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December 18, 2010

Cranberry-Apple Crumble

Traditional-style crumble with a nice tartness from the addition of the fresh cranberries. Enjoy!

Recipe

December 17, 2010

Kung Pao Shrimp

Recipes from the magazine Food & Wine have been really hit or miss for me. This one was a miss. I added some fish sauce in an attempt to add some flavor; it helped a little, but not enough to make this one again.

Recipe

December 16, 2010

Slow Cooker Chipotle-Lime Chicken with Jamaican Rice and "Peas"

This recipe is easy to make, but it only has a very mellow chipotle flavor which was disappointing. The rice was tasty, though mild. I would recommend making a half order and use the spices (chipotle and garlic) recommended for the full dish or maybe even double them if you like it really spicy.

Recipe

December 15, 2010

Honey Cookies (Swedish Leckerli)

This recipe was shared with my by a good friend. They have a nice spiciness with a heavy duty crunch; whole nuts and fruit make for a nice balance in texture and taste. My friend makes the candied orange herself which really puts these cookies over the top, but I just used pre-made candied orange from the grocery store which works just fine. Depending on what type of honey you use (orange blossom, clover, etc.) the cookies will have unique flavor. Enjoy!


Heat ingredients together in a large bowl in the microwave or in a double-boiler, until
everything is warm & the butter melted:
1 & 1/2 cups honey
3/4 c. sugar
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp powdered cardamom (this is the key ingredient)
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 & 1/2 cups whole raw almonds or filberts, or combo
1/2 cup orange peel candy
1 cup yellow raisins

Then stir in the following:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda


Then add 1-2 more cups of flour, until the mixture is thick & sticky like hot asphalt.



Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and non-stick spray around the edges, dump about 1/2 of the mix onto a cookie sheet, wet your hands with water and pat it out to uniform thickness, about 1/3 inch thick. Approx 10 x 15 inch pan with 1/2 inch sides works best. 1 batch is 2 cookie sheets. A metal pie pans also work if your cookie sheets don't have sides.Bake 350 degrees 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.

Cooling & cutting process: Let cool say 5 minutes, then remove the whole sheet from the pan by setting a cookie rack on top and then flipping the whole thing over. Let cool 5-10 minutes more, then flip again onto a cutting board and with a sharp knife, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips x 2-3 inches long. 

December 14, 2010

The Wine Shop - Bend, OR

Nice selection of wine by the glass, including ports and saki, with selected wines $5 per glass and seasonal tap beer $4 per glass during happy hour. Well rounded selection of artisan cheeses from around the world to enjoy with your wine. Relaxing atmosphere and friendly staff.        The Wine Shop on Urbanspoon

December 13, 2010

Old Mill Brew Werks

Amazing beer selection on tap, especially for such a small place. Happy hour gives you a dollar off all the beers, which is a great deal as many of the beers they serve you can't get anywhere else in town on tap. We tried Hales Ales Red Menace Big Amber (sweet and smooth), Oakshire Ill-Tempered Gnome, EL Toro Deuce Imperial IPA (nice bitter hop taste), HUB Dark Helmet Schwartz Bier (smooth stout with a light finish), and Double Mountain FaLaLaLaLa (great hop character).

They serve traditional bar food - nachos, burgers, fish & chips, salads, and soups.  I would not recommend the nachos - a lack of toppings and the use of some sort of Velveeta-type white cheese on top, made them not very appealing. However, I am willing to try something else from the menu next time we go back for some great beer.
Old Mill Brew Werks on Urbanspoon

December 12, 2010

Deschutes Brewery

Seasonal Brews Currently on Tap:
Quail Springs IPA - strong bitter hop taste, not enough fruity balance for me
Red Chair NWPA - full bodied with a nice sweetness that is balanced with a hoppy bitterness...yum!
Hop Henge Experimental IPA - another great one here, lighter in color and body than the Red Chair
The Dissident - this one is on the verge of a being a sour beer, which I am not a fan of
The Abyss - excellent, full flavor; the molasses really shines through
Horton's Helles - traditional style German beer; light but still has a good deal of flavor that even a hop-head like me can enjoy.
Deschutes Brewery on Urbanspoon

December 11, 2010

Big Island Kona Mix Plate - Bend, OR

Great food at a great price in a great location - The Old Mill. The servings can be pretty large for the mix plates so come hungry or order a mini-plate. The Aki Poke was delicious, perfectly seasoned as to not overwhelm the fresh tuna. We also had the Spicy Pork (yum!), Spicy Chicken (a bit salty), and Spicy Chicken Sandwich (meat was a bit chewy for a sandwich). For sides we recommend the potato mac...a double serving! Not sure what their secret is in the potato mac, we think it might be fresh vanilla bean, but its amazing. I would go back just for that, though the rest of the food is really good so I am sure I wouldn't be able to resist ordering something else. Enjoy!
Big Island Kona Mix Plate on Urbanspoon

Little Pizza Paradise - Bend, OR

Very good "traditional-style" pizza. We just had a pepperoni and sausage, but the amount of toppings was just right. The sauce was light and there was a good amount of cheese, but it was not overly greasy. The crust was thin in the middle and chewy/crispy on the outside. Unfortunately, it is way up on the northeast side of town in a small strip mall with a gas station so parking can be tricky and its not really near anything else so we have to go out of our way to get up there. However, those are the only downfalls for this joint; worth the trip if you are looking for some good "traditional-style" pizza.
Little Pizza Paradise on Urbanspoon

December 10, 2010

Pfeffernüesse

Pfeffernüesse - delicious German spice cookie; love the hazelnuts in place of the more traditional walnut or pecan. 

Tony's Hot Toddy

Great hot toddy recipe. We used dark rum instead of brandy which worked nicely. I would recommend letting it simmer for a few minutes after bringing it to a boil. The spices and lemon flavors shine through more fully. Enjoy Apres Ski or anytime! 

Recipe courtesy Tony Neely, Food Network
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 8 min
Serves: 10 servings
Ingredients
·         3 whole cloves
·         cinnamon sticks
·         1 cup brandy
·         3 tablespoons honey
·         2 lemons, wedged
·         8 cups cider
Directions
In a large saucepan add all the ingredients. Whisk together and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour into glasses and serve.

December 9, 2010

Kettleman Bagels - NW Portland

Great bagels and large variety of speads. Morning buns are delicious when they have then (get there early!).

Kettleman Bagel Company on Urbanspoon

December 8, 2010

Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) - Portland

One of the best breweries and pizza places in Portland (only better pizza is Apizza Scholls). Family friendly environment with great beer always on tap. We had the BBQ Pizza which had the perfect balance of bacon, chicken, and a slightly spicy/tangy BBQ sauce. The crust is perfectly thin and crispy in the center and chewy on the outside.

For beers we had the Abominable, the Porter, English Style IPA, and ESB. The Porter had a strong flavor, almost too coffee ground-ish tasting, the ESB was on cask so it was supper smooth, the Abominable was a great winter IPA (bought some 22oz once I got back to Bend), the English Style IPA was not what I would consider an IPA if I were in a blind taste test, but it had a nice full flavor that didn't overwhelm the palate and packed a nice alcohol wallop.  

We try to go there every time we are in Portland...its worth the stop. To the pizza and beers lovers out there - Enjoy!
Hopworks Urban Brewery on Urbanspoon

December 7, 2010

Flatbread Community Oven - Bend

Great Happy Hour deals - $5 pizzettes, flatbreads, and wines, $3 draft beers.

I actually prefer their flatbread over their pizza, especially the olive oil and Parmesan with three dipping sauces. Crust is always done perfectly, slight crispy, chewy and yeasty, with just the right amount of toppings...not too much and not too little.

Flatbread Community Oven on Urbanspoon

December 6, 2010

Basil Parmesan Biscuits

Nice flavor, even with sweet basil instead of purple basil, and easy to make. Enjoy!

recipe link

December 5, 2010

Tony's Delicatessen - Bend

I had been to Tony's before for their take 'n bake pizza, which is good, but nothing special. I went back today to try one of their Grinders (aka sandwich)...I had really been missing out!

I tried "The Adamonator" and my dining companion had the "Mario's Meatball."  My sandwich had a nice variety of Italian deli meats, with cheese, lettuce, and an amazing dressing. The meats were all very fresh, the sub roll they was served on was of the perfect thickness (not too much) and crispiness, and the dressing added a nice sweet oiliness. The meatball sub was served on the same roll with 4 nice sized meatball and a perfectly flavored, slightly chunky marinara sauce.  The sandwiches were served with potato salad, pasta salad, or coleslaw. I had the pasta salad which consisted of bowtie pasta in light and fresh oil based dressing with olives and slivers of zucchini. My companion had the coleslaw which was slightly sweet with a mild spiciness.

I definitely recommend Tony's Deli and have added them to my list of favorites in Bend.
Tony's Delicatessen on Urbanspoon

December 4, 2010

Amalia's - Bend, OR

Many other diners have raved about how good the food was here, but I have to say I was a bit disappointed, especially for the price (most dinners are around $15). The salsas were thin and watery; the chips were over salted. The drink menu was not up to date, which the waitress did not tell us, that is once she came over to the table...it was a slow weeknight so I was surprised to have slow service.  I ordered the seafood enchiladas, which were topped with a delicately flavored creamy corn sauce. The enchiladas were loaded with chunks of seafood, no fillers just meat. They were served with rice and black beans, neither of which had much flavor on their own. In general I enjoyed my meal, but it was nothing special so I will likely not be back again anytime soon. Disappointed :-(

Amalia's on Urbanspoon

Bacon-Brown Sugar Brussels Sprouts

I was disappointed with this recipe. Neither the bacon or brown sugar really made a taste appearance. Maybe better if they were roasted instead of steamed.