Posts from — September 2010

My favorite sandwich, hands down, BLT!

Warm toasted bread, spread with tangy mayonnaise, topped with hot salty bacon, tart juicy tomatoes, and cold crisp lettuce = heaven on your tongue and happiness in your tummy. What is your favorite sandwich? How do you like to eat it? I’d love to hear, really! Leave me a comment here, on this site, not on Facebook or Twitter. I’ll draw a name from a big wooden salad bowl on Monday and the winner will be mailed a gift card to Paradise Bakery where they have some of my other favorite sandwiches and salads.  If you don’t live in AZ or have a Paradise Bakery nearby… we’ll work it out.

My husband, Dave, and his BFF, Jeff (men don’t say BFF, do they?) have a boy crush on Travis McGee. He is a fictional character in novels by mystery writer John D. MacDonald. Travis is a detective or actually a self-described “salvage consultant” who recovers others’ property for a fee. He eats sandwiches, lots of different sandwiches and he likes to eat them while standing and leaning over the kitchen sink with a couple of cold beers. I’ve read a few of the books myself (there are 21 featuring McGee) and for some reason, that image has always stuck in my brain.

Correction: Since posting this 12 hours ago, my husband has corrected me saying that his hero Travis McGee would not be so crass as to eat sandwiches over the kitchen sink. That, in fact, the fictional character I’m thinking of is novelist Lawrence Sanders’ detective of the “Deadly Sins series”, Edward X. Delaney.  That actually makes more sense since I read all of those “Sin” books. I stand corrected!

I’m certain Travis, oops I mean, Detective Delaney would appreciate this terrific salad, as well.  Even though he’ll have to sit down and eat it with a fork and knife. By the way, a couple of optional garnishes, which I didn’t use only because I didn’t have them on hand, would be thinly sliced red onion and homemade garlic croutons.

Side note: If you read this before 4:30 today (9/8/10), I am cooking with Tram Mai on Channel 12 Valley Dish. Main course salmon during the live show and a taped segment from Saturday’s Phoenix Cooks. Hope you can tune in…

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No Connor, we did not get a new puppy! Forgive me, I had to say that right off the top. Poor Connor is up in Flagstaff and probably had mini heart palpitations of excitement when he saw that title and got his hopes up that puppy breath will greet him when he comes home for Thanksgiving.

Well, there will be if you go over to Aunt Sloane’s house, she brought home the cutest little shitzu puppy this weekend. His name is Bubo and he is the calmest little guy and as sweet as can be. Can’t wait to “babysit” … once he’s housebroken, that is!

As for the “extravagance” in the blog title – well there is this recipe for prime rib steaks, but that’s not exactly what I’m referring to. Fresh fruit is what I’m talking about!

You see, I took Dave with me to the new Fry’s. The big gorgeous remodeled store in our neighborhood I mentioned in yesterday’s post. Of course, he was impressed and was like a kid in a candy store. He picked up a beautiful tray of sliced and perfectly arranged summer fruits, placed it in our cart, and then went off to the salad bar to make a take-home concoction for his lunch. While I was waiting, I examined the fruit tray. It was gorgeous, although I couldn’t see a price tag, so held if high over my head to look at the bottom. There was the tag glaring back at me… $17.49! Seventeen dollars and forty-nine cents for summer fruits … In The Summer!

Strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, and kiwi… $17.49!!! Are you kidding? It’s not January! All those fruits are in season and on sale at just about every store in town, including this Fry’s.

Needless to say, the tray went back in the cooler and the same whole fruits went into our cart before Dave could finish making his salad and turn around.

As you can see on the receipt below, the cost of those fruits was $8.48 and it took me 10 minutes (Yes, I timed it!) to cut up and arrange said fruits just as artfully. Plus I only used half of what I bought for the same size tray, so really the cost of the fruit on my tray was $4.24. Which, if my math is correct, is a savings of more than $13 over the “Convenient Fruit Gold Nuggets” sold at Fry’s. OK, I’m finished with my “rant of the day”- are you ready for a recipe?

I use two items you may not have, Queen Creek Olive Mill fig balsamic vinegar and pickled figs. The pickled figs were posted here on July 22nd, so if you didn’t make them, use fresh figs. If you haven’t invested in the fabulous QCOM products yet, you’ll just use all regular balsamic vinegar for the glaze.

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Did anyone else visit the super-duper newly reopened Fry’s grocery store at Tatum and Shea this past week for their grand opening? Marissa and I went on opening day – crazy idea! We actually had a good time even though there was no parking (I guess we could have used the new valet service and had the car washed, but no) so we parked along the back wall of the store. The store is amazing! And the grand opening deals were as well. My bill was $158 and I saved $171! Dave hates it when I say, “Wow, look how I saved more than I spent!” But I couldn’t help myself… sashimi-grade ahi tuna, whole prime rib, white asparagus, and Kobe ground beef… all at amazing prices! I think he felt a little better about it when we enjoyed some of the ahi in the delicious Southwestern Ahi Tuna Tacos the other day. And then again last night, when we devoured some of the white asparagus and Kobe beef in this supremely tasty meatloaf. And my guess is that he’ll be even more pleased with me when we share the prime rib steaks with my dad and Sloane tonight! Score!

The Kobe ground beef I purchased is actually 50% American Kobe and 50% regular ground beef and was sold in 1-pound packages for only $3.99/lb. If it was true 100% Kobe and I paid 100% regular price, I would not have used it for meatloaf! So what is Kobe beef and why is it such a big deal with a big price? Here is a LINK to a funny, irreverent, and entertaining article by  Brett Martin in Details magazine. It was what inspired me to create this recipe, just keep in mind the price I paid for my 50% American Kobe beef as you read, so as not to consider me a donkey’s behind, as Mr. Martin would suggest!

This recipe is perfect for whatever combination of meat you prefer, whether that is all beef or a mixture of beef, pork, and or lamb. Since only Dave and I were home to enjoy it, I used only one pound of meat and a smaller loaf pan. To serve a family and use a standard loaf pan, just double the recipe and increase the cooking time to 70 – 75 minutes. Serve it atop roasted garlic mashed potatoes with sautéed vegetables on the side and even your own mother will be proud and a bit jealous of your mastery of meatloaf!

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Another day, another post without a recipe. Sorry, but it’s the holiday weekend, right?  More news to share though. I found out too late to pick up a copy, but in the August 2010 issue of AZ-Lifestyle magazine, LPG was featured. Don’t get me wrong, I knew we’d be featured, the reporter was here in June interviewing and taking pictures. I just did not know it had come and gone from newsstands.  Oh well, here’s what the LPG portion looked like. And following in yesterday’s footsteps, here is a link to the previously posted Coconut Mango Cupcakes seen in the photo below! As an added bonus; it’s a great recipe to revisit if you need a refresher course on how to cut open a mango.

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There is no recipe today. Sorry to disappoint, Sloane! But there are several links throughout this post to recipes that have previously appeared here…

This past Thursday I received some exciting news… one of my blog recipes will be featured in an upcoming cookbook! If you were one of the people who voted for my Martini Puffs to be included in the “Cocktails & Appetizers” section of the book… Thank You!

After I submitted the recipe, more than six months ago, I forgot about it. So this is a happy surprise. 

The book will be available on October 19, 2010. If you would like to pre-order a copy of the Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook from Amazon you can do so by clicking THIS LINK. And no, sadly I do not get any $$ from the sales… it may be time to do a book of my own!

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If your house is anything at all like mine, then you’re always waiting for that last person to get home before dinner can be served, or finish being made. All of the components for these tacos need to finish at the last minute. Although not as hard or as much of a pain as it sounds!

You can prep everything for the salsa well ahead, just don’t dice or mix in the avocado until the last possible moment. The slaw and its dressing can also be made well ahead, don’t mix together until just before serving though, or it’ll get soggy.  And the spice mix for the tuna should be ready to go, but since the tuna only takes a couple of minutes to sear, again wait until the very last moment.  As proof of how far ahead it can be done, I had plenty of time to prep everything, take and Photoshop the picture of the prepped stuff, and write this entire blog post and recipe, while waiting for that elusive family member to arrive… maybe I’ll call now and begin my nagging … “What time DO you think you might be home? We are hungry!”

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The filet mignon that was served to us at the Larry Fitzgerald dinner on Monday night at Morton’s was huge! All three of us brought home large portions. The beef was already cooked perfectly (of course), so I didn’t want to reheat too much and end up overcooking them. So… panini sandwiches were the perfect vehicle for the perfect steak!

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Believe it or not, I’m still trying to use up the “sweet” wine in our house. In my August 13th post, I used a bottle for a party beverage/punch. Today, I am “disposing” of more…

Sweet Chicken Breast and Fruits on Quinoa

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