Category Archives: Photos

Old Folks Dinner – Not What You’d Expect!

11 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in Buy Idaho, Lamb, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

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OK, I know. It’s not the standard Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Peas. Margaret came over earlier today for some coffee and conversation. Well into the conversation, I asked her what she was going to have for dinner. She said, “I have not eaten today.” Enough said. I told her that if she came back around 3:00 or so, we would like to share dinner. She came back and look at what we had. It was scrumptious, but not your standard “Old Folks” Sunday dinner. The average age for dinner being 68.7 years, this will serve well for our Sunday dinner. Thank-You Margaret for joining us. You are always welcome at our table. And thank you for the dip. Enjoy this photo. Cheers!

Sunday Dinner

Garlic Oil and Fresh Rosemary Braised Felzien Farms Lamb Chops
mustard cream sauce

Mustard Cream Sauce
3 T Stone Ground Mustard
1 T Dijon Mustard
1/4 c Heavy Cream
Place all in a small skillet over low heat. Stir until blended and thickened
(This is great with rabbit, too!)

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
reduced balsamic vinegar, Grand Marnier, butter

I have had folks ask how to do the Brussels Sprouts. Here’s how we do them. Let us know how you like them. Serves 4.
1 lbs Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and steamed. Cut the large ones in half lengthwise if necessary.
3 T Balsamic Vinegar reduced to 3/4. The older the vinegar the better it is but the more expensive it is, too.
2 T Grand Marnier
1 T Butter
When the balsamic is reduced, add the Grand Marnier and stir. Add the butter and melt and let it thicken a little. Don’t let it scorch. Remove from the heat if necessary, but keep stirring. Add the Brussels Sprouts and toss to coat. Serve hot.

Rosemary Oven Roasted Potatoes
blood orange infused olive oil and fresh rosemary

2009 Fraser Vineyards Petit Verdot
(Always have to have a good Idaho wine with dinner! This went extremely well with the Brussels Sprouts and the Mustard Cream Sauce.)

Food Truck Rally Boise – March 2012

10 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

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Actually, this all is connected. The seams are cemented by food and information about food. Here is a link to Food Carts Boise which has, and keeps a listing of, the Food Trucks that are operating in Boise. According to the site owner, Daniel Foster, “… I love Boise and street food! I created Food Carts Boise! in 2012 after returning from a trip to Portland and joyfully noticing that Boise food carts are organized and becoming passionate about their awesomeness.

My aim is to celebrate and support Boise street food vendors as best I can, and to help others learn to love our local street food vendors … The website lists every food cart I can know of, and each detail page links to their social networks, menu, map, reviews, and whatever else I can find.” And by the size of this early crowd, he has helped “… others to love our local food vendors.” I would like to think that this blog has also “Spread The Word”. The food that I had tonight was awesome. You must try the Smoked Turkey Legs from Brown Shuga Soul Food. Their Pulled Pork is also very good! From Daniel Foster’s site we also find a little history of the rally. “Started in

September 2011 by Sheila Francis of Payette Brewing, Boise’s Food Truck Rally is a popular gathering of several of Boise’s mobile food vendors, and it’s growing rapidly!
On the 2nd Friday of every month, from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, you can meet several of Boise’s awesomest food cart vendors at the Food Truck Rally! The location changes, but you can keep up on the fun by following the group on Facebook …” or on this blog. You can also keep track on Daniel’s web page. I will place a link to his page in the sidebar of this blog. In the meantime, here are some of the food trucks that were represented tonight. Enjoy these photos and keep these businesses in mind when you get hungry! As you can see, there is a large variety to choose from.

“Hog Wild” is also known as “B29 StrEATry”.

If you want to read more about this ongoing event – at least monthly – look at Idahostatesman. Here is the menu, as such, for the rally tonight as printed in the Statesman and written by Alex Kiesig.

EAT THIS STUFF AT TONIGHT’S RALLY
Here are some of our favorite eats at trucks scheduled to be at Fourth and Grove streets in Boise from 5 to 9 p.m. March 9:

RICEWORKS ASIAN STREET FOOD
Theme: Stir fries, homemade egg rolls and fusion items like Vietnamese tacos or Hawaiian Spam sliders.
Price range: $1-$7.50
Online: http://www.facebook.com/RiceWorksAsianFood, http://www.riceworks.blogspot.com
Try: The teriyaki chicken ($5.25) is this place’s bread and butter — sticky, not too sweet, loaded with broccoli, on steaming hot white rice.

B29 STREATERY
Theme: Brick 29’s high-end kitchen on wheels makes fancy but approachable sandwiches and sides.
Price range: $3-$9
Online: Twitter: @B29Streatery, http://www.facebook.com/B29-Streatery, http://www.b29streatery.com
Try: The Kobe beef patty melt ($7) on sourdough with caramelized onions and your choice of cheese. (Go with the cheddar fondue. It’s a memorably delicious mess.) You can add candied bacon for $2 extra.

BROWN SHUGA SOUL FOOD
Theme: Simple, slow-cooked, authentic Southern food with a menu that changes every day.
Price range: $3-$7
Online: Twitter: @boisesoulfood, http://www.facebook.com/Brownshugasoulfood, http://www.brownshugasoulfood.com
Try: Whatever’s cooking. Because the menu rotates, go for one of the daily specials. Also, look for the simple and creamy mac and cheese ($3) or the core-warming sweet potato souffle ($3).

A CUPCAKE PARADISE
Theme: A “full-line cupcakery” with a huge range of filled and regular cupcakes.
Price range: $2-$2.50Online: http://www.facebook.com/A-Cupcake-Paradise, http://www.acupcakeparadise.com
Try: A filled cupcake ($2.50) such as the Peanut Butter Cup with peanut butter frosting and yellow cake with a chocolate center. It has just the right frosting-to-cake balance.

ARCHIE’S PLACE
Theme: Wagyu beef, Korobuta pork, and “unicorn” (vegan) sloppy joe sliders, grilled cheese sandwiches, and from-scratch soups with cornbread.
Price range: $3-$8
Online: Twitter: @archies_place, http://www.facebook.com/Archiesplaceboise, http://www.archies-place.com
Try: The House Joe will convert anyone who wonders if you can base a business around a sloppy joe. It’s savory, rich, tomatoey and exactly the right consistency ($3 for one slider or $5 for two.) You will want two … or three.
Other trucks scheduled (that we haven’t sampled yet):

BOISE FRY COMPANY
Theme: Fancy french fries with unique salts, “spritzers,” and dipping sauces such as blueberry ketchup, served with “burgers on the side.”
Price range: $3 fries, $6-$9 burgers
Online: Twitter: @BoiseFryCo, http://www.boisefrycompany.com
Try: They’re serving russet and purple fries, but we hope to see the recently unveiled “Classic” burger topping, too.

CALLE 75 STREET TACOS
Theme: tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and tortas made with local ingredients — plus intriguing items like lettuce cups.
Online: http://www.facebook.com/ Calle75Streettacos

A very exciting and good time at the rally tonight. If you would like to contact Daniel Foster at Food Carts Boise, Click Here. The food trucks at the rally have contact information listed. Cheers and Good Eating!

Pan Seared Talapia

09 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by in Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Seafood, What's For Dinner?

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I know, some of you do not like talapia, a white fish. Very mild. But look at how we prepared it and what we served it with. The sake goes very well with the talapia and the Brussels sprouts. Sorry but the tartar sauce and the sake are not pictured.





Pan Seared Talapia 
with 
Homemade Bread Crumbs and Basil

Braised Strings of Parsnip and Carrot
fresh parsnip and fresh carrot strings braised in olive oil and finished with butter

Candied Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts slow simmered in brown sugar water

Homemade Tartar Sauce
3 T Mayonnaise
2 t Chili Sauce
4 T Green Tomato Relish
mix all in a bowl – serve with the talapia

Coconut Lime Sake
Recipe per person
5 oz Ozeki Saki
1 T Coconut Milk
1/2 Lime juiced
Stir and drink slowly

10 Barrel Brewery To Open in Boise

08 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in 10 Barrel Brewing, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Special Events, Special Information

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(Photo 10 Barrel Brewery)

The 10 Barrel Brewery out of Bend, Oregon, is opening a Brew Pub in downtown Boise at 9th Street and Bannock on the Northeast corner across from Yen Ching. The pub is scheduled to open – the last time I heard – late summer. Their web page says, “… tentative opening date for Aug 1st”. This is a photo that I saved off of their FB page. Their comment was, “Demo started yesterday on the Boise Pub. What a mess….” The ceiling has been opened and the insulation removed. This will be one very large brew pub; maybe the largest in Boise. I for one, am really looking forward to the opening. In My Not So Humble Opinion (IMNSHO), their Apocalypse IPA is by far one of the best I have ever had. They have other brews, too, but this one is superb. I put it up against a Deschutes Inversion IPA and the Apocalypse took the challenge. It’s not that the Inversion is bad,

I always have some in the refrigerator waiting to be liberated, it’s just that the Apocalypse IPA is better. It was great to see that the Boise COOP started to carry the 10 Barrel brews.
The photo to the right, I took this morning. Beautiful blue sky! This is the building at the corner of 9th and Bannock in Boise. It used to be a woman’s clothing store. Sorry, but it now has another use. 
So now, I guess we wait for the Grand Opening. I do hope they keep me informed, or I am lucky enough to get some “fresh” information from the brewery. I will do what I can to keep “on top” of this fabulous event. Below is the artists rendition of the brew pub. Not too much difference, but enough. It’s the interior which will change the most. It is a very large area. Cheers!

(Artist Drawing 10 Barrel Brewery)

Happy 100th Birthday Oreo Cookies!!

06 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Birthdays, Celebrations, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young

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Happy Birthday Oreo Cookies!


You are 100 Years Old Today!



So I just had to go out and get a box of the Limited Edition Oreo Birthday Cake Oreo with colored sprinkles. They still take an awesome photo, even after all these years! And they go so very well with a glass of cool, delicious milk! Look at the party that we had for our favorite cookie. And if you need more information on the birthday, look at this ABC Action News article. If nothing else, a great piece of trivia. Cheers and enjoy the party! (Great fun setting up this photo shoot!)

Baked Pork with Honey/Dijon Sauce

06 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Brussels Sprouts, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Pork, What's For Dinner?

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What a good dinner tonight and easy to put together. About 40 minutes to cook and maybe another 20 minutes to prep. You can be eating a good dinner in about 1 hour.

Pork Tenderloin
Honey/Dijon Sauce

Brussels Sprouts
balsamic vinegar reduction

Parsley Red Potatoes

2006 Maysara Pinot Noir

The Honey/Dijon is the same sauce that was used with the salmon in an earlier post on this blog. I baked the pork at 370 degrees F until the surfaces were just turning brown. The sauce would also be good with a roasted chicken.
We really like the Brussels Sprouts done this way. The reduced balsamic gives the sprouts a great, non-cabbage, taste. A rather sweet component to the sprouts. And tonight, I added about 1 T of butter to the reduction to slightly thicken the balsamic. Then I tossed the sprouts in the reduction. Yummy!
The potatoes were boiled in a garlic water bath. When the potatoes were drained, I saved the garlic. Heat about 2 T butter in a saucepan. Add Chopped parsley and mix. Add the potatoes and garlic pieces. Toss and serve. The Maysara Pinot Noir,  McMinnville, OR., went extremely well with this dinner. Left-Click the photo to see a larger view. Cheers!

Baked Salmon with Honey/Dijon Sauce

04 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Salmon, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

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Here is the recipe for the Baked Salmon with Honey/Dijon Sauce that we had tonight. It was very, very good! And it is really very easy to do. We had it with Orange Infused Braised Asparagus and Steamed Rice. Use some of the sauce over the rice. Then serve this with a wonderful 2010 Indian Creek Muscat Canelli.

Easy Bake Salmon with Honey and Dijon Sauce

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Recipe Adapted From: Allrecipes

Ingredients:
3 T Honey
3 T Dijon mustard
1 t Lemon Juice
4 (6 ounce) Salmon Steaks
½ t Pepper
3 med Shrimp, tails on, for each piece of salmon.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (165 degrees C).

In a small bowl, mix honey, mustard, and lemon juice. Spread the mixture over the salmon steaks. Place 3 shrimp on top of the salmon. Season with pepper. Arrange in a medium baking dish.

Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish easily flakes with a fork. Serve with steamed rice and Orange Infused Braised Asparagus. Use some of the sauce in the pan over the rice. Serve with a 2010 Indian Creek (Idaho) Muscat Canelli.

——————————

We really hope you enjoy this recipe. It was very, very good and if we could get it at a better restaurant, I would expect to pay $12.00 – $15.00 for the plate. And remember, it really is easy to do. Enjoy!

Oscar Night and Others

26 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by in Bruchetta, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Salmon, Special Events

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This particular plate is not for the Oscar Party. Sorry! But rather it is a dinner that we made the other night.
Broiled Salmon with Lemon Curd
Braised Asparagus with Lemon, Parsley and Garlic

The salmon is moist and lightly browned on top – the lemon curd caramelized. The asparagus have a wonderful slightly tartness that pairs well with the salmon. This dinner is a Yum-O dinner and easy to prepare.

This is our Oscar Party tray! We think this made a wonderful appetizer.
Truffle Oil Bruchetta
with
Muffuletta
Wild Boar Sausage
Tomato

Robin’s Cream of Garlic Soup

25 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by in Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Robin Young, Soup, Special Dinners, What's For Dinner?

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Don’t let the name of this soup fool you. Roasting the garlic removes that strong, garlicky taste and smell. After roasting, you have a sweet, soft and earthy garlic. Absolutely delicious. We first had a version of this at the Castle Ranch Steakhouse in Boise. I think Robin has done an awesome job in duplicating the soup. Give it a try and let us know what you think. And, living in Idaho, potatoes are used for the thickening agent. We have a dicer that makes this easy to prep. The photo to the left is the final soup. Left-Click to see a larger view.

Cream of Garlic Soup

Serves: 12
Source: Robin Young, Boise, Idaho

Ingredients:
2½ heads of Garlic – about 24 cloves, unpeeled
2 c Vegetable Broth
5 to 6 c of finely diced Peeled Potatoes, about a 1/4 “ dice
1 pt Chicken Broth
Balsamic Vinegar
Fresh Chives

Directions:
Cook the garlic cloves in the vegetable broth until tender. Strain to cool. Reserve the broth, Peel the garlic skins – they will pop off easily.

Combine all liquids, garlic and potatoes in a large soup pot. Cook over medium heat about one hour until potatoes are tender

Blend the ingredients with a hand immersion blender until smooth. Add about 1 cup heavy cream if you want a richer soup.

Gluten free and Lactose free if you do not use cream. Serve warm with Balsamic vinegar reduction and chopped chives. We used Trader Joe’s Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, aged 12 months and 6% acidity that was not reduced. Use a teaspoon and drizzle the balsamic on top of the soup. Do not stir. See the photo above.

Excellent with aged Chardonnay. We do love this soup. Enjoy.

Roasted Parsnip and White Chocolate Soup

24 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipes, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment




Don’t make that wrinkled face! You just have to try this and Cristi Takeda from The Buzz Coffee and Cafe in Boise, submitted this. It is an awesome soup! Enjoy!





Roasted Parsnip and White Chocolate Soup

Source: Cristi Takeda, The Buzz Coffee and Café, Boise, ID
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
2 lbs Parsnips
¼ c Canola Oil
8 T Butter
1 lg White Onion, chopped
2 qts Chicken Stock
1 T Vanilla Extract
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 c Vanilla White Chocolate Chips
1 c Heavy Cream
1 Lemon, cut crosswise
2 T Dill Leaves, minced
Directions:
Peel parsnips and cut into 1-inch chunks. Brush lightly with oil and place on a baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil (for easy cleanup). Roast until the parsnips begin to soften (as tested with a knife blade) and until the tips begin to turn golden brown. This takes about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes while you start the other ingredients in the stockpot.
Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large stockpot and gently sauté the onion until translucent. (This takes about 10 minutes, but more important is that they look translucent) Add the chicken stock and the vanilla extract. Increase the heat to medium. Add the parsnips and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, cover and let cook until the parsnips are completely tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir the white chocolate chips into the soup and cook for a further 5 minutes to allow the chocolate chips to melt and to integrate the flavors.
Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the heavy cream.
Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh dill. Serve with a lemon slice and a glass of 2008 Lesse Fitch Zinfandel.