Vintage Mixer

2012 Salt Lake Magazine Dining Awards

2012-02-22T07:04:00.002-08:00

I put on a fancy vintage dress and my favorite cowboy boots last night to attended the local food version of the Grammy's. Salt Lake Magazine's Dining Awards is the soiree of the season, with all of the most well known characters in the restaurant scene around town. We drank cocktails and listened to the Daniel Day Trio. It was exciting just to be sitting among such talented and inventive chefs and restaurant owners.

Through the evening, we brushed shoulders with Viet Pham, dressed fabulously in a suit coat and bow tie, and we chatted with Salt Lake Magazine's own Mary Brown Malouf. Clumsy as I am, I accidentally kicked over a wine glass that was on the ground and it was graciously picked up by Pago's owner Scott Evans, I blushed and went on my way, thankful for the kind gesture.

One of the best parts was getting a taste of personalities as the chefs and restaurant owners gave their award speechs. Some were shy, but most were amiable and entertaining. Some of my favorites were the owners from Naked Fish and Aristo's, who got a few good laughs.

As the awards were presented I was surprised by how many restaurants I have yet to try. Now I have a whole new list of award winning restaurants to sample, from lunch at Left Fork Grill to pastries at La Bonne Vie in the Grand America!

I won't keep you waiting any longer... here is a taste of the 2012 Salt Lake Magazine Dining Awards:

Best comfort foods: Pat's Barbecue
Best Breakfast: Copper Onion
Best Lunch: Left Fork Grille
Best Bakery: La Bonnie Vie
Best Quick Eats: Guzzi's
Best Japanese: Naked Fish
Best Indian: Saffron Valley
Best Mexican: Frida Bistro
Best Italian: Fresco
Best Mediterranean: Aristo's
Best Discovery: The Garage

Best new restaurant : The Farm
Best pastry chef: Amber Billingsley at Vinto
Best chef: Viet Pham and Bowman Brown from Forage
Best Restaurant: Fresco

For a full list of the awards please visit Salt Lake Magazine.

A New Image of Haiti

2012-02-20T07:11:00.003-08:00

Last week I took a trip with six other folks to Haiti. It was an adventure to say the least. At some point I'll tell you more about the experiences we had there but for now I want to give you a glimpse of the beauty of Haiti.

While we were there we had a translator named Jenny (j-e-double-n-y as he liked to say it). One afternoon, as we bounced along the bumpy roads in the back of a truck, we asked Jenny what he thought of Americans and what was peculiar to him about our culture. He mentioned the strangeness of high divorce rates, and the swiftness to which our country goes to war. He also doesn't like that Americans visit Haiti to take pictures of the poorest kids and the roughest parts of the country only to post them online in a way that benefits themselves instead of helping Haiti's poverty. So today, I want to honor Jenny's desire for the better parts of Haiti to be known.

The country is a graceful island, filled with generous people and a colorful culture. We were hosted at a Haitian family's home for a few of our days there, where we enjoyed some of the most delicious foods Haiti has to offer, from fresh avocados bigger than your fist, to crispy fried plantains and Haitian-spiced fried chicken. For several of our meals the women cooked for hours, thoughtfully preparing each dish. We were humbled by their extravagance and care toward us.

The colors of Haiti were all but dull, neon painted homes, bright clothing, brilliant green rice plantations, and glimmering turquoise waters. And the people were vibrant with loud laughs, audacious singing, and never a frown on the street. No matter the age or condition, it seemed like the people found a reason to smile.

We were humbled by the people's way of life as well. Caring for your neighbor is not an outdated proverb but a way of life in Haiti. We met a woman who cooks a meal for over 200 kids every Saturday. Also, Jenny often works for free for the local radio station as a translator. Generosity would be an understatement when describing the people of Haiti.

Overall, I would say I learned more than I taught on this trip. I can only hope that these qualities of Haiti would rub off on me and my way of life.

Roasted Cauliflower over Farro with Red Pepper Cream Sauce

2012-02-15T00:03:00.000-08:00

A few days back, I posted about my amazing discovery that a handful of cashews and some charred red peppers can transform into a creamy, bright sauce. I wanted to share with you one of the ways we've enjoyed this new found roasted red pepper sauce- drizzled over cooked farro with roasted cauliflower.

Josh and I are both cauliflower obsessed. Just the other day we devoured a cauliflower soup that used 1 whole head of cauliflower. Needless to say, it was an easy decision when we scoured the fridge to find what vegetable to use this sauce with.

Also, farro is one of our favorite grains to have around the house. If you can't find it at your store, try wheat berries or barley. They are similar and cooked the same way. Our all time favorite recipe to use this grain in is this Wheat Berry Salad with Sun-Dried Cherries, Pecans, Spinach and Bacon. Farro and Wheat Berries are fun to experiment with and that's why I thought I would try using them in place of a pasta or brown rice for this dish. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think!

Roasted Cauliflower over Farro with Red Pepper Sauce
serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS
half of a batch of roasted red pepper cashew cream sauce
1 cup of farro
4 cups of water
dash of salt

1 head of cauliflower

1 Tb of olive oil

1 shallot, sliced thin

DIRECTIONS
Bring the 4 cups of water to a boil with a dash of salt, add the cup of farro and bring to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the farro is chewy and tender. Meanwhile, mix the oil, cauliflower and shallot, then roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about the same amount of time 25-30 minutes. Flip cauliflower over half way through roasting. Drain the farro then mix the farro with the roasted red pepper sauce. Spoon this into shallow bowls then top with roasted cauliflower.

Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake Recipe

2012-02-13T08:10:00.000-08:00

Have you ever cooked with Meyer Lemons? Or better yet, have you ever made a pudding cake? Meyer Lemons and this Creamy Pudding Cake recipe are like a match made in heaven! When my friend Maria and I made this we couldn't stop grinning as we tasted the first bite out of the oven. perfection.

As you read this, I'm probably on a plane to Haiti or sitting in the airport during my six hour long layover. I'm probably skimming through food magazines or reading, meanwhile anticipating what it will be like to see so much poverty. One thing I'm excited about in Haiti is the freedom from materialism for a few days. A friend mentioned to me the other day that there are hardly any mirrors in Haiti, so you never really know what you look like while you're there. That could be why all of the kids want to see the pictures you take of them. Many of the kids may not have any idea what they look like... this is just a crazy thought to an average American. For a gal like me who breezes through getting ready in the morning (one of my least favorite things), I'm excited for a little break from that. I'm also excited about the fresh foods I've heard so much about... fresh mango and avocado picked ripe the day it's enjoyed. That will be my little luxury while I'm there.

Also, while I'm in Haiti, I have a few more recipes for you to enjoy, but this one... this one is unriveled among any lemon dessert. I simply couldn't stop eating it.

And what a better time to try a new tasty dessert than for Valentine's Day. Whether you're celebrating with friends, not celebrating at all, or celebrating with a loved one, this is a perfect dessert for the evening.

Valentine's Day is not usually a holiday Josh and I make a big deal of. It's one of those holidays that is over-rated and built up with too many expectations to enjoy. We figure everything is overpriced and commercialized during this time and we'd rather show our love regularly for one another than elaborately just one time a year. Having said that, I'm all for an excuse to eat a decadent meal or dessert. Last year we dined at our favorite local restaurant, Fresco Italian Cafe, enjoying every bite of our rich Italian meal and our peaceful meal together. In years past, we've made a special meal at home or just ignored the holiday all together. This year we'll be countries apart but we celebrate each other often enough that the holiday won't be missed.

How do you celebrate Valentine's Day? Overrated or Embraced?

Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake Recipe

from the Traveler's Lunchbox and Luscious Lemon Desserts

INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup (200g) sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated meyer (or regular) lemon zest
3 large eggs, at room temperature, separate yolks and whites
1/3 cup meyer lemon juice (or 1/4 cup/60ml regular lemon juice)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
8 oz sour cream or Greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or butter a 1 quart souffle dish (or a set of ramekins or a square baking dish that will fit into a larger baking dish). Also, have a larger baking pan ready that will accommodate your souffle dish or ramekins.

Beat the butter at medium speed until light. Add the sugar and zest and beat until combined. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add half the lemon juice, half the flour and half the sour cream/yogurt and beat until smooth; repeat with remaining lemon juice, flour and sour cream/yogurt. Pour this mixture into a separate bowl.

Next, beat the egg whites at medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to medium-high, add the salt, and beat to stiff peaks. Meanwhile, bring a few cups of water to a boil. Once egg whites have stiff pearly peaks, add one-quarter of the whites to the lemon mixture and gently fold in. Continue to fold in whites one-quarter at a time. Transfer the mixture to the prepared souffle dish or ramekins. Place in the larger pan and carefully pour boiling water around it to a depth of 1 inch.

Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, until the top is golden brown, the center is just set, and the top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from the water bath and cool for 10-15 minutes.

Lightly dust with powdered sugar and serve warm, scooping up some of the pudding at the bottom of the dish along with the cake.

*You'll be tempted to add something to this, a berry sauce, some ice cream, or chocolate but don't... it is SO good just by itself I promise!!

a proud wife-y

2012-02-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

I know this is a little out of the ordinary, but my husband has worked really hard the last 15 months on his new album and I want you to hear a song from it. The album releases on Feb. 29 on iTunes. He also has a big concert coming up at the State Room on March 11. Stay tuned for more info. Enjoy the tunes. I'll miss you all while I'm in Haiti.

Best Berry Scone Recipe

2012-02-08T07:17:00.000-08:00

I love nostalgic recipes. This recipe for Berry Almond Scones takes be back to a restaurant that used to be here in Salt Lake, the Cocoa Cafe. It was owned by a friendly Norweigan guy, just looking to live the simple life, enjoying family, cooking the foods he loved and making a living to support it all. Unfortunately, the Cocoa Cafe isn't around any more but I still dream about their fluffy berry scones and rich hot chocolate.

I've tried replicating the Cocoa Cafe's scones a few times. A friend of mine snagged the recipe (hand written on a torn napkin) from an old employee of theirs. It was fun to feel a bit clandestine, tracking down this long lost recipe and testing it out together. But we discovered there were a few problems with the secret recipe, it was for an enormous batch and used European measurements, so when we quartered the recipe it just didn't turn out the same as at the old cafe. Since then I've been trying to find a recipe that would stand a chance against those fluffy scones in my memory. Sometimes food memories just can't be replicated! But finally, I found just the one... and let me just tell you, these may even go beyond the scones at the Cocoa Cafe.

These scones are sweet and buttery, busting at the seams with a variety of juicy berries, and perfectly tender. Many scone recipes call for heavy cream, which I thought might be irreplaceable for a good scone but the mixture of the thick almond milk and creamy Greek yogurt made for perfect healthy replacements. You won't miss the heavy cream one bit. Also, the mixture of whole wheat pastry flour and regular flour makes for a good balance. If you just have regular flour just use two cups. I wouldn't advise using regular wheat flour or using all whole wheat pastry flour though. I always try to make healthy substitutions that don't take away from the flavor of the recipe. And with this recipe I think the healthy ingredients only make them better. The scones are almost magical when you enjoy them hot right out of the oven!

I have had fun recently coming up with a series of 'best recipes,' taking time to find my favorite for some kitchen staples. Here are a few of my favorites so far: Best Granola Recipe, Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, Best Blueberry Muffin Recipe, Best Vegan Cookies, and Best Bran Muffin Recipe. Of course, all of these are subject to my preferences which you may disagree with but none-the-less, they are tried and true! What best recipes do you keep up your sleeve?

Berry Almond Scones
yields 8 generous blues-killing scones

INGREDIENTS
8 Tb (1 stick) butter, cold, plus 1 Tb melted (use cold coconut oil for vegan substitute)
1 cup frozen mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)

1/4 cup sliced almonds
½ cup almond milk (or use regular milk if you'd like)
½ cup Greek yogurt (or use vegan sour cream or vegan yogurt)
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or substitute for more all-purpose flour)
½ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
tools: pastry scraper (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat to 425˚ F. Grate the frozen butter on the holes of a large box grater.

Whisk together the almond milk and Greek yogurt in a medium bowl; refrigerate until needed. In another bowl, combine the flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and almonds in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the grated butter to the flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.

Add the milk-yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until combined. Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour, and knead with well floured hands, 6-8 times. Add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Roll the dough into a 12-inch square. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter (a dough scraper really helps with these steps). Fold the short ends of the dough into the center in thirds, to form an approximate 4-inch square. Transfer the dough to a plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.

Return the dough to the floured work surface and roll into an approximately 12-inch square again. Sprinkle the berries evenly over the surface of the dough, and gently press down so that they are slightly embedded in the dough surface. Fold up the edges of the dough up so that all of the berries are concealed inside the dough. The dough should resemble a ball. Flatten the dough and gently form into a circle (about 7 inches by 7 inches). Using a sharp, floured knife, or a sharp dough scraper/chopper cut the circle into 8 equal triangles (like pie wedges). Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.

Brush the tops of the scones with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar or more sliced almonds. Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at 10 minutes before serving. If you can wait that long!

*If freezing ahead of time, flash freeze on the baking sheet for 20 minutes, then wrap individually and store in a freezer bag until needed. And just to clarify, I used all of the ingredients listed, the ones in parenthesis are ideas for substitutes. If you use a substitute please let me know how then turn out!

Mexican Hot Cocoa Cake Recipe

2012-02-06T06:53:00.000-08:00

If you grew up around cowboy boots and the southern twang like I did, then you probably already know about Hot Cocoa Cake. This cake is famous around our neck of the woods. Texan women are known for their chocolate sheet cakes and hot cocoa cakes. My sister and I frequently asked for my mom to bake this cake for our birthdays and special occasions. It was one of the first recipes I ever posted, but I thought it was worth revisiting, especially with a little twist. You see, I have this thing for adding cayenne pepper to all of my chocolate recipes (ALL of them!). In my mind a little kick of spice to chocolate cookies, a chocolate cake, or a brownie recipe only makes it that much better. It's plain and simple: Mexican Chocolate Cake > Chocolate Cake. That is about as much math as you'll ever see me write on here. Anyways...

Since, I added chocolate to our list of seasonal ingredients for this month, I figured I had to have a chocolate recipe post this month right, plus this gave me an excuse to make one of my favorite desserts and change it up a bit.

I combined my mom's Hot Cocoa Cake with a few bonus ingredients: coffee and cayenne pepper to make a perfectly spicy and moist cake. I made the cake in 8 ounce jars so that I could give one to my sweet heart before I leave town over Valentines Day (he won't be so lonely with a jar of chocolate cake in hand). We also gave a few to friends and we instantly enjoyed a jar (or two) hot out of the oven with two spoons!

Mexican Hot Cocoa Cake
makes 8-10 cakes in 8 ounce jars

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup cocoa, (Dutch-process cocoa powder)
¼ cup hot-chocolate mix (any kind)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup oil
1 cup coffee, at room temperature
2 cups whipped cream, with a few Tb of sugar and a dash of cinnamon and tsp vanilla
shaved chocolate for garnishing

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 300°. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, hot-chocolate mix, cayenne, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, oil and coffee.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, a third at a time, whisking to incorporate between each addition.

Arrange eight 8-ounce Mason jars on a sheet tray and carefully pour ½ cup batter into each jar. Place the tray in the oven and bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. (Cakes will overflow a little then collapse but don't worry... they will be tasty!)

Remove from the oven. Whip the cream with sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until peaks are formed. Top each cake with the whipped cream and dust with chocolate shavings. Serve warm or cover the cake and refrigerate until you serve.

*The cakes will stay good in the fridge for about a week. I didn't go through a full canning process for these. Also, take note that the cakes will overflow over the jars while they cook, which makes for a picture perfect jar full of bubbling-over chocolate goodness.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce with Cashews

2012-02-03T07:11:00.000-08:00

Some people run to food, others to red wine but for me its cooking. When I need to get away or to let my mind rest from all the other heavy things in life, I cook. And I've been cooking a lot lately, most recently creating this recipe: Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce with Cashews. A recipe with so much versatility, pour it over fresh pasta, over sauteed chicken or vegetables, or over your favorite grain like quinoa or farro.

The roasted flavor of the red peppers adds the perfect smokiness to the sauce, while the cashew-puree adds a creamy and buttery flavor. I've been experimenting a lot lately using nuts to add flavor and texture to dishes and sauces. Cashews tend to make things creamy, while peanuts add saltiness and almonds add a nuttiness and a grainy texture. Pureeing the nuts in a food processor allows you to add them to just about anything, from sauces, to soups or smoothies. I have so much more to explore with this idea.

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Cashew Sauce
makes about 3 cups of sauce

INGREDIENTS
6 red bell peppers
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cashews, raw and unsalted
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
dash of red pepper flakes
1 Tb olive oil
1Tb lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
Preheat to 450°F. Arrange the peppers and garlic on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven, turning every 15 minutes until done (about 30-40 minutes). Peppers will be done when all of the skin is blackened and crisp.

Place the peppers in a covered bowl or brown paper bag. As the steam from the peppers condenses, the skin becomes easier to peel off.

Once the peppers have cooled, carefully peel off the blackened skin and discard. You can do this with your fingers or a sharp paring knife. Pull or cut off the top of the pepper and squeeze gently to remove the seeds. *Never rinse or wash the peppers, as the water will diminish the smoky flavor.

Next, combine the red peppers, roasted garlic, cashews, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and lemon juice and puree until smooth. Freeze or heat in a sauce pan and serve. When I heat it up I usually add a little bit of white wine to the sauce.

Ways to use this sauce:
Over Pasta
Over Sauteed Chicken or Vegetables
As a spread in a sandwich
Over grains like quinoa or farro
As a pizza sauce
Over eggs
... what would you use it with?!

Seasonal Produce for February in Utah

2012-02-01T06:20:00.000-08:00

Technically February is another dormant month in Utah, but there is one thing that you'll find on my list that is alive and well in Utah this month chocolate! People all over will be enjoy rich chocolate desserts with the ones they love this month, or maybe they'll try something citrus-y instead. Either way... desserts are in the air! And there is also some great produce that is readily available in the area. For local food, check out the winter farmer's market or a local CSA.

Here's are a few of my favorite February recipes by local bloggers:

Baked Lemon Donuts by Barbara Bakes
Pink Grapefruit Cupcakes by Completely Delicious
Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries by Taste and Tell
Blood Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins by Mountain Mama Cooks
Gluten-free Lemon Meringue Tartlets by A Fuller Life
Creamy Broccoli Soup by Project Domestication
Twice Baked Cauliflower by Kalyn's Kitchen
Green Smoothie by Two Peas and Their Pod
Lemon Loaf and Baked Lemons by me
Braised Leeks with Red Pepper Cream Cheese by Cookin' Canuck
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon Avocado and Lime by The Little Red House
Warm Fruit Salad with Orange Maple Sauce by Delightful Delicacies
Smokey Black Bean Soup with Radish Garnishes by Cafe Johnsonia

How to make the seasonal produce image appear as your wallpaper:

Step 1 Click on Wallpaper Image on right side bar, this will open the image in a new window on your screen

Step 2 Once image loads on a new page, right click (or ctrl-click) image and select 'use image as desktop picture'

Step 3 If the image does not fit your desktop background neatly, you may have to go to your preference screen and choose "Fit to screen" as the display mode of your background image.

Wine and Cheese Tasting with Fox School of Wine and Beehive Cheese

2012-01-30T07:10:00.000-08:00

I can't let any more time pass without telling you a little more about the last tasting we had. To back up a little bit, we've expanded the blog beyond just an online community of folks interested in learning and enjoying food to an offline community who gathers to taste, smell and experience all the local food and drink that Salt Lake has to offer. We've now enjoyed a coffee and pastry tasting, a wine pairing, a cookie exchange, and now a wine and cheese tasting. Each gathering also benefits a food related non-profit.

Now back to the special evening we had... Kirsten from Fox School of Wine and Katie of Beehive Cheese joined us to present health benefits of red wine along with cheese pairings for each wine we sipped. We learned that not only can wine reduce anxiety or tension but that it also can aid digestion and restore nutritional balance. Those were just a few of the many highlights that Kirsten gave as benefits to red wine. It was definitely interesting to clear up all of the misconceptions on whether wine was actually good or bad for consumption. Of course, it is best in moderation, which is how I like to enjoy it anyway!

The other side of the night was filled with cheese. We learned how to taste cheese, how to pair it, and I also learned that cutting a few pounds of cheese is nothing short of a workout. Beehive Cheese showcased their most award winning cheeses throughout the evening, including their well known Barely Buzzed, a cheddar hand rubbed with espresso and lavender with subtle notes of caramel and butterscotch. We were also treated to a taste of one of their newest creations, Tea Hive, a "feel good" cheese with the soothing qualities of tea and relaxing qualities of bergamot (a citrus fruit similar to a lemon). If you haven't tried this cheese variety one yet, you must pick some up soon and give it a shot.

Every sip of wine and creamy bite of cheese made for an evening worth savoring. Best of all, everyone left knowing someone new from the table and taking home with them some new insights.

Stay tuned for more information on our next tasting. If you would like to be on the invite list please email SLC Foodie at gmail.

To buy Beehive Cheese visit Tony Caputo's Market, Harmon's, or Liberty Heights Fresh.

To host your own Cheese and Wine Tasting, check out Kirsten's new book, a compliations of ratings from her past year of wine tastings and filled with wine descriptions and tasting ideas. Buy Wine School 2011 Yearbook here. Fox School of Wine offers wine education classes in Park City twice a week.

Also, the beautiful table centerpieces were inspired by Lindsey from Cafe Johnsonia and Jen from Delightful Delicacies (two very talented local bloggers).

Moroccan Tagine Recipe with Chickpeas and Dried Apricots

2012-01-26T07:02:00.000-08:00

This recipe takes me straight back to a time and place - 2003 Granada, Spain. A group of us hiked up to a restaurant overlooking the ancient Alambra fortress to eat the best Moroccan food I've ever tasted. We sat outside in the warm summer air under a colorful tarp and many of us ordered a dish very similar to this: Moroccan Tagine over spiced couscous with golden grapes and caramelized onions. I can almost smell in now...

We were in Granada for a summer during college, studying Spanish and spending time with local college students. It was definitely a summer I'll always remember and Granada was a city I'll always want to return to. Cobblestone lined the streets of this old Spanish city, plazas filled with flowers and fresh pasta, grand historic cathedrals with ornate architecture and stain glass, and the impressive palace, the Alhambra.

If you ever find yourself in Spain, you must wander this magical city. The city of Granada is divided into two parts, a Spanish part and a Moorish (Muslim/Arab) part because Granada was the last Moorish stronghold before the Spanish took over the area. Today, you can still see much of the remnants of the Moorish community there, especially in Albayzin, the hill where we ate that night.

At that point in my life I'm not even sure I knew what a tagine was but all of the ingredients sounded so marvelous that I knew I had to try it. A tagine is slow cooked North African Stew with a combination of several spices made in a earthenware pot. Ever since that magical evening on the hill, many of us have tried to remake that meal, and after several tries, I think I've found a really great match.

Moroccan Tagine with Chickpeas and Apricots
serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS
1.5 lbs chicken or lamb shoulder (I used 4 chicken thighs)
1 large sweet onion, (half diced and half thinly sliced)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 teaspoons Moroccan Spice Blend spice blend (Ras-el-Hanout)
1 teaspoon chopped peeled ginger
1 can diced tomatoes with juices
1 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken stock
1 cinnamon stick
1 can of chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup dried apricots, thinly sliced
Chopped fresh cilantro

Couscous:

1 1/2 cups couscous

1 cups water*

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons of golden raisins
honey to drizzle
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken or lamb with salt and pepper. Brown meat on all sides (med high heat), about 4 minutes, then simmer (medium low) until meat is cooked. Transfer meat to a medium bowl. Add half of the onion (diced) to pot; reduce heat to medium, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until soft and beginning to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic, Moroccan Spice Blend (Ras-el-Hanout), and ginger. Stir for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and the meat with any accumulated juices. Add 1 1/2 cups stock and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the other half of the onion (thinly sliced) and caramelize the onion, (brown over medium heat) about 5 minutes. Place onion in a bowl. Drizzle the golden raisins with honey and set aside. Using the same pot you used to cook the onion, bring 1 cup of water, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon of oil and 1/4 tsp salt and to a boil. Add 1 1/2 cups couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. Mix in caramelized onions and raisins, sprinkle with cinnamon.

Stir in chickpeas and apricots to meat mixture; simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon couscous onto a large, shallow platter, forming a large well in center. Spoon tagine into center. Sprinkle cilantro over.

*For the couscous you can use any amount of water/broth/juice ratio, just make sure you have 1.25 cups of liquid for 1 cup of couscous.

a taste

2012-01-24T06:16:00.000-08:00

This weekend I had a little taste of family. It was more satisfying than a generous slice of birthday cake, or a glass of my favorite red wine. It was the kind of lasting satisfaction that only comes from deep relationship. I traveled to St. Louis Missouri to visit my sister and brother in law and their little girl, Sarah. It's been around 10 years since we've had any sort of normalcy in our relationship, as they lived in a whole other continent, so I'm savoring every chance I get to be with my sister and to get to be an aunt.

Over the weekend we feasted on Italian food, toured around a city so new to me, and best of all, we just got to be together. We laughed a lot, especially at my creative little niece, who always seemed to be doing something hilarious... dipping her dinosaurs in her cereal or building a pyramid of furniture on her bed when we weren't looking.

I wasn't in a hurry this trip. I loved exploring St. Louis but I look forward to more visits to uncover more. To describe the city simply, the word unpretentious comes to mind. We visited the local farmer's market which sold 'coon' (as in raccoon) right next to choice steaks and also advertised biscuits and gravy and jello shots on the same sign. The market was filled with bright and fresh fruits and vegetables all sold at very reasonably prices.

We also visited 'The Hill,' which is what locals call the Italian district of town. We grabbed a delicious Italian deli sandwich and cannoli from a little cafe that couldn't be more unassuming. Both the sandwich and the cannoli were the best of their kind, that I have ever tasted. Yes, I will be back! And before we left The Hill (by the way... there is no actual hill, St. Louis is mostly flat) we visited an Italian market and picked up all of the perfect ingredients to whip up a simply scrumptious Italian meal at home.

The city charmed me with its tall red brick homes, diverse crowds, and rich meats, but most of all I think enjoying a place has much to do with who you are with. St. Louis is now a second home to me, because this is where my family lives.

*For the birthday or celebration cake recipe from the top photo see this post :) It's one of my favorite cakes to make for a special occasion!

Local's Guide to the Sundance Film Festival

2012-01-17T07:29:00.000-08:00

It's one of my favorite times of the year to live in Salt Lake City. The Sundance Film Festival kicks off this weekend and swarms of film enthusiasts as well as brilliant producers and actors come to our city to be a part of this incredible showcase. Over the last few years I've picked up on how to best enjoy Sundance as a local which I want to share with you today. I put together some Q & As with my good friend Jackie that we hope you find helpful. Please feel free to leave a comment with other questions or if you have more tips on the film festival we would love to hear them as well!

If you didn't get a ticket package what is the best way to get tickets as a local?
Open ticket sales are the 17th and 18th at the Park City and Salt Lake box offices. Hours are 10-6. On the website, Sundance now has a pretty neat feature "Real Time Availability" that shows what tickets are available. You can also purchase day of show tickets during the festival, box office hours change from 8-7. I believe that they release so many tickets each day. The best thing would be to get to the box office early. Otherwise, waitlisting is the other option. Most festival goers say they love waitlisting! It's a fun way to experience the festival by meeting other festival goers, and get to see movies that are sold out.

Where and Where to get tickets as a local in Salt Lake City?

Trolley Square Mall starting Jan 17th through 29th 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m

What are wait-list tickets and how do locals get them?

Go directly to the theatre of the screening you wish to attend. Arrive two hours before the scheduled screening time to pick up your waitlist number (one per person). For each theatre's first screening of the day, waitlist numbers will be distributed one hour before the scheduled screening time. Once you have your number, you can go grab coffee or a sandwich, but you must return no later than 30 minutes before the screening time. You'll then line up according to number, and tickets will be sold in sequential order and based on availability. The tickets are $15. Only cash is accepted.

What's the best way to see the stars?
If you go to the first screening of a film, the actors are generally there. So, the easiest way to see the stars is to go to the first screening of a film with the star you want to see! Otherwise, Main Street is the place to go. The first weekend of the festival is definitely the most popular. Your chance to see the stars are the best then. In terms of getting tickets though, it is easier the second five days of the festival over the first five days.

If we do go into Park City, what is the best way to find parking?
In terms of Park City, parking can be difficult, therefore give yourself plenty of time! Avoid Main Street at all costs! After 3pm, the parking lot at the high school is a first come first serve basis. This is a good lot to park in and then catch the shuttle. The same is true for the lot on Monitor Drive. If you are willing to pay, you can park at the Yard on Kearns blvd but it costs $15. There is street parking around Headquarters (on Sidewinder Drive) but this will fill up fast. Again, the key is to give yourself plenty of time to find parking so you don't stress!

Where are some good places to eat if I see a show in Salt Lake?

There are some fabulous restaurants right by the Salt Lake theaters. Here are a few of my favorites:

Pago, right by the Tower Theater in Salt Lake

Copper Onion, right by the Broadway Theater in Salt Lake (pictured below)

Plum Alley, right by the Broadway Theater in Salt Lake

Other Tips...

You must be at the screening 15 minutes before the show starts. If you are not, Sundance can sell your seat to someone in the wait list. It does not work like normal theaters do so don't be late!

Many of the Sundance venues are open to the general public if space is available. It depends on the venue. Some you do need a festival credential. It is worth trying to go to the ones open to the public, just another way to enjoy the festival.
http://www.sundance.org/festival/film-events/theatres-venues/

Lastly, if you need any information during the festival, the reception hours are 8-6. The phone number is 435-658-FILM(3456).

Sundance Film Festival Website- film listings and ticket availability

follow the Sundance Film Festival on twitter

Hope you will take advantage of this fun time to be in Utah! Catch a World Documentary for me, those are usually my favorites! If you have any more tips or questions please feel free to leave a comment.

Coconut Granola Recipe

2012-01-16T07:15:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought that you could make granola purely out of coconut without oats of any kind making it a completely gluten free and sugar-free granola?!! Brilliant right? I found this recipe on Scandi Foodie, a sugar-free blogger out of Australia. Although, I don't think I would (or could) ever go sugar-free in my diet I do appreciate the occasional tasty sugar-free recipe. And this Coconut Granola recipe is just that!

Usually on Mondays I post something extra sugary but today I'm leaving you with something completely sugar-free. Almonds, coconut, chia seeds, cinnamon and coconut oil make for a scrumptious combo in this granola recipe, perfect on top of some Applesauce or Greek yogurt. It's a filling and a feel-good snack or breakfast that both Josh and I enjoy. Josh actually mentioned he liked it better than my normal Maple, Hazelnut and Cherry Granola, which is a staple at our house.

Aside from the granola, how was your weekend? What yummy breakfasts have you been enjoying lately?

We had a weekend full of celebrating! It was Josh's birthday, and we celebrated with his favorite pizza and our favorite birthday cake (classic yellow cake and chocolate icing). We slept late, went to the gym together, and enjoyed being back in our home with our furry friend. It's nice to get back into the rhythm of normal life after the holidays and our trip to Texas last week. And my travels aren't over yet!! I'll be taking a little trip this weekend to visit my sister in St. Louis and then in a few more weeks I'll be heading to Haiti with a group of friends. I can't just slip that in here without a little explanation...

A group of seven folks from our community here in Salt Lake will be traveling to Haiti to form relationships and investigate two communities there that we hope to partner with in the future. This is the first trip of many, we hope, and I'm sure we'll all return with new perspectives on life and God's love for the world. I feel extremely lucky to go and be a part of the beginnings of something so exciting. I can't wait to tell you all about it.

For now, I'll leave you with this tasty, savory granola recipe.

Coconut Almond Granola
adapted from Scandie Foodie

INGREDIENTS
3.5 cups coconut flakes (*unsweetened)
1/2 cup oats (*substitute more coconut for the oats if you're gluten-free)
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup coconut oil
dash of salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and spread the mixture evenly onto a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn everything around with a spatula. Continue to bake for a further 10 minutes or until just golden. Cool then store in an air-tight jar in the fridge for 3-5 days. Serve over apple sauce, over Greek yogurt, or mixed with your favorite milk.

*If you want a sweet granola, use sweetened coconut flakes. And if you're not gluten free you can substitute any amount of the coconut for oats.

We miss Henry!!

2012-01-13T08:41:00.000-08:00

Pathetic. I know it is ridiculous but when we go out of town we are so sullen being away from this little (or not so little 60 lb.) guy. We miss him snuggling up with us while we watch a movie, wagging his little bum when we come home from work, watching him run around in circles in our small home, and even his mischievous side, grazing the countertops and nibbling on the back of our shoes.

As we walked in the door late last night, the one thing that we were most excited to come home to was Henry. Oh it's so good to be home.

(picture is of Henry at Josh's studio) Henry loves a good tune!

Maple Brûléed Grapefruit Recipe

2012-01-12T06:46:00.000-08:00

Brûléed Grapefruit is a perfect, quick, seasonal breakfast for this time of year.

This past week I've been in Texas visiting our family. We've had a lot of delicious meals and continued to feast well beyond the usual holiday season splurge. As things get back to normal after the holidays and after all of the feasting, I tend to cut back a little bit on rich foods. One thing I don't ever cut out is breakfast. I love getting creative with making morning meals that are both satisfying and cleansing for my favorite meal of the day. This is a recipe for Maple Grapefruit Brûlée.

Brûléeing a grapefruit is quite easy. You can do it one of two ways: with a kitchen torch or under your oven broiler. I don't have a kitchen torch so I choose the latter. You simply cut the grapefruit in half, smear a bit of honey or maple syrup on top and a bit of brown sugar then place under the broiler for 3 minutes, making for a perfectly sweet topping for such a tart fruit.

Maple Brûléed Grapefruit

serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 grapefruit

1 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp brown sugar

two sharp edged grapefruit spoons

DIRECTIONS

Move your oven rack to the top level and set your oven to broil. Slice grapefruit in half, smear with maple syrup and sprinkle with brown sugar. Place grapefruit halves on a baking sheet and broil for 3 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve with a piping hot cup of coffee for a light and tasty post holiday breakfast.

Plum Alley in Salt Lake City

2012-01-09T06:34:00.000-08:00

We celebrated New Years Eve this year by going to a new restaurant in town, Plum Alley. We gathered around their communal style table with some of our dearest friends and toasted 2012 with Prosecco, Asian food, and lots of laughs.

At Plum Alley, its suggested that you dine family style, so we did and we tried much of their mouth-watering menu. There wasn't an item that we had that we didn't enjoy, however, there were definitely some dishes that stood out among the rest!

The Julienned Green Papaya Salad was lightly dressed but had a great kick of spice and flavor. It was a great compliment to the soups and curries that we also had.

Kimchi is one of those ingredients that most people either love or hate. I really enjoy it so I was glad we tried Plum Alley's Kimchi Soup. Although the soup wasn't the most beautiful to photograph, it was my favorite dish of the evening, full of flavor, texture and delicioius ingredients. I especially liked the crispy rice inside the soup.

Ramen is making a strong comeback in many Asian restaurants and households these days so it wasn't a surprise to me that they had a house Ramen on their menu.

Their chicken curry was mild and easy to like. This would be a dish that I would recommend to even the farest of Asian food enthusiasts.

Dramatic colors jump out the the bowl of this Dirty Chicken Rice dish. I loved trying all of the unknown pickled vegetables on top of this dish.

Now, here is a dish that really made a stand on our table, Duck Steamed Buns. We ordered both the pork belly and the duck steamed buns inspired, I'm sure, by David Chang's Momofuku restaurant in New York. I figured I would like the pork belly more, because I love the full flavor of pork belly but the dusk surprised me as I savored every bite of this little asian taco. The meat was perfectly paired with citrus and mint leaves for a juicy and crunchy bite.

Another unsuspecting dish, the Bok-Choy, which was perfectly soft and crunchy with tons of juicy flavor.

We had a fabulous evening at Plum Alley and can't wait to go back. It's so great to have a posh little Asian Restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City. Not that I'm at all against your whole-in-the-wall Asian restaurants but its also nice to have such a modern twist on Asian Food. This would also be a fabulous place to dine after or before a movie at the Broadway Theater! You must go, and when you do, please report back with your favorite dishes!

Plum Alley
111 East 300 South

Seasonal Produce for January in Utah

2012-01-04T16:13:00.000-08:00

Well, as you might expect, there is not much in season during the cold month of Janurary in Utah. Technically it is a dormant month but there is a variety of produce that is available from resources near to Utah. What we do have in Utah right now is a season of enjoying good movies... Sundance is almost here and I'll be posting soon about how to best enjoy the film festival as a local! But while you're not watching movies this month here are a few ingredients that are in season as well as some recipes to make with them. Enjoy!

Go to the first seasonal wallpaper post for directions on how to set the image as your desktop wallpaper or see the directions below the recipes.

Here are a few recipes from my community of food bloggers in Utah that include ingredients from the list above:

Roasted Turnips with Balsamic Vinegar, by Kalyn's Kitchen

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos, by Mountain Mama Cooks

Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal, by me

Grapefruit, Orange and Avocado Salad, by Two Peas and Their Pod

Creamy Orange Fruit Dip by Barbara Bakes

Roasted Dill Chicken with Leek and Potatoes, by Taste and Tell

Lemon Rice and Asparagus Soup, by me

Winter Squash and Turkey Chili, by Foodie Crush

Pink Grapefruit Cupcakes, by Completely Delicious

Braised Leeks with Red Pepper Cream Sauce and How to cook a Leek, by Cookin' Canuck

Chocolate Caramel Chestnut Cake, by Project Domestication

Step 1 Click on Wallpaper Image on right side bar, this will open the image in a new window on your screen

Step 2 Once image loads on a new page, right click (or ctrl-click) image and select 'use image as desktop picture'

Step 3 If the image does not fit your desktop background neatly, you may have to go to your preference screen and choose "Fit to screen" as the display mode of your background image.

Best Blog Posts of 2011

2012-01-03T07:20:00.000-08:00

To help ring in the new year, I thought I would take some time to reflect back on the past year and share with you some of my favorite blog posts and memories of 2011. I would love to hear the highlights of your year as well so please leave comment and share them with me!

December calls for decadence, so I created a new version of an online favorite: the Pioneer Woman's Maple Cinnamon Rolls with Bacon. Ooey gooey deliciousness with crispy bacon... there's no better way to bring on the holidays really!

In November, although I consumed an embarrassing amount of delicious pies, I must say my favorite post was for a healthy side dish, Roasted Grape and Walnut Rice Pilaf. If you haven't tried roasted grapes yet, you must, and this recipe is a great match for them.

October also held many decadent recipes like these pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, and a pumpkin spice cake (that was almost a complete disaster), but my very favorite post was about a local Indian Food Restaurant called, Ali Baba. Perhaps I was taken by the sweet owner and his hospitality but I can't get this little restaurant and it's flavors out of my mind.

In September, I made the most delicious Chicken and Peach Curry dish, that was a copy-cat recipe from a restaurant in Vail Colorado. The dish now reminds me of our trip to Vail and my cousin's beautiful wedding that we attended there.

August brings back memories of learning more about coffee and raw foods. I also can't forget my friend Maria's baby shower and the Mint Chocolate Pudding Dessert Shots that we all enjoyed at the celebration.

July, my birthday month, brings back images of farmers market salads and fresh potato soup. During that month we did a lot of celebrating including having a food blogger party at Vinto and a online celebration for my 500th blog post. But my best post of the month was a recap of our river rafting trip on the Rogue River in Oregon. It brings back some wild memories as well as some delicious ones. Not only did we overcome a near-death experience, we also learned how to make eggs benedict at a camp site.

In June we held our first tasting and started the tradition of bringing the online community offline to enjoy being around a table together.

May consistently provides rainy weather and an excuse to stay inside for a warm bowl of soup. We had the pleasure of making a full Sicilian meal with our friend visiting from Italy, and we made the most delicious Fisherman Stew that I could ever imagine.

April was filled with journals from our adventure traveling in China to visit my sister. I love recalling the unfamiliar smells, the new and unusual foods like lotus root, and the crazy journey traveling by bus to Dali.

In March, I took a magical snow cat skiing trip at Powder Mountain, and whisked along fairy-tale like woods in the purest snow you've ever seen. I also made these magical cookies, a copy-cat recipe of Ruby Snap Bakery, the Frida Cookie, a rich Mexican chocolate cookie with a chocolate mole center, sinfully delicious!

February will be remembered by chocolate. Lots of chocolate. Flourless Gingersnap Chocolate Cake, Raw Chocolate Truffles, and my favorite chocolates around Salt Lake. I guess February is the month of love so chocolate was fitting.

And if February was the month for Chocolate, January was the month for blondies. Not the cute gals with lightly colored hair but the chocolate-less brownies that I adore so much. I made several types including my favorite Ginger White Chocolate Blondies, and Cranberry White Chocolate Blondies. In addition to eating of lots rich blondies, we took a lovely day trip to the dreamy little town of Midway, a Swiss community just outside of Park City.

When I think of 2011 I'll remember traveling to a very foreign land, enjoying our lively puppy, and digging in deeper into our community here in Salt Lake. I'm grateful for every moment.

SLC Foodie tasting open to the public for a limited time

2011-12-30T18:18:00.000-08:00

Our next SLC Foodie tasting is open to the public for a limited time! We would love to see and meet some of you who are a part of our online community. We'll be tasting red wine and chatting about all of the health benefits of wine; plus, we will be sampling cheese from the best cheese makers around, Beehive Cheese. The evening will be filled with luscious flavors and lighthearted conversation. Join us!

Wine & Cheese Tasting, by Fox School of Wine

Open to the public for a limited time

Come try five different wines with us and learn about all of the health benefits of red wine. Cheese pairings will be provided by local Beehive Cheese.

Hosted by SLC Foodie

January 19th | 7-9pm | $35

170 East First Avenue

A portion of all proceeds will go to 3for5

RSVP HERE

Gingerbread Latte Recipe and my Christmas update

2011-12-28T13:09:00.000-08:00

Christmas began for me with a homemade gingerbread latte and a skype date with my family. We then proceeded onto brunch with friends, which included my friend Joy's famous Ebelskivers (small danish pancakes), and then we took a little road trip to visit some friends in Provo for dinner and a sleep over. We played cards and sipped cocktails, just like my grandparents used to, until we couldn't stay awake any longer. And when we woke in the morning is was brunch again, and my favorite Blueberry Muffins, then a stroll in the park with our pups.

The best part of the holidays to me is old-fashioned fun... making meals together, dusting off the board games, and going for long walks in the park. Every year we take a trip to the library before Christmas to rent a bundle of old movies to consume throughout the holiday. Some of our favorites of this weekend included I Love Lucy reruns, The Sting with Robert Redford (a personal favorite that we watch every year), and a new favorite, Boom Town (with Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable). After the holiday leftovers are all eaten, we often pick up Chinese takeout and camp out in our living room watching old movies by the fire.

This holiday season I have especially enjoyed all of the homemade and gifts delivered to our doorstep: hot cocoa mix, wine and candies almonds, and the best ginger bread I've ever sunk my teeth into. The unconventional idea of embracing simpler times by baking a loaf of bread for your neighbor or having a group of friends over for drinks and games is, to me, much better than the extravagances that can sometimes overwhelm Christmas.

Another highlight of our Christmas weekend was getting to spend a morning learning how to make tamales. One of my ESL students is from Mexico and she patiently taught me and Joy how to make tamales. I now have a deep respect for anyone who has ever taken on the challenge of making homemade tamales. We hand kneaded the maize which took so much strength that I'm pretty sure my feet left the ground with a few moments of passion. But that wasn't even the hardest part... we then had to spread the cornmeal mixture onto each individual husk (50 total), which was much harder that it sounds. But it was all worth it when we were able to share all of our handmade tamales with a house full of friends at our annual Christmas Eve Mexican Fiesta.

Spending afternoons making food with friends and then making memories enjoying the food you've made... these are the types of things I love about the holidays. I hope you continue to enjoy your holiday season!

Blessings to you,

Becky

Easy Gingerbread Latte

serves 1

INGREDIENTS

french pressed coffee

1 tsp of gingerbread creamer

1/4 cup of skim milk

DIRECTIONS

In a microwave safe mug, stir together creamer and milk. Microwave the milk mixture for 45 seconds then use a milk frother to whip your milk into a perfectly creamy and light foam. If you hold the frother at the top layer of milk it will froth up real nice:) Then slowly pour your coffee over the foam until your mug is filled.

This is one of my favorite morning treats during the holidays!

Christmas Time Recipes

2011-12-22T08:22:00.000-08:00

I hope you all have a rich and meaningful Christmas with the ones you love and the foods you enjoy the most. I'm leaving you with some of my favorite holiday recipes along with some of my thoughts on food. Merry Christmas!

Breakfast
Best Blueberry Muffins
Baked French Toast with Praline Topping
Baked Eggs in Puff Pastry Cups

Feed upon the loftiest ideals. Nourish yourselves upon aspirations undefiled. Do not let your wine be mingled with water. Do not permit any dilution from the suggestions of the world. -Alexander McConnell

Dinner

Butternut Squash Enchiladas

White Bean Chicken Chili

Wild Mushroom Lasagna

The social interaction that surrounds a meal feeds the soul; we tell tales and seek advice, we laugh and cry, we learn and teach, and sometimes we even fall in love around chopping blocks and dinner tables. - Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan

Snacks
Bacon Cashew Caramel Corn
Christmas Cut-Out Cookies
Baked Stuffed Lemons

"Entertaining" sounds intimidating, a major household event to get prepared for. But for me, gathering people to eat is not just something I do on weekends with matching cloth napkins — it's what I do every single day when I cook for myself and my family. In most cases, it's a deep offering to nurture people's bodies and souls. -Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan

Dessert
Ginger White Chocolate Blondies
Homemade Marshmallows
Mint Chocolate Pudding Dessert Shots

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. - Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright

The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls' missing ingredient... Bacon

2011-12-20T06:52:00.000-08:00

Ree Drummond, from The Pioneer Woman, is known for many of her recipes, but I think one of her most beloved recipes are her Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing. Cinnamon rolls are a staple to many special Christmas morning breakfasts but with cinnamon rolls you must also have a side of something savory. This is just what the Pioneer Woman is missing... bacon. So, I decided to make a new version of these famous cinnamon rolls, Bacon Maple Cinnamon Rolls.

If you look at the ingredients, all of the essential elements for a tasty breakfast are included...maple, coffee, a perfectly sweet pastry and now, bacon. For those of you who have already been embracing the savory and salty combo in your sweets and baked goods, this is somehow normal. To others, this may seem strange. Let me explain...

For quite some time now, crazy people (like myself) have been sprinkling salt on their brownies, mixing salt in their caramels, and even molding bacon into fine chocolate bars. So, this isn't too far of a stretch. The Cinnamon Rolls are still perfectly sweet with just a touch of crispy, salty bacon in each bite. I know I've asked you to trust me on many of my recipes so I hope I've saved up some currency in our relationship. Now I'm spending it. These must jump to the top of your list to try for this Christmas morning! Thank you to the Pioneer Woman for her inspiration.

Bacon Maple Cinnamon Rolls
adapted from Pioneer Woman, using half of her recipe
makes about 25 rolls or 4 round aluminum pans of about 7 rolls each

INGREDIENTS
6 strips of bacon, cooked to crisp and crumbled
2 cups Whole Milk
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Sugar
1 package Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
4 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1/2 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
Plenty Of Melted Butter ( I used 1/2 cup)
1 cup Sugar
1/8 cup of Cinnamon

maple frosting:
1/2 bag Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
1/4 cup Milk
1/8 cup Melted Butter
1/8 cup Brewed Coffee
dash of Salt

4 aluminum disposable pie pans

DIRECTIONS
For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute. Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1-2 hours (depending on your altitude).

While the dough is rising cook the bacon until crisp, then crumble and set aside.

After 1 hour, add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour to the dough. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To assemble the rolls, remove the dough from the bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.

To make the filling, pour 1/2 cup of melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use a pastry brush or your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle the ground cinnamon and sugar over the butter. Then sprinkle generous crumbles of BACON over the dough. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal. (Yes it is Ree!!!)

Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.

With a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil pie pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 30 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.

While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.

Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. Sprinkle with more bacon crumbles. They only get better with time… not that they last for more than a few seconds.

Freezing directions: freeze rolls after their iced and cooled then reheat in the oven at 250 degrees for 15 minutes.

Cookie Swap for Kids with Cancer and A Giveaway from Creminelli and Beehive Cheese

2011-12-15T07:46:00.000-08:00

Bloggers all around the country, New York to Salt Lake City, are gathering together this holiday season to exchange their favorite cookies and raise money for kids with cancer. Bloggers without Borders initiated and organized this fun event form a national level then local bloggers took the lead to host cookies swaps in their perspective cities. Cookies for Kids with Cancer is the non-profit that we all partnered with. Glad and OXO sponsored the event as well as Beehive Cheese, The Canyons, Visit Salt Lake and Creminelli Salami at our local event.

In Salt Lake City, a long table filled with local food bloggers gathered for a special holiday brunch and cookie exchange. We feasted on some of the best brunch foods that the city has to offer, from our own kitchens to the finest salami by Creminelli. But the food was overshadowed by our enjoyment of just being together. It's is always so refreshing to sit face to face with those we chat with daily online. We caught up on families, blogging, and the holidays.

and... we exchanged lots of cookies!!

Each of us brought a couple dozen cookies to swap. I brought a new favorite of mine, Chocolate Dipped Hazelnut Lace Cookies. You absolutely must try these delicate cookies; they boast of browned butter, toasted nuts, and rich dark chocolate.

Some of the other cookies that made an appearance at the event were Sugar Cookie Bars by Annalise at Completely Delicious, Snickerdoodle Sandwich Cookies by Maria at Two Peas and their Pod, Mom's Fudge by Heidi at Foodie Crush and Lemon Cookie Cups by Barbara at Barbara Bakes.

GIVEAWAY INFO...
I want to extend a special thanks to Creminelli, Visit Salt Lake, The Canyons and Beehive Cheese for helping us make this fundraiser possible! Creminelli and Beehive Cheese have also offered to give two readers a special Christmas gift. Please leave a comment with your favorite holiday cookie to be eligible to win either a a grand selection of Beehive Cheese or a variety of Creminelli salami. Winner will be chosen at random and announced at the top of this post on Tuesday the 20th of December.

Chocolate Dipped Hazelnut Lace Cookies
makes 20 cookies

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup whole natural unsalted hazelnuts with skins
2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons superfine sugar
2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

DIRECTIONS
Arrange racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 350°. Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper. Pulse hazelnuts and oats in a food processor until coarase meal forms. Set aside.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add both sugars and honey; whisk until blended and sugar dissolves, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add nut mixture, flour, and salt; stir until well blended.

Spoon batter by 1.5-teaspoon portions onto baking sheets, spacing 2 1/2" apart. Using your fingertips, pat cookies down to 1/4"-high rounds; push in any jagged edges to form smooth circles. Each cookie sheet should only have about 8-10 cookies on it (these cookies spread out a lot while baking!!) Bake, rotating sheets after 6 minutes, until dark golden brown and cookies spread out into a thin layer, 10-–12 minutes. Slide cookies on parchment onto a wire rack and let cool.

Using a pastry brush, brush half of each cookie with melted chocolate. Let stand until the chocolate is set, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight in between sheets of parchment or waxed paper.

For more photos of the event go to FoodieCrush.com.

Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash, Sausage and Kale

2011-12-14T07:07:00.000-08:00

In keeping in step with our seasonally fresh posts on Wednesdays, I found the most delicious pasta recipe on on of my favorite blogs, 101 Cookbooks. Butternut squash, kale, and sausage together make for a seasonally fresh and full-flavored dish! I added sausage to the original recipe to kick it up a bit.

As the holidays get nearer our schedule is filled with lots of fun things but also shortens the time I have to cook. This is a pretty quick and simple one-dish meal that I fell in love with. These types of meals are perfect during the holidays when the focus is really getting to spend time with those around you! I've come up with a 12 days of Christmas countdown of ideas to enjoy the holidays. Check out the side bar of the blog for the latest idea or get the countdown on your twitter or facebook feed by following us on twitter & facebook. Each day will have an idea of how to share the holidays with your family. Also, a local tip will be given to each day- like today's to stop by Cummings Chocolates after a bundled walk around Liberty Park. Check out today's 12 days of Christmas idea.

And if that's not enough... I also have a pinterest board that includes all kinds of ideas to make this holiday more meaningful. To look at our pinboard go to Unconventional Christmas on Pinterest.

The original recipe from 101 Cookbooks was vegetarian. I made a few minor adjustments. I added sausage but only used two links to keep the dish healthy. I also used an orecchiette pasta (pictured above) mainly because I like the look of it and it kind of reminded me of the shells and cheese I grew up on so I wanted to experiment with it. Also, I used olive tapenade instead of olives and just dotted the top of the dish with the spread. The tapenade is a unique addition to any pasta and adds a great salty finish.

Butternut Squash, Kale and Sausage Baked Pasta

adapted from 101 Cookbooks, serves 4

INGREDIENTS
zest of one large lemon
8 ounces dried orecchiette pasta (or penne or something comparable in size)
1 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and sliced into quarter sized pieces
3 handfuls kale, chard, and/or spinach, loosely chopped

2 casings of hot Italian Sausage
1 cups plain Greek yogurt

1 cup whole milk
2 egg yolks
3 cloves garlic, chopped
dash of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and torn into pieces (or or olive tapenade) *optional
scant 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400F degrees, with a rack in the middle. Butter or oil an 8x12-inch baking dish, or two smaller gratin dishes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and cook the pasta until al dente. 2-3 minutes before the pasta is done cooking, stir in the butternut squash and cook until pasta is done. Quickly drain. Now run cold water over the pasta and squash (just enough to stop it from cooking). Shake off any extra water and set aside.

While you are waiting for the pasta water to boil, whisk together the yogurt, milk, eggs, garlic, nutmeg and salt in a large mixing bowl - set aside until the pasta is boiled.

In a frying pan, cook the sausage adding the kale about half way through. Saute the kale with the sausage until its slightly wilted. Remove from heat and mix in with the pasta and squash.

Then. when ready, add the pasta-squash-kale-sausage mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir in half of the almonds. Scoop everything into the prepared baking dish(es), sprinkle with olives and feta, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve sprinkled with remaining almonds.