Giving Thanks

Turkey

The holidays have officially kicked off and I’m considering breaking out the maternity pants like Joey on friends.  We’re gathered with family, the buzz of stories and laughter with the recordings of “Alice’s Restaurant” playing in the background. Dinner is cooking, and the house smells amazing. I can’t wait to eat everything. This year, I am grateful for my health, a good job, wonderful friends and family. Things are so good, and days like this where we talk about all that we’re grateful for remind me of how far I’ve come and how fortunate I am.

This year, we went a little crazy on the menu for Thanksgiving, and I can’t wait to eat it all and snack on the leftovers!  So what’s on tap for today?

Breakfast
Goat cheese, bacon, and leek tart with chanterelle mushrooms
Mango-orange mimosas


Dinner

Appetizers:
Deviled eggs-regular and habenero
Caprese Skewers
Cranberry Wine

First Course:
Mixed green salad with candied walnuts, pomegranates, and a raspberry walnut vinaigrette.
Beets with goat cheese crumbles and pistachios

Main Course:
Deboned, honey brined turkey
Rotisserie roasted pork shoulder


Sides:
Mashed potatoes
Pear, cranberry, and port conserva
“Green Slime”-pistachio pudding, cool whip and marshmallows
Pineapple coconut salad
Applesauce
Roasted squash medley with port poached cherries, and almonds
Chorizo spinach stuffing (gluten free)
Turkey stock gravy
Wheat bread with orange cranberry pecan butter
Rolls

Drinks:
Prosecco, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, more cranberry wine

Dessert:

Gluten free vegan cashew and date cheesecake
Cranberry walnut tart
Vanilla bean ice cream
Sandeman’s Port
Prosecco

 

There you have it!  I’m so excited to dig in and eat.  While it’s a lot of food for 8 people, we’ll all leave with a ton of leftovers. Full bellies and happy hearts, and isn’t that a great way to spend the day?

How are you spending the holiday and how do you give thanks?

Yours in food and happiness,

Raina

Day 2: Nikki and Steve’s Sweet Corn Quiche with Shrimp Creole Sauce

Years ago, I had an awesome neighbor that definitely made the block a better place! We became much closer after she moved away and have kept in touch through the years, sharing wisdom around kids, cooking, and essential oils. We both share a love of farm critters and homesteading. You may remember Nikki from a post a while back, where she made some amazingly easy bread! This recipe is no different-a great collaboration between herself and a peer, Steve! Thank you both for an amazing Sweet Corn Quiche & Shrimp Creole Sauce!!

Hello there from Elizabethtown Kentucky!! I am, again, honored to be asked by my sweet friend to contribute to her awesome blog. A lot has happened since my last contribution. While I no longer blog myself, I have been connected with an awesome little place called the “Java Joint” cafe, where I am able to grow and learn through culinary experiences. Its owner, Steve Breen, and I have become great friends and have been concocting brunch recipes over the past couple months now. This recipe that I’m going to share with you today, comes from my very talented friend and has become quickly a crowd favorite down and the cafe!

Sweet Corn Quiche with Shrimp Creole Sauce

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First part: Make your Quiche!

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You will need:

* 10″ spring form pan
* Pie dough (you can use store bought or homemade)
* 12 eggs
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1/2 cup cottage cheese
* 1 can cream corn
* 1 cup frozen corn
* 1 cup shredded cheese

1.)Spray your pan with cooking spray and line your spring form pan with your dough.

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2.) Whisk all of your ingredients together and pour into your pan.

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3.) Bake your quiche at 350 for approximately 1 hr and 15 minutes or until not longer loose in the center.

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Part 2: While baking make your sauce!

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You will need:

* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

* 4 cups chopped onion

* 2 cups chopped green bell peppers

* 2 cups chopped celery

* 2 tablespoons minced garlic

* 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

* 2 bay leaves

* 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

* 2 tablespoons creole seasoning

* 1 qt shrimp or chicken stock

* 3 lbs shrimp (peeled, deveined, tail off) (if frozen, let thaw a bit)

1.) Make a roux over medium heat, constantly stirring till it’s the color of peanut butter.

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2.) Add the onions, peppers, celery, and garlic to the roux, stirring and allowing to cook for about 10 more minutes.

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3.) Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, cayenne and 1 tablespoon of creole seasoning. Cook for 2-3 more minutes and then whisk in the stock.

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4.) Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves and take a stick blender to pulse until you have a sauce like consistency. Season shrimp with the other tablespoon of creole seasoning and toss in sauce. Cook till done.

-Now-

Cut you out a nice big slice of your BEAUTIFUL Quiche and drape that scrumptious sauce right over! Enjoy!!

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You totally want this, right?? I know what I am making soon. Thank you again, Nikki! Enjoy dear readers!
Raina

Day 1: The BEST Eggs Benedict with Power Couple Life!

Oh man you guys. We are kicking Brunch Week off with a BANG!  Tiana from Power Couple Life is here to get us started with the BEST Eggs Benedict. After you check out this awesome recipe, please go check out their blog: http://powercouplelife.com/

Enjoy!

 

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We are Eggs Benedict obsessed.  The endless search of the perfect runny yolks and fully cooked whites is what my Sundays are made of.  Traveling the world has given us the chance to try them in many places, but nowhere is quite like our very own kitchen. 
Restaurants make this dish look like a work of art, but you don’t need to be a trained chef to whip this perfect brunch dish up. 
What is Eggs Benedict? Traditionally, a poached egg, slice of ham, on a toasted English muffin, covered in Hollandaise Sauce.  Ours is a bit different. Why? Bacon. 
What you’ll need:
Hollandaise Sauce
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
Pinch cayenne
Pinch salt

Eggs Benedict
4 slices Canadian bacon + 4 slices of cooked, crispy bacon
4 English muffins, split
1 teaspoons white vinegar
4 eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hollandaise sauce, recipe above
Fresh chives, for garnish
Yield: 2 servings
Instructions:
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble.
Tip: If you over cook, add a drop of milk to the eggs to save them.
Slowly pour in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the Eggs Benedict. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving. 
Tip: Consistency should be similar pancake batter. Brown the Canadian bacon in a skillet and toast the English muffins.Fill a 10-inch nonstick skillet half full of water. Add white vinegar to the cooking water. This will make the egg white cook faster so it does not spread. Bring to a slow boil. Gently break each of the eggs into the water taking care not to break the yolk.  Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook 3 1/2 minutes until the egg white is solid white and yolk remains soft. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing the egg to drain.

To assemble: Lay a slice of Canadian bacon on top of each muffin half. Break or cut your bacon into halves. Place 2 halves on top of the Canadian Bacon.  the bacon slices with a poached egg. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon hollandaise sauce over the eggs. Garnish with green onions.
Tip: Hollandaise Sauce does not reheat well. Make only what you will eat right away.
Enjoy your perfect Eggs Benedict, and let us know how they turned out! 

You should get out more!

Sometimes you just want, no NEED to get out. You need to have conversations with adults that don’t involve Daniel Tiger and to relax, eat good food and have a fun time. That well needed break came in the form of Seattle Food Tours.

I recently had the chance to try this fun organization out. The concept is great-you get together with a small group of people, and go on a food tour of a particular neighborhood. There’s no decisions to make, no dishes to do-you just get out, relax and let someone take good care of you.

We ventured through one of my favorite neighborhoods, Capitol Hill, and stopped at 5 restaurants: Bar Cotto, Le Zinc, Momiji, The Tin Table, and D’Ambrosio Gelato. Coral Sisk, our guide and local foodie set everything up in advance, checking for allergies and sensitivities to ensure a safe and happy experience. Each stop allowed us time to mingle, eat, drink and learn about what we were eating and the people who made the food. Between each stop, we learned a little about the neighborhood, too. It’s really a great way to meet people and learn, in addition to eating! What made this even more perfect for me was that each stop was a different type of food-I didn’t have to commit to any one thing. By the time the evening was over, I was full, relaxed, and had connected with other bloggers in my area. What more do you need?

Let’s get to the good stuff-what we ate!

The first stop was Bar Cotto. This was a quiet, intimate, candle-lit spot-perfect for a date. This was a great “starter” place, but not for those adverse to eating meat-we had torta  fritta, which were little fried pillows of dough, alongside carefully sliced prosciutto, mortadella and salami. We sipped a fabulous sparkling lambrusco and chatted. Despite the space being filled with the tour group, it was still quiet and enjoyable.

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We ambled to Le Zinc,little brother to Maximilien in the market. We met the owner and chatted food and wine before having some of the best scallops I have had. Imagine large tender, delicate scallops, coated lovingly in comte cheese and bread crumbs, then seared quickly, and then placed on a hash made of potatoes, apples, bacon and topped with fried taro root. This was my favorite spot of all because of the attention to detail and taste. The presentation was wonderful as well. This lovely little French stop was perfect, but sadly, I learned that they have closed their doors. I would HIGHLY recommend a stop into Maximilien to get your French Fix!

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Next up was Momiji, a very popular and busy sushi spot. Board after board of their butterfly rolls were brought out quickly enough to go around and then some!  The butterfly rolls were filled with crab meat, and then topped with tuna, avocado and roe. They were creamy and lovely, and again, the amount of food was just right.

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We paused to talk about where Capitol Hill got its’ name and whether it was the hope of becoming the state capitol or if it was named after the hometown of a founder of the neighborhood. We looked at the architecture, talked about how the neighborhood has changed over the years, comparing stories.

We arrived at the Tin Table, housed in the Odd Fellows building. Location-wise, this was the best stop! The building is amazing, and quirky, there was a good amount of people, and the space is really well laid out. This spot in itself is a date night! Not only can you get a great meal here, but you can catch a show, as well as get in your dance fix in the most lovely ballroom. The owner was very sweet and took us on a tour of everything-again, the space itself is worth a visit!  At the Tin Table we had an interesting combination of food-cider smoked salmon laid over cabbage with bits of apple and bacon. There was pomegranate seeds in the dish as well as buckwheat spaetzle. The pros? The salmon was outstanding, the cons-the spaetzel wasn’t my favorite, and the pomegranate seemed out-of-place. Overall the dish worked, and I would definitely go back for the fish any day. The chef and owner were welcoming, and the wait staff were very attentive.

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Lastly, we made our way to D’Ambrosio Gelato, for a sweet treat and to wrap up a great evening. This was a fun, bright spot, with rows of soft, tasty gelato. I picked out a scoop each of the chocolate hazelnut as well as the Mexican chocolate-it was a great combination, sweet and spicy and smooth. It was the perfect way to wrap up the evening!

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If you’re looking for a great date night, or a fun tour for out-of-town guests, Seattle Food Tours is definitely the way to go; it’s an affordable way to eat your way through the city without having to choose or rush, you just enjoy!  For more information, please check out their website.

Are you ready to go?!

Raina

Please note, while I did receive a ticket to this event, all opinions are strictly my own .

 

 

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