Broccoli Bacon Salad

07 Monday Sep 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipes

OK, so it’s late summer headed for fall and the cabbage family of vegetables is in. That includes broccoli. A great vegetable, but one that I must have at the very least, lightly blanched. So here is a good little recipe from WEcooks, an area of Wildearth. (If you are in to wild life and touring the African bush in real time but from home, this is the site for you!!). So with that said, there is an area on that site for recipes and this is just one of many. Enjoy it and Cheers!!

Broccoli Bacon Salad
Source: Adapted from KimJ on WEcooks, WEcooks

1 med Head of Broccoli- cut up in small pieces
½ Red Onion, cut in small pieces
4 strips Bacon, fried to crisp, crumbled
1 lg Carrot, diced in ¼” rounds
6 med Button Mushrooms sliced
½ c Craisins
Optional- raisins, sunflower seeds, nuts

Blanch the broccoli and set aside to cool. Boil the carrots in salt and pepper and brown sugar until tender. Set aside to cool. Sauté the mushrooms until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

When everything is cool, dice the onion. Place all vegetables, bacon and mushrooms in a bowl and toss lightly to combine. Add the Craisins and toss. Serve as a cold vegetable salad.

Idaho Salmon BBQ

07 Monday Sep 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Main Dish, Party Time, Things To Do

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Do you like salmon? We do … almost any way you can prepare it. Would you like to go to a Salmon BBQ? Well then, here is your opportunity to have some really great BBQ Salmon. From the Idaho Fish and Game, we received the following information:

Idaho Salmon and Steelhead Days Barbeque
Thursday September 10, 2009 — 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

This is the 13th Anniversary of Idaho Salmon and Steelhead Days. Enjoy a delicious salmon dinner donated by Fred Meyer and prepared by Murphy’s Seafood Bar & Grill, followed by some tasty ice cream provided and served by Goody’s Soda Fountain and Candy Store. Activities during the BBQ include live music, gyotaku fish printing and Kids In the Creek. The Nature Center stream walk will be open for viewing live Chinook salmon and kokanee salmon.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids (salmon dinner) and $3 for kids (hot dog dinner) and can be purchased at Fish and Game Headquarters in Boise at 600 S. Walnut St., beginning August 17, Monday through Friday, 8 am-5 pm or at the MK Nature Center (located behind the headquarters building) Tuesday through Friday, 9 am-5pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11 am-5 pm. Tickets are limited and sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you would like more information regarding this event contact Cass Meissner at 208-287-2901 or by email.

Date: Thursday September 10, 2009
Time: 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Cost: $ 10.00 adult, $ 5.00 kids (salmon dinner), and $3.00 (hot dog dinner)

There you go, so hope to see you at the party. Cheers!

Holesinsky Vineyards and Winery Grand Opening Celebration

06 Sunday Sep 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Photos, Smoking and Grilling, Things To Do, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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On 5 September, Robin and I took a “day trip” to visit the Holesinsky Winery in Buhl, Idaho for their Grand Opening. A great day trip. (Below are some photos) It was a good event and we also were able to taste some awesome wines. Here are the wines we had.
1. 2008 Riesling – German style fermentation in stainless steel fermented with special yeast to create a crisp, off-dry finish.
2. 2008 Rosé – Irrigated with lava filtered spring water and pressed one-half hour after crush. Syrah grapes were grown in rich, old soils. (1st In Class at the 2009 Idaho Wine Competition)
3. 2007 Merlot – An extended cold soak extracted complex flavors of the fruit leaving chocolate and raspberries on the palate.
4. 2007 Medley – A blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot compose this summer blend. Well rounded mouth feel leaves the taste of wild berries. High alcohol.
5. 2007 Syrah – Picked at the peak of ripeness. A gentle press in late November and then directly to French oak barrels.

Visit their web site Holesinsky Vineyards and Winery for more information and ordering info on these wines.

So who could ask for more? How about the appetizers: Fresh fruit, Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, a variety of cheeses and crackers, Ham, Roast Beef, Turkey, Shrimp, Artichoke Dip, Fresh Vegies, Olives and on and on!And yes, there was dinner: BBQ Pulled Pork, Pork Ribs, Beef, Beans, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Fresh Green Salad, Bread, Corn On the Cob and other drinks besides wine and beer.

Really a great day and we met some very interesting people, drank some awesome wines and ate and ate and ate and ate. But then the wines are made to be consumed with food. The more wine – The more food! Cheers!

What to do today? Wild Idaho Huckleberry Jam

30 Sunday Aug 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Recipe By: Bob Young, Side Dishes, Things To Do

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OK, so the storm last night really cooled things off. All doors and windows open. Fresh, cool air all around! So, what will I do? How about making some Idaho Wild Huckleberry Jam? Sounds good to me. (If you can not get huckleberries at $8.00 per pound, try wild blueberries or elderberries.) Here is the recipe I use.

Wild Idaho Huckleberry Jam

Bob and Robin Young, Boise, Idaho
Degree of Difficulty: Moderately difficult
Yield: 12 ½-Pint jars

Ingredients:
5 lbs Huckleberries, fresh
¼ t Baking Soda
8 c Sugar
2 pkg Sure-Jell
12 ½ pint Canning jars and lids, sterilized

Procedure:
1. Pick over the huckleberries to remove stems. Wash. Place in a 12 qt pot and bring level up to 12 cups using water if necessary.
2. Simmer for 35 minutes or until reduced to 10 cups.
3. Measure out sugar and set aside.
4. Add Sure-Jell and mix. Bring up to a full rolling boil and boil for 3 minutes (No Longer) stirring constantly.
5. Add the sugar all at once and stir to mix. Bring up to a rolling boil of 220°F and reduce mixture by ¼.
6. Place a dish in the freezer. Place about 1 t of the liquid on the plate and return to freezer. Check to see if the jam is thickening to your liking. If not, return to freezer for another 3 minutes. Repeat until you are satisfied that the jam is correct.
7. When correct, immediately remove from heat. Pour the jam into sterilized canning jars. Place lids and rings on. Hot pack for 12 minutes. Remove from water and let cool until you hear the lids “pop”.

Cooking Times:
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Inactive Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours and 20 minutes

So, there is the recipe. There is a hot link to the recipe if you want a hard copy. If you have not seen the movie, Julia and Julia, you really gotta see this one. Funny, very funny, informative, although I don’t know how historically accurate it is. But there are parts that are factual – Julia Child’s trying to get published and her stint at Le Cordon Bleu. It’s a very well done movie. Go prepared to laugh! Cheers!

Bistro Jeanty Tomato Soup

26 Wednesday Aug 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Main Dish, Recipe By: Bob Young

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You say you have far to many tomatoes in your garden? You say you don’t know what to do with about 2 1/2 pounds? Well, try this tomato soup. It is awesome!!

Bistro Jeanty Tomato Soup
Bistro Jeanty is a French restaurant.
6510 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599
(707) 944-0103

This is a published recipe from their web site, Bistro Jeanty

Ingredients:
· 2 1/2 lb. tomatoes – ripe, cored and quartered
· 1/2 cup butter – unsalted
· 1/2 lb. yellow onions – sliced
· 6 ea. garlic cloves
· 1/4 cup tomato paste
· 1 ea. bay leaf
· 1/2 tbl. whole black peppercorns
· 1 tsp. dried thyme
· 1 cup water (use only if tomatoes are not ripe and juicy)
· 4 cups heavy cream
· 1-2 tbl. butter
· salt – to taste
· 1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
· 1 lb. puff pastry – defrosted if frozen
· 1 ea. egg – beaten with 1 tbl. water

Directions:
1. Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Do not let the onions color. Add the tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and water if needed. Simmer over low heat for 30-40 minutes, until the tomatoes and onions are very soft. Puree in a blender (working in batches) or use a hand-held immersion blender; strain. Return the soup to the pot. Add the cream, salt, white pepper and the remaining 1-2 tbl. of butter to taste. Bring soup back to boil.

2. Let the soup cool for 2 hours or overnight (in the refrigerator).

3. Divide among six 8-ounce soup cups or bowls. Roll out the puff pastry to 1/4 inch. Cut 6 rounds slightly larger than your cups or bowls. Paint the dough with the egg wash and turn the circles egg-wash side down over the tops of the cups, pulling lightly on the sides to make the dough tight like a drum.

4. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

5. Lightly paint the top of the dough rounds with egg wash without pushing the dough down. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the dough is golden brown. Do not open the oven door in the first few minutes or the dough will fall.

6. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Ah, no one said it was healthy. Just said it is awesomely good! Cheers! Here is an Instructional Video or a How-To Video on making the soup. Enjoy!

26 Wednesday Aug 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Dessert, Food Prep, Party Time

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It’s always nice to have people ask to post their recipes that they submit to us. Here is one from Helen (Kate) Sudmeir for Lemon Dessert. It really looks good.

“Mix 1 qt yogurt ‘ice cream’ (left out for 15-20 minutes) and 6 oz frozen lemonade thawed together and put in crust.

FREEZE at least 4 hours.

Top with whipped cream, a mint leaf and a twist of lemon and Voila! A wonderful, refreshing dessert.

I had a little of the filling left over so I put it in a dessert dish and froze it for a future easy dessert.”

Now that looks good, quick and refreshing. Cheers!

Edwards Greenhouse Tuesday Market

26 Wednesday Aug 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Local Farmers Markets, Local Markets, Party Time, Photos, Things To Do, Wine and Food

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Seems like every Tuesday from 5:30pm until dark, Edwards Greenhouse has a Market where you can purchase fresh and local produce and food products. Fact is, this would make a very enjoyable evening; Listen to a variety of music, visit the 12 or so booths, maybe purchase a dinner and some wine or bring your own picnic, lawn chairs and relax. Here are some photos. Enjoy.

Click to play this Smilebox slideshow: Edwards Greenhouse 1

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Cheers!

Saturday Market Dinner

23 Sunday Aug 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Local Farmers Markets, Main Dish, Photos, Things To Do

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The summer in Boise is just sooooo delicious! The Saturday Market is the most popular, but there also a Thursday Market in Boise. Other towns around Boise also have their market where one can pick up some really good and fresh vegetables and other products: Meridian, Nampa, Kuna to name a few. It’s important that we support these “local markets” – Think Local – Buy Local.

Dinner with some of the Market products –

Fresh Orange Beet and Cantaloupe Salad

Grilled Tomato with Basil and Parmesan Cheese

Grilled Squash

Grilled Salmon

Fun to make, fun to look at with all the colors and definitely fun to eat.

Sauerkraut

21 Friday Aug 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Recipes, Things To Do

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OK. Now I know full well that some of you either have, or have access to cabbage …. and a lot of it. And I know, too, that most of you like pork! Besides mashed potatoes, sage and applesauce is made for pork? Sauerkraut! But not the commercial stuff. Try making your own with the excess cabbage that you have. Here are two suggestions from Seeds-of-Change Blog:

1. My great great grandmother would put her cabbage in a big tin wash bathtub. They didn’t have bathrooms in their house back then, and chopped the cabbage with a rounded type knife. She would add salt, a little sugar and some batches had hot peppers. When it was chopped, she would pack her mason jars with the mixture, capped them and they would spend the rest of the summer in the barn. The fermentation would take place and preserve the cabbage until it became sauerkraut. I don’t know anything but this and I eat this and have no adverse reactions to this type of canning process. The jars that do not seal are thrown out. The rest is sauerkraut that is out of this world good!

2. you need a large crock…like a butter churn.
put a layer of salt in the bottom of the churn, lay in a layer of shreaded cabbage then a layer of salt and so on until the churn is almost full. You need to put a plate with a rock on it on the top of the cabbage to press the cabbage down and make it stay submerged in the water that will develop in the churn..Make sure as the moisture is released from the cabbage that it stays totally under the water that seeps from the cabbage. In nine days you can can it just like you would do any other veggie.

Have fun with these. I have done sauerkraut, but also add a little caraway seed. See ya! Cheers!