Crab boil, at Jax Fish house in Boulder Co.

Creme Brulee Trio: original, vanilla, and raspberry with salted carmel ice cream.

Happy hour

Recently went to Brasserie Ten Ten for happy hour! I had been there previously for brunch and dinner but never managed to make it there for happy hour but let me tell you i was very glad that i finally did! The menu was great and awesomely priced. One of my biggest pet peeves are hour menus that only feature there "less desirable" items, Brasserie stayed away from that and featured some of my favorite items from the brunch and dinner menus in smaller but reasonable portions.  

from left: Charcuterie, with peppers and dijon & our choice of: Jambon Serrano, Saucisson Sec or Rosemary whipped pate. middle plate: Fromage, with apricot-sage chutney & your choice of: Pleasant Ridge, F'ourme D'ambert or Brie Tour De Marz. Right plate: Shrimp cocktail: poached Shrimp & cocktail sauce.�

Check out the rest of the menu at: http://www.brasserietenten.com/assets/menus/BrasserieTenTenHappyHour.pdf

spring break eats

i recently returned from my last college spring break ever! So sad for me. Anyway it was one of the best trips I've ever been on me and my girlfriends went me oh my Miami! Lots of beautiful people, weather, and amazing food! unfortunately i didn't have much time to capture all the good eats I indulged in but here are a few pics of some of the delicious seafood i got to eat.

 

first pic: snow crab claws

second pic:  seared scallops with grapefruit and in a light butter sauce

pina -coldas bigger then my head yum yum, took me about an hour to finish this!

French Press

Mondays stink but French pressed coffee can help push through these tough mornings 

I just recently learned from a friend that the perfect temperature for the best quality french press coffee is 140 degrees F. Make sure to use corse ground coffee with the press and always let brew for at least 5 mins before serving. Enjoy and happy monday!!   

Crispy kale chips

This is an awesome snack i came across it while reading the food network magazine. I was a bit skeptical that this would be a boring treat but instead i was pleasantly surprised how well it tasted and its very healthy and win win snack gotta lov it!

1 head kale, washed and roughly dried

2 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt for sprinkling

1 tablespoon paprika

preheat oven to 275 degrees

remove ribs from kale and cut into 1 and 1/2 inch pieces

lay on baking sheet and toss with olive oil , salt and paprika

bake until crisp turning leaves halfway through about 20 minutes.

Matzo Ball soup

 I found this recipe in fine cooking magazine april issue and  really enjoyed it quite delicious!  

4 large eggs 
1/4 cup rendered chicken fat or fat reserved from the chicken broth, at room temperature 
1 tsp. kosher salt 
1/4 tsp. freshly ground white pepper 
5 oz. (1-1/4 cups) matzo meal 
7 cups Golden Chicken Broth 
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1/3 cup cold water. Add the rendered or reserved chicken fat and whisk until the fat blends in. Mix in the salt and pepper. Gradually but quickly stir in the matzo meal with a spoon; the mixture will be thick and stiff, like muffin batter. Don't overmix. Chill for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper and fill a bowl with cold water. Dip a large soupspoon in the water, and gently scoop up the chilled matzo mixture and shape it with your hands into 12 medium balls (about 1-3/4 inches in diameter) or 18 smaller ones (about 1-1/4 inches in diameter), being careful not to compact them. Put the matzo balls on the lined baking sheet. Cook immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

To cook the matzo balls, bring 1 or 2 large pots of salted water to a boil. Drop in the matzo balls, cover the pots, and reduce the heat after the water returns to a boil. Simmer, covered, until the matzo balls have doubled in size and have lightened all the way through (cut one in half to check) 30 to 40 min.; drain. Cooked matzo balls can be held at room temperature for several hours.

To serve, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Taste for salt and pepper. Add the matzo balls and heat until they're hot in the middle, 8 to 10 min. With a slotted spoon, put 2 medium or 3 small matzo balls in a warm soup bowl. Ladle in hot broth and sprinkle generously with the parsley. Serve right away.

salmon and sauteed celery with leeks and mushrooms

Grilled salmon 

prepare any way you prefer salmon

I decided to stuff with some herbs like parsley and cilantro for some additional flavor

Celery with leeks and mushrooms

2 tablespoons evoo

1 medium leek, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced 

crosswise (white and light-green parts) 
Kosher salt 
8 oz. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, quartered 
6 medium celery stalks, sliced 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal 
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 
1-1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary 
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage 
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
Freshly ground black pepper 
2 Tbs. lower-salt chicken broth or water 

preparation:

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, leek, and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring often, until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned and tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the celery and a pinch of salt and cook until crisp-tender, 5 to 8 minutes. With a wooden spoon, stir in the lemon juice and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the rosemary and sage and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Return the pan to medium heat, add the chicken broth or water, and scrape up any remaining bits. Let the liquid reduce by half and then pour over the celery. Serve immediately.

Make It Tonight

Chicken with Prosciutto and Sage

Sides: Truffled Brussel Sprout Salad

Ginger Soy Bok Choy and Broccoli   

Ingredients

serves 4

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

course salt and ground pepper

4 fresh whole sage leaves, plus minced leaves

4 ( 6 to 8 ounces each) chicken cutlets

4 slices ( 3 ounces) thinly sliced prosciutto

4 teaspoons olive oil

3/4 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup reduced-sodium canned chicken broth

1 tablespoon cold butter

directions

in a shallow bowl, stir together flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. set aside.

lay 1 sage leaf lengthwise on each cutlet, then wrap a prosciutto slice around middle of each cutlet, encasing sage. flatten with a palm of your hand to help prosciutto adhere to the chicken. dredge cutlets in seasoned flour; tap off excess

in a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. cook 2 cutlets until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. remove cutlets, and keep warm. repeat with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and 2 cutlets

add wine and broth to skillet; cook over high heat until reduced by three quarters about 2 minutes. remove from heat; let cool 1 minute. add butter minced sage; sit until butter is melted, about 30 seconds. spoon sauce onto plates; top with cutlets serve immediately.

This Chicken Dish is one of my all time favorites! It is so easy to make yet its taste is so luxurious. I highly recommend this dish to anyone who needs a break from their chicken dinner routine. another bonus is that I had most of the ingredients on hand already and even if you don't this recipe will not break your bank! recipe adapted from Martha Stewarts everyday cookbook.

For the Truffled Brussel sprout salad:

  ingredients

1/2 pound brussel sprouts 

2 tablespoons of white truffle oil

2 tablespoons evoo

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

4 ounces pecorino toscano cheese

make the dressing by combining the oils, lemon juice and salt.

shave the brussel sprouts thin on a mandolin. toss with dressing. top with the shaved cheese. add salt and pepper as needed and garnish with parsley.

Ginger Bok Choy

ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

8 cups chopped fresh bok choy

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 

salt and ground black pepper

( this recipe didn't call for broccoli but i had some left over so i just threw it in with the bok choy)

directions: heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. add bok choy and soy sauce cook 3 to 5 minutes, until greens are wilted and stalks are crisp and tender. season to taste with salt and pepper.

Coconut Cake

A cake worth celebrating, A decadent cake with a coconut twist. I absolutely love this cake and would recommend making it to anyone who enjoys coconut! Its a bit time consuming but the end result is worth it and its sure to be loved by all who eat it. I made this for a Christmas party and it was an instant hit.

Basic 1-2-3-4 cake:

2 sticks butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 cups sifted self rising flour

1 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

4 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup flaked, sweetened coconut

7-minute frosting:

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/3 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 to 3 cups coconut, flaked and sweetened

Cake Directions:

pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 9 inch cake pans.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and coconut milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pan. Level better in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter, then dropping it flat to counter. Bake For 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool in pans for 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks.

Filling:

stir together sugar, sour cream, milk and coconut in a bowl until well blended. Add first cake layer onto pedestal. Using the wrong end of a wooden spoon poke holes approximately 1-inch apart until entire cake has been poked. Spread a third of the filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again.

Frosting:

Place sugar, cream of tartar, salt, water and egg white in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with coconut.