Sunday, October 30, 2016

Romeo & Julieta Wine Cafe

Went to https://www.yelp.com/biz/romeo-and-julieta-wine-cafe-san-diego
B I L J

Just slightly too much food - but we ate it all!

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
White mushrooms stuffed with lumps of crab, sautéed, and topped with parmesan & mozzarella cheese then baked. Garnished with a spicy Portuguese Churrasco Sauce and served on a bed of lettuce and tomato slices.

Pierogis & Fresh Dill Cucumber Salad
Choose 4 pierogis sautéed with either Bacon or Veggie Style (Butter & Bread Crumbs) served on a bed of fresh spinach and cucumber salad. Beef, Spinach, Beef & Spinach, Kraut, Kraut & Mushroom, Potato & Cheese, and Potato & Cheddar Cheese. (We had kraut and mushroom and beef and spinach)

Pulled Pork Sliders (4)
Sweet & Spicy BBQ pulled pork with sautéed onions & cabbage on a soft warm bun. Served with sweet potato fries or seasoned curley fries (We had mixed fries)

Brie Cheese & Strawberries
Warn brie cheese topped with sliced strawberries and drizzled with a fig balsamic glaze

Flatbread Pizza Julieta Fig
Caramelized onions in a fig sauce with sliced dried figs, goat cheese, bacon, and shaved parmesan cheese. After it's baked it's topped with fresh arugula and drizzled with a fig balsamic reduction

Friday, October 28, 2016

Apricot, Jalapeno and Bacon Zingers — Nourished Kitchen

Our version:
Makes 20
Ingredients
  • 40 dried apricots
  • 20 pickled jalapeño slices *
  • 10 bacon slices, cut into halves

* We pickled ourselves.

~ 1/3 c water
~ 1/3 c vinegar
~ 3 T sugar
~ 2 t oregano
In sauce pan bring to boil

jalapeño
sliced cross ways as quarters
place in the boiling solution, return to boil

let stand while doing other work,
remove to plate

make little sandwiches of apricot and pepper, wrap in bacon, put wooden toothpick thru and place on parchment paper.

When people arrive place in 400 degree preheated oven.

After 15 minutes use tongs to turn over.

Continue baking until bacon is crisp.

Enjoy with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. (removing the seed from the peppers might mean it's okay without this)

The apricots sort of melt so it's like eating jam wrapped in bacon!

Did not need to be hot to enjoy.

Inspiration:
http://nourishedkitchen.com/jalapeno-apricot-and-bacon-zingers/

Made for I and L and B
Rest of dinner was raw vegetables (carrots, celery, turnips, sugar snap peas) with hummus and ranch dip
kale and lettuce salad with avocados, grape tomatoes (not cut as she is allergic and he doesn't like), pumpkin seeds, dried cranberry and apricot, with a poppy seed dressing)
stuffed salmon


Apricot, Jalapeno and Bacon Zingers — Nourished Kitchen

Our version:
Makes 20
Ingredients
  • 40 dried apricots
  • 20 pickled jalapeño slices *
  • 10 bacon slices, cut into halves

* We pickled ourselves.

~ 1/3 c water
~ 1/3 c vinegar
~ 3 T sugar
~ 2 t oregano
In sauce pan bring to boil

jalapeño
sliced cross ways as quarters
place in the boiling solution, return to boil

let stand while doing other work,
remove to plate

make little sandwiches of apricot and pepper, wrap in bacon, put wooden toothpick thru and place on parchment paper.

When people arrive place in 400 degree preheated oven.

After 15 minutes use tongs to turn over.

Continue baking until bacon is crisp.

Enjoy with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. (removing the seed from the peppers might mean it's okay without this)

The apricots sort of melt so it's like eating jam wrapped in bacon!

Did not need to be hot to enjoy.

Inspiration:
http://nourishedkitchen.com/jalapeno-apricot-and-bacon-zingers/

Made for I and L and B
Rest of dinner was raw vegetables (carrots, celery, turnips, sugar snap peas) with hummus and ranch dip
kale and lettuce salad with avocados, grape tomatoes (not cut as she is allergic and he doesn't like), pumpkin seeds, dried cranberry and apricot, with a poppy seed dressing)
stuffed salmon


Monday, October 10, 2016

Department Taco Event: (Unplanned for) Microwave Cake

I planned on making cupcakes for the department gathering last weekend.

1small jar Maraschino cherries (3 oz?) - blended/chopped
1 can pinapple (12 oz?) - blended/chopped - saved about half for topping
1/2 - 3/4 c coconut
about 3 T softened butter
about 2 T softened cream cheese
3 eggs
cake mix box (cake box called for a cube of butter and a cup of water but I only added what is listed)
mix together

Put in cupcake tins to bake.  The oven worked until I clicked to set the timer.  I turned it off as it was not recording the time and the oven would not go on again.

So I transferred the batter to a casserole and put in the microwave!

After 4 or 5 minutes I started pulling out to test with knife.  I wasn't sure it was going to work at all so I didn't record how many times I did this...

Eventually though the cake was done.  The pan was hot.

I used a knife to separate from the sides and flipped it over onto a plate while it was still hot.

The cake came out - just a little stuck to the top of the casserole.  I tasted it and it was fine.

Waited for it to cool, then put in the frig.

Right before serving I topped with whipped cream and then poured about half the remaining pineapple on the top.

It was tasty and good.

There were some left overs so I put in little boxes and topped with the rest of the pineapple and some whipped cream before closing the lid.

: )

----
The department arranged for a taco company to come to make tacos on demand and guests brought desserts.  Mine was the only home-made one.

Lots of left over meat, rice, beans so now I need to come up with things to do with this food so it tastes a little different at the many meals we will be eating!  (I was told to give left overs to faculty but none have responded to email to come by to pick up or to tell us to bring to campus for them to pick up there.)  Next time have to go back to offering to the students then there would not be as much to deal with......

Alex came to this event too!

Department Taco Event: Unplanned for Microwave Cake

I planned on making cupcakes for the department gathering last weekend.

1small jar Maraschino cherries (3 oz?) - blended/chopped
1 can pinapple (12 oz?) - blended/chopped - saved about half for topping
1/2 - 3/4 c coconut
about 3 T softened butter
about 2 T softened cream cheese
3 eggs
cake mix box (cake box called for a cube of butter and a cup of water but I only added what is listed)
mix together

Put in cupcake tins to bake.  The oven worked until I clicked to set the timer.  I turned it off as it was not recording the time and the oven would not go on again.

So I transferred the batter to a casserole and put in the microwave!

After 4 or 5 minutes I started pulling out to test with knife.  I wasn't sure it was going to work at all so I didn't record how many times I did this...

Eventually though the cake was done.  The pan was hot.

I used a knife to separate from the sides and flipped it over onto a plate while it was still hot.

The cake came out - just a little stuck to the top of the casserole.  I tasted it and it was fine.

Waited for it to cool, then put in the frig.

Right before serving I topped with whipped cream and then poured about half the remaining pineapple on the top.

It was tasty and good.

There were some left overs so I put in little boxes and topped with the rest of the pineapple and some whipped cream before closing the lid.

: )

----
The department arranged for a taco company to come to make tacos on demand and guests brought desserts.  Mine was the only home-made one.

Lots of left over meat, rice, beans so now I need to come up with things to do with this food so it tastes a little different at the many meals we will be eating!  (I was told to give left overs to faculty but none have responded to email to come by to pick up or to tell us to bring to campus for them to pick up there.)  Next time have to go back to offering to the students then there would not be as much to deal with......

Alex came to this event too!