Gourmet Gooods To You Blog

Caprese Hamburgers with Balsamic Glaze

2013-08-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

This is an updated post from last year

If you love caprese salads and hamburgers this recipe is for you.

With summer winding down this is another way of treating yourself to fresh tomatoes and basil from a local farmers market or your own garden. I personally eat all the tomatoes I can while in season and choose to go without in the off season. I just can’t get myself to eat or spend the money for tomatoes with no color or flavor. What’s the point?

I’ll let you know right from the start that I am not a big burger eater (or meat for that matter). I will usually only get a craving for them once or twice a year so I am very picky on what burgers I eat when that craving comes upon me.

I found this recipe early last spring and have to admit that it put me over my once or twice a year quota for burgers. This is now a go to recipe for bbq’s with friends and on vacation. The hardest part of this recipe (which still is not really hard) is getting your balsamic glaze to just the right consistency.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground beef
4 slices of tomato

8 fresh basil leaves, according to your taste

4 (1/4-inch) slices fresh Mozzarella

1-1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1-1/2 tablespoons shallots, minced

1/2 cup California Balsamic Vinegar

4 English muffins

DIRECTIONS:

For the balsamic glaze: Add balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very low simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid reduces by about half and is slightly syrupy. Remove from heat, pour vinegar in a bowl or glass, and set aside to cool and thicken.

Mix ground beef, garlic, and shallots in a large bowl. Form beef mixture into 4 equal patties.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Cook on the preheated grill until the burgers are cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 5 minutes per side for well done.

Toast English muffins on the grill (or in a toaster) until light golden brown.

Top burgers with mozzarella cheese for the last minute or so of cooking so the cheese can soften (may take a couple of minutes).

Serve burgers on English muffins and top with tomato slice and basil leave(s).

Drizzle with balsamic glaze and top with the upper English muffin half.

This recipe was adapted from

Wishes and Dishes

Where does the time go????

2012-12-16T11:09:00.000-08:00

Wow!!!!!! Where does the time go????? I am just squeaking in a new post just shy of 3 months since my last one. I'm sorry to be so neglectful but I hadn't forgotten just way too consumed with trying some new things. I have missed my blogging and all the things I get to do to create my posts. OK, OK, enough of all of that. How about an update?

There is way to much to tell in one blog so I will spread it out through many a blog post. This way there is not too much blah, blah, blah and way more cool info to sink your teeth into. I think it is best to start with currents events and work our way from there.

Holy Shit(sorry I couldn't help myself) Christmas is only 8 days away. How the heck did that happen? I'm sure I am not the only one feeling this way. Does this happen in every faith or major event any of us choose to celebrate each year? Is this an American phenomenon or a world wide dilemma?

Buddhism

Kwanza

Chanukah or Hanukkah

I am also wondering which is the proper spelling Chanukah versus Hanukkah?

Hindu Holidays

Sikh Festivals


Mecca

Enough with all these questions already lets get back to blog enlightenment.
Steve(the hubs) had this great idea for our holiday promotion to be the 12 days of Christmas. This came to him on November 30th. I said "We can't wait till the 13th of December, we are an online business". My brilliant idea was the 19 days of Christmas. OK, so the idea was brilliant but the timing for his idea and my adding an extra 7 days was anything but brilliant. Suffice it to say it has been crazy make it happen but we have learned so much and it has been a success. Yeah!!!

I'm listing some of the most popular promotions so far and you can check out the rest on the website for yourself. I would love to hear from you on how the holiday season is for you? I hope everyone in your circle of family and friends is healthy and happy this season.

THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS
Get 15% off our Hand Blown Wine Aerator enter the coupon code 15aerator2012 at checkout to get your discount.

THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

Purchase any 3 cheeses and receive 15% off your order.
Use the coupon code day5xmas2012
at checkout to receive your discount.

THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

Buy one bottle of Fig Balsamic Olive oil by O Olive Oil
and receive 10% off. Use the coupon code day8xmas2012
at check out to receive your discount

THE SIXTEENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

Purchase one bottle of Clementine Citrus Olive Oil
by O Olive Oil and receive 10% off at checkout
use the coupon code day16xmas2012

Happy Holidays everyone and I hope to post again one more time before Christmas.

Elizabeth www.gourmetgoodstoyou.com

Macaroni and Cheese Deep Fried?

2012-09-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

How is it that it has been over two weeks since my last post? Oh yes, I remember now; I am expanding both of my businesses and getting ready for the holiday season. Maybe that's why. Now, it's not like I haven't thought about it but by the time I get a chance to sit down to write my brain is totally fried. Even though this post is about fried food I promise my brain is not fried at this moment so it is safe to keep reading.

I wish I could post a new recipe for you but there has been no time to be creative in the kitchen. I started talking about this Bon Appetite article back in May but took a break during the summer. Who wants to fry food in the heat? Well, now that Autumn/Fall arrives on Saturday I thought I might get the conversation going again about crazy fried foods.

It just so happens that this recipe originated last January at the end of football season so what a great time to talk about it now that football season is in full swing(or kick or throw would be more appropriate). The link for the original recipes is http://doughmesstic.com/2012/01/31/deep-fried-macaroni-and-cheese-bites/ but I will also give you the recipe below with my own suggestions.

Ingredients

1 package any All Natural Macaroni & Cheese, prepared
1 package panko or bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove chopped garlic
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
Oil for deep drying

Instructions

Prepare macaroni and cheese as directed and add chopped garlic. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, and pour macaroni into it, pressing down evenly. Cover and place in freezer for 2 hours or more, until needed.
Combine egg and milk in shallow dipping bowl. In a separate plate or large shallow bowl, combine crumbs and salt.
Bring oil to 350-375.
Remove frozen macaroni from parchment and cut into small squares or triangles. Dip each into egg wash, then coat with crumbs. Fry 5-6 in hot oil until both sides are golden brown. Remove from oil onto paper towels. Repeat until all macaroni has been used. Serve and enjoy!

Peach Cobbler with a Scone Mix?

2012-09-05T10:51:00.000-07:00

PEACHES, PEACHES, PEACHES

What to do with the last of the summer peaches??

As much as I hate to admit it; I have seen some trees with the leaves changing to their autumn glory and slowly drifting to the ground. I do love all the seasons but have a really hard time giving up on summer. What with back to school and strict morning schedules and the ever advancing holiday season. Seriously, I saw a Thanksgiving display in a local store in July. Just a little advice to marketers "this does not make me buy any sooner, it only pisses me off".

I have been enjoying, selling, and introducing Sticky Fingers Scone Mixes to family and friends since 1999. Whenever Aiden has friends over for a sleepover they get to pick their favorite flavor for their morning treat. It is really cool to see tween age boys get so excited over eating and baking scone mixes. They are so simple I let them do it themselves so Steve and I can sleep in.

With the hope of keeping summer alive as long as I can here is a Peach Cobbler recipe for you using the Original Flavor Sticky Fingers Scone Mix.

Easy Peach Cobbler!

Try this classic summer dessert using SFB Original scones for the cobbler topping! You'll need about 6 peaches, some sugar, cinnamon, flour, a little bit of butter and some SFB Original Scone Mix.

Slice up your peaches

s and toss with some flour, sugar and cinnamon. Put on the bottom of a square dish. Then take your mix and only add 1/2 of a cup of water so the mix is still crumbly. Put the mix on top of the peaches and then drizzle some melted butter mixed with a little sugar and cinnamon. Pop it into a 375 degree oven and wait for the top to brown and the peaches to bubble! Serve with ice cream.

If you would like to have more fruit with your peaches you could also try the Wild Blueberry or Strawberry scone mixes.

Roasted Mushrooms and Farfalle Anyone?

2012-08-22T11:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been working on this post for awhile now adapting this recipe from Restaurant Lulu's cookbook. Restaurant Lulu has a Provencal menu/recipe but I just had to add my Italian twist. I thought I made minimal changes and it would be ready to post but "oh no". The problem was I don't usually make minimal changes to any recipe.

Monday was recipe testing day and wouldn't you know I of course made more changes. Hence having to update the blog again. I have to admit that I did not take the pictures I would have liked. I had it in my head that I hadn't really changed anything so I could use the pics I had. "Yeah Right". This is also the first full week back to school for my son Aiden and that grueling "dinner must be on time" regimen is back into play. The regimen does not coexist well with recipe creativity.

What I can tell you is the picture of the roasted mushrooms is a great representation of how the mushrooms will look even with my changes. What you won't see is the roasted mushrooms topping the Farfalle pasta and the sliced heirloom tomatoes and asiago cheese topping the mushrooms. Can you imagine that? Does it sound good? I can assure you that I will be able to add pictures of the final product in a week or two. My boys( husband Steve and son Aiden) have already asked "when are you making this again". I'll keep you posted.

Morel

2 lbs mixed fresh specialty mushrooms

Portobello

Shitake

4 bay leaves

Half of a torpedo onion

3Tbls Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3Tbls Mustard and Herbes de Provence Grilling Sauce

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 cup fineley chopped fresh Basil

2 Tbls Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1lb Farfalle pasta

grated Asiago to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Clean mushrooms, remove any hard stems, and keep small mushrooms whole; halve or quarter any that are large.

In a medium bowl, toss mushrooms, bay leaves, 3 Tbls olive oil, Mustard and Herbes de Provence grilling sauce, garlic, torpedo onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Place mushrooms on a baking sheet and roast for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and place mushrooms in a clean bowl.

While mushrooms are still hot, stir in basil and remaining olive oil. Stir into farfalle and top with sliced tomatoes and cheese. "Mangiare"

Grilled Meyer Lemon Prawns with Fresh Salad Greens

2012-08-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

Who wants to cook inside when the weather person tells you it is going to be 104 degrees?

Current Weather

Certainly not me and I'm sure not many of you want to either. When the temperature is that high do you feel like eating at all? Knowing my family and I will eventually get hungry I look to recipes that can be cooked on the grill that are light and refreshing.

On days like today citrus is what I look to as my flavor profile. It can be in my cocktail, meal, or dessert. Maybe we'll have and all out Citrus Fest of refreshment and appetite fulfillment?

For today, I will share with you a recipe for Grilled Meyer Lemon Prawns. It fills the light requirement with salad greens as opposed to rice, is cooked on the grill and is filled with refreshing citrus satisfaction. Enjoy and keep cool!

GRILLED MEYER LEMON PRAWNS

6 cups mixed salad greens

1/3 cup Preserved Meyer Lemon and Artichoke Vinaigrette

In a large bowl toss salad greens with 1/3 cup Preserved Meyer Lemon and Artichoke Vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

4 Tbl Preserved Meyer Lemon and Artichoke Vinaigrette
5 Tbl Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

24 large prawns, peeled, and deveined, tails left on
zest of one Meyer Lemon

Preheat grill to medium high heat

In a large bowl toss salad greens with 1/3 cup Preserved Meyer lemon and Artichoke Vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

In a medium bowl combine remaining ingredients except for the lemon zest. Thoroughly cote prawns. Season with salt and pepper to taste and grill for 2 minutes on each side.

Mound salad greens on a platter and arrange prawns alongside the greens. Finish with zest of one lemon across entire platter. Serve immediately

Recipe adapted from Flavors of Restaurant Lulu

Warm Mushroom Salad with Sherry Vinegar

2012-08-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

This recipe gives everyday mushrooms an elegant edge of texture and flavor by their quick sautéing, and the hot dressing slightly wilts the salad greens. This recipe is also very versatile in the way you can change it up with different lettuces, mushrooms, and adding or substituting onions or garlic for the shallots. My rule of thumb is to make a recipe as is directed the first time. After that get crazy and have fun with it. Don't forget to make notes as you go.

2 cups coarsely torn radicchio

I am not a big fan of radicchio but it definitely has it's place in salads. Not only does it add color and flavor but it also add a nice crunch.

2 cups coarsely torn red leaf lettuce

2 cups coarsely torn regular or red butter lettuce

Butter lettuce is my favorite and when it's red that's even better.

This salad is so colorful and delicate!

2 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbls Walnut Oil

I do not like walnuts so, if you are not a fan either you can use any nut oil you like or try Tahitian Lime Olive oil.

1 pound large mushrooms sliced thick

Pick your favorite mushroom or try something new and go crazy. Just remember that you might want to adjust your cooking times and amount of mushrooms because of flavor.

1 shallot finely chopped

I love shallots!!! With that said; have you tried torpedo or walla walla onions? Yum!

2 Tbls Sherry vinegar

2 Tbls finely chopped chives

If you don't have chives the greens from green onions will work. Just remember to chop very fine and you may not want to use as much.

2 Tbls finely chopped parsley

I'm Italian so I always use Italian/Flat leaf parsley.

¼ Tsp salt

Fresh ground Pepper

Toss the salad leaves together and arrange them in beds on individual serving plates.

In a large skillet, heat the olive and preferred nut or Tahitian Lime olive oil over high heat. Add the mushroom and shallot and sauté until they begin to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Sherry vinegar, chives, parsley, and salt: season to taste with black pepper.

Spoon the mushrooms and pan juices over the salad leaves and serve immediately.

Cucumber Salad with Yuzu Rice Vinegar

2012-07-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

Cucumbers can vary in their level of bitterness. Usually the older the more bitter, and the seeds are often more bitter than the flesh. Once you cut into a cucumber, taste it. If bitter, scrape or cut away the seeds. You might also want to soak the chopped cucumber in salt water to help offset the bitterness. The cucumbers we get are usually fine as is, but I have had some bitter ones. With regards to peeling, we almost always peel our cucumbers, but there are some varieties with thin, mild peels that you don't need to peel. Taste first if there is a question.

Ingredients

1-2 large cucumbers (or 4-5 lemon cucumbers), peeled, quartered lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill, basil, or Thai basil*
2-3 Tbsp Yuzu Rice Vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

*To chop the basil, chiffonade it by stacking the leaves on top of each other, rolling them up like a cigar, and taking thin slices from one end to the other.

Method

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, toss to coat. Serve immediately, or make ahead (up to a couple of hours) and chill.

Serves 2-4

adapted from

Lavender and Blood Orange Shortbreads

2012-07-06T17:49:00.000-07:00

The month of June started with me having a weekend home alone. The boys were off to upstate New York to visit family and I stayed home and "held down the fort" as some would say. I had a really hard time deciding if it was going to be a pure all me and know one else but me weekend or to have a gals weekend. Well, I decided I wasn't ready for a pure all me and know one else weekend so a gals weekend it was.

The "gals" consisted of mom and I. The theme was drinking, cooking, and baking but luckily we did the cooking and baking first and the drinking second. I thought that would be a good idea considering we were trying recipes with my products to blog about and capture all our doings digitally.

We tried 7 recipes that weekend. This one came out perfectly but not so many pictures. It seemed that if we took all kinds of pictures the recipes still needs work but if we only have two like for the shortbread's it turned out awesome on the first try. Go Figure?

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons, 1/2 teaspoon Blood Orange-Olive Oil

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers

zest of 1 blood orange(seasonal Nov to May) or regular orangeIn a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch and salt. In a separate bowl, beat butter until creamy.

While continuing to mix, slowly pour olive oil into butter until fully incorporated.

Stir in sugar, vanilla extract, lavender, and zest to butter mixture.

Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture, stirring together until just blended.

Form dough into a ball and divide in half. Roll each half into a 6'' log, wrap logs in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 325. Unwrap dough logs and cut each log into 1/3''-inch thick rounds. Place rounds about 1/2'' apart on baking sheets. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire sheets and allow to cool.

This dough can be very crumbly so I would suggest making sure the dough is really cold.

Store the cookies in an airtight container and the flavor of the Lavender and Blood Orange will meld together into a wonderful citrus and floral sensation!

This recipe was adapted from A Couple in the Kitchen

Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Verbena

2012-07-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe for olive oil cake and I was intrigued. I love olive oil and have many options and flavors to choose from. The first question that came to mind when reviewing the recipe was how am I going to get my hands on Lemon Verbena?

I figured I really had only one local option so I added it to my list of stops and headed out the door. Thank you to Briar Patch Coop in Grass Valley CA, you never disappoint. I had hoped to possibly get some leaves fresh or dry but as I walked up to the door and saw all the herb and vegi plants I stopped to see if I could get lucky. Well, it was my lucky day and I am now the owner of a beautiful Lemon Verbena Plant.

3/4 cup O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil
1/4 cup Meyer Lemon Syrup
2 Tbls butter
juice of 1 1/2 large lemons (just under 1/4 cup juice)
zest of 2 lemons
7 leaves lemon verbena, minced
5 egg yolks
heavy pinch of salt
4 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour (the original recipe called for cake flour and to sift it but that was not a step I was going to take)

Combine the olive oil and the lemon juice and set aside in a liquid measure.

With the whip attachment, whip yolks, salt and 1/2 sugar until very light, thick and billowy.

Still whisking on medium speed, slowly stream in the oil/juice mixture. Whisk in the zest and lemon verbena leaves. I adjusted the amount of lemon verbena leaves from 15 to 7 because my version of this recipe uses the Meyer Lemon Olive Oil.

Whisk the whites with the other half of the sugar to medium peaks.

Fold the whites and the sifted flour together gently but thoroughly. The batter should be very light and poufy.

Spoon into a greased 8″ cake pan and smooth the top a little. Sprinkle with some sugar–white or demerara, whatever you have–bake at 350 degrees until light golden brown on top and well risen.

Depending on your oven, this could take between 20-35 minutes. Keep an eye on it, but don’t open the oven or your lovely cake won’t rise as high as it could.

Serve warm or at room temperature. I made this cake for dessert and felt it had to have more than just sugar sprinkled on the top. So, staying with the lemon theme I drizzled it with this quick and easy syrup recipe.

For the syrup; combine the Meyer Lemon Syrup and butter in a measuring cup and microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk the syrup and drizzle over the top of each piece before serving and a hint of powdered sugar.

The cake will hold a day or two at room temperature.

This recipe doubles very easily, so if you want to make a larger cake, feel free to double up.

This recipe was adapted from Online Pastry Chef

Vella Special Select Dry Jack

2012-06-27T15:30:00.000-07:00

Photo depicts whole 8 lb. form of cheese.

Thought it would be a good idea to re post this blog since I mentioned this wonderful cheese in my blog about the Meyer Lemon Tapenade

Vella Cheese is an old timer in the world of making great American cheeses. Tom Vella began making cheese in 1931 in the Sonoma Valley of California. The company is now run by his son, Ig Vella, and is famous for its Jack cheeses.

Jack cheese was created in the Gold Rush Days in Monterey, California by a Scotsman, named David Jacks.

This Special Select Jack has all the same characteristics as Vella's regular Dry Jack, with its hard, pale yellow interior and sweet, nutty flavor. It is aged for a full year (as opposed to seven months) to develop an even harder texture and more intense flavor, making it similar to a Parmigiano Reggiano from Parma, Italy.

This cheese goes well with fruit and wine and is excellent shaved over pasta. Made from cultured cow's milk. Suitable for vegetarians

Vella Cheese company has received numerous awards such as:

Environmental Award for Solar Panels

Slow Foods Recognition

Lifetime Achievement Award from the esteemed

American Cheese Society in Portland, Or

History of Excellence Award

Vella Special Select Dry Jack 8oz

Visit Gourmet Goods To You Today

MEYER LEMON TAPENADE

2012-06-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

This may be the last of the O Olive Oil Tapenade Trio to introduce you to but certainly not the last time you will see me write about it. I will be using this tapenade in new recipes to share all summer long.

O love. O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil luxuriously soaking delicate chopped Picholine olives. Add a twist of zest and O Citrus Champagne Vinegar and I'm sure you will add this to your lemony favorites. Citrus and savory with impeccable ingredients make this tapenade delicious. The essence of California and the South of France embrace in this beautiful dance of flavor. Party perfect for you and all your friends.

• Party perfect with table crackers. Easy & fun.

• Sublime over goat cheese. Serve with crusty bread.

• Beautiful over angel hair pasta and freshly grated Vella Special Select Dry Jack.

• Delicious spread on grilled ahi

• Brush over grilled chicken & add cracked pepper.

Balsamic Peppercorn Grilling Glaze

2012-06-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

So far, I have shared the Lavender and Honey Grilling Sauce with a Cornish Game Hen recipe and a Citrus Grilling Sauce that can be paired with just about anything. Now, today I wanted to introduce you to the Balsamic Peppercorn Grilling Sauce. When someone mentions a peppercorn sauce we all immediately think of steak right? This made me decide to share a recipe for a less thought of use for this grilling glaze. How about Grilled Peppers?

Just imagine a fusion of Sonoma balsamic vinegar and exotic ingredients, this peppery glaze imparts a harmony of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors when brushed on or tossed with grilled peppers, pork chops, tuna steaks, salmon fillets, eggplant, and zucchini while grilling.

This Restaurant LuLu grilling glaze is perfect for...

brushing onto grilled skirt or flank steaks
dipping grilled shrimp or scallops
sauteing with mushrooms
(morels, crimini, etc.)

NET WT. 8.45 fl. oz. /250ml

Ingredients

Sugar, California Balsamic Vinegar (contains sulfites) natural rice vinegar, soy sauce (water, wheat, soybeans, salt), fish sauce (anchovy extract, salt, sugar & water), black pepper.

Balsamic Peppercorn Grilled Bell Peppers

4 servings

Ingredients:
2 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
1 tablespoon O Olive Oil Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tablespoons LuLu Balsamic Peppercorn Grilling Glaze
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Preparation: Heat grill to medium-high heat. Place peppers in a large bowl and toss with extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons LuLu Balsamic Peppercorn Grilling Glaze. Grill peppers for about 2 minutes on each of 4 sides until lightly browned all over. Remove from grill.

To serve: arrange peppers in o serving bowl and drizzle with remaining LuLu Balsamic Peppercorn Grilling Glaze. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve warm or of room temperature

Jalapeno Lime Tapenade

2012-06-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

This tapenade is 1 of our 5 tapenades we carry and is extremely popular during the summer months. The tang of sun dried tomatoes and the slow heat of the Jalapeno Lime Olive Oil in the tapenade is a great start to any summer meal.

O has blended California sun-dried tomatoes with O Jalapeno-Lime Olive Oil, green olives & garlic into a stunning new flavor. Outrageously delicious. Appetizer nirvana. Possibly the easiest and most delicious way to enjoy table crackers and goat cheese at a party. Simple. Healthy & fun! Wow.

• Wow. All you need are table crackers and a lot of friends.

• Beautiful over pasta. Such a surprise of flavors.

• Spread over smoked turkey sandwiches with baby spinach.

2 slices wheat bread

4 slices turkey breast

1/2 cup baby spinach

1/2 tomato

1/8 onion

1 tbsp light mayonnaise

1 tbsp Jalapeno-Lime and Sundried Tomato Tapenade

• Serve with goat cheese & sliced baguette. A perfect appetizer.

• Dip celery stalks into the jar & don’t tell anyone!

Meyer Lemon Caramel with Sea Salt

2012-06-18T17:10:00.003-07:00

This is one of our most unique and tasty products but everyone is always asking "what do I do with it"? We had this for sampling last week at Flavor of Nevada County "a cooking school" and people fell in love with it. We mentioned how great it is on ice cream, pound cake or fruit. Some even wanted our blessings to just have it straight out of the jar. One woman even said she was having "A Moment" while tasting it.

As was searching for links for this post, I came upon another item I have to try this caramel on: Crepes.

So, if crepes sound good how about pancakes, french toast or waffles. Is your "sweet tooth" aching yet?

This Meyer Lemon Caramel with Sea Salt is all natural and comes in a 8oz jar.

The Last Fling of Spring and Fathers Day Weekend

2012-06-16T14:52:00.001-07:00

It's the last weekend of Spring 2012 and also Fathers Day. How are you spending the last days of Spring? Does it still feel like Spring for you or does it feel like summer already? At the moment it is 96.6 here in Grass Valley CA so it doesn't feel much like Spring.

As far as Fathers Day goes the celebrating started yesterday. My gift to my sons father was not having to work yesterday afternoon but driving to Kings Beach on Lake Tahoe for a picnic. Ok, so I have to admit the going to Lake Tahoe part was definitely for me but he was able to relax on the drive, nap on the beach, and I was the designated driver.

Today the groceries were purchased for the Fathers Day feasting. The decisions on what to have were not easy but one thing was a given. Whatever we were feasting on, it would be GRILLED. I'm not sure if we will be having the bbq chicken tonight but I wanted to get this idea out there as soon as possible.

I do know we will be basting the chicken breasts with this fabulous Citrus Grilling Sauce. I'm sorry this idea is too late for Fathers Day but this grilling sauce is a staple all summer long and beyond.

With aromatic herbs and Provencal flavors ranging from tangy to sweet, each Grilling Sauce adds its unique essence to recipes prepared on the grill or roasted in the oven. Just brush onto meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables before cooking to assure a moist interior, caramelized coating and flavorful finish.

A tangy combination of the zest and juice of 4 citrus fruits
Meyer lemons, grapefruit, limes and oranges
Blended with honey
Perfect for chicken, fish and vegetables
Easy to use - Simply brush onto foods before grilling or use for basting while roasting

This Restaurant LuLu grilling sauce is perfect for ...

brushing onto skewers of prawns and vegetables
marinating sliced eggplant before grilling
basting roast salmon or chicken

Flavor of Nevada County

2012-06-13T11:40:00.001-07:00

The Union presents Flavor of Nevada County:
An Outdoor Cooking School

from 5 to 9 p.m. today
at the Gold Miners Inn/Holiday Inn Express,
downtown Grass Valley.

Outdoor Cooking

— It’s not only for barbecue anymore! Area chefs, restaurants, grocery stores, wineries and kitchen gadget stores will come together to produce this fine, savory, outdoor cooking school, emceed by Rod Byers, wine writer and educator.

It's a half cup of cooking school mixed with equal parts of food, wine and gourmet product expo. Taste food from Nevada County restaurants and caterers, taste some local wines, attend a mini-specialty demo or two, then sit and relax while five local chefs prepare their recipes right in front of you!

Special chefs include: Jim Eckardt of Jim E's Catering and Club 141, Emily Moore of Diego's, Jesse Cohen and Chris McFadden of Smiley Guys SmokeHouse, Emily Scott-Arbaugh of Emily's Catering and Cakes. Rod Byers, wine writer and educator, will return as emcee for the evening.

Ol' Republic Brewery will be on hand for beer tastings, along with Double Oak Vineyards & Winery, Lucchesi Vineyards & Winery, Sierra Starr Vineyard and Solune Winegrowers.

VIP tickets are sold out, but there are still general admission tickets available at The Union office, 464 Sutton Way, Grass Valley, by calling Mary Anne Davis at (530) 477-4241, or online at www.theunion.com/flavor. Cost is $30 for subscribers; $35 for nonsubscribers.

Buy your tickets online,
by visiting The Union office

or by phone: 530 477-4241

Blood Oranges, Kalamata Olives, and Capers

2012-06-11T18:41:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I welcomed in summertime being almost here with an introduction to our Lavender Grilling Sauce. Today is all about Blood Orange Tapenade. Have you ever had a tapenade before? What about Blood Oranges or any type of Blood Orange products?

Blood Oranges are still most abundant in Italy and Spain but they have become more popular in the U.S. and they are being grown in California and Texas. A typical Blood Orange season is from November to May depending on where they are being sourced from.

O Olive Oil's Blood Orange Tapenade is made with Kalamata Olive and Capers. It is great to rub, spread , serve, dip, and grill with.

• Rub over grilled chicken for savory flavor.

• Spread on turkey sandwiches with arugula.

• Serve with grilled pork medallions & wild rice.

• Dip crusty bread and serve with sliced apples.

• Beautiful over grilled halibut or tuna sandwiches.

WELCOME SUMMERTIME

2012-06-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

Summertime is almost here as far as the calendar say's but like me many of you may already started grilling, dining al fresco, and picnicking. This blog is the first in a series introducing you to all our great summertime products.

LAVENDER HONEY GRILLING SAUCE

With aromatic herbs and Provencal flavors(fennel, basil, thyme, and lavender) ranging from tangy to sweet, each Grilling Sauce adds its unique essence to recipes prepared on the grill or roasted in the oven. Just brush onto meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables before cooking to assure a moist interior, caramelized coating and flavorful finish.

Made with LuLu's Lavender Honey, one of our top selling products
Imparts the delicate aroma of lavender blossoms
Creates a sweet, crisp, coating
Use on chicken, duck, lamb and whole fish
Easy to use - Simply brush onto foods before grilling or use for basting while roasting

This Restaurant LuLu grilling sauce is perfect for...

brushing on pork tenderloin before grilling
marinated fruit such as pineapple slices before grilling
basting roast chicken or duck

NET WT. 8.45 fl. oz. / 250ml.

GRILLED CORNISH HENS WITH LAVENDER GRILLING SAUCE

Ingredients

6 Cornish hens, each 1 /12 pound, halved lengthwise, wings removed at second joint
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
1/2 cup LuLu Lavender Honey Grilling Sauce
2 lemons, quartered
Preparation
1. Prepare a medium ﬁre in a grill.
2. Season the hens with salt and pepper and brush lightly with olive oil. Arrange the hens, skin side down, on the grill and grill until browned and crisp underneath, about 8 minutes, rotating the hens a quarter turn halfway through cooking to prevent the skin from burning. Turn the hens over, brush with some of the grilling sauce, and continue grilling until well browned underneath and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone, registers 170ºF, about 10 minutes more.
3. Turn the hens over and brush with more sauce. Continue grilling, turning the hens as needed to prevent burning, until the sauce is glazed and well browned, 2 to 3 minutes more.
4. Transfer the hens to a warmed large platter and garnish with the lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
  Recipe courtesy of Williams and Sonoma.

Craziest Foods You Can Deep Fry

2012-06-06T09:06:00.002-07:00

This post has 12 different recipes so I think I will break it down and get a conversation started. Have you ever tried any of these items deep fried? Do you have a recipe to add or an item that you think would be good but haven’t tried?

RECIPE 4. Deep Fried Banana Dumplings
I don't have dumpling wrappers left over or in my fridge for that matter. I think I should start. Do you have these in your fridge? I want to try this one but guess I need to find another recipe that calls for wrappers also. This could be a fun adventure.

Deep Fried Banana Dumpling by Sea Salt with Food

Craziest Foods You Can Deep Fry

2012-05-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

This post has 12 different recipes so I think I will break it down and get a conversation started. Have you ever tried any of these items deep fried? Do you have a recipe to add or an item that you think would be good but haven’t tried?

RECIPE 3. Fried Bacon EggsNow this recipe sounds interesting but I'm not sure I would want to do the work for it. I think if I show it to the hubby and son they might be willing to make it happen. What do you think?

Kirbie's Cravings Fried Bacon Eggs

Small Business Grant Opportunity

2012-05-27T12:32:00.000-07:00

I will be will be submitting our grant application by June 30th for the chance to be awarded a $250,000.00 grant for our small business. For our application to be reviewed we need your help. We have to receive 250 votes at the link below before they will consider us. Please help us to make our business and local community better with your vote.

We already support our local community with donations for charitable events. With this kind of funding we could hire people in our community to work for us, increase our donations to charities, and increase our made in the US product line.

Vote for Gourmet Goods To You

Craziest Foods You Can Deep Fry

2012-05-24T17:40:00.002-07:00

This post has 12 different recipes so I think I will break it down and get a conversation started. Have you ever tried any of these items deep fried? Do you have a recipe to add or an item that you think would be good but haven’t tried?

RECIPE 2. Avocado Fries with Cilantro Lemon Dipping Sauce Now this is a recipe I need to try. How about you?

Adventures in Cooking Avocado Fries

Craziest Food You Can Deep Fry

2012-05-17T17:28:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Bon Appetit for the post of the Craziest Food You Can Deep Fry.

We tend to think of avocados chopped into fresh salads or smushed onto whole-grain breakfast toast. But, thanks to the Internet, we recently learned that they can also be coated in batter and submerged into a vat of bubbling oil until golden and crispy and retaining very little of their nutritive properties. And, you know what, Internet? That's why we love you.

Click through the wacky world of deep-fried food below and you'll find bricks of mac and cheese, molten Cadbury Creme Eggs, and more. It ain't pretty, but it sure is educational. Don't miss the avocado fries. --Julia Bainbridge

This post has 12 different recipes so I think I will break it down and get a conversation started. Have you ever tried any of these items deep fried? Do you have a recipe to add or an item that you think would be good but haven’t tried?

RECIPE 1. DEEP FRIED APPLE PIES
I would not put this in any kind of crazy fried recipe category but it sure sounds good. I'm not much of a baker so I'm not sure I'll try this recipe but it does sound delicious. Anyone want to make some?

http://artofdessert.blogspot.com/

Welcome Canada

2012-05-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

I was contacted by a woman in Canada looking for Champagne vinegar because it was unavailable in her country. It was easier than I thought to ship internationally and "Wa La", We now ship to Canada.

Gourmet Gooods To You Blog

Caprese Hamburgers with Balsamic Glaze

If you love caprese salads and hamburgers this recipe is for you.

Where does the time go????

Macaroni and Cheese Deep Fried?

Peach Cobbler with a Scone Mix?

PEACHES, PEACHES, PEACHES

Easy Peach Cobbler!

Roasted Mushrooms and Farfalle Anyone?

2 lbs mixed fresh specialty mushrooms

4 bay leaves

Half of a torpedo onion

3Tbls Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3Tbls Mustard and Herbes de Provence Grilling Sauce

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 cup fineley chopped fresh Basil

2 Tbls Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1lb Farfalle pasta

grated Asiago to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Clean mushrooms, remove any hard stems, and keep small mushrooms whole; halve or quarter any that are large.

In a medium bowl, toss mushrooms, bay leaves, 3 Tbls olive oil, Mustard and Herbes de Provence grilling sauce, garlic, torpedo onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Place mushrooms on a baking sheet and roast for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and place mushrooms in a clean bowl.

While mushrooms are still hot, stir in basil and remaining olive oil. Stir into farfalle and top with sliced tomatoes and cheese. "Mangiare"

Grilled Meyer Lemon Prawns with Fresh Salad Greens

GRILLED MEYER LEMON PRAWNS

Warm Mushroom Salad with Sherry Vinegar

2 cups coarsely torn radicchio

2 cups coarsely torn red leaf lettuce

2 cups coarsely torn regular or red butter lettuce

2 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbls Walnut Oil

1 pound large mushrooms sliced thick

1 shallot finely chopped

2 Tbls finely chopped chives

2 Tbls finely chopped parsley

¼ Tsp salt

Fresh ground Pepper

Cucumber Salad with Yuzu Rice Vinegar

Ingredients

Method

Lavender and Blood Orange Shortbreads

Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Verbena

Vella Special Select Dry Jack

Thought it would be a good idea to re post this blog since I mentioned this wonderful cheese in my blog about the Meyer Lemon Tapenade

MEYER LEMON TAPENADE

Balsamic Peppercorn Grilling Glaze

This Restaurant LuLu grilling glaze is perfect for...

Balsamic Peppercorn Grilled Bell Peppers

Jalapeno Lime Tapenade

Meyer Lemon Caramel with Sea Salt

The Last Fling of Spring and Fathers Day Weekend

Flavor of Nevada County

The Union presents Flavor of Nevada County: An Outdoor Cooking School

from 5 to 9 p.m. today at the Gold Miners Inn/Holiday Inn Express, downtown Grass Valley.

Outdoor Cooking

— It’s not only for barbecue anymore! Area chefs, restaurants, grocery stores, wineries and kitchen gadget stores will come together to produce this fine, savory, outdoor cooking school, emceed by Rod Byers, wine writer and educator.

Blood Oranges, Kalamata Olives, and Capers

WELCOME SUMMERTIME

GRILLED CORNISH HENS WITH LAVENDER GRILLING SAUCE

Recipe courtesy of Williams and Sonoma.

Craziest Foods You Can Deep Fry

Craziest Foods You Can Deep Fry

Small Business Grant Opportunity

Craziest Foods You Can Deep Fry

Craziest Food You Can Deep Fry

Welcome Canada

The Union presents Flavor of Nevada County:
An Outdoor Cooking School

from 5 to 9 p.m. today
at the Gold Miners Inn/Holiday Inn Express,
downtown Grass Valley.