying to think of where to eat dinner on our way back to the Northland. We knocked around a couple of ideas and then I remembered hearing the food critics on Walt Bodine's NPR program talking about this great little place on the Boulevard. I could not remember the name, but I did remember that it was located in the old Waid's location at 3063 Southwest Blvd. When I saw the sign calling the place Poco's , I remembered that was the name. Since we like to expand our eating horizons this seemed like the perfect place to check out. All I can say is Wow! We loved the restaurant so much we ended up there again Sunday morning for breakfast. It's amazing how one place can give you such totally different experiences, albeit , both positve.
When we walked in Saturday night, the place was softly lit and quiet. There were only 5 or six other tables in use. We were told to sit wherever we wanted and then were promptly greet by our server Dana. Dan and Dana, it was soon discovered, knew each other somewhat and we later found out that she is the owner's daughter. So she knew what she was doing and was able to recommend some great items. The dinner menu states that the restaurant serves Latin American Cuisine, so don't expect the typical Mexican fare that you usually find on the Boulevard.
When you are seated, they bring a basket of fresh, fried flour tortilla chips and an amazing tomatillo salsa. In my opinion, this was the best chips and salsa I have ever eaten. The salsa has the perfect amount of heat and the flavor is very intense. I had to keep telling myself to hold back or I would not eat my meal. On Dana's recommendation, we ordered the Brochetas Avocado ($5.95) as a starter. We were served four slices of toasted baguette that were heaped with a fresh tomato- cilantro salsa and chopped avocado concoction. That was one of those dishes I will crave from now on. It was a perfect dish and I would have been happy just eating that all night, but there were other great dishes to come.
The entrees are served with either your choice of soup or a salad. We both opted for the chicken tortilla soup. The soup was served in a small bowl that was packed with big flavor. It was full of chicken and crispy tortilla strips, cilantro and a lime wedge. The chicken stock tasted homemade to me and had just a hint of lime juice added in. This soup was pure perfection! I ordered the Cordero Borracho ($20.95), which was grilled rack of lamb in a fig-port sauce with grilled asparagus and wonderful poblano mashed potatoes. The lamb was cooked as ordered and for the price, there was a lot of food on my plate. Dan ordered the Yucatan Tacos de Puerco ($15.95), which consisted of orange-chipotle pork chunks served in lettuce leaves with rice and beans. There were three of those, so one came home with the extra lamb.
After our meal, the owner came out and talked with us. She explained her passion for food and her passion for the restaurant and told us we should come in for breakfast, which we did the following morning.
The place was packed when we arrived at around 11:30 the next morning and we got the last table. Dana was there again, but this time she was manning the register and Lorenza was once again at the helm in the kitchen. The place was really hopping and so differnst from the previous evening.
For my breakfast I ordered Huevos Rancheros ($6.25), 2 corn tortillas topped with ham, eggs and Poco's spicy salsa. This dish would be perfect on a cold morning, because it would heat you up from the inside out. The dish was served with a nice helping of hash browns. Dan ordered Poco's Omelette ($7.00) which was filled with chorizo and cheese and topped with pico de gallo. His was also served with hash browns and they brought toast to the table.
I realized that I have gushed on about this place, but it is very deserving of the praise. This will definitely be added to our list of places to frequent. There are some other things that I must try out on the dinner menu. They are located at 3063 Southwest Blvd, KCMO 64108 816-931-2526.

Happy 23rd Birthday, Ryan!!

Today is my son Ryan's 23rd birthday!! Wow, it's hard to believe that he's that old or maybe it's harder to believe that I'm that old. Happy Birthday Ryan, I love you dearly and am very proud of you.

This picture is of the two of us in Rome at the Forum right after he graduated from high school.

La Grotta Resaurante - San Miguel de Allende

While in San Miguel de Allende, we ate pizza at 2 different Italian places, one was very good the other was just okay. The very good one was La Grotta Restaurante located at Cuadrante No. 5 Centro, San Miguel de Allende.

We ate there the last night of out trip and loved the place. The restaurant is small and cozy with a good and pleasant staff. The doorway opens up to stairs going down or an old wooden spiral staircase going up. Both the upstairs and downstairs dining rooms are small, so the place fills up pretty quickly.

We only ordered pizzas, but they do have other Italian items on the menu. The pizzas are on a nice thin crust, topped with the perfect amount of sauce and cheese. We ordered 2 mediums for the four of us, one pepperoni and mushroom and one salami and green olive. Both were good , but I was partial to the salami with the salty, whole green olives. Dinner and drinks for the four of us cost only 345 pesos.

When we asked the chef at our cooking class what restaurants she preferred in San Miguel, one of her recommendations was La Grotta. Dan and Larry tried to take us there on our first night but it was too crowded. We decided to head over to Romanos located at Hernandez Macias #93.

The restaurant is spacious and the decor is beautiful. We went upstairs and sat out on the roof where we had a nice view of the cities lights. Kathy, a friend of Dan and Larry, took charge of the ordering since her Spanish was better than the rest of us. After a few communication breakdowns, we finally got the food ordered. One issue was when Dan and I ordered prosciutto on our pizza, the waitress thought we said bruschetta.

They brought out plates with bread and chopped liver that was covered in carmelized onions and that was the best part of the meal. We did have salads, which were good. The pizzas arrived and ours looked good, it seemed that they used fresh mozzarella on them. The crust , however, was not so great, they tasted like they were pre-made and frozen. The menu said the pizzas were cooked in a wood fired oven, but they did not have the look or taste of pizzas that came from such an oven. Dan B. and Kathy ordered their pizza with anchovies and it had to be taken away. It seems that the chef got a little creative and made a paste of the anchovies and then rolled it into balls, very gross and inedible. The owner's wife was very apologetic and took it off of the bill.I've heard that Romano's other Italian dishes are good, it seems that they failed in the pizza class .