Breakfast Crepes or Blintzes

17 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in Blinz, Breakfast, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Captain's Shack, Cheese, Classic Cuisines, Crepe, Ethnic Foods, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

blinzes, cheese, crepes, fruit

I have never made crepes. Robin has and they are super. This morning she said for breakfast she wanted Ricotta and Fruit Crepes. Here is what I came up with …. under her direction! The filling: 1c Ricotta Cheese, 1/2 c fresh Blueberries, 1/2 c currents soaked in Elderflower Liquor and Lemon Zest. Mix altogether and let set for 15 minutes. Here is what the cooking process looked like. The recipe is attached to each photo.

People have asked if there is a difference between blintzes and crepes and if so, what is the difference. There isn’t much if a discrepancy as both items use the same ingredients and the cooking process and techniques are very similar. Crepes are generally cooked through on both sides whereas blintzes are only cooked on one side; reserving the uncooked side for fillings. Crepes and blintzes have the consistency of thin pancakes. Crepes originated from France. The word “Crepe” is derived from the Latin word “crispa” which means “curled”. The common ingredients used in crepes are wheat flour, eggs, milk, butter, and a pinch of salt. [challahmaidel.wordpress.com]

3 Eggs,m 1/2 c whole Milk and 1/2 c AP Flour. Mix all together and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Place 3 T of batter in a med hot crepe pan.

Cook until bubbles appear or edges are brown.

Gently flip crepe and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from pan. Cool. Fill with the fruit filling, or anything you wish. Envelope fold to seal crepe. Place in well buttered pan and cook until slightly brown. About 2 minutes on each side at most.

Gently flip crepe and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from pan. Cool. Fill with about 2 T of the fruit filling, or anything you wish. Envelope fold to seal crepe. Place in well buttered pan and cook until slightly brown. About 2 minutes on each side at most.

Plate and top with some fresh berries and some of the filling. Dust with powdered sugar.

Sunday Breakfast and Dinner

15 Monday Aug 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Bacon, Baking, Breakfast, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Carrots, Cast Iron, Cheese, Comfort Food, Corn, Desert Mountai Grass Fed Beef, Dinner For Robin, Eggs, Food Photos, Fruits, Heirloom Carrots, Herbs, Housemade Sauces, Idaho Eggs, Idaho Pork, Idaho Potatoes, Idaho Vegetables, Local Farmers Markets, Meadowlark Farms, Photos By: Bob Young, Pork, Pork Tenderloin, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, True Roots Produce, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

pork medalions, port wine, port wine reduction

These two items are so much fun to make. Somewhat quick. Somewhat involved. Always good. Give them a try. Enjoy!

Breakfast Potato Eggs Line a muffin tin with thinly sliced potato slices. Bake off for 20 minutes at 425 degrees F until potatoes aare slightly crisp. Fill with a mixture of beaten egg, cheese, green onion, salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees F until eggs are set. Remove an let cool 5 minutes. I used the convection for baking these. Top with Salsa or Pico de Gallo.

Breakfast Potato Cups

Line a muffin tin with thinly sliced potato slices. Bake off for 20 minutes at 425 degrees F until potatoes are slightly crisp. Fill with a mixture of beaten egg, cheese, green onion, rendered bacon pieces, some salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees F until eggs are set. Remove and let cool 5 minutes. I used the convection for baking these. Top with Slasa or Pico de Gallo.

Breakfast Potato Cups Plated. They should come right out of the muffin tins as a unit. Serve with fresh fruit.

Heirloom Carrots, Fresh Corn Pork medallions with Port Wine and Herb Reduction

Heirloom Carrots
Fresh Corn
Pork Medalions
with
Port Wine and Herb Reduction

Port reduction – Using the cast iron skillet that the pork was done in, add 1 T Olive Oil, 2 c Port Wine, 1 T fresh Sage chopped, 2 t fresh Thyme and 2 T Heavy Cream. Stir to release the bits of pork that remain in the pan and the wine is reduced to 1 cup and starts to thicken slightly. Place 1 T of the reduction under the pork and 1 T on top of the pork.

Chili Rellenos

07 Sunday Aug 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in Boise Farmers Market, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Captain's Shack, Cheese, Classic Cuisines, Cooking Styles, Eggs, Ethnic Foods, Food Photos, Grilled Vegetables, Idaho Eggs, Local Farmers Markets, Mexican Food, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

chili rellenos, poblano peppers

Ah yes! Chili Rellenos. Robin makes the best I have ever eaten. It must be in the soft peak egg whites. Mine were good, but not that good. Here is a link to Robin’s Chili Rellenos. Fun to make. More fun to eat! Just takes a little time. And if you want to, you can roast the peppers over charcoal to give them an interesting twist. I used the stove. The eggs and the peppers came from our local farmers market.

Roasting the poblanos on the gas stove.

Frying the stuffed peppers in a neutral oil. I used Crisco. And in the stuffing, I used the Mexican blend cheese, available at most grocery stores, two of the egg yolks, cilantro chopped, corriander, cumin, sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.

The finished product on a bed of Bib lettuce. On these we used a enchilada sauce, but you could use pico de gallo or a salsa.

The finished product on a bed of Bib lettuce. On these we used a enchalata sauce, but you could use pico de gallo or a salsa.

Visiting The Melting Pot

04 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 4-Stars, Atlantic Salmon, Boise Adventures, Brocolli, Buy Idaho, Cheese, Cooking Styles, Dinner at The Melting Pot, Dinner With Robin, Eggs, Fondue, Green Salad, Idaho Greens, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Ravenswood Winery Zinfandel, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants, Salads, Salmon, Seafood, Special Dinners, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Atlantic Salmon, Fondue, salmon

Visit The Melting Pot in Boise for a fun dinner or Happy Hour. Good food with a fun presentation. And yes, the kids are welcome! 4-Star restaurant in Boise. And here is a link to their extensive Fondue Menu. Check it out! More importantly, I think, is “just what is a fondue?”
According to the Cambridge dictionary, “a hot dish prepared by keeping a container of either hot oil or melted cheese over a flame at the table and putting pieces of meat in the oil to be cooked or pieces of bread into the cheese.”
And from Justhungry.com, “In Switzerland, ‘la fondue’ means a cheese fondue and nothing else. Other types of dip-bits-of-food-in-a-communal-pot dishes are specifically called fondue-something, e.g. fondue bourgignonne (bits of beef filet fried in a pot of oil), fondue chinoise (thin slices of beef or other things cooked in a pot of broth), and so on.”
The cheese fondue at The Melting Pot consists of, “CLASSIC ALPINE – rich, sweet-yet-earthy
Featured Cheeses: Gruyère, Raclette, Fontina. Melted with: White wine, garlic, fresh nutmeg. Gluten Free $8.95” Delcicous. Here is what we had to complete this 4-Star evening. Enjoy!

Window sign at 6th and Main Streets in Boise.

Main bar. A large variety of beer and wine.

Main bar. A large varity of beer and wine.

I you wish in season, a nice patio.

A 2013 Ravenswood Zen of Zin for us!

APPLE BACON SPINACH
Fresh spinach, crimini mushrooms, sliced egg, spicy pecans, Granny Smith apples and apple bacon vinaigrette
Gluten Free 5.75

And yes, a salad at the Melting Pot. They have 3 selections, although since the Caesar Salad has minimal, and barely noticeable anchovies, I don’t really call it a Caesar Salad. (Those were the Waiters words.) The above salad was delicious!

CLASSIC ALPINE - rich, sweet-yet-earthy Featured Cheeses: Gruyère, Raclette, Fontina. Melted with: White wine, garlic, fresh nutmeg. Gluten Free $8.95

CLASSIC ALPINE FONDUE
rich, sweet-yet-earthy
Featured Cheeses: Gruyère, Raclette, Fontina
Melted with: White wine, garlic, fresh nutmeg
Gluten Free $8.95

Stirring the Classic Alpine Fondue

Classic Alpine Fondue

Hmmm. It was good!

ATLANTIC SALMON FILET
potato, mushroom and brioccoli

21.50

How To Make a Caesar Salad Dressing

03 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in Anchovy, Caesar Salad, Cheese, Classic Cuisines, Eggs, Food Prep, Garlic, Green Salad, Local Farmers Markets, Oils, Olive Oil, Photos, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Salad, Salads, Seafood, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

anchovies, anchovy, caesar salad dressing

Actually, it’s not hard. Just takes some patience. And ANCHOVIES! I really don’t think a Caesar Salad is just that without the anchovies in the dressing. A Caesar Salad must have the anchovies! Here is a recipe we use. Enjoy.

Caesar Salad Dressing

Source: adapted from and photo from – http://www.thekitchn.com/
Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients:
1 (2-ounce) can oil-packed Anchovy Fillets, drained
2 cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped
3 lg Egg Yolks
1 t Dijon Mustard
2 T Lemon Juice
2 T Olive Oil
½ c Vegetable Oil
2 T finely grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground Tellicherry Black Pepper

Directions:
Make an anchovy-garlic paste: Mince the anchovies and garlic together until the mixture is mostly smooth and the garlic is minced, about 3 minutes; set aside.
Whisk the egg yolks: Whisk the egg yolks together in a medium bowl until smooth.
Add the mustard: Whisk in the mustard until just combined.
Add the anchovy-garlic paste: Whisk in the anchovy-garlic mixture.
Whisk in the lemon juice: While whisking, pour in the lemon juice, then whisk until smooth.
Whisk in the olive oil: While whisking, stream in the olive oil to create a thick emulsion. Once all of the olive oil is added, whisk for another minute to thicken.
Finish with vegetable oil: Continue whisking and slowly stream in the vegetable oil. Again, once all of the vegetable oil is added, whisk for another minute to thicken.
Season and serve: Whisk in the Parmesan cheese. Taste and season with fresh ground Tellicherry Black Pepper as needed. Serve immediately on Chopped Romaine Lettuce or grilled Romaine Lettuce.

Meals for Robin

02 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Acme Bake Shop, Acme Bake Shop Breads, Acme Bake Shop Red Wheat, Acme Bake Shop Sourdough, Alaskan Salmon, Appetizers, Asian Food, Asparagus, Avocado, Bacon, Basil, Beets, BFM, Boise Farmers Market, Braising, Breakfast, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Carrots, Cheese, Chicken, Comfort Food, Cream Sauces, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner For Robin, Eggs, Eggs Omelets, Eggs Over Easy, Eggs Sunnyside Up, Greens, Housemade Sauces, Housemade Soup, Idaho Bacon, Idaho Chicken, Idaho Dairy, Idaho Eggs, Idaho Grains, Idaho Polenta Floriani, Idaho Vegetables, Local Markets, Lunch For Robin, Omelet, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment

Love the beaming smile she has in this photo! After she got home from the hospital, I had to change the meal plans, somewhat. Watch the sugars, not totally eliminate them. Keep the carbs to 60 or so a day, which is not hard to do. Keep the calorie count to a max of 2000 per day. That’s harder, but not impossible. Here are some of the dishes I came up with. Enjoy! All made from scratch with mostly local products from the Boise Farmers Market – eggs, sausage, Acme Bake Shop Breads, Fruit, Salsa, Pico de Gallo. We’ll start with breakfast.

2-Egg Cheese Omelet with Pico de Gallo
Bacon
Acme Whole Wheat Toast
Fresh Canteloupe

Sausage Gravy on Acme Sourdough Toast
Over-Easy Eggs

Strrawberry Waffles with Strawberry Sour Cream Topping Sunnyside Up Egg

Strawberry Waffles with Strawberry Sour Cream Topping
Sunnyside Up Egg

Idaho Polenta Acme Bake Shop Toasted Whole Wheat BFM Strawberries Pico de Gallo Soft Scrambled Eggs

Idaho Polenta
Acme Bake Shop Toasted Whole Wheat
BFM Fresh Strawberries
Pico de Gallo
Soft Scrambled Eggs

Lunch and “Tea Time”

Grilled Spam and Cheese on Acme Sourdough Toast
Housemade Cream of Tomato Soup with Basil

Bacon Wrapped Avocado
Oven Fried Chicken

Salsa
Sour Cream
Canteloupe Cubes
Blue Corn Chips
Corn Chips

Dinner

Braised Scallops in Garlic Butter Zucchini and Baby Turnip with Rainbow Chard Medley Braised Salmon and Halibut in a Tarragon Cream Sauce

Braised Sea Scallops in Garlic Butter
Zucchini and Baby Turnip with Rainbow Chard Medley
Braised Salmon and Halibut in a Tarragon Cream Sauce

Fresh Tamale with Pico de Gallo and Shaved Red Onion
Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce
Baby Beets and Cauliflower in Brown Butter Sauce

Steamed Asparagus Halibut with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Steamed Asparagus
Braised Halibut with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Braised Sea Scallops on Jasamine Rice
Steamed Baby Carrots and Turnips

Salmon Scewers
Asian Salad
Idaho Polenta

A Delightful Visit to Juniper

28 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 4-Stars, Alaskan Salmon, Appetizers, Beer and Food, Boise Area Food Adventures, Boise Food Adventures, Boise Restaurants, Buy Idaho, Cheese, Chicken, Comfort Food, Dinner at Juniper, Dinner Reviews with Robin, Dinner With Robin, Food Photos, Herbs, Idaho Chicken, Idaho Vegetables, Juniper, Local Farmers Markets, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment

On Tuesday, June 28, we visited Juniper, on 8th Street and we were delightfully surprised. It reminded me a lot of the Cloud 9 Nano Brewery and Pub Review. Essentially the same type of floor plan but an extended menu from Cloud 9. Both are very deserving of our 4-Star rating. We will most likely to return to Juniper, as the staff was delightful and the food awesome. There are some other items on the menu that we want to try. Here are some photos from today’s visit. They had a special soup today, Ginger Carrot Soup, and they gave us a sample. Spicy. Candied ginger. It reminded me of a tomato soup. That texture and “after taste”. Good. Cheers!

Seating is around the edge of the pub, with some at the bar.

A delightful array of local beer and wines. Here we hav a Dutch Quad beer - very dark but very good - and a special drink called a Juni and the Jets -

A delightful array of local beer and wines. Here we have a Dutch Quad beer – very dark but very good – and a special drink called a Juni and the Jets – Gin, St Germaine, Grapefruit, Juniper Simple Syrup and Sparkles.

Pear and Fig Chutney Grilled Cheese - Ballard White Cheddar, Gruyer and Pear and Fig Chutney.

Pear and Fig Chutney Grilled Cheese – Ballard White Cheddar, Gruyère and Pear and Fig Chutney.

Wonderful salmon. The Dutch Quad went very well with this. The beer actually counteracted the sweetness of the honey, yet enhanced the salmon. Wonderful! Gin and Honey Glazed Salmon – Fried Sage and Seasonal Vegetable

Good Breakfast; Awesome Dinner

24 Friday Jun 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop Breads, Acme Bake Shop Multi-Grain, Bacon, Black Grapes, Boise Farmers Market, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Cheese, Corn, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner For Robin, Eggs Poached, Falls Brand Bacon, French Wines, Green Salad, Herbs, Idaho Pork, Idaho Vegetables, Local Farmers Markets, Meadowlark Farms, Photos By: Bob Young, Pork, True Roots Produce, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment

Breakfast was OK. Robin doesn’t particularly like Baby Swiss. Cheddar is better. But, thanks to Desert Mountain Farms and Ed Wilsey, the 1″ pork chops were super. Huge! Delicious. And we make our own stuffing for these – it could have been better this time, though. Corn was from —- somewhere. Bacon from Twin Falls. Bread from Acme Bakeshop. Eggs from Meadowlark Farms. The salad was from Idaho – greens, onion, tomato. Love this time of year when the produce can be purchased from the Boise Farmers Market every Saturday at 10th and Grove. So here are our meals. All of them very easy to do; No particular recipe. Wing it!

Poached Eggs
on
Acme Bakeshop Multi Grain Toast
Baby Swiss Cheese
Bacon
Black Grapes

Stuffed Desert Mountain 1 1/2″ Pork Chops
Corn on the Cob
Green Salad
2015 l’effet Papillon Grenache Blanc

Soft Cheeses Visited

24 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in Boise Food Adventures, Cheese, Food, Food Photos, French Foods, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Report By Robin, Soft Cheese, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Cheese

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Soft Cheese

Robin wrote this wonderful explanation particularly for the TVWS (Treasure Valley Wine Society) Board, but I think it needs to be read by a wider audience. And, she is certified in cheese knowledge. There is a photo at the end of the article of the cheeses she is talking about. Enjoy!

“Triple Cream Cheeses
for
TVWS Board mtg. May 24

USA Cowgirl Creamery Petaluma and Pt. Reyes station – Organic Mt. Tam
$29.99/ lb Cows milk

French St. Andre Triple Cream Brie from near Burgundy, France
$14.99/lb…. Cows milk

La Tur Caseificio dell Alta Langa, Italy
Pasteurized Cow, Goat and Sheep 3 milk Soft ripened cheese.
$25.99/lb

Bread $2.49 Grapes $8.50 @$3.99/lb

Broadbent Selection NV Vino Verde $8.99

Macedon 2015 Pinot Noir – Macedonia north of Greece. $14.99

Americans consume 33lbs of cheese/year
There are 2000 varieties of Cheese first made ~ 8000 BC. Some Milk was stored in the stomach of an animal which added rennet and by jostling the milk separated into curds and whey. Animal sources of milk include not only cows and goats, but also sheep, water buffalo, yaks, camels, horses and reindeer.

Styles:
FRESH: cream cheese, ricotta, mozzarella, feta, chevre.
SEMI SOFT: provolone, gouda, port salut, havarti, fontina, raclette, comte.
SEMI HARD: cheddar, edam, swiss, gruyere, emmental, parmesan, asiago? Pecorino Romano.
WASHED RIND: munster, limburger, tallegio, salt brined and bloomed rind – Brie, Camembert.
BLUE: Maytag, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort.
Accompaniments: grapes, dates, nuts, figs, herbs and pepper. ”

“A meal without some cheese, is like a beautiful woman with only one eye.” (Brillat-Savarin 1700’s)
“The moon is made of a greene cheese.” (John Heywood 1546) But in 1546 greene meant unaged, not green in color.

And here’s Robin’s information on Cheese Tasting –

“

CHEESE TASTING BASICS

Observe: color, texture, shape, condition. Descriptors: smooth, rough, sticky, downy, soft, hard, creamy, grainy, cylindrical, wedge, crumbs, slices, moist, dry.

Olfactory: smell the aroma: fresh, milky, fruity, mushroomy, earthy, floral, toasted, spicy, nutty, cauliflower-like.

Taste-slowly sample to release flavors. Consider flavors, textures and any lingering aftertaste. Descriptors:acidic/sharp/ tart, sweet, sharp, salty, bitter, creamy, yeasty, malty, fruity, robust, caramel, custardy, toasty, peppery, zesty, spicy, tangy. Texture: open or closed, soft, hard, firm, gritty, grainy, crumbly, chalky, springy, smooth, meaty.

Take notes: use a simple point rating score system. ie: 0-4 for poor, ok, good, great, sensational.

With wines look for a: compliment – Brie with sparkling , contrast – Blue with dessert wines, or clash – Blue with red table wines may leave a metallic aftertaste.”

Crescent Roll Tacos

17 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in Beef, Boise Farmers Market, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Cheese, Comfort Food, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner For Robin, Ethnic Foods, Food Photos, Idaho Beef, Local Markets, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipes - Mexican

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Crescent Rolls, tacos

So different, yet so good. At least for a slight change. And you can make them at home easily. Let’s look at how to make these. And then ask the kids to help you assemble them. Cook for about 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Crescent rolls are unpacked and laid in a circle on a sheet pan. Fry off about 1 lbs of hamburger mixed with some garlic and green onion. Add some Mexican spices and some salsa.