Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Blackberry Cobbler

Ingredients

Topping:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
4 pints blackberries
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Ginger cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons finely diced candied ginger

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cobbler: Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer for two minutes. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together. Mix milk, egg, and vanilla extract together in another bowl. Add a third of the dry mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed, then a third of the wet mixture. Continue alternating until all are combined.

Butter a 5 X 9 inch Pyrex dish, and sprinkle with sugar to coat. Toss the blackberries with the sugar, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice and cornstarch to coat and transfer to the Pyrex dish. Spoon the topping over the berries. Bake for 45 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden.

Ginger cream: Whip the cream and the powdered sugar. Fold in the candied ginger. Serve the cobbler warm topped with ginger cream.

Potato Salad

Ingredients
4 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces (substitute red potatoes if you like)
2 cups mayonnaise
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 and 1/2 cups finely diced celery
1 teaspoon sugar (omit if you have diabetes)
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
9 hard boiled eggs, remove from shells and coarsely chop
3 teaspoons paprika (for garnish)
1 tablespoons diced chives (for garnish)

Instructions
Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, 10-15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and allow the potatoes to cool for a few minutes in the cooking liquid. Drain the potatoes while they are still warm.

Combine the mayonnaise, onions, celery, sugar, vinegar, mustard and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the potatoes to the dressing while they are still warm. Gently fold in the chopped eggs, and garnish with paprika and chives.

Yield: Serves 4.

My new camera Casio Exilim!

I have been getting several E-mails about how I get such great photographs of food. My new camera Casio Exilim EX-S600 has a Food setting and it is a Macro setting that allows for wonderful food photography. I thought I would let everyone in on this tool for better food photos. The camera also has a setting for pets, candlelight, people, scenery, flowers, water etc. I love my Casio Digital Camera!
bk_keywords: Casio, Exilim, EX-S600, 6MP, Digital Camera, 3x Optical Zoom.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Maggiano's Little Italy!

Maggiano's Little Italy opened up in Bellevue, Wa late last year. We decided to go out for meatballs and this hit the spot. While we were there anyway, why not order the Fried Mozzarella. Dad of course wanted the Stuffed Mushrooms.
Fried Mozzarella Marinara!
Stuffed Mushrooms!
Meatballs!
A white tablecloth and expensive restaurant might be left for special occasions rather than a hankering for meatballs.

Zephyr Bar & Grill

Zephyr Bar & Grill
Olive Bread with three buttersCaesar Salad
Four Cheese Macaroni
Spicy Fried Chicken with Southern Mashed Potatoes
Filet Mignon with Demi Glace
A new restaurant opened in Kent, Wa at Kent Station a new outdoor lifestyle mall. It is called the Zephyr Bar & Grill, I was intrigued and decided to take my Dad and give it a try. The Zephyr also my Dog's name has been open only three weeks and the service showed that. Very slow. It took an hour and 45 minutes to eat there and we did not have dessert. I ordered the filet mignon and liked it quite well, it was nicely done with a demi glace and a bearnaise sauce. It was cooked as I ordered it, but my red potatoes merely sliced in half were raw. Apparently they need to work on the little things. For example, my Dad wanted Macaroni and Cheese as a side dish and they brought it as his appetizer. It's all about the timing. He really enjoyed the Macaroni & Cheese, but I prefer the baked type over the pour on cheese afterthought. The dish my Dad ordered was the southern spicy fried chicken and mashed potatoes was not what he had expected. It was over cooked and way past crispy. The mashed potatoes were overcooked and lacked flavor. The fried chicken had such an overkill of spices that it was difficult to even taste the chicken. The caesar salad was excellent, the greens were really fresh, and this is often overlooked at some restaurants. I liked the olive bread and three butters, I think it is creative to give a choice of butters. If you have enough time one night I would recommend going, but stay away from the Southern Fried Chicken. By the way there is another location in Livermore, California.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Sunday Brunch!

Tomato Soup
Eggs Benedict and Herb Potatoes
Close Up Egg Benedict
Orange Croissant French Toast
Lovely day for Sunday Brunch. Dad and I went to the Hunt Club in Seattle and enjoyed a nice Sunday Brunch. My Dad loves brunch and has passed this love onto me and my brother Jonathan. This was unique, because you order from a menu. When I was little I remember loving going to Sunday Brunch, because I could run around the tables and pick and choose what I wanted. I am a picky eater and sometimes there is something I really like and I will just eat that. Growing up in Southern California we went to a Sunday Brunch where they had a woman play the violin and the best blueberry blintzes ever.