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June 12 Bon Anniversaire Mackenzie!Bon Anniversaire, Mackenzie!
We had a celebratory dinner at
58 Tour Eiffel
in the Eiffel Tower this evening.
...a memorable meal with
outstanding service
and fine food.
 The fresh fruit salad
featured our first exposure
to pitaya,
a white fruit with black seeds from Thailand,
which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Delightful dejeuner at the Cafe RodinHow delightful it was to have
le dejeuner at
le Cafe Rodin hier.
I had the soupe carotte
which couldn't have been fresher or more flavorful.
The highlight of Mike's plat du jour
was the Gratinee Dauphinois
 and will be working hard to recreate
when I get home.
If you're near the Musee Rodin,
the food at their cafe is lovely.
June 10 Debauve & Gallais ChocolatiersDebauve & Gallais
Maison foundee en 1800
...an exquisite chocolate shop
 30, rue des Saints-Peres
Pricey chocolates, but what fun to look
and what a story behind the history
of the chocolatier (Debauve)
and the pharamist (Gallais)
back in the early 1800s.
More later...
Au revoir!
Sydne La Grande Epicerie Paris- Ooh La La!Oh, to have the unlimited resources of time and money
to spend at La Grande Epicerie Paris: A Foodie's Paradise!
Will have to come back again!
 Best find: un Macaron Cafe from the patisserie,
an accidental selection by Mackenzie
who asked for un Macaron Chocolat
and was given un Macaron Cafe
and what luck for us!
I will definitely be trying to replicate
them when I get home.
Magnifique!
La Grande Epicerie
rue de Sevres
rue de Bac Hier soir: Camille Brasserie pour dinerHier soir,
with thanks to Rick Steves and his Paris guidebook,
we stopped into Camille Brasserie,
 not far from our apartement
and enjoyed a delightful evening there.
Our waitress, Stephanie, was most accommodating,
lifting oversized chalkboard menus off the wall for us
to get a better view and letting us know that "everything is made here."
The Brochettes be Boeuf grillee aux Herbes avec Ratatouille was delicieux.
 I savored every last bite of the fresh provincial vegetables which
absolutely melted in my mouth.
The bottle of Cote du Rhone paired nicely
with the beef, aussi.
Bon Appetit!
Camille Brasserie
24 rue des Francs-Bourgeois
Paris
June 08 Foodie Finds in France: Ambassade AuvergneBonjour and Bon Appetit!
Vous ete arrive a Paris!
 Thanks to a recommendation by Patricia Wells in her Food Lover's Guide to Paris,
we located and dined at a rustic French bistro not far from our apartement in the 3rd arrondisement.
We enjoyed a beautiful bistro dinner
including farmer's chicken with morels
followed by chocolate mousse service
with slices of heavenly lemon sponge cake
 that would have pleased everyone
dining in our section of the quaint and authentic French restaurant.
Our first night French foodie find: Ambassade Auvergne
22 rue du Grenier Saint-Lazare
01 42 72 31 22
Paris
Tres bien!
June 02 Mark's Margarita Cake Mark's Margarita Cake
Nothing says Happy Summer Birthday
like a margarita, especially when you're baking
for a friend who owns a liquor store.
Happy Belated Birthday, Mark!
I hope you enjoy the cake.
Mark's Margarita Cake
(serves 10 or more)
Margarita Cake:
Bake a supermoist pudding-in-the-mix white cake mix according to directions on box, substituting 1 cup Rose's Sweetened Lime Juice and 1/4 cup tequila for the 1 and 1/4 cups water called for. Remove cake from pan when cooled and wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze until ready to frost.
Margarita Frosting:
In a mixing bowl combine: 1 cup softened butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons Rose's Sweetened Lime Juice, 1/4 cup cream and 2 tablespoons tequila. Beat with electric mixer until smooth and creamy, making sure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Remove cake from freezer. Slice in half horizontally. Fill and frost with margarita frosting.
Decorate with lime green sprinkles, ribbon, lime zest and a stripe of sprinkled sea salt on the top of the cake.
Enjoy!
May 31 I'll Have What She's Making for Breakfast: Puffy Baked Pancake
Puffy Baked Pancake
Looking for something
quick, easy, and different to serve for breakfast?
How about a Puffy Baked Pancake?
Making it is as easy as
melting butter, blending batter and baking.
With all the fresh fruit in season for toppings,
it may just become your go-to guest breakfast
of the summer.
Puffy Baked Pancake
(serves 4-6)
4 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Put butter in glass pie plate and set in preheated oven to melt.
In a blender combine: eggs, milk, flour, salt and vanilla. Blend until thoroughly mixed.
Pour batter into pie dish when butter has melted and return to hot oven.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until pancake has puffed and turned golden brown.
Slice into wedges and serve with your favorite toppings: powdered sugar, orange butter, syrup, sliced strawberries...the sky's the limit!
Enjoy!
May 30 Artichoke, Fennel and Sun-dried Tomato Dip Artichoke, Fennel and Sun-dried Tomato Dip
Update your baked artichoke dip
with some sauteed fennel and sun-dried tomatoes,
pop open a bottle of Italian red
and let the party get started!
Artichoke, Fennel and Sun-dried Tomato Dip
(serves 8 as an appetizer)
2 tablespoons butter
1 fennel bulb, finely minced
14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup julienne cut sun-ripened dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter and saute fennel until softened and lightly browned.
Combine remaining ingredients, add sauteed fennel and mix thoroughly.
Transfer to ovenproof baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
Serve with crackers.
Enjoy!
May 29 Asparagus Tips and Dill Dip Asparagus Tips and Dill Dip
Gearing up for a fun-filled weekend
of graduation parties or
relaxation at the lake?
Why not blanch some asparagus tips
and whisk together some dill dip
to stash in the fridge?
When cocktail hour rolls around,
you are ready to go!
Asparagus Tips and Dill Dip
(with thanks to my brother Kelly, who originally gave me the chervil dip recipe)
2 pounds asparagus
1 cup real mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dillweed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Trim tough ends of asparagus off and discard.
Blanch asparagus tips in gently simmering water for 6 minutes.
Drain over ice in a strainer in the sink.(Ice will help preserve bright green color.)
Whisk together mayonnaise, dillweed, salt, and lemon juice until thoroughly combined.
Wrap asparagus tips in paper towels, place in plastic ziploc bag and chill until ready to serve.
Cover dill dip and chill until ready to serve.
Enjoy!
May 28 Stevia Mint Syrup
Stevia Mint Syrup for Iced Tea
Imagine my delight when my pal Jamie arrived at my door
last night with a stevia plant for me!
I've been reading about the super-sweet
herb and was anxious to start experimenting.
Thanks, Jame for the thoughtful gift.
If you're lucky enough to have a stevia plant,
try making some stevia mint syrup
to flavor iced tea with this summer.
Stevia Mint Syrup
(makes about 1 cup)
In a heavy medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a gentle simmer.
Add 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves and 1/4 cup (packed) chopped stevia leaves.
Simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
Let cool in pan.
Strain syrup into a pitcher, mashing leaves down to release flavor.
Discard leaves.
Keep syrup refrigerated until ready to use.
Add stevia mint syrup to iced tea to sweeten, about 1 tablepoon for an 8-ounce glass, or to taste.
Enjoy!
May 27 Let's Do Lunch: Red Potato Salad with Bacon, Shallots and Dill Red Potato Salad with Bacon, Shallots and Dill
(original pottery by Jamie Doan)
Tis the season to come on over and bring a salad,
so why not add a fresh new red potato salad recipe
to your summer repertoire?
Serve on butter lettuce leaves for lunch,
in ramekins as a side salad
or double the recipe
and bring to your next
potluck party.
Red Potato Salad with Bacon, Shallots and Dill
(serves 4 for lunch, or 6-8 as a a side dish)
Ingredients:
10 small red potatoes, cut in half
1 shallot, minced
2 teaspoons dried dillweed
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup real mayonnaise
3 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
fresh dill sprigs
Directions:
1. Boil potatoes for 10 minutes. Drain and chill in refrigerator.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients to make a dressing for the salad.
3. Cut boiled potatoes into 1-inch pieces and place in medium bowl.
4. Pour dressing over and toss.
5. Cover salad and chill until ready to serve.
6. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs.
Enjoy!
May 26 Carrot Soup with Ginger Cream and Crispy ShallotsI'll Have What She's Cooking: Carrot Soup with Ginger Cream and Crispy Shallots
Now that sounds yummy!
And it is.
The smooth, velvety carrot soup is the perfect backdrop for
the sweet and spicy ginger cream,
set off nicely by the crispy shallot garnish.
Enjoy!
 Carrot Soup with Ginger Cream and Crispy Shallots
(serves four as a first course)
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 shallots, thinly sliced 3 cups carrots, peeled and cut in 1 inch pieces
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
For the crispy shallots:
Saute shallots in 1 tablespoon butter until crispy and browned. Drain on paper towels and reserve.
For the carrot soup:
In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat, heat 4 cups water until simmering.
Add carrots and cook for 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain. Wipe out sauce pan.
In a blender combine: vegetable broth, cooked carrots, buttermilk, ginger, white pepper and salt. Blend until smooth. Strain.
In medium saucepan melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat and add flour, stirring to make a smooth paste.
Add a small amount of carrot mixture and stir until smooth. Add the rest of the carrot mixture, stirring over medium low heat until slightly thickened and heated through.
For the ginger cream:
2 tablespons sour cream
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
Combine sour cream, ginger and sugar in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
Transfer into small plastic bag. Snip one corner off bag, making a small opening for dispensing. Reserve until serving.
To serve:
Ladle warm soup into individual bowls.
Squirt ginger cream over carrot soup and top with crispy shallots.
Enjoy!
May 25 Baked Zucchini Fries with Marinara Dipping Sauce Baked Zucchini Fries with Marinara Dipping Sauce
Looking for a healthy accompaniment to burgers
and barbecue fare this season?
Try baking these fresh and flavorful
zucchini fries and serve with marinara dipping sauce.
Baked Zucchini Fries
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 medium zucchini, sliced in 4 inch by 1/2 inch strips
Marinara Dipping Sauce
1 14.5 ounce can Italian style diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Combine marinara sauce ingredients in blender and blend until combined.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Pour beaten eggs in shallow dish.
Combine bread crumbs, cheese, salt and pepper in shallow dish.
Dip zucchini strips in egg, then in bread crumb mixture.
Place prepared zucchini strips on baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Turn with spatula and bake an additional 6 minutes, until lightly browned.
Serve warm with marinara dipping sauce.
Enjoy!
May 24 Grilled Chicken Burritos at Tyler'sHeading over to my brother Tyler's house tonight
to replicate the Baja Fresh Ultimo Burritos
he knows and loves.
Here's what we came up with...
Thanks, Tyler for having us all over!
 Grilled Chicken Burritos at Tyler's
Grilled Chicken Burritos
(serves 8)
For the chicken:
5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup oil, divided
chili powder
salt
Preheat grill pan to medium high heat.
Brush 2 tablespoons oil over surface of pan.
Lay chicken breast in pan and sprinkle generously with salt and chili powder.
Grill for 6-8 minutes and turn.
Sprinkle other side with salt and chili powder and grill until done, and additional 6-8 minutes.
(Or grill chicken breasts on preheated barbecue)
Let rest briefly and then slice in thin strips.
For the peppers:
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 sweet onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, sliced thinly
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in medium saute pan over medium high heat.
Add peppers, onion, garlic and jalapeno and saute until softened and browned, stirring often.
For the chipotle cream:
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Combine all chipotle cream ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
To assemble:
Heat tortillas on a preheated griddle until warmed.
Spread a small amount of chipotle cream over warmed tortillas. (It's spicy, so taste first.)
Add grilled chicken and peppers.
Fold into a burrito.
Enjoy!
May 23 Get-together Guacamole
Get-together Guacamole
The yardwork is done and it's time to unwind, perhaps with the neighbors.
There's nothing like fresh guacamole and jicama
to accompany ice cold beer as a reward for your hard work
Get-together Guacamole
Peel, pit and dice three ripe avocados.
Add the juice of 2 limes, about 1/4 cup.
Add 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 cup of your favorite salsa and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Mix with a fork to combine.
Serve with chips and jicama strips.
Enjoy!
May 22 Impromptu Barbecue: La Bella Vita Burgers
Memorial Day weekend memories often include inviting friends over for an impromptu barbecue. Stop at the store today and stock up on a few essentials and impress your guests with these updated burgers this weekend.
La Bella Vita Burger
Sweet Italian Sausage Burger with Garlic Parmesan Mayonnaise and Baby Arugula on a Sourdough Roll
Sweet Italian Sausage Burgers
Gently mix together all burger ingredients with the exception of the last ¼
cup of bread crumbs. Form into patties, using ½ cup burger mixture for each
burger. Separate burger patties with waxed paper and refrigerate until ready
to grill.
Garlic Parmesan Mayonnaise
Mix together all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to assemble burgers.
Baby Arugula
Toss arugula with olive oil and salt. Set aside.
To serve:
Place grill basket on preheated barbeque over medium heat. Brush grill
basket with olive oil.
Pour the last ¼ cup of bread crumbs in shallow dish and coat each burger
patty with bread crumbs.
Carefully place burger patties into grill basket on grill.
Grill for about 5 minutes on each side, until sausage is cooked through and
liquids run clear.
Spread a tablespoon of garlic parmesan mayonnaise on each inside of each
bun.
Top with grilled burger patty.
Top burger with arugula.
Top with top bun. Enjoy! May 21 Basil Pesto Chicken Sandwiches Basil Pesto Chicken Sandwiches
The basil in my herb garden needed a trim, so I whipped up
some Basil Pesto Chicken Sandwiches for lunch today.
Yum!
Basil Pesto Chicken Sandwiches
(makes 2 sandwiches)
2 cups cooked chicken, cut in small pieces (I used the rest of the rotisserie chicken meat in the fridge)
1/3 cup real mayonnaise
2 teaspoons (or more) squeeze basil (in the produce department)
salt, to taste
6 large fresh basil leaves
4 slices whole wheat bread
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Combine chicken, mayonnaise and squeeze basil and mix thoroughly.
Season with salt to taste.
Line bread slices with fresh basil leaves.
Top with basil pesto chicken mixture and make sandwiches.
Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, if desired.
Enjoy!
May 20 Cherry Almond Checkerboard Cake: Happy Birthday Kelly! Cherry Almond Checkerboard Cake
May 20, 2009: Happy 30th Birthday to my little brother Kelly,
who's finishing up his second year of law school at Santa Clara University.
Wish I were there to celebrate with you.
May your day be filled with all of your favorite things and
may you celebrate in style.
I give you,
Cherry Almond Checkerboard Cake.
Love,
Sydne
Cherry Almond Checkerboard Cake
Ingredients: 2 boxes pound cake mix (eggs and water for mixes) or use your own favorite pound cake recipe red food coloring
1 cup cherry preserves ½ cup butter, softened 2 cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons whipping cream 2 teaspoons almond extract
1 box (1 lb. 8 oz.) Pure white rolled fondant (available at craftt stores like Michael's)
Directions:
1. Prepare pound cake mix according to directions and bake in a greased and floured loaf pan as directed.
2. For second mix, prepare as directed on box and then add several drops of red food coloring to tint. Bake in a greased and floured loaf pan as directed.
3. Cool on wire rack, wrap tightly in foil and freeze overnight or for several hours.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat cherry preserves until melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Mix together butter, powdered sugar, whipping cream and almond extract until thoroughly combined and light and fluffy.
6. Remove cakes from freezer. Slice tops to make even topped rectangles. Then cut each loaf into three even long slices. Then cut each slice into three even long slices again. You will have nine long strips of cake from each pound cake.
7. On a cutting board, arrange the cake strips to form a checkerboard pattern, alternating colors to make a three-by-three strip grid. Reserve additional cake strips for another use.
8. Remove the top two layers, so you are left with one three strip layer and brush with melted cherry preserves. Add a layer of cake strips and brush the top of that layer. Stack the final three strips on top and brush the top of the stack.
9. Spread the almond frosting over top and sides of cake to cover.
10. Carefully roll fondant out on work surface to a8 by 14 inch rectangle. Brush with wet pastry brush and smooth with fingers if it tears.
11. Gently lay the fondant cover over the frosted cake, tucking in corners, and cutting with scissors to trim, if necessary.
12. Garnish covered cake with fondant cut-outs, mint leaves and cherries, if available.
Enjoy! |
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