tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64063036336687941602024-02-19T07:53:46.318-06:00Amuse BoucheSmall tasty bytes to excite the appetiteKiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-58371649913697112662013-08-20T11:27:00.001-05:002013-08-20T11:27:43.318-05:00Greek Yogurt Pancakes<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Speaking of Pancakes...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">It seems there is a trend here: Pancakes. My last several recipe entries have all been pancakes so let's continue, shall we? We like pancakes here at our house. We eat them semi-regular. I like them because they are a blank canvas on which to express my culinary creativity. Greek Yogurt is not just the trendy ingredient du jour, but a regular staple in our house. We buy cases of the fat free plain greek yogurt at a time. (Yeah, I could make my own, but that sounds like a lot of work. Especially when there is Costco.) I have taken to using plain greek yogurt anywhere I would use sour cream, even in baking. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Combining Greek Yogurt and Pancakes seems pretty natural. Here are a couple things to keep in mind. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Use any greek yogurt you want. Flavored, plain, et cetera. I used blueberry flavored once and added fresh blueberries for blueberry pancakes. The cakes turned out a rather unappealing purple grey color. So, be careful the color yogurt you use. Made with vanilla yogurt, the blueberry pancakes were just fine. Also, because these have little flour and all that protein rich yogurt, the texture of these pancakes is very different. They are kind of spongy. They will soak up more syrup for sure, so don't get carried away. Finally, they cook different. your batter is thick so it wont pour into the skillet. You scoop it into the pan then kind of press them out. They will still fluff up when cooking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I hope you see these as your own blank canvas and get creative with your pancakes. Blueberry! Vanilla Hazelnut! Carrot Cake! (I'll share that recipe later.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here I made strawberry banana pancakes with additional yogurt topping. I love the way bananas get caramelized in pancakes. The strawberries I like served on top.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">6 oz. Greek Yogurt (give or take. Approx 1 single serve container or about 1/2 cup. I used vanilla this time)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 egg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 cup flour (of your choice)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 tsp baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Fruit or other add-in</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">** If you use plain yogurt, the cakes will be tart. I recommend adding a little sugar to your batter to compensate.**</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Directions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Mix together your yogurt and the egg until smooth. Add Flour and Baking Soda. Mix just until combined. DO NOT add your fruit. This applies to any pancake. Always wait until it is in the pan. You don't want to bruise or damage the fruit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Prepare your skillet by preheating and adding a little butter to the pan. Set your burner at medium-high. Scoop about 1/4 cup batter mixture into the pan. Lightly press the batter with the scoop to make it more pancake shaped. NOW add your fruit (bananas in this case) as the cakes cook on the first side. After a couple minutes (you'll notice the cake has puffed up around your fruit) when the pancake has set and the edges are starting to brown, flip the cakes and cook another couple minutes. I cook these lower and slower to make sure they are cooked through. When browned on the other side, remove from pan, top with additional fruit and enjoy! I also made a little yogurt topping (instead of whipped topping.)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHS-fupMElHtjoPAdz0Aw7huCj-c17_bsEKPsZ7Taz1ZYk3zL-g2UEF0JGkR7jjEgL0NccbLGh5eKRaAUBJkD0uT-OjT7371szSU1vD-wVCpFyrbV8__URfCThyphenhypheniOykiZezipTsTNKTGE/s1600/Strawberry+Banana+Pancakes+K.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHS-fupMElHtjoPAdz0Aw7huCj-c17_bsEKPsZ7Taz1ZYk3zL-g2UEF0JGkR7jjEgL0NccbLGh5eKRaAUBJkD0uT-OjT7371szSU1vD-wVCpFyrbV8__URfCThyphenhypheniOykiZezipTsTNKTGE/s320/Strawberry+Banana+Pancakes+K.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See my yummy strawberries and delicate dollops?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Yogurt topping: Everything is to taste so no set measurements here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Plain Yogurt (1/3 cup)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Vanilla (1 tsp)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sugar (1/2 - 1 tablespoon)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Mix and use as topping on your pancakes. You could also mix in maple syrup if you wanted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I liked the yogurt topping. B liked it more.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrT4lPxczyuh6-bEcmW2Nart0d3rx-2Gm-mJg45_UI_pnvoQWUda9tg33EkcRiY-Sp9W8IfyC8Ihyphenhyphen1FMtKDKBr2a42N9HDVorMeyxt0xJKUo8-6vGGCeWZZax_f2VJW5kQu61H_QdR_kT/s1600/Strawberry+Banana+Pancakes+B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrT4lPxczyuh6-bEcmW2Nart0d3rx-2Gm-mJg45_UI_pnvoQWUda9tg33EkcRiY-Sp9W8IfyC8Ihyphenhyphen1FMtKDKBr2a42N9HDVorMeyxt0xJKUo8-6vGGCeWZZax_f2VJW5kQu61H_QdR_kT/s320/Strawberry+Banana+Pancakes+B.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B's generous portion of yogurt topping with strawberries and maple syrup</span></td></tr>
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Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-39681158118439246852013-08-17T13:34:00.000-05:002013-08-17T13:34:32.001-05:00Spaghetti Sauce with Pumpkin<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or... What to do with leftover pumpkin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I make spaghetti sauce I almost always start with onions, peppers, and carrots. I saute these with whatever else I feel like adding. Typically, I will small dice zucchini and/or yellow squash. This particular evening, I had no usual squash, but I did have some leftover pumpkin puree (thanks to my yummy <a href="http://kikiprimavera.blogspot.com/2013/08/pumpkin-pancakes-with-maple-cream.html">Pumpkin Pancakes</a>.) It seemed to me a normal substitution.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After cooking the onions, peppers, and carrots, I added my tomato sauce (I often use jarred spaghetti sauce in the interest of time.) If I was cooking my sauce from scratch, I would cook it nearly to completion before adding pumpkin. As it was, I added the puree shortly after the spaghetti sauce. I stirred it in and heated everything through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pumpkin was a nice background note to the sauce. It was not overwhelming but added a bit of richness to the sauce. We are used to a bit of squash flavor anyway. The sauce was certainly thicker because of the pumpkin puree. If this bothers you, you could add additional plain tomato sauce.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Try it. It is a great way to add more flavor and more vegetables to your meal.</span></div>
Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-55085244418719452852013-08-17T13:06:00.000-05:002013-08-17T13:06:35.484-05:00Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Cream Cheese Icing<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In reading pancake recipes I've come across the mention of cake flour several times. Not being a baker type person, I had no idea what cake flour was or why I might want to use it in my pancakes. Apparently cake flour is a lower gluten flour used to make a more crumbly cake. It also has a lower protein content and is finely milled. Well, I'm not going to go to the trouble to buy extra kinds of flour, but I can see that flour with a finer texture might make fluffier pancakes. I ended up taking an in-between step and adding a special ingredient- corn starch. I think it added to the fluffiness, but further experimentation is necessary.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Anyway, since it is hot, hot summertime, it seems the perfect time to make warm pumpkin pancakes, right? B has been on my case to use some of the cans of pumpkin puree we had in the cupboard which I had stockpiled when they were on sale. So. Pumpkin pancakes. These turned out pretty delicious and I will make them again for sure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This recipe makes a hearty breakfast for two but can easily be doubled.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ingredients</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 1/4 cup AP flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 Tbl. Corn Starch</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 Tbl. Baking Powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 tsp. Salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 Tbl. Sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Pumpkin Pie Spice (1/8 - 1/4 tsp, depending on how heavily spiced you like it)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 cup Pumpkin puree</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 egg</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 cup milk</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 tsp. vanilla (running over!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Cream Cheese (2 or more tablespoons)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Maple Syrup</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Directions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I know you're supposed to sift all your dry ingredients together, then seperately mix your wet ingredients together, then combine the two. I don't. This is pancakes, not rocket science. I just want to eat a yummy breakfast not stand around all day stirring things. So...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Dump all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir it around for a couple seconds. Add all the remaining ingredients (except the cream cheese and maple syrup) to the same bowl. Stir until combined, but don't overmix. Let the batter rest while you do other stuff like make your icing and get your cooking skillet out and so on.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUGBSpoSK9e6eIOqWAqzOI5p6yHfpKzsAHxTNauGhs9oKYPe3VwBUmymSx7kK80ciKMO67fqSkRUfMymwYOmmOCl8bp8cGXZtTVeWxxrd8Q2ITWfPHl5jRcQfludn1mRx74uCoUJdnu09/s1600/IMAG0676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUGBSpoSK9e6eIOqWAqzOI5p6yHfpKzsAHxTNauGhs9oKYPe3VwBUmymSx7kK80ciKMO67fqSkRUfMymwYOmmOCl8bp8cGXZtTVeWxxrd8Q2ITWfPHl5jRcQfludn1mRx74uCoUJdnu09/s320/IMAG0676.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking pancakes. No time for more pictures, just time to make and eat.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When your pan is heated (medium high heat,) melt a little butter in the bottom to coat (so your pancakes don't stick and they taste nice and buttery.) Slowly add batter to the pan in the size pancakes you desire. Cook until bubbles have burst then flip the pancakes over. They will have been mostly cooked through on the first side, so they will just take a minute on the second side. Keep warm until all pancakes are cooked. Serve and top with this killer Cream Cheese Maple Icing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">To make the icing:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Start with 2 tablespoons cream cheese in a microwave safe dish. Heat for about 20-30 seconds. Stir. Cream cheese should be very smooth. If not, heat a few seconds longer and stir again. If your cream cheese isn't smooth when you add the syrup, you'll have weird lumps. Okay, once it is smooth and stirs easily, add some maple syrup. About 1 tablespoon maybe. Stir it in until well combined. Taste it. Does it taste super yummy? Then you're done. Maybe you think it should be more syrupy. Then go ahead and add some more syrup until it is the scrumptious pancake topping of your dreams. Enjoy!</span></div>
Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-61856906120948270042013-07-29T13:46:00.001-05:002013-08-17T13:07:09.855-05:00Summer Vegetable Pancakes with Basil Cream<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I am excited to get back to blogging my recipes and my restaurant adventures. I have several recipes in the pipeline, but I'm going to post them out of order. I just made this recipe for the first time the other night, but it was requested, so I'm writing this one first. More to come.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">To begin with, I was looking for something that would suit a gluten-free diet. I first turned to my handy Pinterest board and found many recipes I have been wanting to try. Almost none of them gluten-free. Something about this recipe kept drawing me to it. I ended up changing a bunch of things and modifying it to be gluten-free. This recipe is adapted from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ZUCCHINI-PANCAKES-WITH-BASIL-CHIVE-CREAM-106888">Epicurious</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here are some notes to kep in mind:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1. Feel free to use whatever flour you want. AP flour, whole wheat flour, oat, or almond should all work fine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2. I chose to take the step of whipping the egg whites (I love my Kitchen Aid stand mixer!) but if you don't feel like doing that, I'm pretty sure this would work by just mixing in one whole egg (instead of two egg whites.) The texture should not be too much different, perhaps a little less light.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwz50g3PC2ePj2RG-06w06a9seUcm2e2u_nwAUlcmMkfctcU8Ln5YMWUXCpnUsDLBEgw78z7bD-ZJwZFycHPPZN8F2pOeFMa6Nb3hYEoQlpYy9hut20b4zFnOzcYwBFI3IE6HdAsWSGJl/s1600/IMAG0690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwz50g3PC2ePj2RG-06w06a9seUcm2e2u_nwAUlcmMkfctcU8Ln5YMWUXCpnUsDLBEgw78z7bD-ZJwZFycHPPZN8F2pOeFMa6Nb3hYEoQlpYy9hut20b4zFnOzcYwBFI3IE6HdAsWSGJl/s200/IMAG0690.jpg" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmm... basil chive cream</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3. I served these with a basil and chive cream (recipe below) but you could sub sour cream for the yogurt and you could swap out herbs to whatever you have handy, or whatever sounds delicious. I recommend dill or tarragon. Change the herbs in the pancakes to coordinate. Also, you could spice these up by adding jalapenos or putting chipotle peppers in the cream. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ingredients (makes about 12 pancakes)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">For the cream</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3/4 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/4 cup fresh basil leaves</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 Tbl. fresh chopped chives</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">salt to taste</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">For the pancakes</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 small to medium zucchini, grated</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 carrots, grated</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 tsp. salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">one small onion diced</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/4 cup almond flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/2 tbl. Italian Seasoning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/4 tsp. ground black pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 egg whites</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">olive oil, for frying</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">kosher salt for seasoning</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Directions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Grate the zucchini and carrots into a colander. Toss with the 1 tsp. salt and let drain for about 20 minutes. Remove from colander and squeeze and excess liquid from the veggies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">While your veggies are draining, make the cream. Mix greek yogurt with roughly chopped basil leaves and chives. (Be careful chopping basil. If your knife is not very sharp, you will bruise the basil and it won't have as nice of flavor. You could tear the basil if you're concerned. Otherwise, don't really worry about it that much. Bruised basil is fine in this application.) Stir. Add salt to taste.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwHCNgllHp1UBW3_NiWjNClvKtEo5iQLF6IQHfYOkef1W3tmowdj6DN57DlrSMhwoKpOW44TQpq_sx3_MzSh2bFnnADpvqtKf3apsl4bM-G1aEfvurA3F5J6fpvjx9O6KPnPuwgjEBC-C/s1600/IMAG0686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwHCNgllHp1UBW3_NiWjNClvKtEo5iQLF6IQHfYOkef1W3tmowdj6DN57DlrSMhwoKpOW44TQpq_sx3_MzSh2bFnnADpvqtKf3apsl4bM-G1aEfvurA3F5J6fpvjx9O6KPnPuwgjEBC-C/s200/IMAG0686.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Added egg whites.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Also, while you're waiting for the veggies to drain, you can whip your egg whites.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Next, in a large bowl combine flour, Italian Seasoning, and black pepper. Add chopped onion. Add the drained and squeezed veggies. Mix to coat everything. Fold in whipped egg whites. (Don't worry about preserving volume, just mix everything thoroughly. You don't want patches of plain egg in your pancakes. Also, you could just mix in your one whole egg.) Make sure everything is well combined.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq0JZ1mRCXy7x9BdJUCx-z6tzMquLEoUDlqITP-sqHrWcn45zJwKu8g5xyH450clJ74iXtNgXSj1hmLJPn-t2qgZGbrZF41EEwEOvJQngxxtD1D2-kP5ZWnEm6BrBfW3CqbRg5B5kwPR4U/s1600/IMAG0688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq0JZ1mRCXy7x9BdJUCx-z6tzMquLEoUDlqITP-sqHrWcn45zJwKu8g5xyH450clJ74iXtNgXSj1hmLJPn-t2qgZGbrZF41EEwEOvJQngxxtD1D2-kP5ZWnEm6BrBfW3CqbRg5B5kwPR4U/s200/IMAG0688.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All mixed in.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Heat Olive Oil in a pan. Make sure the oil glides smoothly across the pan. You want to oil good and hot. I set the stove around medium-high. But you know your stove better than I do. Adjust temp as needed. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj271IXzzDF8J2SYaP0Yuxb5xNJBkxrkdPn8BQ0dTeSH_eF5AEhQsQ6hS00MlLpno3dPDJezO1KC9GoeS_OFjxkOLgIZtF161wAlxSTS4_eegwO299F_tGrEj6-ZnDRSaA2W7QtUvk2dkwd/s1600/IMAG0691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj271IXzzDF8J2SYaP0Yuxb5xNJBkxrkdPn8BQ0dTeSH_eF5AEhQsQ6hS00MlLpno3dPDJezO1KC9GoeS_OFjxkOLgIZtF161wAlxSTS4_eegwO299F_tGrEj6-ZnDRSaA2W7QtUvk2dkwd/s200/IMAG0691.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here they are mooshed in the pan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Scoop pancake mixture into the pan with a 1/4 cup measure (not overflowing or you'll have fewer pancakes. Which is fine if that doesn't bother you, or you want bigger cakes. You'll just have to cook them a little longer.) Moosh the cake mixture flat with the back of your scoop. Fry about 3 minutes each side until they are nice and brown. Remove from pan onto a paper towel to de-grease. IMPORTANT: Sprinkle a little kosher salt on the fried patties right away after removing from the pan. Fried foods must be seasoned IMMEDIATELY!</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8UNmo8c5Tt6EGWbj4kD4aRSqKZCkf5Z-OupH_zLn2cAthNDG7T0n_GrexaI6S-HkPh31q3uOjzvkTDRFb9-PgU4zLupEHpzqmlzoXf-2ODuaj9oNAEE43AOSaI6Jyp05bNKJ9EBPOQWn/s1600/IMAG0693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8UNmo8c5Tt6EGWbj4kD4aRSqKZCkf5Z-OupH_zLn2cAthNDG7T0n_GrexaI6S-HkPh31q3uOjzvkTDRFb9-PgU4zLupEHpzqmlzoXf-2ODuaj9oNAEE43AOSaI6Jyp05bNKJ9EBPOQWn/s320/IMAG0693.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here they are nice a crispy brown.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Add additional oil to the pan as needed to fry the rest of your mix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Serve hot and crispy, or room temperature with a dollop of the cream. Enjoy.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-41145764838317919162012-11-08T15:57:00.001-06:002013-08-17T13:07:35.728-05:00Stuffed Delicata Squash<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">My love affair with winter squash continues. This recipe is crazy healthy but it tastes
delicious! Although I suppose the
healthy factor depends heavily on the amount of cheese added… I love this recipe because it reminds me a
bit of a dish I used to love, cassoulet.
It is warm and filling, and has some of the same flavors. The treat in this dish is the sweetness of
the squash.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Delicata Squash are easier to find in an average supermarket
than they used to be. They vary in size
but are typically smaller than acorn squash.
They are oblong and pale yellow with dark green stripes. I used one larger squash (about 10” long) for
this recipe and it made a good entrée for two people. That amount would also make a nice hearty side
dish for four people. If using smaller
squash, get a couple of them because there will be plenty of stuffing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">If you can’t find Delicata Squash, you could use a roasted
acorn squash. Alternatively, you could
cube some sweet potatoes and roast them for the base of the dish. Enjoy!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Sorry I have no pictures, especially as this is such a
vibrant and lovely dish.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ingredients:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 large Delicata Squash</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">¼ cup Pine Nuts (or handy nut of your choice)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 bunch Kale, destemmed and chopped into medium-large pieces</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3 cloves Garlic (more or less) minced</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">10 oz. White Beans, cooked</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 Tbl. Finely minced Sage leaves (about 10) OR ½ Tbl. Ground Sage</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Salt</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">¼ cup Parmesan Cheese</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">4 Tbl. Bread Crumbs (optional)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Directions:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Preheat oven to 350˚ Cut squash
in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds.
Brush with a little olive oil and stick in the oven to roast. I can’t tell you how long, because it depends
on the squash. Maybe a half hour or
so. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Then…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Toast your pine (or other) nuts.
Easiest way is to dump them in a dry pan and turn on the heat. Shake them around in the pan until they get a
little color on them and start to smell warm and nutty. Take them out of the hot pan immediately and
set aside for later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Now, take your pan and put a little olive oil in it. Maybe 1 Tbl?
I never measure. That sounds like
a lot. Hmm… just swirl some around in
the pan. Not too much, we’re not frying
here, just a little sauté. So, warm
oil. Add your chopped up Kale. It will cook down pretty quick. Cook the Kale, stirring frequently, for about
5 minutes. Add the garlic. (I just thought… you could add some red
pepper flakes here if you wanted to kick it up a little.) Stir that around. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Add the White Beans</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Add the Sage.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Add a crazy amount of salt. More than you think. Twice as much. Trust me. The beans need it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Stir it up and cook for another minute or so.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Add your Pine Nuts and turn off the heat and stir to mix through.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Take your squash out of the oven and spoon all the Kale-Bean filling inside
the squash cavities. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Top with Parmesan Cheese (mixed with Bread Crumbs if you wanted.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Stick it back in the oven just to melt the cheese.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Eat and enjoy.</span></div>
Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-28581549155986067042012-10-26T11:48:00.000-05:002013-08-17T13:07:56.536-05:00Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I love Pumpkin Pie. I also like cheesecake. My boyfriend
<i>really</i> loves cheesecake. I thought
pumpkin cheesecake would be the perfect thing for Thanksgiving. A couple years ago for the Holiday I made a
pumpkin flavored cheesecake. This turned
out to be unsatisfying. I missed the
delicious custard that is pumpkin pie. I
missed the texture of it and the stronger flavor and ended up making a pie
anyway. THIS cheesecake is
different. It is a two-layered affair
with yummy toffee cheesecake on the bottom and pumpkin pie on top! My beau calls this “Pumpkin-Cake-Cheese-Pie.” I hope you enjoy it as much as he does. Everyone I’ve served to so far has
raved. Below, the recipe along with some
suggested variations.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 cups graham cracker crumbs</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here are some
variations: Cinnamon graham crackers, gingersnap cookies, mixtures of the
above, or feel free to add your favorite nuts as well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">½ cup butter</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 8-oz. pkgs. Cream cheese,
softened</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In fact, you should
probably set out all your ingredients so they can warm up. Then, make yourself a cup of tea, check your
facebook, put on some lip gloss, and then go back to making this yummy dessert.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">½ cup sugar</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 tsp. Vanilla</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">5 eggs, at room temperature (trust me, it is much better for the eggs
to be at room temp)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 bag toffee bits </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">You can find these
in most supermarkets this time of year.
Or, feel free to make your own toffee, but you're going to have to find
your own recipe for that. You will need…
I don’t know… 2 cups? of tiny tiny pieces of toffee. If you can’t find a bag of toffee bits, you
may consider running a Heath Bar or Skor through your coffee grinder (freeze it
first so the chocolate doesn’t gunk everything up) but I’m not sure about the
addition of chocolate, not being a big chocolate fan.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 15-oz. can Pumpkin Puree (or
use homemade, it is about 1 ¾ cup)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">¾ cup
Whipping Cream (yay!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2/3 cup
sugar (yes, I know I already listed sugar, but this is for a different part)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">½ tsp.
ground cinnamon</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">¼ tsp.
pumpkin pie seasoning (or, as much cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg as you feel like
adding)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1/8 tsp.
salt</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sweetened
Whipped Cream for topping (You’ve already bought Whipping Cream for the recipe,
and it is so much better than Cool Whip.
Making your own whipped cream is about the easiest thing you can
do. If you need pointers, I’m happy to
help.)</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuO5s5Ad9_j1U_3bpeew106nL9n0-98HpcsmXIQI0gvcIxNvCNqMr3yAeyyYId9-hMEcwRog5dWdQiDTUjc4Imk25ns1pvKPr9TqAC2FO0ZrRt6y9s4JhaeFzkRizFGZ5hrNMUW8iZYRoQ/s1600/Cheesecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuO5s5Ad9_j1U_3bpeew106nL9n0-98HpcsmXIQI0gvcIxNvCNqMr3yAeyyYId9-hMEcwRog5dWdQiDTUjc4Imk25ns1pvKPr9TqAC2FO0ZrRt6y9s4JhaeFzkRizFGZ5hrNMUW8iZYRoQ/s320/Cheesecake.jpg" title="Cheesecake" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't have a better picture. We were too busy eating it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><u>Directions</u>:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Heat oven to
300 degrees. Spray or butter a 9” or 10”
Springform pan. In a small bowl, mix the
crumbs of your choice with the butter.
Press in the bottom of springform pan.
Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven
and set aside.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In a large
bowl, beat cream cheese, ½ cup sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in 2 of the eggs. Stir in 1 cup of the toffee bits. Spread over crust. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In another
bowl (or use the same one, I don’t care) mix Pumpkin, Whipping Cream, 2/3 cup
sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and remaining 3 eggs, just until
blended. CAREFULLY spoon this mixture
over the cream cheese mixture. You don’t
want to just dump it on top as you are making two separate layers here and are
trying to avoid making a muddled mess.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Bake for two
hours (a long time, I know, but this gives you time to make your Christmas wish
list or, I don’t know, think of things you are Thankful for, like this dessert
recipe) Anyway, Bake for 2 hours or
until edge of cheese/pie is set at least two inches from the edge, but still slightly
jiggly in the middle. Turn the oven off,
open the oven door 4” and leave the cheesecake in there for another 30
minutes. Then, remove cheesecake from
oven, run a spatula around the edge of the pan and let cool another 30
minutes. Then refrigerate 6 hours, or
overnight. Run spatula around the edge
of the pan again and then remove the springform. Pipe, or as I do, dollop whipped cream around
edges of cheese/pie then sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. </span></div>
Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-66763647769909950672012-06-27T11:08:00.002-05:002012-06-27T11:14:12.624-05:00What I've been eating<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;">I would love to show you pictures of some of the fantastic food I've been making for the past couple weeks or so. I really would. I can't. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;">My phone has been having fits and wouldn't take the upgrade and then finally took the upgrade which fixed some problems only now my gmail won't update and all my pictures are gone. Yep. All my pretty pictures of yummy food. (Plus some important pictures that I might really need but foolishly hadn't gotten around to backing up yet. Oops.)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;">I am annoyed. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;">To make matters worse, it is too freaking hot to cook anything yummy and comforting. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;">So I could talk about the sesame noodles with sauteed seitan, the jalepeno shrimp with cheesy grits, the homemade Italian faux sausages on hoagie buns with peppers, the roasted garlic cauliflower, the grilled plums with homemade sweetened ricotta, the fresh berries with more homemade sweetened ricotta, the curried quinoa salad with toasted chickpeas, the homemade ricotta... or any of the other things I can't even remember off the top of my head. I've been cooking quite a bit and was excited to share.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;">Now my heart isn't in it. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;">Maybe when the temperature outside is under a hundred degrees. And maybe when I'm done with my pity party.</span>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-44579676546395973872012-06-14T11:12:00.002-05:002013-08-17T13:12:22.476-05:00Pear Gorgonzola SaladYes. I am well aware it has been a month since I have posted. I have a good excuse... I was moving. Moving is nearly the worst thing in the world. Ever. On the other hand, I now get to spend every day and eat all my meals with this really great guy. Unless he his playing two back to back tennis matches and comes home really late for dinner. In which case, I made myself this salad. And left a little for him when he got home.<br />
<br />
Ingredients-- I'm not listing any quantities because I don't know how much you want to make or if you like some ingredients more than others.<br />
<br />
1. Greens- I used Broccoli slaw because it is what we had in the house and it is nice and crunchy. You could also use coleslaw, just cabbage, or, if you had to, your favorite mixed greens. <br />
2. Pear- I like Bosc for this<br />
3. Gorgonzola Cheese- Crumbled<br />
4. Candied Walnuts<br />
5. A little lemon juice; a little olive oil<br />
<br />
Chop up your pear. I julienned my pear to better match the slaw. Put this in a bowl. Add as much greens as you feel appropriate. Sprinkle Gorgonzola and Candied Walnuts over the top. Mix. Drizzle the tiniest amount of olive oil and lemon juice (or orange juice) over the top (no seriously, less than you think); mix again. Eat.<br />
<br />
I like the salty/sweet/crunchy/creamy/bright thing this combination of ingredients has.Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-57328297105010810052012-05-11T13:02:00.001-05:002012-05-11T14:02:50.453-05:00Lot 2<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lot</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> 2
Restaurant & Wine Bar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.lot2benson.com/"><span style="color: cyan;">www.lot2benson.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:address w:st="on"><st1:street w:st="on"><st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6207 Maple
St</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></st1:street><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, <st1:city w:st="on">Omaha</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">NE</st1:state></span></st1:address><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(402) 504-4200<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was excited to finally
visit <st1:place w:st="on">Lot</st1:place> 2.
I had heard all the positive feedback and the owner/operators and Chef
have worked some of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:city>’s
best restaurants. In most points, they
did not disappoint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The atmosphere at <st1:place w:st="on">Lot</st1:place> 2 is fantastic.
It has warm touches throughout including wood floors and ceiling with
one wall partially exposed to the brick.
The rest of the space is light and airy with warm white walls and the
front, a wall of windows facing Benson’s main street. The bar welcomes you to take a seat and stay
awhile as you look at hand picked bottles of wine displayed in dark wood open
crates. The tables are a play on butcher
blocks and the white napkins and flatware look great in contrast. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We settled in and decided to
order a several items to share. For
starters, I order the Faux Gras, a vegan version of Foie Gras. It was served on a board with curry seasoned
nuts, olives, garlic confit, spicy mustard, pickled vegetables and a terrific
tomato jam. All the accoutrements were
tasty. I loved the tomato jam and I ate
the lion’s share of the curried nuts.
The Faux Gras itself wasn’t anything to get too excited about. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My beau chose the Kale
salad and this was the best thing we ate all night. I wish I had ordered it. I am still thinking about how delicious this
salad was. I could have eaten a bowl
twice the size as the one they served.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With our entrées we also
wanted to try a couple sides. We chose
the Brussels Spouts and the Beets. The
Sprouts were prepared well although they could have been a little bit
crispier. They were lacking the
advertised Preserved Lemon and the shaved Parmesan Cheese was scant. The Beets had a good texture but could have
been livened up with more of the white Balsamic. The whipped goat cheese was a nice complement
to the veggie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I ordered the Falafel for
my entrée and my beau ordered the Seitan Kebob.
Again, we had somewhat mixed results.
I found the falafel to be a delightful take on the traditional. The falafel themselves were well
prepared. They were crispy on the
outside, moist on the inside and well seasoned.
The jalapeno chutney was the second best thing I ate that night. The cabbage was perfectly dressed with a
yogurt dressing and I found the entire dish satisfying and delicious. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Seitan Kebab was
served with couscous and flatbread and the plat was drizzled with a curry
yogurt dressing. We could have used a
lot more of the dressing. It had
terrific flavor. The couscous on the
other hand was average. Unfortunately,
the dish got worse from there. The
Seitan was not only the worst thing we ate that night, it was the worst seitan
I have ever come across. It was super
dense and cooked so that I could barely cut it with a fork. It was chewy, rubbery, and not at all
flavorful. It was just bad. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fortunately, the panna
cotta we had for dessert left us with a pleasant bite. Also, the wine pairings were perfect, as
expected from top notch Certified Sommeliers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All in all, the service is
five star, the atmosphere is great, the wines are excellent and the food could
use some consistency in seasoning. Other
than the Seitan, none of the missteps in food would keep me from going back to <st1:place w:st="on">Lot</st1:place> 2. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For another take on <st1:place w:st="on">Lot</st1:place> 2, check out Sarah Baker Hansen’s review <a href="http://www.omaha.com/article/20120413/NEWS01/304139988#one-of-omaha-s-best-new-restaurants"><span style="color: #ead1dc;">here</span></a> in the
Omaha World Herald. Plus, she has
pictures! (I didn’t feel like taking any
this time.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-49212622597859292622012-04-29T11:51:00.000-05:002013-08-17T13:10:32.191-05:00Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you are not using
ricotta in your pancakes, you should begin immediately. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love breakfast
foods. They are good any time of
day. I like a mix of sweet and savory (omelets
AND French toast.) Lately it seems
though I’ve been making a lot of pancakes.
Plain pancakes, Whole Wheat Strawberry-Banana Walnut pancakes, Blueberry
Pancakes… even the
we-decided-to-only-make-it-once-a-year-otherwise-we-might-have-coronaries Pumpkin
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes with Cream Cheese Icing Drizzle. This
time, I decided I wanted something a little different. Something light and refreshing. Enter these fluffy, slightly tangy, light and
delicious Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce. They are super easy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u>Blueberry Sauce</u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I made the mistake of only
getting a half pint of blueberries for our pancakes and we really could have
used more. Since you are just cooking
them to make a sauce, go ahead and use frozen if you need to. Be aware that you won’t have any fresh ones
for garnish if you use frozen fruit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 pint fresh blueberries<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 Tbl. Water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1-2 Tbl. Sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 Tbl. Cold water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tsp. corn starch<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Directions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wOvY4J32Wt1ZwdhNQD1Sc7Cz-JG8oHduoHZ07pzOPRzpsf-Bk4bWoq922Jo6BqzqY3hzUvQ_xBpuY5Rxrx1x6sZ2Ivgf6htLAB9eLbfMHSdxn8zaV4nhzoMnN6eHxcMvtkTZjhC3oueX/s1600/Pancakes+cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wOvY4J32Wt1ZwdhNQD1Sc7Cz-JG8oHduoHZ07pzOPRzpsf-Bk4bWoq922Jo6BqzqY3hzUvQ_xBpuY5Rxrx1x6sZ2Ivgf6htLAB9eLbfMHSdxn8zaV4nhzoMnN6eHxcMvtkTZjhC3oueX/s200/Pancakes+cooking.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Put blueberries, 2 Tbl. Water
and the sugar in a saucepan. Heat on
high until sauce comes to a boil. Meanwhile,
combine 1 Tbl. Cold water and the cornstarch.
When blueberries come to a boil, reduce heat to keep them at a simmer
and stir in the cornstarch mixture.
Sauce will thicken. Reduce heat
and keep warm until your pancakes are ready.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u>Lemon Ricotta Pancakes</u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I made a quick and easy
version. To get even lighter pancakes
you can go through the whole rigmarole (Huh.
Thought it was “rigamarole” but spell check corrected me.) of whipping
your egg whites and folding in other ingredients etc, but I just didn’t have
time for that. If you are not using
fresh lemon juice, I must insist that you buy at least one fresh lemon to add
the lemon zest. It really is crucial to
the flavor. And yes, I did go to what I
consider the extra effort of mixing my wet and dry ingredients separately before
combining them. It really does help your
pancakes to not have any lumps. Plus, I
have a dishwasher so I don’t care that I dirtied an extra bowl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbR6-_nmUEGQLC87QUlvPs1nTmTRg2J3zHxXkn3q-99fr1ThAzhZhXNZCyAlQqA_WppwRZRJt9y9Jac4Z1DcpwNTFuM5qycv0ZypMwcdiH_Dxn5aUoTpPCkdi-o9YL5xMVkrAn2pkOw2d_/s1600/Golden+light+and+fluffy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbR6-_nmUEGQLC87QUlvPs1nTmTRg2J3zHxXkn3q-99fr1ThAzhZhXNZCyAlQqA_WppwRZRJt9y9Jac4Z1DcpwNTFuM5qycv0ZypMwcdiH_Dxn5aUoTpPCkdi-o9YL5xMVkrAn2pkOw2d_/s320/Golden+light+and+fluffy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The recipe makes about 8 pancakes this size.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ¼ cups All-Purpose flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 Tbl. Sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp. baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp. baking soda<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">¼ tsp. salt (Don’t skip
this. It’s only a ¼ tsp for pete’s
sake.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup ricotta cheese<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">¾ liquid eggs (OR 1 whole
egg, 2 egg whites)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup fresh lemon juice<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp lemon zest (You can put some lemon zest in with the
blueberry sauce too!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Directions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a mixing bowl, combine
the first five (dry) ingredients. In a separate
bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
Add this to the dry ingredient mixture and still just until
combined. DO NOT overmix. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Heat your non-stick
skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
It is okay you’re just doing this now.
Letting the batter rest a bit is a good thing. It lets the baking powder and soda work their
magic. Spray the pan with cooking spray
or, as I do, put a half pat of butter more or less in the pan and let it melt
all over the surface. Use a 1/3 cup
measure to scoop out your batter onto the skillet. Cook about 2 minutes until the pancake has started
to set and the underside is golden brown.
Flip the pancakes and cook another 2 minutes (approximately.) <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When you’re done making all the batter, top your pancakes with a little butter, a sprinkle of powdered sugar, and the blueberry sauce.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enjoy!</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQxT4t3aQnZjhzoRvS01otujQxqQHhDXxHOK4M-oemvfpsov40pwmGBpgrkt1-FrhNetipruIxcX6kOC9XI8pmctZi81sbZF5ZEi812gcirBivrbIhZcG6dMWVFXlA8rInvvRP78bUnb0/s1600/Lemon+Ricotta+Pancakes+with+Blueberry+Sauce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQxT4t3aQnZjhzoRvS01otujQxqQHhDXxHOK4M-oemvfpsov40pwmGBpgrkt1-FrhNetipruIxcX6kOC9XI8pmctZi81sbZF5ZEi812gcirBivrbIhZcG6dMWVFXlA8rInvvRP78bUnb0/s640/Lemon+Ricotta+Pancakes+with+Blueberry+Sauce.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I saved a few fresh berries for garnish.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-39886127104072984602012-04-26T13:42:00.001-05:002013-08-17T13:09:58.270-05:00Chicken Fried Portobello Mushrooms<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Generally, I
don’t even really like mushrooms but I do like items that are southern
fried. I never cared that much for fried
chicken, but I really liked the crispy seasoned coating. Recently, we had some evaporated milk left
over from another recipe. In a
convoluted way, this led me to decide to make Chicken Fried Portobello
Mushrooms, glazed carrots, biscuits and gravy (ah, evaporated milk!) None of this was done with a recipe or real measurements
but I will try to replicate the process here for you. Serves two, but it is easily doubled or more.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chicken
Fried Portobello Mushrooms</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do I need to
say that none of this is diet food?</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ingredients:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 Portobello
Mushroom Caps</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">¼ cup liquid
eggs (or 1 whole beaten egg)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Splash or
two of milk or buttermilk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup AP
flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><s>1 Tbl.
Garlic Powder</s> (wait, that sounds
like a lot. I really should have
measured.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ Tbl.
Garlic Powder (There. Try that.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">¼ Tbl. Chili
Powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Black Pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oil for
cooking</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Directions:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Clean your
mushrooms.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmF9Uoxkietw05HbYhXL5LYcWjtFGUPCt_rIxmq8EFp112G-IzN4-VeU9GufxUMgx4hnF8OWyvnJAd4LowelF6G1cmI01ZjPo7psvuJcELZYDRllaS6vKUFEAp9mWSToZOQGIs-jJpOsAg/s1600/Clean+Mushrooms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmF9Uoxkietw05HbYhXL5LYcWjtFGUPCt_rIxmq8EFp112G-IzN4-VeU9GufxUMgx4hnF8OWyvnJAd4LowelF6G1cmI01ZjPo7psvuJcELZYDRllaS6vKUFEAp9mWSToZOQGIs-jJpOsAg/s200/Clean+Mushrooms.jpg" width="200" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Most would say you could wipe them off with a damp paper towel and be
done. I like to go a bit further. It isn’t necessary, it is just an aesthetic
thing with me. I snap off whatever is
left of the stem. I take a spoon and
gently scoop out all the gills. Then, I
peel the mushroom by taking a piece from the edge and peeling in strips towards
the middle of the mushroom.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pour your
eggs into a small bowl large enough to immerse a mushroom cap. Add a splash or two of milk or
buttermilk. Pour the flour into a separate,
same sized bowl. To the flour, add the
Garlic and Chili Powders. Crack some
black pepper in there. Add a generous
amount of salt. Stir all that
around. (Just stick your fingers in
there and give it a swirl.)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, heat
your oil in a pan. I planned on only
using vegetable oil but I didn’t have enough and added a bit of olive oil. Vegetable oil works great because it can get
hotter and remember, you want your food to fry, not poach. The oil should be deep enough to cover about
half the mushroom. You will know your
oil is hot enough when you drop a few specks of flour in there and it sizzles
up gently around it. If it looks like a
hot tub gone mad with bubbles, it is too hot.
When your oil is about ready, you can bread your mushrooms. (I did one at a time.) </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">First, toss
the mushroom in your flour bowl. Get it
all coated then shake off the excess.
Next, put this powdered mushroom in your egg bowl. Coat it completely. Finally, transfer that mushroom back to the
flour bowl. Make sure it is all covered
with flour. This makes your yummy
crust. (When you’re done breading, save
the seasoned flour for your gravy.)</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now you’re
ready to fry them. (I started one while
I breaded the other.) Put breaded
mushrooms in hot oil and fry. They won’t
need more than a couple minutes each side.
Flip the mushrooms over when the bottom is golden and crispy. After done, remove to a paper towel covered
plate and let drain for a minute.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was my
first attempt at making these. The edges
of the mushrooms being thinner came out a little softer and full of that earthy
flavor. The thicker middle of the
mushrooms still had a nice firm bite to them.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is my “recipe”
for the carrots.</span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVaFYza1tIEMFSjMgskUqbNmHcTeW_xSivrppOCHVFFvQAIgroWfIOfvjZCipooi256VGGpAfVk9m36kxeTczfNe5OE0WEAib_KWzq8OnCKEgNrktGEMqwjIscbvo70LG6vzcTweqDKnE/s1600/Carrots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVaFYza1tIEMFSjMgskUqbNmHcTeW_xSivrppOCHVFFvQAIgroWfIOfvjZCipooi256VGGpAfVk9m36kxeTczfNe5OE0WEAib_KWzq8OnCKEgNrktGEMqwjIscbvo70LG6vzcTweqDKnE/s320/Carrots.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ten Carrots</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Olive Oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Honey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Balsamic
Vinegar</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Directions:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cut the
carrots to all be about the size of baby carrots</span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Did you know that most baby carrots are really just larger carrots shaved
down to be that size anyway?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Toss them
with a little olive oil and salt. Spread
on a cookie sheet and roast for about 20 minutes at 400°
Drizzle a little honey and a little balsamic vinegar, stir around and
cook another 5 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQjnDbOP01OCPKq_IReVTFYlSiOi5DMrLKDD3UeKvdz-DRE58YI-uB2dK6fKBFjTmE20NG_vmtBSWTWkLoJfWkpKfQfRB4aDQrYwypLEznr8H9dWTt_EmPL9_wdWM5J9YiYqqOY1pqd4M/s1600/IMAG0241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQjnDbOP01OCPKq_IReVTFYlSiOi5DMrLKDD3UeKvdz-DRE58YI-uB2dK6fKBFjTmE20NG_vmtBSWTWkLoJfWkpKfQfRB4aDQrYwypLEznr8H9dWTt_EmPL9_wdWM5J9YiYqqOY1pqd4M/s320/IMAG0241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enjoy!</span></div>
Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-40624814045951140012012-04-20T14:16:00.000-05:002012-04-20T14:17:39.164-05:00The Grey Plume<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Grey
Plume</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.thegreyplume.com/"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Calibri;">www.thegreyplume.com</span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">220 S. 31<sup>st</sup>
Ave., Suite 3101, Omaha, NE<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(402)
763-4447</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have been
to The Grey Plume half a dozen times now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have waited to write anything about them because they are Just. So.
Good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is difficult to give a review
when you don’t have anything bad to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the
things The Grey Plume does well is the attention to detail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they bring around warm crusty bread and
house-made butter, the butter is delightfully spreadable soft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That may seem like an insignificant detail,
but spreading cold butter that tears up your bread is annoying. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The menu is
ever changing to keep up with what is fresh and available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some dishes are variations on a theme and
simply incorporate new ingredients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
comments I will make about the food are therefore, a bit general. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My favorite
thing at The Grey Plume is the soup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have tasted Butternut Squash Bisque, Beet Soup, and Parsnip Chowder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All have been the smoothest, most velvety
soups I have ever had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Beet Soup was
served with smoke and when the dome was lifted, it was fantastic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Parsnip soup was served with coffee
crumble, kumquats, roasted parsnip and huckleberry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The combination seemed odd, but all
worked. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When it
comes to entrées, I have experienced beautifully prepared halibut and the
single best bite of scallop I have ever had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The portion of halibut was buttery and moist and had been seared on one
side until it had the perfect crust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
halibut came with parisienne gnocchi which were as light and pillowy as gnocchi
are supposed to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pasta is always cooked
spot on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vegetables are fresh and
truly delightful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I like my
desserts more spicy than sweet as I don’t have much of a sweet tooth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Grey Plume usually has scoops of house
made ice cream as an option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These ice
creams are also smooth and velvety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perfect little rich and creamy quenelles that are a terrific after
dinner bite, but not overwhelmingly sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On a recent visit, they offered a take on Lemon Pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dish was served with cubes of dill
gel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought this was brilliant as I
love herbs, dill in particular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
great complement to the lemon curd atop a puff pastry with a side of
creamscicle ice cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m totally
stealing the idea of putting dill with my lemon when I made my own ice creams
this summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you like your desserts
more traditional, I’ve also had apples served three ways which came out as the
best of apple pie, apple crisp and apple fritters all re-imagined and put on a
plate. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Best of all,
the service is outstanding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The staff is
well informed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They make excellent
suggestions and offer thoughtful wine pairings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every person on staff you come in contact with during your visit strives
to make sure your needs are attended to. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">THIS is fine
dining.</span></div>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-63201152150858512872012-03-13T12:56:00.000-05:002012-03-13T12:56:38.135-05:007M Grill<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7M Grill</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://www.7mgrill.com/"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Calibri;">www.7mgrill.com</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">15805 West Maple Rd., Omaha, NE</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(402) 509-3225</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I recently had an awkward phone conversation that went like this:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hello?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7M: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is 7M Grill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this “Kiki?”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We show that you had a reservation with us in the past 12 months.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you know that 7M Grill was recently named Omaha (something or other’s) Best (something or other) Restaurant?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uh…… Congratulations?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re just calling customers from the past year to thank them for making it such a great year for us.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Um… okay…</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would like to offer you a free drink or maybe an appetizer as a thank you.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Awk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a little confusing until the end there.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is especially unfortunate as I don’t see myself going back to 7M Grill in the near future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a restaurant I expected a lot more out of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have great potential but the execution just isn’t up to par.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our experience was bad enough that even a menu change and rotating specials aren’t enticing me back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had a group of six so I was able to have a wide sample of their offerings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half of us ordered the house salad which was nothing to get excited about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most interesting part of the salad is that you have a dozen different dressings to choose from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other half ordered the soup of the day which was a crab and roasted corn bisque.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This soup was velvety and smooth and had a strong fresh roasted corn flavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lumps of crab meat were generous and tender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This soup showed such promise, I was eager for my entrée.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Coincidentally, I believe that is what a first course is supposed to do.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One other bright note, our waiter was well informed on the dinner and wine menus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He made good recommendations for the wine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then our entrées arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ordered one of the house specialties, the Raspberry Whitefish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This dish features a filet of whitefish wrapped around a black bean and corn crab cake (WooHoo!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More Crab!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also comes with a raspberry chili sauce, mango cilantro rice and some sautéed vegetables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Presentation was a bit sloppy as the crab cake fish tower didn’t really tower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe this is because the whole dish was overcooked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fish was so dry, even the sauce didn’t help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crab cake held no resemblance to a cake and did not hold together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the delicious pieces of crab in the soup, I was disappointed to have only a few shreds of crab meat that I had to dig through the filler to find.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the black beans and corn were not the main ingredients of the crab cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dry, bland filler was the main component of the dish.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The seafood enchiladas were also a disappointment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best parts of the dish were rice and salsa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The chef came close to a good dish with decent overall flavors, but the seafood was so rubbery it ruined any promise the dish had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Harissa Chicken was a complete misnomer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If someone is going to order Harissa chicken, they probably know what harissa is and expect that level of spice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>7M’s version had virtually none of the expected heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have since removed this item from the menu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The best dish at our table were the fish tacos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll just let that sink in for a minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best you can do is fish tacos?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>7M has added other items to their menu with such groundbreaking (ahem!) options as Mac-N-Cheese (with Bacon!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, how original!) and the 7M Burger (Where do they get these ideas?!?) listed under “lighter fare.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, a word on dessert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have thought the chef, who grew up in Omaha’s Lithuanian Bakery, would have prepared an amazing Lithuanian Torte.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was, again, dry and disappointing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, 7M Grill, thanks for the offer, but I probably won’t be cashing in on my free drink or appetizer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-72511191516700676662012-03-10T15:29:00.002-06:002012-03-13T11:56:29.099-05:00Pudgy's Pizzeria<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Pudgy’s Pizzeria</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://www.pizzaville.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">www.pudgyville.com</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">16919 Audrey St. #110, Omaha</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">(402) 884-7566</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">The first thing you should know about Pudgy’s Pizzeria is that it is White Sox country, all the way. Cubs fans will be harassed, but at Pudgy’s they are harassed with a wink and a smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you like Chicago style pizza, this is as close as you’re going to get in Omaha. Pudgy lived in Chicago running Pudgy’s Hot Dogs making Vienna brand dogs served up Chicago style for 10 years. After moving back to Omaha, Pudgy and family experimented with pizza recipes until coming up with the Chicago style they serve in their small family restaurant now. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9Tot187nUcL1qAMKBubQcCxNZSPbaZFzR9MPUAJx0youV7bqJd-p-lJNi6fGvmZiujavjXMnTk-zVEImU0aGgkWHR9_ChSKj3ynxYlIdCsVFs3HaApZ2CWO_-hhnxTiY4StDB7z5bopp/s1600/Pudgy's+Deep+Dish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9Tot187nUcL1qAMKBubQcCxNZSPbaZFzR9MPUAJx0youV7bqJd-p-lJNi6fGvmZiujavjXMnTk-zVEImU0aGgkWHR9_ChSKj3ynxYlIdCsVFs3HaApZ2CWO_-hhnxTiY4StDB7z5bopp/s1600/Pudgy's+Deep+Dish.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Forget the New York style vs. Chicago style debate; there is enough dispute over what makes a true Chicago Deep Dish pizza. Pudgy’s version is appropriately deep; Toppings are generous; Sauce is on top. I managed to eat two slices of the pie my beau and I ordered and I was overstuffed. My brother ordered the stuffed pizza which you have to special request, it isn’t on the menu. A typical stuffed pizza is a deep dish filled with cheese and toppings then another layer of dough before the sauce goes on top and the crust is more rounded and puffy. Pudgy’s version did not have the top dough layer. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYFJu5A5wAg7qgUnieBak62Bj77UDSXTVJjytUq_VpCo3LpK_tEYYZ2fqeILD4hy5_wRZ617pmHBdWMNI9hq8m6Ow56RoVOLkdDdpKs9FiMl1ICLZR1vLTO_eyKCp5-0UCjpgIIi_asV2/s1600/Pudgy's+Stuffed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYFJu5A5wAg7qgUnieBak62Bj77UDSXTVJjytUq_VpCo3LpK_tEYYZ2fqeILD4hy5_wRZ617pmHBdWMNI9hq8m6Ow56RoVOLkdDdpKs9FiMl1ICLZR1vLTO_eyKCp5-0UCjpgIIi_asV2/s1600/Pudgy's+Stuffed.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The pizza was pretty good. It is something I would definitely eat again (as I never get tired of pizza!) What really made the experience for our group was Pudgy (Phil) himself and his wife. This is a mom and pop operation in the true sense of the word. They work the kitchen, taking orders at the walk up counter, and handing out to-go orders as patrons come in. The seating area only has a handful of tables but in a slower moment, they came around and chatted with their customers. Phil will make you laugh and Mama Cerra is like the Italian mother you never had. She'll make sure you get enough to eat, tell you that you look too thin, and in our case, try to set my brother up with one of her daughters. They were too loveable not to recommend this place.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">One caveat about the food... do not order salad. Ours were two styrofoam plates of watery iceburg lettuce. Period. I expected more toppings, but the amount of sauce and cheese to dough was just right. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">If it's pizza <em>again</em>, but you're looking for something different than the usual, try Pudgy's and plan on dining in. You'll have a fun Friday night.</span></div>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-51253902833465741222012-02-27T14:46:00.001-06:002012-03-13T11:55:45.971-05:00Twisted Cork Bistro<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Twisted Cork Bistro</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: cyan;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>www.twistedcorkbistro.com</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10730 Pacific Street</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(402) 932-1300</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On a recent occasion generally celebrated as romantic, my beau took me to a charming little place called Twisted Cork Bistro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do mean little- they couldn’t have had more than a dozen tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do mean charming- the staff was friendly and knowledgeable and the owner checked on all the tables and bussed them himself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Living in the Midwest, I have lamented before about being able to find decent seafood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>TCB focuses on local food, but their Seattle influence is obvious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The menu is concise and 70% seafood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, I have to love a place where the wine list is longer than the menu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Don’t be intimidated by that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The staff knows their stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get a recommendation.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On this particular Hallmark Holiday night out my beau and I both ordered the Northwest Salad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pears are my favorite and I rarely pass up a chance to have a pear salad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mixed with pistachios, white cheddar, craisins and apple vinaigrette on a bed of mixed greens, the salad was a generous portion for a starter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, it was not overdressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twisted Cork also offers a salad of greens, red onion, Kalamata Olives, goat cheese, and a basil balsamic vinaigrette or a choice of corn chowder, mulligatawny, or fire roasted tomato soup, all for $5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ_343fTQchzJX-42S7q_L5cuuKRueCl4OILNDp8MyKXWXM7261SP7Y-3YK1Ki3DSXH6Vietda9drzlqv3RwGB7x76wXmVfdMWDVnF2ACSv5br1nqMsEJ1_UGc792ymV6yjZT2kheVuRx/s1600/Twisted+Cork+Bistro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ_343fTQchzJX-42S7q_L5cuuKRueCl4OILNDp8MyKXWXM7261SP7Y-3YK1Ki3DSXH6Vietda9drzlqv3RwGB7x76wXmVfdMWDVnF2ACSv5br1nqMsEJ1_UGc792ymV6yjZT2kheVuRx/s1600/Twisted+Cork+Bistro.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Reading over the entrées, the descriptions hint at not only the Pacific Northwest, but also the Pacific Islands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There seems to be a bit of Hawaiian influence as well, evidenced by the use of macadamia nuts, coconut, mango, ginger and miso in some dishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ordered the Shell Fish Duet: wild jumbo sea scallops & shrimp, mango-curry, coconut, cream, carrot, jasmine rice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The seafood was well prepared and my first two scallops were perfect in doneness and texture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My third scallop was slightly undercooked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surprisingly, the shrimp were just a bit overcooked, but I’m really nit-picking here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were plump and delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were generous with the mango and the curry provided a nice bite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish there had been a little more of the curry to cut the sweetness of the dish but that didn’t stop me from gobbling it all up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The scallops had a lovely sear and the rice had great texture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being able to execute a dish well is something I don’t take for granted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The meal was wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My beau ordered the Sockeye Salmon which came crusted with ginger and served over Jasmine Rice with corn, miso-sesame vinaigrette, and basil oil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, the salmon was perfectly prepared, well seasoned and the flavors of the dish were balanced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed the combination of basil with ginger and miso flavors, something I wouldn’t have expected.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The dinner was really quite fantastic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entrées alone would have been enough to recommend this restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, we had dessert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The balance of ingredients, bursts of flavor and just overall experience was even better than the meals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been some time since I’ve had a dessert that good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ordered the spice cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not afraid of strong flavors and you shouldn’t be either if you order this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was strongly spiced and topped with candied ginger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was fantastic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when paired with the rich vanilla ice cream topped with orange zest… even better!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest of the world ceased to exist while I ate that cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I came to, and remembered I had a boyfriend sitting across from me, I tasted his chocolate cheesecake sitting on a pool of ganache and topped with sugared raspberries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty freaking good also.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you are a fan of seafood and interesting flavor combinations, make a reservation for the little restaurant right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you prefer beef, they serve a couple beef and chicken entrées, not the least of which is the Twisted Cork Burger, chosen by Food Network Magazine as the #1 Burger in Nebraska for their 50 States, 50 Burgers selection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-79732595624043283302012-02-24T16:15:00.000-06:002012-02-24T16:15:24.408-06:00McFoster's<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">McFoster’s Natural Kind Café</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://www.mcfosters.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.mcfosters.com</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">302 S. 38<sup>th</sup> St.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Omaha, NE<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>68131</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(402) 345-7477</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My return to blogging is with a farewell* to an Omaha gem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>McFoster’s is unique in Omaha from its décor to its food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The exterior is sort of miniature Swiss Chalet while the interior is peppered with Jerry Garcia memorabilia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The booths are cracked and the tables are worn, but you are always welcomed with open arms and made to feel right at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I visited, I felt it was a place I could simply relax and enjoy a good meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That sounds simple, but oddly, an experience that isn’t often the case at many restaurants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The clientele was diverse, encompassing college students, health conscious yuppies, new granolas, some original flower children, and everyone in between.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could never be certain who my dining companions might be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, on too many occasions, there would be only one or two tables in use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably part of the reason they will be closing the end of this month.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV8qpijEOQwBr22OdX-mV82MBkYDbStzJHAxMZUw_UtDQ8yG8vy4C9BlCUhj1dJJIDBiwgzWFCbSDFiZ94QdUtJ2a8R2JUOTv-Xnrl_sZrgNQ_aDF58H1NJ9F4F-vu2SnEQHUGY9sjcWP/s1600/BLT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV8qpijEOQwBr22OdX-mV82MBkYDbStzJHAxMZUw_UtDQ8yG8vy4C9BlCUhj1dJJIDBiwgzWFCbSDFiZ94QdUtJ2a8R2JUOTv-Xnrl_sZrgNQ_aDF58H1NJ9F4F-vu2SnEQHUGY9sjcWP/s320/BLT.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was not the case on my last visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every table was full, perhaps of people looking to get one last meal at this joint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The food of course is the draw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>McFoster’s puts its own spin on favorite dishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything had a little tweak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fries?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about sweet potato fries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want ketchup with that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about Banana Ketchup?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The food is primarily vegetarian with a few free-range chicken and fresh seafood dishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sautéed Brussels Sprouts are a top seller and one of my beau’s favorites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ordinarily I order a salad topped with items you don’t find at a typical salad bar, and much more delicious for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On this occasion however, I wanted all-American, McFoster’s style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the “BLT” with Sour Cream and Chive Fries alongside a Date Shake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The McFoster’s BLT is the exact way I want a BLT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tempeh bacon is smoky and crisp and there is plenty of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tomato and lettuce are crisp and in perfect proportion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The slightly sweet and nutty bread is generously spread with veganaise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could eat a dozen of these sandwiches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sour cream and chive fries were the best I’ve had at McFoster’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were hot and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, just the way a fry should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My beverage was one of the best shakes I’ve ever had and it wasn’t even a shake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, I love dates so I couldn’t really go wrong with this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blended with frozen bananas and cocoa almond milk, it was a fantastic treat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will very much miss McFosters but I am glad I was able to have such a delicious farewell meal there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
*McFoster's is hosting a fundraiser dinner Sunday, Feb. 26th to try to stay in business. I am hoping for the best.Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-78085078865421162332011-09-08T12:29:00.000-05:002011-09-08T12:29:26.833-05:00Mark's in Dundee<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My return to blogging coincides with a return to Mark’s Bistro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This summer, Mark’s had a change in Head Chef and I was interested to see what changes he has made and how he has made his stamp on the menu.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first thing I noticed was how much smaller the new menu is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the favorites that regular customers expect from Mark’s are still there, including their signature dish: Macaroni and Cheese, with or without embellishments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The embellishments on this particular visit were nothing to get too excited about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The new chef has added a handful of new dishes, one of which we tried for our appetizer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Roasted Brussels Sprouts caught our eye and I am glad we tried it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sprouts were well prepared with just the right amount of tenderness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The combination of honey and the mustard “aioli” were a perfect contrast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mustard had some eat behind it without the tang of vinegar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was perfect as the sprouts provided enough tanginess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sprouts were cooked with honey and it had a warmth and fullness behind it that made me think of maple syrup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dish also comes with bacon lardons which would give you the complete package of sweet and salty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For crunch, torn croutons were tossed with the honey and Brussels Sprouts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could have devoured the whole plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For our main entrees, my Beau and I ended up ordering dishes we have had at Mark’s on previous visits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found the Pad Thai and the Tempeh Reuben to be largely the same as before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gone, however, are the sweet potato waffle fries, replaced with roasted fingerling potatoes, served with a malt vinegar aioli.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not care for this mayonnaise mixture as the combination called out for another ingredient to tie it together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The potatoes themselves were average.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were uninspired by the dessert selections and chose not to order any this time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mark’s is still a lovely environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our waitress was the worst of the lot that night as she didn’t even tell us about the specials and largely seemed uninterested in us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other wait staff were pleasant even as they struggled to remember all the details of the night’s specials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The menu has room for improvement and I hope the new chef spreads his wings a bit as he does show promise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point, Mark’s is not on my list of “Must Visits” but still is a good bet for a nice place to dine and watch Dundee.</span></div>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-3151234374195916782011-03-04T17:54:00.002-06:002011-03-04T17:54:44.206-06:00Just as Important<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ingredient</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://www.ingredientrestaurant.com/"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Calibri;">www.ingredientrestaurant.com</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3201 Farnam St., Omaha (402) 715-4444</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I have discussed before, the service at a restaurant is just as important as the quality of the food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This point was emphasized to me at my recent experience at Ingredient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have dined at Ingredient before and found the concept charming and something I was interested in tackling again, especially at breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called ahead to find out how late they served breakfast and was told they served until noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perfect!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My beau and I arrived around twenty or quarter till noon and grabbed the menus by the front door just to confirm the order I already knew I wanted to make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good thing we checked because much to my surprise, the list of ingredients has changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now before you go rushing to the website to check their offerings, I can tell you their breakfast menu, at least, is not updated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I was feeling the pressure, we were nearing the cutoff time and the pancakes with specifically chosen ingredients were not an option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to make new choices and fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My back-up choice of a delightful omelette no longer offered the desired ingredients either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quick! Come up with something!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My disappointment was nearly insurmountable, but we managed to make a choice and head to the register to order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Plates piled high with delicious smelling, large, warm pancakes floated by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh! How I love breakfast!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A second register opened and with a smile I stepped forward to place my order only to be told “We’re not serving breakfast anymore” just as another plate of pancakes left the kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But I thought you served until noon,” I replied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The employee was adamant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No more breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does not matter that it is before noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kitchen said no more breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No more breakfast?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now what do I do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel the pressure of people waiting behind me in line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I throw together a pizza, feeling disappointed and unsatisfied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The service after this was subpar as well. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tables were not cleared or cleaned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to wait for a clean table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our orders were brought out incomplete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody seemed to care.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So… a few comments about the food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The pancakes “looked” good but I thought raw Granny Smith apple sliced on top is not what I would want if I ordered apples on my pancakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pizza was again tasty even if I was a bit sullen while eating it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Grilled Veggie and Hummus wrap was a surprisingly well balanced combination of ingredients, the vegetables being slightly crisp with feeling to “raw” and the hummus, feta cheese, and tatziki sauce played nicely off each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wrap was stuffed full without being over filled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was later told that the extensive ingredient was too costly and a bit too much to handle so they had to cut some items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, the more exotic ones seemed to get the axe, which was the best part of having options.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The worst part is that even though the food is enjoyable, if not mind blowing, I do not see myself returning anytime in the near future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With unexceptional service and average ingredients, I might as well go to any salad bar.</span></div>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-27983258451088695102011-02-23T11:42:00.000-06:002011-02-23T11:42:44.612-06:00Risotto FailOther than the half a day I worked at a Hardee's when I was fifteen, I have no restaurant experience. While enthusiastic about trying new dishes and techniques, I really have no foundation on which to build. Enter my risotto experiment.<br />
<br />
I have made risotto before and it has turned out lovely. Creamy, delicious, spreads on the plate just as it is meant to. So I feel I have a decent handle on making the dish. My beau and I have been talking about having a dinner party and I got it in my head I wanted to make this wild mushroom risotto. Not wanting to ignore our guests for half an hour to make the risotto, I concluded I would have to make it ahead of time and finish it just before serving.<br />
<br />
Realizing my limitations, I thought it best to practice on my beau ahead of time. Thank goodness I did. This was an epic fail. I did a little Googling about pre-cooking risotto and mostly the advice was to never do it. Some places did suggest that restaurants cook risotto about 2/3 of the way and then finish to order. It was recommended to cook it to that stage, then put it in the fridge to cool and stop cooking. I happily cooked up my risotto, checking it regularly, and reached a pre-al dente stage that I guessed was right. I put it on a cookie sheet and directly into the fridge. About 90 minutes later when we were ready for dinner, I pulled out my risotto. <br />
<br />
Epic fail. I put it back on the stove to finish cooking and heat through. The final result was overcooked and thick. Basically, it was nothing I would ever serve guests. My only consolation was that the flavors were good. The texture was nearly too much to overlook. Needless to say, our dinner party menu has been revised. Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-30861577569372008422011-02-23T11:24:00.000-06:002011-02-23T11:24:32.428-06:00What's the big deal?Indian Oven<br />
Old Market, Omaha<br />
<br />
This will be a short review because I will admit upfront that before dining here I had already had more than a couple cocktails. It is possible my perception was impaired. However, I have to say I don't understand what the big deal is. I enjoy Indian food from time to time and I have had several locals say to me, "If you like Indian, you should definitely try Indian Oven." So... I did.<br />
<br />
The atmosphere is nice. The service was pleasant. The food was underwhelming. <br />
<br />
My favorite part of the meal was the rice. <br />
<br />
Several items were served lukewarm at best. The spice level was bland and the flavors a bit muddled. the menu disclaimer was off putting. It was not the worst meal I've ever had but certainly not something I would rave about. Except for the rice. The rice was really good. Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-5441845266346665452011-02-15T12:08:00.000-06:002011-02-23T11:15:53.892-06:00Worth It<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mark’s</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://www.marksindundee.com/"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Calibri;">www.marksindundee.com</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4916 Underwood Ave. Upper, Omaha<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(402) 502-2203</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Every time I go to Mark’s my boyfriend and I seem to end up having an argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not really sure why this happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be the food brings out some deep emotions, or the environment allows us to feel relaxed and say what is really on our minds, or maybe it is just coincidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, our arguments are over something silly, but there is nothing frivolous about the food at Mark’s.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(I know that was cheesy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gimme a break, okay?)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyway…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The food!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On my first visit to Marks I was already enchanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We climbed the stairs and passed the hidden outdoor patio which I am eager to enjoy in warmer weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The converted building has modern conveniences yet retains elements of older charm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wood floors and waiting area wingback chairs are warm and welcoming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A heavy dining table invites you to stay and linger with friends for hours with a bottle (or three) of wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bistro tables pressed against the glass wall draw you like a moth to flame with the twinkling lights of Dundee just below you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was impressed with the menu with its ranging variety of selections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cuisine is spirited American.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They dapple in Asian, French , and Italian but it feels as if it is because someone had these dishes and loved them, not because they are trying too hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark’s also has a wide selection of gluten free and vegetarian dishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My first time at Mark’s, we were in the mood for something lighter and decided to order sandwiches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had our choice of sides and each picked the sweet potato fries, a waffle cut fry with spice to counter the sweetness and a house-made remoulade for dipping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could have filled up on these crispy treats but managed to save room for the sandwiches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went vegetarian and ordered the Tempeh Reuben and the Grilled Vegetable Sandwich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The flavor of the Reuben was spot on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, I don’t really care for Reubens, but if you like them, these are really well prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was even more skeptical about the Grilled Vegetable Sandwich which boasted of smoky carrot “bacon.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have eaten my share of bacon in my life and found the idea of a carrot replacement unimaginable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surprisingly, it served quite well in the context of a sandwich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not something I would alongside eggs and toast, but in a sandwich it did indeed provide that smoky salty flavor one expects from bacon in a sandwich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The real treat at this meal was the lemon basil cheesecake with balsamic macerated strawberries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, bowing to some seasonality, this item is not on their menu now, but it is one of the best things I have ever eaten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our second trip to Mark’s we received the same level of top notch service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wait staff seem to struggle a little to remember all the complicated details of the nightly specials, but are well versed in the regular offerings and the wine selection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bread and butter begin the meal and are brought quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We choose from the entrees this time and went international.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My beau had their take on Indian food with the Spinach, Paneer and Pasta; I chose the Pad Thai Pasta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was warned the Pad Thai was spicy, but it was as spicy as other Pad Thai I have had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mine came with a choice of Tofu or Shrimp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tofu seems to be a tricky ingredient and often has an odd texture but this was well prepared and fully marinated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The portion was enough for two meals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could have used more vegetables proportionately and the garnish seemed to be an afterthought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to ration my crunchy peanuts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Spinach Paneer dish was an interesting Indian/ Italian hybrid, not really evoking either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For dessert we tried the Pumpkin Butterscotch Cheesecake and the Whisky Bread Pudding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cheesecake was light and fluffy and tasted of all the best of pumpkin pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ginger crust and butterscotch ship topping were nice complements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a sucker for bread pudding and couldn’t resist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was disappointed in the dish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was served piping hot and had a good amount of the whiskey caramel sauce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pudding itself however had not soaked into all the bread and tasted as if it had been reheated, perhaps more than once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had crunchy and burnt pieces and one corner was hard.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Part of an enjoyable dining experience is of course, the experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark’s delivers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is an experience you will enjoy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It feels like going to a friend’s house and if you don’t have some there, you might make some new ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I have been greeted and welcomed by managers and patrons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The menu is varied enough that you will find something you want to eat and probably something you want to try next time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if you have an argument with your boyfriend every time, dining at Mark’s is worth it.</span></div>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-63954323556847706612011-02-12T11:09:00.000-06:002011-02-12T11:09:30.383-06:00Unexpected<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Firebirds Rocky Mountain Grill</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://www.firebirdsrestaurants.com/"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Calibri;">www.firebirdsrestaurants.com</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">17415 Chicago Circle, Omaha<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(402) 359-1340</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To begin with, this is a steak place which is not really my thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I have been here a couple times and even I would eat steak here, if I wanted to eat a steak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, I am just going to talk about my most recent dining experience at Firebirds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were at Firebirds for a party so I began with a cocktail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a passion for pears so I could not resist the Dessert Pear Martini.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was full of pear flavor without any of the cloying sweetness that sometimes accompanies this fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vodka, sweet and sour, and pear juice were well balanced and delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, it was so good, I had two!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Along with cocktails, we enjoyed appetizers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The star here and from anyone I have talked to is the Lobster Queso.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barely salted tri-color tortilla chips accompany a warm bowl of pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, spinach, and lobster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such strong flavors could overpower lobster, but this dip has unexpected large chunks of lobster making it a rich and flavorful starter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the richness, you will not want to share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank goodness decorum will hold you back from gobbling it all down because there will be much more food to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also sampled onion rings which were large and crispy due to a panko coating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Firebirds offers a variety of salads that are large enough for an entrée, but some also work nicely to be shared for your salad course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust me… share the salad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not order your own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may think it is priced to be a side salad, but don’t be fooled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Share the salad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Along with salad the wait staff will bring fresh sourdough bread and butter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our case, we had to twist the waiter and waitresses arm a bit to get enough bread for our table of ten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are ten people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need more than one 6” round of bread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bread is warm, but impossible to cut properly with the utensils provided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The butter is cold and impossible to spread on delicate fresh bread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The service was timely and we did not wait long for our entrées.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a steak place so of course my beau and I ordered fish dishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ordinarily, a steak place only does steak well, but the fish was unexpectedly pleasant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the Sesame Encrusted Salmon which was cooked perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Salmon is hard to screw up yet I frequently find it overcooked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was just right and had a lovely ginger mustard flavor under the crunchy sesame crust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither overshadowed the salmon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most delightful on his plate was the fried spinach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is not a fan of cooked spinach but this was unexpectedly light and crispy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was reminiscent of potato chips and equally as addictive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They carried a hint of garlic, were lightly salted, and melted on your tongue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would return just for this spinach.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I opted for the Pecan Crusted Trout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two large filets filled my plate and were topped with a serving of peach cilantro salsa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The salsa had great potential but the acid had begun to work on the peaches and the result was a slightly muddled sauce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The moisture from the salsa also softened the crunchy coating on the fish but the flavors were pretty good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The dessert list looks unassuming, merely listing them by name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Key Lime Pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carrot Cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are the desserts we ordered to share with each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Key Lime Pie was good enough that my beau seemed to forget we were supposed to be sharing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The carrot cake was a completely different take on the traditional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of a high stack with many layers, this was one (large) square of moist cake, uncluttered with the fruit and nuts some people find necessary, topped with a rich and lightly sweet cream cheese frosting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the side, a serving of warm salted caramel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is everything you could want in one bite, sweet, salty, rich, amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After carrot cake, I really have nothing more to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you like steak, or even if you don’t, Firebirds is a good restaurant to try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The portions are huge and the flavors are not at all what you might expect from a steak place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enjoy.</span></div>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-29819197554943424162011-01-14T17:54:00.000-06:002011-02-12T09:29:56.836-06:00Be sure to wear your stretchy pants<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wasabi Sushi</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">14513 W. Maple Rd., Omaha, NE<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(402) 991-6878</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All you can eat sushi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will let you digest that for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, it sounds off-putting as it conjures visions of sad buffets and not at all how one would like to receive their fresh (raw) fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So let us dispense of that notion right off.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wasabi Sushi is all you can eat, but it is prepared one dish at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may order a la carte, but I did not see those prices listed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a weekend night, the price is about $23 each; lunches and week nights are a little less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drinks are extra.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Having now been put in the right mindset, let me tell you about the food.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All of the food comes in individual portions which gives you the freedom and encouragement to try many different items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the name of the restaurant is “sushi” there is a variety of other foods as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The left side of the menu first contained appetizers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They offered several types of soup, potstickers, spring rolls, fried calamari and more. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next on the left were choices for those not into sushi such as teriyaki beef or chicken as well as grilled skewers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the right side of the menu were the sushi selections (six to eight pieces each.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The offerings were pretty typical of Omaha sushi joints except for one unique standout- sushi pizza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, at the bottom of the menu were the dessert choices (read: ice cream.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of this is included in your price!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our waitress encouraged the two of us to start with about six choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We thought this was excessive until we saw the portion sizes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We requested a couple of maki rolls, a couple of appetizers and a teriyaki salmon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rolls were delicious and comparable to those we have had other places in town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The teriyaki sauce was generous but the small portion of fish was overcooked and nothing to get excited about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also overcooked was the fried calamari.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The calamari was the largest portion of anything we received.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the tempura breading was light and crispy, the calamari was tough and rubbery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We fared better with the veggie tempura which was crisp and delicious and served with a delicate soy based dipping sauce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We devoured the properly salted edamame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The miso soup never arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After getting the hang of it, we ordered more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we were brave enough to try the sushi pizza after a brief description from our waitress who did not actually seem to know what it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What it was, was the equivalent of six sushi rolls of rice rolled together in a patty, coated in panko bread crumbs, then deep fried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This crispy delight is then topped with selected sushi toppings such as spicy crab mixed with a spiced mayo (What is it with the Japanese and mayo on pizza?) and a drizzle of a hoisin type sauce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is then cut into six little wedges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was tempted to distract my beau’s attention and gobble all the pieces myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The good news is that the place is all you can eat so you can just order another one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The food is fun if not spectacular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sushi pizza was the highlight for me but I was pleasantly satisfied with the meal overall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A wide variety of options allow all tastes to be satisfied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is wise to order several items each round as the food will be delivered as it is ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The service was not very good, but at least it was friendly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because they were sending food out as it was prepared, we had several different servers who were often uncertain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two different waitresses tried to take our orders which clearly caused confusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only did we never get our soup, I was the only one to get green tea ice cream for dessert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was eventually remedied… twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My beau received two dishes of ice cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, he did not complain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t go to Wasabi expecting to be blown away, but go and have some fun and order something new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-24441714173375127992011-01-07T12:02:00.000-06:002011-01-07T12:02:51.325-06:00DelaysThe holiday season got the better of me this year and I have not been an active poster lately. However, I have been to several resataurants over the past few weeks that will be getting reviews here soon. Thank you for your patience and thank you for reading. <br />
~KikiKiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406303633668794160.post-13867145695858003052010-12-02T10:56:00.000-06:002010-12-02T10:56:46.130-06:00You Look Lovely<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Vivace</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.vivaceomaha.com/"><span style="color: cyan;">www.vivaceomaha.com</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">1108 Howard St., <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Omaha</place></city> 402-342-2050</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I may have had stars in my eyes on my last visit to Vivace because it was my birthday, but I feel they honestly deserve a good review today.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Because it was my birthday I decided to celebrate with a Champagne Cocktail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our charming and innocent waitress (after telling me I looked lovely) confessed in a whisper that she didn’t know what was in that drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She quickly recovered and decided that the Bartender probably did know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, the bartender DID know how to make a champagne cocktail as well as the basic screwdriver my beau ordered.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I was planning on ordering a filling meal and certainly dessert so I decided to forgo any appetizers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, we had a basket with focaccia and accoutrement of olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, and diced tomatoes and garlic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being able to mix it to your own desired proportions is nice and I restrained myself from filling up on bread alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My beau and I began with Vivace’s Field Salad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a simple salad I have since replicated at home but it is quite delicious; mixed greens topped with strawberries, goat cheese, candied walnuts, and a pear balsamic dressing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The portion is generous for a pre-entrée salad and would almost be adequate for a lunch.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We spent some time considering the dinner specials menu which changes with some frequency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shy waitress explained their daily specials as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The waitstaff was well informed on the menu items, specials, and ingredients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One special in particular caught our interest: Ratatouille and Goat Cheese stuffed Ravioli.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At Vivace, if you are ordering pasta as opposed to other Italian style entrees, you may choose your sauce, choose your pasta, and choose additional toppings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I selected the basil pesto alfredo sauce over penne pasta topped with grilled shrimp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My beau choose the ravioli special with a dill pesto and salmon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We thought the dill and salmon would be a nice combination.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">My sauce turned out to be more alfredo than pesto but still had a noticeable basil flavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shrimp were plump and delicious, but cooked just a few seconds too long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were right in that the salmon paired nicely with the dill pesto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dill flavor also complimented the ravioli, however, the Ratatouille flavor was not very prominent and was overwhelmed by the dill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vegetables inside ended up being more of a texture component than a flavor component.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goat cheese naturally having a mild flavor was there mostly to provide a bit of creaminess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The portions were large, especially after eating a good size salad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We took our pasta home and were left with a sufficient portion for dinner the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite being too full to finish my entrée, I wanted to order dessert anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(And my second Champagne Cocktail.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dessert tray was tempting, but aside from a lemon tart, was mainly heavy desserts such as dense brownie, rich carrot cake, pumpkin cheesecake with caramel sauce, and naturally, tiramisu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reflected back to the specials menu which listed several “small bites.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love pears and there were two pear items listed: a pear soufflé with a chocolate crème anglaise, or chilled pear soup with goat cheese fritters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think chocolate a pear can be a weird combination so I chose the pear soup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was small for a typical dessert but I thought it was just the right amount.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It arrived with three quarter sized warm goat cheese fritters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These perfectly complimented the pear soup which came in a small shallow dish. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first taste immediately reminded me of a light version of the syrup that comes with a can of fruit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought I was going to be disappointed but almost instantly began to taste undertones of creamy caramel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a wonderful combination and the perfect light finish to a meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Overall my experience at Vivace was enjoyable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The food was well prepared and the staff made every effort to make sure our experience was pleasant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pasta prices range from $7 - $13 depending on what protein or veggie you add.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dinner Specials varying from Seabass, Osso Bucco, Pork, and several steak options range in price from $16 - $35.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also have a solid wine selection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recommend Vivace as place to have a relaxing time with good food, and it can be as fancy or as casual as you care to make it.</span></div>Kiki Primaverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06824884808711545021noreply@blogger.com0