The Urban Aprons!

I’ve had so much fun blogging on Wannabe Chef Steph but I believe the more the merrier, so please stop by and say hello!  Meet Berit and Molly and see all that they have to offer, plenty of inspiration and delicious eats!  Check out Molly’s Ballpark Pretzels and Berit’s Ethiopian-Style Chickpea Stew!

Thank you so much for visiting me here and I hope you’ll visit me at Urban Aprons!

Cheers,

Steph

Since I love good old Midwestern foods but also love fresh and  bold ingredients I decided to give it a new twist!  A grown up make over even…  I enlisted my personal taste tester (aka my husband Troy) to help me think of new ingredients.  We decided we wanted to add fresh green beans (instead of canned), shallots, crimini mushrooms and greek yogurt (for some tang).  Based on the addition of these ingredients and several more listed below, we came up with what is the best tater tot hotdish I’ve ever had!

I know most people make tater tot hotdish becuase it is simple and delicious but I’ve kicked it up a notch, not only in taste but also in difficulty.  Well, maybe not difficulty but in time commitment.  Granted I was testing out different ingredients and quantities, but it took me quite a bit longer than if I had used the old standby.  You may want to keep this in mind should you decide to try this recipe.  Having said that…  both Troy and I agreed it was totally worth it!

Wannabe Chef Steph’s Grown up Tater Tot Hotdish

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 shallots thinly sliced
• 1 cup sliced crimini (baby portabella) mushrooms
• 2 cups sliced fresh green beans sliced length-wise
• 2- 2 ½ cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese (I like Cracker Barrel)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1- 10 ½ oz cans cream of mushroom soup
• ½ 10 ½ oz can cream of chicken soup
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup greek yogert
• 1- 2 pound bag frozen onion tater tots
• 2 tsps Worchester sauce
• 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup red wine
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet, cook onions in the olive oil until translucent. Add garlic, shallots and mushrooms, cook until soft. Add in beef, red wine, cayenne, crushed red pepper flakes, Worchester, paprika, salt and pepper.  Brown until fully cooked.

Sauteing mushrooms, onions, shallots and garlic

In a separate bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, Greek yogurt, garlic powder and salt and pepper.

Steam fresh French cut green beans 5 minutes and immediately blanch in ice water.  Drain and pat dry.

Fresh greenbeans!

Place ½ of the cooked meat mixture in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Line with half of the green beans and half of the cheese and half of the soup mixture.  Repeat in same order and finish top layer with neatly placed tater tots.  Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper.

Layer one

Layer two

Layer three

Layer 4

The final and most important layer: tater tots!

Delicious layers

Bake for 50-55 minutes. 10 minutes before done sprinkle with cheddar cheese and return to oven.  Place in broiler for 2-4 minutes to crisp the top.  Serves 8-10.

Fresh out of the oven!

Delicious Grown up Tater Tot Hotdish!

To compliment the deliciousness that is Tater Tot Hotdish, I made a simple salad of heirloom tomatoes with a fresh basil vinaigrette (1 cup fresh basil leaves, 2 tbsp champagne vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 clove garlic, salt and pepper, pulsed in food processor).

Heirloom tomato salad with fresh basil vinaigrette

Final thoughts on Wannabe Chef Steph’s Grown up Tater Tot Hotdish

Time: 45 minutes prep 60 minutes to cook

Difficulty: Medium

Cost: Est. ~$25

Taste: 8 out of 10

Final verdict: A sophisticated update to an old favorite

For next time: I’d like to try bison meat and Gouda cheese

Do you have any fun updates to Tater Tot hotdish?  Any recommended ingredients?  What is your favorite update to an old favorite?

Aebleskivers!

Ok, you may be asking yourself: what in the world is an aebleskiver… excellent question!  An aebleskiver is a traditional Danish pancake that is shaped in a ball.  It is often covered with powdered sugar and/or jam but can also be filled with sweet or savory ingredients.  It’s name technically means “apple slices” in Danish, which can be a bit deceiving, unless you fill or top them with apples, which appears to be one of the traditions associated this tasty treat.

Aebleskivers are made of batter, similar to a pancake, and cooked in a monk pan atop a stove.  The pan can be teflon or cast iron.  I bought my monk pan from my favorite scandnivian cookware site: Lefse Time.

My Nordicware teflon Aebleskiver pan

To make aebleskivers you pour batter into the holes of the monk pan and cook like a pancake.  If using a filling, add batter half way up the hole, add filling and top off with more batter.

Making aebleskivers!

Allow batter to cook until bubbly on one side, then rotate with wooden skewers or knitting needles until cooked around and throughout.

The aebleskiver flip!

Now down to business…  the plan for the test kitchen was to test two different aebleskiver pans, two different batters and several different sweet and savory fillings.  My partners in crime were my friends Jaime and Kierstin and our official taste-tester, my husband Troy.

The three test cooks: Jaime, Kierstin and me!

Our taste-testing partner: Troy

We used my Teflon aebleskiver pan and Jaime’s grandfathers cast iron pan that was highly seasoned and had been used for years.  The aebleskiver recipes came from Jaime’s grandfather and are as follows:

Aebleskiver recipe #1

3 eggs, separated

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp lemon extract or 1/4 ground cardamom Oil for greasing pan

Powdered sugar and jelly or jam for serving

Directions:

Separate eggs. Beat egg yolks. Stir in buttermilk

Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar together and add to buttermilk mixture. Beat only enough to blend. Add vanilla, lemon extract or cardamom. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter.

Heat Aebleskiver pan. Put a small amount of cooking oil in each round well (bacon grease is preferred). Fill 3/4 full of batter. When bubbles begin to firm, turn — the traditional turning tool is a metal knitting needle — about 1/4 of the way up. Turn each ball several times. Following the sequence around the pan that you used in pouring in the batter. If pan is too hot, pancake balls will be dark on the outside, raw on the inside. To serve, sprinkle aebleskiver with powdered sugar and serve with jelly, jam or sugar as a snack with coffee, dessert or as a breakfast course. Makes 28 pancake balls.

Testing batters...

Aebleskiver recipe #2

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cardamom

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp milk

Melted butter

Sugar

Directions:

Combine dry ingredients (except baking soda). Add eggs and buttermilk and mix well. Allow to rest 15 minutes. Blend baking soda with milk and add to batter just before baking.

Brush each indentation of aebleskiver pan with melted butter. Pour batter 2/3 full in each. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes, and turn with help of knitting needle. Brown on other side. Roll them in sugar when done. Makes around 20.

We tested a batch of each batter along with seven different fillings.  The following are our results!

Review of batters: batter #1 was the better batter overall, it worked well with both savory and sweet fillings  and batter #2 was best with only savory ingredients.

Two batters, two pans and two cooks!

Review of pans: the cast iron pan was better overall than the teflon pan, especially on taste, though the Teflon was  a bit easier to cook with.  Taste: the cast iron pan produced a nice crust when greased with butter and had a warm custardy inside.  The Teflon pan produced a more bread-like pastry and was the same consistency all of the way through, which we didn’t prefer.  Cooking ability: the cast iron pan was more temperamental and less forgiving.  The first side of the aebleskiver would cook much faster than the second and had to be watched carefully to ensure it didn’t burn.  This may have been a result of our trying to find the right temperature though. The Teflon pan was easier, it cooked consistently throughout and the temperature was easy to control.

Review of sweet fillings: we tried three different sweet fillings

Sweet aebleskiver fillings

Lingonberry and Raspberry Jam: both good, nice and sweet

Nutella: absolutely devine, our favorite sweet filling!

Nutella filled aebleskivers

Review of savory fillings: we had five savory fillings and each picked our top three

A savory filling contestant: Mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and balsamic

Bacon Cheeseburger (Hamburger, onion, Worcester sauce, hot sauce, grated cheddar cheese and Velveeta cheese): excellent!!!  It received three number one rankings, it was by far the most popular savory filling of all

Jalapeno popper ( jalapenos  and cream cheese): a hit!  It was ranked third by three out of the four of us.  To make the filling, we chopped up pickled jalapenos and mixed with cream cheese but we determined it would be best to blend in a food processor to fully mesh the flavors

Buffalo Chicken (diced chicken, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing and hot sauce): good.  It had one number one ranking, but received honorable mention by everyone else;)

Brie with Prosciutto: this filling was ok and did receive one number three ranking, but definitely needs more prosciutto than brie or the flavor isn’t strong enough

Mozzarella, tomato, basil and balsamic: This was not a great combination.  Unfortunately, the flavors weren’t strong enough to make their way through the batter.  Though I love these ingredients together, I wouldn’t recommend for an aebleskiver filling

My test kitchen notes...

Final thoughts according to my notes: If you are looking to get into the “aebleskiver game,” I recommend a cast iron pan, recipe #1 listed above, Nutella spread as a sweet filling and bacon cheeseburger, Jalapeno popper and buffalo chicken fillings for savory!

The aebleskiver test kitchen experience was fantastic!  I had a great time with Jaime and Kierstin and plan on doing more in the future!  What test kitchens would you like to see?  What other aebleskiver fillings have you tried or would you like to try?

Swedish Kringle is a delicious almond-flavored treat.  It has a buttery crust with a flaky custard on top, smothered with almond frosting.  Upon research via my favorite source (wikipedia), I learned that Swedish refer to it as Kringla and to the Norwegians and Danish it is Kringle.  It can be made in different shapes, including round, pretzel and strips, and can be stuffed with various ingredients.

My recipe comes from my Grandma.  She made recipe books for each of the ladies in my family a few years back and included this tasty treat.

Grandma's Shirley's Kringle recipe

Grandma Shirley’s Swedish Kringle

Crust:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

1 tbsp water

Dice chilled butter and cut into flour and water like pie crust.

Butter for the crust dough

I use the paddle attachment for my kitchen aid but a regular mixer or food processor could be used.  It could also be mixed by hand (added bonus= good workout).

Mixing dough for the crust

When fully incorporated, divide dough in half and pat on cookie sheet in 2 long strips, 3 inches wide.

Divide dough

Dough strips

Flaky layer:

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

3 eggs

1/2 tsp. almond extract

Bring water and butter to a boil, then beat butter and water mixture into flour.

Mixing the flakey layer

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, add almond extract.

Assembling to bake

Spread mixture atop crust dough.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes.

Fresh out of the oven

While the Kringle is baking the frosting can be made.

Frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp soft butter

1/2 tsp almond extract

Milk, enough to spread

Mix powdered sugar, butter and almond extract, adding enough milk to spread (about 1 tbsp)

The finishers: icing and toasted, shredded almonds

Top with icing and toasted almonds.  Slice horizontally into strips and serve with a good strong cup ‘o joe!

Grandma Shirley's Swedish Kringle!

Delicious!

Time: 30 minutes of prep and 55 minutes to bake

Difficulty: Medium

Cost: Est. ~$10

Taste: 9 out of 10

Final verdict: A great bet for brunch!

The woman behind the recipe: Grandma Shirley!

Best grandma around!

Thanks for passing on the delicious recipe Grandma!!!  What is your favorite family recipe?  What will pass along to your friends and family?

Spicy Mexican Chicken Soup ingredients!

Spicy Mexican Chicken Soup

• 4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (breasts and tenders can be used as well)
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
• 2 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
• 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
• 6 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock (I try to use homemade)
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed (I like San Marzano)
• 2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, minced (with seeds and membranes removed)
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
• 6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas (this is optional, it thickens the soup)
• 2 cans black beans
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1.5 cups frozen corn
• 1 can chopped chilies

For serving: pickled jalapeno, black olives, sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, and a lime wedge

Ina’s recipe calls for roasted split chicken breasts but the chicken can be made stovetop or even grilled.  I often use boneless breasts or even tenders.  If you do decide to roast it, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones (I throw them in the freezer to make chicken stock at a later date), and shred or dice the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown.

Sauteing the veggies

Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, corn, black beans, cumin, coriander, chili, salt and pepper to taste, and the cilantro (personally I use to garnish because the hubby doesn’t like it). Cut the tortillas into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup.

Tortilla strips

Wisk the tomato paste into soup (I do this to add a more concentrated tomato flavor).  Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste.

Soup's on!

Serve the soup hot topped with pickled jalapeno, black olives, sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and/or broken tortilla chips.  I also like to squeeze the juice of a lime wedge just before eating, it gives it that extra little kick.

Dinner is served!

Last time I made Spicy Mexican Chicken Soup I served with one of my hubby’s new specialties, homemade baked jalapeno poppers!  He likes Emeril’s baked jalapeno poppers recipe.

Mexican Chicken Soup with Jalapeno Poppers

I highly recommend  this recipe.  It is perfect for a Sunday afternoon and is easily frozen.  I usually make a batch for my husband and myself,  freezing the leftovers in single servings.  I grab one in the morning before work and it is thawed by lunch time.   Give it a whirl, add your own flair and let me know what you think!

The group at Elettaria

“a reclaimed barn-wood ceiling, plank floorboards and exposed brick walls. The landmarked space was previously home to The 8th Wonder, a musical venue where a young Jimi Hendrix headlined. The former stage is now the site of an open kitchen, which overlooks the dining room. A glass-enclosed, temperature-controlled wine room is another focal point of the space, along with a 14-seat, steel bar where handcrafted cocktails and the full menu are served.”

Chefs at work!

Now onto the food!  The menu was somewhat small, though sometimes I appreciate that because I have often have difficulties with such decisions;)  I settled on the Greens salad with shallots and citronette to start. It was extremely simple, just lettuce and a vinaigrette, though it was probably the most delicious vinaigrette I have tasted to date.  In the craziest way it almost melted in my mouth.  I definitely recommend.  The lettuce was absolutely beautiful too, extremely fresh.

The greens with shallots and citronette

My husband ordered the Dayboat Sea Scallops with mushroom tart tatin and chive puree for starters.  It was also very good, but I have to admit I liked the mushroom tart better than the actual scallops.  The tart had a sweet caramelized flavor that went really well with the flaky pastry.

Dayboat Sea Scallops with mushroom tart tatin and chive puree

For dinner I had the Cod Sunchoke Fondue with ravioli and papadum.  I thought the cod was pretty good, though it was a bit salty and kind of bland.  I did however love the ravioli.  I’m not completely clear on what was in it, but it was savory and delicious.  I am not very familiar with papadum, but I actually wasn’t that fond of it.  It was very dry and almost reminded me of a thick egg shell.  I didn’t really think it added much to the dish.

Cod Sunchoke Fondue with ravioli and papadum

My partner in crime got the Bavette with salsify, gnocchi, king oyster mushrooms, bacon and fenugreek.  I actually really liked the dish, especially the incredibly tender Bavette, a cut of beef I’m actually not very familiar with.  My husband liked it very much as well, but felt the portion was small and was still a bit hungry afterward.

Bavette with salsify, gnocchi, king oyster mushrooms, bacon and fenugreek

Lastly we had to do desert;)  Sadly my camera died so I don’t have any pictures of our last course, though I will try to describe as best I can.  I ordered the sour cherry clafoutis which was tangy and tasty.  For some odd reason I keep hearing about clafoutis lately, as one of my friends just made one and I recently read a blog entry from The Cupcate Avenger about a pear and almond version.  Not only was the custardy treat filled with plump cherries, it was also sitting in a pool of a delicious sour cherry sauce.  I highly recommend!  My husband ordered a chocolate themed desert which he liked, though my main memory of it was a caramel-like gelato topped with salt… yep salt, which was an interesting compliment to the sweet and creamy taste of the gelato.

Overall review (1=poor-10=excellent):

Atmosphere (9):  Rustic and captivating, not sure how it could get much better than a front row seat to culinary theater, unless I was invited to play around in the awesome kitchen of course;)

Service (7): The staff was very nice, though the wrong entree was delivered to a friend who then had to ask for the correct dish

Price (5): It was expensive.  I felt the cost was a bit excessive, though I was glad to find that they used incredibly fresh and high quality ingredients

Menu variety (7):  The menu was fairly small, though included an impressive variety of ingredients

Taste (8): I thought it was overall very tasty

I recommend this restaurant for its food, but most importantly for the ambiance it presents.  I had an extremely enjoyable experience, and would possibly go back in the future, but only after exploring more of the culinary goodness NYC has to offer!

Well, that is the final bit about my trip to NYC.  In planning my next post, I will be getting back to my cooking exeriements.  I’ll be blogging about one of my favorite recipes, Mexican chicken soup!  Until next time!

At the Guggenheim

Before we could really get started with our day, we obviously had to eat;) so our first stop was brunch at the Popover Cafe (551 Amsterdam). It was only my second visit, but it has easily become one of my favorite brunch places ever!  Not only do they have an awesome breakfast selection, but they have fantastic sandwiches too.  Of course we started off with a few baskets of thier namesake pastery, popovers, along with apple butter, preserves and homemade strawberry butter. They are great because they are served crunchy on the outside and warm and custardy on the inside.  A perfect start to our day!

The Popover Cafe

Enjoying the popovers!

Deciding what to order is always tough at the Popover Cafe because there are so many options, so I made things easier on myself choosing two dishes and sharing with a friend.  We ordered the Sweet William sandwich on rye (Melted gruyere, black forest ham, pear, watercress and Russian dressing) and the Crab, Sauteed Mushroom, Asparagus, Chive and Hollandaise Omelette (with Jarlsberg cheese, diced fresh tomato, scallion and fresh basil).

The Sweet William

The sandwich was delicious, both savory with the ham and Gruyere and sweet with the Russian dressing and pear.  The only minor change I would make to the sandwich is the salt level, I would prefer a bit less, though it may be a product of the ham and cheese.  The Crab omelette was also very tasty, huge pieces of lump crab meat and crisp asparagus, complemented by a lemony Hollandaise.  Also a favorite among our group was the Eggs Benedict Arnold dish, served in a popover.

Eggs Benedict Arnold

Overall review (1=poor-10=excellent):

Atmosphere (6):  Cozy but tight

Service (7): Despite having a group of ten, we had good service

Price (7): Definitely affordable prices

Menu variety (9):  A great variety of brunch, lunch and dinner dishes with interesting ingredients and pairings

Taste (9): All of the food we ordered was great!  My favorite was the Eggs Benedict Arnold, and of course the popovers with strawberry butter.

Overall, I highly recommend the Popover Cafe to anyone looking for a great brunch spot on the Upper West Side.  Have fun picking from the vast menu but definitely make sure you try a popover or two!

Blooms in Central Park

Following brunch, our trip to the the Guggenheim and a walk through Central Park, we went to Bella Blu (967 Lexington Ave) for Drinks.   We basically just happened upon it while we were walking around but coincidentally one of my friends knew someone who worked there.  Technically we didn’t eat there so I don’t have a review of the food, but we had a great time all the same.

Bella Blu

When we arrived at Bella Blu it actually wasn’t open yet, though we were welcomed with open arms and made to feel completely at home.

Our waiter Cornelius serving an Espresso Martini

We loved our waiter, Cornelius, he made the most amazing Van Gough Espresso martinis with Effen cherry-flavored liquor.  Dessert in a glass!  While sitting at the bar we were also given complementary pizza bread, which was tremendous.  Soft homemade pizza dough topped with fresh and tangy tomato sauce.  A nice unexpected treat!

Enjoying the cocktails!

Though we didn’t have the opportunity to eat lunch or dinner there, I really liked the atmosphere and service, not to mention the pizza bread and martinis!  I look forward to making a trip back next time I’m in NYC.

So what is your favorite happy hour spot in NYC?  What interesting cocktails have you enjoyed lately?

I will write one more post in my NYC trip series covering our birthday dinner at Elettaria.  Can’t wait to share the review and pictures!

DC meets New York!

This is my first post with reviews of restaurants but I plan making a habit of it, covering the atmosphere, service, prices, menu variety, and most importantly the taste.  The objective of this post was to review four of the restaurants we visited in New York, though reviewing all four at once has proved to be time intensive, so I’ve decided to attack in three parts.  I hope that some of the information is useful and inspires you to try some interesting dishes or visit some of these restaurants next time you are in New York!

The gang in Central Park

After arriving via Bolt Bus (a mode of transportation I highly recommend) our first stop was lunch… obviously;)  We headed to China Town for Vietnamese food at Nha Trang Restaurant (87 Baxter Street).  I was “starving” by the time we got there, and arguably a bit crabby… or so I’m told;), so to my delight the food was delicious and the service was outstanding!

From the moment we sat down and ordered our first appetizer, there was a constant flurry of food arriving at our table.  We started with spring and summer rolls, both delicious, though I think the spring were my favorite, especially when wrapped in lettuce with mint and dipped in fish sauce.

Cha Gio (vietnamese style deep fried spring roll)

For our main dishes we had Pho Ga (rice noodle soup with chicken), Bo Luc Lac Salad (beef cubes sauteed in spice and onion salad), Ga Xau Sa Ot (chicken with chile and lemon grass sauce), Bau Hu Sauce Nam Rom (tofu with mushroom in oyster sauce) and Tom Rang Muoi (jumbo shrimp in salt and pepper sauce).  All of the dishes were tasty but I enjoyed the Bo Luc Lac Salad the most.

Bo Lac Salad (Beef Cubes sauteed in spice and onion salad) and Ga Xau Sa Ot (Chicken with chili and lemon grass sauce)

Lastly for desert we had Vietnamese iced coffee, which was a first for me.  I absolutely loved it!  It is served, as shown below, with the coffee brewed at the table in a small metal drip filter over a cup with sweetened condensed milk, then poured over ice.  The coffee is very strong and often contains chicory, but when mixed with the sweetened condensed milk and chilled tastes like liquid tiramisu, amazing!

Vietnamese iced coffee

Overall review (1=poor-10=excellent):

Atmosphere (5):  Quaint but standard

Service (8): We had four waiters bringing food to our table constantly

Price (8): Extremely affordable, we had four appetizers, 6 main dishes and drinks all for about $18 each including tax and tip

Menu variety (8):  Plenty to choose from among beef, pork, vegetarian, seafood and pho dishes

Taste (7): Everything was delicious, my favorites being the Bo Tai Chanh (beef), the Cha Gio (spring rolls) and of course the Vietnamese coffee

All and all, I highly recommend Nha Trang and I would definitely visit again. What is your take?  Do you have a favorite Vietnamese Restaurant in China Town or your home town?  Any favorite Vietnamese dishes or recipes?  What other information do you find helpful in a restaurant review?

Next up I plan on tackling Part two: reviews of the Popover Cafe and Bella Blue tomorrow, then lastly Part 3: a review of Elettaria on Wednesday.

Hanging at Hillsbrough!

Tasting at Sunset Hills

I make trips out to Virginia wineries several times each year.  It usually involves a car full friends and a cooler full of picnic food.  We visit two to three wineries, and choose our favorite to enjoy a bottle of wine and our picnic spread.  This weekend was no exception.  We visited three Loudon County vineyards, Breaux, Hillsbrough and Sunset Hills.  I definitely enjoyed tasting the wines at each vineyard, but have to admit that I always seem to enjoy wine more when accompanied by food!  We decided to picnic at Breaux Vineyard, which had beautiful views and a particularly good Sauvignon Blanc.  Our food included one of my favorite sandwiches, the “Muffuletta,” buffalo deviled eggs, cheese, crackers, fruit, tapenade, and the most delicious coconut cupcakes.

Breaux Vineyard

Muffuletta!

I was first introduced to muffulettas by a colleague from New Orleans, where the tasty treat originates.  Depending on who you talk to, the sandwich is pronounced “muff-uh-LOT-uh” or  “moo-foo-LET-ta.”  Call it what you want, they’re delicious!  The sandwich actually gets its name from the bread with which it is made, a round Sicilian-style loaf.  Unfortunately, it is hard to come by in these parts so I use French bread.  The sandwich is made up of ham, salamis, cheeses, and an especially flavorful “Olive Salad.”  I have read several Muffuletta recipes but have settled on the recipe below.  I can’t guarantee that it is completely authentic, but I can guarantee that it is delicious.

• 1 cup back olives, sliced
• 1 cup queen stuffed olives, sliced
• 1 cup diced gardenia (pickled vegetables)
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons small diced celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine ground black pepper
  

  Olive Salad

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 large loaf French bread
• 10 oz. cotto salami
• 10 oz. smoked ham
• 10 oz. Genoa salami
• 8 oz. Mozzarella cheese
• 8 oz. Provolone cheese
• lettuce to garnish

Combine first nine ingredients, preferably refrigerating overnight to allow ingredients to marinate.  To assemble sandwich cut bread in half and hollow out one side.  Drizzle olive oil on bread and fill cavity with olive mixture.  Finally add meats, cheese, lettuce and enjoy!

Time: 40 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Cost: Est. ~$30

Taste: 9 out of 10

Final verdict: Always a good bet!

The savory taste of the Muffuletta paired well with bold and spicy buffalo deviled eggs, a recipe which I found in a deviled egg cookbook my mom gave me.  I switched it up a bit by garnishing with blue cheese, which I’ll definitely do again.

• 5 tsp Buffalo wing sauce
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, halved with yolks mashed in a bowl
  

  Buffalo deviled eggs

• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/2-1 tsp hot sauce
• 2 tsp chopped celery
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and fill egg whites.  Garnish with chopped celery.

Time: 40 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Cost: Est. ~$7

Taste: 8 out of 10

Final verdict: A fun take on an old favorite

To top it all of my friend Kierstin (an outstanding cook) made the most delicious cupcakes topped with toasted coconut and filled with a light and fluffy frosting surprise.

Kierstin's delicious toasted coconut cupcakes!

The weekend was great and I look forward to my next trip out to the vineyards.  What are your favorite picnic foods and what Virginia vineyards to you recommend?

The before...

Asian Turkey Burgers with Quick Slaw:

• 4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
• 2 shredded carrots
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (omitted for the hubs, but added a pinch to my own)
• 1.5 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark sesame oil
• 1 lb ground turkey breast
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 scallion chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ground ginger
• 4 english muffins

1. Preheat broiler, spray rack of a broiler pan with nonstick spray
2. Combine cabbage, carrots, bell pepper vinegar, cilantro, sugar, 1 tbsp of soy sauce, and 1 tsp sesame oil in bowl, toss to coat.
3. Combine turkey, hoisin, scallion, ginger, the remaining 1 tbsp soy sauce, and the remaining 1 tsp oil in a second bowl.  Shape into 4 1/ inch patties.  Transfer to broiler rack and cook 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.  Serve with English muffins and slaw on side.

Working the slaw!

Ready to mix the turkey..

Asian Potato Salad:

• 1 1/2 pound potatoes (whole if fingerling or red, cubed if baking potato)
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 small red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped (again omitted for the hubs, but added to mine)

1. In 4-quart saucepan, place potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and enough water to cover; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain.
2. In medium bowl, whisk vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until blended. Stir red pepper, green onion, jalapeño, and cilantro into dressing.
3. Immediately add potatoes to bowl with dressing; toss to coat.

Potato salad ingredients

And the final result was: Drum roll please….

Ta da! Dinner is served!

So my take on the dinner is:

Time: 35 minutes

Cost: Est. ~$15-20

Taste: 7 out of 10

Final verdict: Make it again!

I found the turkey burger and slaw recipe in the Weight Watchers Make it in Minutes cookbook and I found the potato salad recipe online: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/warm-asian-potato-salad-1004, via a random google search.  I made minor alterations to both but followed both recipes for the most part.

Now what do you think?!?!  What Asian-flaired recipes do you enjoy?  Do you have any interesting takes on the turkey burger?  What wine would you pair with a meal like this?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!