“Moondance”! There’s Nothing Better Than Creativity in Action!
Posted in: Inspirations, Video
Tags: "Moondance", Dolinar Spahija, Van Morrison "Moondance"
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Beautiful Cheeses at The Truffle Pig in Steamboat Springs Colorado!
Dried fruit, artisanal cheeses, fig compote and candied walnuts make up this cheese plate at The Truffle Pig.
I had a great view of the ski lift and the mountain where snow boarders and skiers came crashing into new snow!
There was a lovely selection of goat, sheep and cow cheeses. The First Snow was a local sheep cheese; mild yet piquant and delicious with fruits.
All theese great cheeses and beautiful fruits yet the bread was less than mediocre. A hardier nutty bread would have been nice.
An afternoon of wine and cheese? No problem!
Posted in: Chefs and Restaurants, Cocktails, Inspirations Tags: Brie Cheese, candied walnuts, cheese, cheese and fruits, cow's milk cheese, dried fruits, easy appetizer, fig compote, goat cheese, nuts, Roquefort cheese, sheep cheese, Ski, Ski resorts, Skiing, Snow, snow boarding, Steamboat Springs Colorado Restaurants, The Truffle Pig, The Truffle Pig Steamboat Springs Colorado, walnuts, wine and cheese, wine and cheese plates, wine and cheese tray Mountainside Dining at The Truffle Pig in Steamboat Springs Colorado with Chef Ezra Duker!
The Truffle Pig in Steamboat Springs Colorado was a great find. Chef Ezra Duker has a light touch and sharp palette. The flavors do not get lost or overpowered by each other. This gorgeous grilled cheese with Gruyere and Cheddar Cheeses on Sourdough Bread with Tomato Bisque and Field Greens was probably the best I had ever had. The bread was crispy and buttery and the bisque had a hint of BBQ sauce.
I had to order the Truffle Fries! Light and crispy; fried in Truffle oil with parmesan cheese. Fantastic.
Beautiful Dark Chocolate Cheesecake with Grand Marnier Orange Peel and fresh whipped cream was too tempting to pass up.
The Truffle Pig is a treasure. From fine dinning to elegant apres ski ambiance it is a must see for foodies! Posted in: Chefs and Restaurants, Indulgences, Inspirations Tags: cheddar cheese, Chef Ezra Duker, Dark Chocolate Cheesecake, grilled cheese, Gruyere, Gruyere cheese, soup and a sandwich, sourdough, sourdough bread, Steamboat Springs Colorado, Steamboat Springs Colorado Restaurants, The Truffle Pig, The Truffle Pig Steamboat Springs Colorado, Tomato Bisque, Truffle Fries Pumpkin Cheesecake! Pumpkins, Squash and Autumn Corn! The Flavors of the Season!
It’s that time of year and nothing says Autumn like pumpkins! Pumpkin is great in soup, cheesecake, cookies, pies, breads, curries and more. Cooking with Fresh Pumpkin There’s no shame in using canned pumpkin. Even professional bakers do it. But if you’re using fresh, choose small, flavorful sugar pie pumpkins–and save the big ones for carving. A four-pound pumpkin should yield about 1½ cups of puree. To make pumpkin puree: 1. Cut the pumpkin in half and bake cut-side down, covered with foil, in a 375 degree F oven for about 90 minutes or until flesh is tender. 2. Allow to cool, scoop out the flesh, and puree. 3. Strain the puree for extra-silky smooth soups and custards.
A trip to a local farm introduced me to all kinds of squash and corn varieties. The possibilities are vast and are not limited to baked goods. Pumpkins are great in savory dishes and lend themselves to spicy flavors; think curry and roasted pepper.
Over the next few weeks I want to explore all things pumpkin, squash and corn!
Pumpkin Cheesecake 1 1/2 cups graham cracker cookie crumbs 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened Method 1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan. 2.Using a fork, combine gingersnaps, hazelnuts, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and melted butter. Press mixture onto the bottom and two inches up the sides of the pan to form the crust. 3.With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin. Mix in the cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth. 4.Pour batter into prepared crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes, or until center of cheesecake is set. Allow to cool in pan for 30 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.
I have no idea what these are but I am willing to give them a try!
Posted in: Healthy, Ingredients, Inspirations, Recipes Tags: allspice, brown sugar, butter, Cheese cake, cheesecake, cinnamon, corn, cream cheese, eggs, graham crackers, hazelnuts, heavy cream, how to cook with pumpkin, how to make pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin, pumpkin cheese cake, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin desserts, squash, vanilla Anna’s Breakfast Potato, Veggie and Egg Scramble with Cheese!
Not only is my BFF Anna is a great cook but she is the hostess with the mostest! We invade her lovely home for long weekends and she manages to entertain us like royalty! One of her specialties is this casserole, of sorts, or breakfast scramble.
She par cooks potatoes in the microwave Chops and sautes any vegetables on hand, usually: red peppers, asparagus, leeks, and mushrooms and sets those aside Then dice the potatoes and combine in a large skillet the cooked veggies, potatoes, some cheese then crack a few eggs on top Turn the heat down to low and cover to allow the eggs to cook. You’re finished! You can also do this in the oven in a lovely casserole dish for a more elegant presentation. Or cook the eggs seperatly and serve on top. Either way it’s delicious!
Posted in: Indulgences, Ingredients, Inspirations, Parties, Recipes Tags: asparagus, breakfast, breakfast casserole, breakfast dishes, breakfast recipes, cheese, eggs, leeks, mushrooms, potatoes, red pepper Pan Seared Scallops with Lemon, Thyme and Goat Cheese Gnocchi at Pier W!
Pier W never lets me down. From the fantastic Happy Hour to the incredible views this place is a winner every time.
Not only is the happy hour a great value; 1/2 price bar food and select drinks, but the quality is first class.
These calamari must be some of the best I’ve ever tasted. Light and crispy calamari are fried to perfection with delicate fragrant dipping sauces; a spicy mayonnaise and a tamarind sauce.
This is a far cry from the usual bar food you’d find elsewhere and you get the incredible atmosphere as a bonus!
The view!
The wine!
The scallops!
Pan seared scallops with goat cheese, thyme and lemon gnocchi with an asparagus coulis was amazing!
Sous Chef Jack Ahern was on board this night and his precision in the execution of this dish was out of this world.
The tempura fish and green beans looked yummy…
…but I couldn’t get over the flavor pairings of my scallops. I usually feel that mushrooms with any seafood is a risk; the earthiness of the mushrooms can overpower and compete with delicate sea flavors but it was not the case tonight. Lemon and thyme kept the gnocchi light and the mushrooms and asparagus lent smoky and bitter notes, respectively that were enhanced by the subtle creaminess of the goat cheese. Asparagus coulis was a light sauce of everything beautiful about asparagus!
Fruity Cocktails, Amazing Pizza, 200 Fabulous Gay Men and Me!
A dream come true! Me in a sea of men surrounded by the most glorious pizzas, ever and tropical fruity cocktails served up by a cute bartender with attitude! Luxe was host to the G2H2 Happy Hour event in Cleveland , Oh. The food was amazing! I know it’s a social thing but given the “circumstances” I had plenty of time to focus on the food and drinks!
This portobello mushroom, spinach, goat cheese and balsamic reduction pizza was my favorite. Chef Marlin Kaplan knows that a light touch of fresh potent ingredients is the way to go!
I couldn’t get enough of this pizza and made myself a fixture at the buffet!
This is definitley something that I want to try at home.
Chris was adorable and he knows the food.
This tomato basil was fantastic; fresh and delish!
The setting was elegant but casual.
Sweetheart! Jen kept the fresh hot pies coming my way
Tomato and herb.
Chicken, rosemary and goat cheese was a big hit.
What would the evening be without a spunky bartender serving up the one-liners with the best mojitos in town?! Lee was a delight! White Wine, White Bean Dip, an Artist, a Ballerina and Freddy!
The original Freddy was happy to join the ladies for cocktails and conversation in Shelly’s beach cottage.
Freddy as seen by artist Shelly Valisiades; respledent in a rainbow of color.
Bright and cheerful best describes Shelly’s nest.
Me, the writer, my two daughters and the Ballerina!
Every corner is filled with color and energy.
Knowing that Shelly’s forte is painting I brought the roasted garlic and white bean dip with French bread toasts. 2 cans of white beans Place everything in the food processor until velvety and creamy. Easy-peasy instant friends!
Shelly puts her heart and soul in everything she does.
Every nook is filled with love.
Posted in: Cocktails, Food on a Budget, Healthy, Indulgences, Ingredients, Inspirations, Parties Tags: french bread, garlic, olive oil, roasted garlic, vegan, vegan appetizers, vegan recipe, vegan snacks, vegetarian, vegetarian appetizers, vegetarian recipe, vegetarian snacks, white bean dip, white bean spread, white beans Shiitake Mushroom and Leek Pizza with Arugula, Tomato, Feta Salad
Inspired by a visit with my favorite aunt, I felt like nurturing her with her favorite flavors and some new decedant treats like cheeses and bread! We enjoyed the leek and mushroom pizza on tuesday at the restaurant, however, we did have some issues. We thaught that there was too much “sauce”. It was cheese or something, we couldn’t put our fingers on it but it over-powered the delicate flavor of the leeks and the mushrooms seemed non-existant.
I sauteed my leeks in olive oil with about 4-5 cloves of roasted garlic which I had left over and I used shiitake mushrooms.
I use the shiitake because of the intense flavor and the rubbery texture. They stand up to cooking and the flavor is rich and earthy.
I also used fresh mozzerella; about 5 1/4 inch slices then sprinkled on some parmesan; not much. Pizza is best with a light touch. The leeks had the sweet, delicate onion flavor that I was hoping for and that sweetness accented the shiitake perfectly.
Arugula and tomatoes with feta cheese and a splash of oil was fresh and flavorful! I threw in some fresh basil for a peppery/licorice punch!
We are already missing her and looking forward to the next visit.
Aunt Linda, Leek and Mushroom Flatbread, Honey Ice Cream, Flourless Chocolate Cake and Wine!
What to do when your favorite aunt comes into to town on a cold and rainy Spring day? Eat, of course! And we did! Right up until we went to bed. It was sinful but the celebration just couldn’t end. She lives so far away and comes to town so rarely…
Mushroom and Leek flatbread at 87 West, seated next to the fireplace was the perfect setting for a cozy chat. The warmth of the fire took the chill off…
Arugula tops off the flatbread and adds nice balance to the creamy rich cheeses.
Off to my favorite spot, Tartine Bistro for great wine! Reza, the amazing bartender knows how to pick his wines. He never dissapoints. Peanut butter accents rich dark chocolate!
This honey ice cream was a pleasant surprise on warm berry cobbler. Mouth watering delicious! They make it in house and it is subtle, creamy and delicious!
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