Veggie Delight

I don't claim to be a great cook, but I like dabbling in my tiny kitchen (no joke, a mouse would feel crammed). For dinner last night, I decided to make a stuffed red bell pepper. I've done this a million times, and wanted something healthy to the max. I pre-heated the oven to 400, sauteed celery, onions, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms (stems and all) with a dash of salt & pepper. I cut the top off the red bell pepper, and drizzled with olive oil and salt inside and out. I stuffed the veggie heaven into the red bell pepper, and popped it into the over for 15 min. The smell of garlic and onions made my tiny home fill with the timeless aroma of goodness. I got out my bowl and filled the bottom with black beans, a perfect compliment to the veggie delight. I topped it off with a glass of Pinot Grigio, and dove in. Fantastic as always. I added a bit of sour cream to pull it all together. Great, easy, healthy way to get your veggie on. Fills you up more than you'd think!

A Quickie

I woke up the other morning and thought to myself, self, what sounds good today? I looked in my fridge and decided to whip up one of the easiest things I could think of. This is a perfect any day, any time bite. I scrambled two eggs, cooked up some Jimmy Dean sausage with Sage (yes, it's quite tasty), rinsed some spinach, added a dollop of sour cream, and a dash of salt & pepper. It was the perfect way to start the day. There is a chance that I made the same little scrumptious ensemble after a night at the bar, but that's neither here nor there. Need a little more kick? Add some salsa or Tabasco to liven things up a bit more. Hope this makes your morning/late-night even more enjoyable.

Beer, good...Bread, good

I happened to have a Beer Bread mix in my pantry that I decided to whip up last night. I also happened to have beer in my fridge. 1+1=2. As the box stated, "The food you love, the time you deserve", it was simple. Put beer bread mix in a bowl, pour one beer of your choice in the mix and stir for 20-30 seconds. I had Pacifico in the fridge, but anything would do. I waited 55 min, and out came golden brown bread. I spread it with a bit of butter and honey. Sweet little perfection. I'm hoping to get some sandwhiches and/or French toast out of the loaves. Next time I'll try from scratch, but for now it was a great Monday night treat.

Willkommen

Well it's only been a few months and another trip to Fredericksburg made it on to my calendar. This past weekend, my Mom (yes we spend a lot of time together), our friends Anna & Martha , and I headed to Fredericksburg for the day. Anna had a beautiful baby girl about 2 months ago, so a girls day away was much needed! Our first stop was not the Brewery as in past months, but one of our favorite German restaurants, Altdorf's. We've been coming here since I was a little one. We even braved the chilly weather and sat in the Biergarten. We ordered a bottle of Pinot Grigio, and got to thinking about food. My Mom's all time favorite is the Red Baron, basically a Reuben. I decided on Jager Schnitzel which is their breaded pork cutlet with brown mushroom gravy. Martha and I split since the thing is HUGE. A soup or salad and three sides come with the dish! We chose Red Cabbage, Sauerkraut, and the Sweet and Sour Potatoes. It was as tasty as I remember, perfectly cooked and filling. After much laughter and eating, we decided on a little Buttermilk pie to finish it all off. Though it was more custard-like than sugary softness of traditional Buttermilk pies, we still ate it (wouldn't recommend if it's your first time to try Buttermilk pie). The rest of the day was filled with shopping and wandering. We got to see the 26 foot German Pyramid which was built in Mainz, Germany and sent to Fredericksburg. It was so impressive! Traditional (smaller) pyramids twirl round and round from candle heat spinning the propeller on top. A wonderful sight! It was the perfect afternoon.

Altdorf Biergarten

Brunch!

To start the new year off right, my Mom and I headed to the Driskill for a much needed relaxing meal. She happened to have a gift certificate to 1886 Cafe and Bakery, which made it all the more sweet of a trip. We arrived just in time to catch the tail end of brunch, and my eyes went directly to Eggs Benedict. This happens to be a favorite, so my order was placed. We chatted in the packed dining room, and were able to catch up with Tony Sansalone, the Executive Pastry Chef. Tony used to own Sansalone's Bakery on 12th street, but moved back into the Hotel business a few years ago. He is an expert cake maker, and now produces lovely desserts for the hotel. When our meals arrived (yes we both ordered Eggs Benedict) we were thrilled. I more thrilled probably b/c it was the perfect dish to work off the celebrations of New Year's Eve. The eggs were perfectly poached, the Canadian bacon salty, and the Hollandaise sauce just the amount of zing I needed. Though the potatoes were a bit mediocre, they did a great job of soaking up excess sauce. It would be fantastic if the $12 dish had a complimentary Mimosa, but for great Hollandaise sauce, it will do. Be sure to check out the beautiful hotel when you're up for a great bite.

The Drikill Hotel
Twitter: @DriskillHotel

Happy New Year!

To say good-bye to 2009, my Mom and I decided to treat ourselves to a prix fixe menu for New Year's Eve. I checked around to see what we would enjoy most. Luckily I stumbled upon Asti's NYE menu, and immediately made reservations. For $55 per person we would be able to enjoy 3 delictable courses. The option for 5 courses at $80 per person was available, but we wanted to be able to walk out of the restaurant, not roll. My friends Laura and Sam joined us for the meal, and we started the night of with a complimentary glass of Prosecco served with goat cheese and truffle topped toast. Melt in your mouth good, especially with a little bubbly. I must warn you, I refrained from snapping numerous pics, so not to blind our fellow patrons. We each decided on our courses, and enjoyed great conversation and a wonderful (silver and black ballon filled) atmosphere. Below were our course selections, a link with the entire menu is towards the end.

1st Course
White Asparagus Soup Parmesan & White Truffle Crema

Foie Gras Mousse Bruschetta Mission Fig Mostarda & Micro Arugula

Red & Yellow Beet Carpaccio Fennel, Black Olives & Orange Vinaigrette Ricotta Bruschetta

2nd Course
Seared Scallops with Yukon Gold Potato Puree Caramelized Wild Mushrooms, Leeks & Crispy Sage

Grilled Rack of Lamb Fregola, Escarole & Tomato Calabrese Currant & Pine Nut Salsa

Beef Tenderloin & Short Rib Saffron Risotto Milanese with Barbaresco Orange Gremolata

3rd Course
Chocolate Truffle Tart Vanilla Balsamic Gelato & Brandied Cherries

Poached Pear stuffed with Candied Cranberries Prosecco & Pear Sorbetto & Gingersnap Streusel


Entire Menu
http://www.astiaustin.com/asti/event/

Let me tell you, each dish was fantastic! The soup was creamy and perfectly balanced, the Beet Carpaccio was a surprising favorite, and the Foie Gras though rich was like butter. Our entrees were enjoyed by all. I must say my lamb was incredible. Such flavor and perfectly cooked. Dessert sealed the deal. The chocoalte truffle amazed us all, and my poached pair offered a refreshing end to a decadent meal. If you have not ventured to Asti on a regular day of the year, let me urge you to get there and dive into deliciousness. We finshed the first part of the night off with a Ginger Vodka Champagne Cocktail Laura and Sam whipped up. It was rumored to be the drink to have for a hang-over free morning (worked pretty well!). The champagne with a kick was fabulous. A perfect start to the rest of the night's celebrations. Laura made a simple syrup with ginger, sugar, and water, then added the Vodka after it cooled. We poured the syrup in glasses of champagne and added candied ginger to make it shine. Here's hoping your New Year is filled with much happiness, health, and fantastic food. Salute!

Asti
Twitter: @ASTI_Trattoria

Here Piggy Piggy

My dear friend Mike made roasted squash the other night with dinner, and I had the pleasure of eating it. He inspired me as I wandered the produce aisles looking for my next meal. I decided on roasted acorn squash with brown sugar and butter, mustard crusted pork chop, steamed green greens, and sauteed apples with brown sugar and butter. This was all topped off with a bottle of vino on sale. Luckily my little neigborhood grocery (Fresh Plus) allowed me to get in and out quickly and inexpensively. My center cut pork chop was a mere $2.00! I nearly skipped home anticipating the sound of sizzle. I pre-heated the oven to 375, and got to work on slathering my chop with ground spicy mustard with horseradish. I steamed my green beans, sauteed my apples, and popped the squash in the oven for about 20 min. I must say, the best part of the dish were the apples. I used Gala, which I've always adored. They were perfectly tender with hint of tart. The rest was delsih, and I of course cleaned my plate. An easy meal for one, or two if you care to cook for someone you adore.