Portland Seafood Company

The Gorgonzola Fries I've talked about....

All that was left afterwards...

The Seafood platter - fish, shrimp and clam strips

My Food Answers

I was asked what my answers would be to my Fellow Foodie Fun questions. So I thought I'd go ahead and post them here. :)

#1 Spinach

1. What food did you once hate (as a child or even more recently) that you have found an appreciate for and now enjoy? The first thing that came to mind was spinach. I hated spinach growing up, but mostly because of HOW my mother would prepare it. She loves it sauteed and wilted with no life left in it and bathed in butter and salt. I remember just swallowing it whole to get it down. Now, however, as an adult I've realized I like FRESH spinach. Spinach salads, on sandwiches, even slightly wilted in pastas. I still can't do the "creamed" spinach my mother loves though.

#2 Eggs Benedict

2. What do you normally order when going out to breakfast/brunch?That's an easy one. Eggs Benedict. I'm a sucker for properly poached eggs and you can bet if Eggs Benedict is on the menu I'll order it.

3. What is your favorite late-night snack? It really depends on if I am craving something sweet or salty? But if it's just a matter of not full from dinner and want a little something it'd either be peanut butter toast or a bowl of cereal.

#4 Pasta

4. What is the one dish you wish you could cook, but haven't yet mastered? I'd love to learn how to make fresh pasta. Right now though I have such a tiny kitchen and no real counter space it's kind of difficult.

5. What is your favorite restaurant? Where is it located and what is your favorite dish on their menu? I'm not sure if I have one ultimate favorite....I have favorites based on where I am/was living. When I lived in San Diego my go-to place was Spread, in North Park, they had a savory french toast that was killer. When I was in school it was Cuca's and their chicken rice burritos; I am still such a fan that when my aunt came up last summer we made her bring some with her. Now, living in Portland, I don't know if I have a "favorite"...I have a couple places...Departure and Ping would be the two if I had to pick (and I've blogged about Ping before).

#5 Ping

6. Who taught you how to cook? My mother (mostly) and both my grandmothers. The women in my family can cook and ever since I could stand on a chair to reach the counters they put a spoon in my hand to help. Best way to learn.

7. What is the worst cooking disaster you've ever caused? I remember once, I was maybe thirteen, I was asked to make jello and didn't put nearly enough water in. The whole thing was maybe an inch think and way gross. As an adult...nothing I would consider a disaster just things that didn't come out right. Like the Honey Cupcakes.

#8 Fish Tacos

8. What did you have for dinner last night? Homemade fish tacos.

9. What restaurant do you want to eat at and haven't? Okay, if we're talking dream meal I'd have to say I'd love to go to the French Laundry and eat anything Thomas Keller put in front of me. ::drooool::

#10 Gorgonzola Fries

10. What is your guilty-pleasure food item? Oh, normally I'd probably say "chocolate" in any shape or form. But the other night my mother and I had dinner at the Portland Seafood Company and we ordered their Gorgonzola Fries...HOLY CRAP! I wanted to LICK. THE. PLATE. Amazing. I've even gone out and bought fries to make my own at home (of course though I forgot the Gorgonzola.)

#11 Dim Sum

11. What food item/dish do you just love that your family/friends can't/won't try? Either sushi or dim sum. When I'm craving sushi I have to go out with coworkers because I can't get my family to eat it at all (although I did find out my sister's boyfriend is a fan, so we're going to find a Japanese restaurant that serves sushi and or teriyaki something for the haters). And then there's dim sum. I've taken my mother once and she hated everything we got - except the sticky rice and fried spring rolls.

#12 & 13 Chocolate Cream Pie

12. Cake or Pie? What kind? I think I'm going to have to go pie....but I like cream pies mostly. Chocolate cream. French silk. My favorite cake is Boston Cream "Pie" haha.

13. If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would be your last meal? Probably my grandmother's fried chicken, a side order of biscuits with gravy and a slice of chocolate cream pie for dessert.

Cannoli

One of my sister's favorite desserts are cannoli. So this Christmas, after seeing a semi-homemade version, I called my Aunt and got our grandmother's cannoli filling recipe.

1 container ricotta (don't drain it like the link says. My Aunt was shocked!! She said if you drain it, you'll break the cheese up to shit) plus 1 cup powdered sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla.... then with an electric mixer "whip the hell out of it. The more you whip it the fluffier it will get". Then fold in mini chocolate chips. 

Do not fill the cones until you are about to eat them Otherwise the cones/shells will get soggy. 

***

Cinnamon + Apples + Goat Cheese + Honey = OMFG!!

I get an email newsletter from The Stir and today they had this recipe. It's still a bit too warm to turn the oven on but you better believe the next evening it dips into the 50s or 60s I'll be coring apples and stuffing with honey goat cheese. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...oh, sorry about the drool there.

Baked Cinnamon Apples With Goat Cheese & Honey

Posted by Kim Conte

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:

1/3 cup brandy

1/4 cup raisins

4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

4 large apples

3/4 cup apple cider

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Finely chopped toasted walnuts

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, heat at the brandy over medium heat. Place the raisins in a bowl and cover with the warm brandy. Let sit until plumped, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid.

2. In a small bowl, mash the goat cheese, honey, lemon peel, and 2 teaspoons of the reserved brandy until smooth. Add the raisins and mix until well blended. Refrigerate until slightly firm, about 20 minutes.

3. Scoop out the stems, cores, and seeds from the apples, leaving the bottoms intact. Using a paring knife, peel the skin from the top inch of the apple. Stand in a baking dish.

4. Divide the goat cheese mixture into 4 equal portions and stuff into the apples.

5. In a bowl, whisk together the cider, sugar, cinnamon and the remaining reserved brandy. Pour over the apples. Bake uncovered until the apples are tender, 45 to 40 minutes, basting every 10 to 15 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Place the apples on plates and spoon the pan juices over them. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts and serve immediately.

Sweet Brie Ring

We made this on Sunday morning for my sister's birthday. It was way rich but way yummy. Here are a few pictures I took while prepping the Brie Ring (super fast to make btw) - the ingredient list and directions are at the bottom.

This is enough for 2 rings. But we found 1 was more than enough.

Preheat to 400*

Remove Brie from paper wrapper and place in middle

Arrange crescents around the brie

Sprinkle brown sugar on the top

Now it's ready to bake!

In the oven for 20 minutes

And it's ready to devour!

Ingredients:
2 Pillsbury crescent roll tubes (the large ones work best)
1 round baby brie
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Grease a baking sheet with sides on it with a Pam or oil.
Place 1 round baby brie in the center of the baking sheet and put the crescent dough around the brie. 
Spread the butter over the top of the bread evenly. 
Sprinkle approximately 1/8-inch brown sugar on top of the dough and a little less on the brie. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. 
Cool at least for 10 minutes so you don't burn yourself on the sugar. 
Pull apart the individual crescents and spread cheese on the bread.

Grilled Cheese Month!

Did you know that April is Grilled Cheese Month? 

I didn't. But now that I do. Mmmm. It sure makes me want a grilled cheese sandwich. 

I have to admit sometimes I'm a purest. I want generic white bread with plastic flavored Kraft American Cheese. No tomatoes, no provolone, no doctoring of any kind. Grilled cheese and tomato soup - what a comfort food. 

But then there is a time and a place for everything. Going through this LA Times food article (in honor of National Grilled Cheese Month) it sure made me want to experiment and spice up the idea of the grilled cheese. 

Here are the 11 grilled cheese sandwiches from the LA Times Test kitchen. Be prepared to drool.

1. Grilled blue cheese and pears on raisin brioche bread (recipe)

2. Grilled cheddar and apple butter on rosemary bread (recipe)

3. Panini with mustard greens, Gruyere and roasted peppers (recipe)

4. Huitlacoche Quesadillas (recipe)

5. Mixed greens and feta quesadillas (recipe)

6. Mushroom and goat cheese quesadilla (recipe)

7. Croque-Madame (recipe)

8. Fontina and sage grilled cheese (recipe)

9. Shallots and Cantal (recipe)

10. Croque-monsieur - aka Ham and Cheese (recipe)

11. Stuffed french toast with bacon, dandelion greens and Gruyere (recipe)

I don't even know where to being with making these sandwiches....but I do know that the next time "Grilled Cheese" is on the menu it won't include Kraft.