Let's see...made homemade bread yesterday, made homemade chocolate pudding today. Tomorrow it's going to be vanilla-tangerine cupcakes, broiled steak, roasted garlic butter and hassleback potatoes all for the husband's early birthday dinner.
So what's for dinner?
- Thread starter Sweetleaf
- Start date
Went to a fund raiser for the local museum at our new microbrewery last evening and everything we ate had beer (which ran the gamut from very pale ales to very dark lagers) in it - from the cocktail given to us when we arrived (it's Cuban in origin called Bul and would make a fabulous summer drink), to every course at dinner - beer bread, beer/cheddar soup, salad (dressing had carmelized onions sauteed in a gingery beer), steak marinated in beer, duchess potatoes (whipped with more beer) and the most heavenly, pretzel chocolate cheese cake made with (you guessed it) beer!
Every course was accompanied by a small glass of beer that was in the dish. I'm not a beer drinker, but I was amazed at the difference in tastes (some I liked more than others) but what surprised me the most was the dessert with the accompanying beer (a black lager) - the two tastes together was sublime.
Between each course, a guest speaker told us about the history of beer in Canada (the demise of flavour when the big corps. took over), the history of beer in our area, what to look for in the selection that we were drinking, and the process that the micro brewery goes thru to make beer. All in all a great evening with really delicious food.
PS While I'd love to make the chocolate cheese cake, my hips don't need it, but I'm going to see if I can recreate the soup.
PPS edited to add I think this is the recipe they used for the cheesecake. I'm not kidding, it was really fabulous - especially the pretzel crust.
http://thebeeroness.com/2012/04/10/chocolate-beer-cheesecake-with-a-pretzel-crust/
Every course was accompanied by a small glass of beer that was in the dish. I'm not a beer drinker, but I was amazed at the difference in tastes (some I liked more than others) but what surprised me the most was the dessert with the accompanying beer (a black lager) - the two tastes together was sublime.
Between each course, a guest speaker told us about the history of beer in Canada (the demise of flavour when the big corps. took over), the history of beer in our area, what to look for in the selection that we were drinking, and the process that the micro brewery goes thru to make beer. All in all a great evening with really delicious food.
PS While I'd love to make the chocolate cheese cake, my hips don't need it, but I'm going to see if I can recreate the soup.
PPS edited to add I think this is the recipe they used for the cheesecake. I'm not kidding, it was really fabulous - especially the pretzel crust.
http://thebeeroness.com/2012/04/10/chocolate-beer-cheesecake-with-a-pretzel-crust/
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2012
- Messages
- 5,489
- Reaction score
- 609
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2005
- Messages
- 5,011
- Reaction score
- 697
- Location
- Sacramento area, CA
- Website
- www.umbachconsulting.com
Yesterday I invented a new slow-cooker dish. Started with a cup (or a shade more) of Tiger Eye heritage beans (from www.chilismith.com -- met the owner at a farmer's market a few days ago and bought four kinds of heritage beans). Soaked those overnight the night before. Then into the cooker pot: the beans (drained and re-rinsed), several ounces (six or so?) of maple-sugar ham cut into small pieces, three medium carrots peeled and cut in small pieces, a couple of ounces of Carmel Cream Sherry (from Chateau Julian, in Carmel Valley, Calif.), one medium to large yellow onion, chopped, some freshly ground black pepper, some dried parsley (and later, after tasting, a sprinkling of kosher salt). Enough water to cover (allowing for expected water coming out of onion and carrots).
Heated on medium-high until boiling, and then simmered on low to very low for several hours (six or seven hours overall), stirring a couple of times.
I sprinkled some shredded Parmesan cheese on my bowl of the -- soup? bean stew? -- when I served it. Had a green salad, including red leaf lettuce from a local farmer, bought the day before, to start dinner, and half a toasted bagel with the bean soup/stew.
Good. Really good. Made the house smell good all day while cooking, of course.
Since I bought eight pounds of dried beans (two pounds of each of four varieties), I expect to be cooking a LOT of beans in various ways for months to come. The one cup barely made a dent in that two-pound package.
--Ken
Heated on medium-high until boiling, and then simmered on low to very low for several hours (six or seven hours overall), stirring a couple of times.
I sprinkled some shredded Parmesan cheese on my bowl of the -- soup? bean stew? -- when I served it. Had a green salad, including red leaf lettuce from a local farmer, bought the day before, to start dinner, and half a toasted bagel with the bean soup/stew.
Good. Really good. Made the house smell good all day while cooking, of course.
Since I bought eight pounds of dried beans (two pounds of each of four varieties), I expect to be cooking a LOT of beans in various ways for months to come. The one cup barely made a dent in that two-pound package.
--Ken
RedRajah mentioned homemade bread. So glad, because that's what I'll make for tonight's dinner of pasta w/ tomato sauce.
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2012
- Messages
- 5,489
- Reaction score
- 609
In keeping with the Italian theme, hoagies for us tonight. What the heck is a hoagie?! I remember the first time I walked into an Italian Deli/Restaurant in LA and asked for a hoagie, and the kid behind the counter searched my face to try and figure what I talking about. I must have been looking at him with the same puzzlement, wondering why he was looking at me that way, till the guy behind me, and East Coast transplant like myself intervened and laughingly told the kid, "He means a sub, he wants a submarine sandwich."
Capicola, (pronounced gabagoul) Mortadella, Genoa salami, and mozzarella on a good Italian roll, but here's the thing, something they still don't get out here, and even in some places back east- you gotta bake 'em. First, drizzle some olive oil, salt and pepper and Italian seasoning in the bowl of oil, stir, and spread a thin layer over both halves of the roll. Cover the outside of the roll in foil and put in the oven (toaster oven is fine) at about 400. Bake just until the oil gets a little crusty, then put mortadella, capicola, and salami on one side of the roll, mozzarella on the other and with the foil still wrapped around the underside, bake until the meat loses some of its fat and starts to roll up a little, and the cheese is melted. Then top with shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes drenched in olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper, and you guessed it- fuggetaboutit!
Capicola, (pronounced gabagoul) Mortadella, Genoa salami, and mozzarella on a good Italian roll, but here's the thing, something they still don't get out here, and even in some places back east- you gotta bake 'em. First, drizzle some olive oil, salt and pepper and Italian seasoning in the bowl of oil, stir, and spread a thin layer over both halves of the roll. Cover the outside of the roll in foil and put in the oven (toaster oven is fine) at about 400. Bake just until the oil gets a little crusty, then put mortadella, capicola, and salami on one side of the roll, mozzarella on the other and with the foil still wrapped around the underside, bake until the meat loses some of its fat and starts to roll up a little, and the cheese is melted. Then top with shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes drenched in olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper, and you guessed it- fuggetaboutit!
And to keep the Italian going, last night we went to Olive Garden. They're running a promotion where if you get one of a selected group of entrees, you get a second one to take home. So last night he had ravioli and I had creamy citrus chicken with fettucine. Tonight he gets baked ziti, and I get fettucine alfredo.
MM
MM
Big old pot of chili.
Still some left if anyone would like some. Just a caution: the little Satan devil peppers I use were quite luciferous. I like it hot and could barely eat it myself.
Still some left if anyone would like some. Just a caution: the little Satan devil peppers I use were quite luciferous. I like it hot and could barely eat it myself.
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2012
- Messages
- 5,489
- Reaction score
- 609
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2005
- Messages
- 5,011
- Reaction score
- 697
- Location
- Sacramento area, CA
- Website
- www.umbachconsulting.com
Last day to use free dinner gift card at a favorite Mexican restaurant. Works for me.
Meanwhile, started soaking some heritage black beans ... will slow-cook those tomorrow with some diced chilis, chopped onion, and I dunno what else. Maybe serve with chicken ...
--Ken
Meanwhile, started soaking some heritage black beans ... will slow-cook those tomorrow with some diced chilis, chopped onion, and I dunno what else. Maybe serve with chicken ...
--Ken
Went to Charleston's and had ribs, with a side salad and their yummy beans. Oh, and a glass of cabernet.
MM
MM
Tonight was rice pasta and some spicy chipotle sausage. Adequate.
Yesterday we did Meatless Monday, with a cashew-basil-pepper-portabella mushroom pizza dish that was actually so delicious my meat-eating SO was impressed. I'm claiming Mondays as research, since I have a bunch of vegetarian characters now who are too civilized to eat cardboard.
Yesterday we did Meatless Monday, with a cashew-basil-pepper-portabella mushroom pizza dish that was actually so delicious my meat-eating SO was impressed. I'm claiming Mondays as research, since I have a bunch of vegetarian characters now who are too civilized to eat cardboard.
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2005
- Messages
- 5,011
- Reaction score
- 697
- Location
- Sacramento area, CA
- Website
- www.umbachconsulting.com
Last night's Mexican dinner was so large that my wife and I each immediately put half into take-out box, before commencing to eat. The take-home looks like tonight's dinner, supplemented by garden salad.
Heirloom beans (Black Valentine, from http://chilismith.com) are simmering in slow cooker along with some dried chopped onions, some fresh cilantro, and some chopped mild green chili peppers (out of a jar, Mezzetta brand), a half teaspoon of chili powder, and a sprinkling of freshly ground sea salt and black pepper. Might have some as a side tonight (if not overkill with the leftover refried beans), or simply refrigerate for use later in the week.
--Ken
Heirloom beans (Black Valentine, from http://chilismith.com) are simmering in slow cooker along with some dried chopped onions, some fresh cilantro, and some chopped mild green chili peppers (out of a jar, Mezzetta brand), a half teaspoon of chili powder, and a sprinkling of freshly ground sea salt and black pepper. Might have some as a side tonight (if not overkill with the leftover refried beans), or simply refrigerate for use later in the week.
--Ken
Roasted chicken rubbed down w/lemon juice & zest, olive oil, black pepper, garlic, cumin, paprika, parsley & coarse sea salt and mashed potatoes w/scallions.
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2012
- Messages
- 5,489
- Reaction score
- 609
Split pea soup in the slow cooker. I had a large ham bone leftover from Sunday. (Toss in chopped carrots, onion, pepper, curry powder, bay leaves, water.)