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Runaway Stage Production’s Avenue Q Opens March 8 at New Venue

I’m so excited to see a local production of Avenue Q! Here’s a press release from my friends at Runaway Stage Productions. -cg

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Runaway Stage Production’s Avenue Q Opens March 8 at New Venue

SACRAMENTO— The smash-hit Broadway musical and 2004 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Avenue Q comes to the Black Box Theatre at the West Sacramento Community Center March 8. Black Box is a new venue for Runaway Stage Productions, special to this production only. RSP has also added additional performances on Saturdays and Sundays for Avenue Q.

The Black Box Theatre offers a state of the art production venue which will improve the production values for this production: better lights, sound, restrooms, food and drink, heating & cooling, dressing rooms, etc,” RSP Producing Director and Avenue Q Director Bob Baxter said.

Avenue Q, the musical that Entertainment Weekly called “one of the funniest shows you’re likely to see,” revolves around life in New York City as told by a cast of puppets, and people, through a hilariously irreverent Tony-winning book and score.

Avenue Q tells the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who moves to NYC with big dreams and a tiny bank account.  The only apartment he can afford is way out on Avenue Q, where everyone’s looking for the same things he is: a decent job, a stable relationship, and a “purpose.”  Eventually, Princeton learns to embrace the ups and downs of city life and realizes that “the real world” isn’t so bad, after all!

“Avenue Q speaks to adult audiences on love, maturing, living life in the real world, and social issues in a hilarious way,” Baxter said. “The puppet characters can say and do things that humans can’t, and the audience will enjoy the puppets and listen and be open to the topics more readily. It is an innovative way to bring the ideas to the audience. Not to mention that is an extremely clever, fun and enjoyable show.”

The RSP Resident Orchestra moves with a talented cast to The West Sacramento Community Center Black Box Theatre, located at 1075 West Capitol Ave. in West Sacramento. The show runs two hours with a 15-minute intermission. Due to adult situations (like full-puppet nudity), Avenue Q may be inappropriate for kids under 13. Parental Advisory: 80% Tony-Winning Hilarity, 10% Adult Situations and 10% Foam Rubber. Avenue Q has not been authorized or approve in any manner by the Jim Henson Company or Sesame Workshop, which have no responsibility for its content.

Avenue Q performs Thursdays and Fridays at 8 .m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. 3/8-3/31, 2013. TICKETS — Opening Night – $19; Adults – $25; Seniors (60+) – $23; Students/SARTA – $21; Children (12 & under) – $18; Groups of 10+ – $19 each. Tickets can be purchased online at www.runawaystage.com (reservation convenience fees apply) or at the door. For further information or questions please call the box office at (916) 207-1226.  Free parking is available.

You can find Runaway Stage Productions on Facebook here.

Posted by  |  February 27, 2013 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Primal-Friendly Gluten-Free Bleu Cheese Pecan Bread

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If you never make anything else from this website, make this recipe. It is a spin on an old recipe I used to make called “crack bread”. I call it that because it will turn you into an addict. 😉 If you don’t mind eating wheat or sugar, you can look up & make the old recipe here. If you’re ready to have an amazing Primal-friendly meal, (with way less calories) read on:

I came up with the old recipe after tasting an appetizer called Billy Blue Bread at The Owl Grill in Grass Valley. It’s still on the menu there, but since I have cut wheat and sugar from my diet, I wouldn’t dare indulge. Instead, I tweaked my old recipe to make it gluten free and so that no added sugar is necessary! I even ditched the butter in the new recipe and replaced with with an onion “jam” of sorts. There’s so much flavor in the onion “jam”, you won’t miss the butter.

Special products I used in this recipe include Extra Virgin Olive Oil (everyday variety) made by California Olive Ranch and Pamela’s Products Gluten Free Artisan Flour Blend. I’d like to thank both companies for sending me product samples. If you want to be truly primal, you can leave out the gluten-free flour blend (it contains rice), but I recommend leaving it in the recipe to help give your bread a better texture. It’s a really great product.

Primal-Friendly Gluten-Free Bleu Cheese Pecan Bread with Balsamic Reduction
Before you begin, you’ll want to line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and toast and chop your pecans so they are both ready to use. Also, if you don’t want to hassle with making a balsamic reduction, there are several you can buy to use instead.

For the Cauliflower Bread
2 heads of cauliflower
4 eggs
4 egg whites
1/3 cup almond meal
1/4 cup Pamela’s Products Gluten Free Artisan Flour Blend
1 Tbs California Olive Ranch Olive Oil
pinch salt

Prepare: Preheat oven to 375°. Cook cauliflower either by boiling it or microwaving until it is almost falling apart. Allow to cool and then place in a food processor. Pulse the cauliflower with the eggs until completely smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the almond meal, the flour blend, and salt. Stir until completely blended and spread on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in oven until golden brown and bread has set completely. (About 30 minutes). While bread is in the oven, you can prepare the onion jam.

For the Onion Jam
3 large red onions
1-2 Tbs olive oil (I used California Ranch Olive Oil)
1 tbs minced garlic
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
pinch salt

Slice onions and sauté in 1-2 Tbs olive oil. Add the salt. When the onions turn translucent, add the balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking slowly until onions caramelize, then add the garlic at the end. Incorporate fully until the onions are cooked. This should take about the same time the bread will take to bake. When the onions are finished, allow to cool a bit and then place them in a food processor. Pulse the mixture until it turns into a paste or “jam”. Set aside. At this point, the bread should be ready to remove from the oven. Now you’re ready to make the balsamic reduction.

For the Balsamic Reduction
2 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar

In a saucepan, heat the vinegar until it is simmering and reduce it until it is the consistency of molasses. This will take about 20 minutes. You will be looking for something thick and viscous that will stick to the back of a spoon.

For the Finished Product
3/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Keep oven temperature at 375°.
Spread the onion jam over the bread, and top with 3/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese crumbles, then sprinkle the pecans over that.

Place bread back in oven, and bake for 10 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Then, drizzle the reduction over the bread. Serve immediately with a big glass of merlot! 🙂 Also, I really enjoy dipping the bread in the Arbequena variety of oil that California Olive Ranch makes.

You can find California Olive Ranch on Facebook here and on Twitter here. Pamela’s Products Facebook page is here and follow them on twitter here.

Posted by  |  February 25, 2013 | Categories: Recipes, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Grilled Monkfish Medallions with Mustard featuring Tazah Extra Virgin Olive Oil

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Today’s recipe is from The New York Times Wine Club website and was brought to you by the makers of Tazah Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We were introduced to Tazah at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Andy coordinated the product sample at the show, picked the monkfish recipe, and even prepared it for us. I didn’t have to do anything but smile and pose with the bottle of Tazah Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Sometimes I have it pretty easy. The recipe is fantastic and Tazah Extra Virgin Olive Oil is versatile enough to use in a recipe and also use in a salad dressing (which we also did the very same evening).

One of the photos is the monkfish with the marinade, and the finished plate includes one of our favorite sides: parsnip chips, sautéed eggplant (both prepared with Tazah Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and a garnish of kiwi. I was really impressed with Andy’s cooking (he’s above average to start, especially when preparing meat, but this time was a real treat!!). The meal turned out so great! The flavor component that is key is the orange zest. It really amplifies the flavor of the sauce.

To make this recipe completely paleo you can use coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.

Grilled Monkfish Medallions with Mustard

Ingredients
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 thick slices of monkfish, each about 6 ounces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Grated zest of 1 orange

Directions
Combine the mustard, orange juice and soy sauce with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Beat well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place monkfish in a glass or ceramic dish and pour 6 tablespoons of mustard mixture over fish, turning each piece to coat both sides. Set aside at room temperature.

Preheat a grill or broiler.

While the grill is preheating, place the remaining olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden. Stir in the grated orange zest and the remaining mustard mixture. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Grill or broil the monkfish 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Briefly reheat the sauce to a simmer, stir it and spoon it over the fish.

For more information on Tazah, you can call (323) 664-8956 and find them on Facebook here.

Posted by  |  February 22, 2013 | Categories: Recipes | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Little Soya Gluten Free Soy Sauce

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OK, so I know soy and soy products are not considered paleo or primal, but I found a gluten-free, non-GMO soy sauce I love and want to tell you all about.

Little Soya meets all FDA standards for labeling as a gluten-free product.  Each batch of soy sauce they produce is tested twice by separate labs to ensure our results are accurate. Also, Little Soya contains no MSG!

Little Soya also contains 45% less sodium than then leading brand on the market. Their lower sodium content makes a great salt substitute in many of your favorite recipes. Their fun, fish-shaped containers are re-sealable and recyclable!

I used Little Soya in a mixed vegetable stir fry recently and here’s how I seasoned the vegetables:

Little Soya Stir Fry:
4 cups mixed chopped vegetables
1/2 cup LIttle Soya Soy Suace
1 Tbs fresh crushed ginger
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp five spice powder
1 Tbs crushed garlic
1 Tbs honey

Combine the soy sauce, ginger, red pepper flakes, five spice powder, garlic and honey. Set aside. Heat 1-2 Tbs oil in a wok or large sauté pan and sauté vegetables until tender. Pour sauce over the vegetables and heat through. So simple and delicious!

You can find Little Soya on Facebook here and on twitter here. You can order Little Soya online from Amazon here.

Posted by  |  February 21, 2013 | Categories: Recipes, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Whole Foods Market & Cook Taste Eat Blogger Contest: Chocolate & Cinnamon Pepita Butter Ice Cream

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Whole Foods Market and Cook Taste Eat, a website created by Michael Mina and fellow foodie friends dedicated to helping everyone cook and eat better, have teamed up to offer food bloggers across the Continental U.S. the opportunity to become a Cook Taste Eat TV star.

This is my entry for the contest. It’s a dessert to celebrate Cinco de Mayo using Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value™ Coconut Milk.

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Chocolate & Cinnamon Pepita Butter Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks

I used cinnamon and pepitas to incorporate classic Mexican ingredients in my recipe. I also featured Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value™ Coconut Milk as one of the main ingredients instead of using milk or cream. I used a Patron tequila liqueur to flavor the ice cream. Additionally, I used agave nectar and dates instead of sugar to sweeten the dessert. You’ll need an ice cream maker to recreate this dessert. Here are the ingredients and procedure:

Ingredients:
For the ice cream:
2 – 14 oz. cans Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value™ Coconut Milk (full fat, not light variety)
¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 banana
10 dates
3 Tbs agave nectar
2 Tbs Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa

For the cinnamon pepita butter:
1 1/2 cups toasted pepitas
2 Tbs coconut oil
2 Tbs agave nectar
1 Tbs cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

For the chocolate chunks:
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup coconut oil

Instructions:
For the ice cream: Combine all the ice cream ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse/blend until smooth and creamy. Place in a bowl and set in the freezer so that mixture will get extremely cold. Chill but do not freeze while you prepare the cinnamon pepitas butter.

For the cinnamon pepitas butter: Toast raw and unsalted pepitas in the oven on a cookie sheet until they are lightly browned. Then transfer them to a food processor and pulse until they become a grainy texture. Add the coconut oil and pulse until mixture becomes the texture of peanut butter or almond butter. Add the agave nectar, cinnamon, and salt, and blend until well combined. Set aside.

At this point you can remove the ice cream mixture from the freezer and pour it into your ice cream maker. Follow individual manufacturer’s instructions, but the mixture should start to resemble ice cream within about 20 minutes if you have an electric model. While the mixture is in the machine, you can prepare the chocolate chunks.

For the chocolate chunks: Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave and stir until fully incorporated. Chocolate will be a thin, syrupy texture. Spread on a wax paper lined baking pan and place in the freezer or refrigerator and allow to harden. Once the chocolate is firm, break it up into little chunks and set aside. Reserve a little to use as a topping when you serve the ice cream.

Once the ice cream is made, transfer it from the machine into a large bowl and set in the freezer for 10 minutes to allow it to firm a little more. After 10 minutes, remove the ice cream and stir in spoonfuls of the cinnamon pepitas butter and the chunks of chocolate. I love big chunks of ingredients in my ice cream, so a little stirring will do. Then place the ice cream back into the freezer one last time for 20-30 minutes and allow to harden. Serve with a little of the melted chocolate.

In exchange for writing this blog and tweeting a link to this blog, I received an entry into the Food Blogger to Media Star Promotion. For the Official Rules, click here.

PS: This recipe is paleo friendly and gluten free. You can use honey or stevia in place of the agave nectar. You can leave out the chocolate chunks to make it completely dairy free! 🙂

Posted by  |  February 20, 2013 | Categories: Recipes, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Make-A-Wish’s® 25th Annual Winter Wine & Food Fest, Saturday, February 23rd

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Please join me for the 25th Annual Winter Wine & Food Fest on Saturday, February 23, 2013 at the Sacramento Convention Center. Food, Wine Tasting and Silent Auction take place from 5:00 p.m.- 7:30 p.m, and the exclusive VIP Live Auction is from 7:30 p.m.- 10:00 p.m.

1,000+ people are expected to attend this exclusive event, featuring more than 100 of the best local restaurants and wineries. Guests will enjoy a live and silent auction, live entertainment and delicious food and drink from elite restaurants and wineries. Come hear the compelling stories of two Wish Ambassadors, Chris and Emily.

This year, Joe and Pat Harbison are being honored for greatly contributing to this event.

This elegant Make-A-Wish® event raises funds to grant wishes for children ages 2 and 1/2 to 18 with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their human experience with hope, strength, and joy. All proceeds raised stay within Northeastern California and Northern Nevada chapter and make dreams a reality for our local wish children. Last year this fundraiser was able to grant 87 wishes to children.

This year, there will be more than 300 silent and super silent auction items and about 35 live auction items including the following:

BE A YACHT OWNER FOR A WHOLE WEEK: Go where you want, do what you want.  It’s your boat.  Ninety feet of luxury afloat in paradise. Navigate to the white sandy beaches with breathtaking views of the most incredible aquamarine and sapphire blue-green water you ever imagined of the Exumas chain in the Bahamas. Up to four couples will join the yacht in Nassau where you will be met by Captain Mark Capozucco and his crew. This crew of four will take care of your every need for the next seven days.  Expertly prepared meals by the on-board chef to your liking, and by your schedule.  Your schedule can include a ride across the Bahamas Banks to the Exumas where you will be able to swim with the sharks (if you choose), enjoy the unique swimming pigs off the Big Major Island, marvel at the large local Iguana population, and enjoy endless water activities including the clear “see through” kayaks, jet skis and other on board “toys”. Dining under the stars or in the comfort of the dining salon will be your choice. Maybe a little fishing or a visit or two to the small nearby marinas will fit the bill, or maybe you just have a little reading you want to catch up on.  Curl up and enjoy, lay out and enjoy the sun.  What the heck, do it all! It’s your adventure on Solstice 1!The Yacht is equipped with three comfortable staterooms – a smaller fourth stateroom – a certified Captain, CIA trained Chef and crew. Travel dates to be mutually agreed upon. (airfare to Nassau not included)

Admission is $85 per person ($100 at the door) OR $185 per person ($200 at the door) for VIP tickets. No one under 21 permitted. For tickets contact Melissa Arnold at 916.692.3921 or email marnold(at)necannv.wish.org.

Posted by  |  February 18, 2013 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment

Valentine’s Day Gift Roundup!

Hello, Sweethearts! I have compiled a few Valentine-themed events & gift ideas that l find lovely and delightful, and I would like to pass them on to you!

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DRINK

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Casque Wines and Cupid have teamed up to create the perfect gift for your special someone.  They teamed up with Chef Joe at the Flower Farm Cafe who is busy baking and decorating these delicious (and beautiful) Cake-Pops.  They paired them with some of our favorite wines and added a couple of stemmed glasses for the perfect gift!This Friday, Saturday and Sunday (February 8-10), they will be offering the following special: 2 Cake-Pops, 2 Stemmed Casque Glasses, and Bottle of your Choice ~  Sauvignon Blanc, Calotte Blanc or Vermentino for only $28. The Cake-Pops will also be available individually for $1.50 each. Stop by this weekend for some Cake-Pops and Casque!
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With the perfect mix of scrumptious, decadent flavor, SMIRNOFF Kissed Caramel Flavored Vodka possesses a seductive aroma to complement its smooth caramel flavor while its counterpart, SMIRNOFF Iced Cake Flavored Vodka, offers a light, sweet aroma met with a refreshing, smooth iced cake flavor.These luscious and tastefully satisfying new flavors from the world’s #1 premium vodka are sure to add a nice touch of sweet romance to anyone’s Valentine’s Day.
Here’s a drink recipe featuring the Smirnoff Iced Cake vodka:
CUPID’S KISS: ½ oz. Smirnoff Iced Cake, ½ oz. Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur, ½ oz. Chambord. Directions: Add ingredient in a shaker with ice, shake and pour into martini
glass. Add white chocolate to rim.
Andy, will you have that ready for me when I get home from work on Thursday? 😛
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He loves me, he loves me not…It’s complicated. If your relationship is dark, yet spicy and complex with many layers, then Sobon Zinfandel Fiddletown is the wine for you! If you thought your relationship was complicated, this full-bodied red will have your palette changing its relationship status.

A stunning multi-faceted wine featuring intriguing aromas and flavors of spice, black currant, plum, smoky oak and a dusty-cherry component typical of the Fiddletown area. Massive and full-bodied, with an impressive, complex finish. Sustainably farmed. Thanks to Total Wine & More for the feature!

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Stark Raving wines by Rosenblum Cellars. Stark Raving wines are playful and bold blends that prove a little dose of madness can lead— nay, will lead – to extraordinary things. Four inspired varietals including: ”Red,” “White” “Cab,” and “Malbec,” have hit shelves nationally, inciting wine lovers to get out of the comfort zone and explore some daring new wine choices. As Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you never take.”
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EAT

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Buy your Valentine tickets to the Piatti Ristorante Anniversary party on February 25th! Tickets are only $25 per person and can be purchased here. The party will feature creative bites from Piatti Executive Chef Lance Carlini, distinctive wines, craft beers, a special cocktail bar and live music from Natalie Klempau & The Knockouts. Proceeds from the event will benefit Assistance League of Sacramento. It’s a great way to try several things on the menu and check out the renovated space, while giving to a great cause!

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TREATS

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Nugget Market is pretty much a one-stop Valentine’s shop! You can pick up these truffles made my Truffle Gateau.  Handmade locally, these chocolates are made with fresh ingredients and are designed to be paired with a variety of wines and cheeses.
Here are a few other products and recipes Nugget Market is featuring this week!
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Natural Vines are made from all natural ingredients and contain no artificial flavors or preservatives and no high fructose corn syrup —  the licorice is naturally sweetened with cane sugar. Available in two flavors, Black and Strawberry. They were a big hit amongst my coworkers!
Sahale Snacks (Pronounced sah-HA-lee SNAX) sent me this little goody box complete with a reusable fabric bag and an aluminum bottle. Go for the Pistachio Pomegranate, it’s pretty much like crack in a bag. It’s sweet and salty and spicy. Mmmm. You can buy Sahale Snacks online here, and never even have to change out of your jammies. 😉 BTW: Their production facility and products are certified gluten-free! 🙂
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Brix Chocolates: the first chocolate designed to complement wine. This collection is just $25.99 and available through their website. It contains a full pound of premium Brix Chocolate in all four varieties, the Brix Collection features 4-4 ounce bars of Milk, Smooth Dark, Medium Dark and Extra Dark varieties, and include a full page chocolate-and-wine tasting guide.Suggested Wine Pairings: Milk Chocolate: Port, Sherry, Rose, Burgundy • Smooth Dark: Champagne, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Vintage Port • Med Dark: Merlot, Shiraz, Zinfandel, Chianti, Rhone• Extra Dark: Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Barolo, Malbec
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FOR THE COOK

Char Crust® Dry Rub Seasonings: First created in 1957 at their family’s fine Chicago steakhouse, Al Farber’s. Every steak we served was the best prime meat, dry-aged in coolers. Every steak was seared to juicy perfection with their signature Char Crust® dry-rub seasoning. And now it is available to the public! It’s the only rub that “Seals in the Juices!®”
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My favorite flavor (and the newest in their product line is Java Buzz! Order your favorite flavors here: http://www.charcrust.com/order/. Get FREE SHIPPING on every order of $24.00 or more, placed between now and midnight, Central Time, on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2013. Order any combination of items from their website: Char Crust® dry-rub seasonings (from hot to mild), aprons, golf shirts, cookbooks, and yes, even, “Rub Your Meat” T-shirts. Nice.

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BAKE IT! 

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I really dug this recipe for a Chocolate Almond Flour Beet Cake on my friend Julia’s site, The Roasted Root, so I am sharing the link with you. I encourage you to check it out here! If you need a taste tester, I’d be happy to help!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all and thanks to all the product sponsors and advertisers in this post!

Posted by  |  February 9, 2013 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Horses, Hope & Healing Hot Crab & Pasta Dinner, Friday, February 15th

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Horses, Hope & Healing presents February Hot Crab & Pasta on Friday, February 15, 2013 at 6:30PM at the Sacramento Horseman’s Association: 3200 Longview Drive, Sacramento, CA 95821

To prolong the Valentine’s Day celebration, treat your date to Hot Crab & Pasta the day after. There will also be a live & silent auction, raffles, and music. Join the fun and feast while helping to support a fantastic non-profit! All donations go to support youth and horses! If you cannot attend, please consider a donation for our silent auction or raffle. TIckets are $50 per person or $450 for a table of ten people. You can buy tickets to the event by clicking here!

The Green Boheme is providing a Delicious Raw Vegan Dessert for this event! Chef Brooke will be there showing support (and working in the kitchen!) For guests who wish to enjoy a raw, vegan dinner, The Green Boheme will be providing your a raw dinner option! Please message through Facebook that you have registered (here).

Horses, Hope & Healing is a horse rescue effort combined with an after-school and weekend program for inner city youth.

Horses, Hope & Healing was developed by Tiffany Oreglia. Because of her own life experiences, Tiffany saw the need to keep our youth involved in a program that helps to build self-esteem and instill family values, hard work & dedication. She has joined with other concerned parents, horse owners & volunteers to create just such a program.

Horses, Hope & Healing provides a safe, positive environment for young people; a place where they can learn, lead & develop important life skills. The relationship between horse & child gives youth a sense of value & self-worth. The animals require hard work & dedication from a loving and gentle hand. The organization often takes in horses in need of rescue, and children help with the needs of the abused or neglected animals. With participation in the healing of these horses, the children often find healing in themselves.

The program also provide gang intervention and education, homework assistance and tutoring, and teaches leadership skills along with safe afterschool and weekend activities.

You can like their Facebook page here. Hope you’ll join them at their fundraiser!

Posted by  |  February 6, 2013 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rick Kushman on Wine & Food at 33rd Street Bistro, this Thursday, February 7th, 6:30-8:30pm

This Thursday evening, February 7th from 6:30 to 8:30pm, 33rd Street Bistro & Rick Kushman present Kushman on Wine and Food. He will be educating you about wine and maybe a few other bonus items, who knows?!? Fun, humor, conversation, knowledge are guaranteed. This month’s topic is Chardonnay (How much oak?), Pinot Noir (Rich? Bright? Other?) and Cabernet (What do you really like?). Tickets are $35 (on sale at the door and at 33rd Street Bistro) and include appetizers. I took a class lead by Rick last summer at Lava Cap Winery and it was a lot of fun! Don’t miss out!

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You can find 33rd Street Bistro on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.

Posted by  |  February 5, 2013 | Categories: wine tasting | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Vegetarian Recipe: Saag Paneer featuring Karoun Dairies

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On Saturday night, Andy and I stayed in for a change and I made another vegetarian meal with some products that were sent to me by Karoun Dairies. I decided I was in the mood for Indian cuisine and the Yanni grilling cheese I received from Karoun on Friday was the perfect thing to use in my own little version of saag paneer. 🙂

For fun, I added some boiled potatoes and parsnips into the finished stew and I also made the cauliflower breadstick dough (from a few posts back) into a thick sort of naan bread. Phenaanamal!! 😉

Ingredients:
4 cups baby spinach leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound Yanni grilling cheese, sliced or cubed

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbs fresh ginger
3 Tbs crushed garlic
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup tomato sauce
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup Karoun Kafir lite cheese
3 parsnips, cut into half moons
2 potatoes, cubed
salt to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook spinach in the boiling water until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a food processor. Puree until finely chopped. Set aside.

Cut potatoes and parsnips into uniform pieces and boil them until they begin to soften. Do not overcook. Stay on the firmer side, as they will do their last part of cooking in the finished stew.

Next, sauté the onion and mushrooms together until the onion is translucent/cooked through. Add the tomato and the tomato sauce, along with all spices (ginger, garlic, tomato, garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne pepper). Allow to simmer on low to medium heat so that the tomatoes will break down.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the Yanni cheese, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Return to the tomato sauce, and stir in the spinach purée. Salt to taste. Cover and cook for about 5-10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Lastly, stir in the Kefir cheese to thicken the sauce. Then add the boiled parsnips and potatoes and coat them with the spinach and tomato sauce. Heat through and make sure the potatoes and parsnips have fully cooked through. Serve the fried Yanni on the side (to retain the cheese’s crispy edges!) 🙂 Happy to report I did not miss meat that night! Thanks to Karoun Dairies for the great product samples!

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Posted by  |  February 5, 2013 | Categories: Recipes | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment