Weekend Adventures.

What a beautiful weekend!  The weather is gorgeous and thankfully I've had a completely "unscheduled" couple of days to enjoy it.  Good food, lots of laughter and great company. 

Yesterday we wandered over to the Clayton Art & Wine Festival with a friend and found ourselves quickly immersed in beer soaked bliss.  Clayton is a little pleasantville town tucked into the base of Mount Diablo, teeming with families and a lovely little historic square.  It's a blended sort of wild west modern yuppie haven that once or twice a year throws a decent party, chalk full of arts and crafts, a wide beer selection and this year, a pretty good wine assortment.  In years past we've been a little disappointed with selection of beverages, but it seems someone finally got on board and amped up the quality of happy juice available.  Now let me see... I'm trying to remember the list of participants that we came across-- unfortunately the city of Clayton did not provide a vendor listing online, so I'm going off of memory here (believe me, I know I'm forgetting a ton)...

Shock Top
Widmer
Longboard Lager
Budweiser
Firestone
Hoegaarden
Sierra Nevada
Anchor Steam
Black Diamond
Chateau St Michelle
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Flasq
Villa Mt Eden
Unruly Red
Nicholas Fuilette
Dancing Coyote
Concannon Vineyard

Like I said, the list is much larger, but those are the vendors I noticed right off the bat, pretty good in my opinion.  In general, the festival was similar to most others, with local craftsmen selling their wares and your typical run of the mill carnival food.  The thing that sets the Clayton festival apart from other local events is the good old fashioned home town feel that the town square, park and local businesses provide.  Places like Moresi's Chophouse, Skipolini's Pizza and Ed's Mudville Grill cater to the people, inviting guests to sit back, relax and take in the bustling scenery while enjoying a bite to eat or a pint of beer.  The festival occupies the majority of downtown Clayton, parking is free and for $20 you get a wine glass or pint glass and three drink tickets.  Not too shabby in my book.  Beer is the more cost efficient way to go if you ask me, you get an entire pint full of frothy goodness, while with wine you are limited to a small 2 ounce pour.  We were very happy to see that more wineries were involved this year- they even added a premium wine tent for those of you searching for a more "refined" beverage, although it'll cost you two tickets for a taste.  The entire event is kid and pet friendly (so many pooches!), but beware, it gets VERY hot out there so come prepared with shades, sunblock and if you're toting a furry friend with you, a water bowl.

As I sit and write this it occurred to me that I probably should've spoken up on Friday about it.  The festival runs through the weekend and will be ending shortly unfortunately, but keep it in mind for next year.  A good time was had by all, and for heaven's sake, the sunshine and friendly faces lining the streets were reason enough to feel completely happy.

Hope you all had a great weekend out there as well...
B      

P.S.  The above photo was taken right at the start of the event, thus the vacant streets.  The hubby wanted a shot of the cool old town cop car.

Oh My Goodness.

Ok, I admit it, I am very ahead of myself on this one, but c'mon!  I want to relax and enjoy the weekend just as much as the next person.  It being Friday and all, I was trying to figure out a way to use up all of my foodie finds from this past shopping excursion- it's my goal to never let anything I purchase go to waste, of course.  We have a busy next couple of days coming up, so I thought I'd get this meal down on paper, er, computer screen, as soon as I had it prepped.  I was left with fresh salmon, a giant head of cauliflower, a bushel of brussel sprouts and some mighty fine looking shitake mushrooms.  Not bad after an entire week.  Can't wait to taste it!!

*Broiled Salmon filets with Shitake Butter*
1 lb. fresh, farm raised salmon
1 lemon
Salt & pepper to taste

I broil my salmon on a broiler pan in the oven.  For those of you unfamiliar, broiling is to cook by direct exposure to radiant heat.  Most home ovens have this setting- it allows for you to basically "grill" inside your home, with the process going much quicker than firing up the bbq.  Clean your salmon, and place directly on broiler pan.  Make small, 1 inch slices in the thickest part of the salmon and insert a slice of lemon.  I do only two pieces in each.  Place salmon in oven on "broil" and cook for 15 minutes.

**Shitake Butter**
1 lb. fresh shitake mushrooms
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
Sea salt

Wash and stem mushrooms, break into pieces and place in bowl.  I used my mini food processor for this next step, but a blender or really fine dicing will do.  Melt the butter in a small bowl in your microwave and set aside.  Pour mushrooms into food processor and add melted butter.  Grind on high.  Repeat until mushroom all mushrooms have been ground.  The butter cools as you grind, creating a sort of paste with the mushrooms.  Add sea salt to taste.  Transfer paste to serving bowl.  You can either spread it on the salmon the last five minutes it's cooking, or use it on the side.

*Mashed Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic*
1 large head of fresh cauliflower
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 stick of unsalted butter

Clean and break apart your raw cauliflower and place in large, lidded pot with steamer rack.  Steam cauliflower for 20 minutes on high or until tender- test with fork.  Transfer cauliflower from steampot to large glass mixing bowl.  Place butter in small dish and melt in microwave for 30 seconds.  Add to cauliflower.  Dice garlic into small pieces and place in small saucepan on high.  Saute the garlic until golden brown, remove and pour into cauliflower.  Next, use a masher or fork to "mash" the cauliflower.  In the end, the cauliflower should resemble mashed potatoes.  Transfer to baking dish, place in oven at 350 degrees and bake for 15 minutes.  Delish!

*Baked Brussel Sprouts au Gratin*
1 lb of brussel sprouts, washed with stems removed
1/4 cup of milk
1 cup of fromage blanc cheese or other soft cheese of choice
Olive oil

Steam brussel sprouts for 20 minutes on high, using a large lidded pot and steamer basket.  Once steamed, pour into a large baking dish greased with a small amount of olive oil.  Add cheese of choice and milk, stirring well.  Place baking dish in oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Add salt & pepper to taste once served.


This entire meal was incredibly easy to prepare, although I cheated by using electric devices for help.  Not everyone has a food processor, but I hope that you can find a way to use your imagination if not.  That's all I do, really.  Chopping by hand is actually more fun and gives the meal an authentically hand made feel, which is lovely.

I can't wait to fire up the oven and enjoy the rewards of my inventive meal tonight.  I plan on eating, relaxing and basking in the blooming backyard amidst this fine, sunny weather.  When the wind dies down, the umbrella goes up and it's dining "al fresco" for me and the hubbs.  Beautiful.

Best wishes for a happy Friday,
B    

Fancy Indeed.

Dinner last night was exceptionally basic, quick and tasty.  I was running a little behind due to a previous engagement but was able to whip this meal up pretty quickly once I arrived back home.  There's something comforting about meatloaf.  It's the familiar, belly-filling warmth of a down-home cooked meal that appeals to me... I can't resist. We're not talking your stereotypical mom's fallback last minute type lump of meat in a baking dish with breadcrumbs kind of meatloaf- I got a little creative this time and the results, I assure you, taste nothing like mom's.  Earlier in the week I purchased two of the biggest artichokes I've ever seen (the size of soccer balls, I swear) at the Concord Farmer's Market for the low, low price of $6.  These things are so big I figured we couldn't finish both of them in one sitting, so I sliced just one in half to steam and serve along with a bushel of sauteed white button mushrooms.  We ate the entire meatloaf, so that's got to mean something right?  Right.  Mmm Mmm good.

*Fancy Meatloaf*
1 lb. locally raised organic 95% lean ground beef
1 egg
1 tbsp. red chili pepper, chopped finely
1 clove garlic
1 bulb shallot
1 cup rolled raw oats
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. fresh parsley
olive oil

Place beef into large mixing bowl and set aside.  Chop chili pepper, garlic, shallot and parsley- add to beef.  Pour raw oats and honey into bowl as well.  Crack whole egg into beef mixture.  This is where it gets fun- use your bare hands to blend entire concoction until thoroughly mixed.  Take 4x12 loaf pan and lightly grease with olive oil.  Remove beef from bowl and press into loaf pan, taking caution to keep beef a level height throughout pan (for even cooking).  Place in 375 degree oven for 40 minutes.  When time is up, let meatloaf stand for five minutes before slicing and serving.

*Steamed Artichokes*
1 or 2 large globe artichokes

Remove stem at base of artichoke and discard.  Cut pointy, sharp thorns off of leaf tips using a pair of kitchen shears.  Slice artichoke in half from tip to bottom.  Place in a large stock pot along with a steamer basket and just enough water to peek through bottom of basket.  Place tight lid on pot, bring water to a boil and let steam for 25 minutes.  Serve with clarified butter.

*Sauteed Button Mushrooms*
1 lb. of farm grown white button mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp cracked pepper
Olive oil

Rinse mushrooms of debris using a colander and cold water, drain and pat dry.  Pour olive oil into large skillet and turn heat on medium.  Chop garlic into fine pieces, add pepper and garlic to skillet.  Pour mushrooms into skillet and increase heat.  Mushrooms will start to cook after about 3 minutes, saute until golden and shiny, about 10 minutes.  Serve with meatloaf.

*Tomato Paste* (if preferred on top of meatloaf)
2 vine ripe tomatoes
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

This is basic.  Slice and dice tomatoes.  Place in medium mixing bowl along with olive and salt/pepper.  Take a fork or masher and squish tomatoes into a fine mush (a food processor or blender works great for this as well).  Remove, add salt/pepper to desired taste and serve with meatloaf- a great alternative to ketchup!


After all of this cooking and eating this week, I am very much looking forward to a weekend of fun festivities, friends and laughter.  Perhaps a bicycle ride or two as well.  Cinco De Mayo is this weekend, so there's got to be celebration in store somewhere!  I hope all of you enjoy the beautiful weather as well, get out there, have a blast and EAT!

Cheers,
B        

 

Delicious.

Last night, we celebrated pork and it's deliciousness.  Herb pork loin with balsamic hollandaise, wilted garlic spinach and twice baked fromage blanc mashed potatoes.  This meal took a while to prepare, but it was well worth the effort.  The hubby is always open to new things, but he pretty much loves everything I throw together or "come up with."  He's always asking, "how did you come up with this?"  My answer is usually the same, "I dunno, it just sounded good so I tried it."  I think that's the best part of experimental cooking.  I'm no chef, but at least I try.  If it ends up being a totally weird dish, I usually pick at it and pass along my leftovers to him- he happily finishes the meal off without negative remarks.  Not that he'll eat just anything, but I'm much more finicky than he is.  To him, if there's meat and some sort of sauce (especially if the sauce is made with wine), some well cooked veggies and a decent starch, he's a happy camper.  In my eyes, he's the perfect taste tester for new foods.  Needless to say, he didn't get any leftovers from my plate last night.  I was completely immersed in my dinner and ate the whole darn dish.  It ended up being a decent evening meal, even if the dog sat drooling pressed up against me for the duration of it...

*Herb Pork Loin with Balsamic Hollandaise*
1.5 lb. whole pork loin
2 tbsp. S&S Sauce Brand "Peppercorn" rub (www.sandsbrand.com)

This is easy.  Roll pork loin in rub (I used a sheet of tin foil to contain the mess) so it is completely covered, brush off any excess.  Place rubbed pork loin in baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Meat temperature should be 160 degrees when done.  Slice and serve with sauce.

*Balsamic Hollandaise* (the easy way, because I'm terrible doing it the regular way)
2 eggs
2.5 sticks of unsalted butter
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
sat & pepper to taste

Fill blender with HOT water and set aside.  In small saucepan, warm butter until completely melted, add balsamic.  Empty blender, crack eggs into blender and turn on low.  While blender is still running, pour melted butter quickly into egg mixture and raise speed of blender until a light foam is created.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Use this to pour over pork loin slices.

*Wilted Garlic Spinach*
1 bunch farm fresh spinach leaves, washed, stemmed and whole
1 clove garlic
salt to taste

Peel and dice garlic, place in unheated skillet.  Turn heat on medium, as the skillet heats up, the spinach will start to "wilt", which takes about 5 minutes.  Spoon flip spinach to cook evenly.  Garlic will cook, but will not caramelize.  After 5 minutes, spinach should be almost completely "wilted"- it is now ready to serve.  Add salt to taste.

*Twice baked Fromage Blanc Potatoes*
1 lb. red potatoes, skin on, chopped into quarters
1 cup of milk
1/2 pint Fromage Blanc cheese or cream cheese (www.orlandfarmstead.com)
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
salt & pepper to taste

Cut potatoes (skin on) into quarters and place in large pot of boiling water.  Boil until soft (stab with fork to test tenderness).  Drain potatoes of water, leave in pot once drained.  Mash potatoes in pot with masher or fork.  Add butter, milk, cheese and salt/pepper.  Mix thoroughly.  Transfer potato mixture to large casserole dish and place in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  I completed the potatoes 20 minutes into the pork loin baking, so I just popped them right in the oven along with it for the last 20 minutes. 


Again, this meal takes planning and time...  I prepared the pork loin first, the potato dish second, the spinach a few minutes before the pork would be ready to eat and left the hollandaise as the very last task.  The result was a hearty, fulfilling meal that I will be making again in the future. 

The hubby went back for seconds, but it turns out his eyes were bigger than his stomach.  When this happens, we usually do what everyone with a dog is told *not* to do.  We give it to the dog.  I swear, our pug will be a connoisseur of fine foods by the end of this month.  He'll eat anything and everything.  Except pickles.  He does not like pickles, but he is happy to help with the dishes any day of the week :)

Happy Thursday!
B

P.S.  Argh! Forgot pictures again!! Must. Remember. Tonight.

Mid Day Snackies.

And now, my friends, it's time for a midday snack...  I make this often enough, as an afternoon treat or as a precursor to dinner.  Insalata caprese, aka Caprese salad. A simple salad from the Italian region of Campania.  A tummy pleasing dish made of fresh buffalo mozzarella (or as they say in Italian "mozzarella di bufala"), organic basil leaves straight off the stalk and vine ripe tomatoes seasoned with salt and olive oil.  Some versions add a dash of balsamic vinegar as well, if you prefer the taste.  I like to make mine shove-straight-in-your-face-size for easy consumption.  This is typically served as an antipasto, but sometimes I'll eat a dish for lunch just for kicks.  Sooooo good.  The prep is simple...

2 vine ripe tomatoes
1 container of buffalo mozzarella (they come in racquetball size orbs.)
1 stalk of fresh basil, leaves torn off
Olive oil & salt/pepper to taste

Remove cheese from saline/water solution and pat dry.  Slice mozzarella into 1/2 inch thick pieces and place on serving dish.  Tear off single leaves of basil and place one leaf on top of each mozz slice.  Slice tomato and repeat.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt (I use cracked pepper as well) and ta-da!!  Instant afternoon yums.

If you are wondering where to find buffalo mozzarella, try Trader Joe's.  It can also be found in most fine food grocery establishments.

Mangia!
B

 

Too Much Time On My Hands.

Darn! 

I would've photographed the meal I made last night, but I was distracted by all of the fun.  It was so... Pretty.  In an "I love food so much I gotta eat it all right now kinda way", of course.  Early in the day I got it stuck in my head that some sort of Asian inspired meal sounded delicious (you know how that goes).  Since we are limiting our current diet to fresh foods, I anxiously pondered how I was going to pull off this style of cooking with what little supply wiggle we have to work with.  In an attempt to come up with tasty goodness using all of my recent foodie finds, I somehow managed to actually create a flavorful, satisfying couple of dishes.  When I'm out shopping, I try to think of the tastes I enjoy in foods and how to incorporate those flavors-- sometimes it works, sometimes it does not.  This time, the result was a salty, fiery mix of Chinese/Japanese/Hawaiian influenced foods that both the hubbs and I devoured.  Literally.  So good, if only I had remembered a bottle of sake or a couple of Tsingtao's to round out the meal.  Check it out, all 3 recipes are quick and easy (for you gun-shy wannabe cooks out there), so give them a try and enjoy.  I especially love the tuna poke, so simple and yummy, I could eat it everyday. 

*Seaweed Salad*
3/4 ounce dried wakame seaweed
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. finely grated ginger
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Soak seaweed in warm water for 5 minutes and then remove, pat dry.  If seaweed is not already cut, slice into 1/2 inch wide strips.  In separate bowl, mix together all other ingredients except sesame seeds until thoroughly blended.  Add seaweed to liquid mixture and toss.  Serve with toasted sesame seeds on top.

*Ahi Tuna Poke* (pronounce po-KAY)
2 lbs. fresh ahi tuna, sushi grade of course, cubed or sliced thinly
1 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup chopped scallions
2 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tbsp. crushed red pepper

Basically combine all of the above ingredients in a large glass bowl, mix well and let chill 2 hours before serving.  I used small rice bowls, appetizer size, with a dab of wasabe for kick for serving.

*Sticky Honey Crusted Chicken* (serve over fresh chow mein noodles)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into large bite size chunks
8 oz. dark, raw all natural honey (we used the Napa blend from www.bayareabeecompany.com)
2 tbsp. sriracha hot chili sauce, Rooster sauce as most people know it.
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Clean and chop your chicken breasts, place pieces into large bowl.  Add above remainder of ingredients to chicken pieces, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.  Pour panko crumbs into large ziplock bag and set aside.  Remove chicken pieces and place into panko bag gently.  Once all are in, zip bag and shake (yes, just like Shake-n-Bake).  Use about a tablespoon of sesame oil in a large skillet on high, place panko chicken in oil and cover for about 15 minutes, stirring only twice.  Chicken should be good and done by then, have your chow mein noodles ready to top off with some zesty, crispy chicken bits.  Yum!


Whew, that was a lot of instruction... Now it's time for me to start prepping dinner for tonight.  We're having herb roasted pork loin with a sauce along the lines of a darker, deeper hollandaise, red potatoes mashed with Fromage Blanc from www.orlandfarmstead.com, and some fresh greens, spinach I believe, wilted with a clove of garlic.  I'll make sure to take pictures this time around :)

Enjoy the day,
B

P.S.  If you are having trouble finding any of the above ingredients, check out your local Asian Market!



 

Market Madness

Today I visited my local farmer's market, as I do every Tuesday.  This one happens to be in Todos Santos Plaza in Concord- it runs on Tuesdays from 10-2pm and Thursday evenings from 4-8pm.  I love picking up as much as I can from the market because the selection is insane, the flavor that comes from the produce tops all store bought product and the prices are ridiculous.  Today I gathered the following in my basket, spending a minimal $30...

1 cluster of organic vine tomatoes
2 bunches of green onions
1 pound of red potatoes
1 HUGE head of cauliflower
2 of the biggest artichokes I've ever laid eyes on
1 pound of brussel sprouts
1 bunch of fresh spinach
1/2 lb. bag of mixed organic greens
1 bunch of basil on on the stems
1/2 lb. of crimini mushrooms
1/2 lb. of white mushrooms
1/2 dozen organic extra large brown eggs
1 clump of radishes
1 bulb of garlic
6 bulbs of shallot
3 sweet limes
1/2 bag of our new favorite beef jerky from www.mamamiasbeefjerky.com

Needless to say, I left pretty darn satisfied (and my bike basket was stuffed.)  The one thing I'll mention is that the market is lacking a meat/poultry/fish vendor.  That would be ideal, but I imagine the logistics are probably pretty complicated.  Here's the link to the Concord Farmer's Market so you can check out the vendor listings and concerts that will be happening all summer.

I've recently discovered Ranch 99 Market.  This market is located in the Park-n-Shop center on Willow Pass Road in Concord.  It is, by far, the most mind-boggling Chinese supermarket I've ever walked into.  A friend recommended that I try shopping there for hard to find spices, noodles and oils.  The first time I visited I was searching for fresh fish.  Boy, did I find it.  Their selection of fish, meats and poultry makes every other grocery store pale in comparison.  Also, take a walk down their spice aisle... More than you could possibly imagine.  Today I purchased sushi grade tuna, chicken breasts, fresh seaweed salad, authentic chili sauce, chow mein noodles, high end soy sauce and sesame oil to use in my dinner dishes this evening.  What a treat!  All fresh and ready to prepare.

Day one of "Fresh Food Only" month has proven to be quite satiating.  I'm looking forward to cooking tonight and the rest of this month... More to come tomorrow!!

Best,
B