Brown Sugar and Rosemary Cashews

Crunchy, salty and sweet all rolled up into one little nibble – now that is a bite of perfection. This is the ideal snack for sitting watching a football game or serving at your next cocktail party or simply an after work snack. Several years ago, one of my employees brought these to a potluck and I could not stop eating them. I inquired about the recipe and he quickly shot it over in an email. I have served these at many of my gatherings and typically people can’t stop eating them. I must say, they are addictive.

The original recipe is from Barefoot Contessa, who is one of my idols. I have since altered the recipe to add more richness of the butter and sweetness of the brown sugar along with more rosemary to add to the intenseness. It would be also wonderful on almonds if cashews are not your cup of tea.

If you had the opportunity to read my entry for challenge #3 of the Foodbuzz – Next Food Blog Star contest, then you might remember these were served as one of the appetizers. Trust me - the bowl was empty before we adjourned to the dining room for dinner. Just to let you know, the voting for round three is now open. You will have until 6PM Thursday October 7th to cast your vote (click here). If you enjoyed the post, I would appreciate your vote. Good luck to all of the other contestants!

Brown Sugar and Rosemary Cashews

1 pound dry roasted and salted cashews
2 T finely minced fresh rosemary (measure once minced)
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
2 T. dark brown sugar
1 t. kosher salt
2 T. melted butter

Preheat oven 375. Place nuts on a cookie sheet and bake for about 5 minutes. In a large glass bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt and melted butter. Stir together. Add warm cashews to mixture and toss until all cashews are covered and return to the cookie sheet and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Taste for seasoning and sprinkle with additional salt if desired. Store in an airtight container for best results.

PFB #3 | An Evening Celebrating Figs & Friends

Entertaining is one of my true passions. The pure thought of planning an event in my head from who to invite to the menu to the details of designing the table, simply makes me happy. There is an art to entertaining that I have discovered over the years which makes it seem effortless to your guests and greatly reduces any stress for the hostess. I have threaded several of my entertaining tips throughout this blog post. Nothing gets my creative juices invigorated, than planning and hosting a dinner party. It is a fantastic reason to bring friends or family together to celebrate a season, event or simply celebrate each others company.

For the third challenge we were asked to host a Luxurious Dinner Party for at least four guests and be creative while sharing new tastes and entertaining secrets. While contemplating ideas in my mind about how I would execute this third challenge - I thought since we are officially in the fall season and it was the tail end of the magnificent fig season, I decided to go with the theme – “An Evening Celebrating Figs & Friends”. Often one small idea or item will trigger my creativity and then the details begin to explode from all angles. I have discovered that keys to a successful dinner party boil down to planning, paying attention to details and making your guests feel welcome and comfortable.

Speaking of guests, I put careful thought into who to invite for this special dinner, since I would have loved to invite everyone I know, but unfortunately that would not be practical. Of course, this would give me many reasons to host multiple future dinner parties for many of my wonderful friends. The invitation is often the sneak peek into type of party that your guests will be enjoying. With the vast popularity of social media and quickness, I sent a personalized invitation via the internet with the tone of the dinner party to my guests. Within a very short period of time, everyone was confirmed and now the excitement was mounting.

With any project that has a deadline, it is best to work backwards to develop your timelines and task list. Three words are the keys to creating a successful party – “Planning, Preparation and Presentation”. Several years ago I created my “Entertaining Worksheet” which keeps me extremely organized with planning the theme, menu, shopping list, preparing the menu items, getting the house ready along with myself. If I have at least one hour of downtime prior to my guests arrival, the checklist and planning was successful.

Planning, Preparation and Presentation Tips:

• The Basics: Determine date, location, venue, number of guests and type of invitation. Include in the invitation the theme of the event along with hints how to dress if important.
• Menus: Create a menu around your theme, number of guests and use a combination of prepared and ready made foods. Prepare menu’s to be placed at each place setting. Personalize with the guest’s names and date of the event. Your guests can take home as a memoir to the evening.
• Variety and Preparation: Think about different colors and textures to your menu, so you have visual variety along with tastes. Prepare as much food ahead of time and store in reusable containers for ease of entertaining.  Then you need to simply assemble, heat or cook.
• Checklist: Use your checklist to map out a timeline for purchasing your food and wine, selecting linens and dishes, preparing your house, picking music and leaving time for you to get ready and look fantastic.
• Wine and Beverages: Chill wine the night before, have plenty of ice on hand for water and other beverages and create a signature cocktail to kick off the evenings festivities. 
• Water tip: Fill the water glasses about twenty minutes prior to serving dinner and then use a big pitcher without ice to fill each glass. Add a slice of lemon or cucumber for extra punch.
• Get ready: Empty the dishwasher and trash receptacle prior to the event.
• “People eat with their eyes first” – Food should have “negative space” or empty space around it. Ensure various colors and textures are utilized.
• Presentation: Ensure tablecloths are pressed and stain free. Use chargers or placemats for added dimension to the table. Select centerpieces that coincide with the theme of the party and are below the guest’s eye level.
• Personalize: Be creative with place cards and mix up the seating arrangements to encourage conversation.
• Table: Set the table the night before your event, add flowers the day of the event and light candles just before your guests arrive.
• Music: Create cocktail party music along with dinner music on your ipod – helps to enhance the mood of your event.
• Coffee: Have the coffee pot pre-loaded with beans and water, so all you need to do is press the button.

One part of this process that is my favorite is creating the menu along with the wines that will pair with the dishes. Incorporating figs into each aspect of the menu was both fun and challenging. I decided to use both the black mission and totato varietals of figs and incorporate them into the centerpieces along with the place card holders to further embody the theme.

A copy of the menu was placed in the entrance of our home to give my guests an opportunity to gain a glimpse into the evening. I carefully selected various wines that were already in our wine cellar which were both unique and would pair beautifully with the menu.

Use something that designates who owns the wine glasses, so there is not a question as to who it belongs to. I enjoy personalizing with each guest's name.

Going back ten years, I decided to create custom menus for my dinner parties and store them in a decorative binder to bring back the wonderful memories. For this dinner party, I created a pretty menu along with a tasting note card giving hints about each wine. It was a wonderful conversation starter for everyone to discuss the aromas and flavors they discovered with each wine. Especially with the Pinot Noir which had a distinct aroma of cola – after reading that detail each guest immediately recognized the hint of cola in the wine. Perhaps the power of suggestion made a difference.

For "An Evening Celebrating Figs & Friends", each course was carefully paired with a special wine to enhance the experience.

{ Rosemary and Brown Sugar Cashews + 2009 Vermentino -  Blair Fox Cellars}

{ Caramelized Onion, Fig, Blue Cheese Crostini + 2009 Vermentino - Blair Fox Cellars }

{Amuse Bouche - Grilled Figs with Bacon + 2006 Riesling - Bex }

{ Mixed Greens, Arugula, Fennel, Shaved Parmesan, Figs and Sherry Vinaigrette + 2007 L'Avion - Stolpman Vineyards }

{ Maple-Rosemary Brinded Pork Tenderloin, Port Infused Fig Chutney with Parsley Fingerling Potatoes + 2005 Pinot Noir - Hartley Ostini Hitching Post Highliner }

{Fig and Apple Tart + 2006 Far Niente "Dolce" Napa Valley Dessert Wine }

Amuse Bouche

An amuse-bouche is typically a one or two bite offering by the chef that offers a glimpse into the chef’s approach to cooking and often accompanied by a complementing wine. It is referred to sometimes as a chef’s surprise and adds that extra special touch to a dinner. With my theme, I found a recipe for Grilled Figs Wrapped with Bacon from The Vineyard Restaurant located in Madera California and paired with the Bex Riesling.

Grilled Figs Wrapped with Bacon

8 slices bacon, center cut
1 C. Balsamic vinegar
8 Fresh figs
8 Wooden skewers, soaked in water

Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on a baking pan and precook for 5 minutes at 400 degree oven. Meanwhile, measure the vinegar into a small saucepan; heat and simmer over medium heat until reduced by one half. Set aside.

Wrap each fig with one slice of bacon and secure with a skewer’ grill over open fire or on a grill pan till bacon is crisp. Drizzle vinegar reduction and serve warm.

Overall the evening was filled with great friends, much laughter and of course delicious food and wine. After we concluded with dessert, the evening was winding down and I wanted to give a little gift to each of my guests. Continuing with the fig theme, I presented each person with a jar of my handmade fig jam. With jam and menus in hand, we said good night to our fabulous guests and proceeded to relax and reminisce about the wonderful dinner party.

A special BIG thank you to everyone who voted for my challenge #2 post.  Challenge #3 - Creating and executing a Luxurious Dinner Party was extremely fun and rewarding.  Voting opens: 6AM pacific time October 4th through 6PM pacific time October 7th. 

{ Pan Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Chiplote Aoili }

One of my absolute favorite vegetables is Brussel sprouts. Often I hear from folks that this is their least favorite. My least favorite would be broccoli – I know it is so good for you and the majority of people love it. Unfortunately, it is the one and only veggie that is not ever stepped foot into my house.

I remember when we were small, my younger cousin came over for dinner and my Mom had prepared Brussels sprouts for dinner. She looked at these as if she had never seen them before and indeed this was the first time she experienced them. She tasted it and then exclaimed that they looked like little heads of lettuce. We all still remember that dinner.

The recipe below is probably the most frequent way that I cook Brussel minus the aoili - that is a special treat. Although, a decadent way to enjoy these little gems is with bacon and instead of the olive oil, you cook in the bacon renderings. Then at the last minute you toss the Brussels with the crumbled bacon bits. Paula Deen would be proud!

Serves Four

Brussels sprouts

32 to 36 Brussel Sprouts
Olive Oil
Lawry’s season salt
Fresh ground pepper

Remove with a knife the bottom of each Brussel sprouts and then cut in half or quarters. In a large skillet add about ¼ to 1/3 cup olive oil and heat on medium. Add the Brussels and coat with the olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper. Continue to cook until golden brown. Serve along side the chipotle Aioli for dipping.

Chipotle Aioli

½ C. Mayonnaise
1 T. Chives, finely chopped
1 Garlic clove, finely minced
½ t. Lemon juice
1 large Adobo chili
Salt and pepper

Add all of the above ingredients into a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Place into a container with a lid and refrigerate until ready to use.

PFB #2 | The Classics: Pho Ga - Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup }

First and foremost, I would like to extend a big heartfelt thank you to everyone who voted for me and helped me to advance to the second challenge of the Project Food Blog contest.  For the second challenge, we are asked to tackle a classic dish from another culture and go outside our comfort zone.  I chose to go to the other side of the world to the country of Vietnam and create my version of Pho Ga - Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup.  Voting opens on Monday, September 27th at 6Am through 6PM September 30th.  Please visit this link to learn more about Project Food Blog and cast your vote.

Vietnamese cuisine has a certain distinct mystique. It has long been admired for its freshness, simplicity with flavorful qualities and considered one of the healthiest cuisines. The dishes are artfully composed with an abundance of fresh herbs, greens, vegetables and are well-seasoned. Chinese, Thai and French influences are infused into this Vietnamese cuisine and bring uniqueness. Common ingredients include: ginger, spring onions, lemongrass, chilies, noodles, seafood, beef, chicken, mint, basil and even coconut milk.

One of the distinct differences with this cuisine is the Nuoc Mam or fish sauce. It is derived from anchovy and is spiced with a little chili, garlic, lemon juice and vinegar. The fish sauce provides the inimitable distinction from other Asian flavors.

















For many years, I have enjoyed and admired this cuisine for the flavor profiles and the simplicity which appears to be complicated. A few months ago, I was dining with one of my employees for lunch at a local Vietnamese-French inspired restaurant. He decided to have the Pho Tai, which is a noodle soup with rare beef. Being adventurous, I ordered the identical item. When it arrived, I had no idea on how to eat it or what to do with the beautiful side dish of garnishes.

Quickly I learned that you first mix in the desired amount of sriracha and hoisin sauce to enrich the already flavorful broth. Once that is mixed, more flavor and texture is added to this amazing soup by topping with crispy bean sprouts, cilantro, jalapenos, basil and lime juice to add a touch of acidity. The beef is slowly cooked by the heat of the broth and you enjoy by using chop sticks and a spoon.

























When I first read the ten challenges for the Food Blog Project, I began to jot down ideas that I would like to accomplish with each challenge. After reading challenge number two, “The Classics”, the idea came to me like a lightning bolt. After tasting the Pho Tai several months ago, I decided that I would tackle Pho Ga (Pho is pronounced ‘fuh’). Pho Ga is a delicious Vietnamese soup with chicken, loaded with spices, fresh herbs and rice noodles. The idea of this soup sounds simple, yet the taste is anything but. It embodies complex flavors with simple, healthy ingredients.




















Many folks believe that Pho noodle soups originated in the 1920’s as a union of French-style cooking merged with local Vietnamese ingredients. If you ventured to Vietnam to the local food stalls, you would be guaranteed to smell the distinct flavors of the Pho noodles broth and see the locals hunched over enjoying a large bowl of Pho soup. This soup was customarily enjoyed for breakfast but today it is a round the clock treat. Typically, the broth takes 4 to 7 hours to prepare however, my style of cooking is much more simple and I went outside the box on this tradition.



















To save time and put my own twist on this classic, I decided to use really good prepared chicken stock along with a rotisserie chicken. My husband had never enjoyed this Vietnamese delight, so I was even more excited to prepare this iconic dish. After adding the sauces and condiments to this flavorful soup, I took my first taste. I amazed myself and a feeling of such accomplishment ran through my head. I exclaimed to my husband – “I actually replicated the soup”.

















I would like to personally thank each of you who voted for me in the first challenge and helped me to advance to the next round. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Pho Ga: Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 4

12 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Large white onion
2 Medium pieces of fresh ginger
1 Rotisserie Chicken, 1 ½ cups shredded chicken
2 t. Salt
2 t. Sugar
2 T. Asian fish sauce
2 T. Whole coriander seeds
4 Whole cloves
3 Whole star anise
6 oz. Package dried rice noodles
8 oz. Bean sprouts
1 C. Cilantro leaves
1 C. Thai basil (regular basil can be used)
2 Limes cut into quarters
2 Jalapenos, thinly sliced
Sriracha sauce
Hoisin sauce

Broth:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the onion into quarters, leaving the skin on and cut the ginger in half lengthwise. Lie onto a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. The onions should begin to char. Leave in an extra 10 minutes if more charring is desired.

In a large pot, add the chicken stock and put the burner on high. Add the charred onions and ginger along with the salt, sugar, coriander seeds, cloves and star anise. Let the broth come to a boil and reduce heat to low after it boils. Let simmer for another 30 minutes to develop the rich exotic flavors. After it has simmered for 30 minutes, then add the fish sauce. Keep the broth hot.

Noodles:

Soak the noodles in warm water for 15 minutes until pliable. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Drain the noodles and add to the boiling water. Boil until tender for about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well. Transfer to four large bowls.

Assemble:

Divide the shredded chicken among the four bowls. Prepare four plates with the accompaniments to add to the soup. This would include: basil leaves, cilantro leaves, 2 quarters of lime, bean sprouts, and jalapenos along with a small bowl with the sirachi and hoisin sauce for each person to add to the soup. You can provide a small spoon for your guest to allocate the desired amount of sauces. Let them know to squeeze the lime into the soup and add the condiments to have the full Pho Ga experience.

Sweet Corn Ice Cream

A few weeks ago my husband and I met a few friends after work at Flora in downtown Oakland. I jumped on BART and simply walked a block and there was this amazing restaurant. It is located in the uptown district of Oakland and the surrounding area is going through revitalization. Oakland has a poor reputation due to the high crime rate; however the local chefs are quickly realizing that Oakland is becoming the next gourmet scene in the Bay Area. Local foodies are beginning to flock to these new hot spots and taking advantage of this new restaurant boom.

Flora is the brain child of Dona Savisky and Thomas Schnertz who wanted to create a dining destination and bar the was reminiscent of the prohibition era with art deco style. The cocktails are specially crafted to echo that era along with updated American classics that have a definite flair. Flora sits in the beautifully ornate Oakland Floral Depot building and across from the newly renovated beautiful Fox Theatre.

Our food was amazing but the dessert really struck me and inspired me to make sweet corn ice cream. We shared two desserts with one being “corn ice cream, peach sorbet, crisp puff pastry, hazelnut streusel with blueberries”. The corn ice cream just added that extra special flavor profile to the blueberry crumble and the only problem was that there were four people sharing this divine dessert. Note to self for next time – order my own dessert.

Sweet Corn Ice Cream

4 Ears Fresh Corn
2 C. Milk
2 C. Cream
¾ C. Sugar
6 Egg Yolks
1 t. Vanilla

Remove any husks from the corn and then cut off the kernels. Break each of the cobs into three or four pieces.

In a medium pot add the milk and cream and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat. Add the corn kernels and cobs. Cook for 10 minutes then turn off heat and let steep for about one hour.

After one hour, remove the cobs and pour the remaining liquid with kernels through a fine sieve or strainer. Add back to the pan and add the vanilla. Heat on medium heat until warm.

In a bowl add the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk until slightly fluffy and a light yellow color. Add about a ¼ cup of the warm milk to temper the eggs, and then add the entire egg mixture to the pot of warm milk and cream. Cook on medium until the back of a wooden spoon is coated and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool in a water bath or refrigerator overnight in a covered container.

Process through an ice cream maker according the to the manufacturers directions. Serve alone or over your favorite fruit crumble.

Raspberry Coconut Bars

One of my favorite cookies to make is bar cookies. First, they are simple to make. Second, they are typically tasty and last they have endless combinations. I have to admit that I have had a long obsession and love affair with date bars. How many of you remember the Betty Crocker Date Bar Mix? My Mom would buy the mix when we were kids and make them. I swear we could eat the entire pan in one sitting, except for the fact that my Mom would meter our intake of these divine little bars.

I use to be able to find it at certain stores years ago and then I went to my “source” one day and it was GONE. I was incredibly sad, since this simple mix brought me so much joy. I searched the internet to see what had happened to my beloved Date Bar Mix. According to the official Betty Crocker message board, it had been discontinued. How could this be? Typically I love baked goods from scratch, but this mix just had a certain taste that was hard to duplicate. I kept a box for the ingredient list; to hopefully one day re-create this splendid tasting treat.

Onto the main event, they beautiful Raspberry Coconut Bars. Karen DeMasco’s “The Craft of Baking” is a wonderful book with gorgeous photos and luscious recipes. On Sunday, I got the baking bug and after leafing through Karen's book, these bars called out to me. I wanted to adapt them to make them my own, so I added the coconut. What a great addition – just adds that special extra flavor. I revisited the ingredients on the Date Bar Mix and it had coconut listed. Perhaps this is the secret ingredient!

Raspberry Coconut Bars

1 C. Pecans, coarsely chopped
1 ½ C. Flour
1 ¼ C. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 C. Sugar
1/3 C. Dark brown sugar, packed
1 t. Salt
1/2 t. Baking soda
½ C. Shredded coconut
1 ½ Sticks unsalted butter (12 tablespoons)
1 C. Raspberry jam

Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare an 8-inch square baking pan by spraying with Crisco spray or butter. Spread the chopped pecans in a baking pan and toast for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool. I bought mine already chopped and dry roasted from Trader Joe’s – saves you a step.

In a large bowl, stir the flour with the rolled oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, shredded coconut and pecans. Using a wooden or regular spoon, stir in the melted butter until the oat mixture is thoroughly combined.

Press two-thirds of the oat mixture in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking pan and top with the raspberry preserves. Sprinkle the preserves with the remaining oat mixture and pat down lightly.

Bake the bars for about 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the top is golden brown. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the granola bars cool completely, about 3 hours. Cut into squares and serve. Makes about 16 bars. Keep in an airtight container.

Gougeres with Chicken Salad + Anniversary Celebration

Time flies entirely too fast. It seems like it was yesterday that I was meeting my husband for the first time. We had spoken on the phone for over two hours and decided that the next day would be the day – a blind date. I knew there was something special about him while we were conversing on the phone. I had a busy day at work and rushed from a networking event 40 minutes away to make it on time to meet him in person.

We met at Faultline which is now Pyramid Brewery in Walnut Creek. Our date was on a weekday and both had to get up early, but that did not seem to matter to either one of us. Almost seven hours later, we said good night to each other. A second date was set up shortly after the first meeting. He swooped me off my feet by planning an exquisite date in San Francisco. Our third date was at my small 750 square foot in law unit - the stage was set with candles, music and a fire was crackling.

He arrived with a dozen red roses, a bottle of Schramsberg Sparkling wine and a bottle of Opus One. Multiple courses were planned including the caprese salad, filet mignon with rosemary-gruyere polenta and triple sorbets served in a martini glass. He also had a small gift to give me. It was a book that detailed how to market your artwork, since at the time I was doing a lot of painting on pottery. How thoughtful indeed.

Turns out that by the end of our magical third date, we knew that our dating days were over and we would be married. He proposed about five months later and we were married on September. We just celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary and I decided to make a cozy appetizer style dinner to commemorate our special day. Happy Anniversary Honey - this blog posting is dedicated to you my darling Hubby!

Gougeres with Chicken Salad

Gougeres (Adapted from Tartine Bakery)

1 ¼ C. Non-fat or 1% milk
10 T. Butter
1 C. Flour
5 Large eggs
¾ C. Gruyere
Pinch of salt
1 Large egg (egg wash)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place milk, butter, and salt in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Let the butter melt and milk come to a full boil. Then add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously for a few minutes until the ingredients form thick smooth dough. Place the dough in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment. Add one egg at a time. Mix at medium speed until each egg is fully integrated before adding the next.

Add the mixture to a large pastry bag to make the gougeres. I used a large star tip to give a bit of extra texture when baked. Line the cookie sheet with a silpat to ensure they do not stick. With a wet forefinger, gently pat down any peak.

Brush the tops of each mound with lightly beaten egg and space about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Chicken Salad (my original recipe)

4 Chicken breasts
5 C. Water
1 C. Chicken stock
1 T. Peppercorns
2 t. Salt

In a large pot, add the water, chicken stock, peppercorns and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and add the chicken breasts. Poach the chicken for about 15 minutes or until all the way cooked through. Remove and place onto a plate to cool. When cool, cut into small cubes and add to a large bowl.

1 Medium white onion, finely diced
1 C. Mayo
1 T. Dijon mustard
½ t. Garlic powder
½ t. Salt
10 Grinds of pepper
¾ C. Toasted, chopped pecans
½ C. Dried cranberries

To the large bowl of diced chicken, add all of the above ingredients and mix well. Taste and add additional seasoning as desired.

To assemble:

With a serrated knife, cut each of the gourgeres in half lengthwise. Fill each one with a large scoop of the chicken salad and top with microgreens or other greens if desired.