Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Insolent Chocolate

Knowing how much I like European chocolates, Ryan brought me home a box:
of Ukrainian Luxury Handmade Chocolates. I don't even have to share...

Upon opening the box, I'm greeted with the usual "Our chocolates are the best" statement. And an interesting word usage pops out at me.


It probably works in Ukrainian, but somehow, I don't think they really meant to describe their superior chocolate making process as insolence.

from dictionary.com :

insolence [in-suh-luhns] -noun

1. contemptuously rude or impertinent behavior or speech.
2. the quality or condition of being insolent.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Restaurant Review: Boise Fry Company

Roderic, Clara and Hyrum after eating their fill of fries.

When coupons came in the mail for a restaurant that specializes in fries and makes burgers on the side, I was intrigued. The coupons didn't say exactly what to expect, just that they serve different kinds of fries - sweet potato, Russet, Yukon Gold, etc. Being pregnant and sensitive to getting cravings based on suggestions, I decided I had to try it out. I dragged Stacy (OK she drove, but I invited her!) along and we took ourselves and our combined 4 children on an outing to Boise Fry Co.

Let me say right off that this is not a restaurant that caters to children. At. All. It only had 2 tables that would sit the 6 of us and they were both bar height. The only kid friendly (or pregnant lady friendly) drinks they offered were milkshakes and Sierra Mist.

The staff was very friendly in explaining our options for fries. There were more than 15 different kinds of fries offered. Shoestring, curly, home style and regular were the cuts. Russet, Gold, Purple, Sweet, Yam, White were the potato choices. I ordered Home style Russet and Curly Purple to try. They were tasty. The condiments bar was a lot of fun: Ketchup, Fry Sauce, Blueberry Ketchup, Roasted Garlic and Mayo, and Teriyaki.

The burgers were HUGE. Stacy and I could have gotten away with ordering one burger for the 4 kids to share.

Will I go again? Perhaps with adults only. Do I recommend it to you? Yes I do, but take a coupon with you!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Days of Thanksgiving 12

1. I am thankful for adventurous children when it comes to trying new foods (occasionally, at least). Tonight they all tried Pumpkin soup and were pleased that it tasted good!

Soup is cooked and served in the pumpkin.

2. I am thankful for naps. I wish I had them more often.

3. I am thankful that Ryan found the lost camera tonight. It feels good to be able to take pictures again.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

A Taste of Heaven


If you want heaven in a cup, may I recommend a Mango Smoothie from Jack In the Box. I've now enjoyed one 3 times. It is truly divine. Check out their website here for a coupon and a better picture!

Friday, September 28, 2007

Apple Pie

What's more American than Apple Pie in September?

Two weeks ago I took a drive out to Williamson Orchards in Caldwell to buy 6 boxes of peaches (22 lbs. per box) in order to put up peaches with Susie. [We wanted Elberta peaches, but they were sold out for the season, so I got Snow King peaches instead, which have white meat. In the jars, they look like pears.] We each wanted to have 30 quarts of peaches and according to the Ball Blue Book, we'd need about 120 lbs. of peaches. After one long day of canning, we had 56 quarts (3 jars had broken), and 2 full boxes of peaches left. We were out of "Fruit Fresh" and energy, so we resolved to finish the rest the next week. Little did we know that my boys would get sick, family would come into town, and "Fruit Fresh" was sold out at every store in the vicinity. Before we got back to them, the peaches were rotten. Susie says she has pictures she'll post to her blog. Here they are.

Anyhow, while I was at the orchard, I also bought a box (22 lbs.) of Gala apples. I was intending that our family would eat them, but we haven't been doing it as quickly as needed, so yesterday I decided to put up apple pie filling so that we wouldn't end up with a half-box of rotten apples. This morning, I canned 6 quarts, 1 pint, made 2 Dutch crumb apple pies (thanks to Susie for the pie crusts), and one apple crisp for Ryan to take to the scout campout tonight. Yum!

Now I have to go make the Amish Friendship bread that my sister Milaka sent to me with my mom last week. I have 2 starts to work with because my sister, Shanda, didn't take hers home with her. Can I interest anyone in a start?

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Food, Glorious Food!

On Friday night we ate dinner on the "Pannenkoekenboot" (translation: The Pancake Boat). We got a tour of the Rotterdam harbor and ate all the pancakes we could eat for 1 hour. The pancakes are thin like crepes and you put on them any kind of topping you want: meats, cheeses, boiled eggs, chocolates, syrups, fruits, etc. It was delicious.

Ryan eats one last pancake before the boat docks.

Poffertjes. Delicious silver dollar sized fluffy pancakes served with butter and powdered sugar (also whipping cream and strawberries). I bought Ryan a pan that can cook these for Father's Day in 2004. We've made them for dinner a few times and they are tasty. However, from this street vendor, they were heavenly!

Quarter Chicken and frittes. FYI, they eat fries with mayonnaise or with "American Frittes Sauce" which consists of mayo, mustard and dill. Have you ever eaten fries with that?

Stuffed Sol and Frittes.

For lunch most every day, we ate cheese sandwiches - I loved it. Gouda and Edam cheeses are delicious!
For breakfasts, we ate a variety of foods, including bread with butter and sprinkles that you eat with fork and a knife. They come in chocolate and fruity flavors. I've found this online store that will sell them to you if you want to give it a try. Sabrina loves this as an after-school snack.


Sunday, April 1, 2007

Green and Purple Pancakes




A few days ago, I was telling my family about a St. Patrick's Day Breakfast treat that the Kellis Family tried this year... Green Pancakes. Ryan must have been intrigued and thought it would be good for an April Fool's breakfast, because this morning I awoke to green and purple pancakes. They tasted delicious!
And this is not an April Fools Joke!

Monday, January 1, 2007

Favorite Recipes

Sometimes when I cook, a recipe turns out exceptionally well. In this post, I'm going to put in those recipes for posterity. Adding whenever another one comes along.

9/22/08

Creamy Black Beans and Chicken Salsa
(modified from Heidi Rogers' recipe)


2-3 boneless-skinless chicken breasts
1 cup broth
1 cup salsa
1 can corn, drained
4 cups of cooked black beans (2 cans)
1 teas. corriander
1 teas. cumin
1 1/2 teas. chili powder
1 garlic clove, minced

Combine all of this in your crockpot and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. During the last half hour, stir in 1/2 cup sour cream.

Serve in flour tortillas with tomato, spinach, and cheese. OR Serve with corn chips.

3/11/08
Roasted Herbed Potatoes


1 lb. small red potatoes, washed well
3 T olive oil
1/2 t black pepper
1 t salt
1 t parsley
1/2 t rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut potatoes into wedges. Mix all other ingredients in a large bowl, then add potatoes and toss. Arrange in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cook for 25-30 minutes turning over once half-way through cooking for best browning.

1/27/08
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 t. water
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
3 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. chocolate chips

Blend butter with sugars and egg. Add vanilla, water, salt and baking soda and mix well. Add flour, one cup at a time. Add chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

12/7/07
Chocolate Cake for Ryan's birthday



1 chocolate cake mix
3.4 oz. chocolate pudding mix
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. warm water
1/3 c. oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Blend together for 2 minutes on medium, then 3 more minutes on high. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes in a bundt pan or 40-45 minutes in 2 9" round pans. Let cool. Frost with cool whip and top with your favorite berry.

February 2006:
Olympic Cookies


This tradition started with the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. We make sugar cookie dough. Cut out flag shapes and then decorate them as international flags. Now we do this once during the Olympic games.

9/25/2005
Butternut Squash with Cinnamon Soup

2 T olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" chunks
1 large onion
1T butter
1 large pinch sugar
3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cloves
1/8 t cayenne pepper (it was a bit too spicy, so we won't use this again)
3 cups chicken broth
1 to 1 1/2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep sauté pan until shimmering. Add squash, then onion; sauté stirring very little at first, then more frequently, until squash starts to turn golden brown, 7-8 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar and garlic; keep cooking until squash is a rich spotty caramel color, about 10 more minutes. Add dried herbs and/or spices; continue to sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Using a blender, purée until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If using a traditional blender, vent it either by removing the lid's pop-out center or by lifting one edge opf the lid. To "clean" the cannister, pour in a little half-and-half, blend briefly, then add to the soup.)

Return to pan (or soup pot); add enough half-and-half so the mixture is souplike, yet thick enough to float garnish. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Heat through, ladle into bowls, garnish and serve.

Makes 6-7 cups of soup.
This night we served it with Salmon, pumpernickel bread and grape juice.