Bon Appetit dinner and the (ugh) debates

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went last week to the Cook's for our Bon Appetit dinner...and one of the recipes Valene (who I call my favorite chef) served was a soup from Bon Appetit. Yesterday Valene called to ask me what my favorite soups were...since she is hosting a Halloween dinner for her kids...and I immediately said, "the soup you just fed us for dinner at your house!" It really is a 5-star recipe. (as good as the soup at the Blue Lemon!)  It was my assignment to take dessert....and I finally broke down and took a "pin-sensation."  But I have to tell you, I was a titch disappointed, it was 4-star instead of 5...but I added an ingredient that gave it an extra umph!  Everyone loved it.  Check out the recipes on the cooking blog.

www.constantgrowingamazementcooks.blogspot.com

We had a great time with the Cooks.  We had a fabulous dinner (shrimp from that shrimp shack in Hawaii...I can't remember the name, delish salad, homemade artisan bread, butternut squash and apple soup. We watched the last of the presidential debate (which just made Valene and I cranky) then the guys beat us in Hand and Foot.  Dessert kind of cheered us up......

Funeral Rolls

These funeral sandwiches are big on Pinterest right now.  Sometimes they are call trendy Ham and Cheese sliders. I actually have made them with turkey and cheese (above) so I'm sure other meats would be good.  You can make these quickly for a crowd. They have a special marinade that makes them oh-so-delicious!  My new favorite recipe.  There are several variations and I've tried to include them all.  Check them out on my cooking blog-  (see sidebar for constantgrowingamazementcooks)


For sure we'll be making these at our next Creative Cooking class which will be April 11th.


And yes, I'd like these served at my funeral.  They are that good!

Food Lust

Knock Knock-

who's there? -

Lettuce...

Lettuce who?

Lettuce in and we'll tell you!

(okay, can you tell I'm a grandma? I am great at knock-knocks and I drive my friends crazy by slug-bugging them ... since I have to keep in shape for my kiddos.)

Today I am a little bored with making my weekly to-do list . I thought, instead, I would make a cooking to- do list. Dreaming of cooking and food and recipes is my "Calgon, take me away." Well, I want the Calgon (bubble bath) as well but I do love food!

Recipes I Can't Wait to Try-

~Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Avocado Dip

~Breadsticks on a Stick- my favorite at Pizza Factory in St. George.

~Yeast Biscuits- at a wonderful serendipitious find- the Encinita Cafe- in California, we had the best breakfast I've ever had. They served biscuits and gravy...but the biscuits were more like a roll. I have several recipes I'm going to try out. ~

Vanilla Bean Butter Rum Poundcakes- they look ooey-gooey and sinful ~

Coconut Macadamia Shortbread- for my hubbie to score points

~Asparagus Parmesan- you dip asparagus in a wonderful mixture and gently sau

te it ~

Curried Halibut Steak- I'm thinking of this for our next Bon Appetit dinner. The magazine this month featured a lot of lamb recipes and I'm not sure I'm a lamb fan so I'll probably do side dishes from the magazine. I found this recipe in one of Mom's magazines "Healthy Cooking" while I was in Washington. ~

lettuce wraps. I brought home from mom's an electric food grinder (I actually sent home 4 boxes of treasures from mom. Like I needed more "stuff" but there are so many great things in those boxes!) and I'm trying to duplicate a great lettuce wrap from our local Asian Star where everything looks ground. I think we need to do lettuce wraps for our next Creative Cooking so I want to experiment.

~a peanutty turkey stir fry with edame. Another recipe I brought home from mom's.


Someone share 3 favorite things you've been cooking that I can dream about too. Or that you've eaten at a restaurant that we need to figure out how to make. Please, please, please share!

Food products I've recently discovered that make my heart go jump- 1-

Achiote seasoning (annato seed.) I mentioned this when I took a Mexican cooking class last month. I could only find it at a Mexican market. I'm anxious to make a Achiote Chicken with Black Beans recipe. 2-

Caldo de Tomate (Tomato bouillon) Pretty Patty Petty bought me some when she last came to town. I had just never noticed it before and now I see it everywhere. And while I'm on this tomato kick, I'll add tomato paste in a tube. Also learned about it in a cooking class. 3-

lemongrass. I'm on the lookout for lemongrass in a tube. I have several recipes I'm anxious to try with this (both fresh and the paste.)



Food is an important part of a balanced diet.- - - Fran Lebowitz

Kouing Aman

Several months ago I was watching The Food Network- The Best Thing I Ever Ate. I don't think I've ever watched that show before but what got my attention was the theme of "sweet and salty" or something like that. The Neelys, foodshow hosts, mentioned a restaurant in Salt Lake that I hadn't even heard of call Les Madeleines and that they served the most fabulous Kouing Aman on the planet. I didn't even know that Kouing Aman lived on the planet but today I'm addicted. Yesterday Voila! and I had lunch at Vinto's (an Italian restaurant in downtown SL that I also had never eaten at) then we headed to Les Madeleines for dessert. Voila! is my friend Valenes little sister, who we stayed with in France so she knows her Kouing Aman. Kouing Aman (how many times can I say it in this entry) is like a croissant baked in a muffin tin (so scrunched up) with a little salty caramelizing on the outside and flakey and moist and buttery on the inside. Just a little bit of French heaven. Right here in Salt Lake. I think I need them with hot chocolate each morning.

Fauladeen Cassoulet

Fauladeen
Have you ever had Fauladeen before?

I thought it was some high-falutin' French name for the dish Linda M. served to us at our writing group. I asked what it was and Linda replied, "Fauladeen's Casserole."

What she really said was "Paula Deen's Casserole."

I'm such a ditz. But forever this casserole will be called Fauladeen. I'm even going to call it Fauladeen Cassoulet. Find the recipe on the cooking blog.

So, after getting the recipe, I said to Linda, "where is the celery? There was celery in the casserole!" She laughed and said the celery was in the salad, not the casserole. Both Carolyn and I thought the celery was in the casserole and loved it. So I'll add it when I make it with spinach, not with broccoli.

Foodie Review

Oh, heart be still. What a delightful afternoon. Yesteday I got Voila! all to myself. We made a date for today over a month ago and only had to postpone once so that is a record. We had several new restaurants to choose from but I talked her into going to Ruby Rock Brewery (its sister restaurant is my new favorite in Park City.) in downtown Salt Lake. We shared a yummy warm goat cheese salad and smoked turkey sandwich.

We talked journals and poetry. I'm giving her various writing assignments and then showing her ways to turn her journal entries into poems. For today's assignment she shared her love story (I always love to hear people's love stories) and also a fun essay about the worst bakery in France. So fun! I love her sharing with me and look forward to many more. We're already planning our next adventure.

Since it was my wheels on meals day, I thought we were heading straight home. But Voila! had a detour in mind.

She asked, "So have you ever heard of Bruges Belgium Waffles?"

No, why do you ask?

She told me the whole story. In Belgium (and France) you actually have street vendors selling waffles. But these waffles are nothing like American waffles. They are actually made with yeast and are moist and yummy. The man who owns and runs this teeny, tiny shop next to Tony Caputtos and across from Pioneer Park, is actually from the medieval city of Bruges, Belgium.

Here is part of a review I found online (and afterwards, you might want to run, not walk, to Bruges. Please call me when you go so I can go with. An adventure to be sure!)

"If you’ve had ’em at IHOP, you haven’t had the real thing. At Bruges Waffles & Frites, Vandamme makes and sells the hot, yeast-raised gaufres (waffles) favored by Bruggelingen, called the Liege waffle. Supposedly created by the Prince of Liege’s cook in the 18th century, a unique aspect of the Liege waffle is that it must contain small pieces of sugar within leavened dough. It wasn’t long before the gaufre became wildly popular in the Liege region and then throughout Belgium. The Liege waffle—which has a somewhat dense texture, is golden-yellow, has a burnt-sugar crust and is typically eaten by hand—shouldn’t be confused with the Brussels waffle, which is more uniform in shape, has deeper divots, and is eaten with a knife and fork. At Bruges Waffles & Frites, Liege waffles are sold for $3 each. However, the optional toppings are more Brussels-style, and include Belgian chocolate ($1), whipped cream ($1) or fresh strawberries ($2). The basic waffle, which is irregularly shaped but roughly the size of a 45-rpm record, is available plain (slightly sweet) or with a hint of cinnamon, which is my preference. I think it probably goes without saying that a Liege waffle topped with generous amounts of dark, rich Belgian chocolate is less a breakfast item and more the sort of thing you want to bring to an orgy. But, fair warning: Once you’ve had that particular rendition of a waffle, nothing else may ever suffice. The first thing you should know about Belgian frites is that it’s as much about the fry sauce as it is about the fries. And I hate to break it to you proud Utahns, but the Belgians beat you to fry sauce long ago. In Belgium, fries are always served with a selection of mayonnaise-based sauces. Frankly, I’ve always been a little disappointed in Belgian frites, but not in the sauces. That’s because I like my fries a little thinner, with the skin intact and double-cooked—just my personal preference. The frites at Bruges Waffles and Frites are as authentic as can be: hot, crisp and served in crazy-generous portions. A “small” order ($3) is more than enough for two people to share. There’s also a medium-sized portion ($5) and a large size ($6.50), which ought to be called “ginormous” since it feeds a small army. All the frites come served in a paper cone, with one free dipping sauce (extras are 65 cents). There are seven sauces to choose from, including curry, plain mayo, aioli and—my favorite—the “Andalouse,” made with orange bell pepper, fresh basil, mustard, cayenne, Tabasco and secret seasoning. " (Ted Scheffler-City Weekly)

Neighborhood Meals

We are lucky to have a restaurant supply store in the valley (actually several) and I always try to stock up on a variety of smaller aluminum pans to take meals to people so no one has to worry about returning bowls or plates. And I love the use and toss plastic containers (although I always use them over and over.) It may not be "green" but I know the people I take dinners to appreciate not having to remember to return my dishes.

Today's meal:

Baked salmon with an herb rub

rice pilaf

dilled carrots

warm garlic bread

Jello Pudding cake


Below is the cake in one of the smaller pans. A whole cake is too much for two people to eat completely but a cake this size is perfect for two meals. I love Jello Pudding Cake. The recipe is on the cooking blog.

Journal Question

Name five snacks you enjoy in a perfect, non-weight-gaining world:
1. Frozen delights. Gelato from Citta’s or anywhere- although I am a chocolate crazy, I always order, if they aren’t out of it- Yogurt Sour Cherry. It is their top seller for a reason. Valene got me going on McDonald's $1 Hot Fudge Sundaes. She also introduced me to the ice cream bar at the Costco snack bar that is dipped in chocolate and then almonds. I think Valene is definitely a bad influence on me. And fudgesicles, banana or chocolate creamies. Okay, enough already!

2. French fries- really, I could eat french fries everyday and never get tired of them. Some people LOVE McDonald's or Wendy’s fries.....me, not at all. I love the big fresh cut ones....like at Eat-A-Burger or Hires or Astro/Crown burger. Dredged in fry sauce or ketchup. I’m not sure if I’ve told the story here. When the kids were little, in our very first home out of BYU....I was on a diet. Really, I laugh about how "big" I was then! So, my strategy was that I would tell all my friends and neighbors that I was dieting....and perhaps then I would feel the pressure to stay on it. So everyone knew. I was working on an art project when the craving hit. We only had one car then and it was with David at work. I was desperate, scavenging through all the cupboards. THEN I found them. A package of frozen french fries in the freezer. I couldn’t resist. I put a pan of oil on the stove to heat. I knew it would take a minute so I resumed my art project in the other room. Before I knew it, smoke was billowing all through the house. It was summertime and my windows were all open and smoke just started pouring out. The fire alarm in the house went off. It was screeching loud! The neighbors could hear it and see the smoke billowing out of the house and called the fire department. Pretty soon the sirens were wailing and all the neighbors came running. "What happened? What happened?" everyone wanted to know. The evidence was laying on the counter. The package of frozen french fries. They all saw. They shook their heads. The firemen rolled their eyes. The fire had melted the entire hood of my stove....plus smoke blackened all the walls and ceilings of the first floor of our home. But that was nothing compared to my public humiliation.
It was 10 o’clock in the morning.
What can I say? I’m an addict.

3. Chips. All varieties. I don’t eat them a ton...because if I did, then I would weigh a ton...but I like chips. Chips and dip. I like Ruffles. The crinkled ones. And BBQ. Even the vinegar and salt except they make my tongue go numb. I must like chips because they are a clone of a skinny french fry. Did I mention I'm a potato freak?

p.s. this is an add-on. After reading other's comments, of COURSE I need to change my mind here. Brownies. Brownies instead of chips. Brownies. I heart brownies. I crave brownies. Without a doubt, brownies over chips. Please leave out the nuts. Whenever I make brownies for dinner, David comes home the next day from work and asks, "Where did all the brownies go?" He ALWAYS does that to make me mad. I can't make brownies very often because it is BAD for my marriage!

4. Chocolate cake with a glass of cold milk. Again, I don’t have chocolate cake too much but today I did make Karla’s from the contest and it turned out fabulous. So fabulous that I’m thinking I need to have someone hide it from me. You know how you cut off a little sliver. Then later you go back and tidy up the edges. Then before you know it you’re cutting a whole other piece. But you only eat half. That’s not so bad. Then later you eat the other half, after convincing yourself that you’re only eating half. It is a vicious circle! I don’t think there is anything quite like Texas sheet cake. Heaven. Heaven. Heaven. But I have to have a glass of milk with it. I won't even get off on cream cheese frosting. Whoever invited cream cheese, I am eternally grateful. My thighs thank you.

5. Movie popcorn with butter. Or lard. Or whatever they squirt all over it that makes your hands as slippery as a greased pig. Gayle Miller is a friend so I have it on good authority that they use real butter on their popcorn at their theaters. No lardy imitation stuff on Miller corn. Even though home/microwave popcorn has come a long way, nothing beats movie popcorn. Well, until my husband said to me once, "Doesn’t popcorn just float around in your stomach on top of the pop until it makes you sick?" Well, it didn’t until he mentioned it. But now it kind of does.

6. Watermelon. Well, hello!!! I actually have a healthy addiction. I think I honestly could eat a whole watermelon in two days by myself. It has to be good and sweet. I love to chunk it up and graze all day on it. When I get bored, I sprinkle a little salt on some to jazz it up. I grew up salting my watermelon and cantaloupe. Now, not so much.

Here's a picture of me when I was just a little seed.

Gradually I grew but never outgrew my love of watermelon.


This is the dress I always dreamed of having. It was one of the tragedy's of my teenage years that I didn't get one. But at least I had legs. Does this model?


This is a self-portrait making my famous watermelon face.

This is what my face looks like when I've eaten watermelon all day.

This is what I expect to look like in my old age.

Look at the big smile on my face.