July 31, 2007
My friend Mary just sent me a link to this quirky New Zealand article. Apparently, some folks there have become so serious about their decision to never eat animal products that they've taken it a step further....into the bedroom.
Yes, these vegansexuals refuse to ever have sex with someone who eats meat products. Check out this quote from some anonymous vegansexual in the article:
"When you are vegan or vegetarian, you are very aware that when people eat a meaty diet, they are kind of a graveyard for animals," she said.
Hmmmm. I have nothing witty to say about this. At least, not if I want to keep my job.
If you want to see the whole article yourself, go here.
July 30, 2007
Okay, all you Paula Deen lovers will be excited to learn (if you didn't already know) that the butter queen is coming to Roanoke in late August. But don't go bananas just yet-- there are only about 76 seats available and you'll have to win a contest to attend.
The first official word of this event appeared on the front flap of Kroger's weekly sales flyer in yesterday's Roanoke Times. Kroger spokeswoman Anne Jenkins told me today that Paula will give a cooking demonstration at Hotel Roanoke from noon to 2 p.m. on August 24.
To win tickets, you have to buy any Smithfield product in participating Kroger stores using your Kroger valued customer card. Deen is a spokeswoman for Smithfield. Jenkins says you can buy your Smithfield product at any Roanoke Valley store as well as at the Daleville Kroger, any New River Valley Kroger and the Smith Mountain Lake location.
Winners will then be chosen at random and notified by telephone on Aug. 17 if they won a ticket.
So if you're interested, you had better get out there and buy some ham, y'all. You only have between now and August 11 to enter.
I prepared a simple side dish last night that I remember my mother cooking up on a fairly regular basis. Although I know I was more adventurous than other kids my age when it came to food (and my sister, while pickier than me, was probably still above-average), it still amazes me that mom could slip turnips past us at a very young age.
She did it very simply, disguising the turnips with little more than a pat of butter and some salt and pepper to taste. The trick? Boiling peeled, cubed turnips with peeled, cubed potatoes. The two vegetables cook at about the same rate and look identical when served together. If your child will eat boiled potatoes with a little butter and seasoning, give boiled potatoes and turnips a try. You might consider starting out with about a 70 to 30 ratio of potatoes to turnips, then easing up the turnip content a bit as your children get used to it. I like mine about 50 percent potatoes and 50 percent turnips.
Turnips are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C, which will make you feel even better about putting them on your plate. And once you get used to the subtly enhanced flavor, you may never do plain old boiled potatoes again.
Looking for something a little fancier? Check out the turnip recipes I've attached below.
Continue reading "Turnip your dinner's vitamin content" »
July 27, 2007
Got an e-mail this morning from an acquaintance, Patrick Old. He writes about the heavenly experience of eating his first tomato sandwich of the year. It makes me imagine a big, juicy slice of red tomato between two soft slices of white bread. Yummer. Of course, in the interest of full disclosure, I'll admit that tomato sandwiches-- while hailed as a Southern favorite for many-- is not my favorite way to eat homegrown tomatoes.
My fave is a big old slice of fresh tomato, still warm from the garden, with just a little salt and pepper and a scoop of cottage cheese. There's just nothing better in my book. Except MAYBE a hot biscuit topped with bacon, cheese and a slice of tomato in the morning.
Here's what Patrick had to say:
Continue reading "Homegrown 'maters: Where do you get 'em?" »
July 26, 2007
When the bounty of the garden is pouring in and you've got more green beans than you can handle, canning is always a smart option. There's nothing like a nice big pot of green beans seasoned with a ham hock or some bacon and onions in the middle of winter.
My mother always canned a big mess of green beans every summer, but once she learned how to make dilly beans, part of our harvest went into a batch of those, too.
If you've never had a dilly bean, you're missing out on a delicious snack. Essentially, they are pickled green beans. Mom's have a hint of heat from cayenne pepper and a nice little garlic tone, as well. Unlike canned green beans or wax beans, dilly beans stay crisp like a dill pickle. They can be served cold or at room temperature and they make a delicious, unusual addition to a relish tray.
My brother-in-law, Jeff, can blow through a jar of dilly beans like a tornado. The best part? They are a low-calorie, low-fat snack.
I've included the recipe for Mom's dilly beans. Now, if I could just get Jeff's sister-in-law to give me the recipe for her sauerkraut balls...
Continue reading "What's the dilly, yo?" »
July 25, 2007
Yes, jury duty has eaten my week so far and I'm way behind on my blogging! Until I re-immerse myself in everything food-related, I have only a few tidbits to share this morning.
First, I hope some of you had a chance to read my story this past Monday about families cooking and dining together. I think the story included some great tips for busy parents. If you've got any additional ideas that you think would be worth sharing, feel free. So far, the only comments I've gotten from anyone are from three people who think it's offensive that the Rapoport-Anderson family has two last names and were drinking alcohol with family dinner.
I would welcome some more useful feedback.
Next up, the Danger P'Zone. According to a PR e-mail I received this week, Pizza Hut's P'Zone is an extremely unhealthy choice for consumers.
"Consisting of a 12” pizza crust folded over calzone-style and stuffed with cheese and other typical pizza toppings, the P’Zone clocks in at over a full pound on the scale. The three varieties (classic, pepperoni and meaty) have 610, 840 and 690 calories and are 33%, 45% and 37% fat respectively," the e-mail states.
Well, here's the lesson: Either don't eat it all or, better yet, if you're going to waste that many calories on a calzone, then go get a really good calzone somewhere like Lil Cucci's in Daleville.
Well, I'll wrap up this entry with a tasty-looking recipe I just received from Simply Recipes: Ricotta-Mascarpone Mousse with Balsamic Strawberries
Continue reading "Ricotta mousse and the danger P'Zone" »
July 23, 2007
I've got jury duty the first two days of this week. So if I don't post as regularly as I usually do, that's why. Don't give up on me! I'll be checking in periodically.
July 20, 2007
I realize that this picture is a bit difficult to see, but the glare was a bear. It's the Campbell Avenue side of the former Rabbit Patch Cafe, the corner establishment at Campbell Avenue and Jefferson Street beside Corned Beef & Co.
Interesting....salad bar and international cuisine. That seems like an unusual fusion. The rumors I've heard (rumors! Just rumors, people!) is that a Thai restaurant is going in there, perhaps run by the fellow who opened the first Thai Restaurant on Salem Avenue.
If that's the case, we'll have Thai everywhere! Tong's Thai downtown, Tong's II on Franklin Road and the Red Jasmine place over in Vinton. Okay, my friend Rex has been trying to get me to make this joke for months now...we have a pair of Tongs! See, Rex, it isn't all that funny.
Happy weekend, y'all. I'm cooking up some wild mushrooms. If I survive, I'll write all about it in next week's column.
I found this flyer on a bulletin board out at Virginia Western Community College today. Proof, you see, that Kerry Hurley's new restaurant, Blue 5, is moving right along toward an opening date. Blue 5 is going in the old Noketown Bar & Grill location on 2nd Street.
In the interest of full disclosure, I'll admit that I really do not have such great sleuthing skills. I happened upon this flyer only after a blog reader named Chris yesterday sent me a link to the Blue 5 Web site.
I assume that Chris is somehow involved in the restaurant. That's okay, I like getting the inside scoop.
According to the site, Hurley is looking to open the doors next month. He's already hired a chef named Richard Henri Todeschini, who is described on the site as "renowned." I'll have to get with Hurley and Todeschini soon to learn all about the chef's background.
The site mentions a few dishes planned for the menu, including a barbecue sandwich, signature Blue 5 Burger, bacon-wrapped monkfish and ginger sesame tuna. I'm hungry.
Stay tuned for more information on this new spot.
July 19, 2007
If you're anything like me, you're addicted to mangoes.
And in that case, you will slobber over this recipe I just received from the National Mango Board (evidence item # 305 that there is a national board for every food on earth). It looks like a delicious alternative to strawberry shortcake. Not that there's anything wrong with strawberry shortcake, either.
Not sure how to cut a mango? Check this out.
Continue reading "Random recipe: Mango Shortcake with Ginger Cream" »
While I was away from the blog yesterday, I collected some great feedback from readers about their own kitchen staples. That was in response to my call for everyone's personal list of kitchen basics, the kind of ingredients they can always turn into some sort of fast, tasty meal for the family.
Some of the lists are pretty long and involved, but I'll bet these folks aren't resorting to Mexican food as often after a late evening at work. To see the lists and perhaps get some ideas of your own, check out the comments on Tuesday's blog entry.
Michelle has chimed in this week about my Elvis Reese's Cup blog posting. Here's what she had to say:
"I think these sound delicious! I love to try different candies. My grandma used to make fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches all the time (she is a huge Elvis fan!)"
Well, I don't think I could turn down one of those sandwiches. I went through a phase once where I couldn't get enough honey and peanut butter sandwiches. Add banana to the mix and it's even better. The jury is still out on these peanut butter and banana creme cups, though. If anyone tries one, let me know if they are delicious or just disgustingly sweet and fake banana-tasting. That's the key: genuine banana flavor.
While we're on the subject, here's an update on the Elvis/Reese's relationship from Hershey PR gal Whitney Miller: "Reese's has teamed up with Boyd Coddington of the show 'American Hot Rod' to create an authentic Elvis Presley Tribute Car - a 1957 pink Cadillac upgraded with all the features of a 2007 custom hot rod. The Tribute Car is an instant-win prize on the Reese's Elvis Cups."
Okay. Maybe I will be buying some of those Elvis cups after all. I could see myself and my red hair in a pink Cadillac.
July 17, 2007
This just in! The Hershey Company is unleashing Reese's Peanut Butter and Banana Creme Cups starring Elvis Presley!
I'm not really sure how Elvis can star in a Reese's Cup. Oh-- the packaging will feature four "iconic" images of the King himself! The same King who routinely enjoyed peanut butter and banana sandwiches at his Memphis castle! Available through December 2007!
Why am I so excited? I don't know, they kind of sound weird to me!
Continue reading "Uhhhh....ew?" »
Ed Levine over at Serious Eats has posted my favorite food blog entry of the day, asking "What's in Your Food Sur-Thrival Kit?"
According to Ed, everybody has his or her list of favorite go-to ingredients. They keep the cabinets stocked with them and they know how to turn them into several quick, easy and satisfying meals after a tough day. His list includes such items as pre-cooked pasta, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and quality bacon.
Levine invited Serious Eats readers to chime in with their own personal "Sur-Thrival" kits, and the responses both intrigue and amuse me.
Continue reading "What's in your cabinet?" »
July 16, 2007
Okay, while this tantalizing hot dog discussion plays on in the comments, I'm going to pass along a recipe for an appetizer that will make you look like the culinary star of the party. I learned this recipe from a close friend and took it to a shindig this weekend-- it didn't last long.
Baguette with pear, gorgonzola and walnuts
Ingredients:
1 baguette
2 large pears, cored and thinly sliced
1 container crumbled gorgonzola
1 1/4 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
Slice baguette in 1/4-inch rounds. Lay on ungreased cookie sheet. Top with thin slices of pear, crumbled gorgonzola and walnuts. Bake in 325 degree oven until cheese begins to melt and walnuts are fragrant. Serve warm.
My co-worker, Pete, contemplates the ratio of Chocolate Chex to non-Chocolate Chex in this particular box.
Nothing cheers up a groggy Monday morning like a package in my mailbox.
This morning, I opened a somewhat putrid brown-colored package to reveal a box of cereal nestled in a bed of shredded paper.
I swear to God, it's Chocolate Chex.
Chex, those little pillows of grainy goodness, are now tempting us with the sinful flavor normally reserved for dessert time or so-called "junk cereals." I'm Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs! And now, I guess, also Chocolate Chex.
Eating the dry cereal at my desk (and sharing with my deskmates, who immediately honed in on the free food), I am reminded of that trash bag candy that people make out of Chex. You know, the stuff that's coated in melted chocolate and then powdered sugar. It's almost like those crazy kids over in Chexland have decided to save folks a step and just make trash bag candy for breakfast.
Okay, it's not quite that sweet. It helps that the Chocolate Chex are blended with regular rice Chex in the box, so you don't get an entire mouthful of cocoa with every bite. But I'm betting that in the not-too-distant future, this box will be about 1/3 full and most of the Chocolate Chex will have been picked out. I will also predict a run on the box at about 3 p.m. this afternoon, when most of us are looking for a sweet treat and a pick-me-up.
We could look at it this way...the Chocolate Chex is probably way healthier for us than the Sugar Daddies we have recently been sucking on.
July 13, 2007
Grub heaven-- that's where I am right now, as I write this blog entry.
My editor and I wandered down to Taste of Cultures on our lunch break today and picked up a whopping container of Haitian food for $5. Now, I'm sitting at my desk eating an assortment of dishes I've never before experienced in Roanoke. I don't even know what some of these things are called, but I can identify the ingredients and describe them to you all in torturous detail. The point in doing that to you? So you will consider heading down to the plaza across from the old #1 Fire Station on Church Avenue the next time Local Colors is putting on one of these events. This one offered Haitian and Jamaican food. The next ones will offer something different. For the schedule, check the entry in the upper right corner of my blog.
My plate has:
-- Sauteed vegetables (including greens, green beans, carrots, lima beans) simmered with blue crabs. I even got a crab claw and I'm about to make a mess of my desk trying to suck out the meat.
-- Chicken and cashew stew. This stuff is bathed in a savory gravy and chock full of cashews and peanuts.
-- Fried plantain
-- Dirty rice
-- Fried catfish with onions
-- Some sort of meatloaf with a tomato and bell pepper sauce
-- Roasted oxtail
-- Something that appears to be a vinegar-based cole slaw that is lighting my butt on fire.
So there you have it. It's the kind of lunch I may never find in Roanoke again. That is, of course, unless Marie's Caribbean Creole Cuisine gets up and running at the corner of Campbell Ave. and 5th Street, within walking distance from downtown. Those were the folks preparing this delicious Haitian food today. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
July 12, 2007
Blog reader John posted a delicious recipe to Fridge Magnet earlier today, and instead of leaving it as a comment I thought I'd make it more visible and give him a guest blog entry.
Here goes:
"This week, our office was graced with some mysterious chocolate balls (we later found out they were from a coworker’s daughter). Let me tell you, they were sinfully divine. I was finally able to wrestle the recipe from the coworker and thought I would share.
1 package of Oreos (any flavor, double or single stuffed)
1 bar softened cream cheese
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ package white chocolate chips
In a few batches, grind the entire container of Oreos up in the food processor until the crumbs have made the filling completely black and very fine. Once that’s done, mix in the softened bar of cream cheese. Roll into small balls (think bite-size!) and chill.
Once the balls have chilled, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips however you like, then dip the balls in it and allow them to set. Once set, melt the white chocolate and decorate the tops however you like.
I’m planning to try some variations on the recipe with different flavors. One of the batches we had this week was made with the mint Oreos and they were also very good. I’m going to try the peanut butter Oreos dipped in chocolate, then with the classic Oreo dipped in butterscotch chips."
John, these sound awesome to me. Kind of like bite-size cookies 'n' cream cheesecake or something. Looks quite easy, too. I declare this recipe a keeper.
I need some help from my readers in the New River Valley.
Every time I blog or columnize (I just made up that word) about restaurants in Roanoke, I feel a little guilty for ignoring the NRV. Truth is, I haven't had the opportunity to do a lot of dining out in Blacksburg and that's on my list of things to do this late summer/fall.
If you know about a restaurant in the New River Valley that's doing it right, please shoot me a comment and let me know. And, of course, anytime a new spot hits the scene or an old favorite bites the dust, it's worth letting me know.
On to food.........bread pudding.
I spotted a package of hot dog buns laying on the counter in the newsroom the other day. I suppose they were leftover from our news department picnic a week or so ago. A close inspection turned up no mold, and since they were obviously separated from their weiner partners, it seemed like an excellent opportunity to transform them into bread pudding.
The recipe I chose from my Low Fat Desserts book could be altered in several ways to make anything from a blueberry bread pudding with lemon sauce to a rum raisin pudding with warm rum sauce. I took the latter route because I had those ingredients laying around.
Here's how it worked:
Continue reading "New River hot spots" »
July 11, 2007
Cool. Summery. Easy. What better?
Cucumber Salad with Mint and Feta
From Simply Recipes
1 lb. thin skinned, mild (not bitter) cucumbers such as Persian, Armenian, English or Japanese, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch long segments
2 or 3 red radishes, thinly sliced
10 mint leaves, thinly sliced
White vinegar
Olive oil
1/4 lb. feta cheese
Salt and pepper
In a medium-sized bowl, gently toss together the sliced cucumber, red onions, radishes and mint leaves with a little bit of white vinegar and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Right before serving, sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.
Disc Jockey and former bartender Alan Dever has already figured out that the lunchtime crowd in downtown Roanoke could spell success for his new restaurant and bar, the Mix One 6 Club.
Dever and chef Jason McMorris are teaming up to open the club in the former Dolce location on Campbell Avenue. They hope to serve their first meal by early to mid-August.
Dever has said that he wants the club to cater to everybody, from the country music lovers to rap listeners to jazz and blues junkies. But he knows that around the noon hour, downtown workers are looking for a lunch that's not only tasty and well-made, but also quick.
Continue reading "Mix One 6 aims for good, fast lunch" »
July 10, 2007
Picking up a take-out pizza tonight? Maybe you should grab a bottle of Montepulciano D'abruzzo while you're at it.
Concocting a nice stuffed mushroom appetizer? Reach for the Valpolicella.
As silly as it sounds at first, sommelier Natalie MacLean says there's a wine for every kind of food under the sun, even Jell-O or bacon and eggs. She proves it on her Web site Nat Decants at www.nataliemaclean.com.
There, you'll find one of the coolest online tools for foodies that I've seen recently-- a wine/food pairing search engine. All you have to do is select the type of food you want to serve and hit "search" and the tool will give you wine suggestions. Alternatively, you may enter in the type of wine you want to drink and the tool will offer examples of foods you might eat.
According to the MacLean's PR folks, there are 360,000 possible food and wine pairings on the site, with more being added all the time.
"Got a dish or a wine to stump Natalie?" a press release asked. "E-mail her via the web site and she'll suggest a match for you."
MacLean is the author of "Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass." Sounds like a winner to me, and apparently it was chosen the Best Wine Literature Book at the World Gourmand Cookbook Awards.
My only gripe with Nat's food and wine matcher is that she doesn't offer any comment on why a particular wine pairs well with a dish. For example, what is it about merlot that would so complement my mac 'n' cheese? I guess I'll have to try it to find out.
July 9, 2007
Michele Buck, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the Hershey Company, stands beside the world's largest Hershey Kiss. The giant kiss was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the much-loved candy.
The mondo kiss is 12 feet tall and weighs 30,540 pounds. It's on display at Chocolate World in Hershey, Pa. until July 12.
Hey Michele, are you gonna eat that?
Local Colors' 2007 season of Taste of Cultures will kick off Friday, July 13 with a Caribbean celebration that will include Haitian and Jamaican food, dances and games. It's a great opportunity for those who work close to downtown to try ethnic foods and have a little fun on their lunch breaks.
According to a news release, the first installment of the series will include Caribbean dance lessons, domino games and visits from Jamaican community dignitaries. I'm not really sure who that includes, but it sounds official, doesn't it?
The lunchtime event, which is sponsored by SunTrust, takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Century Plaza across from the old fire station on Church Avenue in downtown Roanoke. Admission is free, but there is a charge for foods and souvenirs.
Local Colors will be holding Taste of Cultures on the second Friday of every month through November. Featured cultures are: Latino in August, Korean in September, Chinese in October and Scandinavian in November.
July 6, 2007
After my column about Roanoke Bagel Co. ran this week, I received a couple of e-mails from readers who said they've found great bagels elsewhere in Roanoke, too.
Priscilla wrote:
"When we moved to Blacksburg ten years ago, we knew what 'real' bagels were, not just 'bread with a hole in it,' and we could not find any locally. But for the past couple of years, Our Daily Bread Bakery and Cafe has started baking bagels the right way. They are not available every day, and there are just two or three varieties, but hopefully they will bake more when customers learn the difference between real bagels and bread bagels.
You might want to check out their web site: www.odbb.com."
And a reader named Dan wrote:
"Although it's not strictly a bagel shop, Full Moon Cafe on Brambleton Avenue makes and bakes their own. They have about 5 varieties, and I've always preferred their bagels to Roanoke Bagel. Downside: no exotic varieties like pesto or sun-dried tomato. Upside: some other truly excellent pastry options.
I'm going to NYC next week, so I'm looking forward to eating some of the best in the world!"
As always, I enjoy getting feedback from readers. And now, because today is Friday and I know that many of us, including myself, love to break out a new recipe over the weekend and do some experimentation, I'm going to dip into my thick recipe file and pull out............
Porcini-crusted beef tenderloin!
Read on, and enjoy your weekend.
Continue reading "Spreading the word on bagels" »
July 5, 2007
I just talked to Roanoker Ronnie McAteer, who brags that he's gotten five big, juicy, red Better Boys off his tomato plants in the backyard. He also says he's got a couple of green peppers the size of tennis balls out there already.
Ronnie's neighbor told him it was pretty unusual to get ripe tomatoes off the vine before July 4. I thought this was about the right time, but I don't know for sure.
Is anyone else getting nice, homegrown tomatoes from the garden yet? If you're looking to can them, I'm putting a very interesting recipe in my column next week for tomato pudding. Sounds really bizarre, I know, but check it out and see what you think.
Ronnie, who fertilizes his garden with leaves and woodstove ashes, says he's just going to slice up those bad boys he grew and eat them on tomato sandwiches with mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Another of his favorites is fried green tomatoes. So I guess if your tomatoes aren't keeping up with Ronnie's, maybe you could at least fry up a couple of green ones.
All of this reminds me of a trick my grandfather once played on my father. It was probably early July or so when Papa found a beautiful, red plastic tomato and attached it to one of his plants with a green twist tie. Boy, you should have seen the look on Dad's face when he thought my grandfather's tomatoes were ready before his. It was ornery. And highly amusing.
Write me a note and tell me how your garden is growing.
In celebration of my day off yesterday, I splurged for lunch and stopped by the new Sonic near my neighborhood for a cheeseburger and a limeade.
The total for my surprisingly large, beefy double burger and drink came to $3.80, which struck me as an exceptional deal at the time. Maybe because I was in splurge mode.
At any rate, the young girl who delivered my food to the car was so chipper and sweet (especially on a day when most would be grumpy for having to work) that I just handed her a $5 and said "Keep the change."
I would probably tip a Sonic food runner anyway, because they bring the food conveniently to your car. And I probably could have been even more generous, but all I had in my wallet was a $20 bill and two $5 bills.
The girl's eyes exploded in size.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Yeah. Happy Fourth," I said.
When the girl heard that, she began to wave the bill around in the air excitedly, making sure one of her co-workers noticed that she'd gotten a tip and was jealous.
I backed out of my space with my sandwich and drink and a huge, Cheshire Cat grin on my face. But as I drove away, I could not quite grasp the level of glee with which she had reacted to my modest tip.
I checked my wallet to see if I had accidentally handed her the $20 instead, but I hadn't. And that's when that warm feeling inside turned just a little bit sad, for a moment.
If I had known how much joy a measly $1.20 would bring a girl who had to work out in the heat on July 4, when everyone else is just swinging through on their way to the pool or a barbecue or some other form of relaxation, I think I would have given her the $20 instead, entirely on purpose.
July 3, 2007
Despite their somewhat negative side effects, I have always been a big fan of any kind of bean in existence-- navy, pinto, kidney, black, garbanzo, great Northern, and so on. I resisted the urge to share my favorite bean-related rhyme here. You get the picture.
One of my very favorite bean dishes is baked beans, and the more creative a recipe gets with bean variety, the better.
I came across this baked bean recipe on Simply Recipes today Although it may not turn out as sweet as some recipes, it does call for white beans and allows you to prepare the beans on a stove top instead of heating up the oven in the sweltering mid-summer temperatures.
So in honor of the Fourth of July, which is inarguably the best baked bean holiday of the year, here's a recipe for Stove Top Baked Beans:
Continue reading "Have a rootin' tootin' Fourth!" »
Parker's Seafood on Peter's Creek Road was devastated by a fire in January that destroyed the entire kitchen and caused significant smoke damage to the rest of the restaurant. Co-owner Chris Parker told me this morning that after months of renovation and working out of a makeshift office in a Winnebago out in the parking lot, Parker's will open for business again next week.
If you've been missing their fare, head on out there Tuesday for the grand re-opening. Parker says the restaurant is spruced up inside, but the menu has not changed a bit.
In other food news, I just have to pass along the grocery store deal of the week. Several local Kroger stores have small, sweet red, yellow and orange peppers on sale in their produce departments this week for $2.50 a bag. I bought a bag this weekend and sauteed a few with sweet onions for brats. Then I used one in home fries, another half on a salad and I still have one left over!
I'm not tired of them yet, either. If there are any left, I mean to pick up a bag after work today and whip up some chicken fajitas for dinner tonight. When I'm in a hurry, all I do is saute strips of boneless, skinless chicken breast in about a tablespoon of olive oil and then set aside. Next, I saute sliced peppers and onion until soft, put the chicken back in the pan and stir in an envelope of fajita seasoning. If it is dry, you can just add a tablespoon of water or tomato juice.
Serve in warm tortillas with a dallop of sour cream and/or salsa and, if desired, some shredded monterey jack cheese. Easy and tasty!
July 2, 2007
The California Dried Plums board puts out the same literature I see from other food boards, but this recipe card I received today amuses me for a different reason: every reference to the star food is "dried plums." Aren't dried plums just prunes?
The plot thickened when I found that you can find their Web site at either www.californiadriedplums.org or www.prunes.org.
"You've come to the right place to learn about California Dried Plums as they're called in the U.S. and Prunes, as they're still known in the rest of the world," the site claims.
Has the California Dried Plums board decided that Americans who turn up their noses at prunes will try dried plums because they sound nicer? I do know prunes have that reputation for being your grandma's snack, the type of thing you only eat because you're feeling irregular.
I'm willing to admit that I have always liked prunes and have eaten some delicious prune cakes. They are sweet, have a nice, plump texture and are good for you to boot.
According to the Food Lover's Companion, prune puree (which is available in many supermarkets) can be substituted for fats in baked goods, significantly reducing cholesterol and calories. The puree provides a moist, slightly chewy texture to the baked goods.
Or you can get even more adventurous with your dried plums/prunes and give this grilled chicken recipe a try:
Continue reading "A dried plum by another name...is a prune" »
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