Irish Days Are Upon Us

14 Monday Mar 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in Ahi Tuna, Asian Food, Asparagus, Avocado, Beer and Ale, Beer and Food, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Carrots, Classic Sauces, Dinner For Robin, Ethnic Foods, Heirloom Carrots, Herbs and Spices, Hollandaise Sauce, Housemade Hollandaise Sauce, Idaho Greens, Idaho Lamb, Idaho Potatoes, Idaho Vegetables, Lamb, Local Farmers Markets, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

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ahi tuna, asian food

And that mean “Party-Hearty”! Time for lamb. Or Laphroaig. Or Glendronach. Or maybe some Corned Beef with some Cabbage. I am going to make some Irish Soda Bread, or maybe an Irish Brown Soda Bread, for a St Patrick’s Day party on Saturday. Gonna wear my kilt, too! And the socks that my niece Beth made me. We just made some Irish Stew, that turned out pretty darn good. Just need to tighten the sauce a little. Doesn’t this just look scrumptious? And yes, the Boise Farmers Market at 10th and Grove in Boise opens up on April 2, 2016! Yea!!!

Prep for the Irish Stew. Carrots, celery, lamb cubes ()Felzien lamb!), Red onion, green onion and spices.

Prep for the Irish Stew. Carrots, celery, lamb cubes (Local Felzien lamb!), Red onion, green onion and spices.

Irish Stew with Sourdough Bread and Guinness!

And the other night we had this delicious beef dinner. The beef was just OK. Nothing to brag about. But the dinner was good.

Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Sherry Cream Sauce, Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, Twice Baked Potato and Green Salad with Tomatoes

Beef Tenderloin
with
Mushrooms and Tarragon Sherry Cream Sauce

Steamed Asparagus
with
Hollandaise Sauce

Twice Baked Potato
Green Salad with Tomatoes

And then we also had,

Ahi Tuna with Avocado Slices
Steamed Asparagus with Almonds
Green Salad with Radish Slivers

Good Visit to Rembrandt’s Coffee House in Eagle

05 Thursday Nov 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in 4-Stars, Avocado, Breakfast With Robin, Buy Idaho, Coffee, Fruit, Local Markets, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurant Reviews, What's For Dinner?

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Rembrandt's Coffee House

And still a very good breakfast. The bad news? They are eliminating the breakfast menu as of November 6, 2015. They have a very small kitchen area and they want to be able to make more of their pastries. You can visit their website at Rembrandt’s Coffee House. In place of the breakfast, they will be serving fresh baked muffins, scones, quiches, pastries, oatmeal, granola and grab and go lunches – fresh made deli type sandwiches. They will still have their fresh ground coffees. (See the notice below) Definitely a 4-Star restaurant. Well worth the trip to Eagle.

Notice to stop their full breakfast menu.

The ordering area.

Pastry case.

The dining area. Couches. Tables. Chairs. Pews. Oh yes! It once was a church. All ages are welcome – very young, children, old and very old!

Frosted Cinnamon Roll

Lil Jake Omelet and Fresh Fruit with Avocado

Johnnie’s Omelet with Potatoes and Sour Cream

So say “Good-Bye” to these omelet goodies. I can understand their wanting to,”Better utilize the small, kitchen area, but we will miss the breakfast goodies,” he said with a tear in his eye.

Grilled Avocado for Breakfast; Icelandic Flounder Papillote for Dinner

11 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop Sourdough, Avocado, Boise Farmers Market, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Classic Cuisines, Cooking Styles, Eggs, Eggs Poached, en Papillote, Food Photos, Green Beans, Grillin' and Chillin', Icelandic Flounder, Local Farmers Markets, Local Markets, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes - Breakfast, Recipes - Dinner, Recipes - Fruits, Recipes - Seafood, Reel Foods, Seafood, Vegetarian Foods, What's For Dinner?, Whats For Breakfast?

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avocado, en papillote, grilled avocado, Icelandic flounder, Papillote

Grilled avocado seems like a weird way to prepare the fruit. But really, for a non-avocado lover, this was pretty good. Leave the peel on and lightly caramelize the pulp to a golden brown. Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged. Enjoy!
But first, just what is a papillote?

En papillote (French for “in parchment”), or al cartoccio in Italian, is a method of cooking in which the food is put into a folded pouch or parcel and then baked. The parcel is typically made from folded parchment paper, but other material, such as a paper bag or aluminium foil, may be used. [Wikipedia]

In the culinary arts, the term en papillote (pronounced “ON poppy-YOTE”) refers to a moist-heat cooking method where the food is enclosed in a packet of parchment paper or foil and then cooked in the oven.
When cooking en papillote, there are usually some vegetables, herbs and seasonings included in the packet along with the main item. These additional ingredients, along with the main item, give off steam, which is what actually cooks the food. Therefore, en papillote cooking is basically a technique for cooking with steam.
Because it is delicate and cooks quickly, fish is a good choice for cooking in this way. Salmon en papillote is a popular dish.
When serving a recipe prepared en papillote, it is traditional to present the dish by slicing open the paper in front of the guest. [Culinary Arts]

But breakfast comes first! Here is the Grilled Avocado I made.

Grilled Avocado
with
Poached Egg, Micro Greens, Pink Grapefruit Wedges and Toasted Acme Bake Shop Sourdough

And now Icelandic Flounder en Papillote.

The flounder is set in the parchment with lemonn slices, limoncello, Texas tarragon (which has a slight bite to it compared to the French tarragon) and salt and pepper.

Flounder en Papillote
Fresh Idaho Honeydew Melon Slices
Potato Croquettes
Fresh Green Beans with Brown Butter

An awesome and fun day in the kitchen!

Enriques Mexican Restaurant in Kuna.

28 Friday Aug 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Avocado, Comfort Food, Cooking Styles, Dinner With Robin, Enriques Mexican Restaurant, Ethnic Foods, Green Salad, Idaho Greens, Idaho Pork, Idaho Trout, Mexican Food, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants To Try, Salmon, Seafood, Shrimp, Tilapia, What's For Dinner?

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Enriques Mexican Restaurant, Mexican food

Enrique’s Mexican Restaurant,482 W Main Street, Kuna, ID is by far one of the best, if not The Best, Mexican restaurant in the Boise/Kuna area. The name has changed from El Gallo Giro. Same people are operating the restaurant, just a name change. And I think the food has gotten better! Every bit of a 5-Star restaurant! A great place for the entire family. But be aware – They get very, very busy, so it might be best to call for reservations, especially if you are going to be there on Friday or Saturday or Sunday around 4:00 in the afternoon and later. (208) 922-5169. Look at what we had. Enjoy! Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.

The change-over explained

If you are lucky, you just might hear and enjoy a Mariachi Band. This one was awesome!

Some of the Mariachi players.

Maybe you would like some fresh guacamole made right at your table. This young man had great knife skills!

Maybe you would like some fresh guacamole made right at your table. This young man has great knife skills!

Start dinner with a good Watermelon Cosmojito

or maybe a Corona!

Awesome House Salad with an Olive Oil and Honey Dressing. The salad had walnuts, and other nuts in it. Super good salad! These salads change periodically.

An appetizer of Cabeza Pork Taco. Superb pork.

Coconut Shrimp appetizer. Delicious and just what you would expect.

Robin had Idaho Trout for dinner and all the trimmings for sides – fresh vegetables, pico de gallo, tortillas and sour cream.

I had this spot on, out of this world, shut the front door Mojarra Doreda - Tilapia! I'd drive the 12 or so miles from Boise and fight the I-84 construction - or find a "country route" - just for this entree! Absolutely loved it.

I had this spot on, out of this world, shut the front door Mojarra Dorada – Whole Tilapia! I’d drive the 12 or so miles from Boise and fight the I-84 construction – or find a “country route” – just for this entree! Absolutely loved it.

Churros for dessert with an good coffee.

Churros for dessert with an good cup of strong coffee.

Will we go back? Absolutely! The quality of the food is far better than it was. Well worth the trip, folks! Let us know when you are going and we’ll try to join you.

3 Lucious Meals

06 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop, Acme Bakery, Avocado, Bacon, Beans, Black Beans, Boise Farmers Market, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Brown Basmati Rice, Captain's Shack, Cinco de Mayo, Comfort Food, Corn, Dinner With Robin, Eggs, Feta Cheese, Focaccia, Herbs and Spices, Idaho Pork, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Meadowlark Farms, Omelet, Party Time, Peaceful Belly Farms, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Pork, Pork Tenderloin, Puerto Rican Food, Puerto Rican Recipe, Purple Sage Farms, Salad, Sofritto, Spanish Food, Special Dinners, Spice Blends, Spinach, Steamed Clams, What's For Dinner?, Whats For Breakfast?

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black beans, brown basmati rice, Cinco de Mayo, sofrito

It was a good Cinco de Mayo! At least meal wise. All from scratch, which really makes it fun, and then from mostly local products. Pork. Sofrito. Brown Basmati Rice. Mango Margaritas. Rhubarb Red Sauce. Black Olive and Rice Salad. Mostly fit the occasion; the holiday.
The photos below will give you an idea of these meals. Left-Click any of them to see enlarged. What did you do fro Cinco de Mayo? What did you cook? Have to eat? Anything special? Let us know. Spread the delicious words;photos. Cheers!

Pork and Sofrito Avocado Tomato Salad Brown Basmati Rice and Black Beans Mango Margaritas

Pork Tenderloin and Sofrito
Avocado and Tomato Salad
Brown Basmati Rice and Black Beans
Mango Margaritas

Good Cinco de Mayo dinner and fun to make!

Red Velvet Cake
with
strawberries and whipped cream

Our neighbors brought this to us, just because. Thank you! See why we love Boise?

Spinach Omelet
with
rhubarb red sauce and sofrito
Bacon
Toasted Focaccia

Such a differently good breakfast.

Steamed Clams
Buttered Corn
Black Olive, Tomato and Brown Basmati Rice Salad

Really a yummy dinner. Now for clam chowder with the broth.

Rolled Chicken Breasts

17 Friday Apr 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Asparagus, Avocado, Boise Farmers Market, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Cheese, Chicken, Classic Sauces, Coconut Oil, Cooking Oils, Cucumber, Dinner For Robin, Dinner With Robin, Eggs, Greens, Ham, Ham and Cheese, Housemade Hollandaise Sauce, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Oils, Photos By: Bob Young, Spinach, Sriracha Chili Sauce, What's For Dinner?

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black forest ham, coconut oil, Cucumber Salad, Hollandaise Sauce, spinach, swiss cheese

Stuffed and Rolled Chicken
spinach, black forest ham and swiss cheese

Avocado and Cucumber Salad

Steamed Asparagus
housemade hollandaise sauce

2012 Schloss Vollrads Estate Qualitatswein Rheingau Riesling

Tailgate Food?

04 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Avocado, Bigwood Bread, Black Beans, Brunch, Captain's Shack, Chicken, Comfort Food, Dinner With Robin, Egg Salad, Eggs, Fruits, Italian Food, Meadowlark Farms, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Raspberries, Special Dinners, Vegetables, Watercress, What's For Dessert?, What's For Dinner?

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avocado, Bigwood Bread, Bigwood Sourdough, black beans, watercress

Robin has made some awesome “tailgate” food in the past several days. Here is the Tiramisu recipe from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network. Raspberry Tiramisu. The photo here is Robin wearing her new BSU Bronco hat! You can Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged. Enjoy!

Robin constructing the tiramisu.

Completed tiramisu.

Want a slice? Left-Click to enlarge.

Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad. Another yum offering.

Black Bean, Corn, Chicken and Avocado Salad. Another yum offering.

Egg Salad on Sourdough with Water Cress. Corn, Chicken, Avocado and Black Bean Salad. The Acme Bake Shop Sourdough was not available at the COOP when I went there, so I tried the Bigwood Bread Sourdough out of Sun Valley. This sourdough was a lot denser than the Acme sourdough. Not bad, but I prefer Acme Bake Shop. Hard to overcome that bias! Just a personal preference.

A Night In Shangri-La

02 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Appetizers, Avocado, Beer and Food, Blueberries, East Indian Food, Ethnic Foods, Housemade Soup, Locavore, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurant Reviews, Salads, Shangri-La Tea Room, Tea, Things To Do, Vegetarian Foods, What's For Dessert?, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food

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Cecilia Rinn Starbelly Dancers, Shangri-La, tea, vegan, vegetarian

The Shangri-La Tea Room and Cafe, that is! Good music with the Fleet Street Klezmer Band and Dancing by the Cecilia Rinn Starbelly Dancers. And then, there is always the awesomely different food served up. Vegetarian at that. But delicious. Easily a 4-Star, if not higher, out of 5-Stars restaurant. Don’t wrinkle up your nose at the thought of a vegan dinner. This is really superior. We’ll be back! Enjoy these photos of the evening and Left-Click any of them to see enlarged. Cheers!

They do have other things besides tea. Yes, they have a fairly good selection of beer and wine.

But with close to 100 different teas to select from, you should find one you like.

And some of the teas you can steep right at your table. This is a Tea Flower.

A wonderful Coconut Soup to star thing off with. And housemade, as is most of their food, salad, sandwich, soup and dessert selections.

A wonderful Coconut Soup to start things off. And housemade, as is most of their salad, sandwich, soup and dessert selections.

How about this Mock Tuna sandwich? This is absolutely delicious and one reason I keep going back.

Or this Mock Tuna and Crackers appetizer.

Or maybe you would like this Veggie Burger made with goat cheese, mango and peach salsa, spring greens, walnuts and portobello mushrooms. This is almost better than the Mock Tuna.

How about the Veggie Burger Salad?

Then for4 dessert a delicious Blueberry Lemon Muffin Cookie.

Then for dessert a delicious Blueberry Lemon Muffin Cookie.

This Power Pudding is to die for!! It’s like eating a chocolate mousse mixed with nice, creamy butter.

After eating all of these goodies, one must have entertainment.

Body art on one of the dancers!

Fleetstreet Klezmer Band. Victoria Kostenko on tyhe violin. Schlomo Kostenko vocals and bass fiddle and Mathew Voorhees on the accordion.

Fleet Street Klezmer Band. Victoria Kostenko on the violin. Shlomo Kostenko vocals and bass fiddle and Mathew Voorhees on the accordion.

The Cecilia Rinn Starbelly Dancer performed.

The Cecilia Rinn Starbelly Dancers performed.

Some the excellent dancers.

Even the guys get to dance!!!

Pasta Salad For Dinner

20 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Avocado, Bacon, Boise Farmers Market, Captain's Shack, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner With Robin, Garlic, Heirloom Tomatoes, Herbs, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Main Dish, Pasta, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Salad, Tomatoes, What's For Dinner?, Wines - Tuscan

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avocado, Bacon, heirloom tomatoes, pasta salad, salad

Last night we had this wonderful and light Bacon and Avocado Pasta Salad that Robin found. We only drifted from the original recipe a very little. The type of pasta used, heirloom tomatoes and garlic. Look at the recipe. Try it. The recipe is also permanently listed in the recipe file above. Serve it with a good Tuscan wine.

Bacon and Avocado Pasta Salad

Cannelloni For Dinner

09 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop, Acme Bake Shop Breads, Acme Bake Shop Sourdough, Acme Bakery, Avocado, Boise Farmers Market, Brocolli, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Cheese, Cooking Styles, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner With Robin, Italian Food, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Pasta, Photos By: Bob Young, Salad, Sourdough Bread, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wines - Italian

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cannelloni, chianti, classico chianti

Another really good dinner tonight. We really try to observe the Meatless Monday, along with seafood on Friday. The wine went so very well with the cannelloni and the cheese. It is fun to try to keep the dinners inline with what day of the week it is. We are not always successful. But tonight, we were. Enjoy!