Category Archives: food notes

beverages, food notes

Philz Coffee Turkish Blend Copycat {food notes}

 

For a more interesting morning brew, add some ground cardamom to your coffee grounds before you percolate.  The product is a mild cardamom flavor without the grainy-ness of spices added after the coffee is made.

 

It’s very reminiscent of Philz Coffee’s Turkish blend.

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cherry stuffed and hazelnut crusted pork loin chops with balsamic-red wine braised cabbage and goat cheese potato gratin.

Fantastic.

Cabbage: red cabbage, granny smith apples, onions, butter, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, red wine, brown sugar, salt

Potatoes: goat cheese, potatoes, milk, cream, onion, parsley, salt, butter, white pepper

Pork: dried cherries, pork, hazelnuts, salt, white pepper

food notes, Mains, Parties, Pork

Food Explosion #2 {Food Notes}

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food notes, Petit Bites, Soups & Stews, Vegetables

Spinach Zucchini Soup

Basic Design idea: garlic, onion, potato, spinach, zucchini, stock, bay leaf, chives, lemon

What I did:

Ingredients:

  • 2 shallots, diced
  • 1 tsp butter + 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
  • 1 tsp crushed garlic from Trader Joe’s (I use Low Sodium)
  • 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach
  • 1 potato, peeled and chopped
  • 4 medium zucchini, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • water
  • salt
  • green onion
  • lemon
  • crushed red pepper

Method:

  1. Saute the shallots in butter and oil until soft.
  2. Add the garlic, zucchini, spinach, and potatoes and saute for a few minutes.  Cover with water and add the bay leaves and bouillon paste.
  3. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the veggies are soft and disintegrating.
  4. Remove the Bay Leaves!
  5. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
  6. Serve with a healthy squeeze of fresh lemon.  Garnish with green onion and crushed red pepper.  Add salt to taste.

Verdict:  YUM!

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food notes

Pelmeni/Manti {Food Notes}

must make some version of this pelmini recipe one day.  In Turkey, it’s called manti, I’ve made it once before, but it wasn’t all that—just OK.  For some reason when ground beef is boiled it acquires a chewy texture that I don’t like–maybe the seals weren’t good and the water got in?  hmmm.

water, egg, salt, flour… a tsp of bacon fat?

garlic, onion, ground beef, pork, salt, pepper, paprika, red wine?…

garlic, yogurt, chili , oil……

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food notes, Soups & Stews

No Stock? No Problem.

I hate it when recipes call for stock.  Part of me feels like the stock will be the only flavor in the soup (or whatever you’re making).  Part of me is angry because I don’t keep stock on hand at home.  What’s to be done when you ain’t got stock?

Improvise 🙂

Use water and a pinch of :

  • turmeric
  • celery seed
  • dill
  • garlic powder
  • coriander
  • ground ginger
  • thyme
  • cayenne pepper
  • bay leaves
  • white pepper
  • parsley
  • carrot/onion/leek
  • barley
  • salt
  • marjoram
  • rosemary
  • lemon/orange peel
  • sage
  • Use bacon fat (instead of oil) to add flavor (if you have it)
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