Archive for January, 2011

A New Look for Polenta: Perfect Crostini

Sunday, January 30th, 2011 No comments
 A New Look for Polenta:  Perfect Crostini

Shiitake Mushrooms on Polenta Crostini

I recently visited Sur La Table and found a package of Organic Polenta that was displayed with small loaf pans and a sign suggesting that you make polenta to be used for crostini.  I thought that sounded like a great variation on the standard crostini so decided to give it a  try.

I prepared the polenta as suggested on the package. I then put the prepared polenta into the small loaf pans and  refrigerated them until I was ready to make my  appetizers.  Here’s what follows:

Next, remove the loaf from the pan and thinly slice the polenta to crostini sized pieces.  You can either grill the crostini or heat them in a frying pan.  I actually used a pan made for grilling pizza because it had the ridges that would leave grill marks.  The result was perfect crostini.  In a few tablespoons of olive oil, I sautéed a  mixture of shiitake mushrooms with chopped onion, salt, pepper,  and a little thyme.  I topped my crostinis with the mushroom mixture and had a perfect little appetizer that was a bit out of the ordinary.  You can naturally create your own variations using the polenta crostini.  Next, I plan to try a mini pizza with a tomato sauce, basil and cheese.

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4 Amigos Cook the Part in Cabo: Ginger and Jack Graham share their experience

Sunday, January 23rd, 2011 1 comment
 4 Amigos Cook the Part in Cabo: Ginger and Jack Graham share their experience

Good Friends Cook Together In Cabo

The Tuscan Farmhouse Dinner in Cook the Part includes simple foods made with fresh ingredients.  Team cooking works especially well when you are vacationing with friends.  Ginger and Jack share their experience and how they improvised when ingredients were not readily available:

Karin,
We’re in Cabo with long time friends Steve and Gail.
We decided to try the Tuscan Farmhouse Dinner.
Of course, going shopping in Mexico with no Spanish-speakers and a poorly stocked kitchen made for fun.
We didn’t have Gary’s Rub.  So we made up some spices.
We didn’t have bricks.  So we just cooked bone-in chicken on the grill.
We didn’t have canned cannelloni’s so we bought white beans and soaked them for hours then cooked them for hours!
We couldn’t find rosemary.
We haven’t made the chocolate cakes yet…have the ingredients, more or less, and plan to cook tonight.
Ginger’s Overall Experience:
Cook The Part gave us a great roadmap to follow.  Despite the lack of
specific ingredients– our location fit the style of the meal, we had
pictures and directions to guide us and we each played a role in a great
meal.  Cooking together is such a fun way to engage with friends; we
started early and it lasted late into the evening.  Thanks, Karin

 4 Amigos Cook the Part in Cabo: Ginger and Jack Graham share their experience

Tuscan White Beans

 4 Amigos Cook the Part in Cabo: Ginger and Jack Graham share their experience

Chicken Under a Brick, Tuscan White Beans and Grilled Zucchini

 4 Amigos Cook the Part in Cabo: Ginger and Jack Graham share their experience

Grilled Zucchini

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The Revival of Schnitzel: Great Schnitzel at the High West Distillery and Saloon

Thursday, January 20th, 2011 No comments
 The Revival of Schnitzel: Great Schnitzel at the High West Distillery and Saloon

Chef Kevin McDonald and Chicken Parmesan Schnitzel

I grew up eating Schnitzel, pork, chicken or veal.  Then Schnitzel faded from my memory.  I recently started to spot it on menus once again, twice in Park City over the last month.  My son, Eric, told me it was on the menu at the Stone Brewery in San Diego.

Last night Gary and I shared a wonderful Parmesan Chicken Schnitzel at the High West Distillery & Saloon in Park City.  The Distillery is the first licensed in Utah since the 1870’s.

 The Revival of Schnitzel: Great Schnitzel at the High West Distillery and Saloon

First distillery licensed in Utah since the 1870's.

The food, service and ambiance were great.  When I realized how delicious the Schnitzel was, I regretted not taking a picture of it.  I discussed my dilemma with our waitress and she came out to report that the chef was preparing one just for the photograph!  So below you will see Chef Kevin McDonald and our tasty entrée.  The Schnitzel is prepared with whiskey-soaked caper berries, crispy pancetta and a beurre blanc sauce.

 The Revival of Schnitzel: Great Schnitzel at the High West Distillery and Saloon

Chicken Parmesan Schnitzel

We started with a great appetizer of a House Made Sour Dough Pretzel with a Dijon rye sauce, Whiskey Onion Soup and a Garden Salad.  All were delightful.  Thanks to Brent and Joan Jacobs for this great restaurant recommendation!

Please report any Schnitzel sightings here!

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An Accountant’s Alternative to Starbucks

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011 1 comment
latte2 300x200 An Accountant’s Alternative to Starbucks

A homemade latte at a fraction of the cost.

I love my daily Grande Nonfat Latte.  In fact, I love two or three lattes every day.  Gary matches me one for one with his espresso consumption. Our habit became very expensive many years ago as we were spending $15 per day at a minimum.  We then purchased our first espresso machine (a manual model) from Starbucks.  It came with an actual lesson!  Since then, we have evolved through several machines and find that the one offered by Costco online is a winner.  For $479 you get a fully automated machine that grinds the beans, makes your espresso and has a steamer for frothing the milk.  If you do the calculation based on our habit, it means a pay back in about 60 days (allowing for the cost of coffee beans and milk).  What’s the payback on your coffee habit?

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