Views from a Latah Kitchen Table

No-Knead Bread

2007-01-24T08:25:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday Supper Club, Michele made this yummy No-Knead Bread.
I made it last week. It turned out great and I know I messed up on a few of the steps. The recipe is very forgiving.

Toast the Tigers

2007-01-22T09:12:00.000-08:00

Erika and I showed our Tiger Pride by attending the “Toast the Tigers” fundraiser for the class of 2007’s senior overnighter. We tasted some great wines.

My favorite winery was “Barrister” All of their red wines were distinctly unique, rich and vibrant. Their wines are well balanced with seductively rich mid palates and ending with delicious flavors that linger on the finish. Bonus points for the friendly, knowledgeable winemaker pouring the wine.

Sweet Tender Bay Scallops

2007-01-19T08:44:00.000-08:00

Last night I made Sweet tender bay scallops sautéed with garlic and served with parsley and lemon. I found this recipe on Cooking Light. I used spinach fettuccine.

I thought it was a really good recipe. I added more garlic and more olive oil, no margarine. I hate margarine.

Sautéed Scallops on Lemon Fettuccine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 pound sea scallops
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons margarine
1/3 cup vodka or dry white wine
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
6 cups hot cooked fettuccine (12 ounces uncooked)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip top heavy-duty plastic bag. Add scallops to bag, and seal; shake to coat. Heat oil and margarine in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add scallops; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and done. Remove scallops from pan; keep warm. Reduce heat to medium; add vodka, lemon rind, lemon juice, and garlic, and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add pasta, and toss gently to coat. Divide pasta mixture evenly among 4 individual plates; top with scallops. Sprinkle each serving with 1-tablespoon cheese and 1-tablespoon parsley.
Yield: 4 servings

Sunday Night Supper Club Light

2007-01-17T08:59:00.000-08:00

For our last Sunday Supper Club we went with this Cooking Light theme. I made the brined Cider Roasted Chicken and the Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes. I decided to use chicken thighs instead of a whole fryer. Other than spilling raw chicken juice mixed with brine all over my counters and clogging up my disposal with sweet potatoes peelings, I think it turned out pretty good. Jennifer made the Pumpkin Orange Cake, Michele brought yummy home baked bread, Kate did the beet soup, and Faythe made the Red Pepper dip. Be sure and check out Faythe’s photos on her blog.

Oven Fried Chicken and Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes

2007-01-09T11:21:00.000-08:00

Oven Fried Chicken (from Cooks Illustrated)

Serves four

Be careful not to overcrush the Melba toast; crumbs that are too fine will leave the chicken wanting in crunchiness. If you own a spray bottle for oil, skip the step of tossing the Melba toast crumbs in oil. Instead, once the chicken is coated with crumbs, spray the pieces evenly with oil.
· 1/4 cup vegetable oil
· 1 box (about 5 ounces) plain Melba toast, placed in a heavy-duty freezer bag and pounded with a blunt, heavy object to a sand and pebble texture ( I used the food processor)
· 2 large eggs
· 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
· 1 teaspoon dried thyme
· 3/4 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
· 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
· 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
· 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
· 8 chicken legs, skin removed, and patted dry with paper towels
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line sheet pan with foil and set large flat wire rack over sheet pan.
2. Drizzle vegetable oil over Melba toast crumbs in a shallow dish or pie plate; toss well to coat. Mix eggs, mustard, thyme, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and optional cayenne with a fork in a second shallow dish or pie plate.
3. Working one piece at a time, coat chicken on both sides with egg mixture. Set chicken in Melba crumbs, sprinkle crumbs over chicken, and press to coat. Turn chicken over and repeat on other side. Gently shake off excess and place on rack. Bake until chicken is deep nutty brown and juices run clear, about 35 minutes.

Wicked Awesome Painting

2007-01-05T08:37:00.000-08:00

My favorite Christmas present was this wicked awesome painting done by Spokane artist
Tom Kliewer, from his “indirect reflections” series. I like the warm light reflections contrasting with the cool tones of the snow bank. I think it's a fabulous addition to my home!

Rising Moon Ravioli

2006-12-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

I like to pick up the Rising Moon pastas when they are on sale at Huckleberry’s. Last night Tory and I tried the Garlic and Mozzarella Ravioli. We tossed it with olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and fresh cracked pepper. It was a very quick and tasty meal.

It’s a Celebration!!!

2006-12-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

Wow, this is what my office looked like when I arrived. I have the best coworkers in the whole wide world!

Weekend Guest

2006-11-27T11:09:00.000-08:00

This weekend my friend Cheri’s boxer dog Buddy came to stay with us while Cheri and family did Thanksgiving in Seattle.
He was a great guest. He loved playing with his friend Mike (my boxer) and meeting new friends Lucy and Kirby. I think Buddy weighs about 8 times as much as Kirby, but he was very gentle with him. I think Kirby might be the alpha dog. That little dude likes to take control!

Thanksgiving

2006-11-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

We had another great Thanksgiving with the extended family and friends. All 32 of us!!!

Weird Wacky Waldorf

2006-11-21T15:11:00.000-08:00

Today we had a potluck at work. I am not into work potlucks mostly because I hate dragging things in and most of the food is honestly kind of crappy. I don’t know why we just don’t chip in a few bucks, order a pizza and be done with it. I don’t like eating big lunches either. But today I was a team player and joined in for a going away party.

Somebody always makes one of those lame jello salads with cottage cheese or cool whip. Yikes! Today was no exception …but this was “way out there”. Granny Smith apples and snickers bars in a cool whip kind of dressing. Who thinks this stuff up?
I had to try it. Guess what, I liked it in a bizarre desert kind of way, much better than canned fruit and marshmallows. My crazy Italian family would go wild for this at Thanksgiving.
I just might whip up a batch!

Snicker Salad

1 large box or two small boxes of Cheesecake pudding
2 cups milk
Make pudding according to box. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Add to pudding:

1 small container of CoolWhip
1 large package of bite size Snickers candy bars unwrapped OR 6 king-size Snickers bars unwrapped and cut into bite size
4 large Granny Smith apples (only Granny Smith) cored and cut into bite size

Mix all ingredients together well. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Choco-Blog

2006-11-17T08:43:00.000-08:00

On Monday Jennifer of Taste Everything Once suggested blogging on chocolate this week. It sounded fun to me so last night I stopped in to Huckleberries and picked up a few bars of Endangered Species Chocolate. I choose the Dark Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs, Dark Chocolate with Hazelnut Toffee and the Milk Chocolate with Coconut and Macadamia Nuts. Of the three my favorite was a toss up between the Hazelnut and the Coconut, which surprised me because these both were the lightest bars (less cocoa). They were all delicious.

Endangered Species chocolate is 100% ethically traded and the bars are packaged in the artwork of animals from artist Judi Rideout and are packed with environmental conservation information as well as educational information about the plight of the animal it displays.

Amy’s Pesto Tortellini Bowl

2006-11-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

I stopped by Huckleberry’s last week and passing by the frozen section, I happened to see Amy’s Pesto Tortellini Bowl on sale. I remembered some magazine giving it the thumbs up. I’m not too big on frozen entrees but the picture on the box looked great. Based on past experience, the prepared product doesn't look nearly as enticing as the box photo. I threw a couple in my cart, if I don’t eat it, the kids will.

I used the microwave method on the box. I was pleasantly surprised; it was pretty tasty and did resemble the box photo minus the lovely blue bowl and flowers in the background. Check out my before and after photos.

If you want a quick meal from the freezer, this is one to try.

Kirby

2006-10-30T11:35:00.000-08:00

Here's my new little puppy Kirby.
He is a Rat Terrier. He weighed 11 lbs. last week at his puppy check up.
He is a very sweet little guy.

Twigs Downtown

2006-10-19T08:19:00.000-07:00

Last night we headed downtown to check out the sales at The Gap. After, we decided to head over to the new Twigs. We both had a glass of Guinness on tap.
I like the new location. The views are great, looking up at the escalators and down on the square below. A real uptown feel in downtown!
The service was friendly and efficient.
We didn’t eat but the menu is the same. I think their food is O.K., kinda the standard bar stuff.
It’s a great place to meet friends for a drink or just people watch.

Classic Two-Cheese Macaroni

2006-10-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

I love comfort food, and to celebrate the first day of October I decided to make one of my favorite comfort foods, Macaroni and Cheese. I tried a new recipe from Cooking Light.
I topped it with some toasted garlic bread crumbs I made from a loaf of Bouzie's bread. It turned out creamy and tasty with a nice crunchy garlicy top.

Classic Two-Cheese Macaroni

1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups 1 percent milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
6 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)
6 cups hot cooked elbow macaroni (about 3 cups uncooked)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat; add flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook until thick (about 8 minutes), stirring frequently. Stir in 2/3 cup Cheddar cheese and processed cheese; cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in macaroni and salt. Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining Cheddar cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Sawtooth Grill

2006-09-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

Marjie and I did a little back to school shopping at River Park Square last night. We decided to stay downtown and eat dinner at the Sawtooth Grill. I like the Sawtooth O.K., but it’s nothing special in my opinion.

Marjie had the Backyard Burger and I choose the Aloha Burger. I think their burgers are over priced at around $ 9 each, and the fries don’t come close to the big thick ones at the Onion.
The service was good,and the burgers were cooked medium as requested.
I had a glass of Merlot, which set me back $9.25;I should have asked the price before ordering.

I think if you want a good burger downtown in a nice sit-down restaurant, hoof it over to the Onion. Your palate and pocketbook will thank you.

Morning Glory

2006-09-12T08:38:00.000-07:00

This has to be one of my favorite flowers. The flower lasts for a single morning and dies in the afternoon. New flowers bloom each day. This one was blooming on my deck. I love the intense blue color.

My morning glory on some Saturdays is hitting the garage sales. I get up early ,scan the paper, and map out my route. The fun part for me is not knowing what treasures I will find.

This Saturday I found a brand new ricer cooker (a really nice one), a martini set, night light, a set of lake lounging chairs, and of course a few paperbacks.

It’s fun shopping on the cheap with the added thrill of the hunt.

Dinner for a Friend

2006-08-31T11:32:00.000-07:00

We started with a cheese tray and Hot and Spicy Pecans. I used ancho chili powder to give the nuts a smoky taste.
Next up, a chickpea and tomato salad. One of my co-workers brought in some fresh tomatoes from her garden.

Chickpea and tomato salad

1 15-oz cans garbanzo beans,drained
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
Chopped parsley

Dressing

1/3 C. extra-virgin olive oil
3 T. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

For our main course I did a shrimp pasta with garlic breadcrumbs. I liked the breadcrumbs. I think the dish needed something to spice it up a bit. Perhaps some fresh lemon thyme? Or maybe the chili flakes I forgot!

Pasta with Shrimp and Garlic Breadcrumbs

4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from French bread
8 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 lb shrimp, peeled
½ C parsley chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon crushed chili flakes (I forgot to add these)
8 oz. Pasta
¼ cup pasta cooking water, reserved

Directions:

In a large pot, cook pasta in salted water. Drain the pasta and reserve 1/4cup of the cooking water for the final dish.
In the meantime, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large non stick skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and half the minced garlic. Saute until the crumbs are golden and crisp - 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil and butter in the same skillet over medium high heat and add the shrimp and the rest of the garlic. Saute until the shrimp are opaque in the middle (3-4 minutes).
Stir in half the parsley, all the lemon zest and juice and chili pepper seeds. Toss and add the cooked pasta and cooking water and half the breadcrumb mix.
Mix well

The Elk

2006-08-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

Last night my daughter and I had dinner at the Elk. We sat out on the patio, it was a little to warm but I feel like we won’t be eating outside that much longer, so why not make the most of it.
I had the Pork Tacos and Marjie had the Sante Fe Chicken, both items from the old menu.
I always enjoy the tacos and the Chicken sandwich was good too.
We ordered the Jumbo Ravioli to go for my son who was under the weather from the Tool concert at the Gorge the night before.
The service was good except it took about 25 minutes for the Ravioli to arrive.
Sometimes the service is up and down at the Elk, but I like the atmosphere and I think that appeals to a wide variety of folks.

My Favorite Pizza

2006-08-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

My favorite place for pizza has to be Bennidito’s. It’s even better when you can score a table outside and enjoy the summer weather.

Last night my friends and I started with the addictive Beer Buddies, then we did a large pie, half Original Pesto and half Florentine. It was very tasty.

They serve wine in addition to some fine tap beers.

What a great way to spend a balmy Tuesday evening!
If you visit their web site ,they have some coupons you can print off.

Hawaiian Flowers

2006-08-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

My co-worker received these beautiful flowers today. Aren’t they just gorgeous! Birds of Paradise and Ginger.
They were ordered from Hawaiian Tropical Flowers .
Next time I need flowers or if someone wants to send me flowers, this is the place!

Stir-Fry

2006-08-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

I was on vacation all last week. I spent some time around the house, at the lake and with the kids. I did not spend much time on the computer.

Last night we fixed a simple stir-fry using a stir-fry vegetable mix I picked up at The Liberty Lake Farmers Market on Saturday.

I picked up some beef to add to the vegetables and went with a Garlic Sauce from The Best Light Recipe.

Garlic Sauce

½ C. chicken broth
¼ Sake
3 T. hoisin sauce
1 T. soy sauce
2 t. cornstarch
3 t. hot chili oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ t. red pepper flakes.

First I sautéed the beef in some peanut oil, removed the beef, then added a bit more oil, then the vegetables along with some garlic and grated ginger until the vegetables were crisp- tender. Next I added the Garlic Sauce with the beef and simmered it all together for about 2-3 min.

I served it over brown rice.

David's Pizza

2006-08-03T10:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon we were visiting family up in the Gonzaga area. Afternoon turned into evening and we were getting hungry. We decided to try David’s Pizza. I usually eat at Bennidito's because it’s closer to my home and I really like it. I think David’s and Bennidito’s were once somehow related.
I am not a big beer drinker, I like it, but I usually prefer wine. I was looking forward to The Greek pizza and a glass of red wine.
I went up to the counter to order our drinks while we looked over the menu. Guess what, no wine, only beer. What’s up with that!!! I was shocked. Why wouldn’t a pizza joint serve wine? Isn’t it called a beer and wine license? Maybe collage kids just drink beer, but what about alumni and adults?

We decided on ½ Greek and ½ Da Vinci. So we drank our beer while we waited for our pizza to arrive. It arrived tasty and hot with paper plates to eat on. I don’t care for paper plates especially the cheap white thin ones we were given.
I think I will stick closer to home at Bennidito's.

Meyer's Lemony Broccoli and Chickpea Rigatoni

2006-07-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

On the menu this weekend was a very tasty Rigatoni.

Meyer's Lemony Broccoli and Chickpea Rigatoni

-adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

One 19-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into florets
1 pound rigatoni
5 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1.In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli to a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. Add the rigatoni to the boiling water and cook until al dente.

3.Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over moderate heat until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chickpea mixture and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute.

4.Drain the rigatoni, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the broccoli and chickpeas along with the reserved cooking water and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the rigatoni is coated with sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Transfer the pasta to a bowl, sprinkle with the remaining cheese

Pasta With Basil, Gorgonzola and Garlic

2006-07-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

On my way home from work I stopped at the Rocket market looking for something to make for dinner. The fresh basil looked great, so I figured I would try a pasta with Gorgonzola cheese. It turned out great; I will definately be making it again.

Pasta With Basil, Gorgonzola and Garlic

12 0z. fettucine
2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
4 oz. gorgonzola, crumbled
2/3 C. half and half
3 T. fresh basil,chopped
salt & pepper

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.

Add the pasta and boil for 10-12 minutes until al dente.

While the Pasta is cooking, melt the butter with olive oil in a pan.

Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes.

Add half the gorgonzola cheese to the pan with the half and half and stir over low heat until the cheese has melted.

Add the basil and season with salt and pepper

Drain the pasta, divide between warmed serving plates, pour the sauce over the pasta and scatter the remaining Gorgonzola cheese evenly over each dish.

Cucumber With Feta Cheese and Mint Salad

2006-07-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday night supper club’s theme was mint. I decided on this cucumber salad.

Cucumber With Feta Cheese and Mint

2 cucumbers
1 sweet onion
½ C. chopped kalamata olives
1 C. crumbled feta cheese with herbs
¼ C. chopped mint
5 T. olive oil
3 T. lemon juice
salt & pepper

Peel the cucumbers and cut them into very thin slices.
Slice onion into thin rings
Place cucumbers, onion, and olives in a bowl
Sprinkle the feta cheese on top, followed by the mint

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and pour over the salad, add salt and pepper, and mix together.

Crabby Tuesday

2006-07-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

Tuesday’s menu-Crab Pasta and salad with homemade blue cheese dressing.

Crab Pasta

Ingredients
8 oz. Whole wheat pasta
4 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 sweet onion chopped
1 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
6 oz. Fresh crab meat
Juice of 1 lemon plus lemon wedges to serve
Fresh chopped Italian parsley
Parmesan cheese

Instructions
Cook the pasta following the instructions on the pack and drain well, reserving a little cooking water in the bottom of the pan.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan and sauté the garlic, onion and crushed chilies over a low heat, until the garlic and onion have softened slightly, but not browned.
Add the crabmeat, lemon juice and parsley, season well and heat through until piping hot.
Add the pasta to the crab mixture, along with the reserved cooking water; mix well. Serve with a lemon wedges and cheese
*Note*
I was going to add ½ cup heavy cream but I forgot. Oh well, I just saved a few calories!

Homemade Blue cheese dressing
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. Season with mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in blue cheese. Cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Dog Days of Summer

2006-07-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

Summer weekend. Saturday we went to some garage sales on our way to the store from Newman Lake. Basset Rescue just happened to be at one of the sales. This is a photo of Mike (my boxer). This is a photo of Floyd (possibly my new basset)!
Isn’t he cute? I took my dogs over to meet him on Sunday and wouldn’t you know they all got along!! I just may be the new proud owner of Floyd. Are 3 dogs to many?

Fresh Puttanesca

2006-07-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

I think pasta is my favorite food. I could eat it every day. I came across a recipe for Multigrain Pasta with Olives & Grape Tomatoes on Ruth’s site “Once Upon a Feast” I added anchovies and more garlic (I like lots of garlic) to the recipe to make it into a fresh Puttanesca Sauce. It was quick, easy, and tasty.

Multigrain Pasta with Olives & Grape Tomatoes

Prep time: 15 minutes (or as long as it takes to boil the water for the pasta)
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients:
Multigrain pasta – I used a half a box
Sauce:
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tbs chopped anchovies
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 tbsp capers, drained
½ cup fresh Italian (flat leafed) parsley, coarsely chopped
Pinch dried, crushed red chili peppers
Good Parmigiano Regaggio cheese, grated
Directions:
1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt, stir and add pasta. Cook as directed for al dente (usually 8-10 minutes)

2. In a large skillet, over medium high heat, sauté the garlic and olive oil just until you get the aroma of the garlic (2 minutes or so). Add the tomatoes, olives,anchovies and capers. Toss and sauté for another 3-4 minutes.

3. Drain the pasta well and add to the skillet. Toss and add the parsley. You can either add the chilis here or let everyone add their own at the table along with the cheese.

Happy 21st birthday Torin!

2006-07-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

Last night we went out for my son's belated birthday dinner. His choice was the Spokane Wolf Lodge. We all chose the Lil’ Dude-a 12 oz Top Sirloin. It is served with a salad, the kids chose Caesar salads, and I chose the house salad with blue cheese dressing. I love their salad, it’s nothing fancy but the lettuce is nice and cool and the blue cheese dressing tangy with lots of chunks of blue cheese.
You can't go wrong with the Lil’ dude,it was flavorful and charbroiled to perfection. We all had our dude’s med. rare. I don’t think I have ever had a bad steak here and trust me I have eaten quite a few of them.
We all had baked potatoes with lots of butter, sour cream and chives. I sometimes forget how much I love a fat loaded baked potato.
We had a choise of mixed veges or baked beans. I went with the beans, kinda smoky sweet in a good way. My daughter chooses the sautéed zucchini, onions and green peppers. These veges are not my favorite. I think they're bland.
The atmosphere is kind of a 70’s dimmly lit ski lodge/ steak house.
If you’re looking for a good old steak and baked potato, check it out.

Enchilada Sunday

2006-07-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

Sunday. On the menu, my son's favorite cheese enchiladas.

Cheese enchiladas

12 corn tortillas
3 Tbsp corn oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 28 oz can tomato sauce
4Tbsp of tomato paste
1Tbsp med chili powder
1Tbsp ancho chili powder
2Tbsp chipolte in adobo,chopped
2Tbsp Spanish paprika
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red wine

1 lb of mild cheddar or longhorn or any mild yellow cheese, grated
cilantro,chopped
sour cream
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large fry pan at high heat add 3 Tbsp of oil. Add a tortilla to the pan. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift up the tortilla with a spatula, add another tortilla underneath. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift again, both tortillas, and add another tortilla underneath. Repeat the process with all the tortillas, adding a little more oil if needed. . As the tortillas brown a little, remove from the pan one by one to rest on a paper towel, which absorbs any excess fat.
Sauté the chopped onion and garlic, then add tomato sauce, tomato paste ,wine, water, and seasonings to pan. Simmer for about 30 min.
Put some olive oil on the bottom of a large casserole pan. Take a tortilla, cover 2/3 of it lightly with the shredded cheese, then roll up the tortilla and place it in the casserole pan. Continue until all tortillas are filled and rolled. Add sauce to the top of the tortillas in the casserole pan. Make sure all are covered with the sauce. If not, add a little water. Cover the whole thing with the rest of the grated cheese. Put the casserole in the oven for 20minutes or until the cheese melts.
Garnish with cilantro and sour cream.

Chicken Paprikash

2006-07-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

I received my Penzey’s spice delivery a few days ago so I decided to make Chicken Paprikash served over egg noodles. I love the taste of fresh paprika.

Chicken Paprikash

1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide
salt and pepper
2 T Hungarian sweet paprika
2 tsp. Hungarian sharp paprika
2 T.olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 14 1/2 can diced tomatoes, drained
½ C. white wine
1 cup low fat sour cream

Season chicken with 1 tsp. sweet paprika, salt and pepper. Heat nonstick pan and add half the olive oil. Saute chicken until cooked through and barely browned. Use slotted spoon and transfer chicken to plate. Add rest of olive oil to pan and add onion and garlic. Saute until just starting to soften, about 4 minutes. Add all the rest of paprika, saute 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook about 2 minutes. Add wine and turn up heat to high and boil about 5 minutes. Mix in chicken and any juice from plate. Reduce heat to low again and stir in sour cream. Simmer until just heated through (do not boil).

Cabin Fever

2006-07-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Friends, family and fun.
A few lazy days of summer spent at Newman and Liberty lakes.
Chippin’,Dippin’, Sippin’.
What could be finer?

Luna Rose Terrace

2006-06-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

We dined alfresco last evening at Luna. There was a nice breeze and all the plantings on the terrace looked great. We started with Mussels in a wine sauce. They were plump and juicy. Next Romaine lettuce tossed in lemon juice and olive oil with warm prosciutto wrapped goat cheese and Mediterranean olives-Wow!!

For the entrée we split the Pasta fungi sautéed seasonal mushrooms, shallots, herbs and white wine buttersauce over linguine with Chevre. I love the tangy taste of goat cheese.

The service was great and the food exceptional.

Ace Man

2006-06-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

Seeing Jennifer and Remi’s dog photo today reminded me of my old dog Ace. He went to doggy heaven in January. I got him when he was a pup, he was so cute. His ears were so long he would trip on them. His mission in life was food. We had to install baby locks on the low cupboards to keep him out. One time he ate an entire berry pie. He was a great dog and he lived a great life.

Leftovers

2006-06-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the leftovers from our Sunday Supper Club. I forgot my camera at work, so no photos. I liked all our dishes, and it was fun getting together again.

Here are the recipes for Quick Salsa and London Broil Marinade.

Quick Salsa:

3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained (such as Rotel)
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro, undrained (such as Rotel)
2 garlic clove
1 jalapeno chili, chopped

Place all the ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. (I just mixed by hand)
Yield: 3 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup)
Adapted from CL

Chipotle London Broil:

1 lb London Broil
1/2 Cup lime juice
4 tablespoons chipotle in adobo, minced
4 Tablespoons honey Dijon mustard
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Teaspoons cumin, ground
1Cup cilantro, chopped
Salt and fresh pepper, ground

SunChips

2006-06-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

Remi, you magnificent bastard, you’ve done it again!

Not really being much of a chip man, I was a little surprised at my response to the recent Remi discovery (see Remi Snacks #7: SunChips Garden Salsa). I hit the SunChips hard this weekend—and have never felt better (theoretically that is, once you subtract the beer, etc. from the equation). I usually feel a little queasy after chips, not this time, I just couldn’t get enough, I mean, you could live on this stuff-throw in a boiled hot dog now and then and you’ve got the food pyramid pretty much covered.

Garage sale frenzy

2006-06-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

Another garage sale hit! I racked up quite a few cookbooks-each for $1.00 or less!!! That’s a lot cheaper than buying a cooking magazine at the store. I still buy them, who can resist those tempting glossy covers just begging you to make that impulse purchase at the checkout stand.

Red Rooster Pasta

2006-06-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

I really like the “Fire Pasta” at Picabu Bistro, so I wanted to try and make it at home. I came up with this recipe after getting a few hints from their kitchen. It is different than theirs, but I was happy with my results.

2 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 –5 slices pepper bacon, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 T. Red Rooster Hot Sauce
½ C. heavy cream
8 oz. pasta
fresh parmesan to taste

Sauté bacon in olive oil until almost crisp, add garlic, as soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add rooster sauce, then stir in heavy cream, and allow to thicken slightly. Serve over your favorite pasta. Top with parmesan cheese.

Chillin' and Grillin'

2006-06-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

Fathers Day. On the menu Grilled Missouri Chicken (from the cookbook New York Times More 60 Minute Gourmet), Yukon Gold Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Green Salad with Nana’s special vinaigrette.

Saketini

2006-06-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

I love garage sales, you never know what you will find and you don’t need to spend a lot of money. Last weekend was a total garage sale score! –Lamp in the shape of a purse, T.V., old Polish cookbook, dip and chip bowl and 2 sake sets!

That got me thinking about Jennifer’s post on saketinis, so last night we tried a saketini at the blue fish. The one we tried had Cointreau orange liqueur, cranberry juice, lime and of course sake. It was a bit sweet for me. I think I will head down to Vino to get some sake to try out in my $2 sake set!! Now if only that new cheese shop was open, I could get some Limburger cheese, like Tom was talking about, to go with it.

Entourage

2006-06-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of the show Entourage and this weeks opening of season 3 was off to a great start!

Aquaman premiere night is coming up and Vince needs a date. James Woods’ guest stars -looks like he may have had a bit of cosmetic surgery.

My favorite character is ”Drama” played By Kevin Dillon; he sure looks like his brother Matt Dillon.

Pesto

2006-06-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

On my weekly lunch outing to Fred Meyer, I was looking for the ingredients for crab pasta. I found everything except they were out of the 6 oz. containers of fresh crab. I guess I could have bought the crab legs and shelled them but I was too lazy. What else could I make with some of the ingredients in my cart? Pesto!

Pesto:

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. If freezing, transfer to an airtight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

I added a bit of heavy cream.

Adapted from food network Kitchens

UPS Guy

2006-06-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

I like it when I get home from work and there is a box waiting on the doorstep. My friendly UPS guy has made a delivery, and even better it’s a box of new and used cookbooks. Here are my latest treasures to add to my cookbook collection.

Vancouver

2006-06-12T10:12:00.000-07:00

I spent this last week in Vancouver. What a fun city. Beluga whales, and downtown bears just like in spokane!

Vancouver is the largest city in the province of British Columbia and the third largest city in Canada. It's surrounded by water on three sides and is nestled alongside the Coast Mountain Range. Vancouver is home to spectacular natural scenery and a bustling metropolitan core, and boasts one of the mildest climates in Canada.

The City of Vancouver supports a wide range of destination sites — from more than 190 parks to three different civic theatres — that are interesting places to visit for tourists and residents alike. Vancouver is also home to many other sights and is networked by a comprehensive transportation system.

Dinner with Hello Kitty and Napoleon

2006-06-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

Le Cafe

2006-06-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

It’s getting towards lunchtime.
You might be thinking –I’m tired of the same old restaurants.
Well, I have just the place for you- Le Café at the Heart, as in Sacred Heart medical Center.

The prices are right, menus change daily, and there is always a salad bar if nothing grabs you on the menu. Today the special is a “Made to Order Smoked Beef-Flat bread Taco”$4.50.

Where else can you eat lunch, fill a prescription, maybe see people running around during a code, possibly hear the bells ringing when a baby is born, attend mass or pick up that perfect little gift or fresh flowers for your sweetie in the gift shop.

“I’m not your bitch, bitch !"

2006-05-30T09:56:00.000-07:00

If you’ve seen the show you know what I’m talkin’ about.

I’m so glad Harold won the “Top Chef” in the Vegas Finale! Tiffani was a bitch just like Dave said. I was pleased to see Lorraine Bracco of "The Sopranos" guest starring, helping to judge the final dishes.

Check out the T-Shirt.

Check out how Harold man handles those critters!!

Well Used Cookbook

2006-05-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

This cookbook is one I use over and over again. I bought it when it first came out.
I used the Flank Steak recipe that I brought to the last Sunday Night Supper Club.

Marinade
2T. Soy sauce
1T minced fresh ginger
1T slivered lemon zest
2t.Asian sesame oil
1clove garlic, minced (I use about 3 cloves)
1t pepper
1t brown sugar

1 flank steak (about 11/2 lbs.)

I use a Ziploc bag and marinate about 8 hrs.

Grill over High heat about 4-5 min. per side depending how you like your steak (I like mine rare)

Dinner Dogs

2006-05-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

These little pups were ready for dinner, apparently one got into the
Merlot when I wasn’t looking.

Happy Hour

2006-05-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

Last Friday-happy hour drinks with my work mates. We chose Twigs on Regal. I left work a bit early to score a seat outside, but a downpour and some thunder and lightning nixed that. The bar was already full (for a table of five anyway) so I had to take a table in the dining area. No bar tables = no happy hour prices. Oh well. I was seated up stairs where you can see the bar below, however it felt more like a banquet room. I did take a peek at the patio; it looked like it could be fun when the weather changes back to summer. Service was so-so; drinks were o.k. I’ll probably be back as we all live on that side of town.

Johnny Cakes

2006-05-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

I love the Soprano’s!!
Vito loves the Johnny cakes at Jim’s Diner.
Jim loves Vito.
Vito loves Jim-problem is ,Vito's married and a member of the mob!!!
I love my Johnny cakes with butter and real syrup!

Lucy

2006-05-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

This is our little Lucy. We picked her out at the shelter almost 4 years ago. She was just a puppy then.
I think she may be part Wheaten Terrier or perhaps Airedale Terrier. Once I had her cut in an Airedale style-let me just say she is no purebred
Airedale –not even close! She is Mike’s best friend.

2006-05-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

We fixed the BBQ!! So…we grilled Black Bean Cakes with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce from 28 Cooks.

I whipped up a quick salsa to go along side.

Quick Salsa (adapted from Cooking Light)

3/4 cup chopped red onion 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained (such as Rotel) 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro, undrained (such as Rotel) 1 garlic clove. Place all the ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. Serve the salsa with low-fat tortilla chips.

Jimmy'z

2006-05-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I had dinner this last week at Jimmy’z.

We started with the pan-seared calamari. It was a refreshing change from the usual breaded kind with just the right taste of lemon and pepperocinis.

Next Caesar salad (included with the entrees). It was a hit with my little Caesar salad critic ; I liked it too.

My daughter chose the grilled to order Jimmy’z New York Steak--Medium rare of course. She proclaimed it a hit.

I choose the Halibut Picatta, the sauce was great and did not overpower, but accented the fresh taste of the halibut.

Wow, we were just to full to eat desert, even though Emily’s blueberry cake looked wonderful—Next time I will get it to go.

The service was great and we think Andrew rocks in the kitchen.

Mothers Day BBQ

2006-05-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

What a great afternoon for a Mothers Day BBQ!

We did a honey, lime and chili marinade for chicken thighs, French style potato salad with bacon, and a simple green salad.

The gas grill pooped out on us, so we finished the chicken in the oven and it all turned out fine!

Latah Bistro

2006-05-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

I dined last evening at one of my favorite restaurants—The Latah Bistro.

I had the Pablano Prawns over pappardelle pasta with poblano pepper cream sauce. It was scrumptious.
My dinner companion chose his favorite, the Pepperoni Pizza. It was baked to perfection.

The thing I really like about the Bistro (besides the food) is the staff, they are so pleasant and accommodating. They always seem genuinely happy to see us.

I’m glad they are “closer to home”.

A Favorite Fast Food

2006-05-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite fast dinners to make after work is a pizza using frozen Vicolo pizza crust available in Huckleberry’s frozen section. Tonight I brushed the frozen shell with extra virgin olive oil , topped with some left over fontina cheese, added a sliced tomato and fresh chives from my garden. Finally, top that with some grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of olive oil. Bake at 400 for about 10-15 min. Mike likes it too!

Trillium

2006-05-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

I spotted these Trillium Flowers
at Newman Lake last weekend.

Trillium is one of many plants whose seeds are spread by ant and mice. Trillium seeds have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that attracts ants. The ants take the seeds to their nest, where they eat the elaiosomes and put the seeds in their garbage, where they can are protected until they germinate. They also get the added bonus of growing in a medium made richer by the ant garbage.

"Indian women [in North America] claimed that boiled trillium root could arouse a man's love."
—Text from "Wildflowers Across America," April 1988, National Geographic magazine

2006-05-03T15:33:00.000-07:00

Pablo Neruda -one of my favorite poets...

Ode To Wine Day-colored wine, night-colored wine with purple feet or wine with topaz blood, wine , starry child of earth, wine, smooth as a golden sword, soft as lascivious velvet, wine, spiral-seashelled and full of wonder ,amorous, marine; never has one goblet contained you, one song, one man, you are choral, gregarious, at the least, you must be shared .At times you feed on mortal memories; your wave carries us from tomb to tomb ,stone cutter of icy sepulchers, and we weep transitory tears; your glorious spring dress is different, blood rises through the shoots, wind incites the day nothing is left of your immutable soul. Wine stirs the spring, happiness bursts through the earth like a plant, walls crumble, and rocky cliffs , chasms close, as song is born. A jug of wine, and thou beside me in the wilderness, sang the ancient poet. Let the wine pitcher add to the kiss of love its own. My darling, suddenly he line of your hip becomes the brimming curve f the wine goblet, your breast is the grape cluster, your nipples are the grapes, the gleam of spirits lights your hair, and your navel is a chaste seal stamped on the vessel of your belly, your love an inexhaustible cascade of wine light that illuminates my senses, the earthly splendor of life. But you are more than love, the fiery kiss, the heat of fire, more than the wine of life; you are the community of man, translucency, chorus of discipline, abundance of flowers. I like on the table, when we're speaking, the light of a bottle of intelligent wine. Drink it, and remember in every drop of gold, in every topaz glass ,in every purple ladle, that autumn labored to fill the vessel with wine; and in the ritual of his office ,let the simple man remember to think of the soil and of his duty, to propagate the canticle of the wine. Pablo Neruda

Lucy and Dog Chow Royale

2006-04-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

Lucy on the bed-this is usually a no-no. She mostly sleeps under the bed for some reason-something to do with an unresolved conflict from her family of origin. The other photo is a typical choice offering of Dog Chow Royale. I won't list the ingredients.

Mike vs. The SpotBot

2006-04-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Mike eats too much. Then he turns into a little urpster in all the wrong places. So, time to get out the handy little cleaning bot, the SpotBot.

Result: the myth of progress is shattered once again.

Mike: 2, SpotBot: 0

Elfo's Special

2006-04-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

And now, here’s something we hope you’ll really like. THE FIRST in a series of delectable recipes adapted from the incomparable cookbook “A Treasury of Great Recipes”. The cookbook consists of recipes from restaurants Vincent and Mary Price enjoyed while on their world travels.

Elfo’s Special (Spaghetti with Shrimp and Mushrooms)

Adapted from “A Treasury of Great Recipes” by Vincent Price from Gristanti’s Restaurant in Memphis

8oz. Thin spaghetti-cooked ( I used whole wheat)
¼ C. butter
¼ C. extra vigin olive oil
4 cloves garlic-minced
1 lb. Shrimp-peeled and diced
5 lg.mushrooms-diced
salt and pepper
pecorino romano-grated

Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet, add garlic, mushrooms,and shrimp.
Cook slowly in hot butter-olive oil for about 5 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste.
Add cooked spaghetti to skillet and toss all together.
Sprinkle with pecorino romano.

Bon Appetite !!

Friends of the Farmers' Market

2006-04-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

The Friends of the Farmers' Market 2006 Spring Celebration was held this Wednesday, April 19, 2006. If you didn’t make it, you missed some mouth watering local wines and cheeses that were so good one of the vendors had to issue a cease and desist order before I cleaned him out. Of note were the soft cheeses from the Monteillet Fromagerie in Dayton—yum, now that was just about as good as it gets.

Chicken with Shallots and Mushrooms

2006-04-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

Chicken with Shallots and Mushrooms
-adapted from Intermezzo magazine

Not a Vincent Price selection (again), but really tasty and easy to make. The entree is shown with oven-grilled asparagus and mashed Yukon Gold potatoes.

1 package chicken thighs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 button or cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
¼ cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
¼ cup heavy cream or half and half
1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper
2. In a large heavy-bottomed sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium–high heat and cook chicken 7 to 10 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
3. Melt butter in the same sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add shallots and cook for 2 minutes more, until shallots turn translucent but do not burn. Add vermouth or white wine and scrape browned bits off bottom of pan; add cream and mustard. Cook until sauce has reduced by half and is quite thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Return chicken to pan briefly to re-warm. Serve chicken with sauce on top.

The House of Usher

2006-04-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

OK, so no delectable selection from the cookbook yet. But, we did watch another camp classic starring Vincent “Lord of Horror” Price, “The Fall of the House of Usher”. This is from the group of films Price did based on stories by Edgar Allen Poe—a serendipitous collaboration if I’ve ever seen one. Totally creepy and disturbing with no gore-how do they do it? The best line (done with that exemplary Price delivery but I'll have to paraphrase as I can’t quite remember the exact words): “she’s mad now, I can hear every cry she utters”. “She” was his sister, whom he had buried alive, who wasn’t just mad, but really, really furious. When she finally clawed her way out of the coffin, she got even by trying to throttle everyone in sight, at which point everything went downhill very quickly-end of story.

Vincent Price

2006-04-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

Thespian, author, gourmand, Yalie: Vincent Price was the real deal. We recently watched his classic from 1958 "The House on Haunted Hill". Well, they just don't make them like they used to—an acid vat in the dungeon, skeletons, ghosts--over the top campy fun. My favorite part occurred when the star, after getting his guests thoroughly snockered, offered up little coffins containing loaded pistols as party favors—now that guy knows how to get a party started.

Next up, a choice selection from his cookbook “A Treasury of Great Recipes”.

Caverna del Diablo

2006-04-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

Mazatlan: The Devil's Cave used to hide soldiers guarding ammunition during the revolution. Now, just your typical Mexican drunk tank.

Mike

2006-04-11T14:43:00.000-07:00

Mike-badboy, gourmand, dog about town. He is not possessed.

The Meatball

2006-04-11T14:24:00.000-07:00

Kind of like meatball tartare at this stage. Actually, we cooked it--yummy!