Casamigos - Keizer, OR (Review)

Thing #3 had a football game tonight that we rushed to after work so afterward, we were hungry!  Even the smell of a cheap boiled game hot dog was starting to smell delicious.  We decided to check our maps app to see if anything close was open and whattaya know!?  Casamigos was open until 10:00!

For a restaurant smack in the middle of a strip mall on the main drag, we didn't know what to expect.  Keizer isn't our hometown and this place is pretty new.  When we walked in, the art immediately caught my eye.  It's beautiful!  The walls are filled with this gorgeous art and photos, the details of the restaurant are just gorgeous to look at.

Once we were seated and began looking at the menu. we were pleasantly surprised to discover that this was not the normal Mexican food menu.  The photos of the food were spectacular and looked nothing like your average convection oven re-heats smothered in melted cheddar.  We had plowed through our salsa already and we were brought more - two different kinds and both were so flavorful and delicious!

We ordered and our guacamole arrived soon after.  Fresh, flavorful and perfect.

While we were waiting for our food and snacking, we looked around and let me tell you, this restaurant is visually stimulating at every angle.  The bar area is gorgeous with a table by a fire ... we would move in if we could.

Guatelajara Tour

Brownie ordered the Guatelajara Tour - a combination of chile verde & chile colorado with one authentic chile relleno.  Served with rice and beans, of course and he chose corn tortillas.  The pork chile verde was his favorite and the corn tortillas were fresh, handmade and .... drumroll .... didn't tear one bit!

El Patron

I ordered the El Patron - a combination of carne asada and shrimp cooked a los cabos style (sauteed with mushrooms in a creamy rich flavor green sauce topped with melted cheese) also served with rice and beans and I chose flour tortillas.  The shrimp were cooked perfectly and the carne asada .... real meat, rich flavor to say the least .... dios mio.  Those handmade flour tortillas .... I will dream about them tonight.

You will have leftovers, trust us.

We didn't try the drinks tonight, but we will be going  back again for sure!  The staff was friendly and helpful, our food was gorgeous and whoever is in that kitchen ... does magical things with Mexican Cuisine!

Although this was only our first visit, for now we are going to put up 5 stars because .... blown away is an understatement.  The food is outstanding and if you haven't tried it yet, you really must.  We'll be trying it again and again and again and ....

For now, we stand by our 5 stars and we can't wait to go back!

Spicy Autumn Soup

It's that time of year!  Soup!  I love making soups, but I can never create the same one twice, so I've decided to start writing down what I did so I can remember some of these amazing creations.

Of course this time of year is full of pumpkin this, squash that.... it's dizzying.  But Trader Joe's had
a few spectacular things on the shelves that inspired this soup for me.  Photos help, so I'm including those.

I also cooked by candlelight (Brownie thinks I'm insane for doing this) so I didn't have a chance to take many photos during the process, which is why you get to admire this lovely shot of my leftover soup in tupperware.  You're welcome. I promise it's just as scrumptious leftover!  Noodles a little softer, but still good!

This has a kick to it, so be ready to clear those sinuses!  It's also incredibly filling, so small portions go a long way.

Here Goes:

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Chopped Onion
• 1 Cup Chopped Celery
• 1 Cup Chopped Carrot
• 6-10 Garlic Cloves - Minced (however much or little you prefer)
• 1 Stick Salted Butter
• 3 small zucchini, sliced or chopped as you wish
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Bell Pepper
• Truffle Oil (totally optional but they have a tiny bottle of this amazingness at Market of Choice if you want to use it)
• 1 Package Trader Joe's Cheese & Garlic Croutons
  
  
  
• 1 Package Trader Joe's Fall Zucchette Pasta
• 1 Jar Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce
• 1-2 Cups cooked or leftover meat of any kind that you may have on hand or need to use, chopped
• 1/2 Cup Chopped fresh Sage
• 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (The sauce has a bite to it, so if you're sensitive to spicy, leave this out)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 2 Teaspoons Cumin
• 1-2 Tablespoons fresh Thyme (1/2-1 Tablespoon dried)
• 2 Teaspoons fresh, chopped Oregano (1 Teaspoon dried)
• Dash of Cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Paprika

Directions:

• Boil water with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and get noodles cooking in a separate pot for now.  
• Saute garlic, onion, celery and carrot with 1/2 the stick of butter and a few sprinkles of salt in a soup pot until butter is melted and onions are a bit soft
• Add water, about 8-10 cups and turn the heat up to bring to boil
• While the water is heating up for soup, add the cayenne, salt & pepper, cumin, thyme, oregano, cinnamon and paprika.  Stir.
• When water comes to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer until the pasta is ready.
• Drain pasta, leave in the collander
• In pasta pot, put the remaining 1/2 stick of butter with chopped fresh sage - on medium heat, melt butter and cook sage until it's a bit crispy
• Turn soup back up to a boil, add jar of sauce, zucchini and bell pepper and let boil while you do the final step with the pasta.
• When the sage is ready, put pasta back into the pot and toss it with sage and butter, sprinkling with salt and truffle oil until you like the flavor
• Let Pasta sizzle in pan on medium heat, stirring often for about 5 minutes
• Add chopped meat to the pot, stirring in to let it heat up and flavor the soup a bit - 5 minutes while the pasta sizzles
• Taste the broth, making sure the flavors are where you want them, adjust as you wish.  If you didn't use enough garlic, sprinkle in some garlic powder for a quick fix :-)
• Stir pasta into the soup
• Serve soup with cheesy garlic croutons and enjoy!

This soup is very filling and this recipe will feed 6-8 people.

Cuban Sandwich Hoagies (with recipe)

I followed a recipe I found here to make the bread for our Cuban Sandwiches.  We wanted authenticity so I spent a Saturday perfecting this bread and making individual sandwich loaves.  This recipe will make 4 Cuban Sandwich Hoagies.

After three batches - I have to say that it turned out well WHEN I used the cornmeal on the baking sheet AND brushed each loaf with the water as instructed.  Both very important for the crispness Cuban Bread and to keep the bottom from becoming hard as a brick.  Yes...that happened!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 cups bread flower
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup lard (melted in microwave)
2 tablespoons warm water (to brush on loaves before baking)

Directions:

• Grease a large bowl, set aside
  
• In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup warm water.  I've mentioned before how important it is to proof your yeast!  Let it sit in the water with the sugar for about 10 minutes and it's nice and foamy.  No foam - dead yeast!
• Measure 1/4 cup lard and place in a Pyrex measuring cup and heat in the microwave for 1 minute or until just melted.
• Add the rest of the warm water and the salt to the yeast mixture and stir until combined well.
• Sift all 4 cups of flour together in a small bowl
• Gradually add the flower mixture, a little at a time, to the wet ingredients in your bowl - mixing constantly.  At the same time you are adding flour, gradually pour in the melted lard.  keep adding a little flour and a little lard until all the lard is added.
• Continue adding more flower a little at a time (seriously - don't just dump it all in!  I did this on the first batch and it was way too much.)  Use leftover flour rolling out the dough.
• When you have sticky, elastic dough - turn it out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Put dough into greased bowl and turn a few times to coat the dough.
• Cover and place in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour or until dough is double in size.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough in 4 even pieces
• Spray a cookie tray or baking sheet with oil or grease however you normally bake.  Sprinkle cookie sheet with cornmeal.
• Shape each piece of dough into a loaf, placing it on the sheet 3" apart.  The shape of your loaf is up to you - we did ours on the sheets about 2 - 3 inches wide and about 9" long.
• Put cookie sheet (or sheets - we used 2) in a warm place and let rise again until loaves are doubled in size - about 45 minutes.
• Preheat your oven to 450 - place a pan of water on the lowest shelf of the oven.
• Use a sharp knife to cut a shallow seam down the middle of the top of the bread, leaving about 1" of uncut top on each end of the loaves.
• Brush the top of the loaves with water and place in your preheated oven on the middle shelf.
• After 5 minutes of baking, brush some more water on top of the bread.
• Total baking time for the loaves in our oven was 10 - 11 minutes.  Longer than that and the bottoms got really hard.  I also expected the loaves to get golden brown on top and overcooked a batch waiting for that color.  If your bread doesn't turn golden brown - it will still taste delicious.  Just watch the bottoms!
• When bread is done, remove from the sheet and place on a cooling rack.
• Slice as desired for sandwiches when the bread is cool.

Enjoy!

Vegan Paella with Chickpeas (with recipe)

I wonder how many vegetarian dishes Brownie will let me cook before he fires up the Barbecue .... ?????  I feel like we're close.

So we loved this recipe!  When Brownie saw it on the menu planner his first reaction was, "What the hell are you making?  Paella has shrimp!"  Well, it turned out really well and he liked it!  What was he saying then!?  "It's really good!"  HA!

"You know would make it even better?  Shrimp."

So there you have it.  It has amazing flavor and textures ... I think it's divine on its own.  The male perspective seems to crave the shrimp .... maybe we'll try a traditional recipe sometime if I can find shrimp that isn't radioactive in this day and age.  Wish me luck!

In the mean time, here is what we did!  This recipe is ingredient-heavy but it's nothing complicated, just a little time-consuming during prep.  You can do it if I can!  :-)  OH and yes, I used white basmati rice .... I told you before the ONLY thing I can eat brown rice with is our homemade Yumm! bowls.

Brownie got home just in time to plate this beautifully for me, he's amazing that way.  But trust me, it was just as delicious spooned into my bowl and sprinkled with parsley normal-like :-)  As you wish!

Ingredients:

1 cup short-grain brown rice (See Recipe Note - seriously!  Scroll to the bottom and read the note before you buy your ingredients)
Hefty pinch saffron (about 8 strands) - I found this reasonably priced at Trader Joe's
6 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3/4 cup crushed tomatoes, fresh or canned
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 tablespoon hot paprika - didn't have it, I used 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika and a dash of cayenne pepper...maybe more than a dash.
1 cup green beans, trimmed and halved
3 artichoke hearts, sliced (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup peas, fresh or frozen - Brownie has a HUGE problem with peas - I used riced cauliflower instead
1/4 cup chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Bring 3 cups of water and a hefty pinch of salt to a boil, add the rice, and cook for about about 20 minutes, or until the rice begins to soften. Drain and set aside. (Par-boiling the brown rice speeds up the overall cooking time.)

Combine saffron threads and 3 tablespoons of warm water in a small bowl and set aside. Bring the broth to a simmer, then reduce the heat and keep at a low simmer until needed.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet, and sauté the onions until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic slices and peppers. Cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Mix in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, hot paprika, saffron threads (along with the water), and season generously with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Let it cook for a few minutes.

Make sure to have your vegetable broth simmering nearby. Fold in the green beans, artichoke slices, and chickpeas. Then stir in the par-boiled, drained rice. Ladle the simmering broth over the rice. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has evaporated. A few minutes before the rice is fully cooked, scatter the peas over top. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.

Recipe Notes

• Paella with Traditional White Rice: If you'd prefer, use a traditional short-grain white rice for this dish, like Bomba or Valencia. If using white rice, there's no need to par-boil and you only need 3 cups of broth.
• Adding my own note - this recipe goes pretty quickly - chop and slice everything ahead of time to save yourself some stress!
• Also, my broth simmered for what felt like too long and I was worried I didn't have enough liquid so .... I added about 1/4 cup of red wine ... just because it was on the counter.
• I am also including a photo of my sliced garlic and my well-loved garlic press/slicer that makes this step incredibly easy.  Bed, Bath & Beyond has them here.

Original Recipe here:  thekitchn.com

Mushroom Bourguignon (with recipe)

This recipe is so delicious; you'll almost forget it's vegetarian!  The flavors work so well together and of
course, whatever wine you choose to cook with, a glass of that same wine will pair perfectly with your meal!

I know when you're weighing your mushrooms in the produce section that it will seem like a lot - but trust us:  it's right.

We've tweaked the recipe a bit and it turned out amazing.  Depending on the amount of mushrooms you end up with, you may need to add a little extra broth or wine.  Don't be afraid to play with it!

Make a list and head to the store to make this for dinner tonight!  You won't be sorry!

 Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds portobello, shiitake or crimini mushrooms, sliced
4 Medium/Large Leeks, trimmed and thickly sliced
1 large carrot, diced
1 medium onion, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 heaping teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 1teaspoon dried
sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup full-bodied red wine
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons flour (you can use arrowroot powder to keep it gluten-free if you prefer)
Mashed potatoes - made as you like them

Directions:

• Cut potatoes - get started on the stove for mashed potatoes
• Slice Mushrooms and leeks, add to soup pot with olive oil
• Chop onion and carrot, set aside
• Sear mushrooms and leeks until they begin to take on a little coloring, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully remove from pot and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium, add one tablespoon of oil. Add the carrots, onions, thyme, salt and pepper, saute for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned. Toss in the garlic and cook for another minute.
• Slowly add the wine to the pot and scrap any bits that are stuck to the bottom or sides. Turn heat to high and reduce wine by half.
• Stir in tomato paste and broth, mix. Add in mushrooms and leeks, including any juices that have collected, back to the pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Let simmer, covered or cover askewed, stirring occasionally and enjoy the wonderful aroma.
• In a small bowl, mix together the remaining tablespoon oil, or water, with flour to make a paste, stir into the stew. Simmer for 10 minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to the right consistency. Season to taste.
• Serve spooned over mashed potatoes (or cooked grain/pasta of your choice), sprinkled with a pinch of fresh thyme.

We used Swallow Pinot Noir to make this - it's inexpensive and it was really good!  I suggest buying 2 bottles of whatever you choose - some to drink while cooking, some to cook with and more to enjoy your food with!  

The original recipe we tweaked a bit can be seen here:
http://www.simple-veganista.com/2012/11/mushroom-bourguignon_10.html

Creamy Butternut Squash Linguine

Jen was in the kitchen again last night!  This is a recipe I found online, this is the second time I've made it and we just love it.  Disclaimer:  I hate squash.  And I love this pasta!

This can be made vegetarian or vegan, totally up to you.  I made one plate vegan with no cheese and ate a little more with cheese .... I prefer vegetarian honestly :-)

So here ya go!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter if you prefer)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 2 pound butternut or kabocha squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into small ½-inch pieces (about 3 cups) - I use 1/2 of a large butternut squash - freeze the other half to make another batch later!
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (up to ¼ teaspoon for spicier pasta sauce)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 12 ounces whole grain linguine or fettucine
• Optional additional garnishes: shaved Parmesan or Pecorino and/or smoked salt

Directions:

1. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the sage and toss to coat. Let the sage get crispy before transferring it to a small bowl. Sprinkle it lightly with salt and set the bowl aside.
2. Add the squash, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is soft and the liquid is reduced by half, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions, stirring occasionally. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. (I've never actually had to use the extra water - but you never know)
4. Once the squash mixture is done cooking, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender, but keep the skillet handy. Purée the mixture until smooth (beware of hot steam escaping from the top of the blender), then season with salt and pepper until the flavors sing. I add a pinch of cumin during this stage - always makes the flavor pop!
5. In the reserved skillet, combine the pasta, squash purée and ¼ cup cooking liquid. Cook over medium heat, tossing and adding more pasta cooking water as needed, until the sauce coats the pasta, about 2 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary.
6. Serve the pasta in individual bowls topped with fried sage, more black pepper and shaved Parmesan/Pecorino and/or smoked salt, if desired.

Thing #2 is adventurous with food, he tried this and loved it!  It's probably a bit spicy for the younger littles, but we could always leave the pepper flakes out and see if they would eat it!?  Maybe they would believe it was cheese....hmmm......

I found this recipe online, so I want to share the link here to give credit where credit is due!

http://cookieandkate.com/2014/creamy-vegan-butternut-squash-linguine-with-fried-sage/

Sybaris Bistro - Albany, Oregon (Review)

Sybaris Bistro - Albany, Oregon

A Brownifer Review

An impulsive decision to have dinner out on our kid-free night of this week brought us to Sybaris Bistro.  We have been wanting to try this restaurant for some time now, always checking the ever-changing menu and wondering if we
could afford to truly experience what it had to offer on a budget.  Tonight we decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it!  Sybaris opened in October of 2001, why we've waited this long to visit is truly beyond us.

I'm pleased to say that we thoroughly enjoyed our evening and we can't wait to share it with you!

The first thing I noticed when we approached the building was how quiet it seemed.  Brownie wondered if they were even open, but when we opened the doors, the bustling of the dining room burst upon us. While we waited to be seated, we found a series of books on a table by the door with old photos of Albany over the past century and beyond, which we promptly snatched up and began exploring.  Not only was this space the infamous Anderson Sporting Goods where we bought our letterman jackets in high school, but exploring these books and the history of Albany taught us that it was also originally the site of a mechanic's garage!  Love our town.

We were lucky enough to be seated by the wood-burning fireplace, which was beautiful and set the mood for a special evening out.  We were even permitted to bring the photo books with us :-)

Sybaris has a unique menu that changes with the seasons.  The owners pride themselves on sourcing their ingredients from Oregon; what comes to the table is what happens to be locally available at the time.  This clearly showcases the bistro's identity in the straight-forward one-page menu.  Which is one thing that always made me nervous about this restaurant: I am not a fan of winter vegetables.  Silly?  Maybe.

Once we had ordered, we enjoyed our homemade bread (made in-house daily) and butter while we waited for drinks.  I scanned the walls and noticed that they showcase local artists and at this time, they have a variety of paintings by a local woman covering quite a bit of space.  It was beautiful.

Scottish cold smoked salmon,
traditional garnishes, rye crackers

We chatted and enjoyed the atmosphere while waiting for our appetizers, then enjoyed our salmon and a salad we'd ordered to share.  Our waitress, who just happened to be one of the owners, let us taste some red wines she recommended to pair with our menu choices and we each chose a glass.

Antipasti salad- mixed greens, marinated mushrooms,
salami, cheese, garbanzo beans and a hard-boiled egg

I will take this time to mention the service, as this is the point where I began to notice that I was impressed. Brownie will tell you I'm a service snob when it comes to dining.  Now, I can eat with my hands, man-handle a sloppy burrito from a food truck and gladly carry my own plastic utensils to a picnic table to enjoy a wide range of delicious food BUT...when I dine out and I'm expecting to shell out some Benjamins for an amazing meal, I do have my own expectations.  I like the experience to be thoughtlessly blissful.  By this I mean, I want to talk and sip my wine and enjoy the food and flavors and conversation and I don't want to have to think of a thing regarding my meal other than getting it into my mouth.  That being said, Sybaris is one of the good ones!  While we were finishing our salad, we were brought the silverware we would each need for our main courses.  And I fell in love. For the rest of the meal, I didn't have to ask for a thing.  My water was always full, she forgot nothing and I got to sit back and just enjoy everything from start to finish.

Veal chop parmigiana, bucatini, red sauce
& plenty of cheese

When the main courses did arrive, they smelled delicious. Brownie ordered the veal chop parmigiana, which turned out to be a monstrous bone-in chop that would make Fred Flintstone drool. Truly a man's delight.  He did let me taste it, however, and it was scrumptious. The sauce had one spice that Brownie couldn't quite pinpoint, I suspect he will be rifling through our spice cabinet tomorrow.  While we were discussing the plating of the food, I asked Brownie if his dish was visually pleasing.  His answer:  Is Italian food ever really plated with that in mind?  No, it really isn't.

Lentil cassoulet with duck confit, lightly cured pork,
garlic sausage, winter vegetables

I ordered the Cassoulet and with three kinds of meat and winter vegetables, it's pretty difficult to incorporate much color and variety.  But my dinner was full of flavor and and seasoned very well.  Upscale comfort food that incidentally paired amazingly well with the cabernet I had chosen.

Creme Brulee ice cream w/caramel

Dessert?  Why yes, please!  Brownie had the creme brulee ice cream and I had the chocolate souffle - both a perfect ending to our meal.  We shared a cup of coffee with dessert, which was piping hot and perfectly brewed.  We sipped away and looked through the books at the table next to the crackling fire, marveling at how Albany had changed over the years.  Our waitress made sure to let us know about a walking/driving tour available by map through the Albany Visitor's Association and even pulled it up on her phone to show us.  I truly felt like I'd had a local experience during my time in this dining room!

Valrhona dark chocolate soufflé,
red berry love potion

Sybaris offers Albany a Portland-esque dining experience without having to travel out of town.  With locally-sourced ingredients, fresh baked daily bread, the owners serving and befriending their guests and small Albany touches everywhere you look, this restaurant is a foodie's paradise.  I dare any Portlandia cast member to ask anything about any of the food on the menu.  I would bet money they knew the name of the duck that was served in my bowl.

If you're looking for a romantic evening out, a comfortable spot to dine and visit, or you've been curious about Sybaris but trepidatious about making a reservation ... it's time to book your visit now.  The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, the staff is beyond amazing, and the food will surprise you in the most delectable ways.  Yes, the menu is pricier than many others in town but we went all out and when our check came, we were surprised that we hadn't spent more.  The portions are very generous and you will likely come away with leftovers when you leave.

With our scoring system, we gave this visit 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.  We can't wait to visit again in the spring during the height of seasonal fruits and vegetables to see what Chef Matt Bennett has in store! Brownie is also dying to try the seafood tower, which requires three days notice - so we'll have to make a reservation for that one sometime!  We love that Albany is becoming a foodie haven with so many options popping up everywhere.  All we can say is, more please!

Chuck Roast Hoagie

Sliced chuck roast, straight from the oven with caramelized leeks and sautéed spinach on a hoagie bun.  I should have known something was up when I came home on a Friday night and smelled a roast cooking in the oven!  :-)  The man had a plan and it was delicious!  Our kids had already eaten, but the boys had to try their dad's new invention and....they loved it!  I even saw one of them pull a huge blob of spinach out and it fell on his chin ... he scooped it up and ATE IT!  Kids WILL eat spinach and leeks!  


Well, they'll eat it if Brownie makes it.... hahahaha  
Or, if they're like my daughter who isn't a huge fan of meat OR sandwiches ... they won't eat it at all.  
But hey, eating this sandwich made it worth the try!

Chicken Wings

Smoked herb chicken wings finished on the grill with sage butter-sauteed oyster mushrooms over cous cous.  This was ... on a whim.  We had some chicken leftover from a dinner party that never got used and ... we had to do SOMETHING with it! :-) I found these amazing oyster mushrooms at the Corvallis Farmer's Market from one of my favorite booths, The Mushroomery and of course we had fresh sage in the garden!

Voila!  This is definitely one of my new favorites; the flavors blended so amazingly well together!

Steak Salads!!!!

Nothing better to do with leftover steak!  Steak salads rock my world!  Can you see the difference in the tomatoes, though!?  The top picture are tomatoes from our garden, the cut tomatoes below are store-bought vine-ripened tomatoes .... you just can't beat home grown!!!!  Our favorite salad dressing, Garlic Expressions always brings the salads together ... Now I'm craving a steak salad...

Filet Mignon skewered on a rosemary sprig from our garden with roasted veggies!

Our first crop of rosemary was ready to harvest, so we took long sprigs and Brownie used them as skewers for cuts of filet mignon and grilled them!  I can't even tell you how delicious that fresh rosemary was with those tender cuts of meat!  A few bits of grilled onion and .... YOWZA!  Juicy and fragrant!   I highly recommend trying this!!!

Black Box Challenge

We like to keep things entertaining around here.  I know Brownie likes to cook and dream up amazing things, but I like to challenge him and push his limits :-)

Tonight, I stopped by the store and created a little black box challenge for him with ingredients that seemingly don't really go together.  I researched this a little and was informed that:  1 protein, 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fruit and something off-the wall.  Easy enough.

I stayed with standard grocery items that we all see everyday, so the conventional grocery store was were I chose my ingredients.

After some research, I was sent with some wine into the living room to wait while he created in his space.  What he came up with .... he seriously has to make this again because it was SO good!!!!

Almond (Nut Thins) and Rosemary Crusted Shrimp with Avocado, Tomato and Bell Pepper Cous Cous with a Kiwano Melon, Chili and Ginger Chocolate Sauce.

I really wish he wrote down recipes as he creates ... we will work on that.  Because this was just outstandingly delicious!!!!!  Challenge met!