COOKBOOK PROJECT: Rosemary-Peach Bruschetta Chicken

Rosemary-Peach Bruschetta Chicken

 This latest recipe I tried was an interesting one. I've never combined peaches with bacon in a dinner before. This dish also included rosemary, lemon, shallots, mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes along with the bacon and peaches. 

Chicken in skillet

This recipe was easy to make. I love any recipe that I can use in my cast iron skillet. I would definitely make the rosemary chicken again, but I doubt I will make it with the mozzarella balls. I know this recipe is called "Bruschetta Chicken", but I found the melted mozzarella to be too messy, so I will not include it the next time I make this dish. 

Chicken in oven

Ok, now I'm off to find the next recipe to make from Tieghan Gerard's Half Baked Harvest Super Simple cookbook!

FOOD EVENT: Dine Around Seattle

The bi-annual dining promotion Dine Around Seattle is here again! Some of the area's best restaurants offer up a 3-course prix-fixe menu for only $33! Some even offer a 3-course lunch for only $18! It takes place all during the month of March, Sundays through Thursdays, excluding Sunday Brunch and Holidays.

Check out their website for a full listing of all the participating restaurants.


  

HOLIDAY: Thanksgiving 2014

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's all about family, friends, food, and of course football! Oh, and giving thanks for all that we have. There is nothing better than stuffing your face with a great turkey dinner, devouring a couple pieces of pie, downing a few too many glasses of wine, and then taking a nice, long tryptophan-induced nap before watching the Seattle Seahawks defeat the San Francisco 49ers! That is what I call the perfect Thanksgiving Day!

Are you the lucky one hosting a Thanksgiving dinner this year? Or are you invited to your friend's or family's house for dinner? Either way, I scoured the internet to find some great recipes to help make this year's Thanksgiving dinner a delicious feast!

Turkey
Perfect Roast Turkey - By Ina Garten from Food Network
Roast Turkey with Cornbread Dressing - By LouElla Hill from Saveur
Dry-Brined Turkey - By Russ Parsons from FOOD52

Stuffing
Chorizo and Collard Green Dressing - By Patrick and Gina Neely from Food Network
Essential Thanksgiving Herbed Stuffing - By Kelsey Nixon from the Cooking Channel
Wild Mushroom Whole Wheat Stuffing with Tarragon - By Barbara Lynch from Food and Wine

Potatoes
Sweet Potato Casserole - By Southern Living from MyRecipes.com
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes - By Martha Stewart from MarthaStewart.com
Yukon Gold Potato and Wild Mushroom Gratin - By Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier from Bon Appetit

Cranberry Sauce
Simple Cranberry Sauce - By Betty Crocker from BettyCrocker.com
Cranberry Apple Chutney - By Martha Stewart from MarthaStewart.com
Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Sauce - By Aaron McCargo Jr. from Food Network

Pies
The Great Pumpkin Pie Recipe - By Sally from Sally'sBakingAddiction.com
Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie - By Andrea Albin from Epicurious.com
Dutch Apple Pie with Oatmeal Streusel - By Ginny from Allrecipes.com

I hope some of those recipes help! Have a great Thanksgiving! I hope it's filled with good company, delicious food, and a Seahawks win!!

TRAVEL: Chow Down Seattle Visits Peru!

Machu Picchu, Peru

A little over a month ago I traveled to South America with two of my good friends. The first country we visited was Peru. We had a short flight from Seattle to LAX. Then we had a long flight to Lima, Peru. After getting our luggage, we checked in to our next flight to Cusco, Peru. We weren't done yet. We then had a private car take us to Urubamba, where we spent two nights. Urubamba is located an hour from Cusco and is the largest town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It is about an hour and a half from Machu Picchu.

We stayed at Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa. It's a beautiful resort with a great restaurant. The rooms and the amenities were amazing! The night before our trip to Machu Picchu we had a great dinner at Hawa, the resort's restaurant. They use organic ingredients from neighboring farmers. The chefs prepare traditional Incan fare with a contemporary spin. I started my dinner with a glass of Peruvian wine from Tabernero Winery, Gran Tinto Fina Reserva. We were given a complimentary amuse bouche of sushi. It was delicious!

Sushi Amuse Bouche

For my dinner, I ordered chicken cooked vacuum packed, smoked with Muna and fine herbs, served with butternut squash puree, caramelized baby vegetables and Muna sauce. Everything about this meal was delicious!

Chicken with vegetables and Muna sauce

For dessert, I order a dish with chocolate cake, ice cream and caramel sauce. It tasted amazing!

Caramel sauce, ice cream and chocolate cake

We were also treated to some complimentary Peruvian cookies.

Peruvian Cookies

Below is a picture of the beautiful Hawa Restaurant at Tambo del Inka. The huge fireplace is the centerpiece of the restaurant, along with the amazing wood beams that mimic the shape of a tree. The service at Hawa was outstanding.

Hawa Restaurant at Tambo del Inka

Beef Tenderloin with Rice and Fries

For dinner the second night, I had the Beef Tenderloin with Rice and Fries. This was my favorite of the two dinners. The beef was tender and delicious, and the sauce was perfect to dip the fries into.

Peruvian Chocolates

We were treated to some complimentary Peruvian Chocolates that resembles the Andes Mountains. They too were delicious!

After two great nights in Urubamba, we traveled to Cusco for one night. Cusco is located in southeastern Peru and it is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. It was the site of the historic capital of the Inca Empire. One thing you do have to watch out for when visiting Cusco is altitude sickness. The city's elevation is at 11,200 feet. I definitely felt the elevation as it was hard to breath at times. One thing Cusco does have is great food! We stayed at the Palacio del Inka, another Luxury Collection Hotel. It was a beautiful hotel. We had dinner at the Inti Raymi Restaurant. They are well known for using local Andean ingredients that include Quinoa to a vast array of potatoes and vegetables from the Sacred Valley.

Dining Room at Inti Raymi Restaurant

We were seated in a small dining room in part of the restaurant that only contained four tables. The hotel is built on old Inca ruins over 500 years old.

Alpaca Tartar

We were treated to a complimentary Alpaca Tartar with mushrooms and vegetables. I was hesitant to try raw Alpaca meat, especially since Alpaca are cure furry animals, but it honestly was delicious.

Tagliatelle with Beef Sauteed, Creole Style

My main entree was Tagliatelle with Beef Sauteed, Creole Style. It was served with cooked tomatoes and onions. This was truly a delicious dish! The beef was seasoned perfectly.

Needless to say, I loved my meal.

Assortment of Peruvian Chocolates

We again were treated to some complimentary Peruvian Chocolates. They just love giving away their chocolates!

Various vegetables from Peru.

Various vegetables from Peru.

Peruvians are very proud of their food. Next to our dining room was another larger dining area that had two large tables displaying native Peruvian foods. On display were various types of potatoes, Quinoa, Lima beans, Caigua (a vegetable with a cucumber taste), corn and rice. One thing that I didn't know is that the potato is native to Peru. I have to also mention that the service at the Inti Raymi Restaurant was amazing! I could eat here every night!

Cusco

The flags of Peru and Cusco.

Peruvian Bakery in Cusco.

Ricuras Bakery

I highly recommend visiting Peru to take in Machu Picchu and all of the natural beauty of the Andes Mountains. The food is amazing and the people are very friendly and welcoming.

Next week I will write about our stay in Santiago, Chile and the food we experienced there. Stay tuned!

FOOD EVENT: Dine Around Seattle

We're very fortunate to live in a city with great restaurants. The food scene has exploded over the past several years. Last month was Seattle Restaurant Week and now in the month of November, it's the bi-annual dining event Dine Around Seattle! Participating restaurants off a 3-course prix-fixe dinner menu including appetizer, entree and dessert for only $33! 3-course lunches are offered at some restaurants for only $18! Just like Seattle Restaurant Week, Dine Around Seattle offers the opportunity to try out restaurants at a great price. Dine Around Seattle gives you an entire month to head out and try as many restaurants as you can. So make a list, loosen your belt and get eating!

Dine Around Seattle takes place November 2nd - 30th, Sundays through Thursdays, excluding Sunday Brunch and Holidays.

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FOOD REVIEW: Manhattan

Over the weekend I paid a visit to Manhattan on Capitol Hill for dinner with some friends. Manhattan is located on 12th Avenue between Madison and Pike. As the name implies, the food is inspired by the east coast.

Manhattan has a craft cocktail bar that serves classic drinks as well as their own signature cocktails. I ordered a Salted Caramel Apple cocktail that was very tasty! It's vodka, apple liqueur, lime juice with a sweet and salty caramel rim. This cocktail was like drinking dessert! I loved the caramel around the rim of the glass, and it was the perfect combo to the taste of the apple and lime. The cherry in the glass was perfect contrast to the beautiful color of the cocktail. I also tried the Manhattan(2). It is a twist on the classic with rye, punt e mes (Italian Vermouth), peychaud's (bitters), orange bitter and served with an orange twist. Strong, but tasty!

Manhattan offers a good selection of food on their menu, from seared scallops, to fried chicken, to filet mignon. I went with the Grilled Duck Breast. This was served with grits, brown butter and sage, seasonal vegetables (carrots, asparagus, squash), and red wine sauce. The duck breast was beautifully served pre-sliced on an island of grits surrounded by red wine sauce. The duck was cooked perfectly. The skin was nice and crispy and beautifully scored. It was tender and juicy, and the perfect bite included the duck with some grits dipped in the red wine sauce! There was even some thought placed in the presentation of the seasonal vegetables. Cut to nice bite-sized portions and perfectly prepared.

As you can see from my empty plate, I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner!

 I really like the interior of Manhattan. We were seated in one of the booths located along the wall opposite the bar. There are tables through the middle of the restaurant, as well as tables with bench and chair seating near the front of the restaurant. The big orange wall behind the bar glows in the back light, as the rest of the restaurant is lit with different alternating vintage looking chandeliers. The decor is definitely chic, but comfy. On my next visit, I would love to just sit at the bar and try some of their other signature cocktails and some more of their delicious food.

Manhattan has two tufted walls with the others covered in patterned and textured wallpaper. The entrance to the restrooms is draped off with dramatic, heavy curtains.

Manhattan is also taking part in the Sunset Supper at Pike Place Market on August 15th. Check out my previous post about the Supper, or go to The Pike Place Market Foundation website for more info.

TRAVEL: New Orleans

Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's

A little while ago I went to New Orleans with some friends for the weekend. I love New Orleans. It's one of my favorite cities. I love the history, the architecture, the food, and their drinks! I can do without the humidity, but that just makes the drinks taste that much more refreshing. It was my best friend's birthday, so we started the celebration by having some drinks at one of our favorite spots, Pat O'Brien's. My favorite drink at Pat O'Brien's is their Hurricane. It tastes just like fruit punch and they go down easy. Almost too easy.

Pat O'Brien's Rainbow and Planters Punch

Some other drinks we had at Pat O'Brien's were the Rainbow and Planters Punch. The Rainbow is a colorful drink of Grenadine, Vodka, Blue Curaçao and Pat O’Brien’s® Sweet & Sour Mix. Pat O'Brien's has a large selection of other great drinks that will quench any thirst on a hot summer evening.

Creole Trio at Desire Bistro and Oyster Bar

For dinner we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Desire Bistro and Oyster Bar at the Royal Sonesta Hotel. I couldn't decide on just one dish, so I ordered the Creole Trio. It's a combination platter of gumbo, jambalaya, and red beans and rice with smoked sausage. It all tasted great!

Andouille Hash at Vacherie

 After a good night of great food and drinks, we had breakfast at Vacherie on Toulouse Street at the corner of Dauphine. I ordered the Andouille Hash. It comes with local Andouille sausage, diced potatoes, diced onions, red peppers, green onions, topped with poached eggs and Hollandaise. I ordered a fresh biscuit on the side. I love Andouille sausage, and this hash tasted like authentic New Orleans.

Beignets at Cafe Du Monde

You can't visit New Orleans without stopping by the famous Cafe Du Monde. You have to try their Beignets. They are square French-style doughnuts. They can be ordered plain, or as most do, covered with heaps of powdered sugar. Be prepared to have your face and most of your clothes covered in powdered sugar! The original Cafe Du Monde coffee stand was established in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market. The Cafe is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Pimm's Cup at Cafe Amelie

Another one of our favorite places in New Orleans is Cafe Amelie. It is located in the historic 150-year-old Princess of Monaco Courtyard and Carriage House on Royal Street. It has a beautiful courtyard for dining, and a great bar that serves a delicious Pimm's Cup. Like the Hurricane, a Pimm's Cup is very refreshing on a hot summer day.

Bloody Mary at Touche Bar

After breakfast, we strolled around the French Quarter and popped into the Touche Bar for a Bloody Mary. The Bloody Mary was tasty with just the right amount of spice. It was the perfect drink before heading back to the airport to catch our flight back to Seattle. If you haven't been to New Orleans, I highly recommend it. The city is rich in history and has a long history of great food. I hope to visit back again to try even more great food!

FOOD REVIEW: Loulay Kitchen and Bar

Loulay sign above kitchen.

It was my birthday recently and for my Birthday dinner, my friends took me out to eat at Loulay Kitchen and Bar, Thierry Rautureau's newest restaurant in downtown Seattle. I'm a big fan of Chef Rautureau's other restaurant, Luc in Madison Valley, so I was excited to try out his latest restaurant. Loulay is named for chef Thierry Rautureau's hometown of Saint Hilaire de Loulay in France. The restaurant is located at Sixth and Union on the Sheraton Hotel block.

Huge mirror and lights at Loulay.

The interior of the restaurant is very spacious. There is seating at the chef's counter, similar to Chef Rautureau's other restaurant, Luc. There are high-backed booths and tables in the main dining area on the first level, as well as, a 24-seat bar area. There is a balcony area that gives a perfect bird's-eye-view of the kitchen and main dining area. There is also a mezzanine level that seats about 30 diners and can be used for private parties.

View of dining area from balcony at Loulay.

I loved the energy of the restaurant. All areas were full of diners enjoying their food and wine. I can easily see Loulay becoming one of my favorite Seattle restaurants.

Amuse Bouche of Ceviche on toasted baguette.

Almost as soon as we sat down in our booth, we were greeted by Chef Thierry Rautureau himself! Thierry is well-known to visit with guests at his restaurants. He loves to chat with his patrons and get to know them. I've had the pleasure of talking to Chef Rautureau at Luc, and I was very pleased to see him yet again at Loulay. He mentioned that everything on the menu was delicious, and after looking it over, I agree, it all sounded very good.

Appetizers of Beet Salad, Duck Sliders, and Crab Beignets.

For a started, we were treated to an Amuse Bouche of Ceviche on a toasted baguette. It was the perfect little starter to what would be a most enjoyable dining experience. For our appetizers, we ordered the Beet Salad, Duck Sliders, and the Crab Beignets. All of which were spot-on and delicious.

Lamb and Polenta

For my main course, I chose the Lamb and Polenta. As expected, I was not disappointed. The lamb was tender and the delicious sauce gave the dish so much flavor.

Beignets with sour apples, malt ice cream, and caramel.

For dessert, we ordered the Beignets with sour apples, malt ice cream and caramel. The powdered beignets were reminiscent of the ones I've tried at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. 

Chocolate Truffle Cake with a praline bar, lemon cremeux, roasted white chocolate ice milk.

I also ordered the Chocolate Truffle Cake. It was complete with a praline bar, lemon cremeux and roasted white chocolate ice milk. This dessert was the perfect finish to an amazing night of delicious food.

It was a pleasure meeting The Chef in the Hat, Thierry Rautureau.

Chef Rautureau was nice enough to take a picture with us. He is an amazing Chef and I wish him all the best with Loulay. I will definitely be back for many visits.