Bon Appetit !!!

Love our Bon Appetit nights with Valene and George Cook!  Valene's my favorite cook (I call her Chef Valene)-  that's funny, I have Valene who is a cook Cook and my dearest college BFF who is a Farmer/Farmer!  Maybe I should be a Will/Will-Yums!  Because I do love me some YUMS!

Back to Bon Appetit.

(and I didn't take very many pictures but I have them on the cooking blog)

Shrimp and Cucumber Salad with a Dill Vinegrette  (I think my favorite dish of the night.  I'm craving it as I type.)

 

Smoked Salmon Rolls





















Sourdough bread

Main Course:

Spice rubbed Chicken Breast (Valene did thighs)

Lemon Pistachio Pilaf

Fresh Corn on the Cob

Bake Fresh Tomatoes with Mozzerella

Riced Cauliflower with a Chutney topping

I made a fresh Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd and Raspberries

As always, our conversation is so fun and uplifting.  We always end with cards- Hand and Foot.  The guys beat again which is okay since Valene and I were pretty ruthless harassing George (who puts down his cards methodically.  Valene had told him earlier in the day, at Costco, with their fast pace- "George, you could never work here."  Brutal!  But he is smart and wonderful.)

Cowboy Bon Appetit

Last night was our Bon Appetit dinner with the Cook's.  I was in charge of the meal and Valene dessert.  I decided to make a Gourmet Cowboy dinner.....all the things a cowboy would eat but fancier!

I made:

Braised Short Ribs with a Bacon, Pineapple and Cilantro topping (killer!)

 

 

 

 

Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes from Williams Sonoma (the Gruyere cheese just makes it!)

BBQ Green Beans- who would have thought?  Delish!

And the Caprese Salad with Fruit and Browned Butter Balsamic Reduction I made for our Oh La La dinner.

 

Valene brought a Black Bottomed Strawberry Pie that was killer.

 

Cowboys rule!  Love Valene and George!  Girls beat in Sequence!

 

Recipes on the cooking blog!

Bon Appetit Italia!!!!

 Okay, I might mention that sometimes it's pretty great to be me!  On Bon Appetit evening it is for sure!  Chef Valene hosted this time and chose all her recipes from an 2010 Bon Appetit magazine.  The recipes are all from a province in Italy.  I don't think you could have found a more fabulous meal anywhere! 

 

The starter course was Rustic Spinach and Cornmeal soup.  Yum!(and warm sourdough bread.)

 Butternut squash gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter.  Truly, died and gone to heaven....

Two additional sides accompanied the main dish-  Braised red cabbage with vinegar (I could have eaten the whole bowl.  We call it Rotkohl at our house- German for red cabbage)

 Skillet Turnips and Potatoes with Bacon ( turnips- who knew?  So tasty!!!!)

 
 and the main dish was Roasted Pork Loin with Rosemary (actually with a vegetable reduction.)
 

 My contribution was pretty pathetic next to that magnificent meal.  I was striving for a Pecan Pie bread pudding.  David insisted I try it the night before...and I'm glad I did.  I didn't love it at all.  But I was stressed and knew I would be gone all the next day until meal time- so I stirred up a Pecan Pie filling and just stirred it in to the bread pudding.  I didn't know how it would be the next day so I hurriedly looked up another Pinterest recipe- Brownie Pecan Pie Ooey Gooey Butter Cake.  I actually served both but truly, I was so full from dinner, and so stressed (another story) that I couldn't really tell if I loved either dessert. 

It might take me a day or two but  recipes will soon be on the cooking blog!  Beware, you will feel the gnocchi slowly sliding on your hips.....

Always a wonderful evening with Valene and George- love these dear friends!

Bon Appetit on Steriods!

Last night we had Bon Appetit at the Cook's.  Valene cooked an amazing Mediterranean dinner (from a Bon Appetit 2004).  Just over the top!  Just look at these pictures!

White Bean Puree with Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Pita Slices

 Skewered Rosemary Shrimp with Mint Pesto

Mediterranean Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Herbs and Asparagus

 

 

 Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Gratin

 

 

  My offering for dessert paled in comparison.  Magic Layer Lemon Cake with Raspberries

 

Recipes forthcoming on the cooking blog!!!

Bon Appetit Wellington

Yum!  Last night we hosted Bon Appetit with the Cooks.  I get so excited thinking about and planning the menus and cooking!  Crazy, I know.  Thankfully Valene is the same way!

Last night I served:

Mini Beef Wellingtons

Nordstrom's Pear and Walnut Salad

Spiral Sweet Potatoes with Warm Sage Butter Sauce

and Mashed Potato Wild Rice Stuffed Mushrooms

Valene brought a wonderful apple tart with homemade caramel sauce and whipped cream.

 

Too much wonderful!!!!

Recipes on the cooking blog or forthcoming.

Party On!

We've had some good Cook time this weekend.  Saturday night was friend Gail Miller's birthday party for her husband, Kim.  Kim is such a great guy and a funny guy.  I am so glad they have found happiness after the deaths of their respective spouses.  Kim was a law partner of David's so we knew him "before and after."

Gail held the party in the Vivant Center (former Energy Solutions/former Delta Center...)  Think VIP dining- fabulous décor (fancy western)- foods prepared by the special events people. They had put together a great presentation of "This is Your Life" with Steve Brown- a local sports announcer MC-ing.  Love Gail and Kim.  Had a great evening.

Funny stories were told.  My favorite Kim story was from years ago.  The firm had their annual golf tournament at Park City.  Beautiful homes and condos surround the course.  Kim teed off and put his shot right through someone's picture window.  He set off to speak to the owners.  When he got back in a few minutes, everyone wanted to know what they said.  He said they weren't home ...but he took one of his business cards and wrote on it "You have my golf ball.  I want it back!" and threw it through the broken window!

We picked up Cooks to go- and met in the parking lot another of David's former partners- Mike Carlston and his wife Linda. The girls all hit the powder room as soon as we got there.....and when I started to exit....Linda grabbed me and said, "Wait!"  I had a 6 foot long string of toilet paper hanging from my pants!!!!!  Linda, Valene and I laughed and laughed.  We could hardly stand.....

I'm sending them a note today with some tp- saying "it was fun to hang with you...."

So that set the mood for a great time!

Last night was Bon Appetit at the Cooks (my favorite restaurant.)  It was my turn to do the dessert so I was in heaven all day cooking.  I had difficulty choosing between 2 recipes but Sunday evening, we went over to Nick and Cari's for a fireside- and Cari went overboard on desserts.  One knocked my socks off- an Almond Blueberry Shortbread   I was sold!  It is decadent and delicious.  Recipe and others from the dinner on the cooking blog.

So- Valene made a lovely spring roll topped with a peanut butter hoisin sauce for an appetizer and a zippy Rainbow slaw (a touch of maple syrup-amazing!) for the salad, strawberry something icy to drink, home baked rolls, roasted vegetables with cotija,  and a grilled beef tenderloin with chimichurri sauce that was OVER THE TOP!!    I can't wait to make it.  It was 5 -star!!!!

Some days my life is pretty normal.  Some days it is mighty fine!!!!!

Bon Appetit South of the Border

We hosted the Cooks over for Bon Appetit a few weeks ago and I served Mexican Brunch.

Brie and Veggie Breakfast Strata
Scrambled Egg Breakfast Tostadas with Caramelized Onions and Herbed Goat Cheese
Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes (a Cheesecake Factory Knock-Off)
Mexican Fruit Salad

All the recipes are already on the cooking blog except the Mexican Fruit Salad is new and one of my NEW favorites!!!!!!  Easy and delicious. 

Life is too short for self-loathing and celery sticks....

Foodies

 I love creative Visiting Teaching.  Hortencia and I both love sugar cookies.  I told her we needed to find the best in town.  Those we thought were the best (Kneaders) didn't measure up.  Last month we drove all the way to Lehi and  American Fork-  Swigs ( in Lehi) and also  Pulse (in American Fork.)  I also tested Straws here in Sandy. (Swigs, Pulse and Straws also feature mixed drinks like Dirty Diet Coke.  I love pomegranate/Dr. Pepper.  Oh, and the Raspberry Pina Colada Dr. Pepper.)  Our test results came in that all three cookies tasted the same....the only difference was in the frosting...some had more cream cheese or vanilla or almond (and Pulse chills theirs.)   We actually think Smart Cookie may be our favorite (Sandy.)  We both think maybe we're cookied out....but now I'm craving hard, thin sugar cookies.  David made the comment he couldn't believe we'd drive all that way (20 miles each way) to check out sugar cookies.  I told him, "You know, it's totally not about the cookies."   Love H.!  I'm trying to think of our next adventure.  (Hungry Bear in Tai Pan has great cookies as well.)

Last month was also our Bon Appetit dinner at the Cooks.  Valene was in charge of the main courses.  She took them all from the Bon Appetit magazine July 2014 on Grilling.

 She made a yummy cold Green Gazpacho soup-

 a  minted lemonade slush

Mint and Cumin-spiced Lamb Chops

 Grilled Zucchini with Walnuts and Herbs- also grilled corn on the cob

and my favorite- Smashed fingerlings with Jalapenos.  (Valene used red potatoes)



I made the dessert.  Lime and Raspberry Bars With A Coconut Crust

Can I say delicious fare????  Recipes forthcoming on the recipe blog.

If that wasn't enough,  last week was Bucket at Zella's.  We celebrated breakfast and had Becky Lowe- who represents the dairy council and is a weekly cooking guest on Studio 5. (a local  KSL show.)

Zella made a couple of delicious breakfast quiches.  I've posted the one before (served with guacamole and sour cream and salsa) but the other was a peaches and cream quiche that was new and I loved!  

Too much good stuff!!!

Winnie the Pooh and Piglet:

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.”

Bon Appetit- Middle Eastern Style

Last night we finally had (after several, several cancellations) our Bon Appetit dinner.  I was anxious to make a Middle Eastern dinner after falling in love with Mussakan at Layla's Restaurant.  It is the Lebanese sandwich that I also shared at Creative Cooking.

 I also made the Spinach Salad with Warm Mango Chutney dressing.  Love this salad.  Full of greens, hard boiled eggs, bacon and dried cherries.  I also previously shared this at Creative cooking.

I didn't get a picture of the flat bread I served.  We actually made them for Memorial Day as well.  One of my favorite new discoveries is a honey goat cheese.  I couldn't find it at the market I went to yesterday so I just mixed my own and it turned out well.  Take flat bread and spread the honey goat cheese over.  Top with caramelized onions.  I make a reduction of balsamic (raspberry or pomegranate ) vinegar....cook it down to thicken it...it just takes a few minutes (don't walk away from the stove!)...and drizzle it on top.  We did it on the grill for Memorial Day...but the flat bread burned.  So, place it on tin foil on the grill or a pan...and bake it until the cheese is soft and gooey.  Last night I did it in the oven.  I could eat these every day....

My other new find at the Mediterranean store, The Black Cherry, was this pomegranate syrup.  I just mixed it with water to desired strength and lots of crushed ice.  When we were in Turkey (and Cypress) a few years ago, I was amazed at all the pomegranate juice stands.  I love, love, love this drink.

Valene was in charge of dessert.  She made a Strawberry-Elderflower Cake with fresh flowers on top.  So beautiful and delicious.  The recipe was in the last Bon Appetit magazine....but all recipes can be found on the cooking blog.