Taco Dip

This is another Bambi recipe, but if you do not like venison or don't have any on hand, ground beef will work just fine.

This dip (with beef), along with a pizza dip, was always my mother's go-to party dip. I was never a huge fan of this dip, because I was the pickiest eater as a kid. No matter where we went out to eat, I would order chicken tenders (and a bottle of that heavenly red sauce, ketchup). I didn't even need to see the menu. Needless to say, anything Mexican, no matter how Americanized it was, was not something I would consider. Now I would not consider ordering chicken tenders, because I'd be foregoing something delicious, exotic, and flavorful.

If you like a seven-layer dip, you're sure to like this. It's simpler, because there aren't as many layers, but feel free to add your favorite Mexican ingredients that aren't included below: black beans, jalapeño, corn, etc. Anyway, take a chance with this dip and use any kind of salsa you prefer. Use hot salsa and pepper jack cheese for an added kick. And if you like olives (excuse me while I gag), throw some sliced black ones on the top.

Cripsy Potatoes, Venison with Herb Butter, and Clean Green Beans

Now I don't eat beef for many reasons, but I love venison...especially the tenderloin...I'll eat that until the cows come home (I crack myself up sometimes). My dad is a hunter and always has been. I am an only child, so obviously, as a girl, I always have more in common with my mom--cooking, crafts (when I was younger...I since have realized I have no artistic ability), shopping (neither of us are shop-aholics, but a mother always understands a shoe/bag fetish). I wanted  Dad to feel like there was something we could do together that Mom wouldn't enjoy, and I remember buying camouflage sweats and fleece  and hoping that Dad would take me hunting. That was in vain, as I have still never been hunting, and that's perfectly fine with me, as long as I reap the benefits of his hobby. There are plenty of other bonding activities Dad and I can do together--like cooking, and eating, and cooking, and eating, and skiing.

This deer season, things were looking pretty grim, because Dad hadn't gotten a deer yet--thank goodness we weren't relying solely on Dad for dinner! Eventually, he came home with the goods, and that is what we brought out of the freezer on this very night. This was one of those last-minute, what-do-we-have-on-hand dinners.

White Chili with Chicken

First off, I want to apologize for not updating very regularly these past two weeks. I have been insanely busy, but (I think) things will calm down in the next week...or so. Until then, bear with me! I will try to post as regularly as possible or at least get my clone to post while I'm busy reading applications, training for a half-marathon that's sooner than I want to admit, and trying to have some semblance of a life. I appreciate your patience.

Now on to the food...this is a great dish whether you're sitting on the couch and watching football or whether you've just come inside after having any contact whatsoever with the frigid winter weather...those of you who know me, know I am a warm weather girl through and through. In the winter, my middle fingers randomly become ghostly white and numb, and no matter how much coffee or tea I drink, I just don't get warm. After work, you will only catch me in one of two things...a faded pair of sweats from high school, or a beautiful pair of teal fleece pajama pants with pink, white, and black polka dots. Needless to say, I welcome anything warm and comforting.

This chili hits the spot, and it's not bad for you at all! It's fairly low-sodium compared to most chilies and soups, because I used reduced sodium broth and dried beans. Canned beans are much easier and quicker, but if you have the extra time, use dried beans. As an added bonus, they're also cheaper. Plus, it's made with chicken breasts or tenderloins versus red meat. Ground meat gives me the heebie jeebies, so I typically avoid that at all costs.

I used peppers from my uncle's garden. We harvested way too much to consume last summer, so we hulled the small peppers and sliced the green bell peppers to use in the doldrums of winter when we were craving anything reminding us of summer and 90-degree days.

It's better after the flavors have a night to marry. Just make this dish the night before, and once it has cooled for a couple of hours, place it in the refrigerator. When you're ready to eat, slowly reheat it on the stove top or throw in a crock pot and forget about it until it's chow time. If it's a little dry--which this will probably be the case because the beans and chicken will continue to absorb the liquid/flavor overnight in the fridge, add some extra broth and stir until it is incorporated. How much easier can it get?

Restaurant Review #2: Cafe Rustica in Richmond, VA

Guys, you'd be so proud. I left the village this past weekend for civilization. I grew up going to Richmond fairly often; it is an old, spirited city with a lot of charm. I even had the chance to live in Richmond suburbia (not ideal, but better than the alternative). In the Fan is the residential district to the west of the business district and the state capitol and to the east of the West End. The Fan is full of row houses dating from the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century. They are spotted with details like crystal doorknobs, original stained glass windows, detailed woodwork the thought of painting makes you want to hire someone, fireplaces, and 12-foot ceilings. Each house comes fully equipped with it's own set of creaks and cracks; it's like they're trying to tell you some of the history of that place. I find old houses--noisy floors and all--extremely endearing.

There's something about that city that has always appealed to me and always felt like home. I will get there eventually, but for now, I will have to settle for random visits. Luckily, I have enough excuses (college friends and family friends) that I could probably visit every weekend for two months and stay with someone different each time.

That leads me to my most recent trip...I have been wanting to introduce my oldest (read: we met at orientation) college friend who is in law school and my adopted aunt and uncle/godparents ('family friends' just doesn't do them justice), because they live on the same street a block away from each other. We were finally able to coordinate all of our schedules and had a wonderful dinner with bacon-wrapped dates, crusty bread (make this one, it's insanely easy), cheese and crackers, shrimp scampi, roasted broccoli, and of course, the SYMG tart. Dinner was great, and the company was even better! 

The daughter of the family friends works at a restaurant downtown called Cafe Rustica. On their website, they describe their food as "European comfort food."  After hearing rave reviews of the food and the prix fixe menu on Sundays, I decided I had to fit a visit to CR into my weekend schedule.

This is from the website...no that's not pot roast or lasagna,
but see how good it looks!!

In general, the food on the website sounds delicious--from the butternut ravioli with duck confit, kale and sage butter sauce to the Mediterranean short stack (a shrimp, scallop, and crab cake with a lemon dill sauce). But we were going for the Sunday prix fixe menu, which features two appetizers, two entrées, and a dessert for $15 per person. The night we went, they were featuring an artichoke and caper salad and tomato basil soup with housemade croutons and Fontina cheese. Pot roast with root vegetables and vegetarian lasagna with a Florentine sauce were the chosen entrées of the night. The dessert was bread pudding with berry compote.

When you walk into the restaurant, the first thing you notice is the decor. It is a small space that can probably only seat 50 people, there are a couple tables for two in the window, several bar seats, booths down one side made of old doors that have had the paint scraped off them, and a table in the back for larger parties. It is very warm, inviting and, for lack of a better word, rustic. I LOVE this type of feel. It's not pretentious, and it's totally comfortable. You feel like you're walking into a friend's house and are going to be served food that was made with a lot of love. And that's exactly what we got...

We were served a basket of homemade bread as soon as we sat down. There was a herbed, salty focaccia and a chewy white bread. The oil on the table was in an Orangina bottle with your typical wine pourer--such a resourceful idea! I ordered the salad and everyone else tried the soup. The salad was awesome. The artichokes were not too briny, as I often think is the case, and to my surprise, I liked the capers. It was a very light start to the meal.

The Sunday night menu seems to feature things that are easily prepared that day and served that day, so there is no customization allowed, but the chefs know exactly what they are doing. You wouldn't want to change anything about the dishes they prepared. Two people ordered the pot roast and two people (me being one of them) ordered the lasagna.

The pot roast featured potatoes, carrots, and turnips served in a bath of au jus. The server put down two empty plates for the roast eaters and brought this huge platter of roast beef and vegetables, and they were able to serve themselves family style. There was enough meat for all four of us, and we leftovers home for two meals. The meat was falling apart and was extremely juicy. No wonder this place has won several awards.

I ordered the lasagna, and it was served in an adorable, mini-casserole dish smothered in a vibrant green sauce. Between the layers of pasta and ricotta, there were toasted tomatoes, zucchini, and yellow squash. It was unbelievable; this is the type of meal you want on a cold winter night. Although it was a very mild February night, I enjoyed this dinner just as much as if there were a wind chill of -2.

For dessert, I was not all that excited about the bread pudding, but I, naturally, was not going to turn down a dessert, especially if it was coning regardless. I am typically not a fan of puddings unless it's tapioca or a milk-based pudding without chunks (read: corn, rice, or soggy bread). I tried the pudding, because it was drowned in a berry compote, and then I couldn't resist eating the rest of it! The tartness and sweetness of the berry compote was irresistible.

I almost forgot to mention that there are wine specials--$12, $14, and $16 bottles (at least the night we went those were the prices, they may vary). We decided not to have beverages, because Monday morning was coming much sooner than we wanted to admit.

We all left slightly miserably full and very, very happy campers. Moral of the story: you have to visit Cafe Rustica if you are in/near Richmond. They don't take reservations, so if you go and they are busy, wait it out. You will not regret your decision.

***All pictures are from http://caferusticarva.com/index.htm as I did not have my camera with me...I know, unacceptable!

Oatmeal Cookies with Toasted Pecans and Chocolate Chips

Anything that is has oatmeal as a main ingredient and can be served warm topped with vanilla ice cream, is what I'm about. I love oatmeal for breakfast, granola, traditional oatmeal cookies, honey oat bread, peach crisps...I could continue, but I think you get the picture.

I typically make an awesome oatmeal cookie that calls for two sticks of butter, and while they are delicious, I wanted to try to make a cookie that was lighter but still extremely tasty. Toasting the pecans yields a much deeper level of flavor that stands up to the chocolate in this cookie. If you make the gluten-free cookies, the banana or peanut butter adds an extra bit of sweetness and another level of flavor.

Both of the gluten-free versions of this cookie were served at the Super Bowl extravaganza, and everyone loved them. No one (thankfully) thought the cookies tasted like super-health-freak cookies.

These cookies taste like a bowl of breakfast oatmeal (with a bit of chocolate), so don't feel guilty for taking one or two to the office for breakfast. These cookies are so good, and fortunately, they're not sinfully good--unless you eat the whole bunch!

Holy Cannoli, That's the Best Guacamole!

I was terrified of avocados and, thus, guacamole for the longest time. There was nothing appetizing about the sight of it, and I didn't think I was missing out on much. Boy, was I wrong! Now, if I don't have at least three avocados a week, something feels like it's missing. Plus, they're packed with nutrients--fiber, protein, and potassium--great for a post-run pick-me-up when I'm too lazy to make anything else.

Once I overcame my fear and tried an avocado, I was converted after the first bite. If you're a fan of avocados, you know there's nothing better than a perfectly ripe one, and on the flip side,  there's not much worse than an under-ripe one. When you go to the grocery, if they are not ripe, you must have patience, young grasshopper. You will sacrifice the buttery, smoothness of the avocado if you try to rush the process. Once the avocados' skins have turned dark green and are soft to the touch, go to town.

Have this at your next dinner party, or make a small batch for yourself...but I recommend making more than you think people (or you) will eat, because it is just that good. Whenever I see my uncle, he always begs for this guac and my molten lava cakes--yes, I do realize I have yet to share that recipe with you, but all good things are worth the wait. Hang on.

Anyway, give this a shot. It's not your traditional guac, because 1) I hate tomatoes and 2) I hate cilantro. Therefore, it's twice as good as any guac you've ever had! You can totally make this as spicy as you want, but no matter how much heat you add (or whether or not you add heat), it is perfectly balanced with the sweet corn. In addition to the sweetness, it adds a great bit of texture to what can be a fairly monotonous dip/dish/side.

Best-Ever Cornbread

This cornbread is delicious, moist, and GLUTEN FREE! I have several friends who are gluten intolerant or who have celiac disease, and I was in search of a gluten-free cornbread recipe that didn't require crazy bean and rice flours. This is the best recipe whether or not you can have wheat, so make it now!

Growing up, my mom would make cornbread fairly often. This is her idea of comfort food. Her recipe required a cast-iron skillet, but we all know I don't have one of those. Her recipe also called for a stick of butter to be melted in that skillet.  Once the butter was boiling and frothy, you pour the batter into the middle of it. Essentially, you fry the cornbread. It's more about the butter than the batter in this case, but everything is more about the butter with Mom.

I didn't really like cornbread (or corn for that matter) for a long time, but this recipe made me fall in love with it. Every time I have this recipe, I fall in love with it all over again. Spread some butter on these as soon as they come out of the oven; top with grape jam, strawberry preserves, or honey. Just take a moment--oh soooo good. No matter what form this batter takes--mini muffins, regular muffins, 8x8 pan that you cut into squares, it is guaranteed to be mouth watering!

I made mini muffins for the Super Bowl party. I doubled the recipe to serve 18 adults and the same number of children; it made about 70 mini muffins. Luckily, there were leftovers, so I'll be snacking on those the rest of this week! 

Coconut Cake with 'Real' Toasted Coconut and Fluffy Icing

Happy day-after-the-Super-Bowl! I hope y'all had a fabulous celebration filled with great food. Selections from our menu will come later this week. But first, you need to meet the ultimate coconut cake!

I wanted a challenge--something that I would never normally make--and I was reminded that both my grandfather and aunt love coconut cake. Really, my grandfather loves anything coconut, but put it in the form of cake, and you're one golden grandchild.

I started with several lighter recipes and used those as guidelines. Despite my grandparents' slim physiques and active lifestyle, their little tickers are not in the best of conditions. I try to be cognizant of this, and if I really were, I'd be fixing them steamed broccoli, but where's the fun in that? I think things can me made light without cooking with fake ingredients and man-made/manipulated sugars. We'll leave it at that. Don't get me started...

I had never bought a fresh coconut, so I did a little research before heading to the grocery. I picked one (like i was told) that seemed heavy for its size, but not all that confident in my first coconut picking, I also bought a frozen fresh pack of coconut. This is what I mean by 'real' coconut; not that sweetened, dried stuff in the baking aisle, right next to sweetened condensed milk.

The icing was very much like a meringue; it was fluffy and light and practically melted in your mouth. It reminded me of marshmallow cream; I used to eat that stuff by the spoonful. The icing was fat free since it was made with egg whites! Yep, no butter, shortening, or cream cheese like most icings. See, I'm trying to look out for them! I bypassed the coconut cake recipe that called for three sticks of butter.

When my grandfather came to get his surprise that Sunday, he scarfed down his lunch in order to get to eat the cake as soon as possible. I cut him a large slice, and it was gone just as quickly as the wrap. His critique? "My taste buds are going crazy!" He loved it and had not had real coconut cake in a long time. He gladly took his half home with him...I'm sure it's long gone by now.

I think it was a success! Take a hack at a fresh coconut of your own, but if you're not feeling up for it or are pressed for time, get the frozen stuff--right next to the puff pastry, pie crusts, and whipped cream.

Banana Bread with Dried Cherries

I am intrigued by vegan dishes...by no means do I want to be vegan. Hello, remember these? I just like to see different ways people cook to accommodate certain diets, allergies, and preferences. I just do not have the willpower or the desire it takes to deprive myself of dark chocolate, chicken salad, and salmon all of the time.

Anyway, I found this recipe that didn't require Vegenaise, random egg substitute, or dairy-free chocolate, and I gave it a shot. This is definitely worth making again, and I think it would be delicious toasted and topped with butter...forget the vegan aspect here, but hey, everything is betta with butta!

This bread was insanely moist and chewy. The whole wheat flour gave it more texture than if you were to use all white flour; I liked the added texture and slightly nutty flavor. If you don't, leave it out. Next time, I will try fresh blueberries, a dash of cinnamon, and some milled flax seed.

These can obviously be made into muffins and popped in the freezer for mornings when you are running late because A) you're convinced nothing in your closet fits/you've worn it once already this week or B) you turned your alarm off by accident, and when you finally wake up, you swear it never buzzed in the first place. I swear, neither of those ever happens to me...

Clean Green Beans

I love green beans. No, I don't think you understand...every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter (we have Thanksgiving dinner three times a year) my grandmother buys four pounds of green beans, 'snaps' as she calls them. Two pounds are all mine, and the other fourteen family members get to fight over the rest. They try to beat me to the front of the line, but I always cut them off at the chase by hanging out in the kitchen just before lunchtime. As soon as the meal is ready for everyone to dive in, I swoop in and fill my plate with snaps.

These are my favorite beans--so flavorful, so fresh, so tender, so EASY. This is another one of those psych-your-guests-out dishes that tastes so good, it cannot possibly be that easy. They compliment any entrée and are just as delicious when they aren't piping hot.

Also, I want to say a few words about the best seasoning salts I have found. One has large flakes of salt and will make you sneeze every time take a whiff, and one that is a little less salty and a little more garlicky. You must have at least one of these in your cabinet. They are so versatile, from seasoning chicken before it hits the grill, to replacing salt in savory dished, to sprinkling on these very beans.

Blanching is a useful technique to perfect; basically, you boil the vegetables for a few minutes and shock them in ice cold water to halt to cooking process. The shocking technique also preserves the color. Those of you who like mushy browngreen vegetables boiled to submission, you should probably check out another recipe. All else, read on...