tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72646679849956782672024-03-05T08:05:38.908-08:00Salted SpoonReddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.comBlogger203125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-69140273453320253982022-02-10T08:38:00.002-08:002022-02-10T08:38:38.501-08:00Quick and Easy Gnocchi in Creamy Tomato and Spinach Sauce<p>I will say, I am sometimes really really good at pinch hitting.Which is funny because I am an obsessive planner who, when thrown a curve ball has a tendency to just have a wee bit of a freak out. </p><p>I also am apparently a slow learner because I need to recognize that the idea of that guy I married having the time to make handmade pasta after work is just going to make the universe laugh at you. </p><p>It's been busy around here... mostly for him. So, last night Pasta alla Norma was out, dear god what do we have in the fridge that I can scramble together a meal with without having to defrost anything was in. </p><p>And this is why I keep a pack of shelf stable gnocchi in the pantry at all times. </p><p>These measurements are a little loosey goosey, but you get the idea. Adjust to taste! If you are using shelf stable gnocchi, you can cook that while the everything else is going, just start the water boiling when you start cooking the onions and the timing should be perfect.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8JuU7nQoer1BGPSm49Fh2LuDvYuRj_0ieEC0oQtNJ_wJjcrS_lUWWe0qG1Gj3mWVyOGgriJ9aspSPZKbHNBwJZRY7hujBADWrqWoiba9iLNq7bZindx7DD4Ez_0aAi1Q__8Phx71XBxGyUxn3stLGdFE3mbKRnKe9fy01aohW6Hf55xZ9txWeCNfpcg=s2160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8JuU7nQoer1BGPSm49Fh2LuDvYuRj_0ieEC0oQtNJ_wJjcrS_lUWWe0qG1Gj3mWVyOGgriJ9aspSPZKbHNBwJZRY7hujBADWrqWoiba9iLNq7bZindx7DD4Ez_0aAi1Q__8Phx71XBxGyUxn3stLGdFE3mbKRnKe9fy01aohW6Hf55xZ9txWeCNfpcg=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><u>Gnocchi in a Creamy Tomato and Spinach Sauce</u></p><p>Serves 2 - Cooks in 20 minutes<br /></p><p>2 Cups Cooked Gnocchi (shelf stable, fresh or frozen, all are fine)<br />1/2 White Onion, diced<br />2 Cloves Garlic, minced<br />3 Roma Tomatoes, diced<br />1/2 Bunch of Spinach or 1 cup frozen spinach<br />1/2 Cup Half and Half (or mix milk and cream as I did)<br />1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan<br />1/4 - 1/2 Cup Mozzarella (I used smoked)<br />Salt and Pepper<br />Fresh Basil to finish </p><p></p><p>In a skillet, sautee the onions in either butter or olive oil for about three minutes until softened slightly. Add in the garlic, sautee 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and simmer for about 8 minutes. Add the spinach, cover and cook two more minutes. Add the half and half and give it a good stir. Sitr in the gnocchi and parmesan, make sure everything is nice and coated. Now add some salt and pepper to taste. Then stir in the mozzarella, cover and cook two more minutes until the mozzarella is nice and melty. Pour onto a plate, top with fresh basil and a good grind of pepper. </p><p>I served this as is for me, and added a grilled chicken breast for that guy I married. </p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p>Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-81143191392583240952022-02-03T11:30:00.001-08:002022-02-03T11:30:00.188-08:00A Bit of a Throwback.... Reinvestigating my Vegetarian Days<p>When I was 12 I decided I didn't want to eat red meat any more. Mostly I was worried about future impacts on my health (jeez, lets not unpack all that shall we... I was TWELVE). I basically then lived off cheese omelettes for several years. I cut out all other meat when I was about 20 and that stuck for about 6 or 7 years. </p><p>I started eating meat again kind of accidentally and then when I got together with my other half, it became at every meal. He was raised very firmly on meat and has a hard time sometimes picturing a meal without it. </p><p>But now, I'm really leaning back into the idea of eating more plant based meals. It's a lot of things... sustainability, health, studying up on how warped of a view we have about how much protein we need. </p><p>But wow, when you've got out of the habit of eating vegetarian it's really really hard to go back. I've been trying to replace two dinners a week with vegetarian meals and I've got to say, it's been tough. I used to be so good at this! We really need to eat things other than pasts! Though in fairness.... spinach and ricotta ravioli in a lemon cream sauce is delicious... rampantly unhealthy, but delicious!</p><p>So I'm going another route with this. The plan is to use up all the protein we have in the freezer without adding more, and then going back to grocery shopping based on menu planning, rather than menu planning based on what we have on hand. </p><p>For now, I'm doing very well at veggie breakfasts and lunches....even though I unthinkingly ate a ham sandwich yesterday. So hopefully, February will be all about eating things up and then maybe by March I can start really diving better into more plan focused meals. Wish me luck and feel free to drop me a note on what your favourite non meat focused dinner is!<br /></p>Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-11136504207092753452022-01-31T09:45:00.003-08:002022-01-31T09:45:00.194-08:00Mocktail Monday : Pomegranate Citrus Sparkler<p> I'm well known for my adoration of gin and wine. Lately though, I've been trying to been getting super into mocktails. Why? Well, I'm definitely working on drinking a wee bit less, but I'm also fascinated by how easy it is to make super tasty drinks with limited ingredients and no alcohol. <br />It certainly helps the budget too! </p><p>My fridge is definitely getting full with infused simple syrups, fruit juices that I normally wouldn't buy, and the giant stash of lemons from our family lemon trees (everyone has one it seems) are slowly getting used up. </p><p>So my favourite one this week? The Pomegranate Citrus Sparkler.</p><p>This is ....so....easy. And there are so few ingredients! The one thing I will say though, pretty glasses and giant icecubes are one of the best ways to make a mocktail feel just like a cocktail. I use <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013KZE0YI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B013KZE0YI&linkCode=as2&tag=saltedspoon02-20&linkId=bb9787a6179c68186ec75f59bbd18cf6" target="_blank">this big cube mold</a> if you need one!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhk-J3PHmZiJOzCb7-ucNcSV-V_sFDER32N6er-uyELBkFPJXQq_saazaMozBa8blZZqkI0n7bo4XYeE6Wk7J80QP54FkRcksWnY2tLJxVG41n8dB3LKWlP_c9lHsMqwCUUjX-w9bayNzxMwMM5zYf8i_9-f_aVH8W68mgMjgBjDXYEZOVneyDvgGB-Sw=s2160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhk-J3PHmZiJOzCb7-ucNcSV-V_sFDER32N6er-uyELBkFPJXQq_saazaMozBa8blZZqkI0n7bo4XYeE6Wk7J80QP54FkRcksWnY2tLJxVG41n8dB3LKWlP_c9lHsMqwCUUjX-w9bayNzxMwMM5zYf8i_9-f_aVH8W68mgMjgBjDXYEZOVneyDvgGB-Sw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><u>Pomegranate Citrus Sparkler</u></p><p>2oz Pomegranate Juice (Pom is perfect)<br />1oz Orange Juice<br />1/2 Oz Lime Juice<br />2oz Sparkling Water<br /></p><p>Fill a glass with ice. Add juices and stir vigorously for 30 seconds. Add giant ice cube to glass (or a few standard ice cubes if you don't have a big on), pour in the sparkling water, strain in the juices. Enjoy!</p><p>If you like, you can also top with a strip of orange zest. </p><p>Enjoy!<br /><br /></p>Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-74150670907064746492022-01-25T09:45:00.004-08:002022-01-25T09:57:15.593-08:00For the Love of Instagram<p>It took me ages and ages to get into Instagram and I'm still not using it nearly as much as I think a lot of people are. </p><p>But I wanted to share with you who my favourite folks are in case you aren't aware of their awesomeness. </p><p>The main reason I like all three of these folks is not only do they have awesome little videos and heaps of personality, but I've actually made some of their recipes and they are really really really good!</p><p>So here are my top 3!</p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thehealchef/" target="_blank">The Heal Chef </a></p><p>Harry Heal makes delicious food, often comfort food, with the best voiceover and the finest wink!<br /></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/samseats/" target="_blank">Sams Eats</a></p><p>Sam Way has fantastic food videos that are delightful to watch and really easy to follow. Nothing is too out of reach... he provides just the right amount of info to copy his lovely food! <br /></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/hwoo.lee/" target="_blank">H.Woo Lee</a></p><p>H is brilliant. His gorgeously curated feed is every OCD persons dream. His recipes are bonkers and definitely high level, but watching him cook for himself is so so fun!</p><p><br /></p><p>You can find me at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wellfedredd/" target="_blank">Well Fed Redd</a></p><p> </p><p>Who am I missing? Who are your favourites? <br /></p>Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-89426874436633567752022-01-18T10:00:00.001-08:002022-01-25T09:57:26.899-08:001000 Foods to Eat Before You Die - 300 Done!<p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPm8DvRHShUN_0bMo7BSuvccmqSzGRMh8RN3zb-2PSvAXFVHrWUhfmT83d3C3daOD0hgxXfqst34oyBbKmhKMmTqJ2hxiaXG5UGI_DvuKByJzzhUQJlCXoJ_jClHXDWzCtcuaJKy9ZKhAJBydTDtlvv-so13N3n-jpyz9UfguCpH_LXx2EKWpf90jzdw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPm8DvRHShUN_0bMo7BSuvccmqSzGRMh8RN3zb-2PSvAXFVHrWUhfmT83d3C3daOD0hgxXfqst34oyBbKmhKMmTqJ2hxiaXG5UGI_DvuKByJzzhUQJlCXoJ_jClHXDWzCtcuaJKy9ZKhAJBydTDtlvv-so13N3n-jpyz9UfguCpH_LXx2EKWpf90jzdw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each Flag is a food I have not tried yet.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br />
</p><p></p><p>So, I've been working my way through the 1000 Foods To Eat Before You Die book for a few years ago now. </p><p><br /></p><p>I love lists. Love them. It's a thing, an obsession. I just get so satisfied by crossing things off. The things that I really love about this particular list is that a) it's massive b) you've probably crossed off at least 150 things without even trying and c) it's great to come up with ideas for when you are traveling. </p><p>In 2019, we went on a trip to Montreal. We had a little time on the last day we were there and we literally went on a scavenger hunt to find as many foods from the book as we could... pastrami sandwiches, random candy, adventurous cheese... we also had one of the best meals I've eve had in my life at a restaurant listed in the book (<a href="https://aupieddecochon.ca/en/">Au Pied de Cochon</a>).</p><p>I was quite delighted when I hit 300 foods at the very end of 2021. I'm a sucker for a round number. I'm hoping hoping hoping to clear another 25-50 this year. I think it might need to involve me making some things at home though, which is fine! </p><p>The first entry for 2022 though is done because I ate my very first Persimmon! We actually had a persimmon tree in California when we lived there, but left before the fruit was ripe. I liked the persimmon! Very tasty, good texture, still a bit sweet for me, but definitely something I am glad I tried. Thanks book!</p><p>If you want to play along, here is a handy dandy link to where you can grab a copy.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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</iframe>Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-63096954324497219102022-01-10T11:00:00.003-08:002022-01-10T11:00:00.192-08:00New Years at Sushi Roku<p>One of the absolute best things about living in Las Vegas is the sushi. Yes, we live in a desert, but we have a really really busy airport and like most of the country, we get fresh fish flown in daily. </p><p>I randomly saw the Omakase New Years menu for Sushi Roku on Facebook, and I jokingly sent it to that guy I married. I was not prepared for him to tell me to go for it, but hey, it's been a busy year and a fabulous dinner was an exciting prospect. I mean... how can you say no to this!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHuxSSHTrN28nxzhlAtFRCkMKMelWqEOeP1DHB96eLF2CGoOt1phco3KvX8m9AAcDmIWFgBK1WGsStj1a9z2iE7G7FXK6OrPRkLsZnrTqEeejxIARhEfBSkniNlKEP0fM7SoltTrR3SXsvvSziXaEOWPqht4eshA8vHnuDecJgTX23x6mqBKyrSIAG3g=s1269" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1209" data-original-width="1269" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHuxSSHTrN28nxzhlAtFRCkMKMelWqEOeP1DHB96eLF2CGoOt1phco3KvX8m9AAcDmIWFgBK1WGsStj1a9z2iE7G7FXK6OrPRkLsZnrTqEeejxIARhEfBSkniNlKEP0fM7SoltTrR3SXsvvSziXaEOWPqht4eshA8vHnuDecJgTX23x6mqBKyrSIAG3g=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I've never been to Sushi Roku before, but it's been on the list for a long time. The main reason we haven't pulled the trigger before was because it's at Caesars Palace and, as most locals do, we avoid the strip like the plague. I am so so glad we went. </p><p>Firstly, we had an 8pm seating, so we figured we could get in before all the New Years crazy, and get out and home before everything really gets shut down. Also, conveniently, you can get into Caesars parking from the back, so you don't have to touch the strip at all. And as a happy extra, the powers that be had shut down the Forum Shops, which you have to go through to get to Sushi Roku, to everyone except people who had restaurant reservations. So, there were no people to wade through!</p><p>We got in, got a couple of cocktails, got to sit down, and met Lewis, our waiter. Who then broke my heart but telling us that they were sold out of the Omakase menu. When he saw the devastation on my face and realized that we had booked a month prior and admitted that the restaurant had been having a wee bit of drama over it, he went to see if there was anything he could do. And I tell you, Lewis.... he is magic! He told us he could make the whole menu happen, except for dessert, which he could sub something else in. As someone who only ever orders cheese or a cocktail for dessert, I really could not care less! We were so thrilled.<br /></p><p>And then, the food started coming.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUM-KE0Q6TFebOXT3lXUSCKJBWxKUlcmfTZ_vXhNxYD-tLpLzI_LLmlGo1miGXnvoRHtAlTY_OpzpbZgY2Td5JapSUzliKQFVsdNSAR23Qa1Mw9etFt073GZjLGHiRWXzVyam0mxGINi-Ul5jMxXIRzGc51ffSxNnArAMt3ffZpwuOzyDEdErFkYSPfQ=s3600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="3600" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUM-KE0Q6TFebOXT3lXUSCKJBWxKUlcmfTZ_vXhNxYD-tLpLzI_LLmlGo1miGXnvoRHtAlTY_OpzpbZgY2Td5JapSUzliKQFVsdNSAR23Qa1Mw9etFt073GZjLGHiRWXzVyam0mxGINi-Ul5jMxXIRzGc51ffSxNnArAMt3ffZpwuOzyDEdErFkYSPfQ=w486-h486" width="486" /></a></div><br /><p>So. The stars of the show. The crab tartare was actually the best bite of the night. It had caviar on the top and a fantastic umami filled sauce on the bottom. It was so balanced, so delectable. It was fresh and sweet, with the right amount of top and bottom salty. I could have eater a bowl of that on it's own. I can't stop thinking about it. <br /></p><p>Next course was some very delicious shrimp (top right) with a nice grill taste. It was good, but felt a touch out of place. </p><p>The third course (middle right) had a scallop over lemon. It was
gorgeous. Sweet but briny, and the lemon gave it just a touch of acidity
for contrast. </p><p>Fourth course the best thing was, of course, the A5 Wagyu beef. We'll talk about the A5 Wagyu obsession another day. But this was perfect. It came out on a sizzling hot stone... so hot I could feel it under the table. It was stunning, melted in the mouth, and again, so much umami. </p><p>The last course was the sushi course (top right). Every piece of fish was fresh, perfect, and so lovely. I adored them all. I think the rainbow trout was my favourite of the fish, but that truffle tempura roll. So great! Light, crispy, just the right amount of truffle. I adored it.</p><p>I think that tasting menus at any restaurant are a wonderful thing. It's where chefs get to play... where they get to come up with a presentation of what represents them. It's often things you can't get every day, special choices, unrepeatable joys. </p><p>It was, all in all, an amazing meal, and a great way to end 2021. We were home by 10:30pm and in bed 45 minutes before new year, cuddling our puppies and making wishes for the year to come. <br /></p>Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com03500 S Las Vegas Blvd Ste T-18, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA36.1188222 -115.17367337.8085883638211513 -150.32992330000002 64.429056036178849 -80.0174233tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-85627746535370387302022-01-04T07:58:00.003-08:002022-01-04T07:59:22.794-08:00Oh, Well Hello There!<p> I know. I know I know I know. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9O3feq0FZOpj-ev2SCO-OFkvdr3ts1Af3ohF0NARyNCJZFVzb4CO2Rzv0pu8RnvY9egNv4pDiiu1jvT1YtSk2CXCYLl0U3Gr_ub4IE4EH7WXdOj2jhuRAY5hTgcGcwW7EoLBwweA3HjQVIyNaf4neZpP7og8ImucaiOvhc4rcEN_aIMp7Whd0VpdkpA=s3088" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9O3feq0FZOpj-ev2SCO-OFkvdr3ts1Af3ohF0NARyNCJZFVzb4CO2Rzv0pu8RnvY9egNv4pDiiu1jvT1YtSk2CXCYLl0U3Gr_ub4IE4EH7WXdOj2jhuRAY5hTgcGcwW7EoLBwweA3HjQVIyNaf4neZpP7og8ImucaiOvhc4rcEN_aIMp7Whd0VpdkpA=w224-h299" width="224" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Five years. FIVE. Redd what the heck?</p><p>I'm sorry I've been... busy? Distracted? Quarantined? Getting Older?</p><p>All of the above is most definitely true. And I moved. Twice. </p><p>We abandoned Minnesota in the fall of 2017, barely 16 months after we got there. We may have acquired another dog (cough cough, band aid baby). We spent a year in North Hollywood, California in a beautiful house that was teeny tiny and so pretty and oh so very very very expensive. Then we decided we weren't sure what was next, so we decided to go lick our wounds somewhere familiar and comfortable. We moved back to Las Vegas in October 2018. It's been pretty great. Nice house, good neighborhood, lots of fantastic food opportunities, and I even grew a pomegranate! Well, the tree grew it and I grew the tree. </p><p>Hilariously, this update is my 200th post to the blog that I am now hoping to revive. </p><p>I'm using instagram a lot more and you can find me by clicking <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wellfedredd/" target="_blank">here</a>. I've started that particular feed just for this blog space. I decided not to use Salted Spoon because there is a charming little ice cream shop in the north of England that just opened with that name, and I want them to have their space. But hey, this blog will stay named as such because, well, I WAS here first. </p><p> I am not going to make any grandiose claims over what you can expect from my return... just in case it embarrassingly does not stick... you know, like 2017. But right now I am very into the following things:</p><p>Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict</p><p>Gin Martinis </p><p>White Wine from Burgundy</p><p>Homemade Pasta (I married well)</p><p>Anything Nigella Lawson or Stanley Tucci are doing</p><p>Working through my 1000 Foods to Eat Before You Die book, of which I start this year at an even 300. I love round numbers so much. </p><p>So. Hi! Hope you are fantastic. See you around!<br /></p><p><br /></p>Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-67692977497943263252017-05-13T07:11:00.002-07:002017-05-13T07:11:33.491-07:00Lela Wine Dinner - AprilEvery month, <a href="http://www.lelarestaurant.com/">Lela's</a> at the Sheraton in Bloomington, MN, has a wine dinner. Basically, it's an opportunity for their chef, Stewart Woodman, to play.<br />
We've been to a bunch of these now and, with the exception of a very misguided grilled cheese sandwich, the food has always been excellent. Woodman has a really great sense of pairing food with wine, and he's not afraid to be dramatic and interesting. The first one we went to, he served Elk Tenderloin and it was just stunning.<br />
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Conveniently, the dinner in April happened to be on my birthday, so it was pretty easy to insist we go. Here is the menu:<br />
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So first off, Sea Urchin on Rhubarb Sorbet<br />
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This was... interesting. I love Sea Urchin. I like how it's delicate and fatty and sweet and unctuous. This rendition was good, but I feel as though there was a ratio issue. The Rhubarb Sorbet was so cold and tart. I think the flavors worked well together but would have rather had a piece of Sea Urchin with a few blobs of the sorbet. The urchin got lost in the noise.<br />
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Next we had Salmon with Tobiko in broth:<br />
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This was light, bright and pretty. My Tobiko fell into the broth and I didn't really get to taste it that much, but one of my dinner companions said it was fantastic and I believe her. Delicate, savory, enjoyable. This was a good dish after the sea urchin. It wasn't mind blowing, but it was tasty.<br />
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I didn't take a picture of the Lobster Bisque (and honestly until I just looked at the menu to get the order down, I forgot we had it). Woodman's Lobster Bisque is really nice. I've had it before and it's just the right amount of creamy and fishy and meaty. It's a winner every time.<br />
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And then, of and then, we had the Berkshire Pork Chop.<br />
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This was beyond the star of the show.<br />
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It looks unassuming, right? Almost simple? It wasn't. It was absolutely gorgeous. The beurre rouge was great, the puree was lovely, but that green stuff on top? That is a ramp chimichurri. Ramps, if you're not familiar, are wild garlic. They are most commonly found in spring time, and I have never even thought to put them in a chimichurri before. The balance was fantastic. The portk was cooked perfectly, the Emmolo Merlot that paired with this was delightful. Best dish I think I've ever had at one of these dinners.<br />
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We had short ribs too.<br />
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But they weren't the sumptuous deliciousness of the pork chop, so, you know. That happened.<br />
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Now I have to figure out how to get my hands on all the ramps in the world so I can make that sauce.<br />
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Swoon<br />
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<br />Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-43028363067263400112017-05-03T20:38:00.002-07:002017-05-03T20:38:57.725-07:00Because.... Zoe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know, I know. A dog. How cute.<br />
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No.... a dog! How cuuuuuuuuuuttttteee!!<br />
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I'm not going to lie, I love this face. Zoe is awesome and ridiculous and a pain in my bum but I love her so very very much.<br />
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The weather is doing that weird Minnesota thing where it is being changeable and prickly, then at times beautiful and unexpected. Living here is still unexpected and hard to grasp.<br />
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When we moved in to Ferngully Farm, the first thing we did to the house was put up a six foot cedar fence. This house is on a corner lot, backing up to a busy road, so the fence was necessary not just for out privacy, but so the pups could run around out back as they chose.<br />
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It's rained a lot here recently, and Zoe has these weird territory "feelings". She doesn't like people, or strollers, or people with strollers, or other dogs, or kids on bikes. She runs back and forth along the fence line just in case they might try and get in. She's run back and forth so many times that she's compacted the dirt into a channel and when it rains, there is a very long pond against the fence lie.<br />
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So yesterday when she decided to run back and forth she did so in the middle of a very very muddy pond... and then she came in the house.<br />
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Y'all, I have spent more time cleaning up paw prints over the last 6 months than I have sleeping.<br />
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This time though, she looked like she'd been through a tough mudder. I had to coax her gently, and then when that failed, dramatically manhandle her into the bath tub to rinse her down. The water was beyond black and she was just yucky. And now, she's clean and stuff. For the minute.<br />
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Minnesota strikes again <br />
<br />Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-46350539119355157312017-05-01T19:03:00.001-07:002017-05-01T19:10:35.050-07:00On Drinking in Airports - MSPI've been living in Minnesota for about 9 months now and whilst it is.... interesting, it's been tricky to make it feel like home.<br />
The Husband (oh yeah by the way I got married!) and I are constantly searching for different methods to make it feel more like home.<br />
It seems that I have recently dived into the "absence makes the heart grow fonder" method quite deeply. I'm traveling a lot. Any excuse really. Be it a girls trip with either my best friend or my sister, a random business meeting across the country, or the need to help out with a three year olds birthday party, I'm on a plane every chance I get.<br />
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I don't know why, but I really really love drinking in airports. There is something about it that makes me feel sophisticated, like the high flyer I'm really kind of not.<br />
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It's also really interesting to me how different airports have different options. I actually get a bit excited when I fly Southwest out of MSP, because that means I'm heading to Surdyk's for a sandwich and some Cava... this sandwich in particular.<br />
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It's their Pecorino and Prosciutto sandwich with La Quercia Prosciutto, Pecorino, rosemary-apple jelly, red onion and arugula on a ciabatta roll. Now, it can vary from day to day based on how generous the person making it is with the cheese, but it is always quite delightful. I tend to pair it with just a nice glass of Cava, because, you know, bubbles.<br />
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So if you're in Minneapolis St Paul Airport and hanging out in Terminal 2.... know that this sandwich is waiting for you. And me. Definitely me. Probably in July. <br />
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<br />Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-14375435629701903302017-04-24T18:38:00.001-07:002017-04-24T18:38:11.091-07:00Hi Y'allSo, guess what? I'm going to be back very soon. So much has happened. I am now a happily married lady living in Minnesota, and traveling as much as possible. I've got so many new things to share. New recipes, new adventures, new and very different content...so watch this space!Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-90951667830489209772015-01-27T12:48:00.000-08:002015-01-27T12:48:01.290-08:00Asian Carrot and Cabbage Slaw<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm really into low ingredient, high health, pretty food right now. I'm trying hard to steer my household away from processed foods, and I'm trying to do better about working with fresh vegetables. By the way, trying are really the key words here. I still can't get my other half to stop buying insane amounts of candy. I'm so envious of his metabolism.<br />
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I'm also currently wracked with cravings for anything even remotely Asian inspired. I go through phases where I crave the same genre of food for weeks at a time. Sometimes it's seafood, sometimes burgers. Lately, it's Asian food.<br />
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So this recipe was born out of creativity and a desire for something filling, tangy, and easy to eat. I wanted acid and crunch and earthiness. This recipe makes a good sized amount of slaw, and it certainly does get better as it mellows in the fridge. I'll eat this straight out of the bowl, or on the side of some baked tilapia, or I'll make it the base of a baked chicken and avocado wrap (pictured below), which I highly recommend.<br />
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<b>Asian Carrot and Cabbage Slaw</b><br />
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1/2 Head of Red Cabbage, shredded<br />
3 Carrots, peeled<br />
1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds<br />
2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar<br />
A few drops of Sesame oil (optional but worth it)<br />
A few grinds of salt<br />
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You want to shred or slice your red cabbage length wise, so it is in nice long stripe. Peel the carrots and then run them lengthwise through a mandolin is you have one, or just use a vegetable peeler run down them over and over until you have very thin strips of carrot. <br />
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(Sidenote: If you haven't considered buying a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QXDRKA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001QXDRKA&linkCode=as2&tag=melanhorro-20&linkId=2FCDYQ2ZZL7ZZ2AM">Palm Peeler</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=melanhorro-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001QXDRKA" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> I strongly recommend dropping whatever you are doing and buying one now. I was given one for Christmas and it has changed the way I think about peeling vegetables. No more hand cramping, cursing, or denting my fingers. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.)<br />
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Put the carrots and cabbage into a large mixing bowl. In a heavy saute pan, toast the sesame seeds until they are just turning a little brown. Add the rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds, salt and a few drops (be sparing!) of sesame oil into the vegetables and mix well. Let sit for half an hour before serving, but if you need to dive in right away I'll never tell, and I'll totally forgive you.<br />
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Serve on the side of baked chicken or fish, or add to wraps. This would be awesome with shrimp tacos too.<br />
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Makes 6 servings <br />
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<br />Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-8990122229886964702015-01-12T20:14:00.001-08:002015-01-12T20:14:25.000-08:00What I Did on Christmas: Lupo <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christmas day was a bit rough this year. My other half was working all day so we celebrated on Christmas Eve instead. I wasn't really up for staying home alone all day, so I went to see a show that a friend of mine works on.<br />
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After the show, I was thinking about dinner and about how I really really didn't want to cook. As I was walking back to my car, I passed by Lupo, Wolfgang Pucks restaurant at Mandalay Bay. I decided... screw it. I'm going to make something good happen to day. So I set up at the bar and ordered a really lovely dinner.<br />
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I drank Seghesio Zinfandel 2012, which is always a winner. I actually went to the Seghesio Vineyard back in April, and I really like it. It's also a huge favorite of my friend Jenn's, and she has excellent taste as always.<br />
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The it was Gnocchi with Veal Ragu. The ragu was a hair on the salty side but the gnocchi was absolutely perfect. Light, fluffy, delicate, exactly the way it should be.<br />
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I asked the bartender to pick me a side, and he settle on Lemon Parmesan Cauliflower. I'm going to probably try to recreate this. It was perfect. The citrus against the Parmesan really worked beautifully. It had just the right amount of caramelization and I really loved it. <br />
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If you're having a crappy day, sometimes it's worth it to just say Jai Refuse!, and make it into something better. You have more control over your destiny than you sometimes think. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/18/222060/restaurant/The-Strip/Lupo-Las-Vegas"><img alt="Lupo on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/222060/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-42777155027619373962015-01-03T22:25:00.004-08:002015-01-03T22:25:55.356-08:00Poire Martini with Pear Grey Goose Vodka<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I like weddings. I find them neat and sweet and I've been lucky enough to have gone to many. They are all memorable for different reasons, and I like that I remember little glimpses of peoples days. Uneven flagstones at Heather's wedding. The way the wind whipped Alana's dress. A baby crawling across the floor at Michelle's and me nearly splitting my bridesmaids dress reaching for him. Anna rushing for her sister when her hair started to come undone. Kirsty waiting for the right moment in the music to start walking down the aisle.<br />
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Speaking of Kirsty, she's the younger sister of my dear friend Tree and she had a really awesome little Las Vegas wedding. We ended up having her reception in a cocktail lounge on top of the Delano here in Vegas and I had an amazing cocktail there. It, of course, had champagne in it since I was at a wedding after all.<br />
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The inaugural blog post of 2015 and the first (hopefully not last) of my new mission to play with all of the liquor in my bar features Pear Grey Goose.... which I bought specifically to make this cocktail. We'll not discuss how many times I made it in order to try and get the ratios right. Suffice to say, I've made a small dent.<br />
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For the Champagne/Prosecco/Sparkling Dry Wine any will work. Bear in mind that if it says sparkling wine on the label it doesn't mean it's not worth drinking.... technically it's only Champagne if it's from Champagne, France and lots of Vineyards respect that tradition and don't mislabel their product.<br />
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<b>Poire Martini</b><br />
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1oz Pear Grey Goose Vodka<br />
1/2oz St Germaine<br />
1-1.5oz Champagne, Prosecco or other Dry Sparkling Wine<br />
1 Thin Pear Slice to Garnish<br />
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In a cocktail shaker, shake the Grey Goose and St Germaine with plenty of ice. Strain into a glass and top with the Champagne. Garnish with a pear slice if you wish. If you don't have pears handy, don't let that deter you, because I think this drink is lovely.<br />
<br />Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-55339105380159697012014-12-28T23:11:00.001-08:002014-12-28T23:11:39.290-08:00All Grown UpWhen I was younger, maybe 10 years ago or so, I started dreaming of having an amazing bar. As an avid cocktail lover, I envisioned the day when I would have all the necessary ingredients for incredible things at my fingertips. I imagined coming home after a long day of work, mixing something delicious, and relaxing on my veranda surrounded by flowers that I had grown myself, before flitting around the garden and picking the vegetables I would make for dinner.<br />
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Well, a fair bunch of that didn't happen.... partly because I work from home, partly because I live in a desert and partly because I'm not really one to, well, flit. I also don't have a veranda.<br />
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But I do have a bar! As I was going through some photos I found a picture of my lovely bar from back in April, when I had just come back from Napa and stocked up on a bunch of wine. I had a few bottles of liquor, just the basics, but nothing too extensive.<br />
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I just went and counted and back then I had 24 different bottles hanging out on top of the bar. Maybe it's a little more extensive than I thought.<br />
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Which makes it even crazier now that I get to show the expansion I've made. I, um, well, now there are 40 bottles.<br />
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And a dual zoned wine fridge.<br />
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And a spare rack for overflow wine that's young and needs to age a little.<br />
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Yeah.<br />
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Okay. So. What was my point?<br />
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Ah yes! My new sort of plan. I'm giving myself a little challenge. I want to try my hand at cocktail making more frequently. So I'm going to try really hard in the new year to make a different cocktail every week or two with a different liquor from my bar. I've got a couple ready to go and I'll hopefully have those up soon. In the meantime, happy holidays and here is a picture of a cute puppy to distract you from the lack of recipes in this post.<br />
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(By the way, my boyfriend, procurer of the dual zoned wine fridge, has major brownie points for winning Christmas with that quite fantastic item this year). Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-29622729463385092922014-10-19T13:25:00.000-07:002014-10-19T13:25:43.230-07:00Life AfterIt's weird working for myself again. I'm still finding my groove and figuring out how it all fits together. Doing voice overs full time is certainly not something I ever expected to be doing, and if you had told me that would be my job two years ago I would have laughed in your face.<br />
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I work 7 days a week, but my time commitment is greatly reduced. I was working between 75 and 80 hours a week before. Now I'm probably closer to 30, which is quite lovely. <br />
<br />I certainly am enjoying being well rested and not running a million miles an hour. It's Sunday afternoon and I've spent the morning cooking brunch, reading Food and Wine Magazine, and hitting up the Farmers Market. It's a nice nice little life.<br />
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First things first, this guy and I bought a house. It's actually the house we were renting. The landlord wanted to sell it, and we called dibs. It's nice that it is ours now. We are slowly doing the things we've wanted to do to it for a while. We're about to rip out 5 palm trees, and overhaul the backyard. I'm optimistic yet nervous!<br />
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Zoe is getting pretty big now. Here she is being an excellent studio puppy. She likes to hang out by my editing chair while I'm in my sound booth recording. She's 7 months old now and still an absolute joy. </div>
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And the obligatory food type picture. And awesome Farmers Market haul of Bok Choy, Broccoli, Summer Squash, Green Tomatoes, Swiss Chard, Beet and Spaghetti Squash. $21 well spent. I'm looking forward to playing with it! I nearly died when I saw Green Tomatoes.<br />
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I've actually got a couple of food posts in the works. Crazy, right? <br />
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<br />Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-35533937353292769232014-08-30T01:53:00.003-07:002014-08-30T01:53:55.168-07:0044, 2, 4, 2Here is a list of things, mostly featuring numbers. <br />
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I have 44 more shows until I finish with the Circus and work as a full time voice over artist and (hopefully) have the time to get back to the gym and the kitchen.<br />
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I have 2 dogs now. One more than I had two months ago. Zoe is incredible.<br />
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I spent 4 nights in Puerto Vallerta, Mexico with my amazing boyfriend.<br />
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We've been together two years now.<br />
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I can't stop listening to "Flaws" by Bastille.<br />
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I've eaten at a few more excellent restaurants in Las Vegas, that were on my bucket list. The Sweet Corn Chowder at Heritage Steak is the best thing I've ever eaten in my life.<br />
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My world is so very beautifully full.<br />
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Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-21944542901223075312014-05-27T19:40:00.001-07:002014-05-27T19:40:52.083-07:00Simple Summer Sangria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ah the end of May. Here in Nevada the mercury is already over a hundred degrees on many days, and it's time for light fruity cocktails, salads from the garden, and catching up on trashy TV. <br />
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My fabulous other half built me a garden this year and it's filled with herbs and radishes and salad greens and zucchini and strawberries. I'm so excited for my tomatoes to come along so I can eat them like apples!<br />
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I have to share this Sangria recipe, because it's really delightful and I'm swooning over it. It's perfect for the Summer, and I have a feeling it's going to be a found quite frequently in my fridge. It's also wonderfully simple to make.<br />
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I know it sounds odd, but buy cheap wine for this. An inexpensive sweet and fruity red would be perfect. I think the one I used was about $4.50.<br />
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<b>Simple Summer Sangria </b><br />
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1 bottle fruity red wine<br />
2 Oranges<br />
1 Lemon<br />
1/3 Cup Triple Sec<br />
A Handful of Mint Leaves<br />
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Slice on orange, and then juice the other. Slice the lemon. Place the fruit in a carafe or pitcher with the mint. Pour over the triple sec, then the bottle of wine. Stir. Chill.<br />
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Serve over ice, try not to break a wine glass in the process.<br />
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Makes 4 glasses.<br />
Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-20737867409289395812014-03-05T22:00:00.002-08:002014-03-05T22:00:18.250-08:00Avocado Baked Eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm a wee bit into Pinterest.<br />
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In my defense, I got in on the game pretty early. It's odd though because I've had mixed results with recipes found on them. Now I kind of just use it as a way to come up with ideas, to be inspired. How to make recipes better is a big part of it. I have a really bad habit of needed to tweak everything.<br />
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I love avocados. I love baked eggs. It seemed like a good idea to pair the two together, and I've seen this idea knocking around for quite some time.<br />
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The credit for this recipe, and the recipe itself can be found <a href="http://thehealthydynamicduo.com/2012/08/28/eating-in-season-roasted-beet-chips-kholabi-huh-and-breakfast/">here.</a> It's a good solid recipe, but here's what you should change. Basically all you're doing is scooping out a little extra of the center of the avocado, cracking an egg in it, seasoning it, and chucking it unceremoniously into an oven.<br />
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It's good, but it's a little under-seasoned as is. So here are two ways to fix it.<br />
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First idea: Season the avocado first with salt and pepper, then put in the egg and season that too.<br />
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Second idea: Joe gets credit for this. Bacon bits in the hole before the avocado goes in would add some really really nice flavor and texture to the dish. I'm quite proud of him for making that one up.<br />
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If you make this just for yourself, avocado is pretty kick ass just mashed up on some whole wheat toast with some salt and pepper and perhaps a drizzle of olive oil (if you're feeling glamorous).<br />
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I think if I had to live off "thing that come on bread and crackers", I could. <br />
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Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-33300686766369687022014-02-19T13:08:00.001-08:002014-02-19T13:08:28.192-08:00The Mother of All Catch Up PostsYes. I've been gone a while. I make no guarantees regarding how back I am but how about we remain cautiously optimistic, okay? Okay.<br />
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This is the mother of all catch up posts. Ready?<br />
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Here we go.<br />
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My super gorgeous guy had a birthday in September.<br />
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I discovered <a href="http://www.thegilcreaseorchard.org/">Gilcrease Orchard</a>, a pick your own farm <b><i>in Las Vegas</i></b>, which is insane....thanks to my lovely friend Jordyn (she of the re-styling my wardrobe).<br />
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Joe and I ate at Joe's Crab Shack for no particular reason that I can remember.... I just like the lights. <br />
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We started the process of building my new recording studio. <br />
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I picked my first pumpkin... mid October I'm guessing. <br />
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The acoustic foam for my studio got laid down... part purple just for fun.<br />
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Because we needed it done so we could move in together. Which we did, and it's awesome. <br />
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The lovely Tree created a Thanksgiving feast that was particularly spectacular. <br />
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I headed home for a few days to spend time with the family right before Christmas. Yes, my parents live in a Windmill. Yes, it's as cool as it sounds. <br />
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Speaking of Christmas..... <br />
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Snowboarding adventures continued. <br />
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The most delicious Loaded Cornbread was consumed in Mammoth, California. <br />
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Joe started school, and I suck at taking pictures of lamb in our kitchen.<br />
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So now, I'm spending a lot of time working on my voice over career. I'm doing quite well, having used it to pay off all my credit card debt and become a much happier, more financially stable person. The big project up right now is the garden. We have a nice garden since we rent a house, and we're turning it into something a bit more special. We're going to be trying our hand at growing our own vegetables. I'm going to work on getting back to cooking and writing more (in my copious free time, of course).<br />
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My friend Tree is growing a baby and he's almost ready to come on out, so I'll sure that will be a point of interest soon.<br />
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So yeah. I think we're now on the same page. Let's see what happens next!Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-73816359426271792952013-08-25T16:24:00.003-07:002013-08-25T16:24:37.989-07:00Re-StyleThings that are awesome:<br />
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- Seeing Legally Blonde the Musical at an outdoor theatre sitting on the grass with 7 kinds of cheese and my amazing friend Tree.<br />
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- My friend Jordyn spending her Sunday with me at a thrift store completely re-styling my closet. We bought 41 items. It was awesomely insane.<br />
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- My friend Annie's new swishy hair.<br />
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- Yesterday I was able to sit on a couch and read a magazine for nearly an hour and drink tea.<br />
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- My friend Alan coming to my rescue when my recording equipment wasn't working and I couldn't get any work done.<br />
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- 7 mile hikes. <br />
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- Rocking a baby to sleep.<br />
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- My 4 year old goddaughter Winry has a pink Dalek dress for DragonCon. She looks incredible in it.<br />
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- Snowboarding season is less than three months away.<br />
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- Being cooked for.<br />
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-Joe, always. <br />
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<br />Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-29208934883646523462013-08-01T12:22:00.000-07:002013-08-01T12:24:42.701-07:00The WhispererI'm sitting on a couch in Oxnard, California with a ginger cat named Otis on my lap, and I'm being whispered.<br />
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Okay let me back up a little.<br />
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So, six months ago or so <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AXOHQPA/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=melanhorro-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00AXOHQPA&adid=0QV45PXFRSE1M0W4TYCR&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fsaltedspoon.blogspot.com%2F">I wrote a book</a>. It, to me, didn't seem like a very big book. In fact it seemed like just a collection of things that I like to eat that all had some kind of other meaning to me. Some of the recipes came from my family. Some of them came from my friends. A lot of them came from me. I think in my head I downplayed the whole thing. I don't think I realized when I was writing the book that I was putting so much into it, and when I finished it, it was as though all the stuffing got knocked out of me and I became completely deflated.<br />
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I don't know why, but after that I just couldn't write. I stopped cooking. I stopped trying. All the other things in my life became bigger, and slowly that raging fire of a foodie and a blogger and a writer with big ole dreams just drifted away.<br />
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I missed that side of me. I missed her a lot. I've spent a lot of time over the last 6 months eating frozen healthy choice meals, triple cream brie on crackers, and obsessing about how I never seem to be able to stay the weight I want to be (though I will concede the possibility of the triple cream brie having something to do with that).<br />
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I felt stuck. Uninspired, uncreative, undone. I needed a jolt. I needed perspective. Something to get me back on the right path. I needed Dana.<br />
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Dana writes <a href="http://whisksandwords.com/">Whisks and Words</a>, and she is exceptional. We've known each other a long time, having gone to the same college, but we haven't really <i>known</i> each other for more than a year or two. Food writing connected us together and I'm grateful for that. Dana recently moved to the West Coast and set up shop in Oxnard, California, which is a mere five hour drive from my place in the desert.<br />
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With a week away from the circus coming up, I knew I needed to not hang around the city being depressed while drinking nothing but vodka tonics. I needed to <i>do</i> something. I needed a kick in the butt. So I asked Dana if maybe I could come and say hi and visit her for a couple of days, thinking that perhaps we could just hang out and eat and cook and drink and that somehow by the osmosis of being around her I would start writing again.<br />
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So I showed up her house yesterday. I was greeted by a fresh batch of Chamomile Cupcakes with Honey frosting, an awesome snuggle-cat named Otis, a glass of red wine mixed with sparkling lemonade, and the declaration that she was going to "whisper" me. <br />
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There is nothing quite like sitting on another woman's couch with a seemingly endless supply of cocktails, catching up on life, talking about food and writing and careers and most importantly what we're going to eat. It's a wonderful wonderful thing.<br />
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I'm so utterly thrilled that I'm here. I'm so glad that I get to sit and hang out and wear a hoodie because it's not 110 degrees here. I love that this morning I woke up to Dana making Blueberry Muffins and then we went off to the farmers market to pick out what we wanted to have for lunch.<br />
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I love that I'm already feeling like my old self, feeling enchanted by the idea of writing, feeling thrilled that I'm near someone who shares a lot of the same sentiments that I do, feeling hungry. It's nice to be taken in, to be fed. It's like I'm being wrapped in this big snuggly blanket after spending six months freezing my ass off. <br />
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I'm being whispered. I can feel it. <br />
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<br />Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-20728618371005347782013-06-28T12:02:00.000-07:002013-07-31T21:49:27.895-07:00Delicious Days: Super Hash and Passionfruit Jam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Super Hash, which is all kinds of yummy meats together with poached eggs on top. You can choose as many jams as you want. The star of the show was the passionfruit jam. It was tart, flavorful, and perfect.</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/18/221456/restaurant/West-Side/Hash-House-Las-Vegas"><img alt="Hash House on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/221456/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-89389622815386602942013-06-26T11:55:00.000-07:002013-06-26T11:55:00.056-07:00Delicious Days: Bruschetta Trio - Crab, Duck, Pate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Chicken Pate with pickled shallot first, which was stunning. A great balance of texture with velvety flavor, and the right tang.<br />
Blue crab with mint. Fresh, delicious, light.<br />
Duck with goat cheese and apricot jam. My goodness. It was just incredible. The perfect balance of flavors. My favorite thing I've eaten in a long time.<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/5/1528418/restaurant/Hollywood/Vintage-Enoteca-LA"><img alt="Vintage Enoteca on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1528418/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>
Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264667984995678267.post-18297211349217327082013-06-24T11:52:00.000-07:002013-06-24T11:52:00.020-07:00Delicious Days: A Beautiful Bakery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The selection at this British bakery always makes me smile. Their Cheese Sticks and Bread Pudding are two of my favorites, but I've never been sad with anything I've eaten. Just lovely. <br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crumbles-Bakery-and-More/147012312106790">Crumbles Bakery</a>Reddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14958323952586788667noreply@blogger.com0